Keeping you up to date on the many community planning, economic development, and environmental planning programs going on at H-GAC.
Your Monthly News & Updates
Workshops, awards, a call for partners, funding opportunities, and more.
Upcoming Events
Clean Waters Initiative Logo
CHARM Mapping Application is Topic for CWI Workshop

Development and growth impact the need for and quality of surface water. But seeing the impact in real time hasn't been possible until now. Participants at the next Clean Waters Initiative workshop will learn about the Texas Coastal Watershed Program's Community Health and Resources Management (CHARM) mapping application. The workshop is from 2 to 4 p.m. today (November 1) at H-GAC Conference Room B, Second Floor.

 

Registration is required.

 

The CWI program offers workshops to help local governments, landowners, and residents develop effective strategies to reduce pollution in area waterways. For more information, contact Kathy Janhsen at 713-993-2423. 


H-GAC Stream Team Coordinator Will Merrell
H-GAC Texas Stream Team Monitoring Training November 5

An H-GAC Texas Stream Team certified water monitoring training course for volunteers will be from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, November 5, at the Environmental Services Department Building of The Woodlands Township, 8203 Millennium Forest Drive, The Woodlands. 

Both Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the training will be completed in this full-day training session.

Participants are encouraged to bring a sack lunch and wear closed-toe shoes and clothes appropriate for working outside. Learn more and register for the training.

For more information, contact Will Merrell at 713-993-4594 or  Teri MacArthur at 281-381-3281.

Mandell Park Walking Trail and Open Spaces
PNA Subcommittee to Tour Award-Winning Parks November 7

The next Parks and Natural Areas (PNA) Subcommittee field trip will be Monday, November 7, in Houston. Participants will tour two previous PNA Award winners - Mandell Park and McGovern Centennial Gardens.

 

Participants will provide their own transportation and meet at Mandell Park at 10:30 a.m. Stanley "Skip" Almoney, President of Friends of Mandell Park, will highlight park amenities and functional environmental systems Mandell Park, 2015 PNA Award Winner.

 

The next stop is McGovern Centennial Gardens, 2015 PNA Special Recognition recipient, where Jane Curtis, Director of Horticulture, and Julia McGowan, Community Development Manager, will lead the tour.

 

Please RSVP to Andrea Tantillo by Wednesday, November 2.


Batteries, recycling symbol, computers, tires
Learn About Maximizing Returns at Regional Recycling Roundtable

Maximizing returns in programs or facilities, with a special focus on rural recycling, is the topic for the next Regional Recycling Roundtable. The roundtable will be from 10 a.m. to noon Thursday, November 17, at H-GAC Conference Room B, Second Floor.

Rachel Herring from Cooperative Teamwork & Recycling Assistance will be the guest speaker. Participants are also encouraged to bring information about how their communities participated in America Recycles Day (Tuesday, November 15) this year.

Register for this event online.

The Regional Recycling Roundtable is a quarterly workshop designed to bring new ideas, knowledge, and discussion about waste reduction and recycling-related topics for local governments and related industries. For more information, contact Becki Begley at 713-993-2410.

Trash Bash 2016 in Seabrook
Trash Bash ® is March 25, 2017

 

In just five months, volunteers around the region can be part of the largest, single-day waterway cleanup in Texas--the River, Lakes, Bays 'N Bayous Trash Bash®.

 

Join thousands of residents cleaning shorelines around the Galveston Bay watershed on Saturday, March 25, 2017.

 

There are locations across the region. Learn more about volunteering or becoming a sponsor at TrashBash.org.


More Upcoming Events

University of Houston Sustainability Fest
University of Houston Sustainability
The University of Houston Sustainability Fest is from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Monday, November 7, at Butler Plaza on campus. Sustainability Fest is a zero-waste event providing information on the latest developments in sustainability in the Greater Houston area.
      
Buffalo Bayou Partnership Gala 
Leafing Through the Years logo
         
The Buffalo Bayou Partnership gala, Leafing Through the Years, will celebrate BBP's 30-year anniversary and look forward to its bright future. The gala will be at 6:30 p.m.  Thursday, November 10, at Water Works, 105 Sabine Street, Houston. More information, including ticket prices and registration, is available on the BBP website.

Advanced Metering Infrastructure Training 
Texas Water Resources Institute logo
The Texas A&M Institute of Water Resources is hosting five free Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) trainings across the state, including one in Cypress on Wednesday, November 9. The workshop is from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Weekley Community Center, 8440 Greenhouse Road. Registration details and a list of all workshop locations and dates are available online.

Wild & Scenic Film Festival
CEC logo
On January 26 and 27, 2017, the Citizens Environmental Coalition (CEC) will host the Wild & Scenic Film Festival on Tour at the River Oaks Theatre. To help select the local films that will be shown, CEC, in partnership with the Houston Green Film Series, will host a one-night screening of local environmental films at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, November 16, at Rice Media Center, 2030 University Blvd., Houston.

