What is the difference between a Council of Governments (COG) and a regional council?

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In practice, Councils of Governments and regional councils are the same kind of regional planning body: multi-jurisdictional, voluntary associations of local governments that tackle issues that cross boundaries, such as transportation planning, land use, housing, economic development, and environmental concerns. The main difference you’ll encounter is terminology and the specific statutory framework in a given state, not a fundamental difference in purpose or function. They’re not state-level agencies, nor private organizations; they’re regional public or quasi-public entities that coordinate across multiple local governments.

The other options don’t fit because these bodies typically handle more than transportation alone, aren’t state-level by design, and aren’t private organizations.