AGP Executive Report

Property-Tax Fight: Florida’s Amendment 3 is drawing louder opposition from police, firefighters, sheriffs, hospitals, cities and counties, with critics warning it could hollow out local budgets and threaten public safety funding. Data-Center Water Pressure: Hillsborough County commissioners voted to study AI data center impacts and draft a moratorium path after hearing concerns about water conservation and capacity, even as no applications are pending. Hurricane Outlook: Colorado State University cut its forecast for Atlantic activity, now calling for nine named storms, four hurricanes and one major—leaving just seven storms “left” if the trend holds, though forecasters stress local systems can still hit. Fuel Market Watch: Murphy USA reported a 44% jump in profit as fuel margins expanded amid oil-market volatility tied to the Iran war. Solar + Off-Grid Water: Florida’s Altitude Water partnered with Winged Solar Solutions to pair atmospheric water generation with modular solar power for disaster relief and off-grid sites. Space Coast Update: Blue Origin says a faulty oxygen valve on a BE-4 engine caused the New Glenn explosion in May, with updated hardware planned.

Florida Utility Oversight: The Florida Public Service Commission voted unanimously to keep the current incentive framework for investor-owned utilities’ “asset optimization” programs, closing out its review without forcing a single standardized plan for companies like FPL, Duke Energy, and Tampa Electric. Affordable Housing: Orange County opened four new affordable apartment communities supported by the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, including Barnett Villas, as local leaders point to high renter cost burdens in the Orlando area. Energy Costs & Home Power: Florida homeowners are pushing back on solar door-to-door sales that left them with long-term debt, while a separate report highlights how HOAs can block sustainable landscaping and solar—turning neighborhood rules into an energy barrier. EV Charging Expansion: A major highway travel center added 50 fast-charging sites across 25 states, underscoring continued buildout of fast-charging networks that matter for Florida drivers. Space & Florida Launch Footprint: SpaceX hardware expected to crash into the Moon follows another Falcon 9 launch from Florida, keeping Cape Canaveral’s role in space activity in the spotlight. Public Health Watch: Cyclosporiasis cases in the U.S. topped 10,000, with Florida among states reporting cases tied to a produce outbreak.

Residential Solar Fallout: Florida homeowners say door-to-door solar pitches left them with decades of debt, malfunctioning systems, and bills that never dropped—plus licensing gaps and missing consumer disclosures are now under scrutiny. EV Charging Buildout: EVgo is adding 500+ DC fast-charging stalls at shopping centers owned by Brixmor, with Florida among the rollout states—charging that’s meant to fit errands, not just road trips. Data Center Power & Water Pressure: A national debate over AI data centers is heating up, with Texas pausing new approvals while audits assess grid reliability and community impacts; Florida is also pushing requirements tied to energy and water. Utility M&A Watch: Regulators in South Carolina set a January deadline for a decision on the Dominion–NextEra merger, a deal that would reshape service across multiple fast-growing states including Florida. Gas Prices: Pump prices are mostly steady nationally, with crude volatility still keeping gas elevated. Grid Safety & Reliability: A Pensacola-area training flight made an emergency landing on I-10 after reported oil pressure issues—another reminder of how quickly safety incidents can disrupt travel and infrastructure. Public Health Spillover: A cyclospora outbreak tied to lettuce has surged past 10,000 U.S. cases, with Florida reporting 254 cases across dozens of counties.

Permitting Reform, Florida Angle: A new Base Power account shows how “yes” can take an afternoon in one city but 12 weeks and multiple in-person inspections in another—highlighting why home battery projects stall under inconsistent local rules. Workplace Heat: OSHA’s proposed heat protections are still not final, even as Florida farmworker deaths tied to heat illness underscore the stakes for outdoor workers. Affordable Power Pressure: Tampa Electric customers marked a year since record 100-degree heat with renewed calls for affordable energy reform after bills reportedly jumped 81% in five years. Grid & Rates Watch: Duke Energy beat profit estimates as demand rose, while utilities push rate changes to fund strained infrastructure. EV Charging Expansion: Pilot, GM and EVgo say their fast-charging network topped 300 locations and 1,300 stalls across 40 states. Florida Education Policy: Florida is moving to bar undocumented students from postsecondary career and technical education programs, including solar-energy technician tracks. Logistics Growth: ColdTrack opened a new Jacksonville cold-storage fulfillment site to speed perishable shipping to Miami and southern Florida. Aviation Incident: A small plane made an emergency landing on I-10 in the Florida Panhandle after engine trouble; no injuries reported.

