AGP Executive Report

AI in Policing: Casper PD is testing an AI tool to analyze body-worn camera footage, summarize interviews, and help generate reports—prompting ACLU concerns about transparency and oversight. Space & Science Education: UW’s Harry C. Vaughan Planetarium is shifting summer programming hours and adding Tuesday/Thursday afternoon shows, plus an America 250 NASA retrospective. Energy Leadership: UW named Pete Obermueller executive director of the School of Energy Resources, aiming to steer research and policy for Wyoming’s energy-driven economy. Data Centers & Water: Cheyenne’s Project Cosmo is moving toward a major data-center build, while across the region residents are pushing back on data-center water use as drought pressures grow. Wildlife Health: The National Elk Refuge reported its first chronic wasting disease case in the Jackson Elk Herd, with limited operational changes expected. Local Housing: WCDA urged lawmakers to tackle Wyoming’s housing shortage with more local tools after state-level priorities lagged. STEM on Campus: UW’s Controlled Environment Agriculture Network is launching, and Western’s Kayde Strauss earned a spot in the NJCAA Women’s Basketball Coaches Association All-Star Showcase.

Wyoming Tech & Innovation: UW engineering students launched UplinkRobotics in Laramie after spotting a need for safer crawl-space inspections; the company now makes smart inspection drones and just earned the SBA Wyoming Spirit of Wyoming award. University Policy & STEM: A UW event debated whether universities should stay neutral in polarized political fights, weighing open inquiry against institutional involvement. Local Tech & Community Infrastructure: Cheyenne is preparing for its August sixth-penny vote with a spotlight on building a new Johnson Pool in Lincoln Park, replacing the 2025-closed facility with ADA upgrades and expanded capacity. Wildlife Science & Conservation: Conservation groups won a major setback for the Cooke City Fuels logging plan after the Forest Service withdrew it, citing legal challenges tied to protections for whitebark pine, grizzlies, and lynx. Energy & Water Risk: FERC advanced the Seminoe pumped-water project with an environmental impact statement, but critics warn it still may not prevent harmful impacts to fisheries and wildlife. Public Safety & Health: Cheyenne BOPU reminded customers that hazardous materials can’t be dumped into sanitary sewers, citing past incidents that disrupted treatment and created dangerous conditions.

Wildlife Research: University of Wyoming researchers used GPS collars to track five Yellowstone grazer species and found they overlap far more than classic competition theory predicts—individual animal habits seem to drive the pattern. Agriculture Tech & Workforce: Central Wyoming College is positioning its Controlled Environment Agriculture program as Wyoming’s workforce and food innovation hub, building skills for year-round farming in managed environments. University Network for Innovation: UW is launching a Controlled Environment Agriculture Network this fall, linking industry and research through its plant growth and phenotyping facility to accelerate jobs and testing of new tech. Public Health & Community Tech: Wyoming DEQ says multi-year air monitoring in Yoder found no evidence that crystalline silica dust poses a health risk, responding to local concerns. Energy, Water, and AI Debate: Laramie City Council heard public calls for stronger rules—or a moratorium—on data centers, with residents citing water, energy, and AI impacts. Civic & Education Policy: A debate on whether universities should stay neutral in polarized political controversies drew national scholars to UW. STEM in the Field: New high-resolution airborne geophysical data for southeastern Wyoming are now public, supporting geologic mapping and mineral resource studies.

STEM in Cheyenne & Laramie: Laramie County Library and Burns Library are hosting “Science Heroes: Digging It” hands-on shows on June 26, plus an adult/teen session for people with disabilities. Maternal health gap: A new report card from the Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health gives Wyoming a D- for postpartum mental health support, citing shortages in specialty therapists, screening, treatment options, and paid leave. Wyoming outdoor economy: A new Outdoor Business Needs Assessment and Opportunities 2026 report finds Wyoming’s outdoor recreation economy is strong but faces real business challenges, with the WORTH Institute backing the study. Workforce update: Wyoming’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dipped to 3.4% in May 2026. AI reliability funding: Scaled Cognition raised $100M to tackle AI hallucinations and improve trust in enterprise deployments. Uranium corporate news: Premier American Uranium says shareholder votes approved its directors and other meeting items, with active work in Wyoming’s basins. Local tech/engineering: Wyoming Game and Fish hired a new Story Hatchery fish culturist, and UW Motorsports won a second straight SAE Formula Hybrid + Electric championship.

