Press Releases

Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) issued the following statement today after the announcement that Governor McDonnell’s appeal for a major disaster declaration in Virginia was denied by FEMA:

“I am deeply disappointed by FEMA’s denial of the Governor’s appeal. The destruction in Washington, Pulaski, and Smyth Counties was devastating and costly. Precious lives were lost. Hundreds of homes were damaged or destroyed, and, in Washington County alone, nearly 1,000 jobs were impacted by the storms. The demands of the extensive clean-up and recovery are significant. While volunteers have come together to begin rebuilding, these losses continue to weigh greatly on the impacted communities.

“Despite FEMA’s denial of assistance, I have seen firsthand the resilience and determination of the people of Southwest Virginia to rebuild and grow, even in the face of great adversity. From neighbors volunteering to distribute supplies and haul debris to a newly rebuilt train station in Pulaski and a benefit program for tornado victims in Damascus, these are the things that give me hope for a full recovery in Southwest Virginia. My continued prayers are with the impacted communities. I remain committed to doing everything I can to assist with the recovery process.”

Governor McDonnell submitted a formal appeal of FEMA’s initial decision on May 19, 2011. The appeal requested a major disaster declaration for the Commonwealth of Virginia following severe storms, flooding, and tornadoes during the period of April 8–28, 2011. The letter of denial to Governor McDonnell regarding his appeal is attached.

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