Nine members of Virginia’s congressional delegation sent a letter to President Obama Tuesday supporting Gov. Bob McDonnell’s request for disaster relief in the wake of Tropical Storm Lee, which devastated parts of Prince William and Fairfax counties in early September.
Initiated by Rep. Gerald E. Connolly, who represents much of those areas, the letter was also signed by U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Jim Webb and Reps. James P. Moran Jr., Robert J. Wittman, Robert C. “Bobby” Scott, Bob Goodlatte, and Morgan H. Griffith.
“Damage caused by the excessive rainfall and flooding tragically caused five deaths, widespread power outages, and numerous road and and transit closures, including the Capital Beltway (Interstate 495) and the Virginia Railway Express,” they wrote. “In Prince William County, two mobile home communities and a condominium complex sustained significant damage, displacing hundreds of residents, primarily of low-income means, and damaging numerous vehicles.”
About 500 people were displaced from their homes in Prince William County, many from the Holly Acres mobile home park. More than 100 homes were destroyed or sustained damage.
Mr. McDonnell, who will be attending a Wednesday event at Joint Base Langley-Eustis with Mr. Obama, had invited the president to visit Louisa County this week when he swung through the Commonwealth to promote his jobs plan. The Federal Emergency Management Agency recently denied Mr. McDonnell’s request for property owners impacted by the 5.8-magnitude quake that hit the state on Aug. 23, a decision Mr. McDonnell has indicated he will appeal.
