Rgisc Inc

2. Agua river monitoring (texas clean rivers program) rgisc has served as a core partner in the texas clean rivers program since its inception in 1994, making this our longest-running scientific monitoring initiative. For over 30 years, staff have collected monthly water samples along the rio grande to track e. Coli, salinity, metals, and other indicators, providing one of the most consistent and comprehensive datasets for border-region river health. This long-standing partnership supports state water-quality decision-making, informs public health understanding, and strengthens binational coordination to protect the river for current and future generations. Agua general activities facilitated coordination with research institutions, city partners, and engineers on drought mitigation, wastewater reclamation, aquifer storage and recharge, and long-term water supply strategies, advancing local and regional water-security planning. River rally 2024 staff participated in river rally 2024, hosted by river network. The event was a national watershed and river management convening where staff learned about ongoing river restoration efforts in communities across the united states, community science, and water-equity finance tools to inform local policy and program planning. Wecr state revolving funds cohort throughout 2024, rgisc engaged in a national environmental state revolving funds training and advocacy cohort with organizations from across the south, advancing strategies to ensure equitable access to infrastructure funding for underserved border communities, especially in texas. Harvard graduate school of design partnership in early 2024, as part of a design course, we hosted a graduate cohort of students from the harvard graduate school of design (gsd) developing water reuse recommendations and presenting resilience and wastewater reclamation concepts to city of laredo leadership, positioning the community for long- term regional water planning. City of laredo third-party funding through support from the city of laredos third-party funding program, rgisc advanced civic coordination and environmental planning related to the binational river conservation project. Funding supported staff participation in multi-agency and stakeholder planning meetings, collaboration with municipal leadership and design teams, and continued advocacy to ensure that ecological restoration, equitable river access, cultural stewardship, flood resilience, and community engagement remain core priorities for this once-in-a-generation public project. Usda las palmas riparian restoration project rgisc continued advancing the multi-year, federally funded las palmas riparian restoration initiative along approximately 40 acres of the rio grande corridor in downtown laredo. This project represents one of the first large-scale ecological restoration efforts led by a community-based nonprofit along the border and aims to remove invasive species, stabilize soils, restore native habitat, enhance public access to nature, and improve long-term river health. In 2024, rgisc finalized consultant procurement, advanced engineering and design coordination, refined invasive management and planting plans, and supported permitting and environmental review preparation. These efforts helped position the project for on-the-ground implementation, improved technical readiness, and strengthened partnerships between residents, local agencies, and conservation experts to restore a historically impacted but ecologically significant stretch of the rio grande.

3. Neighborhoods wecr neighborhood through our involvement in the water equity and climate resilience caucus (anchored by policylink), we worked to leveraged national frameworks to guide riverfront and neighborhood-level planning in laredo, uplifting resident voices and aligning grant funding with participatory decision- making. Pachanga el azteca we held multiple community gatherings with the residents of barrio el azteca to co-design environmental priorities with residents, including native tree planting strategies, invasives removal, neighborhood improvements, and heat-resilience activities in this highly disadvantaged but historic neighborhood. Pachanga la ladrillera we facilitated various listening sessions and mapping activities to identify infrastructure gaps, public-space needs, and stormwater access barriers, grounding climate planning in community experience in this riverfront neighborhood. Pachanga el cuatro / el tonto we engaged families in the riverfront neighborhoods of el cuatro/el tonto in environmental storytelling, heat-mapping discussions, and neighborhood visioning to support future program investments and strengthen trust- building. Methodist healthcare ministries zacate creek green district coalition implemented the first year of a multi-year resident-driven planning and engagement process centered on the las palmas restoration project. Work included establishing a formal governance structure with elected resident officers, providing stipends for community residents, conducting neighborhood surveys and outreach, and facilitating visioning and environmental design discussions tied to the las palmas restoration project zone. This effort strengthened resident capacity to participate in long- term planning for the area, with priorities including improved public access to the area, habitat restoration, and expanded access to nature and recreation in and around las palmas. Fiscal sponsorship zcgdc provided administrative support, fiscal oversight, compliance systems, and partner coordination to ensure strong community stewardship and transparent fund management for the resident-led coalition

