TCEQ Announces 2026 Texas Environmental Excellence Award Winners

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality proudly presents the winners of the 2026 Governor’s Texas Environmental Excellence Awards. These annual awards celebrate the bold efforts of citizens, communities, businesses, and organizations working to help preserve and protect the Texas environment, while inspiring others to take steps to become better environmental stewards in their communities.

The selected winners have implemented innovative projects geared toward environmental sustainability, preventing pollution, energy efficiency, and creative educational programs. TCEQ will recognize this year’s winners and finalists during the annual awards banquet at the Bullock Texas State History Museum on June 9 in Austin. TCEQ applauds the creativity and resourcefulness of this year’s complete list of TEEA winners and finalists:

Agriculture: 

WINNER- Katie Lewis, Ph.D., Texas A&M AgriLife Research, Lubbock — Sustainable Agricultural Intensification and Enhancement through the Utilization of Regenerative Agricultural Management Practices

FINALIST- Restorative Farms, Dallas – Restorative Farms

Civic/Community: 
WINNER- City of Snyder and Keep Snyder Beautiful, Snyder – Keep Snyder Beautiful

FINALIST- Texas State Aquarium, Corpus Christi – Wildlife Rescue and Resiliency Initiatives

Education: 
WINNER- Austin Youth River Watch, Austin – Austin Youth River Watch After-School and Summer Programs

FINALISTS- Keep Laredo Beautiful, Laredo – Keep Laredo Beautiful’s Education Program 
Harris-Galveston Subsidence District, Friendswood – H2O Lab! Water Conservation School Program  

Environmental Educator of the Year: 
WINNER- Erica Jazmin Villarreal, Science Teacher, Channelview – Channelview High School

FINALISTS- Dustin Perez, Science Teacher, Porter – Robert Crippen Elementary School
Wendy Reistle, Environmental Education Coordinator, Houston – Environmental Institute of Houston at the University of Houston Clear Lake

Individual: 
WINNER- Neil Kucera, Ph.D., Austin – Capital Area Regional Environmental Task Force

FINALIST- Jon Ockels, Ph.D., Sherman – Texas Illegal Dumping Resource Center

Innovative Operations/Management: 
WINNER- Austin FC/Q2 Stadium, Austin – Austin FC Materials Recovery Facility

FINALIST- City of Austin – Austin Resource Recovery, Austin – On-Demand Program

Pollution Prevention: 
WINNER- PepsiCo Global Concentrate Solutions, Grande Prairie - PGCS US DC Network Hazardous Waste Elimination

FINALIST- Vallourec, Houston – Vallourec South Waste Reduction and Recycling Initiative

Technical/Technology: 
WINNER- Texas Disposal Systems, BGICO, LLC, Texas Landfill Management, LLC, Creedmoor – Innovative Recycling and Landfill Management Technologies

Youth: 
WINNER- Coppell High School Eco Club, Coppell – Keep Coppell Green

The Texas Environmental Excellence Awards is an annual awards program that recognizes environmental preservation and protection achievements. Since 1993, the TEEA has honored more than 300 successful environmental projects and activities. TCEQ would like to congratulate this year’s winners and finalists; the full list can be found at www.TEEA.org .