Wyoming Economy: Wyoming’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dipped to 3.4% in May, down from 3.5% in April, with job growth of about 1,100 nonfarm jobs year over year. Higher Ed Snapshot: New federal data shows white students were the largest ethnic group at Sheridan County’s only university (82% in 2023-24) and at Sweetwater County’s only university (78.8%). Local Engineering Capacity: Western-EGI in Rock Springs expanded its Wyoming registration, adding in-house Professional Land Surveying statewide after staffer Cody Woods earned his PLS license. Roads & Maintenance: Idaho’s Transportation Department starts scrub seal treatments June 29 across multiple routes, including segments near the Wyoming line, with one-lane traffic control and a mid-to-late August finish target. STEM & Community: A Wyoming library hosts “Science Heroes: Digging It” events for kids and adults with hands-on experiments. Policy & Water Tech: A proposal would turn Montana’s US 287 into an interstate (I-47), raising questions about wildlife impacts and who pays for upkeep. National Tech/Health: A new workforce analysis projects major rheumatology shortages by 2037, with Wyoming among the hardest-hit states.

Wyoming Energy & Minerals: Gov. Mark Gordon approved $250,000 for Visionary Metals to evaluate critical minerals in Fremont County’s Granite Mountains, including Wyoming’s first nickel-sulfide at King Solomon Mine and a nickel-copper deposit at Tin Cup, with drilling and geoscience work feeding state databases. Wildfire Tech: The University of Wyoming launched WyldFire, a new public online platform that maps wildfire risk and burn probability so residents, landowners, utilities, and emergency responders can plan and mitigate. Rangeland Research: UW Extension named long-time educator Barton Stam as a statewide rangeland management specialist for western Wyoming, expanding research-based support for ranchers on grazing, wildfire recovery, and predators. Water Crisis Watch: A new report highlights the Colorado River headwaters drying up, with major reservoirs like Lake Mead and Lake Powell dropping to dangerous levels. Local Governance & Tech: JEDCO in Cheyenne agreed to an interim executive director search and selected “Nick the Wi‑Fi Guy” for technology services. Science in the Park: Yellowstone recorded another hydrothermal explosion at Biscuit Basin, creating new vents and a new boiling pool—another reminder that the park’s thermal system is hard to predict.

Wyoming wildfire tech: The University of Wyoming’s WyGISC and Ecosystem Science and Management launched WyldFire, a free online platform that helps residents and responders compare burn-probability risk and generate planning reports. Energy & minerals: Gov. Mark Gordon approved $250,000 from the Wyoming Energy Authority for Visionary Metals’ critical-minerals drilling and modeling in the Granite Mountains, targeting nickel and copper discoveries. Water & drought resilience: A new push highlights reusing sewage to stretch freshwater supplies, while another report argues agriculture’s water-use changes could matter more than household conservation alone. Wildfire danger ahead: Forecasters warn a cold-front setup could bring dry lightning and strong winds across the Intermountain West, including Wyoming, raising fire risk to very high or extreme. UW engineering win: Wyoming Motorsports won the SAE Formula Hybrid + Electric championship for a second straight year, improving aerodynamics and inspection performance. Healthcare transparency: Op-eds and reporting focus on hospitals missing federal price-posting requirements, keeping costs opaque for patients. Rare earths leadership: American Rare Earths said it will add Wyoming-based mining veteran Matthew Gili to its board as it prepares for a Nasdaq listing.

Wyoming Rare Earths: American Rare Earths adds veteran Wyoming mine builder Matthew Gili to its board as it pushes the Halleck Creek rare earth project toward a planned Nasdaq compliance listing in H2 2026. Healthcare Costs: Wyoming lawmakers launched a Health Insurance Affordability Task Force after testimony highlighted the state’s mix of hospital availability with poor affordability, aiming to find what actually lowers premiums and improves access. Wildlife Management: Grand Teton National Park continues removing mountain goats from the Tetons after a multi-year effort, using specialized contractors and public reporting to protect native bighorn sheep. Community Science: Darwin’s Ark is recruiting more Delaware cats for a large-scale community-powered feline genetics study, and it’s explicitly seeking broader participation that includes Wyoming. University Research: UW’s molecular biology department brings developmental biology regeneration expert Alejandro Sánchez Alvarado to lead a campus seminar series June 29–July 2. Aviation Modernization: The Wyoming Air National Guard is building an initial C-130J training cadre ahead of bringing the new aircraft to Cheyenne in early 2028.

