Big Bend Conservation Alliance

DESCRIPTION:THIS AGREEMENT PROVIDES FUNDING UNDER THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT (IRA) TO BIG BEND CONSERVATION ALLIANCE. SPECIFICALLY, THE PROJECT WILL REVITALIZE AND PROVIDE GREEN SPACES, MONITOR, AND DECREASE AIR POLLUTION, AND INCREASE CLIMATE RESILIENCE OF DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES IN THE PROJECT AREA OF PRESIDIO, TEXAS. ACTIVITIES:THE ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED INCLUDE THE CREATION OF A 'GREENBELT' ALONG AN EXTANT 4-MILE BIKE AND WALKING PATH, BY PLANTING 1,056 NATIVE AND MATURE TREES; THE DEVELOPMENT OF THREE DETENTION PONDS TO CAPTURE WATER RUNOFF DURING SEASONAL MONSOONS AND RECHARGE THE AQUIFER; THE DEVELOPMENT OF A COMMUNITY NATIVE GARDEN IN THE 'GREENBELT'; PLANTING 1,664 NATIVE AND MATURE TREES ON PRIVATE PROPERTIES TO GREEN THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY; PLANTING 1,500 NATIVE AND MATURE TREES IN EXISTING RECREATIONAL AREAS; USING SIMPLE TECHNOLOGIES TO TEACH AND REMIND THE COMMUNITY RESIDENTS ABOUT CARING FOR THEIR TREES WITH TEXT REMINDERS TO WATER THEIR TREES AND INSTALLING IRRIGATION COMPONENTS. THE PROJECT WILL ALSO ESTABLISH A SOLAR-POWERED COMMUNITY RESILIENCE HUB WHICH WILL SERVE AS A COOLING CENTER AND DEVELOP AN EMERGENCY COOLING PLAN WHICH WILL DIRECT THE COMMUNITY'S MOST VULNERABLE RESIDENTS GET TO THE COOLING CENTER IN TIMES OF POWER OUTAGES. THE PROJECT WILL CREATE A BI-NATIONAL AIR QUALITY MONITORING PROGRAM TO UNDERSTAND HOW PRESIDIO AND ITS SISTER CITY ACROSS THE BORDER (OJINAGA, MEXICO) CONTRIBUTE TO THE QUALITY OF THE AIR. SUBRECIPIENT:CITY OF PRESIDIO, TX ($253,987) IS THE STATUTORY PARTNER WILL OVERSEE ALL WORK DONE IN RELATION TO CITY-OWNED PART OF THE PROJECT INCLUDING MUNICIPAL PLANTING, GREENBELT, DETENTION PONDS, AND THE SOLAR INSTALLATION OF THE COMMUNITY RESILIENCE HUB. RIO GRANDE JOINT VENTURE ($67,890) IS THE COLLABORATING ENTITY AND WILL OVERSEE ALL CONSERVATION WORK RELATED TO NATIVE PLANTING, DETENTION POND HABITAT, AND WATER FLOW.OUTCOMES:THE ANTICIPATED DELIVERABLES INCLUDE 1,056 TREES PLANTED ALONG AN EXISTING BIKE/PEDESTRIAN PATH TO CREATE 'GREENBELT'; 1,500 TREES PLANTED IN CITY PARKS, RECREATIONAL SPACES, AND CITY-OWNED OPEN SPACES; 1,664 TREES PLANTED ON PRIVATE PROPERTIES; 3 DETENTION PONDS CREATED; A NEIGHBORHOOD PLANT GARDEN CREATED; A COMMUNITY RESILIENCE HUB EQUIPPED WITH SOLAR POWER WITH BATTERY BACKUPS; A COMMUNITY EMERGENCY PLAN FOR RESILIENCE HUB USE; 50 AIR QUALITY MONITORS INSTALLED; AND AN ENVIRONMENTAL MODEL TO SEND TRAFFIC AND AIR QUALITY NOTIFICATIONS. THE PROJECT WILL ALSO DELIVER ALL PROGRESS AND FINAL REPORTS. THE EXPECTED OUTCOMES INCLUDE INCREASED GREEN SPACE; INCREASED RESILIENCE TO EXTREME WEATHER AND CLIMATE CONDITIONS; INCREASED COMMUNITY RESILIENCE; ENHANCED PHYSICAL SAFETY DURING NATURAL DISASTERS; INCREASED COMMUNITY AWARENESS OF EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS; INCREASED PUBLIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND LITERACY; REDUCED EXPOSURE TO PARTICULATE MATTER (PM), VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS (VOCS), OZONE, NITROGEN DIOXIDES, AND AIR TOXICS; INCREASED SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND IMPROVEMENTS IN COMMUNITY CAPACITY TO INDEPENDENTLY ASSESS AIR POLLUTION REDUCTION OPTIONS. THE INTENDED BENEFICIARIES ARE DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES.

BIG BEND CONSERVATION ALLIANCE, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PRESIDIO COUNTY UNDERGROUND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT, BREWSTER COUNTY GROUNDWATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT, AND CULBERSON COUNTY GROUNDWATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT, LOCATED IN WEST TEXAS, WILL ESTABLISH A COMMON DATA MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE PLATFORM IN THE REGION ENABLING THEM TO SHARE DATA ON SHARED AQUIFERS AND TO PROVIDE FOR BETTER COORDINATION OF REGION-WIDE WATER MANAGEMENT GOALS. THE PROXIMITY OF THESE COUNTIES TO THE PERMIAN BASIN, WHICH IS EXPERIENCING AN EXPLOSION OF GROWTH IN UNCONVENTIONAL OIL EXPLORATION, PUTS THIS REGION AT SUBSTANTIAL RISK FOR GROUNDWATER DEPLETION. THE ADOPTION OF THIS SOFTWARE AND DATA SHARING MODULE WILL PROVIDE AN EFFICIENT WAY TO MONITOR THE AQUIFER LEVELS, GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT MODELS, AND DESIRED FUTURE CONDITIONS OVER TIME AT THE DISTRICT AND REGIONAL LEVEL AND FACILITATE SHARING THIS DATA WITH STATE AGENCIES AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS.