H-GAC Community and Environmental Update- MAR 2005

Manager's Welcome
This is the March issue of the Houston-Galveston Area Council's (H-GAC's) Community and Environmental Planning (C&E) E-newsletter. We hope this monthly newsletter will keep you up to date on the wide variety of community planning, economic development and environmental planning programs going on at H-GAC. We want this information to be useful and are very interested in your feedback! If you have any questions about any of our programs, please feel free to contact me at 713-993-4560 or Jeff.Taebel@h-gac.com. To unsubscribe, add another subscriber or offer any comments on the e-newsletter, please e-mail cep_news@h-gac.com. To view the current and past editions of the e-newsletter, please visit:
www.h-gac.com/CEeNewsletter

Please click on the links below to view information regarding each topic.

IN THIS ISSUE
Texas Recyclers Form Electronics Council
Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan Update 
Regional Urban Forestry Summit
Bastrop Bayou Watershed Risk Assessment
2005 Small Business Awards
Regional Review Committee Scoring Meeting
Grants Available to Protect and Restore Watersheds
New Handbook Provides Local Governments with Source Water Protection Tools
Sign Up for National EE Week
"Growth and Water Resources" Training Module Online
Reduce Your Stress and Get Paid to Vanpool to Work

H-GAC MEETING NOTICES 
Watershed Management
Pedestrian/Bicycle Subcommittee
Clean Rivers Coordinated Monitoring Meeting
Local Enforcement Roundtable
Solid Waste Management Committee

OTHER MEETING NOTICES 
Workshop for Planning Commissioners, Elected Officials, and Staff
River, Lakes, Bays 'N Bayous Trash Bash
Debris Management Course: Governor's Division of Emergency Management (GDEM)
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Flood Forum

IN THIS ISSUE
Texas Recyclers Form Electronics Council
The Recycling Alliance of Texas held an video teleconference on January 25th to kick off its new Electronic Resource Recovery Council (ERRC).  The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) hosted the event, which linked forty-eight participants at TCEQ offices in Austin, Ft. Worth, and Houston.   Attendees included representatives of computer manufacturers, recyclers, state agencies, local governments, major employers, and non-profit organizations, including the Houston-Galveston Area Council.

The Council was formed in response to the growing concern regarding the impacts of disposing of hundreds of millions of electronic devices every year, many containing hazardous materials.   The Council adopted a mission, goals, and strategies statement (attached) and formed committees to draft bylaws, policies, and best management practices for the procurement, use, and disposition of electronic equipment.   By developing standards for the management of discarded electronics, the Council hopes to give Texans who are ready to part with their old computers, cell phones, and other equipment a means of ensuring that they will be handled responsibly.

Anyone interested in participating in the new Electronic Resource Recovery Council is encouraged to visit the Recycling Alliance of Texas website, http://www.recycletx.com/ for  information regarding membership.  For information on specific committees, call or email Kelly Doyle at 713-993-4566 or kdoyle@h-gac.com.
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Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan Update
H-GAC is nearing completion of the Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan.  The Plan is designed to help communities identify and implement projects that will improve existing facilties to reduce loss of life and property damage during natural disasters.  Examples projects include property buy-outs, elevating flood prone structures, and building tornadoes shelters.  Over 70 entities are included in the plan.  To find out more, please contact Chuck Wemple at cwemple@h-gac.com or 713-993-4514.
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Regional Urban Forestry Summit 
H-GAC will hold a Regional Urban Forestry Summit on Tuesday April 26th.  The conference will include sessions on designing Community Gateway projects, selecting the best trees to plant in your cities, parks, and communities, and guidelines to help develop tree ordinances, tree registry programs, and community planting events.  For more information, contact Chuck Wemple at cwemple@h-gac.com or 713-993-4514.
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Bastrop Bayou Watershed Risk Assessment
H-GAC is working with the citizens and local governments of central Brazoria County to develop a watershed management plan for the Bastrop Bayou Watershed.  Current activities include assessing potential threats to the water quality of Bastrop Bayou, Brushy Bayou, Flores Bayou, Austin Bayou, Bastrop Bay and Christmas Bay. Our next public listening session will be held at 6:30 pm on March 29th at the Public Library in Angleton.     To find out more, please contact Chuck Wemple at cwemple@h-gac.com or 713-993-4514.
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2005 Small Business Awards
The National Steering Committee (NSC), representing the Small Business Assistance Programs nationwide, in conjunction with the National Compliance Advisory Panel (NCAP), has established the Small Business Assistance Environmental Stewardship Awards, Small Business Assistance Program Awards, and Trade Association Environmental Leadership Awards. The NSC Awards Subcommittee is seeking nominations for these 2005 awards. For more information about the awards and how to nominate a person or organization, go to http://www.smallbiz-enviroweb.org/sba/awards_smallbusiness_2005.html.

