AGP Executive Report

Energy Reliability: A federal emergency order put the Mid-Atlantic grid, including Maryland, on alert amid high demand and tight supply. BGE and other utilities renewed calls for more power generation as the region weighs backup capacity and long-term investment. Advanced Manufacturing: Anduril’s proposed $6.6 billion submarine shipyard at Tradepoint Atlantic could make Maryland a major center for shipbuilding and autonomous systems. Transportation Infrastructure: BWI-Marshall reopened Runway 10-28 after an $83.8 million project, a major upgrade for the region’s air-travel network. Maryland Makers: Maryland Public Television’s “Made in Maryland” returns Oct. 28, featuring manufacturers and craftspeople from across the state, from pewter and chocolate makers to a lacrosse equipment company. Workforce Development: A new state search tool connects Marylanders to more than 900 job-training and education programs, helping employers and workers find pathways to in-demand skills.

Grid Reliability: PJM’s temporary federal emergency order let the Mid-Atlantic grid operator call on standby generators to help avert blackouts, spotlighting supply risks for Maryland businesses. Defense Manufacturing: Anduril’s planned $3.7 billion shipyard at Tradepoint Atlantic, backed by a Navy contract worth up to $2.9 billion, could bring major investment to Baltimore County. Airport Infrastructure: BWI reopened its rehabilitated Runway 10-28 after an $83.8 million project, restoring its longest runway. Workforce Pipeline: Delmarva college leaders urged closer ties with local employers to prepare students for regional jobs and keep graduates on the Shore. Biotech: FDA officials will seek input Oct. 28 in Silver Spring on a new approach to reviewing rare-disease therapies.

Power Supply: A federal emergency order gives PJM added authority to bring generators and backup power online through Oct. 16 as warm weather strains the Mid-Atlantic grid, including Maryland. Agriculture: Maryland wineries are replanting after an April freeze devastated vineyards; Linganore Winecellars lost about 90% of its grapes. The state also moved to ease diesel costs for farmers during harvest. Shoreline Innovation: A new QuickReef pilot in Cambridge tests a lower-cost way to curb erosion while creating habitat for oysters and fish. Defense Manufacturing: Anduril’s planned Sparrows Point shipyard could make Tradepoint Atlantic a major hub for submarine production and autonomous systems. Research and Jobs: A federal judge halted the planned closure of Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, preserving a key Maryland research site and its jobs.

Power Grid: A federal emergency order gave PJM temporary authority to call on extra generation and backup power across Maryland and 12 other states amid tight supply. Maryland is also expanding financing tools to help building owners invest in decarbonization. Maritime Manufacturing: Anduril is advancing plans for a multibillion-dollar submarine shipyard at Sparrows Point, a potential boost to Maryland’s defense manufacturing base and thousands of jobs. Agriculture and Research: A federal judge halted the USDA reorganization that threatened the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, while Maryland awarded $3.6 million to expand rural food storage and distribution. The state also extended its fall cover-crop deadline and eased diesel rules for farmers facing high fuel costs.

Power Grid: A federal emergency order gives PJM, which serves Maryland, authority to call on extra generation and backup power through Oct. 16 as demand and maintenance strain the grid. Data-center growth is adding to longer-term reliability concerns. Federal Jobs: A judge halted USDA relocations, including plans affecting Beltsville agricultural research. The ruling protects about 1,000 jobs for now; Prince George’s County’s executive estimated closing the center could cost Maryland $450 million in economic output. Agriculture: Maryland eased diesel restrictions for farmers amid high fuel costs and extended the fall cover-crop planting deadline. Chesapeake Bay: The Bay earned a C+, its highest grade in 40 years of tracking, with gains in water quality and aquatic grasses; researchers say continued restoration work is needed. Industry and Infrastructure: Anduril’s proposed Sparrows Point shipyard would bring a major defense-manufacturing project to Baltimore County, while Amtrak advances plans to replace two Maryland bridges on the Northeast Corridor. Baltimore’s Guinness brewery, which drew millions of visitors, is set to close.

