AGP Executive Report

Poultry Health: Mississippi Flyway growers face heightened avian-flu risk as a host-adapted virus persists in wild birds and can reach flocks from outside farms, making outbreak timing useful for preparation. Severe Weather: Gov. Tate Reeves designated Oct. 12–17 as preparedness week, urging residents to review emergency plans and supplies; Mississippi recorded 80 tornadoes last year, including seven in October through December. Hurricane Recovery: Isaias left about 17,000 Mississippi customers without power, while its wider Gulf Coast impacts show the risks of storms that bring destructive winds and outages. Land and Wildlife: Mississippi biologists are using a head-start program to help the declining gopher tortoise population, and Starkville approved $2.1 million for landfill remediation. Energy and Data Centers: A proposed $6 billion data center in Jefferson Davis County has raised residents’ concerns, while Entergy warned AWS of possible data-center disconnections in Mississippi—underscoring questions about power demand and local impacts.

Hurricane Aftermath: Isaias swept through the Gulf Coast, leaving about 17,000 Mississippi customers without power as of midday Saturday. Power and Data Centers: Entergy Mississippi warned Amazon Web Services that Jackson-area data centers could face disconnections during peak demand, highlighting pressure on the state’s grid. Wildlife: Mississippi biologists are using a head-start program to help boost the declining gopher tortoise population. Land Cleanup: Starkville and Oktibbeha County approved $2.1 million to permanently close and remediate the city’s former landfill, which shut down after waste extended beyond its permitted boundaries.

Gulf Storms: Hurricane Isaias made landfall in Florida’s Panhandle and brought damaging winds, flooding and power outages across the Southeast, including Mississippi. Forecasters warn that a quiet hurricane season does not eliminate Gulf Coast risk. Power and Data Centers: Entergy Mississippi reportedly warned Amazon Web Services that its Jackson-area data centers could face disconnections during peak demand, highlighting tensions between rising electricity use and grid reliability. Landfill Cleanup: Starkville and Oktibbeha County are funding a $2.1 million project to permanently close and remediate the former landfill, which shut in 2018 after reaching capacity. Wildlife: Mississippi biologists are using a head-start program to support the state’s declining gopher tortoise population. Urban Green Space: Farish Street Green has opened in Jackson, adding a public green space designed to offer cooling benefits in a heat-prone area.

Hurricane Impacts: Isaias made landfall in Florida’s Panhandle and weakened over Alabama, but its effects reached Mississippi: the storm threatened damaging winds and flooding, while outages were reported across four states, including Mississippi. Grid Pressure: Entergy Mississippi reportedly warned Amazon Web Services that data centers near Jackson could face disconnections during peak demand, raising questions about grid reliability as the facilities expand. Landfill Cleanup: Starkville and Oktibbeha County approved $2.1 million to permanently close and remediate a 15-acre landfill that shut in 2018; the work is intended to make the site suitable for future development. Wildlife: Mississippi biologists are using a head-start program to help bolster the state’s declining gopher tortoise population. Urban Heat: Jackson’s new Farish Street Green space offers cooling relief while tracking neighborhood heat.

Hurricane Isaias: The storm came ashore near Destin, Florida, as a Category 2 hurricane. Mississippi’s Gulf Coast remained under warnings for dangerous surge, heavy rain and damaging winds, with flooding risks continuing inland. Aquaculture: Mississippi State hosted researchers examining antimicrobial resistance and disease prevention in aquatic animals, an important issue for the state’s leading catfish industry. Wildlife: Mississippi biologists are using a head-start program to help the declining gopher tortoise population. Local environment: Starkville approved $2.1 million for landfill remediation, while Jackson’s new Farish Street Green space offers cooling relief and tracks neighborhood heat.

Hurricane Isaias: The Category 3 storm is closing in on the northern Gulf Coast, with landfall expected near the Alabama-Florida line Friday night. Southern Mississippi faces dangerous storm surge, damaging winds and flooding; warnings stretch from Ocean Springs eastward. Wildlife: Mississippi biologists are raising young gopher tortoises in a head-start program to help the declining population. Landfill Cleanup: Starkville has approved a $2.1 million effort to remediate its landfill. Urban Green Space: Jackson’s new Farish Street Green offers a cooling public space and will help track neighborhood heat.

Hurricane Isaias: The Category 2 storm is forecast to hit near the Alabama–Florida line late Friday or early Saturday, with hurricane warnings reaching Ocean Springs and storm-surge risks extending from the Mississippi River mouth eastward. Heavy rain could cause flooding in northern Mississippi. Disaster Readiness: Experts warn FEMA’s staffing cuts could limit the depth of its response; more than 4,300 employees left in fiscal 2025. Wildlife: Mississippi biologists are raising young gopher tortoises before release to help the declining population; more than 140 juveniles have been released so far. Jackson Green Space: Farish Street Green has opened, bringing a new public green space to the historic district and offering relief from neighborhood heat. Pipeline Dispute: Environmental groups are suing federal agencies over a proposed gas pipeline route that begins in Clarke County, Mississippi, alleging the project was allowed to bypass environmental protections.

