The White House has announced a plan to reorganize the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder, Colorado. This move has drawn objections from scientific organizations and political figures.
Administration's Stated Rationale and Actions
Russ Vought, Director of the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB), stated on social media that NCAR was considered "one of the largest sources of climate alarmism in the country." Vought indicated that the center was undergoing a "comprehensive review" and that any "vital activities such as weather research will be moved to another entity or location." A White House statement added that NCAR's activities were deemed to "veer far from strong or useful science" and that the center was being reorganized "to eliminate Green New Scam research activities."
This initiative follows previous actions by President Trump, including statements classifying climate change as a hoax, reductions in funding for climate research, and the reassignment of climate and weather scientists within the federal government. During his first term, President Trump publicly contradicted official weather forecasts regarding Hurricane Dorian's path and displayed a map showing an altered storm trajectory. The administration also dismissed scientists working on a national climate report in April and removed the report from a government website. In its 2026 budget plan, the White House proposed a 27% cut to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) budget and the elimination of its Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, along with rolling back National Science Foundation funding for climate science.
Scientific Community Response
Antonio Busalacchi, head of the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR), which oversees NCAR, reported receiving no prior notification of the announcement and characterized the decision as "political." Busalacchi stated that NCAR's mandate is to study both climate and weather, emphasizing that these two fields cannot be understood in isolation. He also noted that NCAR's role is to present scientific findings without engaging in advocacy or policy recommendations.
NCAR, founded over six decades ago, provides universities with expertise and resources for collaborative research on global weather, water, and climate challenges. It employs approximately 830 people. Its contributions include:
- Developing dropsondes, instruments used by aircraft to measure atmospheric conditions.
- Assisting in the development and refinement of technology to monitor wind shear at airports.
- Developing and maintaining the Weather Research and Forecasting Model (WRF), used globally for various weather predictions.
- Developing the Community Earth System Model (CESM), utilized by scientists for research on long-range atmospheric and oceanic signals related to extreme weather events.
David Stensrud, President of the American Meteorological Society, stated he has used NCAR weather models throughout his career and expressed concern that losing NCAR's capabilities would hinder future improvements in weather prediction. Jason Furtado, an associate professor of meteorology at the University of Oklahoma, described NCAR as "a world-envied research center for atmospheric science" and a crucial resource for his own and many other scientists' research. Ken Davis, a professor of atmospheric and climate science at Penn State, highlighted NCAR's role in providing cutting-edge computing resources, observational facilities, and scientific expertise to the university research community. Scientists involved in NCAR's work indicate that a closure would not immediately impact weather forecasting but would gradually diminish the scientific community's ability to advance understanding of weather and climate, potentially increasing risks to lives and property due to less accurate future forecasts.
Political Opposition from Colorado
Colorado Governor Jared Polis, a Democrat, stated that if the plan proceeds, "public safety is at risk and science is being attacked." Senator Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and Representative Joe Neguse (D-Colo.), whose district includes Boulder, suggested the proposed reorganization was a retaliatory action by the White House. They linked it to Colorado's refusal to release Tina Peters, a former Mesa County clerk who is serving a nine-year prison sentence for illegally accessing voting machines following the 2020 election. Peters was pardoned by President Trump, an action that holds no bearing on state-level charges or convictions. In a joint statement, Senator Bennet, Representative Neguse, and U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper referred to the administration's plan as "deeply dangerous and blatantly retaliatory."