AGP Executive Report

UNM hantavirus research in Taos: UNM Center for Global Health teams fanned out across Taos properties to study Sin Nombre virus in western deer mice, after a Taos resident became the first New Mexico case in 2020. AI + water use debate: A new look at data-center and AI water consumption argues the issue is real but often exaggerated, and points to cleaner power sources like solar and wind. Uranium supply chain risk: Analysis warns the U.S. enrichment gap won’t close as fast as the end of Russian imports approaches, leaving utilities exposed. Online safety after Meta settlement: Child-safety advocates are watching how Meta’s $18B U.S. deal could shape rules abroad, including limits on teen feeds, notifications, and posting at night. New Mexico mail voting workaround: With Trump’s mail-voting fight headed to the courts, New Mexico officials are reportedly talking with FedEx and UPS as a backup delivery plan. Data centers vs. water protests: Across the Southwest, locals are pushing back on data-center expansion over water and energy use, even as experts say comparisons to other industries are complicated. UNM education outcomes: UNM Main reports a 50.9% six-year bachelor’s completion rate for students of two or more races (2018 cohort), with statewide context. Spaceport-era tech history: A Sept. 6 space milestone revisits the first sea launch of a V-2 rocket, assembled at White Sands from captured parts. Local science spotlight: A Taos-area science fair win highlights coconut fungi that may help filter plastics and sunscreen from ocean water.

Federal Wildlife Policy: President Trump signed an executive order pushing Interior to consider weakening Endangered Species Act protections for gray wolves and Mexican gray wolves, with critics arguing it’s a distraction from bigger policy and climate realities. Mail Ballots “Plan B”: New Mexico election officials are reportedly talking with FedEx and UPS about delivering mail ballots if Postal Service rules or court fights derail the usual process. STEM & Education: New Mexico Tech Monitor readers may want to watch how UNM-Main Campus graduation outcomes vary by race, with a reported 58.8% six-year bachelor’s completion rate for white students in the 2018 cohort. Public Health & Tech: A New Mexico Mining Watch release backs a state ban on new uranium leases on trust lands, while broader reporting highlights how data centers can raise local health concerns like air quality and noise. Online Safety: A national push for stronger child online protections continues, but experts say the hard part is turning platform concerns into enforceable rules.

Wildlife Staffing Cuts: A new report says the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has lost about 3,600 staff during Trump’s second term, with steep drops across the West including New Mexico (down 149) and Oregon (down 40% since 2024). Conservation Policy: The administration also moved to consider delisting gray wolves and Mexican gray wolves from the Endangered Species Act, setting up likely court fights over whether protections are being removed too early. Local Water Reality: A planned release briefly revived parts of the Rio Grande in Albuquerque as researchers and water managers study drought’s toll on the bosque. Tech + Privacy: Albuquerque Police outlined its use of 19,000 camera views and license plate readers, stressing law-enforcement purpose and denying immigration enforcement use. STEM Education: UNM-Main reported a 58.8% six-year bachelor’s completion rate for white students (2018 cohort), while other county-level rates show big gaps. Health Training: UNM and Gila Regional Medical Center are partnering to bring family medicine residents into rural rotations, with plans to expand clinic services. Online Safety: Meta’s landmark settlement adds teen-focused defaults like time limits and night-mode controls, with knock-on expectations for other platforms.

Water & Climate in NM: A planned release sent about 650 million gallons down the Rio Grande toward Albuquerque to help stressed Bosque cottonwoods, with researchers racing to track how the temporary pulse affects trees and the wider ecosystem before it fades. Wildlife Policy: The Trump administration ordered Interior to consider delisting gray wolves and Mexican gray wolves from the Endangered Species Act, a move that could speed up lethal management; Mexican wolves in NM/AZ are just shy of the recovery threshold. Uranium & Land Protection: New Mexico Mining Watch praised a state order blocking new uranium leasing on state trust lands, urging cleanup of the uranium legacy instead of new development. Public Safety Tech & Privacy: Albuquerque Police detailed its use of 19,000 camera views and license plate readers, stressing monitoring for law-enforcement purposes and denying use for immigration enforcement. Local Tech & Health: A Rio Rancho company says it’s expanding RNA production with a new benchtop system aimed at speeding preclinical and translational research. STEM Education Spotlight: UNM recognized faculty and students with Research and Creative Works Leadership Awards, highlighting ongoing science and innovation work in the state.

