AGP Executive Report

Data Center Boom: A facility under construction near Lost Cabin is described as the first phase of a planned $66 billion project. Fremont County officials say limited zoning rules leave them with little control as questions grow over power, water and local impacts. Energy for AI: Black Hills plans $1.8 billion in new natural-gas generation for Google’s Cheyenne data center, with the company expected to cover project costs and power delivery slated to begin in 2027. Wyoming Minerals: Drilling at the Kaycee uranium project has found mineralization in six of eight holes; a separate Washakie County critical-minerals project has approval for a 10,500-foot drill program. Cybersecurity: Cyber Cheyenne returns to Laramie County Community College on Oct. 16, bringing cybersecurity, AI and workforce discussions to students and industry leaders.

AI & Nuclear Regulation: Korea’s SMR plans face a regulatory wall, with safety review standards not expected until 2032 even as developers aim to seek permits starting 2027. Wyoming Data Centers & Power: Black Hills signed power deals with Google for a Cheyenne data center, backing it with 564 MW of new natural gas generation (Google covers costs). Local Impacts & Governance: Fremont County is grappling with how little zoning control it has as a Lost Cabin data center project scales up from a “prototype” to a reported $66 billion plan. Tribal Pushback: The Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes approved a three-year ban on data centers on tribal lands, adding to growing Native-led opposition nationwide. Cybersecurity in Wyoming: Cyber Cheyenne 2026 returns Oct. 16 at LCCC, focusing on practical security habits and AI-ready workforce development. Tech Cooling for Chips: HF Sinclair launched a direct-to-chip cooling fluid aligned with Open Compute Project specs, targeting faster, more efficient data center hardware. STEM & Education: Central Wyoming College announced presidential finalists and community sessions in Riverton, Lander, and Jackson.

Wyoming Tech & Industry: HF Sinclair’s Innovate brand rolled out a new propylene glycol direct-to-chip cooling fluid (Innovate DTC25), built to match Open Compute Project PG25 guidance and designed for corrosion protection, freeze resistance, and easier commissioning. Public Safety Tech: Cheyenne police closed a multi-incident package theft case using doorbell footage shared online and Flock Safety automatic license plate reader tech, showing how local digital tools and community tips can speed up arrests. Cybersecurity in the Cowboy State: Cyber Cheyenne 2026 is set for Oct. 16, bringing regional experts together to focus on AI-driven threats and protecting critical infrastructure. Wildlife Research: In Shirley Basin, Wyoming Game and Fish reports black-footed ferrets are doing well, with dispersal confirmed during recent field work. Health & Data Integrity: Bacteriostatic Water Store published independent lab testing data for a specific 10ml batch, adding measured composition details for buyers and researchers. STEM Outreach: The Wyoming Air National Guard’s Discovery Day 2026 will feature drones, VR, robotics, AI, and programming for students in Cheyenne. Energy Costs: A think tank modeling says federal policy changes could push Wyoming household energy bills higher through 2040.

Cybersecurity & AI: Cheyenne hosts “Cyber Cheyenne 2026,” a one-day summit on Oct. 16 focused on protecting digital systems, including AI-driven automation and critical infrastructure. Tribal Tech & Water: Cheyenne and Arapaho tribal citizens vote for a three-year moratorium on data center construction on tribal lands, citing water use, environmental impacts, and transparency concerns. Public Safety Tech: Cheyenne police close a multi-incident package theft case using doorbell footage plus Flock Safety automatic license plate reader tech, turning community tips into an arrest. Wildlife Research: Wyoming Game and Fish asks hunters to avoid collared animals this fall; if harvested, collars should be removed carefully and reported. Environment Research: A study finds spring runoff can mobilize microplastics in Western rivers, boosting counts compared with low-flow periods. STEM Outreach: Wyoming Air National Guard’s “Discovery Day 2026” brings drones, VR, robotics, AI, and aviation demos to Cheyenne students. Healthcare Workforce: Medical assistants get a spotlight for the behind-the-scenes work that keeps care running smoothly.

