Rgisc Inc

THE RGISC MISSION IS TO PRESERVE AND PROTECT THE RIO GRANDE-RIO BRAVO, ITS WATERSHED AND ENVIRONMENT, THROUGH AWARENESS, ADVOCACY, RESEARCH, EDUCATION, STEWARDSHIP AND BI-NATIONAL COLLABORATION FOR THE BENEFIT OF PRESENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS.

1ST EXEMPT PURPOSE ACCOMPLISHMENT: EDUCATION/AWARENESS CLEAN AIR LAREDO, ETHYLENE OXIDE: IN 2021, RGISC BECAME AWARE OF SIGNIFICANTLY HIGH VOLUMES OF ETHYLENE OXIDE EMISSIONS IN LAREDO, TEXAS BY THE COMPANY MIDWEST STERILIZATION CORP. WE WORKED WITH ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTISTS TO DIG DEEP INTO EPA DATABASES TO GET A FULLER PICTURE OF THE SEVERITY OF THIS PUBLIC HEALTH THREAT, AND THE SIGNIFICANTLY HIGH CANCER LEVEL RISK FACED IN LAREDO FROM INDUSTRIAL AIR POLLUTION BY THIS ONE COMPANY. WE QUICKLY BEGAN TO WORK WITH ELECTED OFFICIALS, ATTORNEYS, COMMUNITY ADVOCATES, BUSINESS OWNERS, AND NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERS TO FORM THE CLEAN AIR LAREDO ORGANIZATION AS A WAY TO CREATE AWARENESS AND FIND SOLUTIONS THAT INCLUDE STRONGER FEDERAL REGULATIONS AND STANDARDS FOR ETHYLENE OXIDE AND MIDWEST. AS PART OF THE CLEAN AIR LAREDO COALITION, WE ORGANIZE MEETINGS WITH THE COMPANY, THE U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA), TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY (TCEQ), AND HELD A TOWN HALL EVENT THAT ATTRACTED MORE THAN 200 PEOPLE WITH OVERFLOW CAPACITY. BASED ON OUR RESEARCH AND MEETINGS, WE REALIZED THAT THIS COMPANY (WHICH OPENED IN LAREDO IN 2005) HAS RANKED AMONG THE TOP THREE ETHYLENE OXIDE- EMITTING FACILITIES IN THE UNITED STATES. FOR YEARS, MIDWEST WAS EMITTING MORE THAN 15,000 POUNDS OF ETHYLENE OXIDE INTO THE AIR, ALL OF WHICH IS SELF-REPORTED DATA TO THE EPA. THE EPA HAS FOUND EVIDENCE IN HUMANS THAT EXPOSURE TO ETHYLENE OXIDE BY INHALATION INCREASES THE RISK OF LYMPHOHEMATOPOIETIC CANCERS (INCLUDING NON-HODGKIN LYMPHOMA, MYELOMA, AND LYMPHOCYTIC LEUKEMIA) AND, FOR FEMALES, BREAST CANCER. IN 2016, THE EPA LISTED ETHYLENE OXIDE AS A KNOWN HUMAN CARCINOGEN AND ANNOUNCED THAT THE NEW HEALTH VALUE FOR THIS CHEMICAL IS 60 TIMES MORE TOXIC TO CHILDREN THAN PREVIOUSLY ESTIMATED AND 30 TIMES MORE TOXIC TO ADULTS THAN PREVIOUSLY ESTIMATED. BORDER WALL ADVOCACY: ALTHOUGH PRESIDENT BIDEN ENDED THE DECLARATION OF A NATIONAL EMERGENCY ON THE SOUTHERN BORDER, WE CONTINUED WITH OUR BORDER WALL ADVOCACY WORK TO SEE THROUGH THE DISSOLUTION OF THE FOUR BORDER WALL