AGP Executive Report

Politics & Industry: President Trump headlined the GOP’s first-ever midterm convention in Dallas, urging voters to “pretend” he’s on the ballot and warning oil prices may stay high until after November. Steel Valley Watch: Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman made a surprise prerecorded video appearance at the event, backing GOP Sen. Dave McCormick and pledging to reject “extremes and socialism” while working with Trump to defend steel jobs. Trade & Ag Costs: Fresno County farmers pushed for tariff-free trade terms during the USMCA review, warning new barriers could squeeze growers and raise produce prices. Energy & Permitting: A federal appeals court reversed a key New Jersey water permit tied to Williams’ NESE natural gas pipeline project, sending it back for further review. Power Demand: NextEra secured a DOE loan up to $1.9B to restart Iowa’s Duane Arnold nuclear plant, tied to long-term power demand from AI and data centers. Retail Earnings: Academy Sports + Outdoors reported higher Q2 sales and earnings, citing store growth and e-commerce momentum. Local Infrastructure: Wilkes-Barre scheduled milling and paving on multiple streets as part of its 2026 road improvement work.

AI & Data Centers: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned the U.S. must “win the AI race” or face “no day after tomorrow” if China leads, as Pennsylvania and other states tighten data-center rules amid backlash over power, water, and local impacts. Energy & Grid Demand: The pushback is showing up in policy fast, with Pennsylvania’s permit requirements tied to energy affordability, environmental protections, workforce plans, and community approval. Federal Facility Consolidation: The U.S. Forest Service plans to close its York County office, relocating staff but cutting underused facilities costs nationwide. Ag & Farm Costs: PA Farm Link launched a free Long Term Care Medicaid Asset Risk Calculator to help Pennsylvania farm families understand spenddown and asset exposure under LTC Medicaid rules. Manufacturing Pipeline: A new report tracks steady growth in industrial manufacturing capital projects, with Pennsylvania among the top states for planned activity. EV Charging Expansion: EVgo and Regency Centers are expanding fast charging at shopping centers, including locations in Pennsylvania. Local Business & Retail: A roundup highlights dozens of new fall restaurant openings in the Philadelphia area, signaling continued consumer-facing investment. Auto Repair Industry: VIVE Collision expanded in the Northeast with an acquisition of Jasmin Auto Body, adding more locations across the region. Health & Treatment Access: Alpine Psychiatry announced in-person TMS treatment options via a Pennsylvania partner location for adults with treatment-resistant depression.

Elections & Voting Access: Luzerne County Council’s Democratic majority voted to ask the county Election Board to consider adding more mail ballot drop boxes for the Nov. 3 general election, with two Republicans voting no. Immigration & Construction: ICE arrested at least 49 immigrant construction workers in Danville-area operations tied to the Geisinger Medical Center patient tower build, according to advocates; workers remain detained. Manufacturing & Labor: Jerith Manufacturing will close its Northeast Philly aluminum fence plant by next spring after rent is set to nearly triple, affecting 61 workers (with some offered NJ roles). Energy & Power Markets: Constellation Energy’s biggest AI clean-power deal with Meta won’t start paying until June 2027, underscoring the lag between AI demand headlines and utility revenue. Environment & Industry Regulation: Pennsylvania DEP will hold a public hearing on Stockertown cement maker Buzzi Unicem’s plan for future emissions controls under its RACT proposal. Logistics & Corporate Moves: Venezia Transport plans to consolidate its family logistics businesses under Venezia Hauling Inc. as “Venezia Transport Group” starting Jan. 1, 2027. Food & Agriculture: Pa. Agriculture Dept. is investigating animal cruelty and food-safety allegations at Lancaster County’s Shade Brae Farms, an independent supplier to Sauder’s Eggs. Maritime Compliance: MSC Shipmanagement and a Hong Kong shipowner pleaded guilty in a MARPOL case in federal court in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and were fined $1.75M for illegal oily waste discharges.

