(WASHINGTON, DC) – Today Mayor Gray announced that President Barack Obama has approved his October 21, 2011 request for Major Disaster Declaration for Public Assistance for the District of Columbia due to the impact of the 5.8 magnitude earthquake that occurred on August 23, 2011.

President Obama’s approval means that federal aid will now be made available to the District of Columbia to supplement recovery efforts for structural and non-structural repairs to schools, universities, hospitals, government buildings, roads, bridges, tunnels and other critical structures damaged by the quake.

“This is good news,” said Mayor Gray. “I am pleased and want to thank the President for his commitment to assist the District in its recovery efforts as result of the August earthquake.
He further stated, “We are looking forward to working with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to identify the areas of the city’s infrastructure that have been most significantly impacted.”