Orange County leaders urge accountability before GKN Aerospace's return to full operation after chemical tank crisis

Orange County residents and community activists are demanding clarity and accountability ahead of the planned return to full operations for GKN Aerospace, the aerospace facility at the center of a chemical tank crisis that forced tens of thousands of people to evacuate their homes in May. 

GKN officials last month said that they planned to return to full operation on Monday, but have since delayed those plans. Despite this, community leaders say that the company still has not addressed concerns regarding the potential long-term health impacts of the facility's return, and they have not yet acted on the proposed restrictions on hazardous material manufacturing near homes and schools.

Back in May, approximately 50,000 residents in six Orange County neighborhoods surrounding the aerospace plant were told to leave their homes due to the risk of a potentially catastrophic explosion from a compromised tank containing a highly volatile substance called methyl methacrylate, Orange County Fire Authority crews said at the time. 

While emergency crews were largely able to mitigate the impact of the tank crisis, evacuees were kept away from their homes for nearly a week as the situation developed. 

"We want to feel safe. I don't feel safe," said Frances Marquez, of Cypress, one of the cities impacted by evacuation orders. Her home is just five minutes from the aerospace plant, and she was forced to grab what she could before fleeing with her 93-year-old mother.

She was one of many who gathered on Monday to protest GKN's return to operations. They were joined by city leaders like Garden Grove Mayor Stephanie Klopfenstein. 

"GKN cannot resume this process simply by announcing a date," Klopfenstein said during Monday's meeting, noting that city leaders did not approve GKN's planned return. "It is not unreasonable to expect a public forum so that residents can ask questions about the claims program, what happened, what has changed, and what would be done to prevent another incident."

Since then, GKN Aerospace has established a $100 million damages claim program for people impacted by the incident after the Orange County District Attorney's Office announced the conclusion of its criminal investigation into the incident. At the time, DA Todd Spitzer announced that the company would resume manufacturing on September 28 "contingent upon full compliance with required safety standards, ongoing manufacturing protocols, any regulatory obligations and a court-approved safety plan."

On Friday, September 24, GKN announced that they were still working towards a full resolution with the DA's office regarding the civil investigation. 

"GKN Aerospace is targeting a phased resumption of operations over the days and weeks ahead, subject to all necessary permits, and working with relevant officials and experts to do so," a company spokesperson told CBS LA. "The gradual return to full production beyond this will be done with safety as top priority and in accordance with a court-approved safety plan."

A spokesperson for GKN said that once the company's plan receives approval, a community event would be scheduled so members of the public could ask questions.