Director's Welcome
This is the October 2007 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 past editions of the e-newsletter visit :
www.h-gac.com/CEeNewsletter Please click on the links below to view information regarding each topic. IN THIS ISSUE Texas Recycles Day
Requesting Applications: FY08 Solid Waste Implementation Grants
EPA Distributes Pollution Prevention DVD in Spanish
Houston Metro and Lake Houston Areas Bacterial TMDL Public Meetings
H-GAC Ambient Water Quality Monitoring
And the Winner Is…
Texas Forest Expo -- Lending a Hand to You and Your Land
Texas Forest Institute -- Professional Development Series
LEED Workshops in Texas
U.S. National Academy of Sciences Addresses Global Drinking Water
It's Not Too Late to Submit Parks Award Application - But Hurry!
Texas Environmental Excellence Awards
H-GAC MEETING NOTICES Recycling Roundtable: Household Chemicals & Electronics
Trash Bash Meeting
Deadline for Applications for 2007 Parks & Natural Areas Honor Awards
Regional Flood Management Council
Solid Waste Grant Workshop
Deadline for Ped-Bike Special Districts Call for Projects
Solid Waste Management Committee
Buffalo and Whiteoak Bayous Bacteria TMDL Stakeholder Meeting
Smart Growth Initiative
Natural Resources Advisory Committee
Environmental Enforcement Roundtable: Counties Regulating Waste Haulers
County Planning Workshop IN THIS ISSUE Texas Recycles Day- November 15, 2007
"It All Comes Back to You"
The Recycling Alliance of Texas has been awarded management of the Texas Recycles Day program (formerly held by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality). The Alliance will partner with Keep Texas Beautiful and its affiliates to promote recycling throughout the state of Texas. The program aims to educate Texans on recycling and reuse. Texas Recycles Day is a statewide public awareness campaign that aims to educate Texans on the environmental and economic benefits of waste reduction and recycling. Its success served as the model for the development of America Recycles Day. Texas Recycles Day is working in cooperation with the Recycling Alliance of Texas to give all Texas Communities access to America Recycles Day materials and resources.
Back to Top Requesting Applications: FY08 Solid Waste Implementation Grants
The Houston-Galveston Area Council is requesting applications for FY20087 Solid Waste Implementation Grants. The due date for applications is 3:00 pm, Thursday, November 8, 2007. There will be a Grant Application Workshop on Thursday, October 18th at 2:00 pm. The workshop will be held at the H-GAC offices on the second floor in Conference Room A. Please RSVP via email to Hilde Leitenbacher (hleitenbacher@h-gac.com) if you plan to attend. Grant applicants are strongly encouraged to attend the Grant Application Workshop. However, if you can not attend, you can always contact the Solid Waste staff and we will answer questions via email or phone. The application packet materials can be downloaded from our web site at www.h-gac.com/2008swgrants. If you have any questions or concerns, or if you would like to obtain a hard copy of the application packet, you may contact the Solid Waste staff: Cheryl Mergo, Solid Waste Program Manager, 713.993.4520, cmergo@h-gac.com
Amy Boyers, Senior Environmental Planner, 713.993.2441, aboyers@h-gac.com
Gena McKinley, Environmental Planner, 713.993.4529, gmckinley@h-gac.com
Christy Corse, Environmental Information and Data Specialist, 832.681.2564, ccorse@h-gac.com
Hilde Leitenbacher, Environmental Planning Administrative Specialist, 713.993.4566, hleitenbacher@h-gac.com.
Back to Top EPA Distributes Pollution Prevention DVD in Spanish
Small changes in our lives can make a big difference in our environment if we all get involved. That's a common theme among advocates for healthier, greener living, and the Environmental Protection Agency is working to make sure it's a message that can be understood in any language.
Beginning October 1, 150,000 free copies of a Spanish-language DVD created by EPA will be distributed at more than 400 select Wal-Mart stores across the nation. The DVD is entitled "Chucho Salva el Dia" and provides information to Spanish-speaking communities on how to assist in improving the quality of stormwater by minimizing pollution caused by daily household and work activities.
The DVDs are being distributed by Wal-Mart as part of their local Personal Sustainability Project Challenge, which coincides with Hispanic Heritage Month and encourages people to select an action they are willing to commit to improve their efforts towards sustainability.
The Chucho Salva el Dia DVD was developed by the EPA Region 6 office in Dallas as a tool to provide environmental awareness on stormwater pollution issues to Spanish-speaking communities. To date, EPA has distributed 3,000 copies to schools, environmental organizations and government agencies. EPA is working toward nationwide distribution through partnerships with businesses like Wal-Mart and other groups.
The DVD will be available at Wal-Mart stores throughout October. Additional information on Chucho Salva El Dia is available at http://epa.gov/region6/6xa/water.htm. To learn more about activities in EPA Region 6, please visit http://www.epa.gov/region6.
Back to Top Houston Metro and Lake Houston Areas Bacterial TMDL Public Meetings
Please join the Houston Galveston Area Council (H-GAC) and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) as we hold a series of public meetings on the Houston Metro Bacteria TMDL and the Lake Houston Bacteria TMDL projects.
