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TCEQ announces fueling facility program
Posted on by mason canales Posted in Grants
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The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) announced that $12 million is available for projects to construct or reconstruct natural gas, electric charging, and other alternative fuels fueling facilities within the Clean Transportation Zone, which includes seven counites in the CAPCOG region — Bastrop, Caldwell, Fayette, Hays, Lee, Travis and Williamson. The TCEQ funding opportunity has a 5 p.m. March 22 deadline.

The Alternative Fueling Facility Program, part of TCEQ’s Texas Emissions Reduction Plan, is available to individuals, state and local governments, corporations, or any other legal entities. The TCEQ has reserved $4 million for small businesses and noted that facilities open to the public will be considered before private facilities. Eligible alternative fuel types for projects include compressed natural gas, liquified natural gas, or a combination of the two; hydrogen; biodiesel; biodiesel blends; propane; electricity; and methanol — at least 85 percent by volume. Grants may reimburse a maximum of $400,000 for compressed natural gas (CNG) or liquified natural gas (LNG) projects, $600,000 for projects combining CNG and LNG, or 50 percent of the total eligible project cost with a maximum of $600,000 for fuels other than natural gas such as electricity.

The TCEQ is conducting a 1 p.m., Jan. 30 webinar in English and a 3 p.m. Jan. 31 webinar in Spanish for those interested in applying to the program. Interested parties must register to attend by 5 p.m. the day before their preferred webinar.

Register for the English webinar.
Register for the Spanish webinar.
Read more about the Alternative Fueling Facility Program and apply.

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CAPCOG honors 2022 Air Central Texas Award Recipients
Posted on by mason canales Posted in Recognition
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CAPCOG and the Central Texas Clean Air Coalition (CAC) on Wednesday recognized Rich Segal, Dr. Peter Beck, Olivia Prior, Bill Gibbs, and Movability with its 2023 Air Central Texas awards. The awards celebrate the activities by organizations and individuals that have made significant contributions to the region’s air quality and inspire future actions to support the CAC’s ongoing regional air quality planning efforts.

Movability ​​received the 2023 Air Central Texas Outstanding Organization Award. It currently have 86 member organizations, representing roughly 30,000 employees. Through its work, these organizations offer commuter benefits and reduce demand for drive-alone trips and parking resources. Members have logged 7,500 commute trips a year, which has resulted in a 24-ton reduction in CO2, a 31.4 lb. reduction in NOX, and saved commuters roughly $34,000.

Rich Segal received the 2023 Air Central Texas Media Award for his exceptional media coverage of air quality or air quality issues within the past year as a meteorologist at KXAN. Segal has regularly announced Ozone Action Days, and highlighted the Be Air Smart School Sensor program, which is jointly run by Air Central Texas, the Clean Air Force and Austin FC.

Dr. Peter Beck received the 2023 Air Central Texas Environmental Education Award for his exceptional leadership on air quality and environmental education. Beck was an Associate Professor of Environmental Science and Policy (ENSP) at St. Edward’s University from 2003-2023. He was responsible for starting the ENSP program at St. Edward’s, which has taught thousands of students about the effects of environmental pollution on ecosystems and human communities, and the pros and cons of various policy solutions. He is being honored posthumously.

Olivia Prior received the 2023 Air Aware Student Leadership Award for her roles as the Governmental Affairs Director for Students for Sustainability and as a Senator for the Student Government Association at St. Edward’s University. In these leadership capacities, prior shares information about the importance of reducing air pollution during Ozone Action Days, the availability and impact of using public transportation, and how we can rethink transportation and commuting in Austin.

Bill Gibbs received the 2023 Bill Gill Central Texas Air Quality Leadership Award​ for his distinguished work as the Executive Director of the Clean Air Force of Central Texas. A lifelong advocate of sustainability, he committed to keeping air quality in Central Texas in compliance with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standards so all can enjoy healthy air. As leader of the Clean Air Force, Gibbs reached out to local businesses, non-profits, educational institutions, and government agencies to bring them together as advocates for the reduction of air pollution.

Find additional details and photos at AirCentralTexas.org.

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General Assembly to elect Executive Committee
Posted on by mason canales Posted in Recognition
Click to learn more about the General Assembly Meeting

CAPCOG’s General Assembly will meet at 11:30 a.m. Dec. 13, 2023, at the Austin Southpark Hotel, 4140 Governors Row in Austin, for its annual business meeting including electing the 2024 Executive Committee and recognizing regional contributions.

