Alexandria officials expected a federal declaration of an emergency by Monday following a request from Gov. Tim Kaine on June 30, but President George W. Bush had yet to issue one by late Thursday.
Mark Penn, emergency management coordinator for Alexandria, said he does not know why the decision on the emergency declaration was delayed. He said FEMA inspectors took the unusual step of visiting Alexandria Wednesday afternoon — before the declaration was issued.
“It’s kind of unusual for them to send [inspectors] in before,” he told The Examiner. “They usually come in after.”
The visit from the FEMA inspectors came as the city has released its first estimates — $8 million to $10 million — on the cost of damages caused by the floods and heavy rains over the last weeks. This estimate is the second highest in the region behind Arlington, which estimates its damages at approximately $13 million.
FEMA did not return calls Thursday for comment on the delay.
Penn said the most damage occurred in the Eisenhower Valley area of Alexandria, near the border with Fairfax. He said many basements and garages needed serious repairs that would cost an estimated $3 million.
In addition, the city has estimated restoration of streams, including debris clean up, will cost approximately $4 million.
Finally, the city estimates $600,000 in damages to homes. The balance of the estimate comes from random damages around the city.
If the federal government declares an emergency, home owners, businesses and the county will become eligible for federal financial assistance to help pay for repairs.
Austin Durrer, spokesman for Rep. Jim Moran, D-Va., said he did not know why an emergency had not yet been declared. He said Moran supported a declaration.
