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Your Monthly News & Updates
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Workshops, awards, training, funding sources, and more. |
Deadline for 2017 Our Great Region Awards is Today
Does your organization have an outstanding local project for transportation, environment, economic development, resiliency, housing, or healthy communities? If so, consider applying for the annual Our Great Region Awards.
Our Great Region Awards recognize outstanding projects in the region that advance the goals and strategies identified in the Our Great Region 2040 plan. Plans, programs, projects, or policies since January 1, 2014, that have furthered or implemented a strategy of the Our Great Region 2040 plan within the 13-county region are eligible to submit. Any organization may apply for the award(s).
Application information is available online at Our Great Region Awards. The deadline to apply is TODAY, Tuesday, August 1.
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H-GAC Accepting
Applications for Parks and Natural
Areas Awards
PNA awards
honor projects in four categories: Projects $500,000 or more; Projects under $500,000; Planning Process; and Policy Tools. Winning entries serve as models for planning and project implementation for parks and natural areas in the region.
Winners will be notified in November, and the awards ceremony will be in January 2018. For more information, contact
Andrea Tantillo
at 832-681-2507.
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H-GAC Solid Waste Funding Plan Public Meeting - August 9
H-GAC will host a public meeting from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, August 9, at H-GAC Conference Room B, Second Floor, to discuss the FY 2017--18 Solid Waste Management Funding Plan.
Each biennium, regional councils of government across the state (including H-GAC) are required by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to develop and present funding plans for their solid waste grant programs.
The purpose of the plan is to provide information on grant funds for the new funding cycle to all eligible entities of implementation project grant funding, interested private industry representatives, and interested members of the public.
For the 2017--18 biennium, H-GAC will award $1.2 million in implementation project grants to local governments. The request for grant applications will be released Thursday, September 14.
For more information, contact Erin Livingston at 832-681-2525.
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Basin 11 Bacteria Reduction Project Meeting - August 10
H-GAC is looking for stakeholders to help share their knowledge of local waterways to develop a plan to reduce bacteria levels in the San Jacinto-Brazos Coastal Basin, also known as Basin 11. Using basin characterization report data and other input, local stakeholders will work to create a plan to identify and address bacteria impairments across the basin, including watershed management tools and options available to residents, businesses, and governments to reduce the impairments.
H-GAC will host a meeting to provide updates and discuss next steps from 3 to 5 p.m., Thursday, August 10, at the Brazoria County Public Library-Alvin Branch, 105 S. Gordon Street, Alvin.
Registration is not required.
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Local Environmental Enforcement Classes - August 22-23
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Photo courtesy of Cherry Demolition |
Regional Recycling Roundtable - August 24
H-GAC will host a Regional Recycling Roundtable from 10 a.m. to noon, Thursday, August 24, at H-GAC Conference Room A, Second Floor. The topic will be "Managing Construction and Demolition Debris in the Circular Economy." Presenters will focus on concrete, lumber, and metal recycling, and deconstruction.
The roundtable is open to businesses, governments, organizations, and residents interested in learning more about recycling.
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Texas Stream Team Training - August 26
Volunteers are needed to collect water quality information from local waterways as part of the Texas Stream Team statewide network.
A Texas Stream Team Certified Water Monitor Phase 1 and 2 Training will be from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, August 26, at the Houston Advanced Research Center, 8801 Gosling Road, The Woodlands. Registration is required, and class size is limited. This training is sponsored by The Woodlands Township Environmental Services Department in cooperation with H-GAC.
For more information, contact Teri MacArthur at 281-210-3928.
Learn more about the H-GAC Texas Stream Team volunteer water quality monitoring program.
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CWI Workshop to Address Freshwater Inflows - August 29
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Series of Disaster Debris Workshops Concludes - August 31
To address the need for communities to perform efficient and timely cleanup of disaster debris, H-GAC provides training and resources to help local governments prepare.
Discussion points for this workshop include:
- FEMA Annual Update - Policy changes and how they impact debris operations.
- State Update - New policy changes and tips for coordinating with state agencies for debris operations.
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Instant Impact: A Land Use Planning Workshop - September 29
H-GAC will host Instant Impact: A Land Use Planning Workshop from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Friday, September 29, at the
White Oak Conference Center, 7603 Antoine Drive, Houston.
The workshop will cover the uses and benefits of Instant Impact projects, a way to use inexpensive and quick techniques to build public interest and excitement for walkable, vibrant places in a community. Participants will hear from experts and practitioners who have used Instant Impact tools during and after the planning process to move projects forward, including some highlighted in H-GAC's
Instant Impact Guide: Temporary, Cost Effective Ideas for More Vibrant Streets.
Workshop topics and speakers include:
- Uses & Benefits of Instant Impact, Layne Ferguson, Team Better Block
- Instant Impact in Small Towns, Christof Spieler, Huitt-Zollars
- Instant Impact through Partnerships, Alex Miller and Luis Guajardo, Asakura Robinson
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Annual Fall Planning Workshop - October 20
H-GAC's Fall Planning Workshop for Local Governments will be from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Friday, October 20, at H-GAC.
This annual half-day workshop series for local governments features presentations on best planning practices for communities.
This year's workshop will focus on implementation. Discussion points will include:
- How do you keep your plan off the shelf?
- How do you pay for it?
- How do you do it?
Registration will open in the fall.
To be added to the list to receive more information, contact Amanda Thorin at 713-993-4587.
