Orange County officials expressed their dissatisfaction on Thursday with a $3 million offer from an aerospace company following a chemical leak that led to the evacuation of 40,000 residents, calling it an inadequate response to the crisis.
GKN Aerospace announced its intention to provide $3 million, along with an additional $1 million, to assist the thousands of residents affected by the chemical spill in Garden Grove. However, local leaders argue that this financial gesture falls short of covering the actual costs incurred by the community.
“The evacuations imposed significant hardship on our community and placed first responders in a precarious situation,” stated Garden Grove Mayor Stephanie Klopfenstein, reading from an unpublished letter directed to the company during a Thursday council meeting.
Councilwoman Ariana Arestegui echoed these sentiments, emphasizing, “While the $3 million may offer immediate assistance to some, it does not equate to a full refund or reimbursement for the financial burdens and hardships faced by everyone involved.”
Similarly, Orange County Board Chairman Doug Chaffee described the offered sum as merely a “drop in the bucket” in addressing the community’s needs.
In light of these concerns, Garden Grove officials have invited GKN Aerospace representatives to attend next week’s meeting to discuss preventive measures for future incidents and to provide an update to the community.
Orange County Health Care Agency officials originally planned on removing the chemical MMA (methyl methacrylate) from the tanks Thursday or Friday, but that plan was delayed after specialized trucks didn’t arrive in time.
Officials were hoping to take out the MMA from the two storage tanks and placing it into the trucks, which the trucks would then have disposed them.
Once the plans are underway, a “fruity or plastic-like” odor may be present as a result of MMA according to the OC Health Care Agency. “The product has a very low odor threshold, meaning people may notice a scent even when concentrations are well below levels associated with health concerns,” the agency continued.