The Clean Water Act established the requirement known as the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) to address water quality. TMDLs are required when water bodies contain levels of pollutants in excess of surface water quality criteria. TCEQ, the state's environmental agency, is responsible for monitoring Texas water bodies and addressing water quality issues. The TCEQ addresses these issues by quantifying pollutants entering water bodies and reporting these findings in a TMDL document. Following a TMDL, an Implementation Plan is developed to reduce pollution levels.
The Houston-Metro and Lake Houston watersheds include several water bodies that exceed the surface water quality criteria for bacteria. To begin the TMDLs on these water bodies, H-GAC and TCEQ will hold a series of public meetings on the bacteria TMDL program in the Lake Houston and Houston Metropolitan areas. Each public meeting will provide background information on the specific watershed that the meetings are addressing and present the monitoring planned to quantify the bacteria entering the water body. Meeting format will include an open house for approximately 3 hours plus 1 hour of technical presentations. Open house segments will include booths from TCEQ Water Quality Standards, TCEQ TMDL Program, TCEQ Small Business Program, and HGAC. Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board will participate in meetings associated with Lake Houston and its tributaries. Gaining input from local residents will help the TCEQ efficiently and effectively address the bacteria levels in the affected water bodies. Click here to get a complete list of TMDL meetings. For more information about the meetings, contact Kristine Swann at 713-993-2470, or email kswann@h-gac.com. For more information about the TMDL program visit the EPA TMDL page, TCEQ TMDL page or the H-GAC TMDL page.
Back to Top H-GAC Ambient Water Quality Monitoring
The H-GAC Clean Rivers Program is expanding its ambient water quality monitoring coverage. H-GAC staff will be monitoring 30 additional sites in areas where there has been no or very little monitoring in the past. New areas covered include:
San Bernard River Watershed
West end of Buffalo Bayou Watershed
West end of Cypress Creek Watershed
Lake Creek Watershed
Spring Creek Watershed
West Fork San Jacinto River
East Fork San Jacinto River
Caney Creek
Peach Creek
Luce Bayou Watershed
Cedar Bayou Watershed
Halls Bayou
Monitoring will be conducted on a quarterly basis. Sampling will include routine field parameters and observations, conventional lab parameters, bacteria, nutrients and flow where appropriate. Sampling began on October 1st. So, if you see a vehicle with an H-GAC placard on the side and flashing yellow lights parked near a stream in your area, please slow down and say hello (if you stop, you just might get a chance to help).
If you have questions or want to get detailed locations of the monitoring sites and a detailed parameter list contact Jean Wright at jean.wright@h-gac.com or call 713-499-6660.
Back to Top And the Winner Is…
Kudos to Cheryl Mergo, Solid Waste Manager in H-GAC's Community and Environmental Planning Department, who was selected as the 2007 Solid Waste Planner of the Year by the Texas Association of Regional Councils. The award specifies that she is "Recognized and selected by her peers for outstanding service and dedication to fellow Planners and Councils of Government, and exemplary service to the improvement and maintenance of environmental quality in the State of Texas."
Back to Top Texas Forest Expo -- Lending a Hand to You and Your Land
Lone Star Convention Center, Conroe Texas
Oct. 26, 2007 noon – 7 p.m.
Oct. 27, 2007 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Whether you live in a neighborhood or own a family forest, the Texas Forest EXPO will provide you with answers to protecting and managing your property...your way. Best of all its free, fun for the entire family and includes activities for children. Presented by Texas Forest Service, the EXPO brings together a broad range of natural resource professionals, non-profit organizations and outdoor companies that can help you meet all of your natural resource needs. A vast array of activities, workshops and exhibits will give you the tools to address issues that you face when caring for your property. For more information visit the Texas Forest Expo webpage.
Back to Top
Texas Forest Institute -- Professional Development Series
Lone Star Convention Center, Conroe Texas
Oct. 26, 2007
8:30 a.m. – 4:40 p.m. The Texas Forest EXPO professional development series for community leaders, natural resource professionals, emergency responders and public workers offers solutions to the increasingly complex challenges associated with living, working and growing in the urban-rural interface. The series offers two distinct training opportunities:
1. Emerging issues in the urban-rural interface for community leaders, urban and rural planners, developers, and emergency management and response personnel.
2. Tree care and grounds maintenance for public works and parks departments, grounds and maintenance crews, arborists and general tree care specialists.
More information, a full agenda, registration, and numerous sponsorship and exhibit opportunities are available at http://texasforestexpo.tamu.edu/.
You may also contact them at texasforestexpo@tfs.tamu.edu or 936-273-2261.
Back to Top LEED Workshops in Texas
Spaces are still available in the United States Green Building Council's (USGBC) LEED workshop series. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™ is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings. LEED gives building owners and operators the tools they need to have an immediate and measurable impact on their buildings' performance. LEED promotes a whole-building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality.
