Over 60 years ago, American universities pooled their resources together to build a national laboratory for climate and weather research—a centralized facility capable of accomplishing what no single institution could on its own. That national lab, dubbed the National Center for Atmospheric Research, has become a world-class facility and integral part of our country’s atmospheric monitoring and research infrastructure.

Unfortunately, it’s also the Trump administration’s latest target.

Here’s the situation…

In a social media post late last year, Office of Management and Budget Director Russel Vought announced that the Trump administration would dismantle the lab and relocate its vital activities from Boulder to other agencies and third-party operators.

The official reason behind the decision? The center has become a hub of climate alarmism and engages in too many “woke” activities. But that’s just a thinly-veiled, inaccurate excuse for the truth—Colorado’s governor refused to grant one of Trump’s allies clemency, and the administration retaliated by moving to dismantle the lab.

It’s a petty act of misguided retribution—one that aligns perfectly with the Trump administration’s war on climate science.

Far from being a source of alarmism, NCAR is considered one of the most vital resources available to America’s atmospheric and oceanic scientists. Its state-of-the-art equipment, models, and simulation tools are used to process massive amounts of climate and weather data, supporting weather forecasting and advancing our understanding of air pollution and extreme weather. And it isn’t just federal agencies, state and local governments, and researchers who rely on these findings—NCAR’s work is essential to farmers, fisheries, and airlines, too.

To dismantle the center would be a massive mistake.

Even if NCAR’s vital activities continue at other sites, different agencies, operators, and private entities will each face unique pressures that impact operations, disrupting what has become a well-oiled machine at a time when understanding extreme weather matters more than ever. It goes without saying that the ramifications for community safety, disaster preparedness, food security, and our economy are immense.

And we can’t forget what else is at stake—an important hub of scientific collaboration, where young scientists have been training for decades, and bright minds regularly gather to uncover new insights.

We can’t risk losing it.

The attack on NCAR is undoubtedly part of Trump’s push to gut climate research and progress. But it’s also a prime example of the petty, reactionary, and destructive way this administration is leading our country. So long as they can punish the people and institutions who challenge them and their agenda, nothing is off-limits—no matter the cost to our country, its people, or the planet.

Join us as we do everything we can to challenge this senseless decision!