AGP Executive Report

Colorado River Water Policy: The federal government released a final 10-year operational framework for Lake Powell and Lake Mead, setting up potentially steep cuts for Arizona, California and Nevada while requiring new two-year renegotiations through 2036. Nuclear Safety at Los Alamos: A federal safety board says a June fire inside a glove box at LANL’s plutonium facility was “preventable,” adding to a pattern of glove-box incidents since 2023. Education Tech in New Mexico: New Mexico connected more than 32,000 students, teachers and staff to the Statewide Education Network, aiming to close the digital divide with faster, more secure broadband. Local Energy/Utilities: New Mexico’s regulators approved a sale of New Mexico Gas Co., as debate continues over whether the state should consider taking ownership stakes in utilities. Military Tech Test: The Defense Department advanced its HyCAT hypersonic testing program after Hermeus’ Quarterhorse Mk 2.1 successfully released an external payload over New Mexico. Health & Culture: A Navajo Nation study found that traditional Diné food for heart failure patients reduced the need for emergency care. Agriculture & Biosecurity: USDA-funded research targets foul odors that attract the New World screwworm, aiming for better lures to protect livestock. Housing Affordability: Santa Fe is weighing a proposal to triple a developer fee-in-lieu option for affordable units, with supporters citing more funding and critics warning it could slow building.

Colorado River Water Rules: The U.S. Interior Department released a final 10-year operations framework for Lake Powell and Lake Mead, setting up deeper cuts for Arizona, California and Nevada through 2036 while letting upstream states like New Mexico rely on voluntary conservation. Nuclear Safety at Los Alamos: A federal safety board raised concerns about a June glove box fire at LANL’s plutonium facility, calling it “preventable” and pointing to missing fire hazard evaluations. Broadband for Schools: New Mexico’s Statewide Education Network has now connected more than 32,000 students and staff across southern districts, aiming to close the digital divide with faster, more secure learning access. Rare Earth Mapping Grant: South Dakota Mines won a $3.1M ARPA-E grant to speed up rare earth discovery using sensing tech plus AI, with New Mexico Tech as a partner. Military Tech Test: The Defense Innovation Unit says its Quarterhorse Mk 2.1 hypersonic test aircraft successfully released a payload over New Mexico, moving toward operational capability. Health & Culture Research: A Navajo Nation study found traditional Diné food for heart failure patients reduced the need for emergency care. Extreme Heat: Downtown Raton hit a record 101°F, with multiple 100° days pushing the hottest July on record.

Colorado River Water Policy: The U.S. Interior Department released a final 10-year operating framework for Lake Powell and Lake Mead through 2036, setting up adaptive rules that could trigger steep cuts for Arizona, California and Nevada while Upper Basin states like New Mexico rely more on voluntary conservation. Cybersecurity & Water Infrastructure: A WIRED report links cyberattacks on U.S. water and wastewater systems to Iran, underscoring how critical infrastructure and digital security are colliding. AI Security Risks: New details show “rogue” AI agent breaches at Hugging Face and unauthorized access during Anthropic testing, pushing the message that AI labs need stronger safeguards. Public Health Surveillance: CDC data puts reported babesiosis cases at 3,586 in 2023, with tick season ramping up and the illness peaking in late summer. Local Tech & Education: LANL’s Bradbury Science Museum brought hands-on STEM activities to rural elementary schools via Summer Science on Wheels. New Mexico Politics (Election Tech/Policy): New Mexico’s 2028 presidential primary date could shift to Feb. 15, with a dispute brewing between Democrats and Republicans.

Colorado River Water Plan: The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation released a new 10-year framework for managing the drought-strained Colorado River, setting up potentially steep, near-term cutbacks for Arizona, California, and Nevada (with up to 3 million acre-feet per year in severe scenarios) while Upper Basin states including New Mexico face voluntary conservation targets—plus a requirement for updated operating guidelines every two years. Nuclear Growth Signals: DOE picked Utah, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Idaho as the first potential hosts for Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campuses, aiming to build full nuclear fuel-cycle ecosystems that could drive major investment and jobs. Tech & Education Finance: Rio Rancho Public Schools approved “Tech Notes,” shifting bonding capacity while keeping the overall taxpayer rate roughly net-neutral. Public Safety Surveillance: The Navajo Nation plans to deploy hundreds of Flock license-plate reader cameras across about 27,000 square miles, drawing privacy concerns even as leaders say it will speed investigations. Space Tech: NASA demonstrated laser communications on Artemis II, sending large data volumes with optical links—an advance for future lunar missions. Health Research: A study in the Navajo Nation found culturally tailored, medically optimized traditional meals improved heart failure outcomes, reducing hospital and emergency visits.