IEDC 2016 Webinar Logo
IEDC Disaster Preparedness Webinars  
The International Economic Development Council (IEDC) will host the following free Disaster and Economic Recovery webinarsAsset Mapping for Economic Resilience, Tuesday, November 15; and Guiding Your Community Image and Brand Through a Disaster, Thursday, December 8. All webinars are from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.
   
CATEE Conference 2016
CATEE Conference
Registration continues for the Clean Air Through Energy Efficiency (CATEE) 2016 Conference, December 17-22 at the Hyatt Regency Riverwalk, San Antonio. Registration will open soon, and special room rates are now available. Opportunities for sponsorships for this educational conference and business exhibition are still available.         
Announcements
H-GAC and LID Map
Designing for Impact Project Earns Texas APA Award 

H-GAC's Designing for Impact project is a Texas American Planning Association (APA) 2016 Current Planning Award recipient.

 

This award is given for an outstanding ordinance program or process directed toward the implementation of a plan. The project will be recognized during the Texas APA Annual Conference November 2-4 in San Antonio.

The Designing for Impact project promotes the use of Low Impact Development (LID) techniques in new development by providing information and strategies for educating the public about LID functions, benefits, and barriers to implementation. The project included the publication of a LID guide for local governments, education through a series of workshops, and a webpage and interactive mapping tool highlighting LID projects already implemented in the region. 


Partner Announcements
Center for Community Progress Technical Assistance Scholarship Program  
Center for Community Progress Logo
The Center for Community Progress: Vacant Spaces into Vibrant Places is accepting applications for the Technical Assistance Scholarship Program on topics including Decriminalization of Code Enforcement, Delinquent Property Tax Enforcement, Tax Lien Sale Reform, Land Bank and Land Banking Program Evaluation, or Open Space and Land Reuse Planning. The deadline to apply is Thursday, November 17.

America Recycles Day logo
America Recycles Day Event Registration
For almost two decades, communities have come together on November 15 to celebrate America Recycles Day. Do you have plans for hosting a special event on that day? Register your event here.

Take Care of Texas Video Contest
Take Care of Texas Proud Partner Logo
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and Waste Management of Texas, Inc. invite 6th-12th grade students to enter the Take Care of Texas Video Contest. To enter, participants must submit a 30-second video portraying positive ways to Take Care of Texas. Three 9th-12th grade students will be awarded scholarship funds and three 6th-8th grade students will receive GoPro cameras and accessories. Entries must be received by Friday, December 16.
Funding Sources
Tree with $ Money
H-GAC has compiled a list of local, regional, state, federal, and private funding sources for local governments and other organizations. H-GAC also maintains a list of ongoing funding opportunities for parks improvements.



If you know of a funding opportunity, forward it to Andrea Tantillo.

All content, including links to other websites, is for informational purposes only. Users of this content are responsible for checking its accuracy, currency, and suitability.
Community and Environmental Planning Programs
Storm Debris
Disaster Debris Clearance and Removal Services
H-GAC's Disaster Debris Clearance and Removal Services Program helps communities  perform efficient and timely cleanup of debris generated by natural disasters  by having debris hauler contracts in place prior to events. The Disaster Debris Clearance and Removal Services Program offers access to a pool of the most qualified debris removal contractors, saves time and money associated with the procurement process, and helps maximize eligible FEMA reimbursement.

Walking in a cross walk
Temporary Pedestrian-
Bicyclist Counters
H-GAC has temporary  pedestrian-bicyclist counters  available for use by local governments to count the number of people using sidewalks and/or trails, giving implementing entities and H-GAC a better understanding of the demand and use of these facilities.

Camera
Illegal Dumping Camera Sharing
To help track and reduce illegal dumping, H-GAC offers surveillance cameras and accompanying accessories through a sharing program. Participation in the program is for local governments within the 13-county H-GAC region and involves specific agreements, including a commitment to only use the cameras for solid waste purposes and report results to H-GAC.

Grants
Community Enhancement Grants help municipalities, counties, and nonprofit organizations enhance public spaces, such as gateways, parks, waterfronts, and business districts.
  
Loans 
H-GAC's Community and Environmental Planning Department currently m anages  three loan programs:  Small Business Administration 504 Loan Program, Business Loan Fund, and Government Loan Fund.

GIS Globes
Mapping Applications
Looking for interactive applications or GIS data related to the H-GAC Community and Environmental Planning Department, visit  www.h-gac.com/go/apps to see the latest information, including Census, Regional Forecast, and more.

Facebook
find us on facebook
H-GAC has a Facebook page where information about current and upcoming events is posted. Please visit and like H-GAC's page. While there, visit other H-GAC pages on Facebook, including  Recycling, Trash Bash, Bacteria Implementation Group (BIG), West Fork Watersheds Partnership, and  Cedar Bayou Watershed Partnership.

Twitter Logo
Twitter
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.
Banner Photo contributed by Justin Bower
 
 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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