Cyber Cheyenne Summit: Cybersecurity pros from Northern Colorado and Wyoming will meet in Cheyenne Oct. 16 for “Protecting the Digital Frontier,” with sessions on AI threats, critical infrastructure, and connected systems. Tribal Tech & Power: Cheyenne and Arapaho tribal citizens voted for a three-year moratorium on data center construction on tribal lands, citing water use, environmental impacts, and transparency. Energy Costs in Wyoming: A nonpartisan think tank projects Wyoming households could pay about $9,000 more for energy through 2040 as federal policy shifts boost demand for natural gas and gasoline. AI + Robotics Deal (Wyoming link): AIBotics agreed to acquire Empulser, a Wyoming company founded by Patrick Tsang, aiming to scale wireless power and AI-enabled autonomous systems for defense and commercial work. Wyoming Education Tech: Sweetwater County School District No. 1 won a $15,000 CTE Cutting Edge Grant to build a high school unmanned aircraft systems engineering pathway. Health & Monitoring: A national study found Wyoming clinicians had the highest rate of unchecked cholesterol for statin patients (32%), raising concerns about follow-up care. Wildfire Water Impacts: New research finds wildfire burn area is rising in Western watersheds that supply large populations, threatening water quality and infrastructure.

Health & Care: A new national study using primary-care visit data finds Wyoming clinicians are among the least likely to regularly check cholesterol for patients on statins, with Wyoming at a 32% “unchecked” rate versus a 17% national average—raising concerns that treatment goals and medication adherence may be missed. Education & Tech: Sweetwater County School District No. 1 won a $15,000 Wyoming Department of Education CTE Cutting Edge Grant to build a high school unmanned aircraft systems pathway, teaching students to assemble, configure, test, troubleshoot, and document drones. AI & Culture: Restaurants are increasingly using AI-generated food images for menus, but the trend is getting pushback online for producing warped, unsettling results. Energy & Policy: A nonpartisan think tank projects federal energy policy shifts could add about $6,500 to average household energy costs through 2040, with Wyoming among the states facing roughly $9,000 more. Tribal Governance: Cheyenne and Arapaho tribal citizens voted for a three-year moratorium on data center construction on tribal lands, citing water, environmental, economic, and transparency concerns. Wyoming Leadership in Research: University of Wyoming professor Tristan Wallhead was elected president of an international sport pedagogy and physical education organization.

Nuclear Momentum: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission greenlit a Tennessee Valley Authority small modular reactor permit, adding to Wyoming’s own nuclear buildout momentum after a March approval for a Wyoming project. AI Power & Energy Costs: New modeling warns federal energy policy shifts could drive steep household energy spending and health costs nationwide through 2040, feeding the affordability debate. Wyoming Tech Policy: A Wyoming legislative draft would tightly restrict Flock-like automatic license plate readers to narrow traffic uses, limit what data can be captured, and require deletion rules. Cheyenne Data Center Fight: Cheyenne and Arapaho tribal citizens voted for a three-year moratorium on data center construction on tribal lands, citing water, environmental, and transparency concerns. Wildfire Science: A new look at how hotter, faster wildfires are pushing fire-adapted forests past recovery points—relevant to Wyoming’s fire-risk future. Local STEM & Training: A Wyoming school internship program is giving students hands-on IT support experience ahead of the next school year. Public Health Access: ACA marketplace enrollment fell as premiums rose, with Wyoming seeing a sharp drop in new plan selections.

Nuclear Policy: The NRC approved TVA’s construction permit for a small modular reactor in Tennessee, highlighting a “repeatable” licensing path—coming right after Wyoming’s Kemmerer Power Station got its own construction-permit greenlight. AI & Privacy in Wyoming: A Wyoming legislative panel discussed a draft bill to sharply restrict automatic license plate readers, limiting what data cameras can collect, how long it’s kept, and when it can be compared to national “hotlists.” Public Health & Costs: An ACA marketplace study says Wyoming saw a steep drop in new plan selections (down 40.9%) as premiums rose nationwide, with projected higher energy costs for Wyoming households tied to federal policy shifts. Education & Tech Pipeline: Sheridan College and UW launched a direct express transfer pathway for multiple majors, including software development, while Wyoming students also keep getting hands-on tech experience through local internships. Transportation Planning: WYDOT is finalizing its 2050 long-range transportation plan and is inviting public input on roads, bridges, and evolving vehicle needs.

Wyoming tech & policy: A Wyoming legislative panel discussed a draft bill that would sharply restrict Flock-style automatic license plate readers, limiting what data can be captured, requiring deletion of non-violations after three minutes, and aiming to prevent “casual access” while still allowing emergency use. Energy costs: A new modeling report says U.S. households could pay about $6,500 more in energy costs through 2040, with Wyoming projected near the top for the biggest cumulative increases. Transportation planning: WYDOT is finalizing its 2050 long-range transportation plan and is inviting public input through Oct. 4 on roads, bridges, and future vehicle needs. Research & environment: University of Wyoming researchers say livestock methane studies have a major gap—few look at how soil carbon sequestration might offset grazing cattle emissions. Education pathways: Sheridan College and UW launched a new Express Transfer Agreement, adding direct routes for multiple majors including software development. Local STEM workforce: A Cheyenne-area summer tech internship program placed students with district IT teams for hands-on support ahead of the 2026-27 school year.

