The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) will examine the potential regional impact of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) recommendations for the closure, realignment, or expansion of military and defense-related facilities.  Several of the DoD recommendations will affect facilities in the metropolitan Washington region. 

The COG Board instructed COG staff, in conjunction with planning directors of local jurisdictions, to perform a detailed analysis on the DoD recommendations’ effect on future employment, transportation infrastructure, traffic congestion and air quality.    

“What we need to do is get some information on how these decisions will affect the region’s transportation, air quality, the concentration of jobs—all the things we tend to discuss as having an effect on our communities,” said Arlington County Board Chair Jay Fisette.

On May 13, U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld sent the recommendations to the independent Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Commission.  The BRAC Commission must report its final decisions to the President no later than September 8, 2005. 

Due to the short timetable, COG staff will begin work immediately.  COG will attempt to have the analysis complete in about a month in order to brief local jurisdictions and present the data to the BRAC Commission.