AGP Executive Report

Coal Push in the Spotlight: President Trump is set to channel nearly $700M into coal power using Cold War-era Defense Production Act authority—$425M to modernize 13 existing plants and $75M toward a long-delayed Oakland export terminal that could move coal from Wyoming and Montana, plus $185M for two new plants and a restart. Wyoming Road Work: WYDOT extended Flat Creek Bridge repairs on US89 by six days, now targeting reopening Tuesday, June 16, with deck curing and finishing work still underway. Energy + Water Pressure: Experts warn the Colorado River Basin is sliding toward a “system crash” unless water use drops fast, with Lake Mead and Lake Powell facing critical limits. Fire Season Watch: Wyoming is among the few states seeing slight gains in thinning and prescribed burns, but advocates warn staffing cuts could still hurt wildfire readiness. Local Economy + Housing: Cheyenne’s chamber hosted a gubernatorial forum where candidates focused on keeping youth in Wyoming, rural healthcare, and the role of data centers. Fuel Prices: GasBuddy reports midgrade and diesel prices in multiple Wyoming counties, with statewide averages still volatile. Wildlife + Land Use: A major BLM lease sale in northwestern Colorado includes migration habitat reaching into southern Wyoming, raising tourism and dark-sky concerns.

Coal & Jobs: President Trump says the federal government will spend about $700M using Cold War-era Defense Production Act powers to save 13 coal plants, build new units in Alaska and West Virginia, and restart a Maryland plant—plus $75M for a long-delayed Oakland export terminal tied to Wyoming coal. Wyoming Spotlight: Gov. Mark Gordon backed the plan after a White House visit, arguing “high-tech” coal supports jobs and energy reliability, while Wyoming’s Dave Johnston Unit 3 is also cited in the package. Energy Costs: New maps and EIA data show residential electricity prices rising fast in many states, with Wyoming up about 9.5% year over year in March 2026. Wind Fight in Cheyenne: Ranchers and wildlife advocates rallied at the Capitol over a “Wyoming Wind Wall,” warning about impacts to golden eagles and other wildlife as more turbines move through permitting. Water & Agriculture: Colorado River talks remain unsettled as federal managers propose a new operating approach amid drought, while drought pressure is also squeezing U.S. cattle and hay supplies. Local Business & Housing: The Greater Cheyenne Chamber hosted a gubernatorial forum focused on housing, workforce, and business permitting/tax structure. Tech & Policy: Cheyenne officials weighed data center growth concerns, and House tax drafts advanced on crypto rules ahead of a hearing.

Coal & Power Policy: President Trump announced up to $700M for coal-fired power—extending 13 plants, funding new builds, and supporting an Oakland export terminal—while Wyoming Gov. Gordon backed the move as reliability and jobs; critics warn it could raise costs and emissions. Wind & Wildlife: A Cheyenne rally pushed back on a growing “Wyoming Wind Wall,” with opponents citing cumulative impacts on golden eagles, ranching, and tourism as turbine counts keep rising. Drought & Ranching: USDA data show drought pressure is spreading—57% of U.S. cattle inventory in moderate drought or worse, plus hay and pasture stress—forcing more ranchers to sell or move cattle. Ag & Legal: A $15M lawsuit tied to Summit Carbon Solutions is moving toward trial in Delaware, spotlighting contract disputes over carbon pipeline pipe production. Energy Costs Watch: Gas prices remain volatile in Wyoming counties, with GasBuddy reporting some of the lowest regular rates around $4.06–$4.18 in select areas. Crypto & Tax: U.S. House tax committee drafts are circulating ahead of a June 9 hearing, aiming to ease crypto taxes on small transactions and adjust treatment for mining and staking. Wyoming Tech/Industry: Kraken partnered with Tempo for stablecoin payments, using Kraken Financial (a Wyoming SPDI) for custody and reserves.

Coal Push in the Spotlight: President Trump announced nearly $700M for coal-fired power upgrades, new plants in Alaska and West Virginia, and a long-delayed Oakland export terminal, using Cold War-era Defense Production Act powers; Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon backed the move, saying it helps keep Dave Johnston Unit 3 running and supports jobs and export capacity. Energy Debate: The plan is already drawing backlash over pollution and health impacts, even as supporters frame it as “clean, beautiful coal” for grid reliability and lower energy costs. Wyoming Wind Tension: At the Wyoming Capitol, a “Save the Eagles, Stop Wind” rally urged a halt and deeper review of industrial wind buildouts in southeast Wyoming, citing golden eagle concerns and impacts on ranching and rural landscapes. Roads & Shipping Costs: New national roadway-condition reporting highlights how aging highways and bridges keep raising risks and costs for freight and daily travel, with funding set to expire in October 2026. Workforce Gap Watch: A collision-repair technician report says the training pipeline fills only 42% of annual demand, underscoring skilled-labor pressure across trades. Cheyenne Data Center Count: Cheyenne LEADS says there are 10 operational data centers in Cheyenne/Laramie County, 5 under construction, and 9 more in planning or due diligence.

Wyoming Energy & Infrastructure: Wyoming is moving to shape the data-center boom with a new “Wyoming Way” executive order, aiming to keep projects coming while requiring responsible development—after Cheyenne rejected a proposed data-center freeze. Power & Jobs: President Trump is expected to use wartime powers to push nearly $700 million for coal plant support, including upgrades to extend lifespans and help grid reliability, with Wyoming tied to coal mine funding. Roads & Construction: A national look at road conditions highlights how deferred maintenance is still a major risk, while local construction continues to affect travel—plus Wyoming’s own road work keeps rolling into summer. Fuel Prices: GasBuddy reports Wyoming fuel prices easing in late May, with county-by-county lows for regular, midgrade, and diesel. Outdoors & Community: Bighorn Canyon’s refurbished visitor-center pond kicks off with free fishing and family activities, and Big Horn County 4-H’s Junior Master Gardeners program is growing youth skills through hands-on ag and community service. Weather & Space: NOAA upgraded northern lights odds after a strong solar event, with Wyoming in the potential viewing range.

Energy & Markets: A reported White House push would put about $700M toward coal-fired power plants and a California coal export terminal, putting coal-linked ETFs and stocks in the spotlight as Wyoming and other coal states gear up for the session. AI & Data Centers: Gov. Mark Gordon signed an executive order laying out a “Wyoming Way” framework for data centers, aiming to attract AI infrastructure while protecting water, wildlife, workforce needs, and electricity-rate impacts. Local Infrastructure: Work is set to resume next week on Wyoming Highway 120 south of Meeteetse, with chip sealing and markings planned through June 30. Rural Connectivity: Range is expanding fiber in southeast Crook County and northeast Weston County, targeting about 50 miles of buildout for roughly 60 customers. Agriculture & Water: Experts say drought-driven water savings may hinge on changing farm water use, including crop shifts and multi-use approaches like agrivoltaics. Northern Lights: NOAA is warning of a strong geomagnetic storm that could bring auroras as far south as many mid-latitude states. Cheyenne Frontier Days: Organizers installed the Arrowhead at the new Chute 9 facility and are gearing up for July 23 festivities.

Utility Leadership: Arizona Commissioner Lea Márquez Peterson was elected vice president of the Western Conference of Public Service Commissioners, a regional group that includes Wyoming regulators and focuses on grid reliability, water infrastructure, and energy demand. Road Construction: WYDOT crews begin Bear River bridge deck replacements on WYO 89 near Evanston Thursday, using one alternating lane and warning of up to 15-minute delays through summer. Water & Wildlife: Wyoming Game and Fish is tracking drought-stressed habitat and says trout fisheries may hold up in the near term, with Boysen Reservoir highlighted for anglers. Public Lands Firefighting: Experts warn federal staff cuts at public-lands agencies are already slowing prescribed burning and could worsen wildfire readiness. Tribal Housing: USDA Rural Development announced $8.6 million in South Dakota Native homeownership lending support, including a $764,000 investment to expand direct home loans on Pine Ridge. Gaming & Tourism: Wyoming Downs and 307 Horse Racing started construction on an $80 million facility near the Colorado border, targeting a spring 2027 opening. Food & Agriculture Conservation: USDA expanded a Farm Bill-funded program to protect migratory big-game corridors across 17 states, including Wyoming. Tech & Weather Research: A federal judge blocked plans to dismantle the NCAR-Wyoming Supercomputing Center, keeping it under a university consortium while litigation continues.

Energy & Infrastructure: A federal judge blocked the Trump administration from dismantling the NCAR-Wyoming Supercomputing Center, ruling the move likely violated federal law and may be tied to political retaliation—keeping the climate and weather research hub operating under its university consortium while litigation continues. Gaming & Tourism: Wyoming Downs and 307 Horse Racing broke ground on an $80 million Cheyenne-area gaming and entertainment facility, with construction underway and a 2027 opening targeted. Local Events & Heritage: Cheyenne Frontier Days says it will join the America 250 celebration, with new arena upgrades including the Morning Star Indian Village and Chute 9. Agriculture & Wildlife: USDA expanded a Farm Bill-funded program to help farmers and ranchers protect big-game migration corridors, now covering Wyoming and 16 other states. Transportation & Freight: FMCSA granted a fertilizer hauling Hours-of-Service waiver for drivers in 34 states, allowing up to 16 hours driving in a 24-hour period during the summer window. Public Health & Livestock: Utah ordered mandatory weekly HPAI surveillance for Cache County dairies after a positive test, with quarantine rules if another positive is found. Business Watch: Yesway reported strong first-quarter 2026 results after going public, citing higher fuel margins and plans to open more stores. Workforce Housing: Laramie County commissioners are set to vote on workforce housing “man camp” plans. Tech & Policy: Wyoming’s supercomputing fight is unfolding alongside broader federal climate-research disputes, as courts weigh whether federal moves are lawful.

Water Planning: Chandler’s council got an update on how less Colorado River water could push more reliance on finite fossil groundwater, raising the risk of aquifer drawdown as Arizona prepares for tighter river allocations. State Politics: At a Campbell County GOP gubernatorial debate, Megan Degenfelder and Brent Bien traded conservative priorities on election integrity, abortion, public education and energy, while other candidates skipped. Tribal Sovereignty: A viewpoint argues the BLM’s move against American Prairie’s bison grazing permits is an attack on tribal sovereignty and food sovereignty. Permitting Fight: West Virginia AG J.B. McCuskey leads a 21-state push to limit activist groups from suing to block federal permits before states review them, aiming to protect housing, energy and military projects. Wildlife & Ranching: USDA unveiled a migratory big game framework across 17 states, including Wyoming, to improve landscape connectivity for elk, pronghorn and mule deer while keeping working lands working. Wyoming Infrastructure: WYDOT work on the WY22 Snake River Bridge follow-up is set for next week, with bridge-related traffic impacts continuing. Weather Tech: Colorado State University and Nvidia announced an AI hail forecasting system for the Colorado-Wyoming region, targeting 2–3 hour advance warnings for severe storms. Public Safety Staffing: Multiple reports show workplace safety staffing levels falling in the middle range across several states, underscoring ongoing compliance and prevention pressure.