Hurricane Isaias: The first Atlantic hurricane of the season is forecast to reach the northern Gulf Coast late Friday or early Saturday, with Mississippi among the states at risk. A hurricane watch covers the coast from Bay St. Louis eastward; forecasters warn of storm surge, damaging winds and 3 to 6 inches of rain, with isolated totals up to 10 inches. The track remains uncertain. Waste Cleanup: Starkville and Oktibbeha County approved a joint $2.1 million project to remediate and close the 15-acre landfill, which stopped operating in 2018 after reaching capacity. Jackson Green Space: Farish Street Green has opened, offering a new public space designed to provide cooling relief while tracking neighborhood heat. Data Center Concerns: Jefferson Davis County residents are raising alarms over a proposed $6 billion data center and its potential local impacts.

Hurricane Isaias: The first hurricane of the 2026 Atlantic season is forecast to bring dangerous storm surge, flooding rain and strong winds to the northern Gulf Coast. The National Hurricane Center warned of possible 5-to-7-foot surge from Ocean Springs to Indian Pass, Florida, and issued warnings for Mississippi’s coast. Mississippi Energy Costs: A new think-tank analysis projects households in Mississippi will pay roughly $9,000 more for energy through 2040 because of federal policy changes, as greater demand for gas and gasoline pushes prices higher. Delta Wetlands: Louisiana officials are seeking more than $150 million for a river-diversion project to rebuild wetlands at the Bird’s Foot Delta. Local fishermen and residents voiced support for restoring the flow of water and sediment. Freshwater Wildlife: Researchers identified five new freshwater mussel species in Southern rivers, several found in only a few river systems. They say the discoveries point to a need for region-specific protections.

Gulf Storm: Tropical Storm Isaias is forecast to strengthen into a hurricane before reaching the northern Gulf Coast late Friday or early Saturday. Mississippi’s coast is under hurricane and storm-surge watches, with dangerous flooding, heavy rain and strong winds possible. Data Center Concerns: Residents near Bassfield are pushing back against a proposed $6 billion data center that would clear about 300 acres. A petition with 950 signatures calls for a pause, citing health concerns and limited public input. Jackson Heat Relief: Farish Street Green has opened as a new neighborhood green space designed to provide cooling relief while tracking local heat. Freshwater Wildlife: Researchers identified five new Southern river mussel species, several with very limited ranges, underscoring the need for targeted protection.

Gulf Storm Watch: Tropical Depression Nine/Invest 92L is rapidly organizing in the Gulf and could become Tropical Storm Isaias soon, with heavy rain and flooding risk for parts of Louisiana, Mississippi and the Gulf Coast this weekend as Hurricane Hunters and NOAA aircraft monitor it. Data Centers vs. Power Costs: In Mississippi politics, Entergy says customers benefit from data centers—not subsidize them—while a legal fight looms over a 500-mile pipeline approved by FERC to feed growing methane demand tied to data centers. Local Data Center Rules: Jackson, Mississippi, is drafting a data center ordinance after residents pushed for health, environmental, water and infrastructure assessments. Winter Storm Recovery: Mississippi officials say debris cleanup after Winter Storm Fern could run until Halloween, with FEMA grants nearing $200 million. Wildlife & Water: A live ROV stream from the Nautilus expedition is showing previously unmapped deep-sea habitats in the Hawaiian abyss, highlighting how little of the ocean floor has been explored.

Gulf Storm Watch: A Gulf disturbance dubbed Invest 92L has a high chance of becoming Tropical Storm Isaias, with forecasters warning of heavy rain and flooding risk along the northern Gulf Coast, including parts of Mississippi and Alabama, later this week into the weekend. Mississippi Water Infrastructure: Oktibbeha County supervisors moved to rehabilitate the Oktibbeha County Lake dam to a high-hazard standard, but they’re racing a looming federal grant deadline and still need MDEQ’s public hearing process to keep funding on track. Wildlife Refuge Rules: The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service posted new closed areas and no-hunting zones for the Upper Mississippi River Refuge in Pools 12–14, including restrictions around Pleasant Creek and the Spring Lake Sanctuary. Clean Energy & Transport: A Chevron Renewable Energy Group biodiesel plant in Seneca highlights how river access to the Mississippi system can help move feedstocks and fuels, tying logistics to lower-emissions fuel production. Vehicle Electrification Snapshot: A new national analysis finds Mississippi among the lowest states for electric or hybrid vehicle adoption, with only about 2.7% of cars in the state running on electricity or electric boost.

