The Hill, a beltway website, carried a piece Dec. 17, reporting on a memo issued by the White House science advisor, John Holdren, ordering all federal agencies, in no uncertain terms, to use science as the basis for decisions.

The White House memo in turn links to a directive from Holdren aimed at agency heads that spells out in some detail the principles under which they are expected to act. This is all a followup to another memo, issued by President Obama last spring, urging that scientific integrity be at the top of everyone’s agenda.

This all may seem like wonkish arcanity, but it seems clear that the White House is steeling itself for the expected onslaught of attacks on–among many other things–the administration’s attempts to address climate change, specifically the Environmental Protection Agency’s upcoming regulations to reduce the impact of vehicles on the climate.

Climate nay-sayers have already promised to drag administration officials to the Hill for oversight hearings. One of them suggested that EPA administrator Lisa Jackson get a parking place at the Capitol, she’ll be coming there so often.

The administration seems to be saying it will not cave to bogus science, and I say more power to it.