CONTRACTS IN LAREDO, TOTALING MORE THAN 1 BILLION THAT WOULD HAVE SEIZED AND DESTROYED 71 MILES OF RIVER FRONTAGE, AND REMOVE THE CURRENT WAIVER OF FEDERAL LAWS THAT INFRINGE ON OUR RIGHTS. RGISC HAS PARTICIPATED IN STATEWIDE AND NATIONWIDE TELEPRESSERS TO LAUNCH THE NO BORDER WALL LAREDO COALITION'S "NOTANOTHERFOOT" CAMPAIGN. THE CAMPAIGN STARTED WITH A DAY OF ACTION WITH THE SUPPORT OF 18 BORDER CITIES TO REMIND PRESIDENT BIDEN TO CANCEL THE CONTRACTS AND HALT THE CONFISCATION OF LAND NEAR THE BORDER. RGISC ALONG WITH ORGANIZERS AND STRATEGISTS SET UP AND CARRIED OUT INDIVIDUAL MEETINGS WITH SENIOR ADVISORS AND LEGISLATIVE DIRECTORS FOR VARIOUS MEMBERS OF CONGRESS WHICH INCLUDED ALL OF THE 9 BORDER REPRESENTATIVES: REP. FILEMON VELA, REP. VERONICA ESCOBAR, REP. RAUL GRIJALVA, REP. TONY GONZALES III, REP. ANN KIRKPATRICK, REP. VICENTE GONZALEZ, REP. YVETTE HERRELL, REP. KATHLEEN RICE, REP. EDDIE MEYER, REP. LUCILLE ROYBAL-ALLARD, AND CONGRESSIONAL HISPANIC CAUCUS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR. TELEPRESSERS WITH REPRESENTATIVES AND LOCAL LEADERS WERE HELD TO DISPEL FALSE AND NEGATIVE NARRATIVES ON THE BORDER CITIES BEING REGARDED AS DANGEROUS AND VIOLENT PLACES CONTRARY TO ACTUAL FBI CRIME DATA AND OUR LIVED DAILY EXPERIENCES. ADDITIONALLY, RGISC HELD A PRESS CONFERENCE AT CITY HALL ON JULY 26 TO CELEBRATE THE VICTORY OF THE JULY 23, 2021 CANCELLATION OF TWO BORDER WALL CONTRACTS WHICH WERE THE FIRST CONTRACTS ALONG THE ENTIRE U.S.-MEXICO BORDER TO BE CANCELED. THE LAST TWO CONTRACTS WERE CANCELED ON OCTOBER 8, 2021. RGISC CONDUCTED A MULTIFACETED APPROACH TO EXPLAIN THE HISTORY OF THE NO BORDER WALL COALITION'S EFFORTS AND EXPLAIN HOW THE BORDER WALL CAN NEGATIVELY AFFECT THE RIVER'S ECOSYSTEM, AND THE CULTURAL IDENTITY OF BORDER WALL COMMUNITIES WHICH INCLUDED FUNDING PART OF A SHORT DOCUMENTARY, DISCUSSIONS WITH AN AUTHOR, AND AN ART EXHIBITION BY AN ARTIST WHO IS A FULBRIGHT SCHOLAR AT THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF ART IN LONDON. RGISC ORGANIZED MULTIPLE MEETINGS WITH THE SOUTH TEXAS LANDOWNERS COALITION, ATTORNEYS, AND ATTORNEYS WITH EARTHJUSTICE TO DISCUSS ONGOING DEVELOPMENTS WITH REGARD TO THE 1 BILLION IN BORDER WALL FUNDS FOR THE LAREDO SECTOR THAT WERE NOT RESCINDED WHEN THE CONTRACTS WERE RESCINDED. OUR COALITION ACHIEVED AN EXTRAORDINARY VICTORY WITH THE CANCELLATION OF ALL FOUR CONTRACTS THAT SAVED 71 RIVER MILES FROM DESTRUCTION, WHICH INCLUDED PARKS, NATURE