Healthcare Costs: Wyoming lawmakers launched a new Health Insurance Affordability Task Force after residents flagged rising premiums as a top concern; co-chairs Rep. Lloyd Larsen and Sen. Tara Nethercott say the panel will lean on data and avoid “throwing things against the wall” until solutions actually work. Wildlife & Disease Management: The Teton Range is still in the spotlight as the National Park Service removes nonnative mountain goats to protect native bighorn sheep and reduce disease risk. UW Research & Seminars: The University of Wyoming announced Dr. Alejandro Sánchez Alvarado will lead a molecular biology seminar series focused on regeneration and stem-cell biology. Deep Earth Science: Scientists are puzzling over mysterious deep earthquakes beneath Utah and Wyoming, with new studies arguing they’re real mantle events, not sensor glitches. Tech & Jobs: Western Wyoming Community College posted multiple IT support and systems administrator openings, signaling continued campus tech hiring.

Wyoming Energy & Water Tech: The University of Wyoming is in line for a nearly $400,000 DOE award to cut wastewater at coal-based power plants by testing thermal bottom ash drying, led by UW mechanical engineering professor Erica Belmont and SER’s Center for Carbon Capture and Conversion. Healthcare Innovation in Cheyenne: Cheyenne Regional completed Wyoming’s first leadless pacemaker implant and also rolled out AI-powered heart mapping to help doctors treat abnormal rhythms with more precision. Wildfire Risk Tools: UW’s WyGISC launched WyldFire, a public wildfire information platform that lets Wyoming residents and utilities map burn probability and potential flame length, and generate risk reports for planning and mitigation. Agriculture Workforce Tech: Central Wyoming College is positioning its Controlled Environment Agriculture program as a Wyoming workforce and food innovation hub, partnering with UW and industry to train students for year-round, tech-driven crop production. CWD Monitoring & Public Health: After chronic wasting disease was detected on the National Elk Refuge, Teton County is considering testing town drinking water, while officials stress the human risk appears low but the situation is “new and emerging.” Higher Ed Trends: A new study says the U.S. lost 830 degree-granting colleges and universities from 2012–13 to 2022–23, driven by closures and mergers. Wildlife Disease Warning: Research confirms CWD prions can spread from deer that look healthy, detected in 36 states, raising stakes for hunters and wildlife managers.

Wildfire tech from UW: The University of Wyoming’s WyGISC and Ecosystem Science and Management launched WyldFire, a public wildfire risk platform that lets users map locations, compare burn probability and flame-length layers, and generate risk reports for planning and mitigation. Healthcare affordability in Wyoming: Wyoming lawmakers and health leaders debuted the Legislature’s Health Insurance Affordability Task Force, citing a gap between hospital availability and affordability in a state with low population density and high fixed costs. AI data center push in Evanston: Uinta County commissioners backed letters of support for Prometheus Hyperscale, a proposed 1.25-gigawatt AI data center and power plant near I-80, aiming to attract major tech clients while addressing environmental concerns. Water stress across the West: Colorado River experts warn that another dry winter could bring “devastating consequences,” arguing agriculture must make permanent consumptive-use cuts. Cybersecurity watch: Reports say the White House plans to automatically install a new app on DHS-managed phones, drawing security concerns over lingering flaws. Mountain West digital history: The Mountain West Digital Library marked 25 years, continuing its push to make regional cultural collections searchable in one place. Civic tech and policy: Citi launched blockchain-based Digital Depositary Receipts that let clients invest in tokenized shares of private companies.

Wyoming Homesteading Reality Check: A new DeerBusters study ranks Texas, Montana, and Wyoming as the best states for homesteading, using land costs, inventory, climate fit, and growth room—not just affordability. AI Meets Local Politics: A POLITICO brief says AI-driven data centers are turning permitting into a “hearts and minds” fight, as communities weigh water, power, and new cybersecurity and workforce fears. Dam Removal Economics: Headwaters Economics finds 24 U.S. dam removals didn’t trigger long-term local economic decline, challenging the idea that taking dams out automatically hurts nearby towns. School Funding Pressure in Lander: Fremont County School District 1 budget cuts are ending water aerobics at Lander’s pool and raising fees, spotlighting broader Wyoming school funding strain. Energy & Wildlife Tech: PacifiCorp is testing a bird-collision fix at its Glenrock wind farm by painting turbine blades black, aiming to replicate earlier results. Wyoming Crypto Experiment: Wyoming’s Frontier Stable Tokens are live, letting people pay with a state-issued stablecoin—another sign the Cowboy State is betting on tech-forward finance. Water Outlook: NOAA says El Niño plus monsoon moisture could bring some relief to the Intermountain West, including Wyoming. Helium Supply Shock: Colorado’s helium output is surging in importance after Iran-war disruptions cut global supply, with Wyoming-area plants shipping liquid helium worldwide. Yellowstone Bee Crash: A semi near Yellowstone spilled an estimated 250 million bees, causing stings and a multi-day cleanup.

