About Us

COG is the one place in metropolitan Washington that regularly brings leaders together to develop solutions to the region's major challenges. COG prepares plans enabling the region to receive federal funding, provides members with research and data to inform decision-making, and offers a wide range of programs, including commuter services, cooperative purchasing, technical assistance and grants, and public outreach campaigns.

Transportation

Through the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board (TPB), area officials, planners, and engineers ensure a well-managed and maintained transportation system. The TPB, which is staffed by COG, conducts the federally mandated transportation planning process for the region and ensures the uninterrupted flow of federal transportation funds that area jurisdictions receive.

Environment

COG's work engages leaders in various environmental fields from water quality experts to climate scientists. Together, they are advancing regional efforts to restore local waterways, improve air quality, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address climate change, promote recycling, and enhance and preserve green space and agriculture.

Community

Area officials and experts, including planning and housing directors and child welfare and health officials, work together with their counterparts at COG to help shape stronger communities throughout the region.

Homeland Security & Public Safety

COG brings police chiefs, fire chiefs, emergency managers, and other leaders together as part of its work to strengthen regional public safety coordination, homeland security planning, and emergency communication.

Homeland Security & Public Safety

Planning Areas

The Council of Governments’ public safety and homeland security work helps ensure safe communities for area residents and visitors. On homeland security, COG brings leaders together to increase the region’s ability to detect, prepare, train for, and respond to man-made and natural threats. COG works with police chiefs, fire chiefs, and other first responders on a variety of public safety issues from crime prevention to fire safety. Ensuring reliable, timely emergency communication is also a priority of COG and its members.

News & Multimedia

News

Area leaders focus on public safety at revamped Potomac Conference

July 19, 2024

At Catholic University on July 9, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) joined the Greater Washington Board of Trade, the Greater Washington...
News

Fire officials, waste haulers in D.C. region urge safe battery usage and disposal to prevent fires

May 2, 2024

Fire officials and waste haulers across the metropolitan Washington region are imploring residents and businesses to adopt safe battery management practices to...
News

Fire symposium, emergency exercises enhance regional response

April 1, 2024

First responders, emergency managers, elected officials, and a wide range of representatives from other disciplines gathered in the last several weeks at...

Visit the Homeland Security & Public Safety news page for more.

Planning Areas

News & Multimedia

Area leaders focus on public safety at revamped Potomac Conference

Fire officials, waste haulers in D.C. region urge safe battery usage and disposal to prevent fires

Fire symposium, emergency exercises enhance regional response