NPS Omission of Data

While most of the FOIA-produced emails and draft documents pertaining to the Park Service’s dog management plan decision-making have been significantly redacted (see All FOIA Documents), we still found evidence that the agency deliberately left out scientific data from their Environmental Impact Statement in order to influence public comments. 

Stacking the Deck for a Predetermined Outcome

Sept. 2006: Bill Merkle, GGNRA Wildlife Ecologist, explains their reasoning for leaving sensitive window data out of the dog management plan's Environmental Impact Statement. He says,

“We wanted to keep some of the sensitive windows out of the document to avoid having people argue for seasonal use of these habitats or resources outside those seasons.”