Montgomery County Council Member Nancy Floreen will chair a new steering committee to guide one of the nation's first regional climate change initiatives to focus on controlling greenhouse gas emissions locally, the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) announced at its monthly meeting. Floreen also serves as 2007 chair of the Metropolitan Washington Air Quality Committee.

“I am honored to be named Chair of this important regional committee," Floreen said. "I am convinced this group will roll up its sleeves and come up with meaningful, constructive proposals that can have a positive effect on the environmental future of this area. Montgomery County has long been a leader in developing initiatives to control climate change, and I am pleased to join forces with our neighbors to make an even bigger impact.”

Floreen will lead the steering committee as it meets for one year to develop a program to help the region reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. In addition to recommending strategies and establishing regional goals, the committee will also:

• measure local greenhouse gas emissions;
• examine the local impacts of climate change;catalogue activities currently underway;
• identify best practices for local governments
  develop educational materials for elected leaders, citizen and businesses;
• evaluate the feasibility of a fund that would help finance projects to reduce greenhouse gases;
• and recommend policies.

"We are grateful that Ms. Floreen for graciously agreed to chair this steering committee," said Board Chair and D.C. Council Chairman Vincent C. Gray. "Very few things are more important to our future at this stage."

Committee members were appointed to represent a broad range of jurisdictions and agencies to assist the region with addressing climate change at the regional level:

• Mary M. Cheh, Council of the District of Columbia
• George S. Hawkins, Director, District of Columbia Department of the Environment
• Emeka Moneme, Director, District of Columbia Department of Transportation
• Harriet Tregoning, Director, District of Columbia Department of Planning
• Nancy Floreen, Montgomery County Council
• Tad Aburn, Director, Maryland Air Program
• Judith Davis, Mayor, City of Greenbelt
• Roger Berliner, Montgomery County Council
• Camille A. Exum, Prince George's County Council
• Paul Ferguson, Arlington County Board
• Mercury Payton, City Manager, City of Manassas Park
• Gerry Connolly, Chair, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors
• David Snyder, City of Falls Church Council
• Lori Waters, Loudoun County Board of Supervisors
• John Catoe, General Manager, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority

Governments of the National Capital Region continue to lead the nation in implementing practices and policies that help sustain the natural environment. COG's regional climate change initiative builds upon the programs and policies that many of the region's local governments have put in place, such as energy efficiency programs, cooperative wind energy and alternative fuel and hybrid vehicle purchases, green building incentives, and public education.