Hurricane Irene

News Release: Governor McDonnell Announces Nine More Localities Approved for Federal Disaster Assistance for Irene

Office of the Governor

For Immediate Release
September 29, 2011

Contact: Jeff Caldwell
Press Secretary
(804) 786-2211

Bob Spieldenner
Virginia Department of Emergency Management
(804) 897-6510
www.vaemergency.gov

Governor McDonnell Announces Nine More Localities Approved for Federal Disaster Assistance for Irene
– Assistance is for governments, not individuals –

RICHMOND – Governor Bob McDonnell announced today that nine additional counties and cities were approved for federal disaster public assistance for recovery from Hurricane Irene today. This brings the total of localities approved for federal disaster assistance to 48.

“This is very good news for these local governments that responded to Irene’s impact in Virginia,” said Governor McDonnell. “Their local budgets were severely affected by the expense of responding, and they also sustained damage to publicly-owned property that can now be repaired. The federal public assistance will be of great help to them.”

The disaster assistance covers eligible government and certain nonprofit costs for damage to critical infrastructure, roads, buildings and equipment, debris removal and related emergency services. This is not the type of federal assistance that can help individuals.

Those new localities approved for assistance include the counties of Amelia, Brunswick, Greensville, Hanover, Lunenburg, Northampton, Nottoway and Powhatan and the city of Alexandria.

Previously, the Commonwealth asked for and received assistance for the counties of Accomack, Caroline, Charles City, Chesterfield, Dinwiddie, Essex, Henrico, Isle of Wight, James City, King George, King and Queen, King William, Lancaster, Mathews, Middlesex, New Kent, Northumberland, Prince George, Richmond, Southampton, Surry, Sussex, Westmoreland and York and the cities of Chesapeake, Colonial Heights, Emporia, Franklin, Hampton, Hopewell, Newport News, Norfolk, Petersburg, Poquoson, Portsmouth, Richmond, Suffolk, Virginia Beach and Williamsburg.

Damage assessments for Irene are now complete, but additional localities can be added if eligible damage is discovered or if new information is identified.

State and federal officials will continue to work with local governments over the coming months until all repairs and eligible projects have been completed.

Virginia also requested and received low-interest loans from the Small Business Administration to assist homeowners, renters and businesses recover from Irene.

# # #

DISASTER NEWS
Loans for Homeowners, Renters and Businesses of All Sizes
SBA Disaster Assistance – Field Operations Center- East – 101 Marietta Street, NW, Suite 700, Atlanta, GA 30303

Release Date: Sept. 23, 2011
Contact: Michael Lampton
Release Number: 11-749, VA 12843/12844
Phone: (404) 331-0333

Following effects of Hurricane Irene, Virginia Residents can apply to SBA for Assistance

WASHINGTON – Residents and businesses affected by severe weather precipitated by Hurricane Irene on Aug. 26, can apply for low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration, SBA Administrator Karen G. Mills announced today.

Mills made the loans available in response to a letter from Virginia Gov. Robert F. McDonnell on
Sept. 16, requesting a disaster declaration by the SBA. The declaration covers New Kent County and the City of Petersburg. The following cities and counties are also included: Charles, Chesterfield, Colonial Heights, Dinwiddie, Hanover, Henrico, James City, King and Queen, King William and Prince George in Virginia.

“The SBA is strongly committed to providing the people of Virginia with the most effective and customer-focused response possible to assist homeowners, renters, and businesses of all sizes with federal disaster loans,” said Administrator Mills. “Getting businesses and communities up and running after a disaster is our highest priority at SBA.”

“Loans up to $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for loans up to $40,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property,” said Frank Skaggs, director of SBA’s Field Operations Center East in Atlanta. SBA’s customer service representatives will be on hand at the Disaster Loan Outreach Centers to answer questions about the disaster loan program, explain the process, issue and help individuals complete their applications.