Wyoming Infrastructure & Construction: WYDOT crews will do follow-up work on the newly built Snake River Bridge starting June 8, including an epoxy overlay and welding snow plates on expansion devices, with daytime lane closures and a weather-dependent schedule. Local Governance & Housing: Laramie County commissioners will vote June 2 on a Cheyenne “man camp” workforce housing plan from Iron Guard Workforce Housing, proposing up to 800 modular units (plus RV spaces), after a public hearing drew strong opposition from residents. Energy & Mining: American Rare Earths says feasibility-level exploration drilling has begun at its Halleck Creek Rare Earths Project in Wyoming’s Cowboy State Mine, aiming to support a definitive feasibility study. STEM & Education: Cheyenne South High School graduate Denver Priest was selected for the 2026 National Youth Science Camp, planning to study petroleum engineering and environmental/natural resources. Public Safety & Community: Cheyenne hosts a data center informational panel to answer resident questions about development, utilities, and local planning impacts. Federal Science & Wyoming Tech: A judge temporarily blocked the NSF from dismantling NCAR, keeping control of the NCAR-Wyoming Supercomputing Center in Cheyenne under UCAR management. Agriculture & Water Risk: Montana State launched FishCast in Bozeman to forecast drought risk and trout impacts on blue-ribbon rivers, including potential fishing restrictions. Workplace Safety: A national roundup highlights Wyoming’s top safety manager ratio, while other states report lower or mid-range staffing levels.

Keystone XL revival: South Bow secured multi-year shipper commitments for the proposed Prairie Connector pipeline (Alberta to Wyoming), targeting a 2027 decision and saying it won’t move without a “durable” U.S. permit. Energy & power planning: Wyoming officials heard testimony on the Seminoe pumped storage project, a plan to add an upper reservoir and underground powerhouse to shift electricity supply during peak demand. Local infrastructure: Wyoming DOT chip sealing starts June 1 on the Chief Joseph Scenic Highway (up to 20-minute delays); Thermopolis’ Broadway Street bridge paving is rescheduled for June 3–5. Jobs & community: Southern Tire Mart opened in Craig, emphasizing service and local ties. Policy watch: A bipartisan group of AGs opposed the federal KIDS Act, arguing it would preempt state child online safety enforcement. Energy costs: A new map shows electricity prices jumped sharply in parts of the U.S., with grid investment and demand pressures cited. Media: Wyoming Public Media won two Regional Murrow Awards for energy and state-government coverage.

Wyoming Energy & Industry: Enbridge is moving ahead with a $1.2 billion “Cowboy Project” near Cheyenne, pairing 365 MW of solar with 200 MW/1,600 MWh of battery storage to supply Meta data centers under Wyoming’s large power contract tariff, with service targeted for late 2027. Crypto Policy: Wyoming Sen. Cynthia Lummis is warning the CLARITY Act’s chance to set U.S. digital-asset rules may slip until 2030 if Congress misses the June push, as industry leaders call it “now or never.” Agriculture & Federal Regulation: EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin told Oklahoma producers he’ll pursue aggressive rollback of DEF requirements, arguing the rules can threaten harvest operations during tight margins. Agriculture Update: UNL adjusted its 2026 Wheat Variety Tour after drought and freeze damage, canceling some field days and moving others indoors. Local Housing/Community: Residents and partners are rallying to help buy Cavern Springs Mobile Home Park in Garfield County, aiming to preserve resident ownership and affordability. Sports/Community: Cheyenne-area boxing headlines included Stephanie Han retaining her WBA lightweight title in a controversial majority decision rematch with Holly Holm.

Agriculture & Weather: UNL says drought and freeze damage forced major changes to Nebraska’s 2026 Wheat Variety Tour, canceling several field days and moving others indoors to keep growers getting variety updates. Energy & Industry: Enbridge is advancing its $1.2B Cowboy Project near Cheyenne—365 MW of solar paired with 200 MW/1,600 MWh battery storage—to supply power for Meta data centers starting late 2027. Local Governance: Cheyenne’s City Council voted against a 12-month moratorium on data center development, keeping the door open for new projects. Public Lands & Recreation: Trump rescinded older off-road vehicle restrictions on federal lands, a move that could expand where ATVs and similar vehicles can be used. Policy Watch (Crypto): Sen. Cynthia Lummis warns the CLARITY Act’s chance to pass may slip until 2030 if Congress can’t act soon. Community & Safety: A Wyoming Game and Fish update highlights ongoing work on wildlife management areas, as drought and habitat pressures continue to shape planning.

