SOLID WASTE
The Environmental Planning Department of the Coastal Bend Council of Governments is responsible for adopting and implementing a regional solid waste management plan (RSWMP) and for being in conformance with the State of Texas Water Quality Management Plan (WQMP) for the region.

The CBCOG Environmental Planning Department administers the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s (TCEQ) Solid Waste Grant Program for the region.  The TCEQ funds provided for each COG region are obtained through the State’s landfill tipping fees.  These fees allow the TCEQ and 24 COG regions in Texas to pass thru grant funds to their Cities and Counties for projects and programs relating to solid waste.  These grants include but are not limited to local enforcement training, community cleanup events, recycling, education and outreach on solid waste related topics and litter abatement.
Currently the CBCOG has projects funded by TCEQ solid waste grant funds for the following:

• MedSafe® Pharmaceutical Collection Units (17 locations)
• Sidewalk Buttlers® (59 units throughout the region)
• Local Environmental Enforcement Training for Code Enforcement and Law Enforcement Officers
• Closed Landfill Inventory for CBCOG region, including McMullen County

WATER QUALITY
The CBCOG Environmental Planning Department is one of six COG regions in the State of Texas that participates in the TCEQ’s 604(b) non-point source pollution program.  These grant funds are used in the CBCOG region to facilitate and further education and outreach for the public on non-point source pollution and prevention.

In 2011 the CBCOG began a campaign entitled “Think Blue South TexasTM.”  The campaign focuses on educating the public and school children on the effects of storm water pollution, pet waste, and dumping in the water ways and storm drains in their communities.

Think Blue
South Texas