Grants to Texas nonprofit organizations, government agencies, school districts, and IHEs for activities to reduce and prevent water pollution throughout the state. Funding is intended to support projects to develop and implement watershed protection plans. Funds may be used for activities such as data collection, assessment, management practices, and outreach that lead to the decrease of nonpoint source pollution.

The Texas NPS Management Program includes multiple strategies for addressing nonpoint source pollution and should be consulted for compatibility with proposed projects.

Projects are administered through Contract agreements that describe the tasks, schedule, and budget for the project. Successful projects are usually two to four years long and primarily describe one or more of the following:

1. The development of Watershed Protection Plans (WPP) that meet EPA’s required nine key elements for a watershed-based plan.
2. The implementation of EPA-accepted WPPs focusing on best management practices (BMP) that measurably reduce nonpoint source pollution. 
3. Targeted education and outreach designed to bring about behavioral changes that lead to reduced nonpoint source pollution
4. The engagement and commitment of essential watershed partners
5. The implementation of multiple management measures in WPPs
6. The inspection of On-Site Sewage Facilities (OSSFs) in the Texas Coastal Zone Boundary

Both EPA and TCEQ place a strong emphasis on achieving measurable results for projects selected to receive 319(h) grant funding. To that end, implementation projects should be sited as close to the impaired water body and/or assessment unit (AU) as possible to target identified sources of water quality degradation. Therefore, TCEQ seeks proposals involving on-the-ground implementation that have the highest chance to improve water quality. TCEQ will be the sole judge of the best interests of TCEQ.

Targeted Areas: For this RFGA, TCEQ is not targeting any specific watersheds/AU’s but may do so in the future.

Priority is given to the development and implementation of watershed protection plans (WPPs). Local stakeholder groups guide the development of these plans to restore and protect water quality in specific Texas waterways. This planning process commonly involves gathering and/or assessing water quality data, determining the probable causes and sources of pollution, and selection of management measures designed to reduce pollution through voluntary efforts. Half of this grant program’s funding must be spent to implement federally accepted WPPs. 

Water bodies in the most recent application Priority Watersheds Report are given priority for restoration and/or protection activities.

Other eligible activities include:

• Education and outreach designed to motivate changes in behavior that reduce NPS pollution
• Implementation of both technology-based and water quality–based management measures to address NPS pollution - for example, low impact development installations, riparian or shoreline restoration, and repair or replacement of failing septic systems.
• Project designed to protect unimpaired waters.