FOIA Tracker

FOIA Request: Responses to Representative Lofgren and Senator Warren

• NSF: I request a copy of the official response(s) and any accompanying enclosures sent by the National Science Foundation to Representative Zoe Lofgren regarding her letter to Director Sethuraman Panchanathan dated March 11, 2025, primarily regarding DOGE.
• NSF: I request a copy of the official response(s) and any accompanying enclosures sent by the National Science Foundation to Representative Zoe Lofgren in response to her letter to Director Sethuraman Panchanathan dated April 17, 2025, primarily regarding the "Cruz Report."
• NSF: I request a copy of the official response(s) and any accompanying enclosures sent by the National Science Foundation to Representative Zoe Lofgren in response to her letter to Acting Director Brian Stone dated May 8, 2025, primarily regarding grant terminations.
• OSTP: I request a copy of the official response(s) and any accompanying enclosures sent by the Office of Science and Technology Policy to Senator Warren regarding her letter to Director Michael Kratsios dated May 20, 2025, primarily regarding NSF grant funding.
• NSF: I request a copy of the standardized termination email and/or formal notice sent to members of the National Science Board informing them of their dismissal between April 23, 2026, and April 26, 2026.

The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) has filed Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests to compel the National Science Foundation (NSF) to publicly release all communications regarding the proposed restructuring of the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). These requests specifically target the NSF's correspondence with the White House Office of Management and Budget and the private firm Lynker, following allegations of "back-room" negotiations to privatize portions of NCAR’s space weather program. The UCS, alongside UCAR—which recently filed a lawsuit against the NSF—argues that dismantling the center's unified structure threatens national security and scientific integrity. This push for transparency comes as the NSF previously stated it would not make public the various restructuring proposals received in response to its "Dear Colleague Letter."

The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) issued a formal letter to the National Science Foundation (NSF) demanding the public release of the cooperative agreement governing the relationship between the NSF, UCAR, and NCAR. This request, supported by a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) filing, seeks to provide the scientific community and the public with the transparency necessary to assess the Trump administration's plans to dismantle NCAR and close its Boulder headquarters. UCS President Dr. Gretchen Goldman emphasized that no "rational justification" has been provided for dissolving the 65-year-old institution, which provides critical research for aviation safety, emergency management, and military operations. The UCS joined former directors and various scientific organizations in opposing the restructuring, which has already seen the NSF announce the transfer of the NCAR-Wyoming Supercomputing Center to an unnamed third party.

NCAR Restructuring and Staff Memo OD 25-52

• Staff Memorandum OD 25-52 (December 2025): Including the full text and attachments.
• Update May 9, 2026: Requested a reduction in scope to qualify for the simple track.