The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality proudly presents the winners of the 2025 Governor’s Texas Environmental Excellence Awards. These annual awards celebrate the bold efforts that citizens, communities, businesses, and organizations are doing 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 10 in Austin. TCEQ applauds the creativity and resourcefulness of this year’s complete list of TEEA winners and finalists:

Agriculture: 
WINNER
Belding Farms, Fort Stockton — Sustainable Pecan Farming via Water Efficiency
FINALIST 
Vaquillas Cattle Company, Aguilaras — 2024 Las Vaquillas Environmental Project

Civic/Community: 
WINNER
Coastal Bend Bays Foundation, Corpus Christi — Coastal Bend Bays Foundation Environmental Community Programs

Education: 
WINNER
Galveston Bay Foundation, Kemah — Environmental STEM Education
FINALISTS
City of Denton, Denton — Denton Sustainable Schools Program 
Coppell High School Eco Club, Coppell — Keep CISD Green  

Environmental Educator of the Year: 
WINNER
Kacy Debney, AP Environmental Science Teacher, Schertz — Samuel Clemons High School
FINALISTS
Caylie Harris, Science Teacher, Ferris — Ferris Junior High School 
Kimberly Reynolds, Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher, New Braunfels — Canyon Middle School

Individual: 
WINNER
Ronald J. Kendall, Ph.D., Texas Tech University, Lubbock — Efforts in Wildlife Conservation in the State of Texas: Detection and Development of a Medicated Feed to Treat Parasitic Disease in Wild Quail in Texas
FINALIST
Franco Salinas, Lower Rio Grande Valley Nature Center, Weslaco — Wild Education Program

Innovative Operations/Management: 
WINNER
City of Denton: Solid Waste and Recycling and Wastewater Departments, Denton — City of Denton Commercial Organics Diversion Pilot

Pollution Prevention: 
WINNER
City of San Antonio, San Antonio — Deconstruction and Circular Economy Program

Technical/Technology: 
WINNER
Texas Manufacturing Assistance Center, Fort Worth — Pioneering Sustainable Efficiency Through Sensor-Driven Solutions
FINALIST
Crusoe Energy Systems, Klondike — Klondike Digital Flare Mitigation

Youth: 
WINNER
Asvini Thivakaran, Round Rock — Save the Planet
FINALIST
Oliver Burke, Dallas — Preserving the Endangered Blackland Prairie

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 .