As part of the Federal Highway Administration pilot study, H-GAC developed the Regional Resilience Tool to display the criticality and vulnerability of road segments. The tool includes modeled flood exposure depth grid data identifying the specific parts of the road segment that are vulnerable to flooding. This information can be useful in planning road improvements and developing mitigation strategies. 

H-GAC recently released the 2019 Mobility Report, an interactive application displaying mobility statistics of the H-GAC 8-county Transportation Management Area. The interactive, online report summarizes key transportation and economic performance indicators reflecting the region's progress toward achieving a safe, reliable, multimodal transportation system.

H-GAC’s new Regional Equity Tool is an interactive mapping application/tool that identifies the distribution of the region’s vulnerable, low- to moderate- income population and historic settlements. The tool lists current and future planning projects for H-GAC and other local agencies. Regional planners can use this tool to better understand the sociodemographic and community characteristics of a study/project area and enhance their decision-making process.

H-GAC and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality will hold a public meeting for the Spring Creek Watershed Partnership from 2 to 4 p.m. Thursday, October 8. 

Registration is required. For more information, contact Rachel Windham.

H-GAC's next Clean Waters Initiative (CWI) workshop will be from 8:30 to 11 a.m. Thursday, October 15. 

Registration is required. For more information, contact Brian Sims.

H-GAC's Bringing Back Main Street initiative will host the second annual Rural and Small Town Downtown Revitalization Summit from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, October 27.

This event will be online.

Downtowns thrive on engaged visitors, resilient businesses, and strategic planning for growth. This remains true during COVID-19, but how we get there may look a little different. There are many solutions to every challenge, but no magic formula during relatively normal times or especially during a pandemic. However, experts and our neighbors have some ideas.

Join us as we look at ways to reinvigorate downtowns during COVID-19 by attracting visitors, maintaining local businesses, and planning for new growth.

Registration is required. For more information, contact Cheryl Mergo.

The Bacteria Implementation Group (BIG) Fall Meeting will be from 1 to 3 p.m. Tuesday, October 27.

This meeting will be online.

Registration is required. For more information, contact Steven Johnston.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) invites students in 6th through 12th grades to enter the annual Take Care of Texas Video Contest. Student videos should be 30 seconds long and portray positive ways Texans can help keep air and water clean, conserve water and energy, or reduce waste. The contest deadline is Friday, December 4, and the public will have the opportunity to pick their favorite videos January 18-29, 2021. There will be six winners. Waste Management of Texas, Inc. will provide prizes--GoPro cameras and scholarships. The middle and high school students who win first place will be recognized by the TCEQ Commissioners and representatives from Waste Management of Texas, Inc.

The Texas Water Development Board, the Texas General Land Office, and the Texas Division of Emergency Management launched a website with information on flood mitigation funding opportunities for Texas communities. The site includes an online Request for Information Form that entities can submit to get feedback on what state and federal financial assistance programs could be the best fit for their flood mitigation needs. The site also includes funding opportunities, general project and entity eligibility by program, upcoming events related to flood mitigation financial assistance, and other resources. For local governments interested in using the clearinghouse to access project ideas, visit the Texas Flood Clearinghouse website or call 512-463-8725. 

Texas communities working on long-term recovery from Hurricane Harvey can find Infoshare resources at Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service's new Resilient Texas website. Visit the site for both new and previous information shared in weekly emails. FEMA's Texas Recovery Office partnered with AgriLife on the site and will continue to provide resources both in email and for the website. 

Kansas State University Technical Assistance to Brownfields program provides free site re-use planning and visioning services, and site inventory and prioritization assistance to local governments that don't have the resources to get this done on their own. This assistance is usually enough to "start the ball rolling," for developing strategies and to attract funds to do more extensive planning work and to redevelop brownfields. For more information, contact Blase Leven, the Program Coordinator at Kansas State University, at 785-532-0780. 

Trash Free Texas strives to keep trash out of area waterways by working with communities and organizations across the state to connect people to places that need routine litter cleanup activities. Local governments and organizations can get involved by using the Adopt-a-Spot online interactive mapping application. 

State of Texas Alliance for Recycling annual recycling and composting conferences will be combined in a single all-virtual event October 5-0. The Rethinking Recycling event will feature online tracts and panels covering the most pertinent topics in the recycling and composting industries.

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) National Prescription Drug Take Back Day will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, October 24. Check the DEA website in early October for area drop-off locations. The collection event provides a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse of medications and environmental contamination. Law enforcement agencies interested in hosting a collection site should call the point of contact for this area.

For more than two decades, communities have come together on November 15 to celebrate America Recycles Day. Find tools for organizing or attending special events online.

East End Maker Hub, a collaboration between Urban Partnerships Community Development Corporation and TX/RX Labs, is now leasing at 6501 Navigation Blvd. in Houston’s East End. The project represents $37 million in investment, including contributions from TX/RX Labs, the Urban Partnerships Community Development Corporation, the City of Houston, the U.S. Economic Development Administration, and New Market Tax Credits.

The three-phased project is in a Qualified Opportunity Zone, a designation that provides tax benefits to companies operating within it, will create jobs in the community, and will renovate a 300,000-square-foot space.

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 and economic recovery resources.

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

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.

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, Regional Data Lab, Bacteria Implementation Group (BIG), and West Fork Watersheds Partnership.

Find the latest information about activities around the region at H-GAC's Twitter feed @HouGalvAreaCog. H-GAC's water resources program also offers Twitter updates on water quality issues in the region @HGACwater.