Protect Democracy is joined by the Union of Concerned Scientists in the lawsuit against the EPA administrator, Scott Pruitt, which was filed on Tuesday.

"This is an abuse of power and an affront to the scientific integrity of the EPA and the federal government," Joshua Goldman, senior legal analyst for the Union of Concerned Scientists, said in a press release. "This directive singles out scientists from the nonprofit and academic sector -- recognized experts in their field who want to serve the public -- and asks them to choose between public service and their scientific work."

Scientists sue EPA over advisory board cuts