Hurricane Ernesto (2006) - Aftermath

Aftermath

On September 22, following a request from Virginia governor Tim Kaine, President George W. Bush declared 19 counties in Virginia as disaster areas, along with the cities of Richmond and Poquoson. The declaration allocated federal funding to assist in paying for debris removal and the rebuilding of public infrastructure damaged by Ernesto's flooding, including roads, parks, and government buildings. The city of Newport News and four additional counties were added later in the areas eligible for federal funding. In all, FEMA provided about $7.3 million (2006 USD, $5.07 million 2013 USD) in assistance. Although the state of Virginia applied for individual assistance, the federal government denied the request.

Due to debris and waste being carried into waterways by flooding from Ernesto, Virginia officials closed the Chesapeake Bay to shellfishing for four days from the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel to the mouth of the Potomac River. In Richmond, officials condemned 70 homes, prompting city workers to establish temporary homes. By five days after the storm's passage through the state, most of the 600,000 people who experienced power outages had their electricity restored. Dominion Resources's Tidewater Virginia area was among the most affected, requiring 2–3 days to restore all areas. By two days after the storm moved through the area, all major roadways were opened, though secondary roadways took longer to be cleared from debris.

Outside of Virginia, the Emergency Operation Centers in Pennsylvania, Delaware, and the District of Columbia were closed. Power crews worked to restore electricity to the affected areas across the region.