Register Online for the COG Annual Luncheon
COG's Annual Membership Awards and Luncheon will take place on Wednesday, December 10 at the National Press Club. Keynote speaker Steven Pearlstein of the Washington Post will discuss the subject on everyone's mind--the economic crisis and its impact on the region. The luncheon is free of charge but space is limited. Please be sure to register by December 1.
[Link to COG Annual Meeting page to register online]
COG Congratulates Gerry Connolly and Other Members for their Recent Electoral Victories
COG congratulates its members, like Fairfax County Chairman and Representative-Elect Gerry Connolly, (VA-11) on their recent electoral victories. COG also acknowledges two departing members for their special contributions to the region and this organization. Both Carol Schwartz and Tom Davis will be missed and COG wishes them well on future endeavors. (For more on Schwartz and Davis, click on link below) COG also recognizes the service of the senior member of the region’s Congressional delegation, U.S. Senator John Warner of Virginia, who is retiring after serving the Commonwealth for thirty years.
[Link to Election Results COG news highlight and photos]
COG Board Approves Regional Climate Change Report and Recommendations
At its November meeting, the COG Board approved the National Capital Region Climate Change Report, one of the nation's first initiatives to address local greenhouse gas emissions on a regional level. It sets stringent goals for reducing the region’s greenhouse gas emissions, proposing to return to 2005 levels of regional greenhouse gas emissions by 2012 and aiming for a 20 percent reduction below the 2005 levels by 2020 and an 80 percent reduction below the 2005 levels by 2050. The report is the culmination of an intense, year-and-a-half long effort by COG’s Climate Change Steering Committee, which was chaired by Montgomery County Council Member Nancy Floreen and comprised of officials from the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia.
[Link to Washington Post article]
NGA, NARC and COG Organize Event on State-Regional Partnerships
The conference, Working Together: How States and Regions Can Achieve Common Goals, held on October 17 was a joint effort by the National Governor's Association (NGA), the National Association of Regional Councils (NARC), and the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) to promote state-regional cooperation in transportation, environmental and homeland security planning. The event was held at COG and attended by representatives from thirteen states and Puerto Rico.
[Link to Working Together COG news highlight and photos]
COG Hosts Senior Leaders Seminar on Pandemic Influenza
The Emergency Preparedness Council (EPC) held its 2008 Senior Leaders Seminar in the COG Board Room on October 21. The goal of the seminar was to ensure that all jurisdictions in the National Capital Region are prepared to effectively respond to and recover from a pandemic influenza.
[Link to Senior Leaders COG news highlight and photos]
GW 2050 Teleconference Series Reaches Out to Community Groups
Community groups and citizens have had the opportunity to learn more about the Greater Washington 2050 initiative through special teleconferences with its coalition members.
COG created the Greater Washington 2050 initiative to plan for the future and improve the quality of life for Washington area residents over the next 50 years. The Washington Regional Equity Network is leading outreach and communications efforts for GW 2050.
Recent teleconferences have featured Fairfax County Board Vice-Chair and GW 2050 Chair Sharon Bulova, Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce's Bill Lecos, Prince Charitable Trust's Kristin Pauly, Coalition for Smarter Growth's Stewart Schwartz and the DC Office of Planning's Harriet Tregoning.
[Link to the GW 2050 page for more information and audio recordings of the teleconferences]
New Podcasts Feature Climate Change, Anacostia Watershed Restoration
COG Board Chair Michael Knapp's November podcast focuses on the approval of the National Capital Region Climate Change Report. In addition, COG staff members discuss Anacostia Watershed Restoration efforts during a tree planting at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center earlier this month.
[Link to the COG Podcast page]
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