In January 2026, the National Science Foundation (NSF) posted a Dear Colleague Letter (DCL) asking for feedback on their proposal to restructure or dismantle the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). More than 550 AGU members submitted their own comments to NSF in addition to AGU’s comments on behalf of the organization.

While we welcome any effort to evaluate and improve scientific institutions, we have serious and substantive concerns about both the underlying assumptions of the DCL and the process by which this proposal is being advanced.

NSF NCAR is a national asset — the product of more than six decades of sustained investment in the kind of integrated, interdisciplinary science that no single university, agency, or company could replicate. It strengthens our ability to predict and respond to disasters, powers economic sectors across the country, and trains the scientists who will protect Americans from increasingly severe environmental threats.

AGU respectfully but firmly urges the NSF to reconsider the assumptions underlying this DCL, to broaden and extend the public comment and stakeholder consultation process, and to ensure that any changes to NSF NCAR are driven by evidence, transparency, and a genuine commitment to advancing the public good.

Read AGU’s full response to NSF.