Trending Now - Lawsuit Filed Against Trump Over Climate Center Closure Proposal
WHO:
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR), a nonprofit consortium of 129 North American universities
National Science Foundation (NSF)
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
United States Department of Commerce (DOC)
United States Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
Colorado Governor Jared Polis
Trump, referred to as President Trump in the context of the lawsuit
WHAT:
The lawsuit alleges that the Trump administration's plans to "neuter" NCAR are part of a “campaign of retaliation” against Colorado’s state government.
The lawsuit states that the dismantling of NCAR has already begun.
The lawsuit claims that the federal leaders seeking to dismantle NCAR have not detailed any concerns with the quality of the work completed there or regulatory compliance.
The lawsuit characterizes the National Science Foundation's requests for detailed records regarding NCAR’s budgeting, staff expenses, and grants as "needlessly burdensome."
The lawsuit states that the actions taken by the agencies pose a direct threat to national security, public safety, and economic prosperity.
The lawsuit alleges that the Trump administration's plans to dismantle NCAR are part of a “campaign of retaliation” against Colorado’s state government for maintaining mail-in voting and refusing to grant clemency to Tina Peters, a former county clerk and Trump ally convicted of felonies in an election misconduct case.
The lawsuit states that the administration has sought to transfer stewardship of the Cheyenne-based NCAR-Wyoming Supercomputer Center, which is relied upon by thousands of researchers across the globe for weather forecasts and data.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration canceled a multimillion-dollar agreement with the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research for climate science without warning.
The lawsuit characterizes the National Science Foundation's requests for detailed records regarding NCAR’s budgeting, staff expenses, and grants as needlessly burdensome.
A letter opposing the administration’s plans was submitted by Republican Rep. Jeff Hurd, Democratic Rep. Joe Neguse, and U.S. Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper.
A lawsuit was filed by UCAR against several federal agencies to stop the planned dismantling of Boulder’s National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR)
The lawsuit alleges that the planned reorganization is retaliatory and violates federal law
The lawsuit requests the court to stop implementation of the actions, declare them unlawful, and issue an injunction
Approximately 820 employees work for NCAR, with about half living in the Boulder area
The Trump administration's plans include transferring management of NCAR’s supercomputer and canceling millions of dollars intended for climate research
The lawsuit states that the administration rescinded $109 million in federal transportation funding allocated to Colorado
WHERE:
Boulder, Colorado, where NCAR is located
United States District Court for the District of Colorado
Cheyenne, Wyoming, where the NCAR-Wyoming Supercomputer Center is based
WHEN:
The lawsuit was filed on March 16th, 2026
The Trump administration first announced its intention to dismantle NCAR in December 2025
Trump issued a federal pardon to Tina Peters on December 11th, 2025
WHY:
The lawsuit claims that the agencies' actions are designed to weaken UCAR and undermine or dismantle NCAR’s operations as part of a campaign to punish Colorado.
The lawsuit claims that the agencies' actions are designed to weaken UCAR and undermine or dismantle NCAR’s operations as part of a campaign to punish Colorado.
The lawsuit alleges that the dismantling of NCAR is part of a “campaign of retaliation” against Colorado’s state government for maintaining mail-in voting and refusing to grant clemency to Tina Peters
The actions taken by the Trump administration are claimed to pose a direct threat to national security, public safety, and economic prosperity
HOW:
The lawsuit requests the court to stop implementation of the actions, declare them unlawful, and issue an injunction to prevent further harm to NCAR and UCAR’s operations and mission.
The lawsuit alleges violations of the Constitution and the Administrative Procedure Act arising from several adverse actions taken by federal agencies over the last several months directed against NCAR and UCAR.
The lawsuit alleges violations of the Constitution and the Administrative Procedure Act
The administration has imposed gag orders on employees and requested detailed records regarding NCAR’s budgeting and staff expenses
The National Science Foundation banned NCAR employees from making public comments on the changes
(UPDATED March 17, 2026 23:13 UTC)
A lawsuit has been filed alleging that the Trump administration's efforts to dismantle the National Center for Atmospheric Research, or NCAR, are part of a retaliatory campaign against Colorado's state government. The suit claims that these actions threaten national security and economic prosperity, while also describing the National Science Foundation's requests for detailed financial records as "needlessly burdensome." The lawsuit seeks a court order to halt these actions, declare them unlawful, and prevent further harm to both NCAR and its parent organization, UCAR.
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(UPDATED March 17, 2026 19:26 UTC)
A new lawsuit has been filed alleging that the Trump administration's efforts to dismantle the National Center for Atmospheric Research, or NCAR, are part of a retaliation campaign against Colorado for its mail-in voting policies and for not granting clemency to a Trump ally convicted of election misconduct. The suit claims that the administration's actions, including a sudden cancellation of a multimillion-dollar agreement for climate science, are intended to weaken the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research and undermine NCAR's operations. Additionally, it argues that requests for detailed financial records from the National Science Foundation are unnecessarily burdensome and alleges that these actions violate the Constitution and the Administrative Procedure Act.
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(UPDATED March 17, 2026 13:29 UTC)
A lawsuit was filed on March 16, 2026, by the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research against several federal agencies, including the National Science Foundation and the Department of Commerce, to halt the dismantling of Boulder’s National Center for Atmospheric Research. The lawsuit claims that the Trump administration's actions are retaliatory and unlawful, alleging violations of the Constitution and the Administrative Procedure Act, while also requesting an injunction to stop the planned changes. Approximately 820 employees work at NCAR, with concerns that the administration's plans could threaten national security and public safety, as well as impact climate research funding and local jobs.