During the October 18, 2023 Galveston Bay Council (GBC) meeting, the GBC approved both the fiscal 2025 Section 320 and state funding budget and the fiscal 2024 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law budget for the Galveston Bay Estuary Program. An overview of the budgets and approved projects is available here.

If you have questions regarding the application and funding process, please contact the Galveston Bay Estuary Program at GBEP@tceq.texas.gov.

 

Funding for Fiscal 2025

FY25 Section 320 & State Funding Proposals for Review

GBEP received a total of 30 proposals for fiscal 2025 funding through Clean Water Act Section 320 and State Funding. The proposals have been separated by subcommittee and are available through the links below.

FY25 M&R Section 320/State Proposals

FY25 NRU Section 320/State Proposals

FY25 PPE Section 320/State Proposals

FY25 WSQ Section 320/State Proposals

 

The request for proposals for FY25 Section 320 and State funding is now closed. The solicitation information and proposal forms are available below for reference only.

WSQ Proposal Form

NRU Proposal Form

PPE Proposal Form

M&R Proposal Form

 

Section 320 and State Funding Priorities by subcommittee:

WSQ

  • Supporting management measures and watershed-based plans
  • Monitoring and research that evaluates GI effectiveness in water quality and soil health
  • Targeted/Direct Monitoring

NRU

  • Habitat Acquisition
  • Enhancement of Existing or Ongoing Restoration/Conservation Efforts

– Special emphasis on projects addressing geotubes failing across West Bay through design and/or construction

  • Benefit to Native Fish and Wildlife, including Federal and State Listed Species, Species of Greatest Conservation Need, or Nongame Wildlife

– Special emphasis on projects addressing seagrasses, intertidal reef/shell hash, and benthics

  • Brings Funding, Work Leverage, or Multiple Goal Benefits to the Subcommittee
  • Project Urgency: Project must be completed in next 24 months or opportunity is lost

 

PPE

  • Place based and immersive programing (k-12)
  • Conservation and environmental workforce training
  • Continuation or expansion of established education, outreach, or engagement programs
  • Adult engagement in science literacy focused on the Galveston Bay estuary and watershed

M&R

  • Meaningful and effective monitoring of existing and new projects (NRU/WSQ/PPE support)
  • Exposure and response to emerging contaminants across trophic levels
  • Reestablishing dermo monitoring programs (Ex. Oyster Sentinel)
  • Project Component: Results translated to plain language/practical knowledge

 

Please fill out all fields of the appropriate subcommittee proposal form and return to the corresponding Subcommittee Coordinator by COB Friday, August 4, 2023.

 

 

Please contact the appropriate subcommittee coordinator with questions.

WSQ Coordinator– Christian Rines; christian.rines@tceq.texas.gov

 

NRU Coordinator – Lindsey Lippert; lindsey.lippert@tceq.texas.gov

 

PPE Coordinator – Kari Howard; kari.howard@tceq.texas.gov

 

M&R Coordinator – Casey Taylor; GBEP Proxy email and Lisa Marshall

Please note the following:

  • The 1,000-word maximum on the Full Project Summary will be strictly enforced.
  • Only Microsoft Word versions of a proposal will be accepted (No PDFs; please contact the appropriate Subcommittee Coordinator if there is an issue).
  • No projects will be accepted after August 4, 2023.

 

Additional information is available from the Texas Comptroller Website.

Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) Funding

GBEP received nine proposals for funding through the Federal BIL. The proposals are available for review through the link below. 

FFY24 BIL Proposals

The request for proposals for funding through the Federal BIL is now closed.

Information and Request for Proposals for funding of projects through the BIL.

BIL Proposal Form

Federal BIL Fund Stakeholder Identified Priorities:

Overarching Requirements

Projects should be fulfilled through collaboration when possible — This is addressed through a specific question in the application where applicants will be required to define partners and their roles in the project.

 

Action Priorities

Proposals must address one or more of the following actions:

  • Projects that support commercial and recreational finfish and shellfish monitoring for public health risks and or sustainability.
  • Projects in support of management measures and watershed-based plans, such as:

– Green infrastructure

– Watershed health; and

– Water reuse and conservation

  • Habitat protection and enhancement
  • Support for existing projects, such as:

– Follow up or expansion of habitat and water quality projects; and

– Continued maintenance or repair of habitat and water quality projects.

