President Approves Va. Emergency Declaration

President George W. Bush has declared an emergency exists in the Commonwealth of Virginia and ordered Federal aid to supplement Commonwealth and local response efforts to assist evacuees from the area struck by Hurricane Katrina and to provide emergency assistance to those areas beginning on Aug. 29, 2005, and continuing.

The President’s action makes Federal funding available to the Commonwealth and all 95 counties and 40 independent cities of the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Specifically, assistance is available to Commonwealth and eligible local governments for emergency protective measures that are undertaken to save lives and protect public health and safety. Emergency protective measures, including direct Federal assistance, will be provided at 100 percent Federal funding.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) named Patricia Arcuri as the Federal coordinating officer for Federal recovery operations in the affected area.

A total of 28 states and Washington, D.C. are now included in emergency declarations.