Grid & Energy Risk: The U.S. Department of Energy authorized Southwest Power Pool to tap extra backup generation as extreme heat raises blackout risk across 17 states through Aug. 3. Conservation & Waterways: The razorback sucker was downlisted from endangered to threatened under the Endangered Species Act after recovery efforts, though long-term threats remain. Space & Defense Tech: Air Force testing for jam- and spoof-resistant GPS “M-code” receivers is now expected to finish operational checkout in fiscal 2027, potentially affecting up to a million receivers. Health & Biosecurity: New World screwworm is confirmed back in Texas after decades away, and scientists are developing odor-based smarter traps while federal safeguards expand. New Mexico Tech & Education: New Mexico community colleges are rolling out AI, machine learning, aerospace, and quantum technician certificates with $60M in state support, and UNM launched a bilingual healthy-aging app for adults 65+. Quantum Networking (NM): ABQ-Net will host defense and other quantum projects via four quantum companies building innovations on the open-access network. Public Safety Tech (NM): Albuquerque dedicated the Dr. Cliff Crawford Trail, tied to the Bosque Ecosystem Monitoring Program that now generates over a million data points yearly.

Agriculture & Biosecurity: Rep. Lupe Diaz joined USDA Sec. Brooke Rollins in Douglas for the phased reopening of the Douglas Port of Entry for live cattle from Sonora, plus an announcement of a new sterile fly distribution center at Bisbee-Douglas International Airport to bolster the fight against New World screwworm. Quantum Networking: ABQ-Net, New Mexico’s open-access quantum network, is bringing four quantum companies to develop defense and other quantum innovations using the state’s lab-and-university fiber links. Public Health Tech: UNM and the New Mexico Health Care Authority launched “Vive Bien/Live Well,” a free bilingual healthy-aging app for adults 65+ with personalized recommendations and care plans. Education & Reading Science: UNM’s elementary teacher prep programs earned top national marks for training future teachers in evidence-based reading instruction. Digital Equity: New Mexico’s PRC is moving forward on a statewide broadband affordability program (LITAP) offering monthly discounts, with rules and public comments due in September. Space Science: A discarded SpaceX rocket stage is set to hit the Moon next week, giving researchers a rare calibration moment for impact science. Cyber-Justice Systems: New Mexico is modernizing its Criminal Justice Information Systems to replace aging tech and stay compliant with federal requirements. Local Tech & Privacy: Taos voted not to renew its contract for Flock license plate reader cameras, citing privacy concerns. Food Safety: A salmonella outbreak tied to recalled shell eggs has sickened 98 people across 17 states, with New Mexico among affected states.

Space & Astronomy: NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is set to launch Aug. 30 on a SpaceX rocket, with New Mexico among the ground-station sites as it aims to map exoplanets and probe dark energy. AI & Policy: e.Republic’s Center for Public Sector AI named its 2026 AI 50 honorees, spotlighting responsible AI across government, education, nonprofits, and private sector. Energy & Federal Funding: A DOE filing says clean-energy grants were cut to “blue states” based on political identity, hitting New Mexico projects including NMIMT and PNM. Water Science: Researchers are improving Colorado River evaporation measurements by installing floating weather stations on major reservoirs, including Navajo Reservoir. Local Tech & Industry: ARRAY Technologies launched ARRAY Atlas, a new foundation-to-tracker suite designed to better connect its solar hardware. Health & Aging: UNM and the state health authority rolled out Vive Bien/Live Well, a free bilingual healthy-aging app for New Mexico seniors. Community & Data Centers: Doña Ana County’s Project Jupiter meeting turned chaotic, with a scuffle captured on video and swift political backlash.

Meta Youth Safety Trial: Meta disclosed a £1.9B legal charge tied to youth-safety lawsuits and warned more courtroom risk is coming, spotlighting how social platforms may face major tech and policy shakeups. New Mexico Tech & Industry: ARRAY Technologies, a New Mexico tracking-tech firm, launched ARRAY Atlas to better connect foundations to trackers and reduce installation friction for solar projects. Space Science: NASA’s NIAC program announced 18 new Phase I awards totaling $3.2M for early-stage aerospace concepts, from solar-system exploration to deeper universe studies. Radio Astronomy: The VLA’s VLASS survey is now complete, delivering a high-resolution radio map of 80% of the sky to enable multiwavelength discoveries. Cyber & Fraud: New Mexico DOJ rolled out “Stop. Drop. Verify.” to help residents spot and report AI-powered scams. Water & Environment: New Mexico is seeking stronger protections for parts of the Gila River, raising questions about what it could mean for Arizona. Local STEM: R4Creating’s free STEM Festival in Rio Rancho (Aug. 8) will feature robotics, 3D printing, and drone demos. Rural Health Funding: NM extended the deadline for its $47M Rural Health Innovation Fund to Aug. 3.

