Ten Communities Receive State Environmental Award and Share $2 Million in Prize Money
DENTON, TX, April 23, 2021 – Keep Texas Beautiful (KTB) has recognized the City of Denton as one of ten winners of the 2021 Governor’s Community Achievement Awards (GCAA) for outstanding community improvement. KTB, in partnership with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), has awarded the GCAA to Texas communities for more than 50 years. This year, the ten winning communities will share $2 million in landscape funding from TxDOT; the City of Denton will receive $290,000 for a future landscaping project.
The award is one of the most coveted annual environmental and community improvement honors in Texas. A community’s environmental program is judged by a group of diverse, multi-sector judges on achievements in seven environmental and community improvement areas: public awareness and outreach, environmental education, beautification and community improvement, litter prevention and cleanup, solid waste management, litter law and illegal dumping enforcement.
The City of Denton is incredibly proud to receive this award on behalf of our community. It has previously been awarded the GCAA in 1990, 1993, 1997, 2002, and 2008, receiving a total of $545,000 in funding. Denton has also been recognized for “Sustained Excellence” for receiving a score of 90 or higher for the past seven years (2015-2021). Past GCAA projects include landscaping along South Loop 288, East Highway 380, Highway 77, Dallas Drive, and Fort Worth Drive.
The GCAA program has recognized outstanding communities since 1969, with TxDOT providing landscaping award funding since 1985. The City of Denton will be honored during KTB’s Annual Conference, which will take place virtually from June 29 through July 1. Other winning communities include Athens, Duncanville, Friendswood, Gatesville, Cuero, Mansfield, McKinney, Muenster, and San Saba. To learn more about GCAA and this year’s winners, visit www.ktb.org/gcaa.
About Keep Texas Beautiful
Keep Texas Beautiful (KTB) is a non-profit organization dedicated to making Texas the best place to live, work, and play by deploying resources for community improvement projects, clean-ups, and youth engagement efforts across the state. Through our Keep Texas Recycling program, we provide assistance and education to support recycling in rural and underserved communities.
Everything we do is focused on mobilizing volunteers to take action by providing them with tools, resources, and training. Our fieldwork includes research on best practices for litter reduction along with the development of community programs to prevent the flow of litter to the Gulf.
Founded in 1967, Keep Texas Beautiful’s work is driven by its network of nearly 300 affiliate member communities, volunteers, and supporters that reach 17 million Texans annually. For more information and to find your closest affiliate, visit www.ktb.org. Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram.
About TxDOT
The Texas Department of Transportation is responsible for maintaining 80,000 miles of road and for supporting aviation, maritime, rail and public transportation across the state. Through collaboration and leadership, they deliver a safe, reliable, and integrated transportation system that enables the movement of people and goods. Find out more at www.TxDOT.gov.
Contact: Autumn Natalie, (940) 349-8711, Autumn.Natalie@cityofdenton.com