TRAILS, NEIGHBORHOODS, A COMMUNITY COLLEGE, RANCHES, HOMES, BUSINESSES, AND A CATHOLIC ORPHANAGE. IN OCTOBER 2021, RGISC COORDINATED WITH THE NO BORDER WALL COALITIONS AND THE CARRIZO COMECRUDO TRIBE IN FIVE BORDER CITIES THAT INCLUDED EAGLE PASS, LAREDO, ZAPATA, MCALLEN, AND BROWNSVILLE TO CREATE A NOT ANOTHER FOOT BILLBOARD CAMPAIGN. IN NOVEMBER 2021, THE NO BORDER WALL LAREDO COALITION AND RGISC HAD ANOTHER VICTORY WHEN GOVERNOR GREG ABBOTT'S PLAN OF BUILDING A 15-FOOT CYCLONE FENCE WITH CONCERTINA WIRE FELL WAS REJECTED BY THE LAREDO CITY COUNCIL. RGISC'S EFFORTS AGAINST THE BORDER WALL HAVE ELEVATED OUR ORGANIZATION'S PROFILE AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL AND HAVE RECEIVED GLOBAL MEDIA ATTENTION FROM REPORTERS FROM THE NETHERLANDS, SWEDEN, JAPAN, AND FRANCE, AMONG OTHERS. OUR ADVOCACY WORK WILL CONTINUE UNTIL THE BORDER WALL FUNDS ARE RESCINDED ALONG WITH THE WAIVER OF LAWS. ANNUAL MEETING: EVERY YEAR IN THE SECOND QUARTER, AS PER RGISC'S BYLAWS, RGISC ORGANIZES AN ANNUAL MEETING WITH THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND OUR DUES-PAYING MEMBERSHIP. THE 27TH ANNUAL MEETING WAS HELD VIRTUALLY IN JUNE 2021 DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. THE ANNUAL MEETING GIVES THE PUBLIC INFORMATION ABOUT RGISC'S FINANCIAL STATUS, PAST AND FUTURE PROJECTS, MEMBERSHIP DRIVE, AND A ROADMAP FOR WHERE WE'RE HEADED IN THE COMING YEAR RGISC CONDUCTED RAFFLE PRIZES FOR THE ATTENDEES AND RECOGNIZED MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY AWARDS WHO HAVE EXCELLED IN VOLUNTEERISM AND/OR CONSERVATION EFFORTS IN OUR COMMUNITY. RGISC HAD 175 PEOPLE REGISTER AND RECORDED 66 ATTENDEES AT OUR ANNUAL MEETING. LAREDO BIRDING FESTIVAL: EVERY FEBRUARY RGISC, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MONTE MUCHO AUDUBON SOCIETY, AND LAREDO CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU, HOLDS AN ANNUAL LAREDO BIRDING FESTIVAL. IN 2021, DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, THE 9TH LAREDO BIRDING FESTIVAL WAS HELD VIRTUALLY AS A PREVENTATIVE MEASURE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CDC GUIDELINES. THE EVENT HAD 137 VIRTUAL REGISTRANTS RANGING FROM THE UNITED KINGDOM, THE UNITED STATES, AND CANADA. THE VIRTUAL EVENT LASTED FOR FOUR HOURS AND HAD SEVERAL ASPECTS THAT INCLUDED WORKSHOPS, GUEST SPEAKERS, PRESENTATIONS, AND VIRTUAL TOURS VIA VIDEOS. RGISC ALSO HELD THE 9TH ANNUAL BIRDS OF THE BRUSH AWARDS CEREMONY VIRTUALLY