The deadline for submitting nominations is 4 pm EST, March 31, 2005. For more information about the 2005 awards, contact Rosemarie Wilmoth, Awards Subcommittee Chair, at 502/564-2150, x128, rosemarie.wilmoth@ky.gov or Linda Hayes-Gorman at 541/388-6146, x274, hayes-gorman.linda@deq.state.or.us. 
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Regional Review Committee Scoring Meeting
The Scoring Meeting for the Regional Review Committee (RRC) has been set for Thursday, April 7, 2005. The meeting will be held at the offices of the Houston-Galveston Area Council, 3555 Timmons Lane, on the second floor in Meeting Room A. The meeting will begin at 9:00am and should conclude by 5:00pm.  This Scoring Meeting is where the RRC will hear presentations in support of 2005-2006 Texas Community Development Program applications. The scores from this meeting will be used for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) project selection for years 2005 and 2006.  As determined at the Organizational Meeting, applicants have not been assigned a specific starting time for their presentation. Since each presentation is 10 minutes long, applicants have provided an estimated time on the agenda, but should plan to arrive at least 60 minutes before the estimated time to ensure you are not by-passed.  For more information contact Chris McGowan, 713-993-2459.
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Grants Available to Protect and Restore Watersheds
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is now accepting nominations for watershed proposals under the Targeted Watersheds Grant Program. Formerly called the Watershed Initiative, the Targeted Watersheds Grant Program is a competitive grant program designed to support the protection and restoration of the country's water resources through a holistic watershed approach to water quality management. The deadline for nominations is May 19, 2005. For more information, please visit http://www.lgean.org/html/whatsnew.cfm?id=875.  
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New Handbook Provides Local Governments with Source Water Protection Tools 
The Trust for Public Land (TPL) has released a resource called "Source Protection Handbook: Using Land Conservation to Protect Local Drinking Water Supplies." This handbook provides local governments, water suppliers and agencies, and community drinking water advocates with the tools to identify source water conservation opportunities, implement funded source water conservation programs, and acquire and protect the lands that will help keep our drinking water clean. For more information, please visit http://www.lgean.org/html/whatsnew.cfm?id=869.
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Sign Up for National EE Week
A week of educational preparation for Earth Day 2005 is generating huge enthusiasm! With the sign-on of the National Education Association and the National Wildlife Federation, we now have participating organizations that serve a total of three million educators and five million volunteers and conservationists. Organizations will encourage their networks to  engage in concentrated programming during the week -  Some organizations will conduct nationwide teacher training workshops, others are running volunteer/community service projects, others will encourage student environmental monitoring, and so on.

Have you signed up yet?  EE needs you!  Make National EE Week 2005 the largest-ever single event for EE. Check out the background and sign-up information at http://www.eeweek.org/.  
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"Growth and Water Resources" Training Module
A new on-line, distance learning training module called ?Growth and Water Resources? has recently been posted on EPA's Watershed Academy Web at: http://www.epa.gov/watertrain/smartgrowth/.  This training module explains how changes in land use affect water resources, and presents national data on trends in development patterns and activities on land that have become increasingly significant challenges for achieving water quality standards.   The module describes a combination of approaches to accommodate future growth in a way that benefits the economy and the environment and will help us meet out water resource goals.  The module also includes a ?tools? section with links to on-line resources.   This training module was developed by EPA?s Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds Smart Growth Team.  For more information, please contact Jamal Kadri at kadri.jamal@epa.gov.
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Reduce Your Stress and Get Paid to Vanpool to Work
Commute Solutions, a program of the Houston-Galveston Area Council, has recently launched an exciting new commuting alternative called the miniPOOL Vanpool Program. If you join a miniPOOL vanpool, Commute Solutions will pay you $50 each and every month that you ride. Plus, just for signing up, they will pay for the total cost of your second month. Together, that can be as much as $700 in a year to help you cover the cost of your commute.  The miniPOOL Vanpool Program is a unique vanpool service developed to reduce congestion along three of Houston's major construction corridors – Katy Freeway, west of Loop 610; US 59, south of downtown Houston; and West Loop 610, between IH10 and US59. To qualify for the program you have to travel to, from, or through any of these corridors.  Riding in a miniPOOL vanpool can save you money, save time, and reduce your stress. Plus, it reduces congestion which helps keep our air clean. In short, it's good for you and good for our community. So, jump into a miniPOOL and join the thousands of area commuters improving their lives and our community.

