Category: Regional and Federal

Letter: COG must prepare a strong Mid-Course Review of the region’s 2030 Climate Plan (Regional)

Posted on by Elena Sorokina

March 24, 2026

Hon. Reuben Collins, Board Chair
Hon. Cindy Dyballa, CEEPC Chair
Mr. Clark Mercer, Executive Director
Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments

Re: COG must prepare a strong Mid-Course Review of the region’s 2030 Climate Plan

Board Chair Collins, CEEPC Chair Dyballa and Mr. Mercer:

The Coalition for Smarter Growth greatly appreciates the work of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments coordinating regional climate change analysis and policy.

As we get closer to 2030 and a critical milestone year for preventing disastrous climate change, it is critical that COG’s Mid-Course Review of the region’s 2030 Climate and Energy Action Plan (2030 CEAP) provide a clear and accountable progress update for officials and the public. Given the lack of a federal partner in addressing climate change, transparency and accountability on
climate action at the local and regional levels are that much more important.

We ask that the Mid-Course Review draft report be revised to clearly communicate that the region is off course in reducing climate pollution to safe levels and the key action areas to get us back on track.

Specifically, we ask that the draft Mid-Course Review Report be revised to:

1. State clearly up front that the region is not on track to meet its 2030 GHG target and more urgent action is needed. On the key question of whether or not the region is on track to meet its 2030 greenhouse gas commitments, the answer is “No.” This failure needs to be clearly stated up front rather than buried inside the report in technical language. Our busy elected officials need clear, actionable information.

2. Show 2030 targets for the performance indicators – To effectively communicate progress toward a goal, a chart must show the goal target. COG and the 2030 CEAP have 2030 target levels for most of the performance indicators, and these need to be shown on the graphic charts, not just mentioned elsewhere deep in a paragraph. COG has identified needed 2030 target levels for: Grid Connected Renewables, Electric Vehicle ownership, Electric Vehicle charging stations, per capita Vehicle Miles Traveled, Waste Diversion, and Tree Canopy – these all need to be shown on the progress charts.

3. Separate out data centers from commercial buildings. Data centers are not simply commercial buildings, and the tremendous energy needs and emissions need to be shown in the report. COG has already done some of this work and rather than including a footnoted reference to a separate report, the Mid-Course Review needs to clearly show the impact of existing data centers and the enormous pipeline of approvals.

4. Include the recent Visualize 2050 transportation emissions analysis – COG data from the Visualize 2050 plan show the region will miss 2030 and 2050 GHG reduction targets for transportation, one of the most important sectors. Studies by COG’s Transportation Planning Board have shown that per capita resident Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) need to decline by 20% by 2030, in addition to a rapid transition to electric vehicles, to meet the COG 2030 CEAP. Yet Visualize 2050 maintains a high level of car dependence, with per capita resident VMT only declining by 5% by 2050. Officials need to know this, because the Visualize plan is largely a collection of local transportation and land use policy decisions under their control.

5. Housing is a critical regional issue – and an action in the climate plan – and needs to be included in the Review. Housing in activity centers and near transit is one of the 2030 CEAP’s actions – and is a core component of COG’s adopted plans and policies (e.g., Region United, 2019 Housing Targets, Region Forward, Visualize 2050) – but it has been excluded from the selected Mid-Course Review performance indicators. Land use is an underreported but key factor driving metropolitan area GHG emissions. Multiple studies show that walkable, mixed-use, compact land use is critical to meeting climate targets.

6. Important context of current trends through 2030 is needed – Recent policies and data from our region show troubling trends and projections. For example:

  • Far faster data center growth in the next five years. The pipeline for new data centers is five times Northern Virginia’s current data center volume;
  • New fossil fuel powered electric plants (e.g., Dominion is planning six), and further fossil gas distribution infrastructure investment (DC, VA);
  • Slower electric vehicle (EV) adoption;
  • 500 to 1,200 new lane miles of widened highways and arterials planned;
  • Recent Maryland data showing the state will miss its 2031 GHG target, with the transportation sector highlighted for insufficient progress.

7. State the key action steps to meet regional and local GHG reduction targets.

  • Smart growth – meeting our housing goals and prioritizing walkable, transit-friendly, inclusive communities, and transportation demand management, instead of funding highway and arterial expansion.
  • Data center accountability – holding the industry and state officials accountable for its expensive infrastructure and energy needs as well as pollution.
  • Energy efficient building codes – making progress at the state and local levels.
  • Following through on state clean energy goals – rather than backtracking to build new fossil fuel power plants and distribution infrastructure.

We note that elected officials and other stakeholders on the COG Climate Energy and Environment Policy Committee have also brought up these points.

We appreciate the work of COG staff in assembling data and analysis to inform our region’s officials on their progress implementing climate actions and achieving GHG reduction targets.
The report draft does a good job highlighting successes and best practices by our local jurisdictions that we applaud. But the report also needs a clear call for more urgent action up
top.

