AGP Executive Report

Diesel & refinery policy clash: Gov. Jeff Landry is pushing a 90-day ban on diesel exports to cut record prices, but Louisiana oil leaders warn it could backfire by tightening supply and raising costs. Energy & infrastructure: Plug Power shipped a 1 MW GenEco electrolyzer to HWR Hydrogen in Invercargill, expanding hydrogen refueling for heavy trucks across New Zealand and Australia. Local transportation & growth: Baton Rouge extended the River Road Levee Trail by a quarter mile to connect two major North Third Street developments to the Downtown Greenway. Public health access: A Donaldsonville free clinic served 600+ people with eye, dental, and minor urgent care, with support from CF Industries and Hyundai-POSCO Louisiana Steel. Food assistance: Louisiana SNAP benefits are set to increase Oct. 1, aiming to offset rising grocery costs. Communications regulation: The FCC blocked 36 low-power FM applications tied to a coordinated network effort, citing lack of genuine local focus. Retail expansion: Buc-ee’s revised its Louisiana timeline, with Ruston targeted for 2027 and Lafayette now early 2028. Agriculture inputs: Trump says the U.S. is working on potash purchases from Belarus amid a Canada trade fight, though logistics and competition remain major hurdles.

Energy & LNG: Qatar’s LNG export capacity is hit by strikes, reviving deals at Gastech and pulling interest for new projects from Argentina to Timor-Leste—an outside reminder of how Gulf disruptions can ripple into global gas pricing. Public Safety & Corrections: New Orleans jail administrator Jeworski “Jay” Mallett steps down as Sheriff Michelle Woodfork reshapes operations under federal oversight. Poverty & Jobs: Louisiana tops the nation in poverty, with leaders pointing to workforce participation and employer retention as the path to lower rates. Politics (5th District): Candidates in Louisiana’s 5th District clash over the Iran war and whether restoring food assistance should be a priority. Logistics & Tech: PrePass and Kodiak link driverless-truck inspection records to Louisiana and Texas roadside enforcement systems, aiming to scale autonomous freight safely. Housing Resilience: Louisiana adds $20M to its Fortified roof push, bringing the year’s total to $100M for storm-resilient home construction. Local Governance & Finance: Shreveport’s audit flags recurring financial-control weaknesses, including property standards debt tracking and bidding compliance. Courts & Transparency: AG Liz Murrill’s team alleges New Orleans is illegally blocking public records tied to her dropped indictment fight. Business & Infrastructure: Louisiana fuel prices surge as analysts say they should be easing, while Gov. Landry argues for diesel export limits and small-refinery support. Workforce & Education: Tulane funds 11 AI-driven research projects, including Louisiana-focused work on climate resilience and locating undocumented plantation cemeteries. Health (Men’s Care): A Metairie clinic issues a prostate-health PSA for men considering testosterone therapy, emphasizing diagnosis and monitoring. Data Centers: A cooling failure knocked 23 credit unions offline, underscoring how critical infrastructure outages can hit financial services fast.

Driverless trucking in Louisiana: PrePass and Kodiak AI say they’re integrating Kodiak’s enhanced autonomous-truck inspections into state roadside screening, with initial rollout in Texas and Louisiana to help scale cross-state driverless operations. Education finance planning: East Baton Rouge Parish schools hired Eisner Advisory Group for a five-year financial forecast ahead of a 2028 vote on renewing a 1-cent education sales tax. Steel mill financing sparks debate: Louisiana’s Bond Commission approved up to $1.3B in tax-free financing for the Hyundai-POSCO steel mill in Ascension Parish, with activists questioning incentives and environmental impacts even as the project is pitched as a major jobs engine. Port and industrial community ties: Port Commission marketing director Kathy French is set to speak to the Minden Lions Club, highlighting the commission’s multimodal industrial and commerce center. Baton Rouge utilities questions: Winnfield residents report utility bills dropped after a second meter check and are pushing for answers about unexplained charges. Cyber/AI and public trust: A Baton Rouge report warns bank text scams are rising, with AI-driven fraud making impersonation harder to spot. Local development watch: A riverfront tract near downtown Baton Rouge’s petrochemical corridor remains undeveloped, with freight logistics and recreation both in the mix. Health in New Orleans: Helus Pharma presented new HLP003 analyses for major depressive disorder at Psych Congress 2026 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.

