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The Department of Energy is refusing the Trump transition team's request to name those who have worked on climate change within the department, because of concerns about what the incoming administration will do with the names. President-elect Donald Trump has 

NPR's Jennifer Ludden tells our Newscast unit the request of such names was included in a 74-question document distributed to the agency's workforce. Jennifer says, "The Trump team wants the names of career employees and contractors who have attended U.N. climate talks over the past five years. It also wants emails about those meetings."

On Tuesday, the department released a statement saying the questionnaire had "unsettled" many in its workforce, that it would "be forthcoming with all [publicly] available information" but it would withhold "any individual names."

"We are going to respect the professional and scientific integrity and independence of our employees at our labs and across our department," said spokesman Eben Burnham-Snyder.



The questionnaire had been seen among employees and critics as a precursor to a purge of climate scientists from the next administration. Jennifer told 

As pointed out in that interview, Trump has signaled plans to break from the Obama administration's policies to reduce carbon emissions. Jennifer says:

Environmental News

Politics and Government News

Jason Slotkin

Author

A DOE statement Tuesday said questions about who has worked on climate science had "unsettled" staffers and contractors alike. Many saw the questionnaire as a precursor to a purge.

Defying Trump, Dept. of Energy won't name climate change workers

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