Along with acknowledging the work of the advisory committees, CAPCOG will recognize this year’s recipient of the Jack Griesenbeck Leadership in Regionalism Award, which is named after CAPCOG’s first chairperson and a former Bastrop County Judge; the award acknowledges someone who consistently advocates a regional and multi-jurisdictional approach through their work with local governments, nonprofits and other organizations. CAPCOG also will announce its Phill Parmer Volunteer Award recipient, which is named after a Llano resident who served on CAPCOG’s Aging Advisory Council member until his 90s. Other honors to be announced are six air quality awards to include the Bill Gill Central Texas Air Quality Leadership Award, named after a long time Central Texas air quality advocate and former CAPCOG employee.

General Assembly Representatives and Committee Members can RSVP for the meeting at https://training.capcog.org/classes/general-assembly-2/.

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Applications open for solid waste grants: cleaning up communities
Posted on by mason canales Posted in Grants
Click to read about the CAPCOG Solid Waste Grant Program Grant Writing Workshop.

CAPCOG’s Solid Waste Grant Program helped dispose of more than 163 tons of materials during the last two years; the program is now accepting applications for 2024-25 biennium projects until Dec. 18. It looks to provide $274,000 in pass-through funding and has a maximum award of $40,000.

“Projects funded by the program provide an outlet for communities to collect and properly dispose of items such as household hazardous waste, tires and mattresses, and mitigate environmental safety and public health issues caused by such waste,” said Ken May, CAPCOG Solid Waste Program manager. “Giving people the opportunity to properly dispose of this waste helps residents de-clutter and prevents illegal dumping and protects the environment.”

During the last biennium, the CAPCOG Solid Waste Grant Program funded 16 projects for 15 jurisdictions that included household hazardous waste collection events, bulk item collection events, improvements to recycling and household hazardous waste collection facilities, and equipment purchases.

Information about applying to the CAPCOG funding opportunity is at https://www.capcog.org/what-we-do/funding-grants/solid-waste/ to include a video of the grant writing workshop and completing the application webinar.

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CAPCOG announces Homeland Security grant workshops
Posted on by mason canales Posted in Grants
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CAPCOG will host three virtual State Homeland Security Program Grant workshops in early December for the 2024 funding opportunity. Jurisdictions seeking the funds are required to attend one of the workshops.

The workshops will cover the application process and review the federal, state, and regional requirements and priorities for grant funding. They will also include information about project eligibility; rules, regulations, and certifications; prohibited activities and equipment; investment categories; CAPCOG’s grant review and prioritization process; and the program’s timeline and milestones.

Traditionally, the CAPCOG region receives about $1 million from the funding opportunity. Information about CAPCOG’s grant process as well as details about the state’s funding opportunity can be found at https://www.capcog.org/what-we-do/funding-grants/homeland-security/. Jurisdiction representative may register to attend one of the three workshops at https://training.capcog.org/homeland-security/.

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Solid Waste Grant Application Webinar
Posted on by mason canales Posted in Grants
Click to read more about the upcoming Solid Waste Grant writing workshop.

This webinar video is to supplement the previous online grant-writing workshop for the CAPCOG FY 2024-25 Solid Waste Program grants conducted on Oct. 26, 2023. The webinar will explain the details of the application form, which will assist applicants in preparing their applications. It will provide information not included in the Oct. 26, 2023 workshop and will cover the application form that has been revised.

Watch the video

Read more about the Solid Waste Grant Program.

AAACAP brings home Caregiver Advocacy tips
Posted on by mason canales Posted in Outreach, Planning
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The Area Agency on Aging of the Capital Area, a division of CAPCOG, was the only Texas organization to attend the Caregiver Nation Summit in Washington D.C., hosted by the National Alliance for Caregiving, in October to discuss caregiver advocacy. AAACAP staff shared advocacy efforts conducted in the ten-county CAPCOG region and returned with additional best practices for providing consistent messaging, effective outreach and data analysis meant to enhance sharing the family caregiver’s story to improve their health and wellness.

“There are about 3.1 million family caregivers in Texas providing more than 2.9 billion hours of care,” said Patty Bordie, AAACAP director. “Today’s challenges with paid direct-care workforce shortages, makes it imperative that we support the — Caregiver Nation — of family caregivers.”

