Democrats slam decision as ‘deeply dangerous’ as White House calls facility a source of ‘climate alarmism’ The Trump administration is moving to dismantle one of the world’s leading climate and weather research institutions, citing what a White House official termed the Colorado-based f acility’s “climate alarmism” in a decision state Democratic elected officials denounced as “deeply dangerous” and “reckless.” Calling the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder “one of the largest sources of climate alarmism in the country,” White House budget director Russ Vought said in a social media post that the National Science Foundation, which provides more than half of its funding, will be “breaking up” the lab, while moving “any vital activities” — including weather research — to another location. The announcement, first reported by USA Today, follows previously released plans to cut NCAR’s budget by 40%. A senior White House official cited the lab’s “woke direction” as a reason to dismantle the center, which was slated to begin immediately, according to USA Today. Gov. Jared Polis said in a social media post that he is “deeply alarmed” by the reports, though the Democrat noted in a formal statement that Colorado hasn’t yet been informed about the Trump administration’s plans. “If true, public safety is at risk and science is being attacked,” Polis said. “Climate change is real, but the work of NCAR goes far beyond climate science. 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.” Polis, whose district included NCAR when he served in Congress, said the center’s work is “essential to protecting lives, strengthening our economy, and helping communities prepare for extreme weather and climate impacts.” Founded in 1960 and housed in a distinctive, I.M. Pei-designed modernist building on a mesa on the south side of Boulder, the center employs more than 800 people and is managed by the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, a nonprofit consortium of more than 130 colleges and universities. It operates the largest federal research program devoted to climate systems and severe weather. Plans to close the facility follow the Trump administration’s decision to lay off hundreds of staffers at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric administration and slash funding for its scientific research arm. Earlier this year, the Trump administration also fired hundreds of scientists working to prepare the congressionally mandated National Climate Assessment and removed the website that housed previous assessments. A senior White House official said the National Science Foundation, which funds the center, will be breaking up the facility to “eliminate Green New Scam research activities.” As the largest federal research program on climate, the center serves as the “premier research stronghold for left-wing climate lunacy,” the official said. When asked why the administration is closing the facility, White House officials pointed to “woke” programs at the center that they said “waste taxpayer funds” and “veer from strong or useful science,” such as its Rising Voices Center aimed at joining Indigenous knowledge and Earth science, and an art series that explored the human relationship with water. Officials with the National Science Foundation on Wednesday said the agency is “reviewing the structure of the research and observational capabilities” at the center, and it is exploring options to transfer stewardship of its Wyoming Supercomputing Center to “an appropriate operator.” The agency is also looking to divest two aircraft managed by the center and to “redefine the scope” of modeling and forecasting research and operations moving forward. Professor Katharine Hayhoe, a climate scientist at Texas Tech University, said on social media Wednesday that NCAR’s role as a research hub is unmatched. “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. “Dismantling NCAR is like taking a sledgehammer to the keystone holding up our scientific understanding of the planet,” she added. U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse, a Lafayette Democrat, and U.S. Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper said in a joint statement that the Trump administration’s plans are both “deeply dangerous” and “blatantly retaliatory.” “The National Center for Atmospheric Research and its 830 employees are leading the nation’s climate science research, delivering life-saving breakthroughs that provide early warnings for natural disasters and deepen our understanding of Earth’s systems,” they said. “They are a core component of our state’s economy and an integral part of the fabric of Colorado. Efforts to dismantle this institution and its essential programs are deeply dangerous and blatantly retaliatory. This reckless directive would have devastating consequences for families in Colorado and communities across the nation.” The lawmakers added that they “intend to fight back against attempts to gut this cutting-edge research institution with every tool we have.” The Associated Press contributed to this article. ...read more read less