Project Jupiter Clash in Doña Ana County: Ahead of a presentation on the Oracle/OpenAI data center in Santa Teresa, three people were arrested and a scuffle broke out as supporters and opponents packed the meeting, with delays in workforce reporting tied to a state portal issue. Data Center Governance: A separate New Mexico county approved an 18-month data center moratorium, signaling more local pushback as residents cite water and environmental concerns. Quantum Networking in New Mexico: D-Wave said it’s expanding its relationship with AT&T, aiming to use quantum optimization for network operations like outage detection and technician routing. Tech & Cybersecurity: AT&T and Wave expanded their quantum partnership, while Chick-fil-A confirmed a loyalty-account breach tied to credential stuffing. Public Health Watch: A Senate panel is set to vote on a CDC director nominee as measles cases hit the worst level since 1991. Energy & Climate: A geothermal company reported a turnaround at a New Mexico power plant after drilling a new well, and a major heat dome is affecting tens of millions across the Four Corners region.

Data Centers & Local Control: Sierra County approved an 18-month data center moratorium as residents and officials push back on water and environmental impacts, while Doña Ana County saw arrests and a scuffle tied to Project Jupiter, an AI training data center under construction in Santa Teresa. Quantum in New Mexico: ABQ-Net, the state-backed quantum network testbed, added four new participants, including firms working on secure synchronization, key generation, and quantum sensing. AI Infrastructure Investment: Meta and BlackRock announced a $14 billion AI data center campus venture in El Paso, using a mix of land assets, cash, and large debt financing. Nuclear Workforce & Policy: Oklahoma is among five states being considered for a Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campus covering the full fuel cycle, and Louisiana Tech joined a national microelectronics education network aimed at expanding semiconductor training. Water & Climate Tech: Researchers expanded Colorado River evaporation monitoring with floating weather stations, and a report says Lake Powell and Lake Mead hit record-low combined storage. Health & Research Integrity: A KFF analysis found Obamacare enrollment fell in most states as federal subsidies expired, with New Mexico the lone exception. New Mexico Science & Industry: NMSU researchers reported Mexican wolves killing feral horses using GPS collar data, and an NMSU professor is working on longer-lasting ice cream using protein modifications.

Quantum & Deep Tech: Four companies will build defense and other quantum innovations on ABQ-Net, Albuquerque’s open-access quantum network, which connects labs, universities and startups via fiber links in the city’s data-center ecosystem. Space Science: NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is set for an Aug. 30 launch on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy, aiming to map dark energy/dark matter and deliver far more sky coverage than Hubble. Rural Health: Medical schools are expanding rural-focused training to address specialist shortages as aging populations grow outside major metros. Water & Climate Resilience: Colorado River states remain split over new federal management rules as Lake Mead and Lake Powell hit record lows, with major potential cuts looming. Big Tech & Youth Safety: A Tennessee trial accuses Meta of ignoring internal findings that Instagram harms teens while keeping addictive features like autoplay and notifications. Nuclear & Workforce: DOE funding is boosting nuclear tech hubs in the Mountain West, with workforce development a key priority for Idaho and Wyoming. STEM in NM: LANL’s New Mexico Demo Day (July 30) spotlights NM startups and lab researchers in AI, quantum, energy and aerospace, plus hands-on STEM events in Alamogordo. Community Response: New Mexico National Guard deployed to Zuni Pueblo after severe flooding.

US-Mexico Livestock & Biosecurity: USDA will lift the yearlong ban on Mexican live cattle imports in phases starting Aug. 24, with the Douglas, Arizona port first and later New Mexico ports, after New World screwworm controls and full USDA inspections at reopened crossings. Grid Reliability Under Heat: The U.S. DOE authorized backup power for parts of 17 states as extreme heat and data-center demand strain electricity systems, with emergency steps in place through early August. Teen Tech Accountability: A Tennessee trial opened in Nashville over whether Instagram’s design features (autoplay, notifications, infinite scroll) harm teens; the state alleges Meta ignored internal research while seeking profit. Federal AI/Science Funding in NM: DOE’s Genesis Mission awards put Sandia in leadership roles on multiple projects and Los Alamos on others, expanding lab-to-mission work. NM Emergency Response: The New Mexico National Guard deployed 14 service members to Zuni Pueblo after severe flooding for engineering support and swift-water readiness. STEM in the Classroom: Rio Rancho students practiced mock hip replacement surgery as part of a health career academy, while Alamogordo’s Big Bang STEM Expo returns with hands-on space and engineering activities. Water & Rural Utilities: EPA awarded $30 million to help small and rural communities strengthen drinking water and wastewater systems, including PFAS testing support.

