Representative Tran Issues Statement on GKN’s $100 Million Fund for Families Impacted by the Hazmat Incident
Garden Grove, C.A. – Representative Derek Tran (CA-45) released the following statement in response to an announcement by GKN Aerospace that it is creating a $100 million fund for families, small businesses, and community members impacted by the hazmat incident and evacuation over Memorial Day Weekend:
“Today’s announcement from GKN Aerospace is a step in the right direction. Committing $100 million in grant funding to aid the families, workers, and small business owners impacted by the recent evacuation is part of corporate accountability. This substantial commitment is a crucial and welcome step toward helping our community recover from the severe disruption, unexpected financial burdens, and stress caused by this crisis.
Our residents and local businesses showed incredible resilience during the evacuation and they deserve to be made whole by way of direct financial relief to help cover missed wages, temporary housing, and lost business revenue. I commend GKN for stepping up to take meaningful responsibility for the hardship experienced by our neighbors.
At the same time, we must recognize that the full economic impact of an emergency involving over 50,000 displaced residents and 5,000 local businesses is complex and still unfolding. While $100 million represents significant progress, I am calling on GKN Aerospace leadership to remain open to evaluating the true long-term costs. If this initial fund proves insufficient to make every affected family and business whole, GKN must be prepared to step up with additional support.
Full accountability means ensuring no single resident or small business owner is left absorbing the financial toll of this incident. I look forward to working closely with GKN, local officials, and community leaders to ensure these grant funds are distributed swiftly, equitably, and transparently,” said Representative Tran.
On Thursday, May 21, the Orange County Fire Authority reported a leak of methyl methacrylate, a volatile and flammable chemical, from a 34,000-gallon storage tank at the GKN Aerospace plant in Garden Grove. The risk of a toxic leak or catastrophic explosion prompted over 50,000 evacuations across Garden Grove, Westminster, Buena Park, Cypress, Anaheim, and Stanton. On May 29, Representative Tran urged Administrator Kelly Loeffler to issue a disaster declaration and expedite small business loans. The Small Business Administration issued a disaster declaration on June 11, providing small businesses adversely affected by the crisis with access to low-interest federal disaster loans. On August 18, Representative Tran introduced the Hazardous Materials Transparency Act, to mandate that facilities like GKN properly and regularly notify the communities they operate in about the safety measures that are taken to avoid danger to residents and small businesses.
###