Education Policy: Florida is moving to bar undocumented students from postsecondary career and technical education, with proposed rules requiring applicants to prove U.S. citizenship or lawful presence before enrolling in CTE programs that include tracks like HVAC, nursing assistant training, solar energy technician work, and semiconductor cleanroom operator courses. Energy Affordability: Tampa Electric customers are still feeling the heat after record 100-degree weather, and advocates are renewing calls for affordable energy reform following a report that TECO bills rose 81% over five years, with groups warning base rates remain high even as a storm recovery charge is removed. EV Charging Buildout: EVgo and Brixmor are expanding their partnership with more than 500 new fast-charging stalls, including sites in Florida, as charging spreads into everyday shopping stops. Space Coast Push: Rep. Byron Donalds and Sen. Ashley Moody are reviving efforts to relocate NASA headquarters to Brevard County as part of a “Florida’s Space Race” initiative. Public Safety: A small plane made an emergency landing on Florida’s I-10 after oil pressure dropped and fumes filled the cockpit, narrowly missing vehicles and highway signs.

Kratom Crackdown Fallout (Florida): A new Public Citizen report says the Trump administration left “gas station heroin” kratom products on shelves and even promoted them, tying deaths to kratom use; it spotlights a Florida man in Tequesta who died after using Feel Free Classic, and raises questions about DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin’s investment and lobbying around FDA warnings. EV Charging Map Shift: Walmart is accelerating its own fast-charging buildout, adding more public stations and potentially reshaping where drivers fuel up. Local Permitting Fight (Florida): Residents in Pompano Beach are furious after a proposed 160,000-square-foot Costco was paused indefinitely, with legal action hinted as the dispute drags on. Solar + Storage Demand (Florida): Zeo Energy highlights rising homeowner interest in residential solar and long-duration storage as electricity prices climb and grid demand grows. Data Centers vs. Communities: A Georgia school district fight shows how hyperscale data center expansion is colliding with local concerns over traffic, noise, and water impacts. Grid Safety: A new utility safety focus argues modern, fast-moving grid projects need updated approaches to keep workers protected.

EV Charging Expansion: Walmart is building out its own EV charging network faster than most non-Tesla rivals, adding dozens of stations and targeting growth in Florida. Grid & Resilience: A new hurricane rapid intensification tool could warn coastal communities up to five days earlier, aiming to give more time to board up and evacuate. Florida Energy & Policy: Florida’s daylight saving debate is back in the spotlight as the Senate blocks permanent change, with fall-back still expected Nov. 1. Space & Energy Infrastructure: Congressman Byron Donalds pushes “Florida’s Space Race” to bring NASA HQ to Brevard County, tying permitting and workforce goals to more launch activity. Local Power & Industry: Childs Park in St. Petersburg faces industrial permitting pressure amid neighborhood odor concerns. Business & Power Markets: ELEKTROS reaffirmed its hard-rock lithium and EV charging strategy, pitching long-term upside to investors. Safety & Transport: A Keys man was arrested after erratic driving, striking an off-duty deputy’s motorcycle, and threatening law enforcement.

AI Data Centers & Power Costs: A Florida-backed proposal from Rep. Byron Donalds would require the biggest AI data centers to secure their own electricity and water, aiming to stop utility bills from being pushed onto residents as data-center demand surges. Local Governance & Permitting: DeSoto County approved a one-year pause on new data center applications, but a major 800-acre project was exempt after earlier rezoning—keeping the fight over grid strain and growth pressure alive. Residential Solar Policy: Despite a national residential solar slump after federal tax-credit changes, Florida is seeing a surge, with faster, cheaper rooftop installs tied to new state permitting rules. Community & Environment: In St. Petersburg, Childs Park residents moved from complaints to a formal legal challenge over industrial odor permits, seeking a stronger seat at the permitting table. Energy & Climate Risk (Broader): A Reuters report on Caribbean sargassum piles up highlights how warming seas and nutrient flows are worsening coastal cleanup costs—an issue Florida tourism and ecosystems watch closely.