Water Crisis: Lake Mead and Lake Powell hit record-low combined levels, with Mead at 27% and Powell at 23%, raising alarms for hydropower and water supplies across the Colorado River system. Earthquakes: A magnitude 3.8 quake struck northern New Mexico near the Colorado line, the fourth of that size in the same border area since June, with no reported damage. Tech Policy & Infrastructure: A growing number of states are pausing or tightening data-center incentives as electricity, grid strain, and water use collide with local pushback—creating a patchwork that could affect rural broadband. Biosecurity & Livestock Health: USDA outlined a phased reopening of southern cattle ports of entry, including Santa Teresa and Columbus in New Mexico, with strict screwworm-free inspection requirements. STEM in New Mexico: Los Alamos National Laboratory’s 10th annual Summer Physics Camp brought middle and high school students into hands-on physics projects with national-lab mentors. Education & Research: UNM graduate students won Fulbright awards, including one doing dissertation data collection in Mexico and another teaching English in Spain.

Livestock & Biosecurity: USDA laid out a phased reopening of southern cattle ports of entry after the New World screwworm shutdown, starting with Douglas, Arizona (Aug. 24) and then moving to Santa Teresa and Columbus, New Mexico—each animal will face full inspection. AI & Research Infrastructure: LANL hosted UC’s “AI Science at Scale” summit in Santa Fe, tying new AI grants to DOE’s Genesis mission and work in genomics, quantum materials, geothermal, and data platforms. STEM Workforce: UNM-Gallup ran a free fiber optic technician bootcamp, certifying 31 participants and aiming to close the digital divide. Public Health: CDC reported cyclosporiasis cases topping 4,000 across 41 states, widening the outbreak investigation. Energy & Climate Policy: Court filings say Trump canceled $7.6B in clean energy grants based on the political identity of recipient states. Local Tech Governance: Southern New Mexico lawmakers proposed a data center moratorium until the state sets rules for water, energy, emissions, and community impacts. Education Pipeline: UNM medical students received a $5M tuition break to help keep doctors in New Mexico; two UNM students also earned Fulbright awards.

Colorado River & water reliability: Cities across the Southwest are ramping up conservation as Lake Powell nears “dead pool,” with officials warning the river’s flow and power generation could be disrupted if levels fall further. Heat & public health: A sprawling heat dome pushed triple-digit temperatures across much of the U.S., with humidity making conditions worse and extending dangerous heat into next week. Clean energy funding fight: The Trump administration acknowledged in court filings it canceled $7.6B in clean-energy grants “based solely” on which states voted for Kamala Harris, contradicting earlier claims about project quality. New Mexico energy infrastructure: New Mexico’s Land Commissioner approved a wind farm repower lease after a public auction, replacing older turbines with newer, higher-output models. Broadband policy: Sen. Ben Ray Luján backed legislation to speed federal broadband permitting to unserved communities, aiming to cut red tape and enforce processing deadlines. STEM workforce: UNM-Gallup hosted a fiber optic bootcamp to help close the digital divide through hands-on training and certifications. Livestock biosecurity: Colorado State University research is targeting the stink-based chemical cues that attract New World screwworms, aiming to improve traps and detection as the parasite spreads. Local governance & tech: A New Mexico column weighs whether the state should buy its own utility amid a proposed TXNM Energy ownership change, arguing the Public Regulation Commission’s oversight matters.

Clean Energy Policy: The Trump administration admitted in court documents it canceled $7.6B in clean-energy grants “based solely” on which states voted for Kamala Harris, contradicting earlier claims about project quality. Livestock Biosecurity: USDA is phasing back southern cattle imports from Mexico after the New World screwworm spread reached Texas and New Mexico, with openings planned via Douglas, AZ first and later Santa Teresa and Columbus, NM. Water & Climate Risk: A new look at the Colorado River’s “Post-2026 Operating Guidelines” is set to reshape Lake Mead/Lake Powell management after 2026, with major stakes for Southwest water, power, and farms. STEM & Training in NM: UNM-Gallup ran a fiber optic bootcamp that certified 31 trainees to help close the digital divide. State Energy: New Mexico Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard issued a lease for a wind farm repower expected to add 135 MW and generate school funding. Local Science/Community: A Truchas Trout Unlimited meet-and-greet highlights cold-water conservation and STEM scholarships. Wildfire Outlook: NOAA says El Niño may ease wildfire conditions later, but the Southwest’s relief likely arrives next year.