The National Laboratory of the Rockies — formerly the National Renewable Energy Laboratory — has cut another 134 positions, a spokesperson for the Golden-based lab confirmed Tuesday, after more than 100 employees lost their jobs less than a year ago.

“These actions were taken to adjust to existing and projected funding levels and alignment with DOE priorities,” NLR Spokesperson David Glickson wrote in an emailed statement about the most recent round of cuts. “We recognize the meaningful contributions of those impacted and the role they have played in advancing the laboratory’s work.”

Golden-based National Laboratory of the Rockies slashes another 134 jobs

The lab is part of the U.S. Department of Energy and employs nearly 4,000 researchers, postdocs, interns and operations staff, according to its website. The NLR’s main campus is in Golden, with another campus about 25 miles north in Arvada and another in Fairbanks, Alaska. There is also an office in Washington, D.C.

Glickson said both research and operations roles were included in the slash, but no further information on the cuts was provided.

The center previously cut more than 100 positions in May 2025 in the wake of federal funding cuts, our media partners at the Denver Post reported at the time. Then in December 2025, the lab changed its name from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR).

“We are no longer picking and choosing energy sources,” U.S. Department of Energy spokesperson said in a statement at the time. “Our highest priority is to invest in the scientific capabilities that will restore American manufacturing, drive down costs, and help this country meet its soaring energy demand.”

At the time of the name change, Glickson told Denver7 that no staffing changes were planned.

“Our research focus is driven by funding, which is determined by congressional appropriation and oversight by the U.S. Department of Energy,” he said.

U.S. Rep. Brittany Petterson, whose district includes Golden, slammed the layoffs in a Tuesday morning statement, saying that President Donald Trump’s “backwards agenda is going to undo the progress we’ve made to combat the climate crisis and have cascading effects on our economy.”

“Donald Trump has consistently put our federal workforce on the chopping block,” she said in the statement. “These are people who work to make energy more affordable, conduct groundbreaking climate research, and keep our state up and running.”

To better understand the impact of the layoffs, Denver7 spoke with Jonathan Singer, senior director of policy with the Boulder Chamber of Commerce.

He said Boulder is mobilizing to protect Colorado's federal research facilities as the Trump administration moves forward with these workforce reductions.

"This is not something that is being taken lightly, and we really are taking every opportunity to understand the breadth of the impact," Singer said.

Singer explained Boulder is home to several prominent federal laboratories, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), which have been targeted in the current administration's cuts.

Denver7 was there when the community rallied to save the labs in December.

Singer emphasized that the chamber's efforts extend beyond local advocacy to include national coordination with congressional representatives.

"We're working at the individual level to protect our workforce, but we're also working on a congressional and national level to tell our President and Congress that this doesn't just affect Colorado. This affects the security and innovation economy for the nation," Singer said.

Singer also stressed that protecting federal research facilities should transcend partisan politics.

"It really is up to us as a community now to make sure that our federal government officials hear this loud and clear, that this is not red or blue. This is about the innovation and security of our community," Singer said.

If you were previously or are currently employed at the National Laboratory of the Rockies and would be interested in speaking with Denver7 about these layoffs, please contact us at newstips@denver7.com