Facts Optional: A Case Study in DEQ’s data spin

About this episode

The episode discusses flawed data analysis by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and its implications for environmental policy.

In this episode, Katie Murray, Executive Director of Oregonians for Food and Shelter (OFS) returns to the podcast, but this time to host a conversation with Isabella Nelson, recent graduate from Oregon State University (OSU) with an honors bachelor of science degree in environmental chemistry and a minor in toxicology, and Dr. Kim Anderson, professor from the Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology at OSU. They discuss Isabella’s internship project with OFS which highlights how the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality’s flawed data analysis and misuse of environmental monitoring results can lead to inaccurate and warped conclusions. Isabella discusses her scientifically accurate analysis of data produced by the Pesticide Stewardship Partnership, a decades old program designed as a targeted, voluntary effort to identify local water quality issues and support education for pesticide applicators. The podcast explores how DEQ began using the program’s data inappropriately to make broad regional conclusions that inflate concerns over pesticide use and undermine trust. Isabella and Kim provide recommendations to refocus the program by applying sound science…

People in this episode

Host: Katie Murray

Guests: Isabella Nelson, Dr. Kim Anderson

Topics covered

• data analysis
• environmental policy
• pesticide use
• water quality
• scientific research

Keywords

• Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
• pesticide stewardship
• environmental chemistry
• data transparency
• water quality

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Oregonians for Food and Shelter, Oregon State University, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, Pesticide Stewardship Partnership