AGP Executive Report

Coral Reef Economics: A new UH Manoa-led study warns Leeward Maui could see the earliest and harshest recreational losses as coral declines, projecting Hawaii residents could lose $1.8B–$3B in reef-related recreation by 2100, with lower-income communities hit hardest. Defense & Local Business: RIMPAC 2026 is expected to deliver a record boost to Hawaii’s economy, with tens of thousands of visiting personnel driving hotel stays, dining, port services, fuel, logistics, and local contracting. Volcano Science: USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory marked Kīlauea’s 50th lava-fountaining episode at Halemaʻumaʻu, reporting a 1,030-foot fountain and detailed eruption timing for summit watchers. Health Care Costs: A UH Cancer Center study finds Hawaii patients spent over $230M on out-of-state cancer care (2021–2023), highlighting financial strain for high-complexity cases. Public Health Threat: CDC reports drug-resistant Candida auris cases are surging in U.S. hospitals, rising sharply from 2022 to 2024 and endangering vulnerable patients. Tech/Infrastructure: NEC will supply the I-2SEA submarine cable linking India’s AI hubs with Singapore, targeting service in 2029. Local Tech & Data: Hawaii State Archives contributed WWII “Turner Letters” and new civil rights photo collections to America250, expanding digitized access.

Volcano Watch: USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory marked Kīlauea’s Halemaʻumaʻu eruption “golden anniversary” with Episode 50—about a 1,030-foot lava fountain—while noting wind pushed most tephra south into remote park areas. Health & Money: A new UH Cancer Center study estimates Hawaiʻi patients spent over $230M on out-of-state cancer care (2021–2023), with complex cancers driving the travel. Tech at Airports: TSA is expanding PreCheck Touchless ID via Google Wallet, letting eligible travelers use facial comparison in dedicated lanes instead of showing physical documents. Space Science: A revised analysis boosts the habitability case for exoplanet GJ 3378b, improving its position in the habitable zone for future major telescopes. AI & Policing: A report warns that police use of AI—paired with drones and surveillance tools—could speed up targeting and make it harder to challenge actions in court. Conservation: Pittsburgh’s National Aviary hatched Guam kingfisher chicks to support reintroduction efforts on a brown-snake-free island.

Honolulu Public Safety: David Lazar was sworn in as Honolulu’s new police chief, pledging officer wellness, recruitment and retention, and rebuilding public trust as HPD faces chronic staffing and morale issues. AI & Environment: The G20 Interfaith Forum’s “AI and the Planet” webinar asks whether the AI boom can coexist with a livable Earth, with calls for a pause on major new expansion amid data-center and resource strain. Local Housing: A UHERO analysis says housing affordability worsened sharply starting in 2021 and only modestly improved since, with Honolulu still among the nation’s least affordable markets. Maunakea Astronomy: UH will end science operations at the UKIRT telescope on Maunakea on Sept. 15 and begin decommissioning, citing aging infrastructure and funding pressures. Volcano Watch: USGS reports Kīlauea’s summit eruption is paused, with deflation increasing uncertainty for the next episode. Water Quality Policy: EPA proposed UCMR 6 to monitor 30 unregulated drinking-water contaminants nationwide, while microplastics are not included.

Maunakea Astronomy: The University of Hawaiʻi says science operations at the UK Infrared Telescope (UKIRT) will end Sept. 15, 2026, with decommissioning planned to start by 2030—making UKIRT the third Maunakea telescope to be retired. Coastal Science: A Maui Nui “whale pump” study has completed its first round of seawater sampling to test whether humpback whales measurably enrich local waters with nutrients that can boost phytoplankton. Local Tech & Transit: Honolulu’s Priority Review program is using an AI-assisted CivCheck screening tool to fast-track eligible building permits ahead of a later mandatory rollout. Rail Reliability: Skyline’s third anniversary came with a reminder of persistent outages—stations went out of service 100+ times in a six-month span, alongside frequent escalator and elevator failures. Volcano Monitoring: USGS reports Mauna Loa is at NORMAL, with June showing fewer summit-region earthquakes and slight GPS contraction. Public Safety Tech: “Lulu’s Law” signed by President Trump clears the way for emergency cellphone alerts after shark attacks, with states responsible for implementation. Defense & Manufacturing: RIMPAC 2026 will feature a major advanced manufacturing demonstration that blends advanced production, AI, and unmanned systems to support fleet readiness.

