Breathing polluted air can pose serious health risks. As late as the 1980s, air pollution regularly blanketed the metropolitan Washington region on hot and humid summer days. The region has made tremendous progress in its air quality thanks to more than a decade of actions at the federal, state, and local government levels; however, there is still more work to be done to reduce pollution further.
COG, through the Metropolitan Washington Air Quality Committee (MWAQC), coordinates regional air quality planning activities, reviews policies, resolves policy differences, and adopts air quality plans for transmittal to the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia. MWAQC members include area elected officials, environmental directors, and state air management and transportation officials. COG has also been providing regional air quality forecasts since the 1970s, and its Clean Air Partners program educates people on ways to reduce air pollution and protect their health.
Featured Content
Air Quality Progress Dashboard
Data showing region's progress in improving air quality.
What We Can Do to Improve Air Quality in the Metropolitan Washington Region
Report presenting a menu of options to help achieve no unhealthy air days in the region compiled by COG staff for the Metropolitan Washington Air Quality Committee and the Air and Climate Public Advisory Committee.
News & Multimedia
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News
June 8, 2011
We’ve written previously about the understandable dilemma environmentalists often face when confronted with the notion of putting a price on nature . How...
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News
May 9, 2011
Putting things like clean air and water into economic terms is a bit grating on the nerves for many environmentalists . The fact that a clean stable...
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News
February 25, 2011
There’s an ad campaign that’s been running on the New York City Subway for awhile featuring somewhat grotesque images of liquid fat being poured into...
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News
September 22, 2010
Regional board acknowledges legislation’s 40 th anniversary
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News
July 14, 2010
“Avoid the Fine, Don’t Idle” campaign to highlight the legal, environmental, and economic consequences of idling.