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
Exxon Mobil joins Kinder Morgan on $2B Permian Highway Pipeline
Exxon Mobil is signing on as a major customer on Kinder Morgan's planned, $2 billion Permian Highway Pipeline to carry natural gas from West Texas to the Houston region. Irving-based Exxon Mobil is looking for more outlets to transport its natural gas from its rapidly...
Preliminary Hearing For Electro Purification’s Proposed Permit Announced
The preliminary hearing for Electro Purification’s proposed permit has been announced. The hearing will take place, Monday, September 17, at the State Office of Administrative Hearings. TESPA, along with Hays County and several other individual landowners requested...
KVUE Defenders: Wastewater in waterways
"Would you want your kids in that river the way it is?" "The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality sited the Liberty Hill water treatment plant for six different violations, including failure to keep sewage from getting into the San Gabriel River." "The Edwards...
Report: Fecal bacteria found in 60% of Austin waterways
A new report by Environment Texas Research and Policy Center reveals that many of Austin's creeks and streams tested for high levels of bacteria in 2017. According to the report, 46 freshwater sites around Austin had levels of bacteria indicating levels of fecal...
Bacterial Pollution makes San Antonio creeks and rivers not swimmable
In early May, San Pedro Creek Culture Park opened with an outdoor festival that marked the transformation of a former concrete-lined channel to a public space with murals and fountains. Visitors, including children, splashed in the creek in the new Plaza de Fundación,...
Proposed sewage treatment plant near Honey Creek will recycle water, consultant says
A consultant in a planned subdivision has responded to concerns about a permit under review that would allow the discharge of treated sewage from the development upstream of Honey Creek, one of the most pristine waterways left in the Hill Country north of San Antonio....