Trash Bash® Celebrates 31 Years of Water Cleanups  

On March 29, the River, Lakes, Bays ‘N Bayous Trash Bash® held its 31st annual litter cleanup event. A total of 2,414 volunteers helped remove 38.69 tons of trash and 119 illegally dumped tires from 58 miles of shoreline in the lower Galveston Bay watershed. 

When combined, volunteers have removed 2,543.86 tons of trash and 12,529 illegally dumped tires since the first event in 1994. 

Learn more about Trash Bash® online. 

Natural Resources Advisory Committee Meeting – May 1 (Hybrid)  

H-GAC's Natural Resources Advisory Committee (NRAC) will meet from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Thursday, May 1, at H-GAC Conference Room D (second floor) 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 of Directors and local decision-makers. 

For more information, contact Rachel Windham. 

Wastewater Infrastructure Funding Workshop – May 1 (Hybrid)  

H-GAC is hosting a free workshop on funding and assistance programs that can help improve wastewater infrastructure from 2 to 4 p.m. Thursday, May 1, at Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Office, 21017 CR 171, Angleton, and on Zoom.

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

Speakers include representatives from Texas Water Development Board, Texas Department of Agriculture, and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. Speaker presentations will be provided to in-person and online audiences. Networking will be available only to in-person participants.  

For more information, contact Kendall Guidroz.  

Clean Waters Initiative Workshop – May 25 (Hybrid)  

Join us for H-GAC's next Clean Waters Initiative Workshop on Nonpoint Source Management from 1:30 to 4 p.m. Tuesday, May 20, at the Delores Fenwick Nature Center Classroom, 5750 Magnolia Pkwy Pearland, and on Zoom

Attendees will discuss nonpoint source management measures used to implement watershed based plans and improve water quality, specifically as it pertains to implementation of the Clear Creek Watershed Protection Plan.

For registration details and more information, contact Rachel Windham or visit our website.

Bacteria Implementation Group Annual Meeting – June 3 (Hybrid)  

Make plans to attend the Bacteria Implementation Group (BIG) Spring meeting on Tuesday, June 3. 

The meeting is from 2 to 4 p.m. 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. 

Topics will include the 2025 annual report, BIG Implementation Plan revisions, Targeted Bacteria Monitoring and Total Maximum Daily Load Watershed Delineation. 

For more information or to submit public comment, contact Steven Johnston.   

H-GAC to Host National Elder Abuse Prosecution Institute – June 10-13 (In-Person) pre-approval required to register

H-GAC is hosting the 2025 National Institute on the Prosecution of Elder Abuse (NIPEA) June 10-13. This 3.5-day course is designed for prosecutors and will provide important information about elder abuse and will offer practical skills needed to ensure successful prosecution of elder abuse crimes. Topics include case evaluation and litigation skills, dementia and capacity issues, common injuries and the use of medical experts, ethical issues, available resources to support prosecutors, and more. 

Attendees may qualify for approximately 18 continuing legal education credit hours including at least one hour of ethics credit. 

NIPEA is open to prosecutors only. Preference will be given to prosecutors from agencies participating in the Office of Violence Against Women Training and Services to End Abuse in Later Life Program. All others will be considered in the order applications are received. Interested prosecutors may apply to attend by completing an online application. Submitting an application does not guarantee a spot. Application deadline is May 15. 

This event is co-sponsored by the National Clearinghouse on Abuse in Later Life, the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW), and AEquitas. For more information, contact Ann Laatsch at [email protected].  

Livable Centers Roundtable, Workshop Series – June 26, September 18 (In Person)

H-GAC continues its three-part 2025 Livable Centers Roundtable and Workshop Series—exploring the critical connections between transportation planning, design, and public health. This series will bring together experts and practitioners to discuss how the built environment, transportation systems, and planning decisions influence community health, and how we can work across disciplines to create healthier, more livable communities. 

This series is a must-attend for urban planners, transportation planners, public health professionals, designers, policymakers, and community leaders interested in shaping a future where the built environment supports well-being for all. Participants can attend one, two, or all three events.  

Remaining events in the series include:

• Roundtable 2 – Designing Healthy Communities, 9 to 11:30 a.m. Thursday, June 26. Space is limited. Registration is requested.
• Annual Land Use/Transportation Workshop—Health-Conscious Communities: Integrating Urban Design, Planning, and Public Health, 9 a.m. to noon, Thursday, September 18. Registration is requested.

All events will be held at H-GAC second floor conference rooms. Participant networking is from 9 to 9:30 a.m. for each event. Program activities will begin at 9:30 a.m. each day.