Energy & Power Policy: A new guest column argues Maryland’s rising electricity bills reflect the “progressives’” push to retire reliable power and over-penetrate wind/solar, driving higher costs. Data Centers & Water: A report explores whether cloud seeding could become a PR fix for AI data-center backlash, despite long-running doubts about effectiveness and legal/ethical concerns. Local Utilities & Water Supply: Pennsylvania American Water issued a mandatory conservation notice for about 23,000 customers in parts of Lancaster and Chester counties, asking for 10–15% usage cuts as drought conditions tighten. Trade Policy: An analysis lays out what U.S. trade policy could look like after Trump, with tariffs likely to remain central even if “full Trump-style” continuity is less likely. Carbon Tech Deal: Birchtech reached an agreement in principle to acquire a specialty activated carbon company, adding North Dakota and Pennsylvania facilities and moving toward commercial-scale carbon rejuvenation. Fayette County Power Project: A Fayette County story shows residents reacting to “Project South Mon,” dubbed the “Trump Power Plant,” as property owners weigh deadlines and compensation. Ag Tech: Butler County dairy farmers highlight a state Agriculture Innovation Grant that helped fund a robotic milker. Water Infrastructure: Work begins Tuesday on removing the Spring Garden Dam in Bucks County to restore creek flow and improve fish passage. Healthcare Business: Quel Health launched as a national telehealth platform built around GLP-1 receptor agonists for addiction, partnering with Caron Treatment Centers.

Energy & Industry Policy: Pennsylvania’s data-center debate keeps heating up as critics argue projects could worsen affordability while supporters point to tax revenue and jobs; one op-ed ties Lackawanna County’s 33% property tax jump to budget pressure and warns bans could push costs onto residents. Consumer Protection: Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday is seeking contempt penalties and restitution over alleged predatory towing by three North Philadelphia operators, saying they violated a 2022 consent order after complaints about improper tows and excessive fees. Healthcare & Regulation: The FDA opened a botanical drug docket, seeking input on speeding development of plant-based medicines as Appalachia’s wild ginseng season ramps up under federal trade controls. Agriculture & Wildlife: DCNR is expanding antlerless deer hunting opportunities via the Deer Management Assistance Program, offering nearly 25,000 permits across state forests and parks. Local Economy & Growth: Simple Moving Solutions expanded its Pennsylvania service coverage from Chadds Ford into more Chester and Delaware County communities. Labor & Community: Labor Day coverage highlights union muscle in Philadelphia and the broader push to celebrate skilled workers. Business/Legal: Securities-fraud class-action notices continue, including Hims & Hers Health (HIMS) investor alerts.

Power & Grid Investment: Hyosung is pushing into the U.S. AI/data-center power market with a 22.9kV solid state transformer, aiming to strengthen American grid stability as demand spikes. Manufacturing Expansion: Brunk Industries plans a $31.7M expansion at RIDC Armstrong Innovation Park in Freeport, adding a new tool-and-die manufacturing facility and 64 jobs, backed by state financing and workforce training support. Electricity Demand Forecast: PPL says electricity use in its territory is set to surge, with the Pennsylvania PUC outlook projecting rapid growth tied to industrial loads, especially new data centers. Data Center Backlash: Across the country, voters and politicians are increasingly pushing back on data centers, with resistance shaping midterm politics and local permitting. Food Safety (York): York County restaurant inspections show mostly pass results, with corrections noted for sanitation, handwashing access, and food-contact cleanliness. Housing for Veterans: A Scranton-area veteran, Jody Tighe, was selected for a Wilkes-Barre “Welcome Home” program home through United NEPA Alliance, supported by a donated lot and ongoing fundraising.

