Duties: The Solid Waste Committee will analyze problems, establish priorities and goals, and monitor the effectiveness of activities for the management of MSW in the six-county region.
Composition: The Committee will be composed of two categories of members, voting members, and not-voting members.
Voting Members
Voting members will consist of the following:
- one (1) member from each of the six (6) counties in the RGCOG Planning Region;
- one (1) member from each local unit of government in the RGCOG Planning Region that operates a landfill;
- one (1) member representing the city of El Paso Solid Waste Management Department;
- one (1) member from Doña Ana County, New Mexico to ensure coordination of MSW Management activities;
- three (3) members representing the small incorporated communities in El Paso County, Texas;
- one (1) member representing cities in rural areas and one (1) member representing urban areas;
- three (3) representatives of private MSW companies and/or private companies with an interest in MSW issues provided that no company shall have more than one (1) representative;
- one (1) representative of a water district that has MSW collection responsibility;
- one (1) member representing voluntary organizations having a particular interest in MSW issues; one (1) member from a public agency having a particular interest in MSW issues; and
- one (1) representative from an entity that operates a landfill within the RGCOG Planning Region, if not otherwise represented.
Non-Voting Members
Non-voting members will consist of three (3) ex-officio members, including, a representative of the TCEQ regional office, TCEQ project manager assigned to work with the RGCOG, and the Big Bend National Park Superintendent or designee.
Seats: 24 (Voting Members) and 3 Ex Officio (Non-Voting Members).
Term: The term of membership will be for two (2) years. Membership will be reviewed by the RGCOG Board every two (2) years to ensure the direction and focus for the region is maintained.
Contact: Cynthia Mendez, Regional Services Coordinator
Contact Email: Cynthiam@riocog.org
Contact Phone: 915-533-0998 x 138
Meeting dates: The Committee will meet at least semi-annually or more frequently if required.
PRIMARY MEMBERS:
Counties(6)
| Name | Entity | Position |
|---|---|---|
| The Honorable Ruben Ortega | Brewster County | County Commissioner |
| The Honorable Carlos Urias | Culberson County | County Judge |
| Vacant | El Paso County | County Commissioner |
| Mr. Lorenzo Ramirez Jr. | Hudspeth County | Solid Waste Manager |
| The Honorable Kerith Sproul | Jeff Davis County | County Judge |
| The Honorable Cinderela Guevara | Presidio County | County Judge |
Local Government Entities Operating Landfills (4)
| Name | Entity | Position |
|---|---|---|
| Ms. Ellen Smyth | City of El Paso | Director, Environmental Services |
| Ms. Cynthia Salas | City of Alpine | Interim City Manager |
| Mr. Brad Newton | City of Presidio | PMDD Executive Director |
| Ms. Fran Malafronte | Town of Van Horn | City Secretary |
City of EL Paso Solid Waste Management Department(1)
| Name | Entity | Position |
|---|---|---|
| Mr. Cristian Benitez | City of El Paso | Landfill Manager |
Secondary Members
Dona Ana County Representative(1)
| Name | Entity | Position |
|---|---|---|
| Vincent S. Pokluda | Doña Ana County | Assistant County Manager |
Small Incorporated Cities in EL Paso County(3)
| Name | Entity | Position |
|---|---|---|
| The Honorable Manuel Leos | Village of Vinton | Mayor |
| The Honorable Benjamin Romero | Town of Anthony | Mayor |
| The Honorable Dora Aguirre | Town of Clint | Mayor |
Secondary Members
Cities in Rural and Urban Areas(2)
| Name | Entity | Position |
|---|---|---|
| The Honorable Manny Baeza | City of Marfa | Mayor |
| The Honorable Alexsandra Annello | City of El Paso | Representative District 2 |
Private Waste Management Companies(3)
| Name | Entity | Position |
|---|---|---|
| Mr. John Fields | El Paso Disposal, Inc. | Manager |
| Ms. Susan Babenco | Tres Pesetas, Inc. | Manager |
| Mr. Isaac Garcia | Road Masters, IG, LLC | Owner |
Water Districts(1)
| Name | Entity | Position |
|---|---|---|
| Mr. Armando Magallanes | Lower Valley Water District | Solid Waste Manager |
Voluntary Organizations(1)
| Name | Entity | Position | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dr. Victor Valenzuela | Keep El Paso Beautiful | Chairperson | |
Public Agency Representatives(1)
| Name | Entity | Position |
|---|---|---|
| VACANCY | Environmental Protection Agency, Border Outreach Office | Texas-New Mexico-Chihuahua Regional Workgroup Coordinator |
Other Entities Operating Landfills(1)
| Name | Entity | Position |
|---|---|---|
| VACANCY | Fort Bliss | Directorate of Environment |
EX Officio Members
| Name | Entity | Position |
|---|---|---|
| Robert Gilliam | TCEQ Region VI | Environmental Investigator (El Paso Office) |
| Ms. Cheryl Untermeyer | TCEQ Waste Planning Team (Austin) | COG Solid Waste Coordinator |
| Mr. Robert Krumenaker | Superintendent | Big Bend National Park |