AGP Executive Report

Data Center Push in Maysville: RUM Group developers told residents they’re planning two AI data-center buildings, with $15M promised for community projects and about $20M a year in taxes, while addressing concerns over water use and noise. Power & Energy: Georgia Power broke ground on a gas-and-battery expansion at Plant Bowen, adding to the state’s momentum in grid-scale storage. Manufacturing Expansion in Fairburn: Post Consumer Brands is seeking a $1.3M Fulton County property tax break tied to a $32M cereal and pet food facility expansion. Healthcare Workforce: Wellstar says it will lay off about 761 employees (roughly 2% of its workforce) after an internal review, mainly in corporate and shared services. Housing Policy Fight in Athens: Athens-Clarke County is poised to reject a proposal allowing ADUs to include a full kitchen, a move aimed at easing rents and housing shortages. Legal/Privacy Case in Atlanta: DOJ charged a man after he allegedly wiped his phone during an airport search using a duress password feature. Aquaculture Biosecurity Training: FAO and Georgia’s National Food Agency wrapped a training program to strengthen fish disease monitoring and traceability systems.

Roads & Logistics: Georgia Ports Authority says Savannah terminals are bucking the usual summer slowdown, moving nearly 500,000 container units in June and erasing a year-over-year volume dip as the port posts its third-busiest fiscal year on record. Public Safety & Infrastructure: Ware County commissioners heard an update on the Albany Avenue Overpass, with construction now looking at a 2027 start after CSX review and right-of-way work. Energy & Industry: Core Scientific struck an AMD-backed AI data-center deal, adding capacity in Georgia (Dalton) plus other sites, as the company pivots to new AI infrastructure partnerships. Ag & Rural Economy: USDA opened a $35M partnership push to help states respond to feral swine, with Georgia included; applications are due Sept. 21. Workforce & Tech: NSF launched inaugural CyberAICorps Scholarship for Service awards to expand AI-and-cybersecurity training and workforce development. Environment & Tourism: Okefenokee’s World Heritage designation caps a decades-long push, adding another major draw for Georgia’s conservation economy. Local Business: Mueller Water Products declared a quarterly dividend of $0.070 per share, payable around Aug. 20. Community & Culture: Ciara’s Ciara Day investment will put $50,000 into 10 Atlanta youth organizations tied to arts and entertainment careers.

Energy & Industry: Gov. Brian Kemp pushed back on calls for a data-center pause, saying a blanket moratorium is “irresponsible” while arguing Georgia communities should decide where facilities go. Workforce & Food Supply: USDA announced $35 million for feral swine eradication partnerships, including Georgia, as part of a broader $105 million federal effort to protect farms, landscapes and health. Public Safety & Infrastructure: GDOT is seeking public comments through July 31 on a Crowe Springs Road bridge replacement in Bartow County to meet current safety and load standards. Agriculture & Markets: USDA and Georgia finalized a Cooperative Interstate Shipment agreement, expanding market access for state-inspected meat processors nationwide. Local Economy & Construction: Georgia Power 100 linebacker coverage highlighted top prospects, while UGA campus road closures were announced ahead of the fall semester. Business & Tech: A pro-data-center group launched in Georgia to counter local backlash, as OpenAI’s planned Rincon facility continues to draw protests. Health & Community: Savannah opened cooling centers, pools and splash pads as heat advisories warned of heat index values near 110.

Georgia–Kazakhstan Crime Case: Georgia extradited a suspect accused of helping run an organized network producing and trafficking synthetic drugs, with prosecutors alleging money laundering via crypto; authorities say he faces up to 20 years. Water Infrastructure Earnings: Mueller Water Products (Atlanta) set its Q3 2026 earnings release for Aug. 5 and a call the next day, underscoring continued demand for water transmission and leak-detection tech. Cybersecurity/Payments: Newland NPT (payments terminals) partnered with Futurex to enable remote key injection across North America, aiming to cut deployment delays. Trucking Supply Chain: Trucking Hub launched a fleet hardware store bundling ELDs, GPS, dashcams, connectivity, and installation gear for carriers. Food Safety: General Mills recalled Walmart bakery frozen Pillsbury rolls in 19 states over possible glass fragments; Fresh & Ready Foods recalled burritos in eight states due to undeclared soy allergen tied to sausage. Public Health in Georgia: CDC data show cyclosporiasis cases rising in Georgia to under 80 confirmed, tied to a national lettuce recall. Local Community/Workforce: Lil Baby’s Jones Project hosted Atlanta’s Back to School Fest for 4,000 students with supplies, uniforms, haircuts, and meals. Data Centers & Power: Nvidia and OpenAI reportedly discussed a massive Ohio data center, while Georgia’s own OpenAI-linked Effingham County project remains in the spotlight. Workplace Safety: A Georgia-focused employer safety checklist highlights legal duties to prevent injuries and reduce fatal workplace incidents.