Nuclear & Industrial Policy: West Virginia signed a DOE framework memo for a potential Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campus, joining Louisiana and other finalist states—still light on specifics, but a clear signal of federal-state planning for the full nuclear fuel cycle. Energy Markets: Oil prices slid for a third straight session as Saudi export repairs progressed, but traders remain focused on tight physical crude and Gulf shipping/infrastructure risk. Louisiana Logistics: A copper surge is colliding with port capacity, with New Orleans facing marine-terminal congestion that’s delaying metal loading and pushing shippers toward barge moves. Agriculture & Fuel Costs: Farmers are warning diesel prices are squeezing harvest budgets, as lawmakers debate whether to curb diesel exports to lower costs. Public Works: DOTD’s new Cameron ferry (Holly Beach) is arriving, with about four weeks expected for training/certification before privatized operations begin. Workforce & Small Business: Charles Schwab Bank-backed The DEC Network opened a Fort Worth hub for entrepreneur training and mentorship, highlighting the broader push for skilled-trades and business support. Health & Pharma (New Orleans): Teva presented real-world results in New Orleans showing UZEDY may reduce ER visits and costs versus other long-acting injectables for schizophrenia patients. Food Safety: Walmart Great Value frozen berry blend recalled in multiple states over possible E. coli contamination.

Skilled-Trades Push for AI Data Centers: Meta is funding its America’s Workforce Academy with $115M to train electricians, welders and construction workers, with pilot programs including Baton Rouge—aimed at easing the labor crunch behind the AI infrastructure buildout. Workforce & Community in New Orleans: A New Orleans Free Store in the Lower Ninth Ward is turning an abandoned-looking building into a no-cost resource hub, offering clothing and household goods twice a week. Local Business & Culture: Bayou Bar at the Pontchartrain Hotel keeps jazz and dinner tightly linked, leaning into New Orleans’ live-music draw. Louisiana Nonprofit Expansion: The Louisiana Association for the Blind opened a new $4.8M Assistive Technology Center to expand training and access to new tech for visually impaired residents. Energy & Shipping Security: A Louisiana-loaded LNG carrier reported a suspected cyberattack that disrupted safety and control systems, diverting the ship after systems failure. Policy & Cost of Living: U.S. Sen. John Kennedy said the Iran war is driving inflation by pushing up oil costs—an argument aimed at voters in competitive races. Community Calendar: East Baton Rouge Master Gardeners set a fall plant sale Sept. 26 at LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens, with applications also open for a $5,000 creativity award.

Energy & Policy: The U.S. hosted the G20 Energy Abundance Ministerial in Houston, with officials touting permitting reform and rolling back certain greenhouse gas rules for power plants as part of a broader push to expand domestic energy. Public Safety & Health: California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed SB 936 to restrict nitrous oxide sales to specific legitimate uses, aiming to curb youth abuse and reduce driving-related risks. Aviation & Storm Readiness: The Air Force’s Hurricane Hunters flew WC-130J missions from Biloxi toward Tropical Storm Lala, using repeated passes and dropsondes to improve hurricane forecasting. Louisiana Healthcare Leadership: Acadian Ambulance named Baton Rouge native Jodi Conachen Regional Vice President for Louisiana East, overseeing operations across multiple service areas and expanding partnerships with local providers. Manufacturing & Jobs: State Bond Commission approved $1.3B in tax-free bonds for an Ascension Hyundai Steel plant, signaling major industrial investment. Consumer Tech: A House bill advanced requiring AM radio in new vehicles at no extra cost, targeting emergency communications as AM receivers disappear from some models.