University Leadership: UH Mānoa welcomed new chancellor Vassilis L. Syrmos with a traditional oli, as he pledges to prioritize student success, faculty support, and research and innovation. STEM & Campus Achievement: Seventy-seven UH Manoa athletes earned Academic All-Big West honors for spring 2026, spanning sports from engineering-linked majors to molecular biosciences. Public Works & Safety: Honolulu will install pedestrian and traffic safety upgrades in Pearl City, ʻAiea, and Punchbowl starting July 6, including curb ramps, new signage, and RRFBs, with work targeted through March 2027. Health & Equity: A new population-based study reports rising breast cancer incidence among Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander women, with sharp increases in younger patients and triple-negative tumors. Marine Conservation: Hawaii officials and advocates warn that toxoplasmosis from feral cat feces is threatening marine life after a monk seal death tied to the parasite. AI Policy: Sen. Brian Schatz co-introduced an AI Labeling Act of 2026 aimed at requiring clear disclosures for AI-generated content and chatbots.

AI Policy: Sen. Brian Schatz co-introduced the AI Labeling Act of 2026, pushing for visible and machine-readable disclosures on AI-generated content and requiring developers and major social platforms to help users verify authenticity. Local Education Leadership: UH-Manoa named Vassilis Syrmos as its new stand-alone chancellor, tasking him with leading a campus of 5,000+ staff and an $800M+ budget. Volcano Science: USGS reports Kīlauea’s summit eruption remains paused, with a deep magma-related signal detected and models pointing to lava-fountaining episode 51 likely between July 6–10. Ocean Tech: Nautilus departed Honolulu for Guam with a new Kongsberg EM 304 MKII multibeam sonar upgrade, boosting deep-seafloor mapping depth and coverage. Health & Law: New restrictions on abortion medication access and HPV vaccine rules take effect in Iowa, Mississippi, and Tennessee, while Hawaii’s strengthened shield-law provisions also take effect. Cancer Research: A pooled study using data from California and Hawaii finds several Asian breast-cancer subgroups have lower all-cause mortality than non-Latina White women, even with more unfavorable tumor features. Community & Food Security: Hawai‘i Community Foundation’s Richard Smart Fund marks 25 years in Waimea with $500,000 in 2026 grants, supporting culture, education, health, safety, and housing. STEM in the Islands: UH Hilo will offer a new AI concentration, expanding local pathways into artificial intelligence. Environment & Tech: Reef-safe sunscreen guidance highlights mineral-based SPFs to reduce harm to coral ecosystems.

Deep-Sea Mapping Upgrade: Ocean Exploration Trust’s Nautilus left Honolulu for Guam with a newly installed Kongsberg EM 304 MKII multibeam sonar, boosting seafloor mapping depth to 11,000 meters and widening coverage per pass for denser charts. Volcano Monitoring: USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reported Kīlauea’s summit eruption remains paused, but a new unusual seismic signal was detected and models point to lava-fountaining episode 51 likely between July 6–10. AI + Data in the Spotlight: Dataland, billed as the first AI museum, turns data into immersive, multisensory exhibits using large language models—more art experience than typical tech demo. Hawaiʻi Policy & Tech: Hawaii’s SNAP payment error rate in FY2025 ran slightly above the national average, raising stakes as federal rules tighten; officials stress errors aren’t the same as fraud. Local Tech in the Pacific: Pacific Fleet training and testing validated rapid ship return-to-fight capabilities, including damage-control drills and explosive response work tied to readiness for contested environments.

Hawaii Energy & Grid Reliability: A new UHERO report argues Oʻahu doesn’t need new fuel-burning power plants, saying solar plus battery storage is the most cost-effective path to keep the lights on while moving to 100% clean power, and that regulatory costs should be reduced to save billions. Local Power Troubles: Hawaiian Electric still has no firm fix date for ongoing flickering in Hawaii Kai and parts of Windward Oʻahu, citing multiple contributing factors and promising short- and long-term solutions. AI Education in Hawaiʻi: UH Hilo is launching new AI-focused offerings this fall, including a business analytics and AI concentration and an AI for business certificate for all majors. Volcano Science: USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory released new photos from Kīlauea’s episode 50, including lava fountaining up to about 1,000 ft, and noted summit inflation resumed with forecasts for episode 51. Space Tech: China’s Tianwen-2 mission is set to land on near-Earth quasi-moon Kamoʻoalewa in early July for a first asteroid sample return, with the object discovered from Haleakalā. Tech Policy & Privacy: A national debate is heating up over police use of AI to analyze drone and camera footage, with civil liberties groups warning about surveillance and court challenges. Healthcare & Research: A new podcast episode highlights barriers in diagnosing and treating ATTR-CM, featuring a UH cardiology specialist. Tourism Economy: DBEDT reports May visitor spending rose to $1.77B (+5.3%) even as average length of stay fell to 7.60 days (-10.3%).

