The National Academy of Sciences is criticizing the EPA for its policy regarding acceptable levels of perchlorate in drinking water. Apparently, the Pentagon applied pressured for the NAS to respond to this issue. In fact, Molly Ivins reports:

The Natural Resources Defense Council has just released papers showing that the Defense Department and defense contractors collaborated in a backroom campaign to manipulate a federal report on the health threat of perchlorate, a toxic rocket fuel ingredient, in the water. The National Academy of Sciences is to release the report this week. What the NRDC has is evidence that pressure was put on the Academy of Sciences.

Of course, the White House is tickled to hear of this NAS news:

A Bush administration official praised the report as an independent review that can help settle the debate.
"We respect the (Academy) recommendations," says Bob Hopkins of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.

Hmm. Funny how this administration has apparently not voiced "respect" for prior such NAS advisements. Examples: "National Academy of Sciences Finds Bush Draft Climate Science Plan Inadequate" and "EPA ignores National Academy of Sciences on tap water contaminants."

Just like I thought, they pick and choose with the consistency being always that which is anti-environment.