An environmental group is taking the Trump administration to court over its efforts to dismantle one of the world’s leading climate, weather and Earth science institutions.
In a complaint filed Thursday in federal court in Colorado, the Environmental Defense Fund argues that federal law does not permit the administration to eliminate the research functions at the National Center for Atmospheric Research that inform the public’s understanding of climate change.
The lawsuit also challenges the administration’s December 2025 decision to close the Mesa Lab, NCAR’s headquarters in the Boulder foothills. The 60-year-old building complex was designed by famed architect I.M. Pei.
The Trump administration, the lawsuit says, “did not assess the impact of this undertaking and provide for public input as required under the National Historic Preservation Act.” The challenge says such review is required for the building because of its architectural significance and history of notable scientific discoveries.
