Obama: Recovery effort to last for weeks

President Obama pledged Sunday that federal agencies would spend the next few weeks aiding in recovery efforts up and down the East Coast in the wake of Hurricane Irene.

"This is not over," Obama said in a statement delivered at the White House.

"The impact of this storm will be felt for some time," Obama added. "And the recovery effort will last for weeks or longer."

Obama praised the efforts of federal agencies to work in cooperation with state and local officials on response efforts. "This has been an exemplary effort of how good government at every level should be responsive to people's needs and work to keep them safe and protect and promote the nation's prosperity," he said.

The president held a videoconference earlier Sunday on response efforts with Vice President Biden, White House Chief of Staff William Daley, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, Energy Secretary David Chu, Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Craig Fugate, Homeland Security Adviser John Brennan and other officials.

"I'm going to make sure that DHS and FEMA and other federal agencies are doing everything in their power to help folks on the ground," Obama said at the White House.

The Obama administration reported that federal agencies, state and local governments and relief organizations had undertaken several other activities as of Sunday:

• States, localities and the Red Cross are operating more than 500 shelters in eight states and Puerto Rico. Saturday night's shelter population was estimated at more than 29,000. Volunteers from partner organizations like Americorps National Civilian Community Corps and the Southern Baptist Convention are positioned alongside Red Cross workers in many areas.
• Army Corps of Engineers power teams have been deployed to incident support bases in Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina and Maryland. They consist of planning and response teams, the 249th Prime Power battalion and designated resource support staff.
• The Energy Department's Response Center has been activated, providing real-time monitoring of power outages and other energy-related aspects of the storm.
• The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is assessing the status of nuclear power plants.
• Environmental Protection Agency staff are in contact with state and local environmental responders and are prepared to provide technical support as needed.