The Galveston Bay Estuary Program is hosting a hybrid joint subcommittee meeting on May 20, 2026.

The first part of the meeting will focus on setting the groundwork for developing the themes and priorities for the State of the Bay 5^th Edition website update.

Afterwards, we will shift our focus to discussing opportunities for cross-collaboration between our subcommittees: Natural Resource Uses, Public Participation and Education, Water and Sediment Quality, and Monitoring and Research.

The in-person component of this meeting will be held at Galveston Bay Foundation’s Gessner Center in Kemah, TX.

Teams Link: TBA

Time: TBA

Please check this webpage for updates.

Membership is composed of the Chairs of the five standing Council subcommittees, the former Council Chairs, the present Council Chair and Vice Chair, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Texas Commission on Environmental Quality representatives on the Council. The B&P subcommittee meets on an as needed basis. The subcommittee performs the following functions:

• Provide a forum for coordination among subcommittees to discuss projects and policies crossing issue areas.
• Provide a forum for discussing subcommittee organizational, procedural, and functional activities.
• Recommend annual and/or biennial goals to the Estuary Program and the Council.
• Make recommendations to the Council Chair and the Estuary Program Director regarding issues to be brought before Council, including presentations, roundtable discussions, or issues for Council comment.
• Oversee drafting of Council comments on issues potentially impacting The Plan’s implementation.
• Provide nominations for Council vacancies.
• Provide review of federal projects for consistency with The Plan.

For more information on the Budget and Priorities Subcommittee, please email Lisa Marshall (lisa.marshall@tceq.texas.gov).

Membership is composed of the Chairs of the five standing Council subcommittees, the former Council Chairs, the present Council Chair and Vice Chair, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Texas Commission on Environmental Quality representatives on the Council. The B&P subcommittee meets on an as needed basis. The subcommittee performs the following functions:

• Provide a forum for coordination among subcommittees to discuss projects and policies crossing issue areas.
• Provide a forum for discussing subcommittee organizational, procedural, and functional activities.
• Recommend annual and/or biennial goals to the Estuary Program and the Council.
• Make recommendations to the Council Chair and the Estuary Program Director regarding issues to be brought before Council, including presentations, roundtable discussions, or issues for Council comment.
• Oversee drafting of Council comments on issues potentially impacting The Plan’s implementation.
• Provide nominations for Council vacancies.
• Provide review of federal projects for consistency with The Plan.

For more information on the Budget and Priorities Subcommittee, please email Lisa Marshall (lisa.marshall@tceq.texas.gov).

Membership is composed of the Chairs of the five standing Council subcommittees, the former Council Chairs, the present Council Chair and Vice Chair, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Texas Commission on Environmental Quality representatives on the Council. The B&P subcommittee meets on an as needed basis. The subcommittee performs the following functions:

• Provide a forum for coordination among subcommittees to discuss projects and policies crossing issue areas.
• Provide a forum for discussing subcommittee organizational, procedural, and functional activities.
• Recommend annual and/or biennial goals to the Estuary Program and the Council.
• Make recommendations to the Council Chair and the Estuary Program Director regarding issues to be brought before Council, including presentations, roundtable discussions, or issues for Council comment.
• Oversee drafting of Council comments on issues potentially impacting The Plan’s implementation.
• Provide nominations for Council vacancies.
• Provide review of federal projects for consistency with The Plan.

For more information on the Budget and Priorities Subcommittee, please email Lisa Marshall (lisa.marshall@tceq.texas.gov).

The Water and Sediment Quality (WSQ) subcommittee meeting is held in a hybrid format: In-person at the GBEP office and online via Microsoft Teams.