Conservation Policy: President Trump signed an order pushing Interior to consider removing gray wolves from the Endangered Species Act and making it easier to authorize killing them, with Mexican gray wolves in New Mexico and Arizona tied to recovery-count rules. Wildlife Agency Staffing: A new report says U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service staffing has fallen by about 3,600 during Trump’s second term, with steep drops across the West including New Mexico. Public Safety Tech & Privacy: Albuquerque Police detailed its use of 19,000 camera views and license plate readers, stressing law-enforcement-only use and no immigration enforcement, while a New Mexico man was arrested after livestreaming the removal of Flock cameras. Water & Ecosystems: More than 650 million gallons were released into the Rio Grande to help stressed Bosque cottonwoods near Albuquerque, giving researchers a short window to track ecological response. Local Tech & Industry: Rio Rancho’s NTx Bio is rolling out a benchtop RNA production system aimed at speeding preclinical and translational research. Education Outcomes: New Mexico counties reported mixed six-year bachelor’s completion rates for Hispanic/Latino students, including Rio Arriba (32.5%) and Grant County (28.8%). Healthcare & Policy: Federal mail-voting changes were blocked longer-term in court, while Medicaid coverage for transgender youth faces new legal fights in multiple states.

Biotech & Manufacturing: Curia Global opened an expanded Albuquerque campus after a $200M investment to boost U.S. sterile drug manufacturing, adding 70,000 sq. ft., new aseptic filling lines, and lyophilization capacity plus automated inspection and training support. Space Tech: New Mexico Tech students built “SPIDER,” a low-power sensor for tiny meteorite impacts and hazards in space, winning NASA’s Human Lander Challenge Best Innovation Award. Aerospace Connectivity: Sceye’s high-altitude platform completed a 9,300-mile flight from New Mexico to Japan, running real-world mobile connectivity and emergency comms trials with SoftBank. Climate & Learning: An American Psychological Association report warns extreme heat slows kids’ thinking and raises absenteeism, urging schools to plan for heat like they do for major disruptions. STEM Ecosystem: UNM’s Rainforest Innovations says invention disclosures and patents are rising, but private capital gaps still limit startup growth. Policy & Tech Infrastructure: Arizona AG Kris Mayes pushed for a statewide pause on new data center approvals over water and power strain—an issue resonating beyond state lines. Local Tech/Community: A New Mexico man arrested for taking down Flock cameras highlights ongoing privacy fights around surveillance tech. Education Tech: Parents and districts keep clashing over AI tools in classrooms, including New Mexico’s “Amira” reading tests.

AI in Classrooms: New York City imposed a one-year moratorium blocking most students through eighth grade from using AI tools, while Los Angeles expanded screen-time limits and blocked AI on school devices; San Francisco is still deciding how to handle AI, with parents pushing to disable generative AI and end “Amira” in elementary literacy. Wildfire Science: Researchers say the biggest threat to homes isn’t the largest fires, but the small, fast-moving ones that account for most structure damage, urging a shift in how communities prepare and fight blazes. Teacher Pay: A new report finds teachers earned about 25% less than comparable college grads in 2025, with Missouri and Oklahoma among the biggest gaps. New Mexico Data Centers & Water: New Mexico’s land commissioner rejected a Canadian company’s Spaceport America data center pitch, and the state Supreme Court kept Project Jupiter permit issues on hold as DOJ-backed filings argue agencies cut corners on required water process. Public Health & Tech: New Mexico approved a 24% average 2027 premium increase for individual health plans. Wild Weather: Grand Canyon flash flooding damaged infrastructure and killed two, with research pointing to drought plus burn scars making monsoon rains far more dangerous.

