Lawyers representing Dow Chemical and two organophospate manufacturers have sent letters to the leaders of three government agencies, calling on them to dismiss findings on the harmful effects of three pesticides on endangered species. 

The letters from April 13, obtained by AP, called on Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt to "set aside" results of studies undertaken by the EPA, the National Marine Fisheries Service, and the Fish and Wildlife Service.

The studies concerned diazinon, malathion and chlorpyrifos, the latter which Pruitt decided not to ban early on in his new role, essentially scrapping the work of his own agency in a move that was celebrated by many in the fruit sector. 

The AP story reported the lawyers representing Dow - as well as ADAMA and FMC Corporation - described the studies due for publication as flawed, claiming their "scientific basis was not reliable".

The story reported that in response, environmental advocates emphasized biological evaluation methods were developed by the National Academy of Sciences. Center for Biological Diversity government affairs director Brett Hartl told AP Dow's experts were trying to hold EPA scientists to an unrealistic standard of data collection.

Dow donated US$1 million for the inauguration of President Donald Trump, who appointed the company's CEO Andrew Liveris to head up the American Manufacturing Council. 

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