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
Attorney General Says TCEQ Must Ignore Zoning and Other City Ordinances When Approving Concrete Crushing Facility
On April 19, the attorney general issued an opinion (KP-190) concluding not only that the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) does not have to, but in some cases is not allowed to, consider zoning and other city recommendations when approving permits for...
White House, EPA headed off chemical pollution study
Scott Pruitt’s EPA and the White House sought to block publication of a federal health study on a nationwide water-contamination crisis, after one Trump administration aide warned it would cause a "public relations nightmare," newly disclosed emails reveal. The...
Electro Purification is back
A Houston-based firm at the center of controversy in 2015 is now looking to draw roughly one billion gallons of water per year from the Trinity Aquifer. Electro Purification (EP), which had failed in its attempt to secure water in 2015, submitted a request to the...
Texas Water Symposium Will Explore ‘Ecosystem Services’ Function, Cost Savings To Taxpayers
Celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Texas Water Symposium with an evening discussion about “Ecosystem Services” and the value of healthy lands and waters to all Texans. This installment of the Texas Water Symposium will take place at 7pm on Thursday, May 10th. The...
Unpublished Federal Report Projects Bleak Future for Central Texas Mussels and Rivers
If the state’s population continues to balloon and climate change worsens, four Central Texas mussels could face near-certain extinction, according to an internal analysis by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) obtained by the Observer. While mussels aren’t...
Gravel quarries, Kerr mining still a hot issue
Kerr County Commissioner Tom Moser hosted a multi-agency “Town Hall” meeting last week on one of the county’s hot-button issues – the area’s gravel-mining quarries and their regulation and effects on residents. Moser and County Judge Tom Pollard opened the meeting in...