For more information, contact Sarai Osorio at [email protected].

Parks and Natural Areas Roundtable – July 14 (In Person)  

Mark your calendars for the next H-GAC Parks and Natural Areas Roundtable from 2 to 4 p.m. Monday, July 14, at H-GAC, second floor conference rooms. 

Registration will open soon on the Parks and Natural Areas Roundtable meeting materials web page. 

Topics include an update on James Bute Park / Frost Town Historic Site and plans for the 20th Annual Parks and Natural Areas Awards this year.

For more information, contact Andrea Tantillo. 

Bringing Back Main Street Roundtable – July 15 (In Person)  

Save the date for the next Bringing Back Main Street Roundtable on Tuesday, July 15, at the Alvin Senior Center, 309 W. Sealy St., Alvin. Networking and check-in begin at 1:30 followed by the program at 2 p.m. See map for free parking and nearby restaurant options.

Registration is requested but not required to attend.

Topics include Alvin’s preparations for future growth and economic development including the 2035 Comp Plan; Visit Alvin, including public art, foodie trail program, film friendly, music friendly, and other state programs.

Speakers and additional topics will be announced soon.  

The Bringing Back Main Street initiative offers local communities a place to share best practices and engage in a regional dialogue about revitalizing and supporting vibrant downtown spaces. Each quarter, community leaders gather for a roundtable on topics ranging from small business support to sidewalk infrastructure. 

For more information, contact Andrea Tantillo. 

City of Angleton, Rice Program Earn Keep Texas Beautiful Honors

Congratulations to the City Angleton for winning in Category 5 of the 2025 Governor's Community Achievement Awards (GCAA) by Keep Texas Beautiful, in partnership with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). This year, Angleton and nine other winning communities across the state will share $2 million in landscaping awards from TxDOT, with the amount based on population size. The funds are to be used for landscaping projects along local rights-of-way. 

The Rice University Office of Sustainability Give a Hoot! Donate Your Loot! program is recognized as an Outstanding Program in the 2025 Keep Texas Beautiful Beautify Texas Awards. The project has encouraged sustainability and community involvement. The campaign motivates students, faculty, and staff to donate durable goods during move-out periods, significantly reducing waste by repurposing or recycling these items. Since the program started in 2023, more than 16,000 pounds of goods have been diverted from landfills. The Beautify Texas Awards recognize efforts made by individuals and organizations to enhance their communities and protect Texas’ environment. These awards honor extraordinary volunteers, professionals, businesses, organizations, and sustainable projects and programs. They are organized into two main categories, Individual Awards and Organization Awards.

Green Infrastructure for Texas Launches Free Class

Green Infrastructure for Texas introduces a new free online course, Introduction to Green Infrastructure, designed for professionals involved in community development, infrastructure planning, and environmental management. This self-paced course is now available for users to take a closer look at tools and skills for local communities' green infrastructure needs.

Texas Citizen Planner Course – Now through May 28

Texas AgriLife Extension Service is hosting a 6-session training course for local, appointed officials and other planning-related professionals. The Texas Citizen Planner Program covers planning concepts including topics and tends of a positive community vision and quality of life; how to use planning tools to improve development; and legal and technical aspects of planning. The course will be every Wednesday through May 28 from 6 to 8 p.m. at H-GAC second floor conference rooms. The cost of the course is $80 and includes all six sessions. The May 14 session is eligible for Certified Floodplain Manager Continuing Education Units. To register and see a list of the date-specific topics, visit Onsite Course - Texas Citizen Planner Program. 

STAR, TRIED-IT Summits – May 7-9

The State of Texas Alliance for Recycling (STAR) 26th Annual Texas Recycling Summit will be in May in Georgetown. STAR is partnering with the Texas Recycling Infrastructure Economic Development Initiative Team (TRIED-IT) to explore cutting-edge industry updates, economic opportunities, and sustainable solutions sharing Texas’ recycling future. The TRIED-IT Summit is May 7 and 8, and the Texas Recycling Summit is May 8 and 9. Register once for both events.

Funding Sources

H-GAC's Community and Environmental Planning Department maintains a list of ongoing funding opportunities for parks improvements, conservation projects, active transportation projects, and downtown revitalization projects. H-GAC also provides a Funding Resources Hub with many funding opportunities for individuals, local governments, organizations, and others.

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

All content, including links to websites on these funding lists, is for informational purposes only. Users of this content are responsible for checking its accuracy, currency, and suitability.

Mapping Applications

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.