Wyoming Tech Policy: A state legislative panel in Laramie briefly discussed a draft bill aimed at putting some of the strictest limits in the country on Flock-style automatic license plate readers, including narrow permitted uses, limits on what data can be captured, and a requirement to delete data for passing vehicles within minutes. Wyoming Infrastructure: WYDOT is finalizing its 2050 long-range transportation plan and is taking public input through Oct. 4 via online sessions, citing changing vehicle tech, construction costs, and industry needs. Wyoming Education & Tech Pathways: Sheridan College and the University of Wyoming launched a new Express Transfer Agreement under the “Future Cowboys” program, adding direct pathways for students in areas including software development. Wyoming Research: University of Wyoming researchers say livestock methane studies have a major gap: few papers look at how soil carbon sequestration could offset grazing cattle emissions. Wyoming Public Safety: The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced a multi-county meth ring bust in Wyoming and Colorado, with a Rawlins distributor sentenced to 18 years. Energy Costs Watch: A new modeling analysis projects Wyoming households could face about $9,000 more in cumulative energy costs through 2040 under recent federal policy changes.

Stablecoin Payments in Production: Fiserv says its digital asset platform is live for real-time stablecoin settlement, with Bank of North Dakota’s Roughrider Coin running on Solana for about 90 banks and credit unions—replacing overnight ACH with ~400-millisecond transfers. Wyoming Climate Planning: Cheyenne City Council discussed a climate action plan funded by a $1M EPA grant, aiming to set emissions baselines and guide future funding applications (not a ready-to-build action list). Livestock Methane Research: UW researchers published a review highlighting a gap in studies that measure both grazing cattle methane and soil carbon sequestration, calling for more simultaneous animal-and-soil sampling. Wildfire Weather Science: NASA’s INSPYRE campaign studied pyrocumulonimbus clouds—fire-driven storms that can loft smoke high into the atmosphere and affect weather far away. Tech & Training in Wyoming: Laramie County Community College reported near-28% enrollment growth over seven years, with strong gains in IT, health sciences, and business pathways. Energy Costs for Wyoming Households: A think tank modeling report projects Wyoming families could pay about $9,000 more for energy through 2040 due to federal policy shifts. Wyoming Tech Policy Watch: Wyoming State Library is gathering input to update its next LSTA five-year plan for library technology services. UW Planetarium: The University of Wyoming Planetarium debuts a new full-dome film and Halloween-themed programming in October.

Higher Ed & Workforce: Laramie County Community College reports nearly 28% enrollment growth over seven years, reaching 6,342 students in 2025-26, plus its largest graduating class on record (1,070 credentials; 858 graduates) and an 83.7% course success rate—highlighting fast-growing pathways in Information Technology, Health Sciences & Wellness, and Business & Accounting. Climate Planning: Cheyenne City Council discussed a comprehensive climate action plan built from an EPA planning grant, but amended the resolution to treat it as a planning resource (a foundation for future funding) rather than a binding policy roadmap. AI in Schools: Natrona County School District trustees weigh updates to A.I. policies as students say the tech is changing classroom grading and study habits, while district training focuses on detecting misuse. Wildfire & Water Research: New research finds wildfire activity is shifting in Western watersheds, with bigger burn increases in mountainous areas that supply large populations—raising stakes for water reliability. Cybersecurity for Industry: Cheyenne-based MSP4MFG and Event Horizon Group announced a quantum resilient encryption licensing push aimed at protecting manufacturing and CNC/plant-floor communications. Wildlife Tech Ethics: Wyoming Game and Fish asks hunters to avoid targeting big game wearing GPS collars and to report collars intact if harvested. Energy Costs: A think tank modeling report says federal policy changes could raise household energy costs through 2040, with Wyoming among the states facing roughly $9,000 more.

AI Grid Buildout: The U.S. plans to invest $5.25B to modernize the national electricity grid for surging AI data center demand, funding dozens of transmission and distribution projects across 26 states. Defense Supply Chain: A new “FORTRESS America” program is being set up to boost defense-industrial resilience and rare-earth security, with rare-earth developers watching closely. Wyoming Tech & Cybersecurity: Cheyenne-based MSP4MFG and Event Horizon Group announced quantum-resilient encryption licensing aimed at protecting manufacturing and CNC/plant-floor communications. University of Wyoming Governance: UW trustees heard updates on student support, AI-related academic policy, and campus communication priorities from cooperative leadership groups. Wildlife Research in the Field: WGFD asked hunters to avoid targeting big game just because it has GPS collars, and to report collars intact if harvested. Rural Health Workforce: HHS awarded $11.2M for rural medical residencies, including $750K for a new family medicine program in Buffalo. Generic Drug Settlement: Wyoming AG Kautz urged eligible consumers to file claims tied to a proposed $400M Sandoz settlement over alleged generic price-fixing. Airport Impact: A WYDOT study says Wyoming airports generate $3.5B annually and support 21,600+ jobs. Cyber/Property Fraud: EquityProtect reports deed-theft laws are expanding, with 12 states now having dedicated statutes.

