A $100 million claims program for residents and businesses impacted by the Garden Grove chemical tank emergency will open in October, according to a representative from the company that owns the tank.
During Memorial Day weekend this year, firefighter officials feared the tank could explode after safety valves failed, triggering evacuation orders.
GKN Aerospace is opening the claims program next month for the 50,000 residents who were forced to evacuate in late May, with some displaced from their homes for up to a week.
While the company previously announced the program would open up to the public sometime in the fall, they haven’t given any more detailed timelines until now.
[Read: Garden Grove Chemical Plant Behind Evacuations to Reopen, Offering $100 Million in Claims]
Steve Carlin, senior vice president of GKN Aerospace, told Garden Grove City Council members during their meeting last night that the program will open in October but didn’t offer a specific date.
“We’re still finalizing some details working in conjunction with the DA’s office,” he said at the meeting. “Once we have the final date and we’re a little closer to it, we’ll be announcing a slew of community events.”
He said the claims program will open for people to request reimbursement for things like hotel stays, transportation, meals, loss of use and loss of wages.
People will be able to access the claims program in multiple languages, online and in person. While Carlin didn’t offer specific details about how long it will take for residents to get their funds, he promised it would be fast and efficient.
Carlin previously promised the community that GKN would host a town hall, which still has not been announced.
During last night’s city council meeting, Carlin said the community events would be held in conjunction with the claims program’s launch.
Councilmember Ariana Arestegui said she wasn’t going to let him forget about that promise.
“I’m not going to let it go,” Arestegui said at the meeting, “because I do recall that you committed to having a town hall, and I want to make sure that we hold you to that.”
City Manager Lisa Kim said the city has continuous dialogue with GKN and has stressed accountability and transparency.
“Obviously, this doesn’t end our conversation,” Kim said. “[Carlin] hears from me regularly and very clearly that the claims program is integral.
“Any additional improvements, whether it’s the expansion [or] addressing mitigation to the tanks, we are working closely with our building department alongside public works relating to stormwater control,” she continued. “There is extensive dialogue with all the regulatory agencies.”
Councilmember Joe DoVinh said he took a tour of the GKN facility earlier that day and encouraged his colleagues to do the same.
“I didn’t feel unsafe or unwell at all,” he said. “I would encourage my fellow council members and others to schedule a tour and go see for themselves. Don’t take my word for it. Go put some eyeballs on it and reach your own conclusions.”
Councilmember George S. Brietigam asked if GKN is thinking about changing safety protocols after the hazmat incident.
Carlin said the company brought in a panel of experts and regulatory agencies to review the system and said they’re making a series of safety improvements
“They recommended, and we’re installing, significant safety enhancements and monitoring equipment to prevent what happened from ever happening again,” Carlin said.
The claims program comes after GKN gave $3 million to a mutual aid fund to help residents impacted by the emergency, which quickly closed after getting too many applications.
Councilmember Phillip Nguyen said the claims program is a good start but more is needed to assist the 50,000 residents who evacuated and the businesses that were impacted.
“$100 million is a great start,” he said. “But for 50,000 people evacuated and the business lost, that’s nothing. I hope you’re working on it.”
Angelina Hicks is the Voice of OC Collegiate News Service Editor. Contact her at ahicks@voiceofoc.org or on Twitter @angelinahicks13.