These recommended changes to the report can be done expeditiously using available data; the one exception, the housing targets, could be provided later this spring or summer as an
addendum. The Mid-Course Review report must provide a clear picture of where we are and where our region must make more effort over the rest of the decade.

Thank you for your consideration,

Bill Pugh, AICP CTP
Transportation & Climate Director
Coalition for Smarter Growth

Event materials: Does more housing make housing more affordable?

Event materials: Does more housing make housing more affordable?

Posted on by Carrie Kisicki

On January 22, 2026, we talked to leading housing experts about the relationship between housing production and affordability, and explored policy tools to provide stable, affordable housing across a range of incomes.

This was the third webinar in our series on our region’s housing needs, and how researchers, policymakers, and advocates can work together towards solutions.

Fault Lines: Key takeaways and how to get involved

Fault Lines: Key takeaways and how to get involved

Posted on by Elena Sorokina

Thank you to all who could join us for our recent screening of the powerful Fault Lines film at the Angelika Film Center in Fairfax. Whether you were with us in the theater or couldn’t make it this time, we are grateful to have you as part of this growing conversation about housing affordability, livable communities, and the future of our region.

The evening began with Fault Lines, a documentary that brings to life the human stories behind the Bay Area’s housing crisis. Following the screening, our panel of regional leaders reflected on the challenges and opportunities closer to home for addressing our own serious housing affordability challenges.

Fairfax Chairman Jeff McKay stated, “We are not talking about the number of units. We are talking about humans here. We are talking about kids, we are talking about parents, we are talking about hardworking people, people with disabilities […] We need to humanize it as much as we can.”

Falls Church Mayor Letty Hardi emphasized that housing should be a central issue for communities that value the environment, health, equity, small businesses, and overall economic vitality of the region.

Key takeaways from the discussion:

  • Increasing and diversifying housing supply, including market-rate housing, is crucial.
  • Increasing the state housing trust fund, which today is only about $80 million per year.
  • Local and state collaboration is key to advancing housing solutions. State- and local-level regulations and processes need to be streamlined and predictable.  
  • Community engagement is important and needs to be done in a productive and results-oriented way. 

Thank you to our elected officials who sponsored and participated in this event, Senator Salim and Delegates Simon and Seibold, Fairfax Chair McKay and Supervisors Palchik and Alcorn, Mayor Hardi and Mayor Read! Thank you also to Carmen Romero of True Ground Housing, Keith Waters of GMU, and McLean Quinn of EYA for joining our panel discussion.

Lots of work ahead, but we know it can be done. Your voices and your energy are exactly what we need to continue advancing livable communities in our region. 

Here are more ways to get involved:

  • Follow CSG’s updates for your local upcoming site tours and public engagement opportunities, including hearings where you can join CSG in supporting local mixed-use, housing developments. 
  • Join us at the Homes for All VOICE Assembly on October 19th. CSG is a cosponsor.
  • Attend other Northern Virginia housing forums, including the NVRC Housing Symposium and the Regional Elected Leaders Institute (RELI) Webinar.
  • Reach out to your elected officials, both state and local, in support of policies that will provide more housing options and greater affordability.
  • Join CSG supporters on Thursday, October 30, at our annual Smart Growth Social to connect with fellow activists and be inspired! Our guest speaker this year is Alexandria Mayor Alyia Gaskins. RSVP now.

Thank you for all you do.

CSG primer: Visualize 2050, our region’s 25-year transportation plan

Posted on by Elena Sorokina

The draft Visualize 2050 plan, our region’s long-range transportation plan, has too many highway and arterial road expansions that will increase driving and climate emissions. We will miss our region’s goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030 – even if there’s a rapid switch to electric vehicles.

Get informed so you can take action on key decisions this fall: 

  • Upcoming key vote on flawed 495 Southside Express Lanes project 
  • Comment period on failing status quo Visualize plan

Source: TPB, with annotations by the Coalition for Smarter Growth

Background on Visualize 2050

  • Visualize 2050 is our region’s long-range transportation plan, prepared by the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board (TPB), a regional body overseen by our local and state officials and transportation agencies. 
  • CSG background article
    • From March 2024, on draft project list that is now being presented for final approval this fall along with its performance results. 
  • 48 organizations criticized the previous plan, Visualize 2045 with very similar projects Letter by 48 regional organizations on Visualize 2045 (May 2022)

495 Southside Express Lanes Project

  • The TPB board will vote in October on whether or not to include the Virginia Department of Transportation’s flawed highway expansion project in the final plan.
  • Background on the project’s flaws, questions that VDOT has not answered, and better alternatives that need to be studied and advanced.

Stay tuned for actions you can take this fall!

  • Be on the lookout for CSG action alerts in September and October ahead of the TPB vote on the 495 Southside Express Lanes project.
  • Formal public comment on the entire draft Visualize 2050 plan will take place in late October through mid-November. CSG will provide a more in-depth overview of the draft plan – stay tuned.