Long-time Solid Waste Advisory Committee member, Jon White, received the 2019 Phill Palmer Volunteer Award during its annual membership meeting. White, who is Travis County’s Natural Resources & Environmental Quality Division director and the current SWAC Chair, has provided vast expertise to the region in the areas of environmental and solid waste planning through his work on the committee since 2007.
“Jon’s dedication to environmental regulations, regional planning, local governments and solid waste planning can’t be eclipsed,” said Ken May, CAPCOG regional programs coordinator. “He is a respected leader and appreciated member of the Solid Waste Advisory Committee.”
During his tenure on the committee, White has served on numerous funding subcommittees often helping direct funds to smaller and more rural communities and helping them develop long-term solid waste diversion facilities. He also participated in ten conformance reviews to help ensure proposed solid waste facilities comply with the Regional Solid Waste Management Plan. He served as the committee’s chair and vice chair for four years.
The Phill Parmer Volunteer Award is named after CAPCOG longest serving Aging Advisory Committee member who represented Llano County on the committee into his 90s.
CAPCOG also presented the 2019 Air Central Texas Outstanding Organization award to Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority for its commitment to being a sustainable service provider, and 2019 Bill Gill Central Texas Air Quality Leadership Award to Scheleen Walker for her long career in to air quality planning that focus on efforts to reduce emissions and improve the county and region’s air quality.
In 2018, Capital Metro launched Connections 2025, a re-imagining of the transit service that offered more frequent, connected and reliable service delivery resulting in a more than five percent ridership increase. In 2020, Capital Metro will launch its first ten zero-emission electric buses, and its North Ops Bus Depot will be transformed into one of the first fully electric ready bus depots with a capacity to expand the electric bus fleet to more than 180 buses. Walker, who manages Travis County’s Air Quality Program, was an essential partner in developing and implementing the region’s ground-breaking, voluntary air quality improvement agreements which helped reduce ozone-forming emissions and keep the region in compliance of the Clean Air Act’s standards for ground-level ozone. Walker assisted in crafting vehicle emissions testing legislation. Walker also has served as Texas Representative Donna Howard’s legislative director where she facilitated the region’s air quality legislative agenda and worked with Howard to author and pass legislation allowing local enforcement of heavy-duty vehicle idling restrictions.