Data Centers & Power Politics: Connected Georgia is pushing a pro-data-center message in Georgia, arguing facilities help “unlock a smarter power grid,” as local backlash continues over zoning and electricity impacts. AI Infrastructure in Georgia: Nvidia is reportedly in talks to backstop up to $250B of OpenAI’s data-center financing, underscoring how AI capital is reshaping regional construction plans. Local Governance & Tax Pressure: Coweta County schools will hold hearings on keeping the 2026 property tax rate at 15.00 mills, with senior homestead exemptions also in focus. Cybersecurity: Atlanta-based MCBS says a 2025 breach affected 1.26M people, including sensitive medical and identity data. Environment & Economic Promise: The Okefenokee became a UNESCO World Heritage site, shifting attention to delivering the growth promised by supporters. Agriculture & Food Systems: Georgia’s Okefenokee celebration and a separate “Alooba 2026” wheat-and-bread festival highlight how heritage and farming culture are being packaged for future development. Public Safety Tech Debate: Flock-style drone/ALPR surveillance is drawing fresh political pushback, with lawmakers targeting federal funding for communities using such cameras. Healthcare Business Growth: Lumos Diagnostics reports FY26 momentum for its FebriDx rapid test, citing stronger US adoption after securing a CLIA waiver. Workforce & Training: UNDP’s “Green Champions” camp in Western Georgia is training young people and teachers for climate action and green-economy careers.

Logistics & Infrastructure: GDOT is moving ahead with a $3.5B plan for 41 miles of toll-free, truck-only lanes on northbound I-75, with design set to finish in 2027 and completion targeted for 2032. Energy & Grid Reliability: Georgia’s energy system is again in the spotlight after reports of large-scale outages and a separate investigation opened under Georgia’s sabotage-related criminal code. AI & Data Centers: OpenAI’s $20B “Project Camellia” is driving new local opposition and policy moves, including a Chamblee moratorium and renewed debate over power and water impacts. Manufacturing & Clean Tech: Hyundai and SK On begin commercial EV battery production at a $5B Georgia plant, signaling more domestic supply-chain buildout. Workforce & Industry Research: Georgia Tech researchers unveiled a faster fracture-testing platform aimed at proving whether recycled plastics actually last in real-world use. Education & Public Sector: BOE updates sick leave policy and approves UGA Extension plans, while local school back-to-school preparations ramp up.

Grid Expansion & Eminent Domain: Georgia Power’s grid buildout tied to AI demand is already displacing homeowners, with residents saying hundreds of property impacts could include bulldozing nearly 30 homes. Local Housing Preservation: Savannah’s Yamacraw Village faces potential demolition, but residents’ council is pushing for enforceable guarantees, including a right to return. Industrial Safety & Fire Response: Bulloch County crews are in the third day of fighting a 400+ acre wildfire, now about 75% contained, after lightning and dry conditions helped it spread. Energy Security Probe: Georgia’s State Security Service says it has opened criminal proceedings over nationwide emergency power outages under a sabotage-related code provision, with causes still undisclosed. Food Safety: A multistate Salmonella egg recall involves more than 19 million eggs, with CDC/FDA urging consumers not to eat affected cartons. Education Policy: Georgia’s education ministry approved fixed school-uniform prices for grades 1-6, with sales at other prices prohibited. Construction Disruption: Flowery Branch’s Falcon Crest Drive remains closed until Sunday morning after storm damage and repair delays.

Power & Infrastructure: Georgia’s Okefenokee Swamp is now a UNESCO World Heritage site, joining other new additions and reigniting local debates about how the designation will be managed. Energy & Grid: A new report highlights record U.S. battery storage growth, with Q1 2026 installations smashing prior benchmarks—another sign Georgia’s power buildout is accelerating. Workforce & Industry Tech: IEEE’s Humanoids 2026 in December frames humanoid robots as an economic “future of work” issue, not just a robotics breakthrough. Public Health & Food Supply: FDA updates tie recalled eggs to a salmonella outbreak reaching 98+ illnesses across 17 states, including Georgia; separate recalls this week include Amy’s lentil soup and other food safety alerts. Local Government & Roads: Hall County still has Falcon Crest Drive closed in Flowery Branch after severe Friday rainfall; bottled water is available for residents. Small Business: SBA names 10 semifinalists for its $1 million Patriot Pitch Competition, including Winton Machine in Suwanee, Georgia. Water Safety: A well-water seminar urged private owners to test annually, noting most Georgians on private wells are responsible for their own drinking-water safety.