Urban Heat Relief in Jackson: Farish Street Green held its grand opening, turning three vacant lots into a shaded urban forest after years of temperature mapping and community input, with 100 trees planted to cut heat in the city’s heat-island hotspot. Public Works Staffing Strain: Jackson city leaders discussed how to fill 24 Public Works vacancies, including only one engineer, as officials weigh pay and recruitment steps to keep trained staff from leaving. Gulf Storm Watch: Forecasters are tracking a developing tropical system in the southwestern Gulf with rising odds it could strengthen, with potential impacts on the Gulf Coast this weekend. Energy Costs for Mississippi Households: A think tank modeling says federal policy changes could push U.S. energy bills up by thousands of dollars through 2040, with Mississippi among states facing roughly $9,000 more. Mississippi River Learning Center Progress: A Mississippi River Learning Center restoration project advanced for Minnesota funding, aiming to improve river access and floodplain education at Crosby Farm Regional Park. Wildlife & Hunting Notes: Mississippi-related outdoor updates include continued concerns about low grouse numbers and mixed fall fishing reports. Water Quality Settlement: Arkansas is set to receive at least $32M from a Monsanto PCB contamination settlement, with funds restricted to water-quality work.

Mississippi Heat Relief: Jackson’s Farish Street Green opened as a new green space and urban forest designed to cool an “urban heat island,” using native plantings, trellises, and community input gathered through temperature data. Climate & Water Watch: A new Stacker roundup ranks Mississippi’s wettest Octobers since 1895, highlighting how precipitation swings can shape flooding risk and planning. Wildlife Loss Lesson: A report revisits the disappearance of Bachman’s warbler, the last known passenger pigeon’s era of decline, and what those extinctions teach about protecting habitat before it’s too late. Gulf Storm Potential: Forecasters say a disturbance in the Gulf has growing odds for development, with possible heavy rain and stronger winds affecting parts of Mississippi and Alabama this weekend. Mississippi River Focus: A Nobel Conference at Gustavus will spotlight the Mississippi River, tying ecology, culture, and communities to the river’s future. Energy Costs Pressure: Modeling says Mississippi households could pay about $9,000 more for energy through 2040 as federal clean-energy changes shift demand. Legal Fight Over Air Pollution: The DOJ is arguing it can block some citizen environmental lawsuits, including one tied to alleged unpermitted emissions near Black communities.

Carbon Capture Push in Louisiana: ExxonMobil has started carbon capture at Louisiana plants, but for now it’s sending emissions by pipeline to Texas and Mississippi instead of storing them locally, as local opposition to underground storage grows. Invasive Species Fight: Minnesota researchers are testing genetically engineered carp to curb invasive common carp by changing reproduction, aiming to reshape lake populations. Data Center Water and Pollution Debate: AWS CEO Matt Garman argues data centers use far less water than critics claim and pushes back on myths about diesel pollution and electricity bills. Mississippi Shipbuilding: The Navy commissioned the USS Ted Stevens, built in Pascagoula, expanding air and missile defense capability. Wildlife Management in Mississippi: The Mississippi wildlife commission voted to allow more supplemental feeding methods outside CWD zones, a move that drew concern from wildlife advocates. Energy Costs for Mississippi Households: A think tank says federal energy policy changes could raise household energy spending by thousands of dollars by 2040, with Mississippi among the hardest-hit states.

Invasive Species Alert: Missouri officials say the northern snakehead—an Asian predatory fish that can breathe air and survive on land—has been confirmed in the state’s Eleven Point River area, urging anglers to kill any they catch by severing the head, gutting it, or sealing it in a bag. Public Lands & Wildlife: A proposed rollback of the federal Roadless Rule could affect nearly 45 million acres of national forests, including about 10,666 acres in Illinois’ Shawnee National Forest, raising fears of more roads and less solitude. Energy Costs & Air Quality: New federal energy policy modeling warns households nationwide could face higher electricity bills and gasoline costs through 2040, with knock-on impacts like dirtier air and higher healthcare costs. Local Environment Governance: Mississippi wildlife officials voted on a new rule for supplemental feeding, allowing corn spreading outside current CWD management zones, despite past concerns raised about wildlife impacts. Mississippi River Spill Response: Reports describe a diesel fuel spill on the Mississippi River near Winona that was contained as Coast Guard investigators looked into the incident. Data Centers & Water/Energy Pressure: Amazon says it will invest $1B over five years in communities hosting data centers, pledging water-positive efforts by 2030 amid ongoing backlash over electricity and water use.