Grid Reliability: A federal emergency order gives PJM, which serves Maryland, authority to call on additional generation and backup power through Oct. 16 amid high demand and planned outages; officials say it is a precaution, not a blackout warning. Biotechnology: NIH named CytoHub co-founder Aitor Aguirre to lead cardiac tissue engineering at its new $87 million organoid center in Frederick, overseeing work to develop reproducible human heart models. Chesapeake Economy: The Bay earned a C-plus, its highest score in 40 years, but water clarity remains weak and the Lower Eastern Shore’s water quality trend is declining. Shipbuilding: Anduril’s proposed Sparrows Point shipyard and plans to build autonomous systems at Tradepoint Atlantic could bring a major new defense-manufacturing operation to Baltimore County. Agriculture: Maryland loosened diesel rules for farmers facing high fuel costs during harvest and extended the fall cover-crop planting deadline. Tourism: Anne Arundel County visitors generated $4.3 billion in economic impact in 2025, supporting more than 26,000 jobs. Brewing: Guinness plans to close its Baltimore brewery, a major tourism draw that welcomed about 2 million visitors.

Manufacturing: A manufacturer has broken ground on a Hagerstown-area plant, while Anduril’s planned $6.6 billion shipyard at Tradepoint Atlantic would bring submarine-component production to Sparrows Point, backed by $3.7 billion in company investment and up to $2.9 billion from the Navy. Energy and Development: Maryland officials say allowing utilities to set rates years ahead is not working as intended, as data-center construction faces growing local opposition and scrutiny over its grid costs. Hospitality: Guinness will close its $90 million Baltimore-area brewery on Nov. 1, putting 174 Aramark workers out of work. Agriculture: Gov. Wes Moore’s emergency diesel order eases fuel restrictions for farmers and forestry businesses during harvest season. Equine Industry: Maryland’s first statewide horse-industry plan targets workforce training, tourism and animal welfare for a sector valued at $2.9 billion.

Agriculture and Forestry: Gov. Wes Moore temporarily eased diesel restrictions for farmers and loggers, allowing tax-exempt fuel in qualifying on-road trucks and suspending some heavy-hauling permit fees amid high prices. Quantum and Cybersecurity: Maryland-based IonQ agreed to acquire zero-trust security firm Elisity in a deal valued at up to $1.3 billion, adding network protection to its quantum security business. Manufacturing: Jamison Door and parent company BMP Group broke ground on a 355,000-square-foot Hagerstown-area plant, the first phase of a planned manufacturing campus. Defense Industry: Anduril’s proposed Sparrows Point shipyard and partnership with Gecko Robotics could expand submarine production at Tradepoint Atlantic and bring thousands of jobs to Maryland. Utility Costs: Maryland regulators found the state’s pilot allowing utilities to set rates years ahead failed to make bills more predictable; the commission is ending the program and reviewing alternatives.

Farm and Forestry Relief: Gov. Wes Moore declared a 30-day emergency allowing qualifying agricultural and forestry vehicles to use dyed diesel on public roads and waiving fees for heavier-load permits, easing harvest-season fuel costs. Shipbuilding Investment: Anduril plans a $3.7 billion shipyard at Tradepoint Atlantic, backed by a Navy contract worth up to $2.9 billion, to make submarine components and create thousands of Maryland jobs. The company says large-scale autonomous systems could come later. Water Supply: Baltimore is pumping about 30 million gallons of Susquehanna River water a day to supplement drought-depleted reservoirs, serving roughly 350,000 households. Film and TV: Baltimore is pitching its inclusive culture to attract productions, alongside states competing with tax incentives; the city’s film council says artists’ safety and welcome can also influence location choices. Equine Industry: Maryland’s first statewide horse-industry plan charts a shared path for a sector valued at $2.9 billion.

Local Business: 7 Brew plans to open its second Harford County drive-through in Edgewood on Oct. 19, a potential lift for a shopping center seeking more customers. Small-Business Energy: Takoma Park’s fall grant cycle offers eligible businesses and community groups up to $30,000 for electrification and efficiency upgrades, with no matching funds required for businesses. Construction & Forestry: Maryland is promoting state-grown wood in public building projects, creating a possible boost for local forestry and wood-product suppliers. Defense Manufacturing: Anduril’s proposed submarine shipyard at Sparrows Point could bring billions in investment and thousands of jobs, while its partnership with Gecko Robotics targets faster shipyard testing and production. Agriculture: Gov. Wes Moore’s emergency order aims to ease diesel restrictions for farm and forestry work during harvest season; the state also extended the fall cover-crop planting deadline. Wine Industry: Maryland’s winery sector is expanding, with six wineries opening in the past year and another estate winery planned for 2027.