Data Center Backlash in Georgia: Columbus residents rallied against “Project Ruby,” saying council handling lacked transparency and raising concerns about grid strain, water use, and noise as AI infrastructure expands. Power Reliability: Georgia saw widespread outages after a nationwide power cut disrupted metro and rail services, leaving large areas without electricity while officials investigate causes. Food Safety Watch: CDC/FDA report Cyclospora outbreak linked to Taylor Farms iceberg lettuce is broader than first thought, with cases now across multiple states including Georgia; Taylor Farms says it’s tightened protocols and expanded recalls. Workforce & Industry Hiring: Hanwha QCells Georgia is hiring a Purchasing Supervisor in the Cartersville area, signaling continued manufacturing supply-chain investment. Sustainability in Manufacturing Research: Georgia Tech launched its first Sustainable Lab Certification program to cut lab energy and water use with tiered bronze/silver/gold recognition. Local Education Funding: Bulloch County BOE proposed a rollback property tax millage to offset inflation in assessed values for school funding. Sports with Georgia Ties: Azzi Fudd (Dallas) won the WNBA All-Star 3-point contest; Georgia’s Angel Reese drew major attention with a Barbie-themed appearance.

Data Center & Power Oversight: Georgia regulators are set to investigate data center energy costs, as the state faces mounting pressure from new mega-projects and grid strain. Industrial Growth Delays: Hall County tabled the $131.3-million Danji Industrial Park near the inland port off White Sulphur Road until at least Oct. 8, citing the need for a traffic impact study with multiple entrances. Construction & Transit: GDOT says I-285 will fully close again end of July for concrete repairs, with lanes shut between Cascade Rd and SR 139/MLK Jr. Dr from July 31 to Aug. 3. Food Safety: Amy’s Kitchen recalled 184,000+ cans of organic lentil soup in multiple states including Georgia due to a pull-tab defect that could lead to spoilage. Agriculture & Biosecurity: USDA allocated $35 million to combat feral swine, while Georgia also moves to contain an invasive hornet that preys on honeybees. Local Business & Community: The Atlanta Dogwood Festival is returning to Piedmont Park for 2027 (April 9-11) after a tough year.

Energy Infrastructure: Georgia Power is building a new West Chatham County substation and transmission lines—the biggest Savannah-area upgrade since the 1970s—to keep up with rapid growth and prevent summer outages. Workforce & Education: RMG held its 2026 scholarship ceremony in Kazreti, selecting 25 students from GTU and Tbilisi State University after interviews and reviews; recipients also toured the company’s quarry and copper enrichment operations. Industrial Growth & Logistics: Spectra says it’s seeing rising demand for peptide fulfillment and is expanding FDA-registered, climate-controlled storage and distribution services. Local Transportation & Safety: Sandy Springs approved funding for a Glenridge Drive sidepath gap fix and advanced a Roswell Road safety study, while Atlanta-area residents voiced concerns about the Monroe Drive Safe Streets lane reduction. Public Safety & Construction: Two Cobb County-area suspects pleaded not guilty in a federal case tied to fireworks and vandalism at a construction firm’s offices tied to the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center. Capital Markets: Codexis priced a public offering of 16.67 million shares at $1.50, targeting about $23.1 million in net proceeds for working capital and R&D.

AI Data Centers in Georgia: OpenAI is moving ahead with a $20B, 3.2 GW “Project Camellia” data center campus in Effingham County near Savannah, with Georgia Power saying it will provide up to 1,000 MW of flexible demand response—while residents and local leaders keep pushing for guardrails on water, noise, and transparency. Local Governance: Chamblee approved a pause/moratorium on new data center applications, and a separate dispute in Bessemer, Ala. shows how NDAs can limit public access to records tied to major data center plans. Workforce & Business: Pinnacle Financial Partners says it’s still hiring aggressively after its Synovus integration—adding 74 bankers in Q2 and targeting 225–250 revenue hires for 2026. Food Safety: Amy’s Kitchen recalled 184,000+ cans of organic lentil soup in multiple states, citing a pull-tab defect that could lead to spoilage. Cybersecurity: Coca-Cola’s Fairlife halted U.S. production after a ransomware attack, with hackers claiming they could leak data. Construction/Procurement: Euharlee is seeking bids for Osborne Park redevelopment phase 3 improvements, including trails, drainage, and a boardwalk.