AI Data Centers & Utilities: Rep. Byron Donalds’ Florida-backed bill would require large hyperscale AI data centers to secure their own electricity and water, aiming to stop power-bill costs from spilling onto ratepayers as EPRI projects data centers could reach up to 9% of U.S. electricity generation by 2030. Local Power & Water Planning: A Sarasota-area forum will dig into what the data-center boom means for the Suncoast grid and water use, with reporters and energy coverage voices set for Aug. 11. Grid Stress in the Heat: Separate reporting flags that data centers are straining Florida’s grid during heatwaves, adding urgency to how the state manages demand growth. Wildlife & Waterways: More than 20 rehabilitated manatees are returning to Florida waters after years of rescue and treatment, underscoring the state’s ongoing work to protect coastal ecosystems. Weather Watch: NOAA says Atlantic hurricane season is entering its busiest months, but a strengthening El Niño could suppress development later—still, Florida should plan for swings.

Data Center Debate in Florida: A free public forum in Venice next month will tackle the Suncoast data center boom and what it means for electricity demand, water use, and local communities, with reporters from Suncoast Searchlight, Seeking Rents, and Tampa Bay Times set to discuss proposed projects in Sarasota, Manatee, and DeSoto counties. Local Power Governance: Keys Energy Services Utility Board vice chair Robert Barrios received a Policymaker Award from the Florida Municipal Electric Association, citing his push to accelerate pole replacements using storm reserve funds to boost grid reliability. Electric Bills, Practical Steps: A homeowner-focused guide highlights how Florida residents can lower power costs via energy audits, thermostat and usage changes, and utility-supported assessments. Environmental Justice Watch: Reporting spotlights Progress Village near Tampa, where a radioactive phosphogypsum stack sits close to homes and schools, renewing pressure on how Florida handles legacy industrial waste. Climate Pressure Point: Coverage flags a strengthening El Niño that could worsen heat, insurance, and tourism strain across the Southeast, including Florida.

Sargassum Surge: Florida’s region is bracing as record masses of rotting sargassum keep washing onto Caribbean and Gulf beaches, with the University of South Florida’s Optical Oceanography Lab warning 2026 could be among the worst years—raising cleanup costs and threatening marine life and tourism. Grid & Cooling Demand: Miami-Dade is pushing a long-term recycling and waste-diversion plan after its incinerator collapse, while St. Pete-area leaders and utilities continue navigating how to manage peak electricity demand and keep service steady as franchise and reliability questions linger. Data Centers vs. Power: North Port residents are trying to pinpoint a proposed data center site amid a citywide moratorium debate, and Florida reporters are set to host a public forum on how the boom could reshape local energy and water use. Consumer Energy Costs: A study finds speeding saves little time but costs drivers millions in fuel nationwide—an easy reminder for Florida drivers facing summer heat and higher bills. Solar Expansion: US Power says it’s expanding residential solar and roofing operations into Florida, aiming to speed installs with a factory-direct model. Maritime Security: CENTCOM says it has redirected and inspected dozens of commercial vessels during the Iran blockade, underscoring how energy supply chains can get disrupted fast.

Space & Science: NASA says it has finished fueling the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, using 290 gallons of hydrazine, with a planned Aug. 30 launch on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy to study dark energy and hunt Earth-like exoplanets. Grid & Power Markets: A major AI data center push is taking shape in Kentucky’s former Paducah uranium plant, with Brookfield, NextEra Energy, and local co-ops backing a $100B-plus campus—highlighting how power supply deals are becoming the real bottleneck for new compute. Florida Energy & Environment: Florida’s heat and surf risks are rising again, with forecasters warning of dangerous rip currents along the Panhandle as fronts roll in and hurricane-season conditions ramp up. Public Health: Florida’s cyclosporiasis outbreak keeps climbing, with 254 cases since May 1 and a CDC-linked cluster tied to iceberg lettuce. Local Recycling: Palm Beach County remains Florida’s top recycler for a fourth straight year, hitting about a 91% recycling rate in 2025.