The Centers will be located in the following communities and the hours of operation are as indicated:

Petersburg City
City of Petersburg, Petersburg Station
100 W. Washington Street
Petersburg, VA 23803

Opens: Thur., Sept. 29
Hours: Thur., Sept 29, - Thur., Oct. 6
10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Sat., Oct. 1, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
(closed on Sunday, Oct. 2)
Closes: Thur., Oct. 6 at the close of business
Kent County
New Kent Visitor Center
7324 Vineyards Parkway
New Kent, VA 23124

Opens: Tues., Sept. 27
Hours: Tues., Sept. 27 through Thur., Oct. 6
10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Sat., Oct. 1 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
(closed on Sunday, Oct. 2)
Closes: Thur., Oct. 6 at the close of business

“Businesses and non-profit organizations of any size may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets,” said Ronald Bew, SBA’s Virginia district director.

The SBA may increase a loan up to 20 percent of the total amount of disaster damage to real estate and/or leasehold improvements, as verified by SBA, to make improvements that lessen the risk of property damage by future disasters of the same kind.

For small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquacultural, and most private nonprofit organizations of all sizes, the SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. EIDL assistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered any physical property damage.

Interest rates are as low as 2.5 percent for homeowners and renters, 3 percent for non-profit organizations and 4 percent for businesses with terms up to 30 years. Loan amounts and terms are set by the SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition.

Individuals and businesses unable to visit one of the Centers may obtain information on loan applications by calling the SBA’s Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 (800-877-8339 for the deaf and hard-of-hearing) Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. ET or by sending an email to disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. Loan applications can also be downloaded from the SBA website at www.sba.gov. Completed applications should be returned to one of the Centers or mailed to U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth,
TX 76155.

Those affected by the disaster may also apply for disaster loans electronically from SBA’s website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/.

The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is November 21, 2011. The deadline to return economic injury applications is June 21, 2012.

###

For more information about the SBA’s Disaster Loan Program, visit our website at www.sba.gov.

News Release: Low-interest loans available to help with Hurricane Irene damage

CONTACT:
Bob Spieldenner
(804) 674-2400

FOR RELEASE AT WILL

Sept. 23, 2011

Low-interest loans available to help with Hurricane Irene damage

RICHMOND, VA – The U.S. Small Business Administration has made low-interest disaster loans available to individuals, renters and businesses to help them recover from Hurricane Irene.

Gov. Bob McDonnell requested the SBA disaster declaration for New Kent County and the city of Petersburg; the following adjacent localities are also eligible: the counties of Charles City, Chesterfield, Dinwiddie, Hanover, Henrico, James City, King and Queen, King William and Prince George and the city of Colonial Heights.

Although damage was reported in other localities, the damage did not meet the threshold to qualify for federal disaster assistance.

Loans up to $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for loans up to $40,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property.

The SBA is opening outreach centers in New Kent and Petersburg to answer questions:

New Kent Visitor Center
7324 Vineyards Pkwy.
New Kent, VA 23124
Opening Sept. 27; hours of operation will be announced later.

Petersburg Station
100 W. Washington St.
Petersburg, VA 23803
Opening Sept. 29; hours of operation will be announced later.

SBA’s customer service representatives will be on hand at the Disaster Loan Outreach Center to answer questions about the disaster loan program, explain the process, issue and help individuals complete their applications. Businesses and nonprofit organizations of any size may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets.
###

News Release: Virginia requests federal low-interest loans for certain localities impacted by Hurricane Irene

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Sept. 17, 2011

CONTACT: Bob Spieldenner
(804) 674-2400 bob.spieldenner@vdem.virginia.gov

Virginia requests federal low-interest loans for certain localities impacted by Hurricane Irene
Loans could be available for businesses, homeowners and renters

RICHMOND, Va. – The Commonwealth of Virginia has requested low-interest loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration for homeowners, renters and business owners in the City of Petersburg and New Kent County who suffered major damage from the impact of Hurricane Irene in Virginia.

“Irene affected many counties and cities in Virginia, and we’ve now completed damage assessments in those locations,” said Michael Cline, state coordinator of emergency management for the Virginia Department of Emergency Management. “Tragically, the storm resulted in the loss of human life and significant property damage throughout the Commonwealth. The SBA loan program can provide a level of needed assistance even though we don’t qualify for the federal individual assistance program.”

Federal law precludes providing assistance to individual property owners for the type of storm damage that Hurricane Irene brought, which has a high percentage of insurance coverage. The federal individual assistance program does not apply to insured private property.

The SBA loan program was requested for renters, homeowners and business owners in the city of Petersburg and also New Kent County. Under program guidelines, if Virginia’s request is approved, then people in adjacent localities also would be eligible to apply for low-cost loans.

