AGP Executive Report

Wildfire Tech & Preparedness: Montana officials warn the 2026 wildfire season could run above normal, driven by drought, wind, and a warm winter, with local volunteer staffing still a weak link. Forest Service Research Cuts: The Forest Service is moving to close research hubs and offices to save money, raising alarms that Montana-relevant science and on-the-ground management could suffer. Grizzly Habitat Standards Fight: Advocates are suing over changes that let “secure habitat” be counted at just one acre—an approach critics say is bureaucratic convenience, not new science. Solar Science & Montana Skies: A geomagnetic storm tied to coronal mass ejections is expected to boost aurora visibility farther south than usual, with possible minor impacts to satellites and GPS. Internet Safety: Montana AG Austin Knudsen and DOJ investigators urge parents to stay alert during Internet Crimes Against Children Prevention Month as reports and emerging tech risks grow. AI in Courts: Florida’s Supreme Court tightened rules requiring attorneys to verify AI-cited legal authorities after “hallucinated” filings. Montana Agriculture Research: UNL Extension highlights options for drought-damaged wheat—grazing, hay/silage, or leaving it standing to protect soil. Big Sky Infrastructure: Big Sky Owners Association pushes rural improvement districts to fund major bridge repairs as roads and bridges lag behind growth. Community Science: Darwin’s Ark is recruiting more cat owners nationwide, including underrepresented states like Montana, for a genetics and behavior study.

AI & Courts: Florida’s Supreme Court tightened rules after lawyers filed “hallucinated” AI legal citations, requiring attorneys to verify authorities before submitting. Internet Safety for Kids: Montana AG Austin Knudsen urged families to stay alert during Internet Crimes Against Children Prevention Month as reports and emerging tech risks keep rising. Wildlife & Public Attention: A viral grizzly “moth-eating” hike video is sparking debate over social-media hype versus protecting sensitive habitat in the Greater Yellowstone region. Grizzly Habitat Standards: A lawsuit challenges Forest Service/Fish & Wildlife changes that allow grizzly “secure habitat” to be counted at just one acre—an approach critics call bureaucratic convenience. Border Wall Tech/Spending: New reporting says border wall spending has surged with large contracts going to politically connected firms, raising transparency concerns. Montana Water/Infrastructure: Big Sky’s rural improvement districts are shifting to fund major bridge repairs, with property owners debating new costs. STEM in the Classroom: A program lets students raise tanks of trout in class to teach hands-on aquatic science. Local Science Institutions: Museum of the Rockies’ executive director is stepping down after eight years, with an interim leader taking over.

Cyber Safety: Montana AG Austin Knudsen and DOJ’s ICAC task force are urging families to protect kids online during ICAC Prevention Month, citing thousands of CSAM tips received locally and a sharp national rise in reported online enticement and trafficking. Water & Climate: TroutCast, a new Montana forecasting tool, is rolling out to help predict drought impacts on trout rivers using data from USGS, NOAA and Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. Rural Infrastructure: The U.S. House approved $4.8 million for Western Montana rural projects, including wastewater and water filtration upgrades in Columbia Falls and Libby, plus emergency communications funding for the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. Education & STEM: A classroom trout-raising program is spotlighted as a hands-on way to teach aquatic science and ecosystem care. Range & Land Stewardship: Meg Brack Smith won the Society for Range Management’s W.R. Chapline Land Stewardship Award for leadership that blends ranching know-how with outreach. Public Lands Debate: A proposal to redesignate a major highway corridor as “Trump Interstate” is criticized as a threat to wildlife connectivity and public lands in the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem. Museum Leadership: Museum of the Rockies executive director Christopher Dobbs is stepping down after eight years, with Scott Williams named interim director.

AI in Courts: Florida’s Supreme Court amended rules so lawyers must verify that AI-cited legal authorities actually exist, after “hallucinated” cases showed up in filings. Rural Infrastructure: The U.S. House passed a Montana-focused agriculture/rural appropriations package with $4.8M for wastewater, water filtration, emergency communications, and a Libby water project. Critical Minerals: Sibanye-Stillwater says it’s restarting full production at Montana’s Stillwater West and East Boulder mines, aiming to restore major PGM output by end of 2026. Water & Drought: Warm May temperatures are accelerating snowmelt, leaving June 1 snowpack mostly below median, while forecasts warn eastern Montana river flows may run low later this summer. Public Lands & Wildlife: Advocates sue over grizzly habitat standards, arguing the Forest Service is shrinking “secure” habitat without using best-available science. Health Tech: Researchers report seizure-free EEG patterns can be detected with machine learning for earlier epilepsy signals. Space Weather: NOAA warns of a strong geomagnetic storm June 4–5, with auroras possible far south, including Montana.

