UCAR Sues Trump Administration Over Plan to Dismantle Boulder’s NCAR

The University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR), which oversees the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, alleging that efforts to dismantle the Boulder-based lab are retaliatory and politically motivated. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for Colorado, claims the administration is punishing Colorado for resisting certain political demands.

Political Retaliation Alleged

UCAR alleges that the Trump administration’s actions are a “widespread and coordinated campaign of punishment and coercion” directed at Colorado. The core of the dispute stems from disagreements over election procedures and the prosecution of Tina Peters, a former Mesa County Clerk convicted of election-related felonies [Colorado Sun]. President Trump had reportedly sought clemency for Peters and advocated for the elimination of mail-in voting in Colorado.

NCAR as “Collateral Damage”

According to the lawsuit, NCAR is suffering as “collateral damage” in this political feud. The administration announced plans to break up NCAR in December 2025 [Boulder Reporting Lab]. UCAR argues that the restructuring of the center threatens national security, public safety, and economic prosperity, particularly in areas like weather modeling and climate science [National Today].

Specific Actions Challenged

The lawsuit details several actions taken by federal agencies – including the National Science Foundation, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Department of Commerce, and the Office of Management and Budget – that UCAR deems unlawful. These include:

• Issuing “gag orders” preventing NCAR employees from publicly discussing the restructuring.
• Terminating funding for research into climate adaptation and mitigation.
• Imposing new and allegedly unlawful reporting requirements.
• Attempting to transfer control of NCAR’s supercomputing facility in Wyoming.

Broader State of Colorado Lawsuit

This lawsuit follows a similar action filed by the State of Colorado in October, which was expanded in January. The state’s case alleges a broader “campaign of retribution” targeting Colorado, including attempts to move U.S. Space Command away from the state, terminate transportation funds, and alter SNAP requirements [Colorado Sun]. A district judge has already ruled in favor of Colorado regarding the SNAP requirements, issuing a preliminary injunction.

NCAR’s Importance

NCAR is the nation’s largest federal climate research center, employing approximately 1,400 scientists, engineers, and support staff. Its work is critical for hurricane forecasting, wildfire monitoring, weather prediction, and space weather research [National Today]. The center also operates powerful supercomputers used for complex modeling.

UCAR stated that the federal agencies’ actions “pose a direct threat to national security, public safety, and economic prosperity and risk setting back the country’s global leadership in weather and space weather modeling and forecasting.”