In times of disaster, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) can be authorized to make loans to homeowners, renters and businesses of all sizes. Homeowners could be eligible for Real Property Loans of up to $200,000 to repair or restore a primary home to its pre-disaster condition. Personal Property Loans can provide homeowners or renters with up to $40,000 to help repair or replace personal property, which includes clothing, furniture and vehicles lost in the disaster.

Businesses could apply for loans up to $2 million to help repair or replace damaged property as well as help cover loss of business.
-end-

News Release: WESTERN TIDEWATER HEALTH DISTRICT ANNOUNCES AERIAL MOSQUITO CONTROL

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For More Information Contact:
Larry Hill (757) 683-9175

September 12, 2011

WESTERN TIDEWATER HEALTH DISTRICT ANNOUNCES AERIAL MOSQUITO CONTROL
(Suffolk, Va.)–The Western Tidewater Health District announced today that it has requested assistance
with mosquito control from the Virginia Department of Health (VDH), in cooperation with the Virginia Department of Emergency Management and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Some areas in the health district may be at increased risk for mosquito borne disease due to large increases in mosquito populations in the aftermath of Hurricane Irene. “Mosquito populations can increase dramatically in the wake of a hurricane and that could mean an increase in the incidence of mosquito-borne diseases such as West Nile virus and Eastern equine encephalitis,” explained Dr. Nancy Welch, Western Tidewater Health Director. “To combat this, parts of the Western

Tidewater region will receive aerial spraying for mosquitoes,” added Dr. Welch. Aerial spraying is scheduled to begin the evening of September 13 if the need exists and weather permitting. The areas in the Western Tidewater Health District planned for spraying include:
• Southampton County towns of Boykins, Courtland, and the suburbs of Franklin City including
Kingsdale;
• The City of Franklin;
• The Isle of Wight County town of Zuni and the suburbs of Franklin City;
• City of Suffolk towns of Holland, Whaleyville, and all residential areas in and around the Town of
Suffolk and northward to the James River on both sides of the Nansemond River. These areas were chosen based on their population density, and conditions in the wake of Hurricane Irene which contribute to an increased risk for significant mosquito breeding. Spray areas do not extend more than approximately one-half mile out from the edge of each town.

The spraying will be a very low volume application of the insecticide Dibrom, also called Naled.
Dibrom is registered for use by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and is used primarily for controlling adult mosquitoes. When applied in accordance with the label’s rate of application and safetyprecautions, Dibrom can be used without endangering human health or the environment. It is not harmful to pets, fish, birds or livestock. Dibrom is toxic to insects, including honeybees. Concerned beekeepers should cover hives in damp cloth or burlap to protect bee populations during spraying.

“West Nile virus and Eastern equine encephalitis are still active and will continue to be a threat to
humans for several weeks, at least,” explained Dr. Welch. “In addition to aerial spraying we must rely on the public to use personal protection and to remove standing water around homes to reduce the risk of mosquito bites and disease transmission,” Welch said.

Spraying will be conducted after dark (7:30 pm and 2:00 am). Due to the very low concentrations of Dibrom used to control mosquitoes during aerial spraying, adverse health effects are not expected. However, VDH offers the following suggestions to concerned individuals who wish to reduce exposure to insecticides during spraying:
• Pay attention to local radio and newspapers for the spray schedule.
• Remain indoors when insecticides are sprayed in your immediate area.
• If you are outside during spraying, avoid getting spray in your eyes. If you get insecticide in your eyes,
rinse them immediately with water.
• Keep children inside during spraying operations.
• Close windows and doors before spraying begins.
• Window unit air conditioners maybe turned off or set to “recirculate” mode so outside air does not enter
the house during spraying.
For more information contact Larry Hill at (757) 449-4287.
###

News Release: Virginia Department of Health

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 13, 2001
For More Information Contact
Shayla Anderson 804-862-8951, Cell: 804-704-7554, Shayla.Anderson@vdh.virginia.gov
Cheryle Rodriguez 804-864-8236, Cheryle.Rodriguez@vdh.virginia.gov

Crater Health District Announces Aerial Mosquito Control

(Petersburg, Va.)–The Crater Health District announced today that it has requested assistance with mosquito control from the Virginia Department of Health (VDH), in cooperation with the Virginia Department of Emergency Management and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Some areas in the health district may be at increased risk for mosquito borne disease due to large increases in mosquito populations in the aftermath of Hurricane Irene.

“Mosquito populations can increase dramatically in the wake of a hurricane and that could mean an increase in the incidence of mosquito-borne diseases such as West Nile virus and Eastern equine encephalitis,” explained Crater Acting Health District Director Donald Stern, MD MPH. “To combat this, parts of the Crater district will receive aerial spraying for mosquitoes,” added Dr. Stern.

Aerial spraying is scheduled to begin the evening of September 13 if the need exists and weather permitting. The areas in the Crater Health District listed for spraying include the Sussex County towns of Waverly, Stoney Creek, and Wakefield. These areas were chosen based on their population density, and conditions in the wake of Hurricane Irene which contribute to an increased risk for significant mosquito breeding. Spray areas do not extend more than approximately one-half mile out from the edge of each town.

The spraying will be a very low volume application of the insecticide Dibrom, also called Naled. Dibrom is registered for use by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and is used primarily for controlling adult mosquitoes. When applied in accordance with the label’s rate of application and safety precautions, Dibrom can be used without endangering human health or the environment. It is not harmful to pets, fish, birds or livestock. Dibrom is toxic to insects, including honeybees. Concerned beekeepers should cover hives in damp cloth or burlap to protect bee populations during spraying.

“West Nile virus and Eastern equine encephalitis are still active and will continue to be a threat to humans for several weeks, at least,” explained Dr. Stern. “In addition to aerial spraying we must rely on the public to use personal protection and to remove standing water around homes to reduce the risk of mosquito bites and disease transmission,” Dr. Stern added.

Spraying will be conducted after dark (7:30 pm and 2:00 am). Due to the very low concentrations of Dibrom used to control mosquitoes during aerial spraying, adverse health effects are not expected. However, VDH offers the following suggestions to concerned individuals who wish to reduce exposure to insecticides during spraying:

• Pay attention to local radio and newspapers for the spray schedule.
• Remain indoors when insecticides are sprayed in your immediate area.
• If you are outside during spraying, avoid getting spray in your eyes. If you get insecticide in your eyes, rinse them immediately with water.
• Keep children inside during spraying operations.
• Close windows and doors before spraying begins.
• Window unit air conditioners maybe turned off or set to “recirculate” mode so outside air does not enter the house during spraying.

For more information contact the Crater Health District office at 804 863-1652.

###

Virginia Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Encourages Farmers and Producers to Report Losses from Hurricane Irene

Commonwealth of Virginia
Office of the Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sept. 8, 2011

Contact: Travis Hill
Deputy Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry
Phone: 804-692-2513
Email: Travis.Hill@governor.virginia.gov

Virginia Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Encourages Farmers and Producers to Report Losses from Hurricane Irene
~Also Encourages Boards of Supervisors in Localities with Agricultural Damage to Work with Impacted Constituents on Reporting Process~

RICHMOND – Virginia Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Todd P. Haymore today encouraged farmers and producers in localities impacted by Hurricane Irene to report losses of their crops, livestock, and farming infrastructure in order to potentially qualify for federal government assistance. Secretary Haymore also encouraged boards of supervisors in localities with agricultural damage to work closely on the reporting process with their impacted constituents.

Speaking to the losses, Secretary Haymore said, “Having had the opportunity to visit four regions of the Commonwealth impacted by Hurricane Irene and reading crop reports from other localities, I know that a number of our farmers and producers have had their crops severely damaged. That’s why reporting those losses as quickly and accurately as possible will potentially help farmers and producers obtain federal assistance many of them will need. In addition to negatively impacting a farming operation, the loss of farm income will affect the city or county in which the farm is located.”

Preliminary reports estimate that agricultural losses in Virginia will reach at least $60 million, but that figure is expected to grow as more crop information is gathered. Corn, cotton, tobacco, and tomatoes appear to be the most impacted crops from Irene. All four crops were of above-average, good, or excellent quality and forecasted to produce higher yields from increased plantings in 2011 versus 2010 plantings and yield figures.

