WATER is sprayed on a tank that overheated at an aerospace plant in Garden Grove, Calif., Friday, May 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)

The GKN Aerospace hazmat incident that led to the evacuation of 50,000 people from Garden Grove, Stanton and Westminster has prompted proposed federal legislation.

Rep. Derek Tran, a Democrat representing the 45th Congressional District in central Orange County, has introduced legislation to require additional transparency and accountability measures for industrial facilities that handle hazardous materials.

House Resolution 10108, the “Hazardous Materials Transparency Act,” would mandate that these facilities “properly and regularly “notify the communities they operate in about the safety measures that are taken to avoid danger to residents and small businesses.

The bill also requires facilities working with hazardous materials to establish a coordination plan with first responders and to have a community liaison able to provide timely information in the case of an emergency.
This legislation was introduced in response to the chemical crisis at the GKN Aerospace facility on Western Avenue in West Garden Grove that displaced over 50,000 residents and shuttered 5,000 small businesses over Memorial Day Weekend.

“The safety of our families and first responders must always come first. The chemical crisis at the GKN facility was a wake-up call that our current oversight of companies handling hazardous materials is simply not enough,” said Tran.

“As a member of the Armed Services Committee and an Army Veteran, I know the vital role these facilities play, but they must be held accountable to the communities they operate in. Families deserve to know what risks are in their backyard so they can make informed decisions about how to stay safe in an emergency.”