Wildfire Tech & State Ops: Wyoming debuted a new centralized helibase in Casper, bringing aerial firefighting assets and aviation support under one roof to speed response across the state. Energy & Permitting: Cheyenne is weighing a Belvoir Ranch solar and battery storage plan with Hanwha Renewables, aiming to pair new generation with existing wind. Aviation & Wyoming Economy: A WYDOT study says Wyoming airports drive about $3.5B in annual economic impact and support 21,600+ jobs. Public Health & Consumer Action: Wyoming AG Keith Kautz urged eligible consumers to file claims tied to a multistate generic drug antitrust settlement. Education Funding: Wyoming Supreme Court guidance on school finance leaves districts facing unfunded costs beyond teacher pay, including tech and safety needs. Climate Research: UW researchers flagged a major research gap on whether soil carbon sequestration can offset grazing beef cattle methane emissions. Tech Policy: Senate Democrats blocked a bill that would push data centers to help pay for grid upgrades, setting up another fight over AI power costs. Health Policy: The Trump administration began mailing $500 ACA refund checks to nearly 1M enrollees in 30 states, including Wyoming.

Health Policy: Trump administration began mailing $500 ACA refund checks to nearly 1 million Americans in 30 states (including Wyoming), targeting people who bought plans on HealthCare.gov without premium assistance and were charged excess exchange user fees. Wyoming Education & Research: Central Wyoming College student Giana Biagioni won a $10,000 equestrian scholarship at the National Western Stock Show groundbreaking, highlighting hands-on workforce training in Wyoming’s ag and equine pipeline. Local Tech & Governance: Wyoming lawmakers’ blockchain/AI committee discussed a bill requiring meaningful human review for consequential AI decisions, with record-keeping requirements and concerns raised about unintended impacts on real-world AI use. Wildfire Tech: Wyoming opened a new $7.5M helibase at Casper-Natrona to improve wildfire response and connect crews to state networks for better access to weather and predictive fire behavior tools. Energy & Materials: American Rare Earths outlined an updated scoping study for the Cowboy State Mine, boosting the potential 26-year, 4.5M-ton-per-year rare earth platform and strengthening a domestic rare-earth supply path. Infrastructure: Rawlins approved a $79,000 change order for electrical resistance testing on the Sage Creek Pipeline as the city addresses long-deferred drinking-water line maintenance. Environment & Wildlife: Rolling Hills Zoo earned AZA accreditation, joining other newly accredited facilities and underscoring continued investment in conservation-focused animal care.

Wyoming Tech & Policy: Wyoming lawmakers’ Blockchain and AI committee discussed a bill that would require meaningful human review for “consequential” AI decisions by government agencies, with record-keeping tied to who reviewed the outcome. AI Data Centers (Cheyenne): A nationwide “AI Data Center Revolt” bus tour stopped in Cheyenne ahead of a council vote on the Cox Ranch Annexation, as residents argued they’re being shut out of decisions that could reshape the city’s tech footprint. Energy & Grid Tech (Casper): Wyoming opened a new $7.5M helibase at Casper-Natrona to speed wildfire response and improve access to state networks and tools like Starlink for real-time fire intelligence. Renewables (Cheyenne): Cheyenne officials are weighing a lease option for a proposed 140-megawatt solar plus battery project on Belvoir Ranch. Wildlife Research: Wyoming Game and Fish reminded hunters that collared mule deer, elk, pronghorn, moose, and bighorn sheep may be legally harvested, but collars shouldn’t be cut or damaged so researchers can retrieve and use the data. STEM & Education (UW): UW President Shane Reeves is set to help open the 2026 Wyoming Blockchain Stampede, featuring public sessions on blockchain and digital innovation. Rare Earths (Wyoming): American Rare Earths updated its Cowboy State Mine scoping study, boosting the plan to 4.5M tonnes per year and extending mine life to 26 years. Science in Wyoming: A Triceratops discovery near Newcastle, Wyoming—five skeletons found together—will debut at the Perot Museum in 2027.