To find out more about joining miniPOOL, commuters can call 866-474-6464, e-mail minipool@vanpool.org, or visit http://www.vanpool.org/. miniPOOL can match commuters who live and work near each other and assist in the formation of vanpools.
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H-GAC MEETING NOTICES
Watershed Management
March 3, 2005
10:00 am to noon
H-GAC, 3555 Timmons, Houston, TX 77027
2nd Floor, Room B

For more information, please contact Carl Masterson at 713-993-4561 or via email at carl.masterson@h-gac.com.
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Pedestrian/Bicycle Subcommittee
March 17, 2005
9:30 am to 11:30 am
H-GAC, 3555 Timmons, Houston, TX 77027
2nd Floor, Room B

For more information, please contact Dan Raine at 832-681-2525 or via email at dan.raine@h-gac.com.
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Clean Rivers Coordinated Monitoring Meeting
March 22, 2005
9:00 am to 4:00pm
H-GAC, 3555 Timmons, Houston, TX 77027
2nd Floor, Room C

For more information, please contact Jean Wright at 713-499-6660 or via email at jean.wright@h-gac.com.
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Local Enforcement Roundtable
April 14, 2005
9:30 am to 11:30 am
H-GAC, 3555 Timmons, Houston, TX 77027
2nd Floor, Room A

For more information, please contact Amy Smith at 713-993-2413 or via email at amy.smith@h-gac.com.
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Solid Waste Management Committee
April 27, 3005
10:00 am to noon
H-GAC, 3555 Timmons, Houston, TX 77027
2nd Floor, Room A

For more information, please contact Cheryl Mergo at 713-993-4520 or via email at cheryl.mergo@h-gac.com.
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River, Lakes, Bays 'N Bayous Trash Bash 
Once a year thousands of Trash Bash® volunteers gather along the waterways of our region to do their part in cleaning up the environment.  Last year 4,451 volunteers picked up 75 tons of trash and 551 tires within the Galveston Bay watershed. The dedicated team of volunteers, local and state agencies, citizens' groups, local businesses and industry have made the River, Lakes, Bays 'N Bayous Trash Bash® a success since 1994.  Trash Bash® is regionally coordinated through the H-GAC Solid Waste program and won the Governor's Environmental Excellence award in 2004.  To learn more about Trash Bash – and to become a volunteer – visit http://www.trashbash.org/.  For additional information, please contact Chuck Wemple at 713-993-4514 or cwemple@h-gac.com. 
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Debris Management Course: Governor's Division of Emergency Management (GDEM) 
April 4-8, 2005
American Red Cross Headquarters, 2700 Southwest Freeway, Houston, TX
Cost:   There is no cost to attend GDEM sponsored courses.
Course Length:  Thirty-Six hours (36) (17 slots available)

Target Audience: This course is designed to provide local officials who may have to manage debris removal and disposal in the aftermath of a tornado, flood, or hurricane with the knowledge and skills to do so. The course covers staff development, pre-disaster planning, local response and recovery actions, contracting procedures, selecting and operating a temporary debris storage site, volume reduction methods, environmental regulations, and dealing with special debris situations.  For more information contact Trista Curwick, GDEM Training Registrar @ (512) 424-2196 or email: demtraining@txdps.state.tx.us.  Our website is:  www.txdps.state.tx.us/dem. 
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Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Flood Forum 
On April 5, 2005, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will conduct a Flood Forum in the Houston area. A location has yet to be determined, but should be available for the March newsletter. The one-day forum will focus on the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Reform Act and will feature a number of breakout sessions for insurance agents, Realtors, lenders, surveyors and community officials. 
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H-GAC Community and Environmental Update March2005
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