Haymore also added that localities play a key role in the process of requesting an agricultural disaster declaration from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Localities need to reach out to their agricultural community to determine the extent of the damage and be prepared to formally petition Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell for his assistance in having a locality designated as an agricultural disaster area by USDA.

The list of actions to take for having a locality designated as an agricultural disaster area is fairly short, but very important, as is timing. Growers, producers, and localities impacted by Hurricane Irene should be aware of the following:

• Contact their local Virginia Cooperative Extension agent as soon as possible. A list of Extension offices is available at http://www.ext.vt.edu/offices/index.html. Agents will assess damage and crop loss for each locality to determine if county-wide losses equal 30 percent or more. If they do, the county may be eligible for a disaster designation from the USDA Secretary. The Farm Service Agency (FSA) provides an aggregate report of localities with losses of more than 30 percent on a major crop and the Governor then requests a disaster designation from USDA. It can take a month or more for a Secretarial designation.

• Contact their local FSA office to learn of all disaster related programs. The office will guide farmers through the application process. A list of FSA county offices in Virginia is available at http://offices.sc.egov.usda.gov/locator/app?state=va&agency=fsa. Click on the map to select a region of the state, then on the individual county for contact information.

• A Secretarial designation makes low interest loans available and any supplemental relief that may be provided by Congress. See the FSA’s website for additional information on disaster assistance programs: www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/webapp?area=home&subject=diap&topic=landing.

• Localities that want to request a disaster declaration will find information on how to do so on the website of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services: http://www.vdacs.virginia.gov/news/d-designations.shtml.

“Hurricane Irene caused significant damage in Virginia,” concluded Secretary Haymore, “and the farming community in the Northern Neck, Eastern Shore, Southeastern, and Southside regions were hit especially hard. I encourage those impacted by the hurricane to work with our federal and state partners on loss reporting. The McDonnell administration stands ready to assist them with their efforts to keep the state’s agriculture industry and our farming localities strong and vibrant.”

###

News Release

September 6, 2011
VA-DR-4024-NR-001
FEMA NEWSDESK: 571-422-1870
VDEM PIO Contact: 804-674-2400
SBA PIO Contact: 404-909-1555

FEMA/Commonwealth Joint Field Office Opens in Midlothian for Hurricane Irene

MIDLOTHIAN, Va. - On September 3, 2011, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that federal aid to local and state governments has been made available to the Commonwealth of Virginia to supplement Commonwealth and local recovery efforts in the area affected by Hurricane Irene during the period of August 26-28, 2011.

A Joint Field Office (JFO) staffed by representatives from FEMA, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the Commonwealth has opened in Midlothian, Va.

All media inquiries should be directed to the Joint Field Office’s news desk at 571-422-1870.
Federal funding under FEMA’s Public Assistance program is available to commonwealth and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by Hurricane Irene in the counties of Essex, Isle of Wight, James City, Lancaster, Middlesex, New Kent, Richmond, Southampton, Sussex, Westmoreland, and York and the independent cities of Chesapeake, Emporia, Hampton, Hopewell, Newport News, Norfolk, Poquoson, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Virginia Beach, and Williamsburg.
Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures for all counties and independent cities in the commonwealth.
Preliminary Damage Assessments are continuing in other areas and additional counties may be designated for assistance after the assessments are fully completed.
# # #
FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

News Release: Governor McDonnell Authorizes Tax Relief for Businesses and Individuals Impacted by Hurricane Irene

Commonwealth of Virginia
Office of Governor Bob McDonnell

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sept. 6, 2011

Office of the Governor
Contact: Jeff Caldwell
Phone: (804) 225-4260
Email: Jeff.Caldwell@Governor.Virginia.Gov

Virginia Department of Taxation
Contact: Joel Davison
Phone: (804) 786-3507
Email: joel.davison@tax.virginia.gov

Governor McDonnell Authorizes Tax Relief for Businesses and Individuals Impacted by Hurricane Irene
~Additional Effort Being Made to Aid Statewide Hurricane Recovery~

RICHMOND – Governor Bob McDonnell today authorized Virginia Tax Commissioner Craig M. Burns to provide a one week filing and payment extension to certain individuals and businesses affected by Hurricane Irene. The extension will apply to taxpayers located in the Commonwealth who are unable to meet their filing obligations because the financial records they need to file their taxes, or their tax preparer, are located in cities and counties within the Commonwealth dealing with Hurricane Irene recovery or are otherwise unavailable because of severe hurricane damage.