DURING 2021. THE ART CONTEST RECEIVED NEARLY 200 SUBMISSIONS BY ARTISTS OF ALL SKILL LEVELS. A VIRTUAL ART GALLERY WALKTHROUGH WITH ALL SUBMISSIONS WAS DESIGNED AND UPLOADED TO PROVIDE A SAFE VIEWING EXPERIENCE DURING THE PANDEMIC. SINCE ITS INCEPTION, THE BIRDS OF THE BRUSH ART CONTEST HAS GROWN OVER THE YEARS TO BE THE LARGEST ART CONTEST IN LAREDO AND ONE OF THE LARGEST BIRD ART CONTESTS IN SOUTH TEXAS. RIO RESEARCH ROUNDUP: EVERY OCTOBER SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 2010, RGISC HAS HOSTED THE ANNUAL RIO RESEARCH ROUNDUP. THE RIO RESEARCH ROUNDUP IS AN AWARD-WINNING ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PROJECT THAT ENGAGES NEARLY 2,200 STUDENTS EACH YEAR FROM THE U.S. AND MEXICO WITHIN THE COMMUNITIES LIVING THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE RIO GRANDE BASIN, IN THE U.S. AND MEXICO. ONE OF THE MAIN GOALS OF THE RIO RESEARCH ROUNDUP IS TO BOOST STEM AWARENESS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PARTICIPATING ROUNDUP STUDENTS.RGISC PROVIDES EACH TEAM WITH WATER TESTING KITS, AND THE STUDENTS GO ON A SCHOOL FIELD TRIP TO COLLECT SAMPLES FROM THE RIO GRANDE OR ONE OF ITS TRIBUTARIES. THE TESTING OF THE RIVER'S WATER THROUGHOUT THE RIO GRANDE BASIN WILL PROVIDE A COMPELLING SNAPSHOT OF THE RIVER BASIN'S HEALTH AT ONE MOMENT IN TIME. STUDENTS TEST FOR 10 WATER QUALITY PARAMETERS THAT INCLUDE COLIFORM BACTERIA, NITRATES, PHOSPHATES, PH, AND DISSOLVED OXYGEN, AMONG OTHERS. THIS FIELD-BASED, HANDS-ON PROJECT ALLOWS STUDENTS TO CONNECT CLASSROOM LEARNING WITH REAL WORK EXPERIENCE. THE STUDENTS WILL GAIN A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING AND APPRECIATION OF OUR LOCAL WATER SYSTEMS THAT SUSTAIN OUR COMMUNITIES AND WILDLIFE POPULATIONS. THE 12TH ANNUAL RIO RESEARCH ROUNDUP WAS HELD VIRTUALLY FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. IN SEPTEMBER, WE CONDUCTED OUTREACH AND SENT OUT TESTING KITS TO PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS FROM TEXAS, COLORADO, NEW MEXICO, AND FIVE MEXICAN STATES. IN OCTOBER, THE PARTICIPATING TEAMS OF STUDENTS COLLECTED WATER SAMPLES, REPORTED THEIR DATA, PRODUCED SHORT VIDEOS OF THEIR FIELD EXPERIENCE, CREATED ARTWORK, CARRIED OUT SURVEYS VIA SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS, AND SUBMITTED THEIR WORK TO RGISC. THE PROJECTS SUBMITTED BY EACH TEAM WERE REVIEWED BY JUDGES WHO ARE EITHER BIOLOGISTS AND/OR WATER EXPERTS. WINNERS WERE ANNOUNCED FOR

