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.

Planning Directors

The Planning Directors Technical Advisory Committee (PDTAC) is the technical subcommittee of the COG Board of Directors. Currently, the subcommittee has been directed along with the Housing Directors Advisory Committee (HDAC), to assess the region's ability to accommodate the estimated need for 100,000 housing units beyond those currently anticipated in the Cooperative Forecasts.

Previous work in 2017 included assisting COG member jurisdictions in developing and identifying Central Business Areas (CBAs) for the U.S. General Services Administration. The PDTAC will be active in developing the next iteration of COG's Activity Centers.

The committee is composed of the top planning officials and their representatives from across the region. Chair responsibilities rotate between the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia each January. The PDTAC normally meets on the third Friday of the month.

Planning Directors

Committee Members

Staff