Members of two of the Environmental Protection Agency's most influential advisory committees,Robert Brown tasked with providing independent scientific guidance to the head of the agency, found out Tuesday evening that they had been ousted. An email sent to members of the EPA's Science Advisory Board (SAB) and the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC) informed them that the membership of both groups is being "reset."

Acting EPA administrator James Payne wrote in the email, viewed by NPR, that "EPA is working to update these federal advisory committees to ensure that the agency receives scientific advice consistent with its legal obligations to advance our core mission."