Judge Blocks Transfer of NCAR Supercomputer. Calls It Retaliation Against Colorado.

Federal Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson on June 1 blocked the National Science Foundation from transferring the NCAR-Wyoming Supercomputing Center to a third party. The ruling halts the first concrete step in the Trump administration’s plan to dismantle the National Center for Atmospheric Research, a 66-year-old facility that produces weather forecasts, wildfire models, and space weather predictions used by the military, airlines, and emergency managers.

The $70 million supercomputing center in Cheyenne, Wyoming, is among the top 1% most energy-efficient data centers in the world, with a power usage effectiveness rating of 1.08. It saves 5.6 million gallons of water annually. Replacing it would take years and cost taxpayers far more than preserving it.

4 Days, 5 Agencies, 1 Target

The timeline of actions against Colorado is the core of the case. On December 11, 2025, Trump announced a pardon for Tina Peters, the Colorado election clerk convicted of four felonies for allowing unauthorized access to voting machines. Governor Jared Polis did not block her sentence. Trump called Polis a “weak and pathetic man” on December 15.

The next day, OMB Director Russell Vought announced NCAR would be broken up, calling it “one of the largest sources of climate alarmism in the country.” On the same day, $109 million in Colorado transportation funds and $615 million in Department of Energy funds were terminated. Three days later, NOAA canceled a $14 million NCAR grant. FEMA denied two Colorado disaster relief requests. By December 22, UCAR had terminated 17 subcontractors and 8 employees.

$724 million in Colorado federal funds terminated in a single week, across five agencies, starting the day after Trump attacked the governor.

Five coordinated actions across multiple agencies in four days is not normal government operations. UCAR’s lawsuit calls it “unlawful retaliation by federal administrative agencies that are eroding the principles of federalism at the core of our constitutional structure.”

The Whistleblower Report

In February 2026, NSF publicly announced the supercomputer would transfer to the University of Wyoming. But on March 9, Representative Joe Neguse revealed a whistleblower report showing OMB was simultaneously negotiating with a private company. The University of Wyoming announcement may have been cover for a privatization deal that was never disclosed to Congress or the public.

NSF also imposed what UCAR’s lawsuit describes as a gag order prohibiting public comments about the restructuring, and demanded individualized cost accounting data with a six-day deadline.

What the Judge Found

Judge Jackson ruled UCAR met all four requirements for a preliminary injunction. She found NSF had reached a “final decision” to transfer the center, that UCAR would suffer irreparable harm including the departure of scientists with specialized expertise that cannot be replaced, and that the public interest favors keeping the center operational.

The ruling signals UCAR is likely to prevail in the full case. The lawsuit includes five counts: unconstitutional retaliation against Colorado, the planned NWSC transfer, the NOAA funding termination, new reporting requirements designed to be impossible to meet, and the gag order on public comments.

What NCAR Forecasts Protect

NCAR is not an abstract research institution. Its supercomputer runs the models that predict hurricane paths weeks in advance (up from hours a decade ago), track wildfire spread for evacuation decisions, forecast space weather that affects GPS and power grids, and support military operations that depend on atmospheric data. 129 universities across North America use the facility for Earth system science research.

“We are pleased that Judge Jackson recognized how damaging the proposed transfer of the NWSC to another operator would be for the nation’s scientific community. Our work supports national security, public safety, and economic prosperity.”

Eric Barron, UCAR Interim President

What you can do now

Tell your senators and representative to protect NSF funding. The FY 2027 budget proposes cutting NSF by 20%. Call the Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask for your member’s office. Say you oppose cuts to NCAR and NSF research that protects public safety.
Contact the Senate Commerce Committee, which oversees NSF. If your senator sits on this committee, their voice carries extra weight. Find committee members and contact information.
Submit a public comment to NSF opposing the NCAR restructuring. NSF’s “Dear Colleague Letter” requested feedback, and the public record strengthens the legal case. Email [email protected] with your concerns.
If you are in Colorado or Wyoming, contact Governor Polis and your state legislators to support UCAR’s legal defense. The state has standing to join or file an amicus brief. Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser’s office: (720) 508-6000.