In accordance with The Galveston Bay Plan (The Plan), a coordinating body, The Galveston Bay Council was created and appointed by the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission (now the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality) in November 1995. The Galveston Bay Council continues the work of the Management Conference convened for The Plan’s creation.

This Council is charged to:

  • Provide an ongoing forum for technical and stakeholder review and involvement during implementation of The Plan.
  • Contribute to assessments of The Plan’s effectiveness and participate in periodic redirection of The Plan’s initiatives.
  • Advise the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality during consistency reviews of eligible federal projects.
  • Maintain agency commitments to implement The Plan; assure efficient cross-jurisdictional coordination and, if necessary, facilitate resolution of disputes.
  • Set annual priorities for the implementation of action plans.
  • Represent various stakeholder groups.

Click here for Council Bylaws.

Members

Federal Agencies

U.S. Coast Guard: Matthew Tilimon
U.S. Geological Survey: Mike Lee
National Marine Fisheries Service: Rusty Swafford
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resource Conservation Service: Scott Alford
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: Andrea Catanzaro
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: J. Douglas Jacobson
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: John Huffman

State Agencies

Texas Department of Agriculture: Kristin Lambrecht
Texas General Land Office: Melissa Porter
Texas Department of State Health Services: Kirk Wiles
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality: Lori Hamilton
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department: Brian Eastham
Texas Railroad Commission: Audrey Kuklenz
Texas Department of Transportation: Christine Bergren
Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board: Brian Koch
Texas Water Development Board: Caimee Schoenbaechler

Regional/Local Governments

Gulf Coast Authority: Lori Traweek
Houston-Galveston Area Council: Jeff Taebel
City of Houston: Winfred Colbert
Medium Local Governments – population 25,000- 500,000: Ronnie Schultz
Small Local Governments – population <25,000: Mary Beth Stengler
Trinity River Authority: Glenn Clingenpeel
Port of Houston Authority: Garry McMahan
Large Local Governments – population >500,000: Russ Poppe
San Jacinto River Authority: Jace Houston

Environmental/Citizen’s Groups

Galveston Bay Foundation: Bob Stokes
Citizens-at-Large: Sharron L. Stewart
Underrepresented Communities: Cruz Hinojosa
League of Women Voters: Nancy Parra
Coastal Conservation Association: Taylor Rieck
Low-income Communities: Albert Gonzales
Other Conservation Organizations: Linda Shead

Private Sector

Nature Tourism: Rusty Senac
Greater Houston Partnership: Will Nipper
Utilities: Jeff Dallarosa
Industry: Caryn Brooks
Marinas: Helen Paige
Commercial Fisheries: Tracy Woody
East Harris County Manufacturer’s Association: Ana Partin

Research/Academia

Major Universities: Hanadi Rifai
Texas Sea Grant: Pamela Plotkin