Solar Storm Watch: NOAA says a rare, strong geomagnetic storm (G3, possibly G4) could bring northern lights as far south as Montana and up to 23 states tonight and Friday, though clouds may spoil views. Water & Climate Impacts: Montana’s Gallatin and Yellowstone rivers are projected to run below the 30-year average as snowpack melted early and peak runoff already passed, raising odds of warmer, lower flows later this summer. Public Health & Biosecurity: Federal prosecutors charged two NIH Rocky Mountain Laboratories researchers with allegedly smuggling 113 virus vials (including deactivated mpox material) into the U.S. and lying to customs. Wildlife Policy Fight: Advocates sued the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service over changes to grizzly “secure habitat” standards, arguing they ignore best-available science. Tech & Jobs in Montana: Janicki Industries announced an $800M Great Falls manufacturing campus expected to create 2,000+ jobs, boosting aerospace/defense machining capacity. Agriculture Costs: MSU Extension urged producers to fine-tune fertilizer spending as nitrogen prices stay volatile, using calculators and nutrient-cost comparisons to protect margins. Drone Industry: Mobix Labs signed a letter of intent to acquire Montana-based Vision Aerial, expanding into drone and aerial intelligence markets.

NIH & Montana Bioscience: Two top NIH researchers at Rocky Mountain Laboratories in Hamilton were charged with allegedly smuggling deactivated mpox vials from the Republic of Congo into the U.S. via Detroit, and allegedly lying to customs; prosecutors say the case involved 113 vials, with some containing deactivated mpox, chickenpox virus, and human DNA. Medical Tech in the Inland Northwest: Kootenai Health in Coeur d’Alene installed the da Vinci 5 robotic-assisted surgery platform, its third such system, as it expands specialized care. STEM Workforce Pipeline: Boise State was named lead for the PINES semiconductor education network, a nine-state effort aimed at building a regional microelectronics workforce that includes Montana. Public Health & Safety: Montana’s wildfire season briefing in Helena emphasized readiness and active forest management under a 20-year Shared Stewardship Agreement with the Forest Service. Local Engineering Procurement: Gallatin Conservation District seeks engineering firms for a Gallatin Valley Managed Aquifer Recharge study, with SOQs due June 17. Space Weather Watch: NOAA issued a strong geomagnetic storm watch for June 4–5, with aurora possible as far south as 23 states. Community STEM Learning: Montana PBS’s free Neighbor Day in Bozeman (June 13) will bring hands-on STEM activities for families.

NIH Biosafety & Security: Federal prosecutors charged NIH Rocky Mountain Laboratory scientists Vincent Munster and Claude Kwe with allegedly smuggling undeclared, deactivated mpox vials into the U.S. through Detroit Metro and lying to investigators about what they carried, raising fresh questions about pathogen handling at the Hamilton, Montana lab. Wildlife & Forest Management: Environmental groups sued the U.S. Forest Service over plans to shrink “secure habitat” for grizzlies in a large deforestation project, arguing it would cut connectivity needed for genetic recovery. Montana Industry & Jobs: Janicki Industries picked Great Falls for an $800 million manufacturing campus, with construction expected to start in July 2026 and plans projecting 1,000+ jobs in phases. Wildfire Outlook: Montana leaders discussed staffing and the state’s wildfire season outlook as forecasts warn of elevated risk across the West. Public Interest Tech & Science: A Montana survey finds social media now drives how most people consume news, with “passive” viewing dominating. Local Culture & Community: A new sign honors five firefighters who died in the 1931 Waldron Creek Fire near Choteau.

Pathogen Policy & Lab Oversight: Federal prosecutors charged NIH researchers Vincent Munster and Claude Kwe with allegedly smuggling deactivated mpox/monkeypox vials into the U.S. from the Republic of Congo and lying to investigators after a stop at Detroit Metro Airport; Munster is chief of the Virus Ecology Section at Rocky Mountain Laboratories in Hamilton, Montana, a Biosafety Level 4 facility. Wildfire Readiness: Montana officials briefed on the 2026 Fire Season Outlook, citing complex winter conditions and forecasting normal early-summer conditions but above-normal large-fire potential in parts of western Montana and northern Idaho later in summer. AI in Health Care: Intermountain Health says an AI-enabled care approach cut hospitalizations by 50% and reduced emergency visits and overall costs for COPD and asthma patients. Montana Manufacturing & Jobs: Janicki Industries selected Great Falls for an $800 million manufacturing campus, targeting 1,000 jobs in the first five years. Public Info Habits: A Greater Montana Foundation/UM study finds many Montanans consume news passively via social media, raising concerns about echo chambers.