Hawaiʻi Identity Security Upgrade: Hawaiʻi is rolling out redesigned driver’s licenses and state IDs for the first time in 17 years, adding 50+ anti-counterfeit features like laser-engraved data, raised tactile text, and tamper-resistant patterns. Wildlife Conservation: A new UH-led study finds most pueo deaths are tied to trauma from vehicle collisions, with researchers urging drivers to stay alert during peak morning/evening hours near roadsides. Climate Data for Residents: UH will launch a free monthly climate summary tool for Hawaiʻi subscribers, turning local drought, rainfall, and watershed health data into plain-language updates tied to places like ʻĪao Valley and West Maui. Pacific Tech & Connectivity: Palau’s PNCC is deploying a new Nokia 4G/5G Standalone mobile network and a fiber-to-the-premises rollout funded through the U.S. ReConnect program. Aviation & Tech in the Air: Delta is lagging rivals on high-speed in-flight Wi‑Fi, while BETA and Surf Air continue electric aircraft demonstrations in Hawaiʻi. Defense & Readiness in Hawaiʻi: RIMPAC 2026 is underway across the islands, with South Korea taking a bigger command role and sending new Aegis and other naval assets. Space Watch: China’s Tianwen-2 spacecraft has reached Kamo’oalewa, a near-Earth “mini-moon,” with sample return planned for 2027.

Electric Aviation in Hawaii: BETA Technologies and Surf Air Mobility launched a six-to-eight-week electric aircraft demonstration program at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport to test ALIA CTOL performance, costs, and infrastructure needs for future interisland cargo and passenger service. Navy Logistics for RIMPAC 2026: NAVSUP FLC Pearl Harbor contracting is executing $1M+ in support services—buses, cranes/tugs, sanitation, and reception support—helping RIMPAC run across multiple Hawaiian locations. Wildlife Research: A new University of Hawaiʻi statewide study finds most pueo deaths are caused by trauma from vehicle collisions, with wind turbines also contributing—pointing to prevention steps like collision reduction and better rodenticide awareness. Deep-Sea Diving Tech: Keyport hosted DSEND’s first open-water evaluation of a no-decompression atmospheric diving suit, simulating real Navy missions and recovering a sunk unmanned underwater vehicle. AI & Security in Housing: Cloudastructure was selected to deploy AI surveillance and remote guarding across two multifamily communities in Arizona, with expansion plans that include Hawaii. Public Health Data: Pearl released the Pearl Oral Health Index, using AI to analyze 26M dental x-rays and 737M teeth to map America’s oral health gaps. Local Workforce Pipeline: Friends of Kauai Wildlife Refuges awarded $31,250 in conservation scholarships to 17 Hawaii students.

Coastal Resilience in the Spotlight: Officials are backing a sand-trucking plan to save Maui’s Ka’anapali Beach as erosion eats away at shoreline and hotel infrastructure, but locals worry the fix could worsen access and impacts. Wildlife Conservation: A new University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa statewide study finds vehicle collisions are the leading cause of documented pueo deaths, with trauma dominating and many cases tied to roads—prompting calls for safer driving and better rodenticide awareness. Local Climate Tech: UH’s Hawaiʻi Climate Data Portal is rolling out free, personalized monthly climate summaries that translate neighborhood-level rainfall, temperature, and drought data into plain-language updates using moku and ahupuaʻa boundaries. UH in the Media Tech Stack: Hawaii News Now is set to take over local TV rights for UH sports, aiming to expand reach and upgrade production with new partners and mobile production capabilities. Space & Science: Mauna Kea observatories helped identify a distant star-forming galaxy (“Shadow Blaster”) as the likely source of a high-energy neutrino detected by IceCube, strengthening the case for faraway galaxies as cosmic neutrino factories. Volcano Science Legacy: USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory marked the retirement of UH volcanologist Bruce Houghton, highlighting his work on reading eruption deposits to understand explosive processes.

Kīlauea Update: Episode 50 of the Halemaʻumaʻu eruption ended abruptly at 5:10 p.m. after about seven hours of lava fountaining, with officials warning tephra could still fall on communities and roads in Kaʻū. Wildlife Conservation: A statewide UH Mānoa-led study found most Pueo deaths are caused by trauma, with 62% linked to vehicle collisions or road-adjacent incidents—plus 13% tied to wind turbines—suggesting many deaths may be preventable. Public Health Research: UH Mānoa won a $2.2M NIH grant for the next phase of the Maui Learnings to Overcome Adversities study, focusing on long-term health and well-being impacts after the 2023 wildfires. Local Tech & Safety: Hawaii’s redesigned driver’s licenses are rolling out with TSA-compatible security features and new holographic elements, aiming to fix airport scanning problems. STEM in the Sky: Mauna Kea observatories helped identify a likely source galaxy for IceCube’s high-energy neutrino event “Shadow Blaster,” strengthening the case that distant star-forming galaxies produce cosmic neutrinos. Energy & Buildings: A decarbonization push argues the fastest path is cutting building energy demand first—through air sealing, insulation, and energy recovery ventilators—before adding more tech. Coral Recovery: Kahaluu Bay’s cauliflower coral is rebounding after major heat-wave losses, with recent milky-white water signaling heavy spawning.

