Our Work
Land
HCA’s Land Program seeks to increase private land stewardship and permanent land conservation across the Hill Country, and works with regional land trusts to educate owners about conservation easements, track conservation metrics, and consider conservation priorities.
Water
HCA’s Water Program assists grassroots groups that champion water stewardship in their communities, advocates for policies that protect groundwater and surface water, and promotes resilient water supplies through the advancement of One Water projects.
Night Sky
HCA’s Night Skies Program helps Hill Country counties and cities minimize the impacts of light pollution through education and outreach, the establishment of outdoor lighting policies, and the recognition and celebration of certified Dark Sky Places in our region.
Communities
HCA’s Communities Program builds connections across county lines, supporting rural leaders in protecting the unique character of their communities while promoting innovative approaches to building healthy, vibrant communities throughout the Texas Hill Country.
The Latest
Railroad Commission, Kinder-Morgan sued over route of Permian Highway Pipeline
Hays County, the city of Kyle and a coalition of Hill Country landowners have filed a lawsuit to fight the route of Kinder Morgan's proposed Permian Highway Pipeline and challenge how the state agency that regulates the oil and gas industry allows companies to use...
Time for reform of eminent domain law
Corporate entities that take property with eminent domain authority often claim the system is working. It does. For them. Corporations with this powerful, often abused, tool are not required to follow the same rules of transparency that a government must observe. They...
Farmers’ group pushing for transparency in land acquisitions
With the state's ever-increasing infrastructure needs, Texas farmers and ranchers are bracing for the likelihood of pipelines, transmission lines andrailways cutting through their fields and pastures. But some say it’s unfair to allow private companies or other...
Inks Lake Park intern battles light pollution
There was once a time in which every star in the sky could be seen at night. Our ancestors experienced an absolute absence of light once the sun set, and the twinkling black sky above was untouched; one could watch the stars twinkle from anywhere in the world. Today,...
Railroad Commission, Kinder Morgan sued over route of Permian Highway Pipeline
Hays County, the City of Kyle and a coalition of Texas Hill Country landowners have filed a lawsuit to fight the route of Kinder Morgan's Permian Highway Pipeline and how the state agency in charge of regulating the oil and natural gas industry applies eminent domain...
Hill Country pipeline opponents are taking Kinder Morgan to court
KYLE, Texas (KXAN) — For months, a handful of towns and counties in the Hill Country have passed formal opposition to the Permian Highway Pipeline — a pipeline set to carry natural gas from West Texas, through the Hill Country, to a hub near Katy. On Tuesday, Hays...