Representative Tran Introduces Legislation to Hold GKN Accountable

GARDEN GROVE, CA - U.S. Representative Derek Tran (CA-45) introduced new legislation to require additional transparency and accountability measures for industrial facilities that handle hazardous materials. H.R. 10108, the Hazardous Materials Transparency Act, mandates that these facilities properly and regularly notify the communities they operate in about the safety measures that are taken to avoid danger to residents and small businesses. The bill also requires facilities working with hazardous materials to establish a coordination plan with first responders and to have a community liaison able to provide timely information in the case of an emergency. This legislation was introduced in response to the chemical crisis at the GKN Aerospace facility in Garden Grove that displaced over 50,000 residents and shuttered 5,000 small businesses over Memorial Day Weekend.

"The safety of our families and first responders must always come first. The chemical crisis at the GKN facility was a wake-up call that our current oversight of companies handling hazardous materials is simply not enough," said Representative Tran. "As a member of the Armed Services Committee and an Army Veteran, I know the vital role these facilities play, but they must be held accountable to the communities they operate in. Families deserve to know what risks are in their backyard so they can make informed decisions about how to stay safe in an emergency."

In addition to legislative efforts, Representative Tran successfully urged President Trump to declare a Federal Emergency Declaration on May 25, which unlocked federal resources for air quality monitoring and other emergency protective measures. Representative Tran also successfully urged the Small Business Administration (SBA) to issue a Disaster Declaration, which was granted on June 11. This declaration provided impacted businesses with access to low-interest federal disaster loans. Representative Tran recently visited the SBA Mobile Business Recovery Vehicle in Garden Grove to meet with local owners and ensure they are receiving the technical assistance necessary to recover.

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.

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