Environmental Program
ATCOG’s Environmental Program addresses regional concerns related to solid waste management, brownfields sites, water quality, air quality, and flood planning. It promotes sustainable practices like reducing landfill waste, cleaning up contaminated sites, and protecting water resources. The program collaborates with local authorities to manage waste, monitor water and air quality, and plan for floods. Additionally, it provides resources on illegal dumping and scrap tire recycling to enhance community health and safety.
Regional Flood Planning
In 2019, Texas Governor Abbott and the Legislature expanded the Texas Water Development Board’s (TWDB) responsibilities to include overseeing a statewide flood planning process. This initiative divides Texas into regions based on river basins to address unique local challenges. Regional flood planning groups began forming in late 2020, with the first plans submitted by January 2023. The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) adopted Texas’ inaugural 2024 State Flood Plan on August 15, 2024.
Regional Solid Waste Management Plan
ATCOG’s 2022-2042 Regional Solid Waste Management Plan outlines strategies for efficient waste management over 20 years. It focuses on maximizing resource use, addressing problematic waste, improving recycling rates, and enhancing public education.
The plan identifies current waste practices, sets ambitious recycling goals, and recommends actions like expanding composting programs, reducing illegal dumping, and fostering regional collaboration. With short-, intermediate-, and long-term initiatives, the plan emphasizes adaptability, data-driven decisions, and community engagement to achieve sustainability goals.
Upcoming Events
Below are events related to ATCOG’s Environmental Program. Be sure to visit this page frequently, as events are posted throughout the year.
Environmental
Age Group: 18 - 100
Stay up-to date on upcoming events, classes, and grant deadlines related to Environmental Issues with our calendar of events.
Upcoming Events
No upcoming event found.
Illegal Dumping and Tire Disposal
ILLEGAL DUMPING
Illegal dumping is more than just a nuisance—it’s a crime that impacts local communities, public health, and the environment. It not only creates eyesores but also poses serious hazards and costs cities lots of money annually in cleanup efforts. Once an illegal dumpsite is established, it often attracts more waste, making the problem worse over time.
PROPER TIRE DISPOSAL
Recycling tires is important because it helps prevent environmental pollution and reduces the need for raw materials. Old tires take decades to decompose and can release harmful chemicals into the environment, polluting air, water, and soil. By recycling tires, we can save energy, reduce waste, and repurpose materials for useful products, such as playground surfaces or even new roads. Plus, it helps reduce the spread of pests like mosquitoes, which breed in standing water trapped in tires.
Air quality
Air Quality Program
ATCOG received a grant from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to study air quality in Bowie County, Texas. This grant specifically focuses on PM2.5 – tiny particles in the air that can affect breathing and health.
ATCOG is working on two main projects with the grant funding:
- Making a Map of Air Pollution Sources
- Creating a detailed inventory of where PM2.5 pollution comes from in Bowie County
- Tracking both the tiny particles and the chemicals that can turn into these particles (like sulfur dioxide and ammonia)
- Using official data from EPA and TCEQ databases to build these maps
- Computer Modeling of Air Quality
- Using special computer programs (called AERMOD) to predict how pollution moves through the air
- Looking at 5 years of air quality measurements from the local monitoring station
- Trying to understand where pollution goes and how it affects different areas
This project helps Texas officials understand air quality in Bowie County better. The information will be used in Texas’s State Implementation Plan (SIP), which is the state’s official plan for meeting national air quality standards. The work started in 2024 and will continue through December 2025.
Water quality
Water Quality Education Programs
We offer presentations on water quality to local schools, communities and civic organizations. To request an educational program, you can call 903-255-3519 or complete the form below.
Water is essential for all forms of life, but pollution poses a serious threat to this vital resource. Contaminated water in rivers, lakes, and oceans endangers wildlife and ecosystems, while unsafe drinking water jeopardizes human health, agricultural crops, and natural habitats. Pollutants come in many forms, including fertilizers, paints, industrial byproducts, cleaning agents, livestock waste, and toxic chemicals. Despite their variety, all pollutants share a common impact: they harm the environment and disrupt the delicate balance of our ecosystems.
The Clean Rivers Program by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) focuses on monitoring water quality, engaging communities, and addressing local water concerns. TCEQ also provides guidelines for safely disposing of hazardous items like pesticides, paints, and batteries, as well as used motor oil and filters. Additionally, pet waste and yard debris can harm water quality but can often be repurposed as compost.
Join the Texas Stream Team
The Texas Stream Team is a group of volunteers who are empowering communities to protect and preserve Texas waterways. Formerly known as Texas Watch, the organization is part of The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment at Texas State University.
Their mission is to bring together citizen scientists, educators, researchers, and environmental professionals to monitor water quality across Texas’ 191,000 miles of waterways. By training volunteers to collect and share surface water and environmental data, the organizations volunteers are building a healthier, safer environment through education, research, and community-driven action.
EPA's Brownfields Program
Brownfields sites are abandoned or underused commercial and industrial properties that could be redeveloped but may face challenges due to environmental contamination concerns.
ATCOG currently has an EPA Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund Grant to provide funding to capitalize loans that are used to clean up these sites, with the aim of fostering economic development, job creation, and reusing existing infrastructure. This initiative helps improve local communities by making spaces safer, cleaner, and more suitable for redevelopment.
