Friday, February 2, 2024

Texas Commission on Environmental Quality wins EPA grant for wetlands analysis

Texas Commission on Environmental Quality wins EPA grant for wetlands analysis.
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality wins EPA grant for wetlands analysis. | Courtesy of TCEQ

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on Wednesday that the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) will continue its work to analyze the condition of the state’s wetlands with a $245,000 grant from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The analysis is part of a national initiative and will result in a status report and a monitoring program for the wetlands. Throughout the country, similar surveying efforts are intended to build the capacities of state and tribal governments, allowing them to properly monitor and assess the wetlands, while also promoting cooperation.

These goals are aligned with those of the Clean Water Act, which recognizes the importance of preventing water pollution upstream, which would then be carried further along water systems. Wetlands are critical areas for pollution management, providing natural filtration.