CHEYENNE n Budget problems at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colo., should not affect the proposed $60 million Cheyenne supercomputer project, officials said this week.

The climate research center faces a budget shortfall of as much as $10 million next year despite staff cutbacks, according to published reports.

"We've had too many years of flat budgets with an increase in obligations," NCAR Director Eric Barron said.

The 48-year-old center, which receives most of its funding from the National Science Foundation, has already deferred raises for employees and laid off some others. It has experienced a staff reduction of more than 100 since last year. The center announced last week it would close its Center for Capacity Building, which studied social effects of climate change.

The Wyoming Legislature in 2007 appropriated $21 million for the $60 million supercomputer project.

The center is to be located in the North Industrial Park next to the Wal-Mart distribution center.

Randy Bruns, director of Cheyenne LEADS, the economic development organization, said NCAR's budget problems are not expected to affect the Cheyenne supercomputer project.

"This project has been delayed because of the approval process in Washington, but that's on track now," Bruns said. "The supercomputer center in Wyoming is a long-term project. It's going to be a year or more before they're breaking ground."

"This immediate thing, which is affecting the entire scientific community and government, is hopefully a short term thing. But it isn't impacting this project."

In the meantime, Bruns said, some good things are going on at the University of Wyoming and NCAR outside of the supercomputer project.

Bill Gern, University of Wyoming vice president for research and economic development, said these are internal decisions made by NCAR "and they don't affect the core mission of supercomputing."

Gern said the university continues to have specific conversations with NCAR about the supercomputer.

Gov. Dave Freudenthal has seen the news story about NCAR's budget problems but does not know what it will mean for the Wyoming project, a spokesperson said Monday.

The state has done all it can to date, he added.

Bruns said earlier that although the project will initially bring 15 to 30 jobs to Wyoming, the most significant aspect will be a "certification to the world that Wyoming has the electrical power and connectivity for these kinds of projects."

One critic of the center said sloppy accounting, not just inadequate funding, may explain the center's woes.

"Effective management means making good decision in times of plenty and lean times as well," said Roger Pielke Jr., a professor at the University of Colorado who also studies the societal effects of global warming but isn't part of NCAR.

Contact Joan Barron at (307) 632-1244 or joan.barron@trib.com