Crypto Policy Deadline: Wyoming Sen. Cynthia Lummis says the CLARITY Act’s “next window” could close until 2030 if Congress doesn’t act now, warning developers and law enforcement would stay without clear rules. Public Lands Recreation: The Trump administration rescinded long-standing off-road vehicle limits on federal lands, a move that could expand riding access in many national parks. Rural Health Funding: Senators advanced a bipartisan plan to extend the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration for five more years, keeping Medicare payment experiments alive for rural facilities, including Wyoming hospitals. Data Centers vs. Communities: Cheyenne is hosting a June 6 informational panel on data centers as residents push back over power and water impacts; the city also rejected a data center moratorium. Wildlife & Water: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says most refuge lands could open to hunting and sport fishing, while drought pressure grows as Utah declares an emergency and Colorado weighs next steps. Wyoming Innovation: Kraig Biocraft Laboratories highlighted a peer-reviewed NAP publication on spider-silk fusion fibers and transgenic silkworms.

Data Centers in Cheyenne: Microsoft is expanding in Wyoming and facing local scrutiny over power and water impacts; the company held a public Cheyenne meeting and now Cheyenne will host a June 6 information panel with city officials, utilities, and local data center reps. Local Governance: Cheyenne City Council voted down a 12-month moratorium on data center development, even as residents push for more oversight. Energy & Policy: Wyoming and Colorado formalized cross-border coordination for permitting carbon storage injection wells near the state line, aiming to streamline Class VI CCS approvals. Crypto Regulation: Sen. Cynthia Lummis warned the “window” to pass the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act could close until 2030, leaving developers exposed in the meantime. Transportation Funding: A national look at potholes ties road deterioration to deferred maintenance and funding gaps, with gas-tax limits and rising costs squeezing cities and states. Agriculture & Livestock: USDA guidance updates brucellosis vaccination tag rules, prompting Wyoming Livestock Board revisions; rural areas also continue to struggle to attract large-animal veterinarians. Wildlife & Land Use: Wyoming’s “Path of the Pronghorn” nears protections after decades of work, while groups sue over delayed Endangered Species Act decisions for pygmy rabbits.

Tourism Coordination: Banff and Canmore are starting official talks on a regional “destination stewardship” approach as visitation surges down the Bow Valley, with Banff seeding $25,000 to hire a consultant and plan for the next 5–20 years. Agriculture & Livestock Policy: USDA updated brucellosis vaccination tag guidance, and Wyoming’s Livestock Board is revising state rules after USDA changes to how orange metal NUES tags can be used for calfhood vaccination. Western Lands & Grazing: DOI Deputy Solicitor Karen Budd-Falen, a Wyoming rancher, outlined federal priorities including grazing reform and rancher-focused policy changes. Energy & Critical Minerals: REalloys signed an MoU with Wyoming coal miner Ramaco to evaluate rare-earth and scandium supply from Ramaco’s Brook mine, aiming to strengthen domestic critical mineral chains. Wildlife & Recreation Risk: Critics testified against a proposed $4B pumped-water storage project at Seminoe Reservoir, warning it could harm the North Platte trout fishery and bighorn sheep impacts. Roads & Infrastructure: WYDOT is reworking the first half of a bridge with a June 10 completion still expected, while other regional road work ramps up. Drought Prep: UW and SDSU Extension shared drought lawn and garden management tips, urging smart watering and plant prioritization. Livestock Trade: USDA kept southern ports of entry closed to livestock imports due to screwworm detections near the U.S./Mexico border.