  • Project assessments, such as:

– Habitat and water quality mapping gaps; and

– Pre and/or post – construction monitoring including habitat and species assessment/use/benefit, events, and general function.

Support Priorities

Proposals must address at least one supporting action developed by the subcommittees, but preference will be given to projects that are able to incorporate multiple supporting actions.

  • Collaborating with underrepresented and/or under-resourced communities via having physical presence or connection to the targeted communities.
  • Engages K-12 students and/or adults in hands-on, place-based environmental education.
  • Diversifying strategic partners with environmental and non-environmental community organizations working within targeted communities.
  • Monitoring and Research that:

– captures a meaningful, quantifiable measure of a response action taken;

– produces data applicable and transferable to multiple programs; or

– produce meaningful data that can be used for future implementation and management decisions.

 

Special Considerations:

  • EPA Areas of Special Interest:

– Reduction in nutrient pollution

– Water reuse and conservation

– Marine litter reduction

– Green infrastructure and resiliency

  • Justice 40 Initiative
  • Equity and Environmental Justice
  • GBEP Equity Strategy

Please fill out all fields of the proposal form and return to the GBEP Proxy Email by COB Friday, August 25, 2023.

Please note the following:

  • The 1,000-word maximum on the Full Project Summary will be strictly enforced.
  • Only Microsoft Word versions of a proposal will be accepted (No PDFs; please contact the appropriate Subcommittee Coordinator if there is an issue).
  • No projects will be accepted after COB Friday, August 25, 2023.

Additional information is available from the Texas Comptroller Website.

 

 

 

How the Galveston Bay Estuary Program funds projects

Federal, state, and partner contributions are critical to the success of the GBEP. The Estuary Program is funded annually with EPA funds from Section 320 of the Clean Water Act, which is matched (1:1) with state funds from TCEQ. The partnership between TCEQ and EPA is important to the successful implementation of The Galveston Bay Plan since some plan actions fulfill the tenants of the Clean Water Act and Texas Water Code and support the missions of both agencies.

GBEP receives additional state funding, which is leveraged to match other federal grants.

GBEP provides technical support to its partners in developing and securing funding for a variety of project types and applies for external funding when applicable. Awards received include Coastal Impact Assistance Program, which was administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in partnership with the Texas General Land Office, and the Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund administered by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.

GBEP Project Development Process

The Estuary Program project development and funding is unique in that the staff members work closely with stakeholders to take a project from concept to implementation. This process is one of the strengths of the Estuary Program as it has garnered diverse and vital partnerships and helped leverage resources from multiple entities and organizations.
The fiscal year for the State of Texas is September 1 through August 31. Throughout the year the Galveston Bay Council and its subcommittees meet to develop projects that are aligned with the Galveston Bay Plan.

Subcommittee Review and Selection

The Water and Sediment Quality (WSQ), Natural Resource Uses (NRU), Public Participation and Education (PPE), and Monitoring and Research (M&R) subcommittees meet quarterly during the year to discuss each group’s priority focus and determine what projects or issues need to be addressed. The subcommittees also work in concert with the Galveston Bay Council, the Budget and Priorities subcommittee (B&P), and Estuary Program staff to develop priority needs. The B&P subcommittee consists of the chairs of each of the subcommittees and the Council Chair and Vice Chair as well as former Council Chairs. This body also meets regularly to review and assess the needs of the program and the other subcommittees.

Starting in early summer, the committees meet to set priority needs that will help determine project planning for the upcoming fiscal year funding.

By early fall, each subcommittee meets to review project proposals based on the priorities set throughout the year. A project proposal submission form is made available for each subcommittee and the public at large. Projects are presented in the September subcommittee meetings.

After subcommittee members have reviewed the proposals, projects are selected either by consensus or ranking depending on the approved process in each subcommittee.

Once the projects are selected by each subcommittee, the projects are then reviewed by the B&P subcommittee. This body is tasked with providing a balanced fiscal year budget for the program that takes into consideration program needs, operating costs, and project funding.

Council Review and Work Plan

In October, the Council is presented the GBEP budget that includes the proposed projects. Once the Council has approved the projects and proposed GBEP budget, the Estuary Program, and TCEQ work to develop the fiscal year work plan for the EPA that lays out program operating costs, project funding, and program needs.

Additionally, GBEP will be receiving funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for the next three federal fiscal years. The project selection and application process differs from the Section 320 process and information regarding BIL projects will be posted on this website.