Roads & Recycling: Baltimore has used crushed glass in asphalt on at least 17 streets, turning waste into road aggregate and creating a sparkle effect under sunlight and streetlights. Agriculture: Gov. Wes Moore signed an emergency order aimed at easing diesel fuel restrictions for Maryland farmers and forestry businesses during harvest season. Health Care: State officials are examining whether nonprofit hospitals’ offshore captive-insurance arrangements may leave taxes unpaid. Critical Care: MedStar Health is adding an Airbus H145 D3 helicopter to expand medical transport capacity across Maryland and the Washington region. Shipbuilding: Anduril and the Navy plan a $6.6 billion submarine-production project at Sparrows Point, with the company projecting more than 3,100 direct jobs and operations expected to begin in 2030.

Defense Manufacturing: Anduril plans a $3.7 billion shipyard at Sparrows Point to make submarine components, backed by a Navy contract worth up to $2.9 billion. The project is expected to create more than 3,100 direct jobs, with operations targeted for 2030. Farm Costs: Gov. Wes Moore’s emergency order lets eligible farm and forestry vehicles use tax-exempt dyed diesel and waives hauling fees for 30 days, easing fuel costs during harvest. Hospital Finance: Maryland officials are examining whether nonprofit hospitals’ offshore captive-insurance funds should face state taxes, after questions about billions of dollars potentially held in the Cayman Islands. Agritech: Maryland high schoolers earned third place in a NASA competition with a drone designed to spot pest damage beneath soybean canopies—a potential boost for a major state crop. Horse Industry: Maryland has completed its first statewide strategic plan for the horse industry, setting a shared direction for the sector.

Defense Manufacturing: Anduril’s planned $3.7 billion Sparrows Point shipyard, backed by a Navy contract worth up to $2.9 billion, is expected to create 3,100 jobs and expand U.S. submarine production. Agriculture and Forestry: Gov. Wes Moore’s emergency order offers relief from record diesel costs, allowing qualifying haulers to use tax-exempt dyed diesel on public roads and waiving certain permit fees during harvest season. Horse Industry: Maryland’s new strategic plan targets workforce training, racehorse welfare and equestrian tourism for an industry estimated to generate $2.9 billion a year; putting its recommendations into action remains the challenge.

Agriculture: Maryland completed its first statewide horse-industry plan, aimed at supporting a sector worth $2.9 billion. The state also extended the fall cover-crop planting deadline. Beverages: Columbia’s Black Flag Brewing may close Nov. 30 if a proposed sale falls through, a setback for a local craft-beer industry facing rising costs and weaker demand. Water: Baltimore has begun blending Susquehanna River water into its supply as reservoir levels hit 20-year lows, with added testing to monitor water quality. Shipbuilding: Anduril plans a $3.7 billion submarine-parts shipyard at Tradepoint Atlantic, promising 3,100 jobs; a Navy contract brings the announced investment to $6.6 billion. Transportation: Amtrak selected HNTB to design replacements for the Bush River and Gunpowder River bridges, key links on Maryland’s Northeast Corridor.

Defense Manufacturing: Anduril’s planned $3.7 billion Sparrows Point shipyard is part of a $6.6 billion Navy submarine-production push, with thousands of Maryland jobs expected. Energy Costs: Maryland residents are pushing back against data centers amid rising power bills, while Gov. Wes Moore joins a multistate effort to curb electricity costs. Agriculture and Tourism: The state completed its first horse-industry plan, aiming to grow an ecosystem valued at $2.9 billion and spanning farming, racing, tourism and veterinary services. Manufacturing Shift: Baltimore’s new McLaren vehicle-processing center opened as US Wind withdrew from turbine manufacturing at Sparrows Point and Guinness prepared to close its brewery. Logistics: Maryland diesel averaged $6.41 a gallon in the week ending Oct. 3, adding pressure on transport costs.

Defense Manufacturing: Anduril plans a $3.7 billion shipyard at Sparrows Point to expand submarine production, with a Navy agreement worth up to $2.9 billion routed through General Dynamics Electric Boat. The federal government would take a 40% stake, but Anduril must first qualify components; thousands of Maryland jobs are expected. Data Centers: A new UMBC poll finds 78% of likely voters oppose new data centers anywhere in Maryland, and 80% worry they could raise household energy costs—adding pressure to projects seeking power and sites. Baltimore Development: A draft Harborplace lease would let MCB pay just 5% of property taxes through 2051, potentially saving at least $200 million as it redevelops the waterfront. Automotive Investment: McLaren opened its first U.S. vehicle processing center at Tradepoint Atlantic, bringing a new operation to Baltimore’s industrial waterfront. Energy and Jobs: Maryland advanced 440 megawatts of battery storage in its first major procurement, while US Wind withdrew from plans for turbine manufacturing at Sparrows Point.