REGIONAL SERVICES

Regional Solid Waste Grant Program

The Heart of Texas Council of Governments (HOTCOG) receives funding for the Regional Solid Waste Grant Program from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), formerly the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission. These funds are generated from the tipping fees collected at landfill sites across the state. The funding allocation for implementation projects for fiscal year 2002/2003 was $293,378, which funded a total of fifteen projects in the Heart of Texas region.

The purpose of this program is to provide funding for eligible local and regional municipal solid waste management projects in support of the goals and objectives of the adopted Regional Solid Waste Management Plan for the Heart of Texas Council of Governments.

The following public entities are eligible for grant funding under this program:

  • Cities
  • Counties
  • Public Schools and School Districts (excluding universities and other post-secondary education institutions)
  • General and special law districts created in accordance with state law and with the authority and responsibility for water quality protection or municipal solid waste management (e.g. river authorities and municipal utility districts).
  • Council of Governments

Non-profit organizations and private companies are not directly eligible, but may be subcontracted by eligible public entities.

Project Categories

  • Local Enforcement
  • Litter and Illegal Dumping Cleanup
  • Source Reduction and Recycling
  • Citizens’ Collection Stations and “Small” Registered Transfer Stations
  • Household Hazardous Waste Management
  • Technical Studies
  • Educational and Training Projects

Solid Waste Planning

The Solid Waste Advisory Committee (SWAC) was formed as a result of legislation, which stipulated that each Council of Government (COG) write a Regional Solid Waste Management Plan for a twenty year period. The development of this document required input from the public; therefore, each COG formed a Regional Solid Waste Advisory Committee comprised of public and private representatives, as well as, members of the general citizenry. Since the development of the management plan, the role of the Heart of Texas Council of Governments’ SWAC has been to implement the plan. This task has been achieved by implementing and maintaining the goals and objectives set forth in the regional plan.

During the past fiscal year, HOTCOG was charged with preparing a formal amendment to the 1992 Regional Solid Waste Management Plan to coincide with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s Solid Waste Management in Texas - Strategic Plan 2001-2005. Councils of Governments were also required to include an inventory of closed municipal solid waste landfill units and landfill units with current permits as appendices to the amendments to their regional plans.

A solid waste survey was used to assist the HOTCOG staff and the Solid Waste Advisory Committee develop and refine: the goals and objectives, current waste flow patterns, scoring and operating procedures and assist in the development of an action plan for the amended plan. The regional goals and objectives of the plan amendment address the full spectrum of solid waste management to include: a range of landfill diversion practices, future disposal capacity, the recovery of landfill gas emissions, marketing strategies, public and private partnership projects, hazardous household waste collection and community cleanup events.

Regional Solid Waste Management Plan Goals and Objectives

Regional planning objectives that will be implemented in the near future involve: maximizing the capacity and efficiency of landfill and recycling operations; encouraging community programs through school curriculum, advertising campaigns, environmental projects and volunteer organizations; encouraging composting programs in the region; encouragement of the use of recyclable products under the Regional Solid Waste Grant Program; promotion of educational and training programs for law enforcement personnel and the judicial system with particular emphasis on areas of the region without enforcement programs; encouragement of public awareness through clean up events sponsored by the regional grants program and through COG managed projects; the utilization of grant funds for local plans; encouragement of public and private partnership efforts and to support the reduction, recycling and reuse of household hazardous waste.

Table 1: Current Landfills in the Region

County

Permit #

Permit Holder

Type

Falls

333

City of Rosebud

I

Hill

241

Trinity/BFI Waste Systems

I

Hill

1414

City of Hillsboro

IV

Limestone

1558

Trinity/BFI Waste Systems

I

McLennan

948

City of Waco

I

McLennan

1646

City of Lacy-Lakeview

I

 Table 2: Current Collection Stations in the Region

County

Location

Falls County

City of Lott

Falls County

City of Marlin

Falls County

City of Rosebud

McLennan County

City of Hewitt

 Closed Landfill Inventory

The inventory of closed municipal solid waste landfills is required by all of the state’s designated planning agencies, Council of Governments (COG), under §363.064 of the Texas Health and Safety Code. COGs are required to include an inventory of municipal solid waste landfill units, including landfill units no longer in operation in their Regional Solid Waste Management Plans (see Table 3 below). This inventory must include the location of such units, the current owners of the land on which the former landfills were located, and the current use of the land.

Table 3: Closed Landfill Inventory

Sub-Region

County

Permitted Sites

Unpermitted Sites

Post-Closure/ Final Inspection Sites

Sites/ County

1

Bosque

3

3

3

9

1

Hill

7

7

5

22

2

McLennan

15

6

10

30

3

Falls

5

6

9

20

3

Freestone

3

3

2

8

3

Limestone

2

5

4

11

HOTCOG

 

 

 

 

100

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Public Outreach, Education and Training

 The HOTCOG provides training throughout the region on various topics concerning solid waste management. In addition, the HOTCOG provides technical assistance concerning the solid waste grant application and administration process, as well as, information regarding funding from other sources. The HOTCOG continually updates and maintains a solid waste regional resource center that is open to the public by appointment.

Helpful Environmental Links

Contact Information
Erica Sullivan – Director of Regional Services
(254) 292-1800
(254) 756-0102 FAX
email       Erica Sullivan

                                         

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