D.C. Earthquake: Obama Approves Federal Disaster Declaration For Nation's Capital

WASHINGTON -- President Obama on Tuesday approved a disaster declaration for the District of Columbia from August's 5.8 magnitude earthquake.

According to the White House's announcement:

Federal funding is available to District of Columbia and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the earthquake in the District of Columbia.

While the nation's capital escaped major damage from the Aug. 23 quake centered in Virginia, some major landmarks, like the Washington Monument, National Cathedral and Union Station were hard hit by the quake are undergoing repairs. Sherman Hall at the Old Soldiers' Home campus, along with Catholic University of America's Marist Hall also sustained significant seismic damage.

D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray said in a statement: "We are looking forward to working with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to identify the areas of the city's infrastructure that have been most significantly impacted."

Virginia's Louisa County, which was hit the hardest by the earthquake, received an OK for disaster assistance on Nov. 5 after Gov. Bob McDonnell's first request for a federal declaration was turned down.