Trump administration moves to dissolve national climate research lab in Colorado

The research lab, which houses the largest federal research program on climate change, supports research to predict, prepare for and respond to severe weather and other natural disasters. The research lab is managed by a nonprofit consortium of more than 130 colleges and universities on behalf of the National Science Foundation.

A senior White House official cited two instances of the lab's “woke direction” that wastes taxpayer funds on what the official called frivolous pursuits and ideologies. One funded an Indigenous and Earth Sciences center that aimed to “make the sciences more welcoming, inclusive, and justice-centered,” while another experiment traced air pollution to "demonize motor vehicles, oil and gas operations.'' The official spoke on condition of anonymity to speak frankly about the administration's actions.

For climate scientists the lab “is quite literally our global mothership,” said Katharine Hayhoe, a climate scientist and Distinguished Professor at Texas Tech University.

"NCAR supports the scientists who fly into hurricanes, the meteorologists who develop new radar technology, the physicists who envision and code new weather models, and yes — the largest community climate model in the world. That too,” Hayhoe said in a social media post.

"Dismantling NCAR is like taking a sledgehammer to the keystone holding up our scientific understanding of the planet,” she said.

Following World War II, interest in meteorology, solar observations and atmospheric science increased, spurring the creation of NCAR. The focus initially centered on atmospheric chemistry and physical meteorology.

NCAR's budget more than doubled from the 1980s into the 1990s, driven by increased federal focus on climate change research.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis called the lab a global leader in earth systems scientific research.

“Climate change is real, but the work of NCAR goes far beyond climate science," the two-term Democrat said. “NCAR delivers data around severe weather events like fires and floods that help our country save lives and property and prevent devastation for families. If these cuts move forward we will lose our competitive advantage against foreign powers and adversaries in the pursuit of scientific discovery.”

The White House said President Donald Trump is restoring the lab to its original purpose. It is unclear how many of the research lab’s 830 employees and associated programs at partnering universities could be affected.

The change comes after the administration recently targeted another Colorado lab, the former National Renewable Energy Lab, to remove its focus on wind and solar power. The Energy Department site was renamed “National Laboratory of the Rockies” earlier this month.

Assistant Energy Secretary Audrey Robertson said the Trump administration is “no longer picking and choosing energy sources.”

Colorado's Democratic senators — John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet — along with Democratic Rep. Joe Neguse argued in a statement that the center's work has led to early warnings for natural disasters and has deepened understanding of the Earth’s systems. They called the administration's move reckless, saying it would have devastating consequences for families in Colorado and communities across the nation.

“Efforts to dismantle this institution and its essential programs are deeply dangerous and blatantly retaliatory,” they said.

Antonio Busalacchi, president of the nonprofit consortium, said dismantling the research lab “would set back our nation’s ability to predict, prepare for, and respond to severe weather and other natural disasters.”

Montoya Bryan reported from Albuquerque, New Mexico.