Counter-Drone Lasers: The U.S. Army moved AeroVironment’s LOCUST X3 high-energy laser from prototyping into sustained production with a $464.8M Enduring-High Energy Laser contract, aiming to defeat drones with lower per-shot costs and reusable “hard-kill” capability. Local Privacy & Surveillance: A Rio Rancho man, Jevon Martinez, was arrested after allegedly removing Flock Safety license-plate cameras and driving them to the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s HQ, as the county ends Flock contracts over privacy concerns. AI in Schools: New reporting highlights how New Mexico’s Amira AI literacy assessments and tutoring requirements have raised privacy worries, while other districts move to restrict generative AI in classrooms. Spaceport Data Center Politics: A secretly recorded meeting in Sierra County surfaced strategy around a Spaceport America data center moratorium, including how officials plan to manage public reaction and open-meeting rules. Water Stress & Data Centers: U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury renewed calls for investigation into Project Jupiter’s water use, questioning construction and long-term needs in the drought-stricken Lower Rio Grande Basin. Energy Tech for Health: Philips rolled out a new transvaginal ultrasound transducer (eV14-2v) designed to streamline early OB/GYN exams with improved penetration and resolution. Uranium Watch: Catron County residents organized against a proposed exploratory uranium mining project in the Cibola National Forest, citing risks to water, air quality, and local astro-tourism.

Project Jupiter Water Fight: U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury is pushing for a state investigation into Project Jupiter’s water use, citing gaps in public accounting and concerns about construction and long-term impacts in the drought-stressed Lower Rio Grande Basin. AI in New Mexico Schools: Lawmakers and parents are escalating pushback on the state-required Amira AI reading tests for K-2, questioning voice-recording storage, consent, and whether scores reflect reading ability or speech patterns. Nuclear Regulation: New Mexico AG Raúl Torrez filed opposition to proposed NRC changes to radiation protection rules, warning they could weaken monitoring and public safety safeguards. Directed-Energy Defense: The U.S. Army awarded AeroVironment a $464.8M production contract for its LOCUST X3 laser counter-drone system, signaling a shift toward cheaper, scalable directed-energy air defense. Energy Tech & Data Centers: PNM launched a new mobile app for customers as it rolls out smart meters, while geothermal developer Fervo announced a record 396MW Google PPA aimed at powering future data-center demand. Workforce Training: New Mexico launched an application process for colleges seeking approval to offer Workforce Pell programs for short-term career training.

AI & HPC Infrastructure: VDURA says its mixed-fleet high-performance data platform is now live in full production at New Mexico State University, built for AI training and large-scale simulations on NMSU’s InfiniBand research network. HAPS Communications: Sceye and SoftBank report a successful trans-Pacific HAPS mission: ST1 flew from New Mexico to Japan through the stratosphere, demonstrating mobile broadband to unmodified devices and drone-linked edge connectivity, aiming for commercial service in 2027. Data Center Politics: A new Albuquerque Journal poll finds New Mexicans wary of large-scale data centers, with 65% opposing them and support for a statewide pause to study local impacts and set rules. Project Jupiter Legal/Permitting: The New Mexico Supreme Court denied a request to partially lift the stay on Project Jupiter’s air-quality permit process, keeping the Sept. 14 hearing paused amid pipeline and fast-track concerns. Workforce & Training Tech: CNM opened a nearly $73M film and digital media training center at the Albuquerque Rail Yards, while CNM and other partners expand hands-on, industry-aligned learning spaces. Public Safety Tech Backlash: Grants, N.M. will discontinue its Flock Safety automated license plate reader camera services, citing misalignment between benefits and required investment. Health Access on Wheels: Presbyterian Healthcare Services expanded its mobile health centers from one to three clinics-on-wheels to bring preventive and primary care closer to communities across the state.