2ND EXEMPT PURPOSE ACCOMPLISHMENT: GREEN SPACE PRESERVATION BINATIONAL RIVER PARK: IN 2021, AN EXTRAORDINARY MOMENT OPENED UP FOR LAREDO AND RGISC WHEN U.S. AMBASSADOR TO MEXICO KEN SALAZAR ENCOURAGED THE FORMATION OF A BINATIONAL WORKING GROUP TO OVERSEE THE CREATION OF THE FIRST BINATIONAL RIVER PARK BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND MEXICO, AND MORE SPECIFICALLY BETWEEN THE SISTER CITIES OF LAREDO, TEXAS AND NUEVO LAREDO, TAMAULIPAS. THE GOAL IS TO CREATE A REGIONAL LANDMARK THAT PRIORITIZES THE RIVER THROUGH ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION AND THAT DRIVES COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT, AIDS BORDER SECURITY, AND CELEBRATES OUR BICULTURAL HERITAGE. RGISC QUICKLY TOOK THE LEAD IN ORGANIZING NUMEROUS MEETINGS WITH LAREDO AND NUEVO LAREDO CITIZENS TO CREATE SHARED GOALS AND AN INTEGRATED VISIONARY CONCEPT. RGISC HELPED DEVELOP THE LANGUAGE FOR THE CITY'S RFQ FOR A DESIGN CONSULTANT TO CREATE ARCHITECTURAL RENDERINGS/ILLUSTRATIONS FOR THE PARK. THE EFFORT FOCUSED ON A 6.2-MILE SEGMENT ALONG THE RIVER THAT ENCOMPASSES MORE THAN 1,000 ACRES FROM BOTH COUNTRIES. MORE MEETINGS WERE CONDUCTED TO GATHER INPUT AND BRAINSTORM IDEAS TO DRAFT GUIDELINES FOR THE FIRST TECHNICAL TEAM MEETING WITH NUEVO LAREDO MEMBERS IN DECEMBER 2021. MONARCH GARDENS: RGISC PLANNED AND OVERSAW THE CONSTRUCTION OF ITS SECOND AND THIRD MONARCH POLLINATOR GARDENS TO EXPAND URBAN CONSERVATION IN LAREDO THROUGH USDA- NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE MINI-GRANTS. EACH GARDEN CONSISTS OF DRIP IRRIGATION AND NATIVE FLORA IN OUR SOUTH TEXAS REGION. THROUGH THE CONSTRUCTION OF EACH GARDEN, RGISC EDUCATED THE PUBLIC ON THE DISAPPEARING MONARCH BUTTERFLY AND NATIVE POLLINATORS AND HOW TO CONSTRUCT MONARCH GARDENS. OUTREACH OCCURRED THROUGH LARGE-SCALE PUBLIC ART MURALS, PRESENTATIONS, AND INTERPRETATIVE SIGNAGE. RGISC CONTINUED TO CONDUCT MONTHLY MAINTENANCE OF EACH GARDEN WITH VOLUNTEERS. CLEANUPS RGISC CONDUCTED THREE COMMUNITY CLEAN-UPS IN 2021: IN APRIL, WE RESUMED OUR ANNUAL EASTER BLITZ CLEAN-UP EVENT AT LAKE CASA BLANCA STATE PARK WITH 22 REGISTERED VOLUNTEERS. IN OCTOBER, WE HELD A MAJOR CLEANUP AT LAS PALMAS NATURE TRAIL, AS DESCRIBED FURTHER ABOVE. WITH 400+ VOLUNTEERS THAT REMOVED 21 TONS OF DEBRIS AND COLLECTED 435 PIECES OF PLASTIC. IN NOVEMBER, WE PARTNERED WITH THE LAREDO REALTORS ASSOCIATION TO DO A FOLLOW-UP CLEANUP AT LAS PALMAS THAT FEATURED 36 VOLUNTEERS.

