President Obama approved Mayor Vince Gray’s request to declare an emergency in the District of Columbia due to Hurricane Sandy, beginning this evening and continuing until the effects of the colossal storm subside.

With the declaration, D.C. will have access to the Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other federal disaster relief resources.

Obama also signed pre-landfall declarations today for Maryland, Massachusetts and New York. During a visit to FEMA headquarters today, Obama, FEMA Director Craig Fugate and Homeland Security Secretary briefed Gray; the mayors of Baltimore, Philadelphia and Newark, N.J.; and the governors of eight states on the federal government’s response to Hurricane Sandy.

Although Gray and Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley requested their federal emergency declarations before Sandy made landfall, Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell did not, he said on a conference call with reporters today. McDonnell did declare a statewide emergency on Friday.