HAPS Connectivity: Sceye’s Service Test 1 mission flew from New Mexico to Japan, proving direct-to-device links and HAPS-based edge connectivity with drones as it targets commercial high-altitude telecom. Project Jupiter Update: New Mexico Supreme Court denied Project Jupiter developers’ bid to partially restart air-quality permit proceedings, keeping the pause in place as due-process and permit-timing fights continue. Data Center Water Pressure: A state lawmaker briefing heard that New Mexico data-center water use could jump dramatically if planned facilities come online, with major uncertainty tied to limited developer transparency. Public Health—Vitamin K: A Reuters analysis found newborn vitamin K refusals jumped 57% in early 2026, raising bleeding risk amid growing vaccine mistrust. Mobile Care Expansion: Presbyterian Healthcare Services expanded its mobile health center program to three clinic vans across Albuquerque, Española and Las Cruces to reduce barriers to preventive and acute care. STEM & Research Funding: NIH-backed TACUNA programming for urban Native young adults showed promise for reducing substance use and anxiety by pairing evidence-based care with Indigenous practices. Tech Policy & Teens: Commentary around Meta’s landmark teen-safety settlement highlights age-assurance and enforcement concerns for minors and online platforms.

Colorado River Water Uncertainty: A federal plan to cut Colorado River deliveries is leaving West communities stuck in “meteor strike” uncertainty, with Nevada suing the Interior Department and Bureau of Reclamation over potential up-to-70% reductions that could jeopardize basic needs. Elephant Butte Reservoir Response: With Elephant Butte at its lowest since 1971, a Sierra County leader is pushing a coordinated plan to expedite refilling, conserve upstream water, and set a protected minimum pool. Wildfire-Resilient Power Grids: The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association shared updates on its Wildfire Assessment and Resilience for Networks consortium, pairing co-ops with mitigation tech to protect electricity supplies. New Mexico STEM & Tech Funding: New Mexico’s Economic Development Department opened new matching-grant applications for advanced tech firms and research institutions, aiming to leverage outside investment. Fusion Supply Chain: Molten Salt Solutions raised $7M to scale domestic lithium-6 and lithium-7 enrichment work tied to tritium breeding and reactor coolant needs. Space Tech in Orbit: Infineon’s radiation-hardened HiRel power semiconductors are aboard NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, supporting deep-space power electronics. Public Health Risk: Reuters reports a sharp rise in parents refusing the newborn vitamin K shot, driven by growing mistrust and linked to higher risk of dangerous bleeding. Child Nutrition Fallout: SNAP cuts are expected to ripple into school meal eligibility, potentially leaving more students without free breakfast and lunch. Meta Teen Safety Overhaul: Meta’s $18B settlement includes stronger age-checking and teen usage limits, with states pushing for practical verification methods. Defense Testing in New Mexico: Sandia engineers used a sounding rocket flight test to collect reentry vibration data to improve modeling for the W93 nuclear warhead components. Local Infrastructure: Shiprock opened a new First Responders Substation to centralize emergency services and training for a wide service area.

State Tech Funding: New Mexico Economic Development’s Technology and Innovation Office opened applications for two grant programs that match outside investment—at least $1 million in state funds for companies and research institutions already backed by federal, philanthropic, or private money. Public Safety Infrastructure: Shiprock cut the ribbon on a new First Responders Substation, a $20 million facility (nearly $18 million from the state) built to centralize medical, fire/rescue, law enforcement, and emergency management services. Law Enforcement Training: CNM Ingenuity and the New Mexico Department of Public Safety graduated 178 students from a redesigned legal training program for cadets, recruits, lateral officers, and telecommunicators, adding more interactive and technology-based instruction. Agriculture Biosecurity: USDA lifted New World screwworm livestock movement restrictions in New Mexico after no new detections since a Lea County dog case, easing transport rules for producers. Tech Policy & Privacy: Santa Fe schools approved a new cybersecurity policy but delayed a broader student data privacy rule, as parents continue to raise concerns about district use of student information. Uranium Watch: Catron County residents pushed back against a proposed uranium exploration project near Datil, citing fears about aquifer contamination and the scale of the land involved. AI & Defense Procurement: The U.S. Army is testing an AI tool to speed up how it drafts and posts service contract solicitations, aiming to reduce manual work and shorten timelines. Global Science & Security: The UN warned that nuclear test bans are under strain as nuclear-armed states refuse to ratify the treaty, warning any new tests could spark an arms race.