Advanced Manufacturing in New Orleans: Australian battery materials firm Sicona Battery Technologies plans a $10.3M New Orleans East headquarters and manufacturing operation for silicon-carbon anode materials, backed by Louisiana incentives and expected to create 32 jobs. Semiconductor Supply Chain: Air Products says it’s doubling down on chipmaking, signing a long-term high-purity gases deal with a leading chipmaker and investing about $250M in Arizona equipment to support helium, hydrogen and carbon dioxide supply. Port & Logistics: A judge allowed a lawsuit challenging Port of New Orleans jurisdiction for a new container terminal in St. Bernard Parish to proceed to trial, keeping the Violet project in legal limbo. Tribal Economy & Markets: The Tunica-Biloxi Tribe launched SaltTrade Derivatives, a tribal-owned prediction market app powered by Kalshi, aiming to diversify revenue. Workforce & Power Grid: SWEPCO honored 18 journeyman lineworkers after completing its apprenticeship program, reinforcing the regional pipeline for grid construction and maintenance. Industrial Finance: Louisiana Bond Commission approved more than $1B in tax-free bonds for a Hyundai-POSCO steel plant in Ascension Parish, tied to the RiverPlex MegaPark.

Industrial Finance: The State Bond Commission approved $1.3B in tax-free bonds for Hyundai-POSCO’s planned Ascension Hyundai Steel plant, with the project tied to the RiverPlex MegaPark and still awaiting key permits like air and a U.S. Army Corps dock approval. Workforce & Power Grid: SWEPCO celebrated 18 graduating journeyman lineworkers from its U.S. Department of Labor-accredited apprenticeship program, building a pipeline across Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas. Arts & Education: “Pelican Lake,” a Louisiana-themed children’s book adaptation of “Swan Lake,” debuts at Red River Revel with Shreveport Metropolitan Ballet and the Centenary Youth Orchestra. Public Health: Louisiana and Florida reported deaths tied to flesh-eating Vibrio vulnificus linked to oysters, with Louisiana tracking 17 cases and six deaths so far this year. Infrastructure & Permitting: Louisiana’s BEAD broadband reviews are clearing faster under federal changes, shifting delays to poles, roads and local tower approvals. Local Economy & Housing: New Orleans-based VPG Holdings bought the 200 Carondelet high-rise for about $27.2M, keeping it as mixed-income housing while planning improvements. Tech & Safety: A police surveillance network story highlights officers using automated license plate reader systems with flippant justifications, raising concerns about oversight.

Steel & Jobs: Hyundai’s planned Ascension Parish steel mill cleared key state-backed tax-free financing up to $1.3B, despite activist pushback over pollution and job promises. Maritime Expansion: Saronic’s Franklin-area shipyard expansion advanced with a final structural beam, adding 300,000+ sq. ft., new slips, and a production line for autonomous vessels tied to major Navy work. Port & Logistics: Tallvine Partners completed its Crosby Enterprises asset acquisition, expanding its Gulf Coast and inland marine platform with 150+ vessels and shipyard facilities in Houma and Port Fourchon. Local Infrastructure: New Orleans levee system study cleared a hurdle, setting up a 3-year, $3M look at reducing flood risk for next-generation storm protection. Workforce & Industry Outreach: LSU’s Fall Career Expo drew about 2,000 students and 258 employers across energy, engineering, agriculture, STEM, and public service. Construction Impacts: LSU’s new $200M residential hall is disrupting commuter routes and parking as it targets fall 2027 completion. Aviation Governance: Baton Rouge Metro Airport moves toward a standalone airport authority, awaiting FAA approval for a sponsorship change. Identity Tech: Regulators cleared banks and credit unions to accept mobile driver’s licenses on phones for customer identity checks, if systems can confirm authenticity. Data Center Pressure: Mississippi River mayors formed new guidance resources as AI-driven data center proposals surge into river communities. Public Notices: Berwick issued bids for natural gas distribution infrastructure safety and modernization, including new MDPE gas lines and meter/valve upgrades.

Steel & Bonds: Ascension Parish’s bond commission approved more than $1B for a Hyundai steel mill, but residents and activists say the rush could uproot communities even as Hyundai targets 1,300 jobs. Workforce & Training: Baton Rouge Community College’s Construction Management Program landed nearly $136,000 in annual LSLBC funding, one of just four Louisiana schools to receive it. Health Tech: LSU Health Shreveport’s Rehabilitation Faculty Clinic earned a 2026 Bioness Clinic of Excellence designation, highlighting neurorehab tech and training across Northwest Louisiana. Energy Storage Manufacturing: Cabot will invest $125M (with a $50M DOE grant) to expand advanced battery materials in Franklin, La., aiming for operations by end of 2028. Consumer Protection: Louisiana AGs joined a $694M multistate settlement with Credit Acceptance over predatory auto lending, including cash/debt relief and new safeguards. Local Economy & Costs: Lafayette rideshare drivers report gas-price pressure as regular averages near $4 a gallon. Research Security: A new Louisiana Higher Education Research Security Council adds state oversight for certain international research partnerships, including faculty from China, Cuba, Iran and Russia. Public Safety: FDA classified a jalapeño-linked soup/dip recall as highest risk after salmonella concerns, with Louisiana among distribution states.

