Austin's fight to reach environmental goals has triggered public unrest over the state of the city's natural waterways and green spaces, laden with refuse emanating from burgeoning homeless camps. The city's Joint Sustainability Committee met to chalk out the ‘Environmental Investment Plan,’ which talks of climate change, sustainable practices for City operations, and resilient communities.

Folk singer "Suga Ray" Ramirez, a regular at Lady Bird Lake, voices his unease with Austin’s litter problem, telling KXAN that for him, cleaning the waterways should be top on the city’s to-do list; while Trevor Sorrells, co-founder of Nomadik.ai points out the adverse impacts homeless camps have on water quality, the camps are strewn with chemical and biological hazards, these hazards could leech into the aquifer, which is a sore point for anyone swimming in the Lady Bird Lake. Despite these concerns being voiced Wednesday, City Councilmember Ryan Alter missed the meeting but had previously invited public participation through a video posted to X, which echoed concerns similar to those brought up in the recent session.

In a follow-up session, scores of Austinites turned out to offer their two cents on the proposed investments and prioritize which issues should get the green light first. Many residents stressed the link between tidying up green spaces and the overall health of the community, particularly where it intersects with the homelessness crisis in the area. Jamie Hammonds, who has been documenting the greenbelts and encampments, emphasized the urgency, saying to FOX 7 Austin, "There are a lot of people there, and they should not be living in those conditions. I would like to know if they are planning on offering any solutions, what their plans are for the Edwards Aquifer, and the runoff from those camps into the aquifer. If there is any testing being done in Barton Creek and Barton Pool from the runoff from those camps, I’d like to see them do more."

While the Environmental Investment Plan has been introduced, Austin's city leaders and residents grapple with how to fund and execute the ambitious targets set for climate change and environmental preservation; potential solutions highlighted by Council documents include tapping into utility base rates, general funds, "and/or general obligation bonds to be approved at a future election, which may include a November 2024 bond election," this multitiered approach to funding is yet unclear on how it will unroll, yet another public hearing is slated for May where the community hopes for actionable commitments.