Big Manufacturing Push: Janicki Industries is picking Great Falls for an $800 million aerospace/defense/space manufacturing campus, targeting 1,000 jobs in five years and 2,000+ over a decade, with construction set to start in July and the first phase opening by end of 2027. Public Health & Courts: The Ninth Circuit vacated an order requiring the EPA to regulate drinking-water fluoridation under TSCA, sending the case back and narrowing what the lower court can do with new scientific material. Lead Cleanup in Butte: EPA proposed lowering the residential soil and dust lead cleanup level in Butte (from 1,200 ppm to 456 ppm) and expanding the sampling/remediation boundary, a move Butte watchdogs say still drags on too long. Drought Forecasting for Trout: Montana State University launched FishCast, a real-time drought risk tool for trout rivers that blends weather, streamflow, and trout population data to flag likely fishing restrictions. Health Tech in Bozeman: Alercell added surgeon Paul A. Dreschnack to its advisory board to support clinical translation work tied to its LENA platform for early blood-cancer detection. EV Insurance Reality Check: Used EVs are rising, but EVs still cost about 42% more to insure than gas cars—though the gap shrinks for newer models.

Montana Water & Fish Forecasting: Montana State University launched FishCast, a real-time drought-risk tool for trout rivers that blends weather, streamflow, and historic trout data to flag likely population shifts and possible fishing restrictions. Health & Research: A Phase 3 trial reported in the New England Journal of Medicine found a talazoparib + enzalutamide combo cut the risk of prostate cancer progression or death by 52% in select metastatic patients. Critical Minerals Strategy: IRIS Metals says it’s pivoting to reduce U.S. reliance on foreign critical minerals, highlighting rubidium as a near-term opportunity. Education & Community Science: MSU’s NASA AREN program inspired Great Falls students to build kites that mimic NASA-style atmospheric data collection. STEM in the Classroom: University of Mary communication sciences students are running intergenerational and adult-learning service projects to build real-world speech and language skills. Higher Ed Expansion: Touro University is adding a Great Falls law school campus (hybrid) and a nursing program, aiming to address regional shortages of attorneys and clinicians. Public Health Policy Watch: CMS released Medicaid work requirements guidance for states, with critics warning of added administrative burden. Montana Elections Reminder: Yellowstone County urged absentee voters to “walk it in” to avoid missed deadlines and rejection issues.

Public Safety & Weather: The National Weather Service in Montana is asking residents to report areal flooding during storms, using the “TLC” method (time, location, and details) so local agencies can respond faster. Flood Control Infrastructure: A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers update highlights how tributary dams store floodwaters and release them after downstream risk drops, preventing millions in damage. Wildlife & Land Access: A new Trump executive order rescinds decades-old off-road vehicle rules on federal lands, aiming to expand access while shifting management flexibility to agencies. Montana Research Oversight: Sen. Tim Sheehy is pressing for an HHS inspector general review of Rocky Mountain Laboratories after NIH disclosures and whistleblower claims about pathogen handling and safety lapses. Water Quality: Montana studies report PFAS “forever chemicals” in fish across major waterways, with higher concentrations in larger species. Local Tech/Science Education: Montana State University is offering free quantum kits to teachers for grades 4–8. Health Policy Costs: Medicaid work requirements are already straining state budgets, with implementation costs tied to staffing and new systems. Campus Affordability: UM housing rent increases for University Villages take effect July 1, 2026, adding pressure for students.

Montana Mining & Permitting: Silver Bow Mining says the Montana DEQ has issued an Authorization to Proceed for Amendment 2 at the Rainbow Block project in Butte, clearing the next phase of exploration, including a Rainbow Decline, expanded drilling, and bulk sampling. Wildlife Safety Tech & Policy: New state laws and funding mechanisms are pushing more wildlife road crossings to cut animal-vehicle crashes; Montana is flagged among states with high collision rates. Public Health & Lab Oversight: Sen. Tim Sheehy is pressing for an HHS inspector general review of Rocky Mountain Laboratories after disclosures and whistleblower claims involving pathogen handling and an alleged infected monkey bite. Environmental Chemistry: Montana PFAS “forever chemicals” are showing up in fish across major waterways, with higher concentrations in larger species raising renewed concern for anglers and food-chain exposure. Outdoor Safety: Hikers in Glacier National Park reported a close-range grizzly encounter; bear spray helped the bear run off. STEM in Montana: A Butte third-grader was selected for a STEM residential leadership program in Denver, highlighting local pathways into science and technology education.

Biosafety & Public Health: Montana’s Rocky Mountain Laboratories is facing fresh scrutiny after Sen. Tim Sheehy asked HHS Inspector General to review safety, security, and personnel practices following whistleblower claims tied to a monkey bite involving a deadly pathogen. Water Quality: Montana reports PFAS “forever chemicals” showing up in fish across major waterways, with higher concentrations in larger species—raising concerns for anglers and public health. Energy Storage & Grid Reliability: Gov. Gianforte highlighted rural investments, including BHE Montana’s $100M advanced battery system aimed at strengthening grid reliability. Wildlife Connectivity: Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is moving grizzlies across I-90 to boost genetic diversity and counter long-term isolation. STEM Education: Montana Tech celebrated 400 graduates at spring commencement, while Butte’s young math whiz eyes a Denver STEM program. Research & Tech Policy: A Montana data center review in Bonner was delayed again, pushing the hearing out as the applicant finalizes materials. Science for Families: Santa Monica library programming includes bubble science and balloon-building events—more hands-on learning than lectures.

Public Lands Recreation: Trump rescinded two-decade-old executive orders that restricted off-road vehicles on federal lands, a move that could loosen rules in many national parks. Montana Energy & Rural Investment: Gov. Greg Gianforte highlighted rural projects during a 56-county tour, including a $100 million advanced battery system in Glacier County aimed at boosting grid reliability. Local Tech & Data Centers: Missoula County delayed review of a proposed Bonner data center again, citing the applicant’s continued failure to provide required materials. Health Policy in Montana: Montana is set to test federal Medicaid work requirements starting July 1, raising concerns about whether cash-strapped state health agencies can keep coverage for eligible adults. Wildlife & Connectivity: Montana’s grizzly conservation work faces habitat fragmentation pressures, with I-90 described as a major barrier to genetic mixing between Yellowstone and Glacier-area bears. Biosafety Oversight: Sen. Tim Sheehy urged an Inspector General review of Rocky Mountain Laboratories after alleged biosafety lapses involving deadly pathogens. Rare Earths Research: WVU launched a Rare Earth Elements Initiative and a startup effort to expand extraction tech using acid mine drainage and industrial byproducts. STEM Education Spotlight: A Montana prenursing student won a Boren Scholarship to study Russian in Latvia, aiming to improve communication in global healthcare. Community Science & Environment: A Bozeman event discussed wildlife connectivity and “circulatory system” impacts of roads and development on biodiversity.

Wildlife & Public Safety: A mountain lion was reported sleeping in a Santa Monica backyard near 14th Street and Montana Avenue, prompting police to urge residents to stay indoors and keep pets inside while wildlife officials assessed and tranquilized the animal for relocation. Conservation Science: Montana’s grizzly connectivity concerns stay in focus as habitat fragmentation and highways like I-90 can genetically isolate populations; Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks has been moving grizzlies to inject genetic diversity. Healthcare & Training: A Montana prenursing student won the Boren Scholarship to study Russian in Latvia, aiming to reduce communication barriers in global healthcare. Cancer Research Fundraising: A Bozeman food truck festival raised support for the Cancer Support Community of Montana. Biosecurity Oversight: Sen. Tim Sheehy is pushing HHS’s inspector general to review safety and personnel practices at Rocky Mountain Laboratories after biosafety lapses involving deadly pathogens. Tech & Privacy: Billings-area use of Flock automated license plate readers is raising privacy questions. State Policy Watch: Montana plans to test federal Medicaid work rules starting July 1, with budget strain and coverage risks on the table. Rare Earths: WVU launched a Rare Earth Elements Initiative and a startup to commercialize extraction tech using acid mine drainage and industrial byproducts. Local Planning: Kalispell, Whitefish, and Columbia Falls reported progress and hurdles implementing Montana’s Land Use Planning Act.

NIH biosafety scrutiny: Sen. Tim Sheehy is pushing for an IG review of Rocky Mountain Laboratories after alleged biosafety lapses, raising fresh alarms about how deadly pathogen research is handled in Montana. Medicaid math in Montana: The state is set to stress-test Trump’s Medicaid work rules on July 1, with budget gaps and new federal checks that could reshape coverage for eligible adults. Critical minerals push: WVU launched a Rare Earth Elements Initiative and a startup, Mission Critical Materials, aiming to scale extraction tech using acid mine drainage and industrial byproducts. Rare earths in the ground: A Nevada antimony “pre-strip dump” sample hit up to 53.7% antimony, underscoring the race for domestic critical minerals. Housing + zoning reform: Flathead Valley city planners briefed state legislators on progress and sticking points implementing Montana’s Land Use Planning Act. Water stress in the Big Wood: Project Big Wood reports the Big Wood River’s spring flows are already low, with early runoff and possible summer oxygen stress for fish. Wildfire building codes: A new report maps how Western states handle wildfire-resistant home construction, with Montana watching what works elsewhere. Local science + culture: MSU’s Distinctive Collections award supports Indigenous bison stewardship research, while MSU and community events keep spotlighting STEM and public engagement.