3RD EXEMPT PURPOSE ACCOMPLISHMENT: FUNDRAISING ACTIVITIES DONOR RELATIONS IN APRIL 2021, RGISC BEGAN TO DEVELOP A NEW DONOR RELATIONS PROGRAM WITH THE HELP OF CONSULTANTS AND NEW HIRES. RGISC HELD A COCKTAIL EVENT WITH DONORS TO ANNOUNCE THE RECEIPT OF A GRANT FROM THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF LATINO ARTS & CULTURE (NALAC). THE EVENT HAD 33 ATTENDEES AND SOME OF THE ATTENDEES MADE COMMITMENT PLEDGES TO RGISC. RGISC INVESTED IN A CRM (CAN YOU SPELL THIS OUT) BASED ON OUR CURRENT NEEDS AND TO RAISE OUR EFFICIENCY IN MANAGING, RECORDING, AND MAINTAINING DONORS, MEMBERSHIPS, DONATIONS, AND VOLUNTEERS. BOARD CONTRIBUTIONS FOR THE FIRST TIME, RGISC HELD AN END-OF-YEAR ANNUAL FUND DRIVE WITH ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND ADVISORY BOARD AND COLLECTED NEARLY 25,000 IN DONATIONS. EARTH DAY DUE TO THE PANDEMIC, RGISC'S EARTH DAY 2021 CELEBRATION WENT VIRTUAL AND CONSISTED OF TWO EVENTS: A PRESENTATION WORKSHOP "WALK THE TOK: HOW TO TAKE YOUR ACTIVISM OUT OF TIK TOK AND INTO THE STREETS- AND A FILM SCREENING AND Q&A WITH THE FILMMAKERS OF A LANDMARK DOCUMENTARY CALLED "THE STORY OF PLASTIC." THE PRESENTATION WORKSHOP HAD 104 REGISTRANTS WITH 64 ATTENDEES AND INCLUDED ACTIVISM LEADERS AS GUEST SPEAKERS. THE FILM SCREENING AND Q&A SESSION HAD 168 REGISTRANTS AND 131 ATTENDEES. THE VIRTUAL EARTH DAY EVENT WAS WELL RECEIVED BY THE ATTENDEES ACCORDING TO THE POST-ATTENDANCE SURVEYS.

4TH EXEMPT PURPOSE ACCOMPLISHMENT: CONFERENCES DUE TO COVID, THERE WAS LITTLE PARTICIPATION IN OUT-OF-TOWN CONFERENCES. THE ONLY EXCEPTION WAS A WATER CONFERENCE IN AUSTIN, WHICH WAS ATTENDED BY OUR WATERSHED SCIENCE DIRECTOR. 5TH EXEMPT PURPOSE ACCOMPLISHMENT: CLIMATE DELIVERABLES CLIMATE RGISC BEGAN WORK TO DEVELOP A NEW CLIMATE PROGRAM FOR THE ORGANIZATION AND PURSUE FUNDING STRATEGIES TO HIRE NEW PROFESSIONAL STAFF, TO FOCUS ON CLIMATE CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES SPECIFIC TO OUR BORDER REGION. OUR INITIAL FOCUS CENTERED ON METHANE FLARING AND EMISSIONS, WATER SECURITY, AND ENGAGING THE YOUTH IN CLIMATE CHANGE. RGISC COLLABORATED WITH SUNRISE/SOMOS FOR A FIRST-EVER LAREDO CLIMATE CAMP. AFTER MONTHS OF PLANNING, THE 2021 CLIMATE CAMP TOOK PLACE ON JULY 23-24AND FEATURED A TOTAL OF 45 YOUTH BETWEEN THE AGES OF 16-24. RGISC ALSO EXPLORED THE FEASIBILITY OF A PERMANENT INSTALLATION OF A CLIMATE CLOCK IN LAREDO WITH PROPERTY OWNERS AND THE CITY OF LAREDO AND DETERMINE COSTS. RGISC ALSO BEGAN EXPLORING AND RESEARCHING METHANE FLARING IN WEBB COUNTY, WHICH IS ONE OF THE THREE LARGEST NATURAL GAS PRODUCING COUNTIES IN TEXAS AND TO PREPARE FOR A NEW FEDERAL METHANE RULE TO BE RELEASED IN 2022 BY THE U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA). NALAC RGISC ATTENDED SEVERAL VIRTUAL PIECES