Learn More about the recipients:

SPEER ​​received the 2024 Air Central Texas Outstanding Organization Award. Through their Building Operator Certification (BOC) training course that teaches energy-saving strategies, SPEER has trained more than 400 building operators. These efforts contribute significantly to air quality improvements, as buildings account for 35 percent of the nation’s carbon emissions. 

Chikage Windler received the 2024 Air Central Texas Media Award for her exceptional media coverage of air quality and air quality issues within the past year as chief meteorologist at CBS Austin. Through her leadership, the CBS weather team has consistently promoted clean air and sustainability, raising awareness within the community on issues surrounding sustainability.

The Coalition for Responsible Environmental Aggregate Mining (CREAM) received the 2024 Air Central Texas Environmental Education Award for its efforts in improving public awareness of environmental issues associated with quarries and CBPs in Williamson County. The organization held a panel discussion on the subject in Georgetown, with Texas Representative Terry Wilson among the 250 participants.

Adele Noel received the 2024 Bill Gill Central Texas Air Quality Leadership Award​ for her distinguished work as the Air Quality Environmental Project Manager for Travis County. Adele has been a stalwart member of CAPCOG’s Clean Air Coalition Advisory Committee and other organizations like the Clean Air Force of Central Texas for years, frequently serving in leadership roles. She also advocates encouraging and enabling the use of cleaner fuels and technologies in Travis County’s fleet department. She's helped to promote Travis County’s anti-idling rules and worked with the constable's office to assist with Travis County's efforts to reduce the number of vehicles operating in the region with fake vehicle registration plates.

Additional details and photos are available at https://aircentraltexas.org/en/about/act-awards.   

About Air Central Texas: Air Central Texas is an initiative to reduce exposure to air pollution in Central Texas through voluntary actions. Its partners include local governments, regional and state government agencies, non-profit groups, businesses, and institutions. 

About CAPCOG: The Capital Area Council of Governments, governed by elected officials from the ten-county region it serves, has worked for 50 years as an advocate, planner, and coordinator on important regional issues. Programs and services related to public safety and emergency response, environmental planning, economic and community development, and the elderly are delivered at a regional level to leverage funding, maximize cooperation, and eliminate duplication. CAPCOG serves Bastrop, Blanco, Burnet, Caldwell, Fayette, Hays, Lee, Llano, Travis and Williamson counties. One of its many policy or advisory committees includes the Clean Air Coalition, which is a group of local elected officials and stakeholders that discusses air quality issues and provides guidance to CAPCOG's air quality program.