Energy Policy: A federal judge permanently blocked the EPA and Justice Department from enforcing Title VI “disparate impact” rules in Louisiana, limiting a key civil-rights tool tied to environmental permitting and federal funding. AI & Power Costs: The U.S. House passed a bipartisan bill pushing states to protect consumers from higher electricity costs linked to data centers, a move aimed at midterm backlash over AI-driven demand. LNG Expansion: Caturus says it will nearly double Commonwealth LNG in Cameron Parish, adding a five-train expansion to reach about 17.25 million tpy, with service targeted for the early 2030s. Local Energy & Industry: Louisiana opened a second $50M FastSites round for development-ready projects, while Louisiana DOTD scheduled an I-20 ramp closure in Bossier City for Saturday maintenance. Food Safety: FDA recall activity stayed busy, with reports spanning eggs, produce, dairy, and prepared foods distributed across multiple states including Louisiana. Environment & Water: Louisiana’s Atchafalaya Basin oversight panel is expected to move forward on basin water quality concerns, as advocates warn the wetlands’ health is slipping. Offshore Services: Hornbeck Offshore won a multi-year North Sea decommissioning contract starting in 2027.

Data Center Energy Costs: The U.S. House passed the Ratepayer Protection Act, pushing states to consider a federal standard so data centers help cover grid upgrades and rising electricity bills—an issue tied to affordability ahead of the midterms. Local Infrastructure Funding: St. Landry Parish is set to receive more than $120M in state funding for transportation, health care, and economic development, with DOTD road work updates shared at a town hall. Diesel Squeezes Trucking: Rising diesel prices are forcing Baton Rouge-area haulers to raise fuel surcharges sharply, with owners warning some services may be cut. Rare Earth Processing Permit: Louisiana DEQ approved an air quality permit for Project Dynamo, a rare earth separation facility at the Port of Vinton, clearing the way for construction. LNG Expansion: Caturus says it will nearly double Commonwealth LNG capacity with a 7.75 Mtpa expansion project aimed at entering service in the early 2030s. Grid-Scale Storage for New Load: A 500 MW battery storage project in Livingston Parish is moving through expedited review, tied to an unnamed commercial customer needing 330–360 MW. Public Works Hearings: LADOTD and MDOT will hold October public hearings on replacing five U.S. 90 bridges over the Pearl River. USDA Meat Inspection Push: USDA launched a Stand-Up Program offering up to $50M to help more states start or expand meat inspection programs. Disaster Funding: FEMA approved $39M for storm and wildfire repairs across Texas, Louisiana, and other states.

Louisiana Agriculture Research: LSU AgCenter plant pathologists Vinson Doyle and Jonathan Richards won a five-year, $1.5 million NSF grant to untangle hidden links among Cercospora crop diseases, including major leaf-spot threats to Louisiana soybeans. Infrastructure & Construction: A long-awaited connector linking La. 1 and La. 415 is set to begin heavy construction in 2027, with a high-level bridge over the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway and completion targeted for 2028, funded by state revenue plus an $88.3 million U.S. DOT loan. New Orleans Recycling & Coastal Restoration: Tulane-linked “Glass Half Full” is turning more than 12 million pounds of diverted glass into sand for coastal restoration, scaling up from a grassroots start. Shreveport Real Estate: The 1911-era Standard at 509 Market Street sold for $6.5 million, with plans for ground-floor commercial buildout and interior upgrades. Energy & LNG: Baker Hughes will supply compression and liquefaction equipment for Venture Global’s Cloud Connector and Plaquemines LNG expansion, underscoring Louisiana’s growing LNG buildout. Battery Supply Chain: Sicona Battery Technologies acquired New Orleans-based Advano, bringing silicon anode IP and a U.S. pilot manufacturing base near NASA’s Michoud facility. Nuclear Policy Watch: Louisiana is asking the U.S. Department of Energy for more time to negotiate a potential nuclear fuel recycling and waste plan, while officials quietly meet with local leaders about possible sites.