During the summit, AAACAP shared information collected from three family caregiver forums called Share Your Voice. The forums sought to develop a stronger coalition of family caregivers and craft uniform messaging and included strategy sessions to plan for approaches for raising community awareness about family caregiver supports. Caregivers who participated identified two important priorities: the creation of a local Caregiver 101 Guide with frequently asked questions and access points to begin their family caregiver journey, and a plan to support a Family Caregiver Advocacy Day.

The Changing the Care Conversation grant, which CAPCOG and AAACAP were awarded through the St. David’s Foundation, funded these projects.

Find Caregiver Supports.

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CAPCOG hosts 2024 Solar Eclipse Planning Summit
Posted on by mason canales Posted in Planning
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CAPCOG hosted the 2024 Solar Eclipse Planning Summit in mid-October to focus local eclipse planning efforts on public safety and emergency preparedness. The summit brought together emergency management, public safety, public health, and private sector officials from across the region to discuss topics centered on coordinating traffic control, emergency response, emergency communications and public information efforts. Paul Yura, with the National Weather Service’s San Antonio Office, started the summit by discussing cloud cover forecasting and its potential impact on traffic control if visitors are relocating for a better view.

“Local jurisdictions have been planning for this event for months; we wanted to facilitate a regional discussion around the safety and emergency preparedness aspects of the event,” said Martin Ritchey, CAPCOG Homeland Security director. “Even if a jurisdiction is not in the path of totality, its roads and highways, emergency services, and public works will be impacted by eclipse visitors. You can expect more traffic, crowded stores and restaurants, increased pedestrian traffic, and increased 9-1-1 calls.”

CAPCOG will continue to organize topic-specific virtual eclipse planning meetings during the next few months before conducting a final strategy and resource meeting in February. To be included in the planning meetings, contact Olivia Hemby, CAPCOG Homeland Security planner.

The April 8, 2024, total solar eclipse will traverse a cross Texas from Eagle Pass to Texarkana with its totality viewing area encompassing Blanco, Burnet, Hays, Travis, and Williamson counties. More than 12 million Texas residents live in the path and between 180,000 to 720,000 eclipse viewers are estimated to visit the state.

Learn more about the Homeland Security Division.

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GLO hosts MOD-MIT meeting
Posted on by mason canales Posted in Grants
Click to read about GLO mitigation funds

The Texas General Land Office will provide a presentation on the CDBG-MIT Regional Mitigation Program and its funding opportunities at 1:30 p.m. Aug. 17, 2023 at the Mike Fisher Building, 1501 Business Park Drive in Bastrop. Communities that qualify and were allocated funds from the CDBG-MIT include those in Bastrop, Caldwell, Fayette and Lee counties.

The presentation will information related to the program, the approved MOD, its application process, environmental considerations, procurement, and general program compliance. GLO staff also will provide technical assistance related to the funding opportunity.

For those, interested in visiting with GLO staff for technical assistance at the event, email cdr.mitigation@recovery.texas.gov with the subject: CAPCOG TA Request and provide the following information:

  • Name of Jurisdiction
  • Point of Contact (name, title, and email)

Prior to this meeting, the GLO recommends reviewing the application portal and documents at https://recovery.texas.gov/mitigation/programs/regional-mitigation/index.html.

RSVP for the event.

Email cdr.mitigation@recovery.texas.gov with questions about the event.

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CDBG funds Elgin sidewalk connectivity project
Posted on by mason canales Posted in Grants, Outreach
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The City of Elgin used Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA), Community Development Block Grant (CBDG) funds to improve the walkability, accessibility and connectivity through historic downtown and to other parts of the city and future developments.

The $500,000 in CDBG funding was a critical element in supporting the sidewalk project that stretched more than five city streets and linked downtown to the city’s Veterans Memorial Park and its future park expansion that will break ground in August. The project also connected public restrooms to the park and the city’s Chamber of Commerce and to a CARTs transit building. With the additions, pedestrian can use sidewalks to traverse the entire historic business district to several area schools and the local Austin Community College campus, medical facilities, and additional parks outside the downtown area.

TDA’s Community Development Fund and its Downtown Revitalization and Main Street programs can fund a variety of projects to local communities with $250,000 and $500,000 maximum funding awards. While the 2023 funding opportunity closed in May, the 2024 application process is anticipated to start accepting applications in January. CAPCOG can provide technical assistance and help determine what projects may qualify for the funding opportunities for those communities in the 10-county region.

Get more information about economic development funding opportunities.
Find TDA funding opportunities.

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