This article discusses the recent release of the National Park Service’s study – the uncensored version. It had been censored to remove all references to humans causing climate change.
Backing away from attempts at censorship, the National Park Service on Friday released a report charting the risks to national parks from sea level rise and storms.
Drafts of the report obtained earlier this year by Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting showed park service officials had deleted every mention of humans causing climate change. But the long-delayed report, published Friday without fanfare on the agency’s website, restored those references.
The scientific report is designed to help 118 coastal parks plan for protecting natural resources and historic treasures from the changing climate.
Maria Caffrey, the study’s lead scientist, said she was “extremely happy” that it was released intact.
“The fight probably destroyed my career with the (National Park Service) but it will be worth it if we can uphold the truth and ensure that scientific integrity of other scientists won’t be challenged so easily in the future,” said Caffrey, a University of Colorado research assistant who had worked on the report for five years.