“Individuals and businesses in areas impacted by Hurricane Irene already have significant stresses and challenges facing them as they recover from the severe impacts of Hurricane Irene, including damage to businesses, loss of power, loss of business, and personal and professional hardships,” Governor McDonnell said. “The Commonwealth is dedicated to assisting those whose lives and businesses were impacted by the storm, and this extension of tax deadlines is one action we can take to ease some of the burden on those working to rebuild.”

Individuals and businesses in these areas will automatically be allowed an additional seven days to file income and withholding tax returns and make tax payments that have a due date, or an extended due date, of Sept. 15, 2011. Tax returns and payments that are due on Sept. 15, 2011, will be allowed to be filed or paid on Sept. 22, 2011. The Virginia Department of Taxation will abate interest and any late-filing or late-payment penalties that would otherwise apply.

The extension does not apply to returns or payments of sales tax or any other taxes administered by the Department of Taxation with a due date, or an extended due date after Sept. 15, 2011.

Additional extensions and penalty waivers may be granted in hardship cases. Written requests for additional extensions should be emailed to TaxIndReturns@tax.virginia.gov for personal tax inquiries and TaxBusQuestions@tax.virginia.gov for business tax inquiries, or directed to:

Virginia Department of Taxation
Customer Service Section
Hurricane Irene Relief Extension
P.O. Box 1115
Richmond, VA 23218-1115

The Department of Taxation will work with taxpayers in the affected areas to minimize the impact of any collection enforcement activities that may be initiated between Aug. 27, 2011, and Sept. 15, 2011. Taxpayers notified of pending actions should contact the Tax Department at (804) 367-8045 to discuss relief from actions that will create additional hardship in their recovery from the effects of the storm damages. The suspension of enforcement actions, however, will not stop the accrual of interest on delinquent accounts.

Customers are welcome to use Live Chat on The Department of Taxation’s website at http://www.tax.virginia.gov to discuss account-specific questions. If customers prefer asking questions by telephone, then individual income tax filers should call (804) 367-8031; business taxpayers should call (804) 367-8037 for assistance. Tax Bulletin 11-9 and other information is also available through the agency’s website at http://www.tax.virginia.gov/.

###

News Release: Virginia Receives Federal Disaster Assistance for State and Local Governments

Virginia Department of Emergency Management
10501 Trade Court, Richmond, VA 23236 l (804) 897-6510 l www.vaemergency.gov

CONTACT: Bob Spieldenner
(804) 674-2400
bob.spieldenner@vdem.virginia.gov

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Sept. 3, 2011

Virginia Receives Federal Disaster Assistance for State and Local Governments
~Assistance is for governments, not individuals~
RICHMOND – Virginia was awarded FEMA disaster assistance to state and local governments for recovery from Hurricane Irene today.

The disaster assistance covers eligible government and certain nonprofit costs for damage to critical infrastructure, roads, buildings and equipment, debris removal and related emergency services.

The localities approved for assistance are the counties of Essex, Isle of Wight, James City, Lancaster, Middlesex, New Kent, Richmond, Southampton, Sussex, Westmoreland and York; and the cities of Chesapeake, Emporia, Hampton, Hopewell, Newport News, Norfolk, Poquoson, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Virginia Beach and Williamsburg.

Damage assessments for at least 20 additional localities are underway and they can receive disaster assistance as well if significant impact is found.

“We plan to ask for disaster assistance for additional local governments once the damage assessments are complete,” said Michael Cline, state coordinator of emergency management. “It was important for us to quickly make this first request for assistance so we can move to the next stage of the recovery process.”

Once the damage assessments are complete, state and federal officials will continue to work with local governments over the coming months and years until all repairs and eligible projects have been completed.

Virginia has not yet requested federal assistance for individuals or businesses. Federal, state and local teams are still evaluating damage to homes and private property. A decision to pursue disaster assistance for individuals and businesses will be made next week.

In addition to the Public Assistance Program, Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funds were approved for the entire Commonwealth. The Hazard Mitigation program provides funds for government projects that help reduce disaster risks by protecting homes and businesses against future damage.

###