Fed Watch: Fed Chair Kevin Warsh signaled a tough fight on inflation, but the central bank held rates steady, with three policymakers voting for a hike—leaving economists split on whether Florida’s cost pressures will ease later this year. Florida Grid & Bills: NextEra/FPL leaders said they’re not worried about a new Florida law aimed at data centers’ consumer impacts, even as the state’s power demand and heat stress keep testing the grid. Data Center Pushback: North Port moved toward an 18-month “retroactive” data center moratorium after an application was submitted just before the vote, while Marion County is set for a Sept. 1 workshop as residents question power and water use. EV Funding Fight: Florida plans to redirect federal EV charging money toward “flying car” charging sites instead of everyday plugs, drawing criticism from clean-energy advocates. Public Health: Florida cyclosporiasis cases jumped to 254 across 39 counties, with Tallahassee among the latest hotspots. Local Courts: A judge denied bond in a Brevard County case tied to a toddler’s death after ingesting kratom.

Clean Hydrogen Push in Florida Transit: Clean Energy Fuels won a $27.5M Orange County Transportation Authority contract to design and build a private hydrogen fueling station for OCTA’s growing zero-emission bus fleet, targeting completion in 2028. AI Data Centers vs. the Grid: A new report highlights how data centers are straining Florida’s power supply during heatwaves, adding pressure as demand rises. Energy Infrastructure & EV Charging: Walmart is accelerating EV charging buildouts, signaling continued retail-led charging expansion. Nuclear Tech Watch: NASA’s NIAC grants include a Zeno Power concept using a compact americium-241 nuclear battery to test radioisotope heaters for future lunar spacesuits. Florida Weather & Resilience: Tropical Storm Bertha’s aftermath cut sea turtle nests on Escambia County beaches, underscoring how extreme weather can disrupt coastal ecosystems and planning.

Data Centers vs. Florida Grid: FPL says a new Florida law gives “certainty” for data-center investors, while a former DOE official warns NERC’s highest alert level shows the grid is already under strain during heatwaves. Heat & Power Bills: South Florida families report painful tradeoffs as summer electric bills climb; meanwhile most of the state sits under extreme heat warnings with heat indices near 115. EV Charging Race: Walmart is rapidly expanding high-speed EV charging, building its own network and reshaping where drivers can find fast charging. Energy Infrastructure Deal: Carrier Global plans to sell its NORESCO energy-services unit to OPTERRA Energy Services, signaling continued focus on data-center HVAC and building efficiency. Public Safety Tech: A defense firm is deploying small drones to help schools respond to active shooters, with Florida among early adopters. Maritime Energy Security: CENTCOM accuses Iran’s IRGC of intimidating ships in the Strait of Hormuz, while insisting the sea route remains open for global passage. Health Spillover From Supply Chains: Florida Poison Center sees rising calls tied to synthetic opioid 7-OH, and a Cyclospora outbreak linked to recalled iceberg lettuce continues to spread.

Data Centers in the Crosshairs: DeSoto County approved a one-year data center moratorium, but carved out an 800-plus-acre project by excluding pending rezoning applications—so the controversial plan can still move forward. Grid Stress, Nationwide: The U.S. Department of Energy authorized backup power sources in 17 heat-hit states to reduce blackout risk as air-conditioning demand spikes. Beach Ecology: Sargassum seaweed is described as becoming self-sustaining, repeatedly washing ashore and raising public health and environmental concerns as it decomposes. Florida Power Costs: FPL urged customers to lower cooling bills by adjusting thermostats and using fans more efficiently during peak summer heat. Aviation/Industry: Airsys announced a $60M Woodruff, South Carolina campus for zero-water cooling tech tied to data center and AI demand. Lottery: A single Florida Mega Millions ticket won the $800M jackpot (numbers 34-48-49-59-70, Mega Ball 12), with a cash option of about $344.2M.