A federal judge on Monday blocked the Trump administration from transferring control of a major federal supercomputing center in Colorado from the National Center for Atmospheric Research to the University of Wyoming, handing a victory to the consortium that manages the facility.The dispute centers on the NCAR-Wyoming Supercomputing Center, a hub for climate, weather, and atmospheric research based in Boulder, Colorado. The center is operated by the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, a nonprofit consortium representing 129 universities and research institutions.The fight began after Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought announced plans to dismantle NCAR, which he described as a source of “climate alarmism.” The administration directed the National Science Foundation to “transfer stewardship” of the supercomputer to what officials called “an appropriate operator.”
UCAR sued to stop the move, arguing the transfer would cripple the facility’s operations and trigger an exodus of highly specialized personnel.
In granting a preliminary injunction, U.S. District Judge R. Brooke Jackson, an appointee of former President Barack Obama, agreed that the transfer posed an immediate threat.