UAP Governance: The White House created a new UAP Governance Board, with Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb advising, aiming to coordinate how sightings are investigated and declassified. Clean Energy & Wildlife: PacifiCorp is testing a bird-collision fix at its Glenrock wind farm—painting turbine blades black—after earlier research suggested big drops in bird deaths. Climate Watch: NOAA says El Niño is officially underway, with a chance it could become “super,” raising the odds of major weather shifts across the West. Wyoming Education: Wyoming’s Department of Education wrapped its L³ Summit, pushing statewide literacy implementation tied to the Science of Reading. Quantum in Laramie: UW hosted a Quantum Summer School bringing national experts to campus on quantum computing and quantum cryptography. Local Tech/Industry: A Wyoming wind-farm beekeeper and investors are reacting to a Yellowstone-area crash that spilled an estimated 250 million bees, creating a major public-safety and recovery challenge. Policy & Health Costs: A report says hundreds of hospitals, including 19 in the Mountain West (3 in Wyoming), missed federal hospital price transparency requirements. Wyoming Crypto: Cheyenne’s Frontier Stable Tokens continue to draw attention as Wyoming expands its stablecoin experiment.

Wyoming Crypto Policy: Wyoming’s Frontier Stable Tokens are now live, letting people pay with the state’s own stablecoin—an experiment that’s already drawing national attention as a potential blueprint for other states. Healthcare Transparency: A new report says hundreds of hospitals, including 19 in the Mountain West (with 3 in Wyoming), missed federal price-posting requirements, keeping costs opaque for patients. Climate & Water Watch: NOAA says El Niño is officially underway, with a chance it could become “super,” while Intermountain West drought updates point to a hopeful monsoon moisture outlook for July–September. Wyoming Education: The Wyoming Department of Education’s L³ Summit brought 453 educators together to push statewide literacy implementation tied to the Science of Reading. Quantum in Laramie: UW’s Quantum Summer School convened national experts and students on quantum computing and quantum cryptography. Local Tech & Safety: Sheridan-based Clevio launched RoboClean, a robotic window-cleaner aimed at safer, ladder-free cleaning. Space & STEM Outreach: Starbase students on Peterson Space Force Base got a hands-on deep-space imaging lesson, including the “Garlic Head Nebula.”

Space & STEM in Wyoming: At Starbase on Peterson Space Force Base, students got a close-up look at deep-space astrophotography, including how Col. Kenneth Klock stacked thousands of images to reveal the “Garlic Head Nebula.” Weather & Water: NOAA says El Niño is underway and could become “super,” while an Intermountain West drought update points to a hopeful monsoon moisture pattern for July–September—good news for Wyoming ranchers and reservoirs, but still uncertain. Public Health Tech Policy: A new report says hundreds of hospitals nationwide (including 19 in the Mountain West, with 3 in Wyoming) failed hospital price transparency rules, keeping costs opaque. Wyoming Energy Research: The University of Wyoming won a nearly $400,000 DOE award to cut coal-plant wastewater by testing thermal bottom ash drying for water efficiency and mineral recovery. Education & Literacy: Wyoming’s Department of Education wrapped its inaugural L³ Summit, pushing statewide “Science of Reading” implementation and leadership for literacy. Local Science/Industry: A Yellowstone-area highway crash spilled an estimated 250 million bees, triggering a major emergency response and recovery effort. UAP Governance: The Trump administration created a new UAP Governance Board with Harvard’s Avi Loeb advising, aiming to coordinate investigations and declassify related info.

Climate & Water: NOAA says the 2026 El Niño is underway, with a better-than-50% chance of a “super” event that could disrupt weather and ocean circulation worldwide. Wyoming Education Tech & Literacy: Wyoming’s Department of Education wrapped its inaugural L³ Summit, bringing 453 educators together to push statewide literacy implementation tied to the Science of Reading and the Language and Literacy Act. Energy & Research: The University of Wyoming is set to negotiate a nearly $400K DOE award to test thermal bottom ash drying to cut water burdens at coal plants while supporting critical mineral recovery and CCUS. Hydropower & Wildlife: FERC advanced the Seminoe pumped-water storage project with a final environmental impact statement, but critics warn it still may not adequately prevent harm to trout and other wildlife. Public Safety & Infrastructure: Wyoming’s coal industry and water needs also intersect with local planning—UW and other efforts highlight how water efficiency and wastewater management are becoming central themes. Wildlife Resilience: Wyoming Game and Fish volunteers repaired a wildlife “guzzler” reservoir to help animals through a hot, dry summer.