Natural Resources Advisory Committee – November 2 (Hybrid) 

H-GAC's Natural Resources Advisory Committee (NRAC) will meet from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Thursday, November 2, at H-GAC second floor conference rooms and on Zoom. 

Registration is requested, but not required to attend in person. Registration is required to attend online.

Participants at this meeting will hear updates on regional activities related to natural resources.

The NRAC serves as a forum to advise the H-GAC Board and local decision-makers  

For more information, contact Rachel Windham.

Secrets to a Successful Recycling Program Webinar – November 6 (Online) 

Join us for Secrets to a Successful Recycling Program, a webinar from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Monday, November 6, on Zoom.

Registration is required to attend.

During this webinar you’ll hear about opportunities and challenges associated with running a successful recycling drop-off program. Confirmed presenters are Selina Valdez with East Aldine Neighborhood Depository and Recycling Center and George Scullane with Keep Kingwood Green.

For more information, contact Erin Livingston.

Houston GIS Day – November 16 (In Person) 

Make plans to attend the 2023 Houston Area GIS Day on Thursday, November 16, at the University of Houston – Clear Lake campus, 2700 Bay Area Blvd, Bayou Building, Houston. Houston GIS Day is a one-day celebration of Geographic Information Systems for local GIS professionals, universities, high school students, and teachers. 

This year’s activities include: 

• Live Educational Presentations for Students 
• Live Geospatial Presentations for Professionals 
• College and University GIS Program Exhibitors 
• Geospatial Exhibitors and Vendors 
• Student GIS Activities and Games 
• Professional Map Contests and More! 

For more event information including sponsor, exhibitor, speaker, and volunteer opportunities, visit the 2023 Houston Area GIS Day website.

Parks and Natural Areas Roundtable Field Trip – November 17 (In Person) 

Join us for the Parks and Natural Areas Roundtable field trip on Friday, November 17, for a tour of Galveston parks. We will learn more about the award-winning Women in Coastal Science program, tour parks around the city, and hear about using parks and parks programming as a revenue-generating, program-supporting opportunity.

We will meet at 10 a.m. at East Beach (R.A. Apffel Park), 1923 Boddeker Road, Galveston. Tours of parks on the island continue until noon.

We will meet at the park. Carpooling is encouraged, and transportation to Galveston is not provided. However, registration by November 6 is requested for on-site transportation during the tours.

For more information, contact Andrea Tantillo. 

Clean Waters Initiative Volunteer Monitoring Workshop – December 1 (In Person) 

H-GAC's Clean Waters Initiative Workshop will be from 9 a.m. to noon. Friday, December 1, at Challenger Seven Center, 2301 W. Nasa Blvd., Webster

This workshop will focus on the outstanding work of volunteer monitors in our region and how their efforts expand our knowledge of water quality. Topics will include how the data collected by volunteer monitors is use, and how different volunteer monitoring programs operate in the region. The workshop will also feature a live demonstration of field methods.

Registration is requested, but not required, to attend.

Clean water is crucial to our region's environment, economy, and quality of life. The Clean Waters Initiative (CWI) program offers workshops that help local governments, landowners, and residents develop effective strategies to reduce pollution in area waterways.

Refreshments sponsored by Quiddity Engineering LLC - Quiddity.

For more information, contact Rachel Windham.

Bacteria Implementation Group Fall Meeting – December 5 (Hybrid) 

The Bacteria Implementation Group (BIG) Fall meeting will be from 1 to 3 p.m. Tuesday, December 5.

The meeting will be at H-GAC, second floor conference rooms, and on Zoom. Registration is required to attend online and requested to attend in person.

Topics will include the 2023 annual report, BIG Implementation Plan revisions, Targeted Bacteria Monitoring and Total Maximum Daily Load updates.

For more information, contact Steven Johnston.

Fall Planning Workshop – December 5 (Online) 

Register today for H-GAC's annual Fall Planning Workshop from 1:30 to 4 p.m. Tuesday, December 5.

The event will be online, and registration is required.

In an era where urban development often leads to displacement and gentrification, our workshop is dedicated to paving the path toward a more equitable future. This workshop will explore equitable development strategies that create thriving communities without sacrificing the well-being of long-standing residents. This workshop is ideal for urban planners, community leaders, policymakers, developers, and anyone passionate about creating inclusive, vibrant neighborhoods. 

Confirmed workshop speakers include:  

• Julia Duranti-Martínez, Local Initiatives Support Corporation 
• James Armstrong, Builders of Hope  
• Trent Lethco, ARUP  

For more information, contact Sarai Osorio.

Take Care of Texas Video Contest

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 1, and the public will have the opportunity to pick their favorite videos January 16-24, 2024. There will be six winners. Waste Management of Texas, Inc. will provide prizes—gift cards and scholarships.  

TCEQ Public Meeting – November 13

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) will host a public meeting at 6:30 p.m. Monday, November 13, at Alvin Public Library, 105 S, Gordon, Alvin. The purpose of the meeting is to provide the public an opportunity to comment on two draft Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) for indicator bacteria in Chocolate Bayou, of the San Jacinto–Brazos Coastal Basin within Brazoria and Fort Bend counties. During this meeting, individuals will have the opportunity to present oral statements. An agency staff member will give a brief presentation at the start of the meeting and will be available to answer questions before and after all oral statements have been received. Visit the project website to learn more about the draft TMDLs, the public comment period, and next steps. For more information, contact Jazmyn Milford.

Green Infrastructure Workshop – November 14

Texas AgriLife Extension Service will facilitate a Green Infrastructure for Texas workshop from 9 a.m. to noon Tuesday, November 14, at the Galveston County Extension Offices (Carbide Park), 4102-B Main Street, La Marque. Attendees at this in-person workshop will learn more about nature-based practices to clean and conserve stormwater for people and wildlife at any scale. The workshop is free, but seating is limited. Registration is required. AICP and CFM continuing education hours are available.

TCEQ Public Meeting – November 14

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) will host a public meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, November 14, at Sam & Carmena Goss Memorial Branch Library, 1 John Hall Drive, Mont Belvieu. The purpose of the meeting is to provide the public an opportunity to comment on a draft Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for indicator bacteria in Cotton Bayou Tidal, of the Trinity River Basin, within Chambers County. During this meeting, individuals will have the opportunity to present oral statements. An agency staff member will give a brief presentation at the start of the meeting and will be available to answer questions before and after all oral statements have been received. Visit the project website to learn more about the draft TMDLs, the public comment period, and next steps. For more information, contact Wyatt Eason.

America Recycles Day – November 15

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