Representative Tran, Senators Padilla and Schiff Urge President Trump to Approve Federal Emergency Declaration for Garden Grove Western Incident

Garden Grove, CA - Representative Derek Tran (CA-45), Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) and Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA) sent a letter to President Donald Trump urging approval of California's request for a Federal Emergency Declaration in response to the ongoing toxic chemical incident, known as the "Western Incident," at the GKN Aerospace facility in Garden Grove, California.

Read the full letter HERE.

An excerpt from the letter is as follows:

The severity of this disaster requires additional coordination and federal support. Therefore, we urge you to expeditiously approve California's request for an Emergency Declaration and to provide emergency protective measures and direct federal assistance under the public assistance program for Orange County. The safety, security, and well-being of evacuated residents and the surrounding communities remain our absolute highest priority. Thank you for your timely consideration of this request.

First responders have successfully stabilized two tanks of hazardous methyl methacrylate at the GKN Aerospace facility, but the remaining tank still poses an imminent threat of leakage or explosion. More than 40,000 residents and businesses have been evacuated due to the chemical's extreme flammability and acute risks to the respiratory system, eyes, and skin, compounding fears over unknown long-term health impacts.

Representative Tran is working with local, state, and federal authorities to ensure that residents are safe and that every solution is exhausted to mitigate the risk of a chemical leak or explosion.

###

Congressman Derek Tran represents California's 45th Congressional District. Serving his first term in Congress, Congressman Tran is a member of the House Armed Services Committee and House Small Business Committee, where he is Ranking Member of the Oversight, Investigations, and Regulations Subcommittee. Congressman Tran is the son of Vietnamese refugees, a Veteran, and fought for consumers as an attorney before entering Congress.