jeff findley wrote

If this is true, why is NASA considering boosting it to 2,500km?
Ditching it in the Pacific would seem to be the best plan if the dead
batteries would absolutely prevent its being revived in the future.

2,500 km preserves the Smithsonian Option, if only theoretically,
and it saves NASA from putting Hubble to death in an obvious way.
You can bet that there would be cameras around to catch the reentry
and lots of unfavorable commentary.

The deorbiting option would have all the public appeal of taking a
shotgun to Bambi in front of NASA HQ, while the disposal-orbit option
at least moves the problem way into the future, Not On Their Watch.
Kicking the can down the road is not always a bad thing to do.