We need access to the decision-making process. It ought to be based on good science, and regulators ought to be able to defend the science. California Rep. George Brown for one. He and 20 other House lawmakers have written a letter to OMB, arguing that the proposal would, among other things, comprise the confidentiality of volunteers participating in research and raise administrative costs for universities and other research facilities. The rule also provides for a fee covering the cost of providing the data.
Publication is indeed an important standard in the scientific process.
But it is not the only standard. That's part of the scientific process. What really worries EPA and Rep. Brown is that junk science used to justify agency rulemaking they favor may not be able to withstand scrutiny. That would kill the rule. This newspaper doesn't think so.