The purpose of the WSQ subcommittee is to advise the Council and the Estuary Program staff on matters pertaining to water and sediment quality. The subcommittee performs the following functions:

• Provide a forum for information sharing and coordination of bay-wide water and sediment quality activities.
• Facilitate and assure agency commitments to implement water and sediment quality actions of The Plan.
• Make recommendations to the Council concerning proposed WSQ projects.
• Identify potential funding sources.
• Develop and recommend to the Council annual priorities for implementation of the WSQ action plans.
• Provide updates of agency/organization activities that implement The Plan.
• Assess the success of WSQ action plans.

For more information on the Water and Sediment Quality Subcommittee, please email Christian Rines (christian.rines@tceq.texas.gov).

The Water and Sediment Quality (WSQ) subcommittee meeting is held in a hybrid format: In-person at the GBEP office and online via Microsoft Teams.

The purpose of the WSQ subcommittee is to advise the Council and the Estuary Program staff on matters pertaining to water and sediment quality. The subcommittee performs the following functions:

• Provide a forum for information sharing and coordination of bay-wide water and sediment quality activities.
• Facilitate and assure agency commitments to implement water and sediment quality actions of The Plan.
• Make recommendations to the Council concerning proposed WSQ projects.
• Identify potential funding sources.
• Develop and recommend to the Council annual priorities for implementation of the WSQ action plans.
• Provide updates of agency/organization activities that implement The Plan.
• Assess the success of WSQ action plans.

For more information on the Water and Sediment Quality Subcommittee, please email Christian Rines (christian.rines@tceq.texas.gov).

The Water and Sediment Quality (WSQ) subcommittee meeting is held in a hybrid format: In-person at the GBEP office and online via Microsoft Teams.

The purpose of the WSQ subcommittee is to advise the Council and the Estuary Program staff on matters pertaining to water and sediment quality. The subcommittee performs the following functions:

• Provide a forum for information sharing and coordination of bay-wide water and sediment quality activities.
• Facilitate and assure agency commitments to implement water and sediment quality actions of The Plan.
• Make recommendations to the Council concerning proposed WSQ projects.
• Identify potential funding sources.
• Develop and recommend to the Council annual priorities for implementation of the WSQ action plans.
• Provide updates of agency/organization activities that implement The Plan.
• Assess the success of WSQ action plans.

For more information on the Water and Sediment Quality Subcommittee, please email Christian Rines (christian.rines@tceq.texas.gov).

The Monitoring and Research (M&R) subcommittee meeting is held in a hybrid format: In-person at the GBEP office and online via Microsoft Teams.

The purpose of the M&R Subcommittee is to advise the Council and the Estuary Program staff on matters pertaining to monitoring and research. The subcommittee performs the following functions:

• Establish final design specifications for the Galveston Bay’s Regional Monitoring Program.
• Oversee implementation of the program.
• Ensure comparability of monitoring efforts.
• Direct and approve future monitoring design modifications.
• Secure institutional support for the program.

For more information, contact Jenelle Estrada. 

The Monitoring and Research (M&R) subcommittee meeting is held in a hybrid format: In-person at the GBEP office and online via Microsoft Teams.

The purpose of the M&R Subcommittee is to advise the Council and the Estuary Program staff on matters pertaining to monitoring and research. The subcommittee performs the following functions:

• Establish final design specifications for the Galveston Bay’s Regional Monitoring Program.
• Oversee implementation of the program.
• Ensure comparability of monitoring efforts.
• Direct and approve future monitoring design modifications.
• Secure institutional support for the program.

For more information, contact Jenelle Estrada. 

The Monitoring and Research (M&R) subcommittee meeting is held in a hybrid format: In-person at the GBEP office and online via Microsoft Teams.

The purpose of the M&R Subcommittee is to advise the Council and the Estuary Program staff on matters pertaining to monitoring and research. The subcommittee performs the following functions:

• Establish final design specifications for the Galveston Bay’s Regional Monitoring Program.
• Oversee implementation of the program.
• Ensure comparability of monitoring efforts.
• Direct and approve future monitoring design modifications.
• Secure institutional support for the program.

For more information, contact Jenelle Estrada.