4. Aire clean air, public health & emissions reduction ethylene oxide (eto) delivered public education and outreach to inform residents about ethylene oxide emissions from commercial sterilization facilities and associated health risks identified by federal agencies. Activities included distributing informational materials, briefing community partners, and supporting residents in understanding and participating in federal regulatory processes regarding strengthened emissions standards designed to protect vulnerable populations. Fenceline eto monitoring & analysis completed quality assurance/quality control review and public release of independent eto air-monitoring data collected in 2023, in partnership with umass amherst. Results were communicated to the community and local officials to support awareness of potential exposure pathways and inform local public-health and environmental decision-making, reinforcing the importance of regulatory oversight and community-science collaboration. Eto town hall organized a citywide town hall in october 2024 to share air-monitoring findings, provide federal regulatory and health guidance, and offer a platform for residents to ask questions and interact with scientific and public-health experts. The event supported informed civic engagement and ensured the community had access to transparent information and next-step pathways related to emission reduction and health-protective policies. Border 2025 pm2.5 monitoring launched in october 2024 under the epas border 2025 initiative and in partnership with umass amherst, we piloted the siting of nineteen (19) low-cost air sensors near various ports of entry, transportation corridors, and throughout laredo to better understand cross-border air-quality impacts. Initial work focused on location scoping, equipment evaluation, community partner coordination, and establishing baseline protocols to capture fine particulate matter pollution associated with freight activity and commercial crossings, supporting future binational health and policy responses. Phase 1 planning developed technical pathways and operational protocols for the first phase of pm2.5 sensor deployment along key transportation routes. Activities included drafting data-collection standards, coordinating with institutional and community partners on host-site readiness, addressing binational coordination considerations, and establishing a transparent process for long-term data reporting and interpretation. Pm2.5 advocacy & education engaged in public education, policy tracking, and stakeholder briefings related to updated federal particulate matter standards, focusing on implications for border communities with high freight and traffic exposure. Supported efforts to increase public understanding of pm2.5 health risks, emphasize environmental-justice impacts, and advance local capacity to participate in regulatory processes. Flir camera & methane visualization tools used specialized optical equipment for public demonstrations, increasing community understanding of invisible heat-trapping gases. Methane flaring (mitchell foundation & commission shift) in partnership with commission shift and funded by mitchell foundation, rgisc worked to document oil-and-gas flaring activity and methane release across south texas, with particular focus on rural communities and the lack of oversight by the states environmental regulatory agency, the railroad commission of texas (rrc). We conducted various community town hall vents, shared visual evidence and environmental explanations, and supported conversations with partners and residents about risks associated with methane emissions and impacts to public health. This work helped elevate public-health concerns and advance collaborative approaches to reduce flaring, increase transparency, and protect frontline residents. 5. Arbol laredo isd rboles schoolyard forestry launched the first year of planning and design for adelante con arboles, a multi-year schoolyard forestry initiative across eight campuses in partnership with the laredo independent school district (lisd). Supported by the texas a&m forest service, efforts in 2024 included site assessments, coordination with school leadership and facilities staff, integration of student learning opportunities, and development of planting and maintenance plans focused on heat-island mitigation, biodiversity, and outdoor learning environments. This foundational work prepared campuses for strategic native tree installation and long-term student stewardship activities. Lisd misc support & coordination collaborated with lisd district administrators, campus operations teams, and community partners to coordinate logistics for future plantings, including identifying priority locations, reviewing irrigation and long- term care considerations, and aligning planting schedules with school calendars and seasonal conditions. These efforts ensured that program design and implementation are responsive to campus needs and supportive of sustainable canopy growth and student participation. Lisd trees indirect programming developed learning modules, student experiences, and environmental career awareness to support student participation in tree stewardship. Trees for texas participation participated in the h-e-b trees for texans initiative (administered by texan by nature), a statewide tree-planting program that awards grants to nonprofits and municipal partners to increase native tree canopy in schools and public spaces across texas. Rgisc leveraged this opportunity to align with regional reforestation efforts, apply for grant support, and integrate educational efforts in partnership with the laredo center for urban agriculture and sustainability (lcuas) on shade-trees, climate resilience, and community forestry in underserved neighborhoods. 6. Special projects noaa urban heat island mapping in partnership with noaas national urban heat island mapping initiative, launched to help communities identify heat-exposure inequities across 14 u.s. Cities, rgisc coordinated volunteers, academic partners, and municipal agencies in a full-day, three-shift, groundbreaking heat-mapping campaign across laredo, el cenizo, and rio bravo. Data collection followed continental protocols for mobile and static sensors, generating high- resolution temperature and humidity maps. These maps will serve as critical information for climate-adaptation planning, tree-canopy investment, heat- mitigation strategies, and community health initiatives in historically underserved laredo neighborhoods. Justice40 programming provided training, technical information, and resource navigation support to local partners, emerging leaders, and community advocates to improve access to federal climate and infrastructure funding. Programming focused on building literacy around justice40 benefits, federal opportunities tied to climate and clean energy, and capacity for historically under-invested border communities to pursue equitable funding streams. Electrification & ira business roundtable in july 2024, rgisc convened a public seminar titled electrifying the future: seminar on solar and electric trucks in partnership with regional trade-leaders and freight industry stakeholders. The event brought together over 80 business owners, logistics executives, tax-advisors, and civic leaders, featured panel discussions on class 8 electric-truck transition, warehouse solar deployment, and federal tax credits under the inflation reduction act (ira) and the bipartisan infrastructure law. Rgisc facilitated the local application of these national policy opportunities, highlighting how regional fleets and industrial facilities can leverage clean-energy incentives to boost competitiveness and reduce emissions. Cultural events art & storytelling initiatives delivered arts-based public programming that blended environmental justice themes, nature-based storytelling, and cultural identity to strengthen emotional and historical ties to the rio grande. Activities included workshops, performances, and multimedia installations designed to elevate local voices and deepen community connection to river heritage and ecological stewardship. Look loud creative residency & public action hosted a two-day arts and action workshop that brought together more than 50 community artists and activists from laredo and across the country for visual-arts and civic-engagement training. Led by art trainers from multiple cities, including philadelphia, portland, austin, and san antonio, participants received hands-on instruction in creative messaging, printmaking, and movement-building strategies centered on love for laredo and the rio grande as a shared source of life. The workshop strengthened local capacity for creative advocacy and public storytelling, culminating in a community-led march to city hall as part of the newly formed el rio es vida coalition, where participants publicly elevated river-protection prio