Ahead of Sunday’s winter storm that’s expected to impact nearly all of Virginia, Gov. Ralph Northam has declared a state of emergency.
The governor and his team held a meeting with Governor-elect Glenn Youngkin’s team since Youngkin will be Virginia’s governor when the storm hits.
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“We expect this storm to have a significant impact in many parts of Virginia,” said Northam in a news release. “Declaring a state of emergency now allows our emergency responders to prepare, and to move supplies and equipment where they expect to need them the most. This also gives Governor-elect Youngkin the ability to respond to any storm needs swiftly. I urge Virginians to take this storm seriously and make preparations now.”
[Sunday’s winter storm could bring some most snow in nearly three years]
What this declaration does is:
- Implementation by state agencies of the Commonwealth of Virginia Emergency Operations Plan, as amended, along with other appropriate state plans.
- Activation of the Virginia Emergency Operations Center and the Virginia Emergency Support Team, as directed by the State Coordinator of Emergency Management, to coordinate the provision of assistance to state, local, and tribal governments and to facilitate emergency services assignments to other agencies.
- Authorization for the heads of executive branch agencies, on behalf of their regulatory boards as appropriate, and with the concurrence of their Cabinet Secretary, to waive any state requirement or regulation, and enter into contracts without regard to normal procedures or formalities, and without regard to application or permit fees or royalties. All waivers issued by agencies shall be posted on their websites.
- Activation of § 59.1-525 et seq. of the Code related to price gouging.
- Authorization of a maximum of $1,000,000 in state sum sufficient funds for state and local government mission assignments and state response and recovery operations authorized and coordinated through the Virginia Department of Emergency Management allowable by The Stafford Act, 42 U.S.C. § 5121 et seq. Included in this authorization is $500,000 for the Department of Military Affairs.
- Activation of the Virginia National Guard to State Active Duty
Click here to read the full text of the state of emergency order.