President Donald J. Trump Approves Emergency Declaration for the District of Columbia

WASHINGTON -- FEMA announced today that federal disaster assistance is available to the District of Columbia to supplement response efforts due to emergency conditions resulting from a sewer line collapse from Jan. 19, 2026, and continuing.

The President's action authorizes FEMA to coordinate all disaster relief efforts to alleviate the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population and to provide appropriate assistance to save lives, to protect property, public health and safety and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe.

This assistance is for the District of Columbia and the area where the District of Columbia has responsibilities in the State of Maryland and Commonwealth of Virginia.

Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize and provide, at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency. Emergency protective measures (Category B), limited to direct federal assistance, under the Public Assistance program at 75 percent federal funding.

Mark K. O'Hanlon has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal response operations in the affected area. Designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.