| | | | Today and Tomorrow Serving today and planning for tomorrow--that's what H-GAC does in many different ways. This Regional Focus highlights several examples of service to meet current needs and to plan for the future. Our dynamic region constantly challenges local governments to provide more effective, responsive, and accountable public service. At the same time careful, collaborative planning is necessary to meet the needs of our region in the future. Whether it's environmental enhancements in Galveston Bay, major new transportation facilities, recycling programs, or planning for safety, H-GAC and its local government partners are serving today and planning for tomorrow. Jack Steele
Executive Director |
Galveston Bay Education and Outreach Grant Program |  The Galveston Bay Estuary Program of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality announces the opportunity for eligible entities to secure grant funding for up to two years to perform Galveston Bay education and outreach education efforts. GBEP expects to award, but does not guarantee, $100,000 in Fiscal Year 2008 federal funds to multiple grantees.
Eligible entities include: state agencies; colleges and universities; city and county governments; school districts; political subdivisions of the state (port authorities, river authorities, soil and water conservation districts, groundwater conservation districts); councils of governments and other regional authorities; and non-profit 501(c)(3) organizations. Interested parties are encouraged to view the Request for Grant Applications for complete specifications. The deadline for responding to this Request for Grant Applications is September 6, 2007. |
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| Designing Pedestrian Facilities for Accessibility | Save the Date: Designing Pedestrian Facilities for Accessibility Training Course
September 17-18, 2007 This course has been developed for Engineers and Planners by the Association of Pedestrian-Bicyclist Professionals and the U.S. Access Board. For additional information, or to RSVP, please contact Dan Raine, AICP, H-GAC Pedestrian-Bicyclist Coordinator at dan.raine@h-gac.com or 832-681-2525. |
| Matching Grants Deadline August 31, 2007 | | The Sam Houston Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D)Council Board announces a matching grant program for worthy community and environmental projects in the 10 counties the Council serves: Austin, Brazoria, Colorado, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Matagorda, Montgomery, Walker and Wharton. Eight $500 grants will be awarded. Matching cash or in kind services are required and projects must provide public benefit and relate to land conservation, water management, economic development or community sustainability. Applications are due at the RC&D office by close of business on Friday, August 31, 2007. For additional information or to receive an electronic version of the application & related materials, contact Carl Masterson at (713) 993-4561 or carl.masterson@h-gac.com. |
| Partnership Grants Available for Projects in Houston/Galveston Area | The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality requests proposals and applications for projects to implement "on-the ground" water quality improvement projects in the Houston/Galveston area under a federal/state partnership grant. Applicants should propose projects that have a high probability of achieving quantifiable improvements in water quality conditions. The due date for applications is October 23, 2007. The TCEQ will hold a public workshop for applicants at the Houston-Galveston Area Council offices on Thursday, September 6, 2007, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The TCEQ expects to award $4 to $5 million for two to ten grant contracts that will be funded in federal fiscal years 2008 and 2009. To be eligible, projects must be implemented in one or more of the following counties: Harris, Galveston, Chambers, Brazoria, Liberty, Fort Bend, and Montgomery. Proposed projects should address impairments to water quality due to nonpoint source pollution; however, in very limited cases, point source pollution controls may be eligible for funding. Go to http://esbd.tbpc.state.tx.us/ for more details and to download an application package. Search the bid/procurement opportunities by agency name (TCEQ) and/or Requisition Number 582-7-80172. The title of the request is "The Houston/Galveston Area Water Quality Improvement Partnership Grants." Please direct questions to Joe McGill of TCEQ at jmcgill@tceq.state.tx.us and 512-239-1813. |
| Context Sensitive Solutions Workshop: Creating Livable Transportation | Context Sensitive Solution (CSS) is an emerging concept that provides a flexible, responsive process for transportation planning. CSS is an inter-disciplinary process that tailors the design and implementation of a transportation project to fit its setting. Early and active involvement by a diverse range of stakeholders throughout the planning and project development process is a key component of CSS. A shared stakeholder vision forms the basis for decisions in the CSS process. CSS recognizes that transportation facilities have positive and negative impacts beyond their transportation function and are an integral component of a successful community. The CSS approach saves time and money by gaining consensus early in the planning process. The end result is a transportation facility that is compatible with the surrounding community. Interested in learning more? H-GAC will be hosting a CSS Workshop on Thursday September 20, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Greenspoint Marriott. Participants will hear from national experts on CSS, learn about local CSS projects, and participate in a CSS charrette! Please contact Meredith Dang at meredith.dang@h-gac.com for more information. |
| Don't Hang Out in the "No-Zones!" |  The "No-Zone" Campaign was created by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Association as a result of its introduction of the "Share the Road" Program in 1994. The goal of the No-Zone campaign is to educate motorists about how to safely share the road with trucks and buses and to increase awareness of dangerous blind spots around commercial vehicles in which cars are hidden from view. These "No-Zones" are of special interest to all drivers because they are areas where crashes are more likely to occur. Educating drivers about the No-Zones may reduce deaths, injuries, and property damage as a result of crashes that occur in these areas. For more information visit the FMCSA website at: http://www.sharetheroadsafely.org/noZone/noZone.asp |
| No-Solo Driving | With concerns about gas prices, traffic congestion and air pollution at an all time high, H-GAC has declared August as Commute Solutions Month and is challenging commuters and employers to take the "No-Solo Driving Pledge" to try a commute alternative, such as NuRide/carpooling, teleworking and vanpooling, at least once during the month.  For taking the pledge, you're registered to win great prizes, beyond the time and monetary savings received simply by using an alternative. Go to Commute Solutions for more information.
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| Recycling Efficiency Case Studies Workshop | Recycling Efficiency Case Studies Workshop
August 29, 2007 9:00am - 12:00pm
H-GAC Conference Room A, 2nd Floor
3555 Timmons Lane, Houston, TX 77027 Topics include: - What various cities across the region are doing regarding recycling, waste minimization, HHW, and E-waste collection Implementation and operations tips for a variety of recycling program types based on the direct experiences of other cities within the region
- Simple methodologies that will help you evaluate your own recycling program's performance
- Options for addressing common recycling program issues such as education, data / record keeping, contract Issues
Please RSVP by August 27, 2007. For more information, or to RSVP, contact Kelly Freeman at 713-993-4566 or email kelly.freeman@h-gac.com. |
| Linda B. Smith Memorial Award | | H-GAC's Community and Environmental Planning Department is very pleased to announce that the Recycling Alliance of Texas selected the Houston-Galveston Regional Recycling & Conservation Guide as the winner of the 2007 Linda B. Smith Memorial Award. Click to view the 2007 Recycling Guide. |
| 2007 Regional Traffic Safety Planning Conference | | Save the date: 2007 Regional Traffic Safety Planning Conference Thursday, October 18, 2007 University of Houston Hilton Hotel Conrad Hilton Main Ballroom |
| H-GAC Board of Directors | | The agenda and attachments for the Board of Directors meetings are posted on our website at www.h-gac.com. The documents are posted the week before each meeting. Board meetings are held at 10:00 a.m. on the third Tuesday of each month on the second floor at 3555 Timmons Lane, Houston, Texas 77027. |
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