Under the authority of Subchapter 0 of the “Texas Solid Waste Management Regulations”, the West Central Texas Council of Governments (WCTCOG) has prepared a Regional Solid Waste Management Plan for the Texas counties in our Region (Brown, Callahan, Coleman, Comanche, Eastland, Fisher, Haskell, Jones, Kent, Knox, Mitchell, Nolan, Runnels, Scurry, Shackelford, Stephens, Stonewall, Taylor and Throckmorton). The Regional Solid Waste Plan focuses on the reduction of the disposal of solid waste. Under the guidance of the Natural Resource Committee, the plan defines long term goals and objectives, and provides funding to cities, counties, school and special districts for projects to meet those goals.

The purpose of this grant program is to provide funding to eligible applicants to support projects that will improve and enhance the West Central Texas Council of Governments solid waste management system(s). Projects supported under this program must support one or more of the goals of the West Central Texas Regional Solid Waste Management Plan.

Funding for the program is provided through the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and is generated off the “tipping fees” paid by landfill operators to the TCEQ for every ton of solid waste deposited into their landfill. Each year, the WCTCOG receives an allocation of funding to support a wide variety of local and regional projects. Since the program inception in 1996, these grant funds have been used to increase recycling, deter illegal dumping, promote composting, encourage yard waste and/or wood waste diversion, develop Citizen Convenience Centers to improve waste management in rural areas and support studies to evaluate the costs-benefits of modifying local waste management practices.

Eligible entities for the grants program include the following:

• Cities
• Counties
• School Districts
• Special Districts Charged with Water Conservation
• Councils of Government (i.e., WCTCOG)