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Save the Date for the 25th Trash Bash - March 24, 2018
Every year, thousands of volunteers gather to clean up trash and debris along area waterways by participating in the largest, single-day waterway cleanup in Texas, the River, Lakes, Bays 'N Bayous Trash Bash.
Trash Bash will celebrate its 25th consecutive cleanup on Saturday, March 24, 2018---an accomplishment that dedicated volunteers have been proud to be part of for more than two decades.
Learn more about becoming a volunteer or sponsor for Trash Bash 2018.
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TCEQ Public Comment for Jarbo Bayou Plan
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) is seeking public comment on the draft
One Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for Indicator Bacteria in Jarbo Bayou
. The TCEQ is also requesting feedback on the decision to add the Galveston County waterbody to the existing bacteria reduction implementation efforts of an approved, adjacent Implementation Plan. Written comments should be submitted to Lauren Oertel, Water Quality Planning Division, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, MC 203, P. O. Box 13087, Austin, Texas, 78711-3087 or faxed to 512- 239-1414. Comments may be
submitted electronically
by midnight Monday, August 21, and should reference the One Total Maximum Daily Load for Indicator Bacteria in Jarbo Bayou. For more information, contact
Lauren Oertel
at
512-239-3604.
Texas Environmental Leadership Awards
The Texas Environmental Leadership Awards recognize individuals, communities, organizations, and businesses developing and maintaining programs involving recycling, composting, sustainable materials management, public education and outreach, and special event recycling. The complete awards nomination packet with specific awards and criteria is available. Applications are due Monday,
August 14
. Award winners will be honored as part of the Texas Recycling Summit on the evening of Tuesday, October 24.
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Environmental Excellence Awards
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is accepting applications for the
2017 Texas Environmental Excellence Awards. Share environmental success stories by applying for or nominating a project in one of nine award categories. View these categories and apply
online. The deadline to submit is
Friday, September
29
.
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Resilient Texas: Planning for Sea-Level Rise Workshop
Texas Sea Grant presents
Resilient Texas: Planning for Sea-Level Rise, from 8:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Tuesday, August 8, at the University of Texas Marine Science Institute, 750 Channel View Drive, Port Aransas. The goal of this free workshop is to help participants understand sea-level rise, investigate how to interpret sea-level rise data, and discuss ideas on how to work across levels of government and industry to help build resilient communities.
Registration is required.
Greens Bayou Master Plan Public Meeting
The public is invited to offer comment on the
Greens Bayou Master Plan project at a kick off meeting at 1 p.m.
Wednesday, August 9, at Hines Conference Center, 12190 Greenspoint Drive, Houston. Refreshments and activities will be provided. For more information, call 281-874-2142.
Engaging the Campus to Improve Recycling Participation Webinar
Texas Citizen Planner Specialty Courses
TexasAgriLife Extension Service will present two single-day
Texas Citizen Planner specialty courses to emphasize integrating hazard mitigation approaches with local planning practices. The Hazard Mitigation and Plan Integration course will be
Tuesday, August 15,
at Houston Transtar, 6922 Katy Road, Houston; and the Flooding and Stormwater course will be
Tuesday, September 12, at Trini Mendenhall Community Center, 1414 Wirt Road, Houston
. Both courses will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The cost is $75 per course, and lunch is provided.
Registration is required. For information, contact
Steven Mikulencak or
Celina Gauthier Lowry at 281-560-3970.
Disaster Preparedness and Economic Recovery Webinar Series
Greater Houston Environmental Summit
Register for the Citizens' Environmental Coalition (CEC) annual
Greater Houston Environmental Summit from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Friday, August 4, at the United Way of Greater Houston, 50 Waugh Drive, Houston. The summit will include keynote presentations, small-format table talks, and a featured panel in conjunction with EarthShare of Texas. The CEC is also partnering with environmental education collaboratives to offer an Environmental Education Expo for teachers and informal educators.
EPA Region 6 19th Annual Stormwater Conference
Registration continues for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 6
19th annual Stormwater Conference
September 17-21 at the Hilton Palacio del Rio, 200 South Alamo Street, San Antonio. Stormwater professionals will learn about stormwater management programs, construction and industrial stormwater management, low impact development, and advanced research topics.
Annual STAR Texas Recycling Summit
Registration is now open for the
State of Texas Alliance for Recycling (STAR) Texas Recycling Summit 2017
October 22-25 at the Double Tree Hotel, 6505 N I-35, Austin. This is the only state conference dedicated entirely to recycling and waste diversion activities in Texas. It's also an opportunity to network with professionals from the recycling industry to learn, collaborate, share successes, and support recycling efforts.
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Community and Environmental Planning Programs
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Mapping Applications
Looking for interactive applications or GIS data related to the H-GAC Community and Environmental Planning Department? Visit H-GAC's interactive applications web page to see the latest information, including Census, Regional Forecast, and more.
Facebook
Find the latest information about activities around the region at H-GAC's Twitter feed
@hgaccog. H-GAC's water resources program also offers Twitter updates on water quality issues in the region, including fish consumption advisories,
@HGACwater.
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Banner Photo:
The Houston skyline as seen from the Montrose neighborhood, looking east toward downtown. Photo by Becki Begley.
Would you like us to consider featuring your municipality, program, or regional photo on the C&E Planning Update banner? Just forward
Andrea Tantillo your picture, along with some information about the subject and the photographer, and you might see it in a future month's newsletter.
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