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Grants: Funding Opportunities

We offer state and federal funding opportunities to a variety of groups, individuals, and governmental entities to carry out programs supporting our mission. We generally refer to these wide-ranging funding opportunities as "grants."

We consider grants to be awards in the form of financial assistance—including federal cooperative agreements—made to eligible entities that will derive a primary benefit from assistance of the granting agent. These grants may be attained through a competitive or non-competitive applications process. Assistance may be in the form of money, property, or other financial assistance paid by us to carry out a program according to state and federal rules, requirements, and guidance.

Grants Awarded from State Funds

Regional Solid Waste Grants Program

Purpose: Solid waste management activities and various local and regional projects that help implement solid waste management plans, in accordance with Section 361.014 of the Texas Health and Safety Code.
Recipients: Regional and local governments

View more information about this program.

Clean Rivers Program

Purpose: Collect and assess surface water quality data and provide a public forum for managing water quality in each Texas river basin, in accordance with Section 26.0135 of the Texas Water Code.
Recipients: 12 river authorities, one water district, one federal agency, and one council of government

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Texas On-Site Sewage Facility Grant Program

Purpose: The Texas On-Site Sewage Facility Grant Program awards competitive grants to support applied research and demonstration projects for on-site wastewater treatment technology and systems. Grants are awarded to projects that are directed toward improving the quality of wastewater treatment and reducing the cost of providing wastewater treatment to consumers, including wastewater reuse.
Recipients: Accredited colleges and universities in this state, by other governmental entities, or by acceptable public or private research centers.

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Continuous Water Quality Monitoring Network

Purpose: The TCEQ continues to expand and improve the Continuous Water Quality Monitoring Network (CWQMN) for collecting data needed to assess water quality, support TMDL development and implementation, manage water resources, and other purposes. However, the TCEQ has resource constraints that limit what can be accomplished by TCEQ alone. Those interested in partnering to establish new CWQMN sites are encouraged to download the CWQMN Pre-Proposal Form.
Recipients: Pre-Proposals will be evaluated by a TCEQ panel familiar with the project river basin. The TCEQ will consider the data need and expected use, the availability of instruments to monitor the water quality parameter of concern, and the availability of in-kind resources for deployment, operation, maintenance, and/or data validation when evaluating project proposals. The TCEQ will evaluate each proposal submitted but may or may not determine to develop and deploy the proposed project.

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Bays and Estuaries

Purpose: Implement federally approved Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plans developed to protect and restore the health and productivity of Galveston and Coastal Bend bays and estuaries while supporting continued economic growth and public use. Implementation is achieved with local partnerships and stakeholder involvement.
Recipients: Local non-profit organizations, cities, counties, universities, and other state agencies

View more information about this program.

Local Air Programs

Purpose: Cooperative agreements with eligible local air pollution programs under Health and Safety Code, Section 382.0622 to respond to air-related complaints and conduct investigations.
Recipients: Select cities

Air Quality Research and Planning

Purpose: Near Non-Attainment Area Grants – Identifying, inventorying, and monitoring of pollution levels; modeling local pollution levels; and the identification, quantification, and implementation of appropriate local pollution reduction controls. Funds are allocated to projects most useful for the State Implementation Plan.
Recipients: Waco, El Paso, Beaumont, Austin, Corpus Christi, Granbury, Longview-Tyler-Marshall, San Antonio, and Victoria

Purpose: Air Quality Research Program – Coordinate and conduct research on key air quality issues identified by the TCEQ.
Recipients: University of Texas Center for Energy and Environmental Resources

Purpose: Air Quality Research Grants – Conducts work to support or improve emissions inventory, modeling, and other activities necessary for Texas’ State Implementation Plan development and improvement.
Recipients: University of Houston, University of Texas, Lamar University, Texas A&M University, Texas A&M Transportation Institute, University of Alabama-Birmingham, Leak Surveys, Houston-Galveston Area Council, North Central Texas Council of Governments, URS, Environ, Transystems, Easter Research Group

Purpose: North Texas Monitoring – Coordinates and implements a monitoring network in the North Texas area.
Recipients: North Texas Commission

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Grants for Vehicles and Equipment that Emit Fewer Emissions

Purpose: Reduce air emissions by offering grants to replace or repower older vehicles and equipment, purchase or lease vehicles that use alternative fuels, install stations that provide alternative fuels, and study new technologies that reduce emissions. Grant programs include the Texas Emissions Reduction Plan (TERP) and the Texas Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Program (TxVEMP).

Recipients: Eligibility criteria vary by the grant. In general, those who are eligible include individuals, corporations, organizations, governments, governmental subdivisions, governmental agencies, business trusts, partnerships, associations, or any other legal entity.

View more information about these grants.

Texas Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) Grant Program

Purpose: The Texas LEPC Grant Program is an opportunity for LEPCs to receive grant funds to help implement the requirements of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA).
Recipients: Texas Local Emergency Planning Committees

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Grants Awarded from Federal Funds

Section 106 Water Pollution Control Grants

Purpose: Assist in administering programs for the prevention, reduction, and elimination of water pollution, including programs for the development and implementation of groundwater protection strategies. Prevention and control measures supported include permitting, development of water quality standards and total maximum daily loads, and water quality monitoring.
Subrecipients: Universities, river authorities, councils of government, state agencies, and non-profits

Nonpoint Source (Section 319) Grants

Purpose: Develop and implement watershed-based plans (Watershed Protection Plans or Total Maximum Daily Load Implementation Plans). The Texas Nonpoint Source Management Program is required under Clean Water Act (CWA), §319(b). This management program outlines Texas' comprehensive strategy to protect and restore water quality impacted by nonpoint sources of pollution. Nonpoint source pollution comes from rainfall runoff, snowmelt, atmospheric deposition, and other means that carry pollutants to rivers, lakes, coastal waters, and groundwater. To be eligible for funding, a project must address the objectives, goals and/or priorities identified in the Texas Nonpoint Source Management Program.
Subrecipients: Universities, river authorities, council of governments, counties, cities, conservation districts, and local non-profits

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Galveston Bay Implementation Program (Section 320)

Purpose: Implement the federally approved Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan developed to protect/restore the health/productivity of Galveston Bay while supporting continued economic growth and public use. Implementation is achieved with local partnerships and stakeholder involvement.
Subrecipients: Local non-profit organizations, cities, counties, universities, other state agencies

View more information about these grants.

Section 604b Grant

Purpose: Review permits and projects for conformance with the State of Texas Water Quality Management Plan, develop and maintain the Water Quality Management Plan, and develop and administer contracts for designated planning agencies that support watershed planning and public education and outreach.
Subrecipients: Councils of governments and local non-profit organizations.

Section 105 Air Monitoring Grant

Purpose: Each year, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency provides TCEQ with designated federal Section 105 air grant funds to be awarded to eligible local air pollution control programs for air monitoring activities. TCEQ utilizes interlocal contracts to disburse these funds to the local air programs and oversee the monitoring and data management/data reporting activities associated with this funding.
Subrecipients: Select cities.

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