Kīlauea Update: Episode 50 of the Halemaʻumaʻu eruption ended abruptly at 5:10 p.m. after about 7 hours of lava fountaining, with tephra fallout still possible for Kaʻū as flows covered roughly 30% of the crater floor. Public Health & Research: UH Mānoa won a $2.2M NIH grant for the next phase of the Maui Learnings to Overcome Adversities study, building on findings that wildfire mental health impacts spread beyond burn zones. Brain Health: The Alzheimer’s Association Brain Health Summit at UH JABSOM highlighted new blood biomarker testing, diagnosis advances, and lifestyle steps for cognitive health. Local Tech & Infrastructure: Hawaiʻi Pacific University researchers presented early results on turning ocean plastic and fishing nets into asphalt roads, aiming to cut landfill and marine impacts. Wireless Policy: The FCC’s AWS-3 spectrum auction wrapped above $3.57B, with Honolulu among the highest per-unit prices. Community Safety: Honolulu police arrested a suspect after a Nanakuli stabbing sent multiple people to the hospital. Volcano Science: A UH study says stress on the San Andreas Fault system has reached a 1,000-year high, raising the odds of large multi-fault ruptures.

Electric Aviation in Hawaiʻi: Beta Technologies and Surf Air Mobility kicked off electric aircraft flight demos in Hawaiʻi, aiming to prove the CX300 can slot into real airline operations. Defense Tech at RIMPAC: 3YOURMIND and Phillips are running a distributed manufacturing experiment with the Naval Postgraduate School during RIMPAC 2026, testing how parts could be produced on demand across a joint-force network. Volcano Watch: Kīlauea’s summit eruption stayed paused, then showed renewed activity with lava overflow at the north vent; USGS raised the alert to WATCH and aviation color to ORANGE. Local Resilience & STEM: Maui is seeking more amateur radio operators ahead of hurricane season, and Maui Economic Opportunity is placing summer interns on community-focused projects. Ocean & Food Security: Hawaiʻi Island’s Kaʻūpūpūlehu Marine Reserve reopening is delayed until later in 2026 as co-management and a fisheries plan are finalized. Research Spotlight: A UH study says San Andreas Fault stress has hit a 1,000-year high.

Electric Aviation in Hawaii: BETA Technologies and Surf Air Mobility kicked off a six-to-eight-week electric aircraft demonstration in the islands with Hawaiian Airlines support, aiming to test battery life, costs, and infrastructure needs for future zero-emission cargo and passenger service. Space Watch: A Hawaii-discovered asteroid, 1997 NC1, will safely pass Earth this weekend at about 1.6 million miles, with skywatchers able to spot it as a faint point of light. AI Policy in Hawaii: Sens. Brian Schatz and others introduced an AI Labeling Act of 2026 that would require clear labeling of AI-made digital content and push for shared authenticity standards. Local Resilience & STEM: Maui Economic Opportunity is hosting summer interns focused on community needs, including tech and AI-related concerns, while Maui also seeks more amateur radio operators ahead of hurricane season. Marine Conservation: The Kaʻūpūlehu Marine Reserve reopening has been delayed until later in 2026 as partners finalize its fisheries management plan and co-management agreement. Business Recovery: Hawaii County opened applications for a Kona Low Business Recovery Grant Program, offering up to $10,000 for eligible storm-impacted businesses. Tech & Travel Connectivity: Alaska and Hawaiian airlines are expanding Starlink high-speed in-flight Wi-Fi across more aircraft, with full widebody coverage targeted by this fall.

Electric Aviation in Hawaiʻi: BETA Technologies and Surf Air Mobility kicked off a six-to-eight-week electric aircraft demonstration using the ALIA CTOL, with Hawaiian Airlines supporting feasibility work for future interisland cargo and passenger service. Volcano Science: USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reports Kīlauea summit Episode 50 is likely today, with frequent gas jetting, large flames, and spatter at the south vent; no lava overflows reported so far. Local Courts & Health: DOJ announced $17M in Red Hill settlement payments for hundreds of Central Oʻahu plaintiffs, part of broader litigation tied to 2021 jet fuel contamination. AI & Travel Discovery: A new study says major AI platforms can accurately describe named independent luxury hotels, but often omit them in broad “best hotel” category searches—depending on what sources the AI reads. Space Watch: A Hawaii-discovered asteroid (1997 NC1) will pass Earth this weekend at a safe distance, with skywatchers potentially spotting it as a faint moving point. Research Funding: UH researchers received a $12M grant to advance AI and data science in medicine.