Fact Sheet: What "Best Available Science" Means

EPIC is continuing to analyze the long-term impacts of the 400+ page Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act. For more information on the more than 70 provisions, check out our BAAJA dashboard.


In brief: Section 1301 of the Senate's Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act would define "best available science" in the ESA for the first time. Much of its language tracks the 1994 Clinton-era policy the wildlife agencies already follow.

Tim Male

Tim founded the Environmental Policy Innovation Center in 2017. Prior to launching this startup, he served as an Associate Director at the White House Council on Environmental Quality, Vice President for Conservation Policy at Defenders of Wildlife, Director at National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and Co-Director of agriculture policy at Environmental Defense Fund. He holds degrees in science from Yale University and the University of Hawaii. His writing has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Science magazine and a diversity of peer-reviewed journals. He has received a Marshall Memorial Fellowship and AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellowship (declined). He also ran for office and won, serving three terms as a city councilmember and leading the successful effort for that city to become the first in the country to lower its voting age to 16.

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Fact Sheet: 101 on Clean Water Act Section 401

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Fact Sheet: BAAJA is a Long-Term Win for Wetlands, With Hard Compromises