AI & Cybersecurity: A Louisiana-based ID scanning firm, IDScan.net, is linked to a dark-web listing of 153 million driver’s licenses, raising fresh alarms for identity theft and data security. Manufacturing Expansion: Frymaster (Welbilt) is buying a 300,000-square-foot Shreveport facility and plans to invest $11.5M to expand capacity, with new jobs and modernization over five years. Energy & LNG: Commonwealth LNG’s Cameron Parish project is already looking at expansion, aiming to lift shipping capacity to about 17.25 million tons per year by the early 2030s. Workforce & Local Industry: Sicona is set to open its first U.S. facility and headquarters in Louisiana, targeting high-wage manufacturing jobs tied to silicon-carbon anode materials for next-gen lithium-ion batteries. Infrastructure & Growth: Shreveport-Bossier’s Jimmie Davis Bridge rehab is turning the historic span into Louisiana’s first linear park, while Lafayette’s expressway commission is scheduling talks to resurrect a western “loop” that could support regional traffic needs. Public Safety & Health: Louisiana’s poverty rate remains the nation’s highest, and health officials are warning about cychlorphine, a synthetic opioid reported as up to 10 times stronger than fentanyl. Consumer/Business: New Orleans venue Howlin’ Wolf sues StubHub in federal court over alleged misleading ticket listings and deceptive pricing practices.

Data-Center Power Rules: MISO has filed with FERC to set new reliability requirements for data centers and other “large loads” over 50 MW, including special rules for big IT-driven “computational loads,” aiming to improve grid visibility after FERC’s mid-June push. Local Construction Boom: Amazon’s Northwest Louisiana data-center buildout is already driving work for Shreveport-Bossier contractors, with officials projecting up to 2,500 construction jobs and more long-term demand. Rural Health Funding: UL Lafayette received nearly $2.1M from the Louisiana Department of Health to expand rural nursing capacity and build an AI platform to help clinics identify community health needs. Energy & Environment: Carbon sequestration is moving forward in Southwest Louisiana despite Gov. Landry’s earlier moratorium, as a project near Goose Lake faces local concerns about impacts to the Chicot Aquifer. Community & Business: A new New Orleans community bank, Nola Bank, is launching amid consolidation, targeting minority communities with a minority depositary institution push. Food Safety: In Shreveport-Bossier, 11 restaurants logged three-plus critical health violations in inspections from Aug. 31 to Sept. 6. Workforce & Growth: Grow NELA reports Meta-related activity boosted sales tax revenue in every Northeast Louisiana parish in the first half of 2026 vs. 2024.

Grid Reliability & Data Centers: MISO filed with FERC to set new reliability requirements for data centers and other large electricity users, targeting loads above 50 MW and “computational loads” tied to IT demand, aiming to improve grid visibility after FERC’s recent show-cause orders. Energy & Climate: A UCLA satellite-based study ranks a Shreveport-area Energy Transfer gas processing site as a top U.S. methane “super emitter,” reporting emissions far above EPA’s threshold. Port & Inland Shipping: Turn Services, based in Convent, completed its acquisition of St. John Fleeting, adding fleeting capacity for up to 300 barges near Reserve and expanding Lower Mississippi operations. Local Infrastructure: New Orleans’ Downtown Development District has started Phase II of Canal Street enhancements, including Molly Marine Plaza sidewalk reconstruction, drainage fixes, ADA upgrades, and prep for new public lighting. Agriculture Enforcement: Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry agents arrested a Vernon Parish man in a Rapides Parish timber theft case, alleging more than $22,000 in unreported or unpaid timber proceeds. Construction Tech: Filmore launched an early-access Copilot agent for Microsoft Teams to bring construction equipment demand data into dealer sales workflows. Aviation: Shreveport Regional Airport won an $18.9 million FAA grant to fund a new air traffic control tower tied to terminal expansion plans. Fuel Prices Watch: GasBuddy reports show Louisiana diesel and gasoline prices remain volatile, with multiple parish-specific lows reported for the week ending Sept. 5.