Food & Beverage Dealmaking: Keurig Dr Pepper will sell its Chobani equity stake back to Chobani for $800M plus an Allentown manufacturing facility/warehouse for $125M, totaling $925M, as KDP reshapes its portfolio ahead of a planned split into two public companies in early 2027. Energy & Power Infrastructure: A proposed Old Forge pumped-storage hydro project in Lackawanna/Luzerne counties is drawing local pushback over environmental and health impacts, with residents asking for clearer permitting and safeguards. Clean Energy Tech: PNNL, Fervo Energy and NVIDIA are building an AI “digital twin” to model enhanced geothermal reservoirs in real time, aiming to cut weeks of analysis and improve underground power performance. Workforce & Small Business Capital: SBA and the U.S. Energy Department launched an SBIC-E initiative to spur private investment in energy technologies, targeting small businesses across fossil, nuclear and renewables. Consumer Fraud Watch: BBB Scam Tracker data shows Marysville logged just one scam report in July, while Pennsylvania’s biggest hotspots remain Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Local Services: Keystone Shed Repair LLC publicly launched a shed-only repair service in Southeast Pennsylvania, focusing on roof, siding, doors/windows and carpentry.

Data Center Backlash & Politics: Wall Street and election strategists say AI data centers are becoming a major state and local campaign issue, with opposition shaping November races and adding policy risk to the AI buildout. Pennsylvania Housing & Wages: As Gov. Josh Shapiro and Treasurer Stacy Garrity sharpen their affordability pitch, voters keep tying the economy to daily costs like housing and groceries. Manufacturing Workforce: Northampton Community College opened a Precision Machining and Tool Design Center, backed by a Pennsylvania RACP grant, and launched new machining credentials aimed at faster job placement. Food Safety Inspections: Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture restaurant checks flagged issues like improper food storage and pest activity in multiple Central Pennsylvania locations. Agriculture & Invasive Pests: Spotted lanternflies are spreading across the region, threatening trees and crops like grapes and hops. Utilities & Economic Development: PPL Electric Utilities earned national recognition for economic development, citing major capital investment and job creation across manufacturing, agriculture, and life sciences. Cybersecurity: Multiple data-breach investigations are underway, including HumanEdge, Gale Credit Union, and YouLend, with potential exposure of sensitive personal and financial data.

Manufacturing & Jobs: Chobani is moving full steam into Pennsylvania with a $1.2B dairy manufacturing expansion in Upper Macungie Township, targeting 900 new jobs over five years and a major boost in demand for in-state milk. Energy & Grid Planning: A DOE-backed multi-state study puts Pennsylvania in the spotlight for EV charging grid upgrades, estimating distribution investment needs up to $2.3B without managed charging, with proactive planning potentially cutting that by more than half. AI, Data Centers & Local Politics: The backlash against data-center growth and AI power demand keeps spilling into policy fights, while Pennsylvania lawmakers weigh AI-related education legislation and utilities warn about rising cybersecurity threats tied to the buildout. Surveillance Tech: Flock cameras remain a hot campaign issue as more communities reject or suspend automated license plate reader programs, feeding broader concerns about mass surveillance. Regulatory & Corporate Watch: The SEC has filed an enforcement action in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania to compel Institutional Shareholder Services to comply with a July subpoena tied to proxy-adviser oversight. Food & Safety: Hazmat incidents and recalls continue to hit the region, including an I-83 gas leak shutdown in York County and ongoing consumer product contamination alerts.

Housing & Construction: Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s new Housing Production Commission held its first meeting, aiming to speed up Pennsylvania homebuilding and tackle barriers like financing for repairs and acquisition of properties. Energy & Power Demand: A new report warns data centers could drive nearly a 19% annual jump in electric demand in Pennsylvania, raising costs and straining infrastructure—just as job growth shows early signs of cooling. Food Safety & Local Business: Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture restaurant inspections flagged issues including mold in an ice machine and improper food storage/cleaning, while other spots passed. Stormwater & Infrastructure: Clearfield Borough moved to expedite Reighard Street stormwater repairs after FEMA funding, with permits under DEP review and bids planned ahead of a Sept. 17 council vote. Economic Development: PECO earned national recognition for attracting major commercial projects, citing 27 new investments in 2025 tied to thousands of jobs. Agriculture: Pennsylvania sisters Michelle and Rose Morian won a national Young Jersey Breeder Award, highlighting next-gen dairy leadership in the state. Policy Watch: Pennsylvania lawmakers are advancing bills to regulate kratom sales after rising poison control calls and deaths linked to unregulated products.