To learn more about the U.S. Green Building Council and LEED, please visit the USGBC website at http://www.usgbc.org/. LEED for Commercial Interiors Technical Review (8:30am to 5:00pm)
October 15, 2007: Houston, TX LEED for Schools Technical Review (8:30am to 5:00pm)
October 24, 2007: Houston, TX LEED for New Construction Technical Review (8:30am to 5:00pm)
September 27, 2007: South Padre Island, TX
October 22, 2007: Austin, TX
December 7, 2007: Houston, TX
Back to Top
U.S. National Academy of Sciences Addresses Global Drinking Water
The U.S. National Academy of Sciences and the Global Health and Education Foundation are joining with science, engineering, and medical academies around the world to take action on drinking water quality issues by launching "Safe Drinking Water Is Essential" (http://www.drinking-water.org/). This Web resource is the first tool of its kind to provide international decision makers with peer-reviewed scientific and technical information about the options available to enhance the safety and availability of drinking water supplies around the world.
"Safe Drinking Water Is Essential" provides detailed information on water sources and options for distribution and treatment. Case studies focus on problems and conditions specific to different regions of the world. For more information contact Maureen O'Leary, Office of News and Public Information for The National Academies at 202-334-2138,or e-mail news@nas.edu.
Back to Top It's Not Too Late to Submit Parks Award Application - But Hurry!
There is still time to apply for the 2007 Parks & Natural Areas Honor Awards. These awards are designed to recognize and highlight the best and most innovative park programs around our region. The deadline for applications is 5:00 PM, October 15. For more information contact Kathleen Ramsey at kathleen.ramsey@h-gac.com or 713-499-6653.
Back to Top Texas Environmental Excellence Awards
The Texas Environmental Excellence Awards recognize the hard work of people across this great state. It is presented annually by the Office of the Governor and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and marks the highest distinction of environmental honor in the state of Texas. As part of this award program, the Commission recognizes citizens of all ages who take environmental responsibility seriously and communities, grass root organizations, that work together to tackle environmental issues. We see out companies and organizations that prioritize environmental stewardship—not as an afterthought, but as a guiding, results-driven principle. Awards identify outstanding contributions in 10 diverse categories. If you have been a part of an environmental effort that is new, noteworthy, or something Texans ought to hear about, apply for a 2008 Texas Environmental Excellence Award. For questions or a printed application, call Dana Macomb at 512/239-4745 or e-mail awards@tceq.state.tx.us. Enter online today at http://www.teea.org/. The deadline to submit is October 19, 2007.
Back to Top H-GAC MEETING NOTICES: Unless otherwise specified, all meetings are held at H-GAC conference rooms A, B, or C
3555 Timmons, 2nd Floor
Houston, TX 77027
For directions please visit our online map.
October 4
1:30PM - 4:30PM
Recycling Roundtable: Household Chemicals & Electronics -- Room A
For more information contact Cheryl Mergo at cheryl.mergo@h-gac.com or 713-993-4520.|
Back to Top October 9
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Trash Bash Meeting -- Room C
For more information contact Jean Wright at jean.wright@h-gac.com or 713-499-6660.
Back to Top October 15
5:00 PM
Deadline for Applications for 2007 Parks & Natural Areas Honor Awards
For more information contact Kathleen Ramsey at kathleen.ramsey@h-gac.com or 713-499-6653.
Back to Top October 17
1:30 PM - 3:30 PM
Regional Flood Management Council -- Room A
For more information contact Carl Masterson at carl.masterson@h-gac.com or 713-993-4561.
Back to Top October 18
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Solid Waste Grant Workshop -- Room A
For more information contact Cheryl Mergo at cheryl.mergo@h-gac.com or 713-993-4520.
Back to Top October 19
5:00 PM
Deadline for Ped-Bike Special Districts Call for Projects
Back to Top
October 24
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Solid Waste Management Committee -- Room A
For more information contact Cheryl Mergo at cheryl.mergo@h-gac.com or 713-993-4520.
Back to Top October 24
2:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Buffalo and Whiteoak Bayous Bacteria TMDL Stakeholder Meeting -- Room A
For more information contact Carl Masterson at carl.masterson@h-gac.com or 713-993-4561.
Back to Top October 24
12:00 PM - 1:30 PM
Smart Growth Initiative -- Room C
For more information contact Jeff Taebel at jeff.taebel@h-gac.com or 713-993-4560.
Back to Top November 2
1:30 PM - 3:30 PM
Natural Resources Advisory Committee -- Room A
For more information contact Carl Masterson at carl.masterson@h-gac.com or 713-993-4561.
Back to Top November 8
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Environmental Enforcement Roundtable: Counties Regulating Waste Haulers -- Room A
For more information contact Amy Boyers at amy.boyers@h-gac.com or 713-993-2441.
Back to Top November 9
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
County Planning Workshop: "A Goal without a Plan is Just a Wish" -- Rooms A
Topics will include: County Visioning and Comprehensive Planning Overview, Private and Public Partnerships, Legal Aspects of County Planning, Financing Options, and Corridor Planning.
For more information contact Cheryl Mergo at cmergo@h-gac.com or 713.993.4520 or Meredith Dang at meredith.dang@h-gac.com or 713.993.2443.
Back to Top
|