Colette Bordelon is a reporter with Denver7.
BOULDER , Colo. — A social media post from a member of President Donald Trump's cabinet sparked countless questions about the future of a prominent research facility nestled in the foothills of Boulder .
The Director of the Office of Management and Budget Russell Vought posted on Tuesday that the National Science Foundation will be 'breaking up' the National Center for Atmospheric Research . Vought continued to claim that NCAR 'is one of the largest sources of climate alarmism in the country.'On Wednesday, the National Science Foundation announced it is reviewing the 'structure of the research and observational capabilities' operated by NCAR. NSF said it will engage with partner agencies, the research community, and other interested parties to gather feedback on 'rescoping the functions' of the work done within NCAR. Meanwhile, the president of the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research , which manages NCAR, said they have not been given any additional information about the federal government's plan to 'break up' the center. The President of UCAR Antonio Busalacchi continued to say any plans to dismantle NCAR 'would set back our nation’s ability to predict, prepare for, and respond to severe weather and other natural disasters.'NCAR is considered a 'global leader in Earth system science,' and the announcement has several members of the Boulder community concerned about its future. Three of those people came to NCAR on Wednesday morning, carrying signs that showed their support for the research done at the center. 'I'm just outraged. I'm a former federal employee who worked as a researcher in a different laboratory, and I know the value of NCAR,' said Kari Harper. “We need to, as a nation, be doing all that we can to understand climate change and see how we can eliminate our impacts to it in the future and what we can do to reverse it where possible.”'We saw the start of the Marshall Fire on a day just like this,' said Christine Cowles, while looking around at the strong wind gusts. “It is so dry. Any spark can burn down the whole city, we saw that, and it's not fake. It's true, and we need to take it seriously... NCAR's important to Boulder, and it's important to Colorado, and the whole world.”The three women who brought signs to NCAR — Harper, Cowles, and Jennifer Roose — are members of a progressive group called Forever Indivisible. They are planning a Save NCAR visibility event on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in front of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Boulder. The event is focused on NCAR, but the organizers feel they’ll be seen by the public more at NOAA.Harper, Cowles, and Roose believe the dismantling of NCAR is directly related to the ongoing saga surrounding Tina Peters. Last week, Trump said he was granting a “full pardon” to the disgraced former Mesa County Clerk, who was convicted in 2024 on state charges for tampering with Colorado's election systems in the 2020 presidential election.'It really seems like climate change denial, and we're also thinking it might be a little retribution for not releasing Tina Peters recently,' said Roose. Colorado Congressman Joe Neguse, a Democrat who represents Colorado’s 2nd Congressional District, also believes the NCAR dismantling is connected to Peters. 'It is part and parcel to a larger plan of retaliation and intimidation of our state by the Trump administration,' Neguse said. 'It's not how our democracy is supposed to function.”Neguse said the work done at NCAR is 'vital' to the country, both in terms of national security and weather modeling. He does not believe the Trump administration can legally dismantle the research center. “I think it's an unlawful decision made by the Trump administration, and we're certainly going to do everything we can to push back against it,' Neguse said. 'There's a master agreement that's negotiated between UCAR and the National Science Foundation, and my understanding is that agreement does not expire for several years. I think it is clearly unlawful to terminate that agreement when we know that the reason for the termination of the agreement is a political dispute — essentially a state refusing to release someone who's been convicted of criminal offenses early from jail. That is outrageous.'Denver7 reached out to Colorado's Republican congressmembers as well, and received a statement from Congresswoman Lauren Boebert. Boebert said she 'strongly support the Administration’s decision defund leftist activism disguised as science.'Boebert's statement continued to say: 'This facility advanced the left-wing climate lunacy that is phasing out reliable energy like coal and natural gas and why Coloradoans are having their power shut off in December. Vital functions like weather research will be preserved and relocated to appropriate entities that focus on actual science, not radical environmentalist ideology.” The University of Colorado at Boulder works closely with NCAR and sent Denver7 the following statement:
Congressman Joe Neguse Congresswoman Lauren Boebert Forever Indivisible Marshall Fire NCAR NCAR Trump Future NCAR Dismantled NCAR Future NSF
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Buffs’ defensive lineman Jehiem Oatis to enter transfer portalDefensive lineman Jehiem Oatis plans to enter the transfer portal after one season at Colorado.
Read more »
Mother-Daughter Mascot Legacy at University of Northern Colorado: The Story of Klawz and Bentley BearA mother and daughter share a special connection as former and current mascots at the University of Northern Colorado, creating lasting memories and a unique bond through the role of the beloved bear.
Read more »
Apartment fees crackdown, abortion coverage, cell phone repairs: These new Colorado laws take effect Jan. 1Seth Klamann is a statehouse reporter at the Denver Post, covering policy, state government and the legislature. He previously worked for the Gazette, the Casper Star-Tribune and the Omaha World-Herald. He's a graduate of the University of Missouri and a proud Kansas City native.
Read more »
Trump Administration Plans to Dismantle Climate Research Institute NCARThe Trump administration is moving to dismantle the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), a leading climate research institute, due to its alleged 'climate alarmism,' potentially undermining climate research and international efforts to address climate change. The White House plans to shift weather modeling and supercomputing functions to other entities or locations.
Read more »
Trump moves to shut down Boulder climate research lab NCARU.S. lawmakers representing Colorado called the planned NCAR closure “deeply dangerous” and “blatantly retaliatory.”
Read more »
NCAR: Boulder suffers a blow, says it will fight closureNCAR’s Mesa Laboratory is seen as a global leader in scientific research, is an economic driver and, along with other federal labs, a cultural and educational pillar in Boulder.
Read more »