Data Centers & Power Demand: Pennsylvania lawmakers and local officials are pushing back on the fast-track data center boom, citing utility-rate pressure, water use, noise/light impacts, and transparency gaps—while reporting shows nearly half of “fast track” municipalities signed NDAs, limiting public access. AI in Schools: State Rep. Pete Schweyer and colleagues are drafting AI guardrails for K-12, including privacy protections, vendor standards, district AI policies, and limits on using AI for mental/behavioral health services. Energy & Environment: Shell Chemicals Appalachia agreed to a $15M settlement with Pennsylvania DEP over air pollution violations at its Beaver County ethane cracker plant, including a community remediation fund. Industry Legal Watch: Energy Transfer is challenging Pennsylvania’s Clean Streams Law as unconstitutional in a bid to weaken potential criminal exposure tied to a jet fuel spill investigation. Manufacturing Workforce: WashU is joining the State Department’s Foundry School effort to boost U.S. manufacturing capacity, with lectures covering factory design, supply chains, and assembly-line engineering. Corporate Moves: Keurig Dr Pepper is selling its Chobani stake and an Allentown plant for about $925M total, with Chobani taking over production and jobs during the transition.

Dairy Manufacturing Boost: Chobani is set to invest $1.2 billion in a Lehigh Valley dairy production facility, targeting about 900 jobs and processing up to 3 billion pounds of milk annually—an agriculture-scale bet for Pennsylvania. Corporate Relocation: Burlington Stores will move its corporate headquarters to Philadelphia’s University City, backing a $370 million project with 2,000 new jobs over five years. Waste-to-Energy: Casella Waste Systems and Waga Energy brought a third renewable natural gas facility online at the McKean Landfill, using WAGABOX tech to upgrade landfill gas into pipeline-quality RNG. Wildlife Agency Cost Pressure: A report urges Pennsylvania to consolidate overlapping functions between the Game Commission and Fish and Boat Commission, projecting up to ~$34 million in annual savings. Data Center Politics & Power Costs: Pennsylvania’s data center backlash is driving election-year scrutiny, including concerns that higher electricity bills could squeeze small businesses, alongside new state moves requiring more local approval. Workforce & Training: The Trump administration’s Foundry School aims to train engineers and technicians for advanced manufacturing needs, including semiconductors and defense. Local Skills in Agriculture: Danville students are using drone-piloting funded by PA Farm Bill grants, building hands-on high-tech agriculture pathways.

Labor Enforcement: Pennsylvania’s labor secretary says the state is launching proactive wage-theft enforcement for home health care workers, sending legal information demands to home health agencies statewide to ensure workers get paid for hours worked and wages owed. Retail & Jobs: Burlington Stores announced it will relocate its corporate headquarters to Philadelphia’s Schuylkill Yards, backed by $30 million in state support and expected to bring at least 2,000 jobs over five years. Energy & Grid Planning: NextEra Energy is making the case for the Mid-Atlantic Resiliency Link (MARL) power line as electricity demand accelerates with data centers and AI. Construction & Manufacturing: Stoelzle Glass USA temporarily laid off about 200 workers at its Monaca plant to complete a $100 million renovation, with workers expected back by February. Food Security: Hunger Action Month coverage highlights food insecurity in Southwestern Pennsylvania, with local food banks reporting demand above pandemic-era levels. Ag Tech: Pennsylvania’s Farm Bill Ag and Youth Grants are funding drone use and other hands-on training for students at Danville High School. Legal Watch: Pennsylvania AGs joined a multi-state lawsuit targeting Amazon’s alleged ad-pricing scheme that overcharged advertisers and may raise consumer prices.