AI Power Crunch: BloombergNEF projects U.S. data center demand could hit 194 gigawatts by 2035, with facilities using about 20% of U.S. electricity—far beyond today’s 5.9%, as AI campuses multiply and the grid struggles to keep up. Georgia Power + OpenAI: Georgia Power signed a 25-year deal with OpenAI for “Project Camellia” in Effingham County, while OpenAI also plans a $20 billion AI data center campus in the Savannah Gateway Industrial Hub. Local Backlash + Policy: Chamblee approved a pause on data center applications, and Cherokee County approved a data center moratorium—showing how water, noise, and zoning concerns are shaping where projects land. Industrial Costs Watch: Georgia’s industrial producer price index rose 5.9% year-over-year in June, according to Geostat. Food Safety: Fresh & Ready Foods recalled spicy breakfast burritos in eight states (including Georgia) over undeclared soy/sausage after customer reports. Consumer Tech + Privacy: Attorney General Chris Carr says 23andMe’s bankruptcy settlement will pay Georgia $452,232 after a 2023 genetic data breach affected 171,125 Georgians.

AI Infrastructure in Georgia: OpenAI unveiled “Project Camellia,” a $20B AI data center campus in Effingham County needing 3.2 GW of power, plus a public open house and a $80M community benefits pledge aimed at education, workforce, public safety, and small business support. Local Data Center Pushback: Chamblee approved a 180-day pause on new data center applications to review codes on energy, water, tree canopy, stormwater, noise, and neighborhood impacts. Food Safety Watch: FDA says a cyclospora-linked Taylor Farms lettuce traceback still implicates shredded iceberg lettuce, even after a brief false-positive lab result; at least 1,644 illnesses are reported. Logistics Automation: Exol selected GreyOrange to orchestrate workflows across its robotic fulfillment network, expanding AMR deployments across B2B and omnichannel operations. Public Safety Training: Houston County first responders must complete autism response training under “Rio’s Law,” using sensory tools and de-escalation tactics. Energy & Industry: Georgia Business Focus highlights a new Georgia Digital Infrastructure Alliance and rising energy costs hitting consumers at the pump.

AI & Power Infrastructure: A new wave of eminent domain fights is emerging as utilities pursue high-voltage transmission lines to serve AI data centers, with landowners in Georgia and other states challenging whether “public use” applies when the demand is driven mainly by private tech campuses. Public Health & Food Supply: Georgia’s food safety spotlight stays on cyclospora after federal officials linked illnesses to iceberg lettuce tied to Taylor Farms and some Taco Bell locations, with Georgia consumers urged that washing helps but can’t fully eliminate risk. Rural Economy: Georgia’s rural household count fell 25.5% from 2014 to 2024, driven by out-migration, aging populations and farm consolidation, even as the number of agricultural enterprises rose. Energy & Trade: Georgia reported a 50% year-over-year jump in hazelnut exports (value up to $73.5M) and a 31% increase in fuel imports from Azerbaijan in the first half of the year. Workforce & Training: Georgia Northwestern Technical College named the first recipients of a Disabled Veterans Support Scholarship, funded through voluntary state tax donations. Transportation: GDOT postponed an I-285 weekend closure in Cobb County due to weather concerns.

Courthouse Planning: Hall County picked Atlanta-based SSOE Group for the new courthouse/judicial complex expansion design, a $670,000-plus contract, with the site still not publicly set. Food Safety & Public Health: The FDA clarified that a cyclospora “false-positive” lab result doesn’t change the basis for Taylor Farms’ voluntary lettuce recall tied to the multistate cyclosporiasis outbreak. Data Privacy & Settlements: Louisiana AG Liz Murrill reached a settlement with 23andMe’s bankruptcy trustee over the 2023 genetic data breach, with limited payout from the estate to states. AI for Small Business: Atlanta-based MarketBlazer launched MarketBlazer.ai, bundling AI tools for marketing, lead gen, sales, and customer communications. Energy/Industry Oversight: Georgia regulators are set to investigate data center energy costs, as public pushback grows over AI-driven power demand. Construction/Infrastructure: Westbound I-285 weekend closure was canceled due to weather, with a new date pending. Workforce/Community: Baldwin County approved selling 15+ acres of former Georgia State Patrol property to Georgia College & State University for $865,000 to support West Campus growth.