OF TRAINING AND WORKSHOPS IN JANUARY AND APRIL REGARDING THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF LATINO ARTS & CULTURE BORDER NARRATIVE CHANGE GRANT WITH THE CENTER FOR CULTURAL POWER. RGISC ALSO HELD VARIOUS BRAINSTORMING SESSIONS TO PLAN FOR CULTURAL ACTIVISM EVENTS FOR THE INCOMING 1.5 YEARS AS PART OF THE NALAC GRANT TIMELINE. THE BRAINSTORMING SESSIONS INCLUDED HISTORIANS, ARTISTS, ACTIVISTS, POETS, URBAN PLANNERS, AND ARCHITECTS AS A WAY TO DIVERSIFY OUR PERSPECTIVE ON THE CULTURAL EVENTS THAT CAN BE FUNDED THROUGH THE NALAC GRANT. IN THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER, RGISC ORGANIZED THREE COMMUNITY EVENTS WITH FUNDING SUPPORT FROM THE NALAC GRANT: THE MONARCH MURAL UNVEILING, THE LAS PALMAS CLEANUP, AND THE LOVING LAREDO PADDLE. ON NOVEMBER 6, 2021, RGISC HOSTED A MONARCH WATCH DURING THE UNVEILING OF A NALAC-FUNDED LARGE-SCALE "PLIGHT OF THE MONARCH" MURAL WITH APPROXIMATELY 100 PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE THAT FEATURED MURALIST ANTONIO "TONY" BRIONES III, ECOLOGISTS, EDUCATORS, YOUTH, AND LAREDO BORDER SLAM POETS. WATER SECURITY (USBR, ROCKEFELLER, CITY 3RD PARTY) IN THE EARLY MONTHS OF THE YEAR, INTERVIEWS WERE CONDUCTED TO SELECT A NEW HIRE FOR THE POSITION OF WATERSHED SCIENCE DIRECTOR, TO BEGIN WORKING ON A WATERSHED RESTORATION PLAN FOR THE SAN AMBROSIA-SANTA ISABEL WATERSHED THAT STRETCHES FROM EAGLE PASS TO LAREDO, AND INCLUDES MEXICO. RGISC ASSEMBLED A COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF POTENTIAL WATERSHED STAKEHOLDERS AND CREATED RIVER BASIN MAPS AND INPUT SURVEYS FOR THE NEW WATERSHED GROUP. OUR WATERSHED SCIENCE DIRECTOR CONDUCTED RESEARCH AND PUBLISHED A UNIQUE REPORT ON THE USE OF RIO GRANDE WATER FOR OIL AND GAS OPERATIONS, NAMELY HYDRAULIC FRACTURING (FRACKING) IN WEBB COUNTY OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS. OUR FINDINGS REVEALED THAT 6 OIL AND GAS OPERATORS DIVERTED 19.2 BILLION GALLONS OF WATER FOR THIS MINING PRACTICE. THE REPORT ALSO IDENTIFIED THE NUMBER AND LOCATIONS OF INJECTION WELLS FOR PRODUCED WATER (I.E. FRACK WASTE) IN OUR COUNTY. THE REPORT WAS PRESENTED TO THE ROCKEFELLER FAMILY FOUNDATION AND FASKEN OIL 6TH EXEMPT PURPOSE ACCOMPLISHMENT: GENERAL OPERATIONS BOARD OF DIRECTORS EVERY YEAR, A NEW TERM OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS BEGINS AT THE ANNUAL MEETING WHEN NEW MEMBERS ARE VOTED IN BY DUES-PAYING MEMBERS. EXPENSES IN 2021 WERE RELATED TO A STRATEGIC BOARD RETREAT WITH OUR CONSULTANT FROM BOSTON, ROBERT ZIMMERMAN, AND A RIVER EXPERT FROM AUSTIN, LIZA COLUCCI. GENERAL OPERATIONS SEVERAL NEW FULL-TIME POSITIONS WERE CREATED WITH NEW HIRES: OFFICE/FINANCE ADMINISTRATOR, COMMUNITY OUTREACH, AND DEVELOPMENT. WE ALSO WORKED TO INCREASE OUR DUES-PAYING MEMBERSHIP.