Gov. Gavin Newsom formally requested a federal emergency declaration to aid with the ongoing response at a chemical storage tank at a Garden Grove aerospace company.
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Experts and emergency crews have been working since Thursday to try to prevent a potentially catastrophic chemical spill or explosion at GKN Aerospace. The tank is filled with 7,000 gallons of a highly flammable chemical called methyl methacrylate, or MMA. Crews have so far been unable to find a solution to end the threat posed by the tank, from which a blast could damage hundreds of homes and buildings in the area and create a toxic plume in the immediate area.
The request is for federal cost-share support for “urgent, life-saving and life-sustaining actions,” Newsom’s office said, which includes evacuations, emergency medical support, shelter and “other protective operations.”
“California doesn’t wait for disaster to unfold; we act early to protect lives and communities. Working together with our local and federal partners, we’re strengthening our ability to respond quickly and effectively in Garden Grove and across the surrounding communities and ensuring that first responders have the resources they need to keep people safe,” Newsom said in a statement.
U.S. Sens. Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff, as well as Rep. Derek Tran, also sent a letter to President Donald Trump, urging him to approve the emergency declaration request.
“The severity of this disaster requires additional coordination and federal support,” the trio of Democratic elected officials said. “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.”
A White House spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment Sunday.
But earlier Sunday, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said his team was already in California to assist in the chemical threat at GKN Aerospace on Western Avenue.
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“The tank will fail, but much work is being done to mitigate the danger and protect the health of residents and responders in the area,” Zeldin said on social media.
An emergency declaration supplements state and local efforts to provide emergency services, “such as the protection of lives, property, public health, and safety, or to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in any part of the United States,” .
Newsom’s office said such a declaration could also help with various emergency protective measures, including helping to pay for equipment and overtime as local agencies keep people safe. And it would allow FEMA to provide additional services, including technical support and specialized equipment, Newsom’s office said.
“Because California requested this Emergency Declaration early, federal support can flow in while the incident is still unfolding, strengthening the proactive posture that state and local teams have already taken in Orange County, rather than waiting until the full extent of the damage is known,” Newsom’s office said in a press release.
Newsom already declared a state of emergency in Orange County on Saturday afternoon.
The emergency proclamation by Newsom unlocks additional resources for local officials and directs state emergency operations officials to focus on supporting local authorities in grappling with the ongoing emergency.
“The safety of Orange County residents is the top priority,” Newsom said then. “We are mobilizing every state resource available to support local responders and make sure the community has what they need to stay safe.”
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