Norton to Hold Hearing on Snow Emergencies Declared for DC & Region (3/4/2010)

Norton to Hold Hearing on Snow Emergencies Declared for D.C. and Region

March 4, 2010

WASHINGTON, DC - Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), who chairs the subcommittee that administers the Stafford Act for national emergencies, said that she will hold a hearing shortly on the snow emergencies in the District and the region, as well as on the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA's) disbursement of funds to cover the costs that were incurred. Norton said she expects a second presidential emergency declaration for the District of Columbia following yesterday's declaration for the December 18-20 snowstorm. Norton said that the January snow that shut down the federal and regional governments in this area was even more severe. Although the statute requires chief executives to request emergency declarations, Norton spoke with FEMA officials during the storms to indicate that, from her knowledge of the Stafford Act, presidential emergency declarations appeared to be required for both snowstorms under the statute for the national capital region, including the District of Columbia. Norton said that officials told her that FEMA had been in touch with officials in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, and expected them to meet the technical requirements to request a formal declaration. Maryland and Virginia already have received presidential emergency declarations for the December storm and the funds are being dispersed. The Congresswoman said that she has told FEMA that she believes that Metro qualifies for funds as well, and she expects the hard-pressed system to receive emergency funding as the three jurisdictions have. Norton said most of the national capital region has met Stafford Act "snow-assistance and severe winter storm" requirements for both storms because snow assistance policy requires that the jurisdiction "experience a record or near-record snowfall", and the District and the region exceeded prior records.

Norton compared what the District experienced to hearings she has had on other jurisdictions that have had emergency declarations. "The federal and local governments were shut down, power was out for some areas, blizzard conditions even halted snow removal operations for one period, and Metro rail and bus systems were all but paralyzed by the storms," Norton said. "These conditions during record snowfalls mandate Stafford Act assistance."

The District must select a continuous 48-hour period for which assistance will be available on a cost-sharing basis for measures it used to protect against the storm, such as snow removal funds. The city and some non-profits may also receive funding for emergency work and repair and replacement of damaged structures.