Renewable Gas Expansion: Casella Waste Systems and Waga Energy brought a third renewable natural gas facility online at the McKean Landfill in Mount Jewett, using WagaBOX® tech to upgrade landfill gas into pipeline-quality RNG. Energy & Power Planning: Pennsylvania’s Public Utility Commission says data centers and other large-load customers could sharply reshape electricity demand forecasts, raising the stakes for generation and transmission planning. Defense Manufacturing: GE Aerospace won a contract worth up to $2.8B to supply F414 engine parts for the U.S. Navy’s Super Hornet and Growler, with oversight coordinated through Philadelphia. Aerospace Work in PA: Boeing received a $55.4M order for flight-control actuator systems for MH-47G special operations Chinooks, with work centered at its Ridley Park facility. Retail & Logistics: Walmart plans a $1.3B next-generation fulfillment center in Georgia, part of a broader network that includes Pennsylvania. Food Safety & Inspections: Pennsylvania restaurant inspections flagged issues like improper date marking and cleanliness problems at multiple sites. Data Centers vs. Communities: Coverage continues on growing regulatory and local pushback to data center growth, with Pennsylvania residents and lawmakers weighing impacts. Securities Watch: Investor-deadline alerts hit AEVEX, York Space Systems, Hims & Hers, and GoDaddy over alleged securities fraud.

Privacy & Public Safety: Gov. Josh Shapiro says he has “real concerns” about Flock automated license plate reader cameras and is weighing a ban or tighter rules, while a bipartisan bill would add statewide guardrails for how agencies handle the data. Energy & Manufacturing: Google-backed Mammoth Solar in West Virginia pairs utility-scale solar with lithium and zinc battery storage to deliver dispatchable power for data centers—an approach that could ripple into Pennsylvania’s grid planning. AI Data Centers & Local Impact: A Pennsylvania data center proposal is offering $10,000 payments to Hazle Township households plus community investments, as backlash and power-demand limits keep shaping where projects land. Agriculture & Jobs: Chobani’s $1.2B Pennsylvania move—buying a former Keurig Dr Pepper plant—aims to expand dairy manufacturing and create hundreds of jobs, while local officials say it won’t affect the company’s Rome plans. Labor Enforcement: Pennsylvania is launching audits targeting wage theft in the home healthcare industry after nearly 40% of minimum-wage complaints came from that sector. Logistics & Infrastructure: Oversized “super load” truck convoys are set to move through Armstrong, Westmoreland and Indiana counties for months, with planned bridge closures and slow speeds. Tech Supply Chain: Telit Cinterion will start U.S. production of 4G/5G IoT modules in Bristol, Pa., creating at least 50 jobs. Transportation & Trade: The U.S.-Canada trade war escalates again with new tariffs, raising uncertainty for manufacturers and consumers. Aviation: Contour Airlines launches new daily nonstop service from Williamsport to Charlotte, reopening a broader “gateway to the world” via connections.

Food & Manufacturing Investment: Chobani is moving ahead with a roughly $1.2 billion plan for a new Allentown manufacturing and warehouse campus, expected to add 900+ jobs and eventually process 3+ billion pounds of Pennsylvania milk annually, with production targeted to start in 2027. Energy & Industrial Tech: Air Products expanded hydrogenation testing capabilities at its Allentown lab, aiming to speed customer process development for refining, chemicals, and specialty ingredients. Power Grid & Data Centers: A new push to support around-the-clock clean power for PJM grid demand ties together MN8 solar with Eos long-duration zinc storage and additional battery capacity, reflecting how Pennsylvania-area data center growth is driving new energy projects. Policy & Regulation: Rep. Russ Diamond proposed gaming reform to keep Pennsylvania’s skill games regulated and taxed, after court rulings put the industry’s future in question. Local Business & Food Safety: Pennsylvania restaurant inspection updates show routine compliance checks and occasional fixes, underscoring ongoing pressure on food operators to maintain safe handling. Security Tech in Schools: ZeroEyes renewed its AI gun-detection and threat-awareness deployment with Central Valley School District in Beaver County.