During its monthly meeting today, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) Board of Directors elected Montgomery County Councilmember Kate Stewart as its Chair for 2023.

“In recent years, area officials on the COG Board have done a considerable amount of consensus-building and direction-setting work to help address our region’s biggest, interrelated challenges like housing supply and affordability, transportation accessibility and mobility, climate change, and racial inequities,” Stewart said. “Now that we have mapped out a clear set of priorities, COG is helping our local governments turn these goals into action through new planning efforts and funding opportunities.”

Stewart said that the board’s primary focus for the year will be continuing to advance the priorities in COG’s Region United: Metropolitan Washington Planning Framework for 2030. The following four priorities make up the framework:

• 2030 Housing Targets - Planning targets to address the region’s housing needs. Targets call for at least 75,000 additional housing units by 2030 beyond the 245,000 new units already anticipated, 75 percent of the units in Activity Centers or High-Capacity Transit Station Areas, and 75 percent of the units affordable to low-and-middle income households.
• 2030 Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Reduction Goal and Action Plan - Planning goal and action plan to address climate change at the regional level. Goal calls for a 50 percent reduction in GHG emissions below baseline levels—or 2005 emission levels.
• Equity Emphasis Areas (EEAs) - Planning concept to elevate equity and inform future growth and investment decisions. 364 locations with high concentrations of traditionally underserved communities.
• High-Capacity Transit Station Areas (HCTs) - Planning concept to better leverage the region’s major investment in transit and inform future growth and investment decisions. 225 locations around Metrorail, commuter rail, light rail, bus rapid transit, and streetcar stations that are in place or will be by 2030.

In 2023, COG will be undertaking a new electric vehicle infrastructure planning effort, offering a second round of grants to create affordably priced housing near transit, and promoting Equity Emphasis Areas and High-Capacity Transit Areas as planning tools for area jurisdictions and partner organizations. In addition to the Region United planning priorities, Stewart will also focus on economic development and competitiveness, strengthening public health infrastructure, and maximizing federal funding for the region from the recent infrastructure and inflation reduction bills.

Stewart, who has been a member of the COG Board since 2016, has served in previous leadership roles at COG—as a COG Board Vice Chair for the past two years and as Secretary-Treasurer for the COG Corporation. In addition, she is a member of COG’s Food and Agriculture Regional Member (FARM) Policy Committee.

District of Columbia Councilmember Charles Allen and Fairfax County Supervisor Rodney Lusk were elected as Vice Chairs.

The board also approved the leadership for its policy committees: City of College Park Councilmember Maria Mackie as Chair of the COG Chesapeake Bay and Water Resources Policy Committee; Arlington County Board Member Takis Karantonis as Chair of the COG Climate, Energy, and Environment Policy Committee; City of Fairfax Council Member Jon Stehle as Chair of the COG Food & Agriculture Regional Member Policy Committee; Rodney Lusk as Chair of the COG Human Services Policy Committee; and Montgomery County Councilmember Will Jawando as Chair of the COG Region Forward Coalition.

The board also welcomed new members, including Montgomery County Council President Evan Glass, Prince George's County Council Chair Tom Dernoga, Prince George's County Council Vice Chair Wala Blegay, Frederick County Executive Jessica Fitzwater, and Fairfax City Mayor Catherine Read.

Following the election of officers, the board approved its 2023 legislative priorities, which center on infrastructure investment, advancing equity, and increased local government input in all sectors. The priorities include: fixing the deficit in the federal Transportation Trust Fund (TTF) and federal funding for Metrorail; supporting multi-sector actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and expand clean energy innovation; supporting investments in water infrastructure, specifically funding through the Water Resources and Development Act (WRDA); and addressing food insecurity by strengthening programs that support childhood nutrition, healthy food access for all, and resilient food systems.

The Board of Directors is COG’s governing body and is responsible for its overall policies, functions, and funds. Board members are appointed each year by the participating local governments and by caucuses of state legislative delegations from the region.