AI Data Centers & Courts: New Mexico Supreme Court orders paused key permit steps for Project Jupiter, a major Oracle/OpenAI-backed AI campus near Santa Teresa, freezing air-permit proceedings and adding uncertainty to construction timelines. Water Policy: A guest column argues New Mexico should use market-based water pricing and trading to cut waste and fund projects more efficiently than central planning. Colorado River Fallout: Reporting from the Phoenix area shows how looming federal cuts could force towns, farmers, and residents into higher costs and backup supplies, with Nevada suing over unmet needs. Public Health & Agriculture: USDA tightened rules for cattle exports amid New World screwworm spread, using intensive inspections to keep the parasite out of the U.S. Tech & Community: UNM Economics Research Day highlighted place-based studies on municipal water use, cannabis policy, agricultural conservation, and the shift from natural gas to electric power. Space & STEM Culture: The New Mexico Museum of Space History marked its 50-year “Golden Jubilee” with a new exhibit and plans for International Space Hall of Fame inductions. Local STEM Pipeline: Team Zia announced New Mexico’s first pro jet-racing entry, aiming to spark aerospace careers for young New Mexicans.

AI & Energy Infrastructure: New Mexico Supreme Court pauses Project Jupiter’s AI data center permit steps in Santa Teresa, freezing air-permit proceedings and adding uncertainty for a major Oracle/OpenAI-backed buildout. Directed Energy / Defense Tech: Two 20kW-class high-energy laser systems (AMP-HEL prototypes) were delivered to the U.S. Army after integration and testing in Albuquerque and acceptance trials at Yuma Proving Ground, marking a move toward fieldable counter-drone capability. Space Science / Astronomy: Cloudcroft and Sunspot advocates are pushing for a rethink after the Dunn Solar Telescope demolition decision, seeking partners and funding for a new future use of the broader Sunspot site. Public Health & Biosecurity: USDA tightens cattle import inspections tied to New World screwworm spread in Mexico/Central America, using an animal import protocol to keep U.S. risk “negligible.” Water & Climate Resilience: Colorado River uncertainty continues to ripple across the Southwest as Nevada challenges federal reductions and local towns plan for worst-case scenarios. Tech Policy & Youth Safety: Meta’s $18B child-safety settlement would impose a default two-hour daily cap for teens on Facebook/Instagram plus overnight blocks, with critics warning it won’t fix deeper recommendation-driven harms. Local Tech Governance: Rio Rancho residents question Flock license-plate reader cameras over privacy and surveillance concerns, while police cite crime-solving benefits. STEM & Education: UNM’s Economics Research Day spotlights place-based research on municipal water, cannabis policy, farm conservation, and the natural gas-to-electric transition.

Directed Energy Defense: The U.S. Army has received mobile 20kW-class AMP-HEL laser systems built in Albuquerque, marking a move from lab testing toward real counter-drone missions. Local Land Use: Santa Fe County is weighing a 22-acre purchase near the Rio en Medio Trail to ease parking and emergency-access problems tied to repeated closures. Big Tech & Kids: Meta’s $18B child-safety settlement with states sets new U.S. rules for Instagram/Facebook, including stronger age checks, a two-hour daily limit for under-18s, overnight curfews, and hidden “like” counts—though critics say it won’t fix all harms. Privacy vs. Policing: Rio Rancho residents challenged the city’s use of Flock license-plate reader cameras, arguing surveillance creep; police cite public-safety benefits. STEM in New Mexico: UNM Engineering awarded multiple scholarships to support student research and leadership, including work tied to sustainable materials. Water Stress Across the West: Coverage highlights how Colorado River cuts are driving lawsuits and tough local planning, with New Mexico named among Upper Basin states facing uncertainty.