Westminster City Council
SUBJECT
Title
Request to Direct Staff to Draft a Letter to GKN Aerospace Regarding Compensation and Accountability Related to Hazardous Materials Incident, Known as the “Western Incident.”
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From: Christine Cordon, City Manager
Requested by: Council Member Amy Phan West, District 1
Prepared by*: Christine Cordon, City Manager
*Staff reports prepared by staff on behalf of members of the City Council do not reflect the opinions of staff and are generated in collaboration with the requesting council member(s).
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RECOMMENDED ACTION
Recommendation
Consider the request to direct staff to draft a letter and provide direction.
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BACKGROUND
At the June 10, 2026 City Council meeting, Councilwoman Amy Phan West (District 1) requested an item be placed on the agenda, requesting staff to draft a letter to GKN Aerospace related to the hazardous materials incident, known as the “Western Incident,” that took place over Memorial Day Weekend.
On May 21, 2026, a chemical leak was reported at GKN Aerospace in the City of Garden Grove, which resulted in the immediate evacuation of areas in the Cities of Garden Grove and Stanton. The next morning, the evacuation area expanded into other cities that included Westminster, affecting over 70,000 residents across six cities during a five-day ordeal. These evacuation orders were issued by the lead responding agency, Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA).
Over 13,000 Westminster residents were ordered to evacuate on the morning of May 22 and were allowed to return the evening of May 25. Businesses were also impacted by the evacuation; there are over 400 active business licenses in the evacuation area. Evacuation orders resulted in financial impacts to both residents and businesses. Residents who were unable to stay with families and friends had to find alternative lodging at extremely limited shelter spaces or costly hotel stays at higher rates due to the holiday weekend. Businesses suffered loss of revenues on a busy shopping weekend due to business closures.
Although there have been limited funds made available to assist some evacuees, the funds that were part of United Way’s Resilience Fund have been exhausted; Councilwoman Phan West states a donation-based fund is inadequate and that GKN Aerospace needs to be held accountable and financially liable to the residents who have been affected.
Additionally, Councilwoman Phan West states that “such incidents place burdens on local government, first responders, residents, businesses, and taxpayers who bear the immediate consequences of emergency response efforts, business disruptions, property impacts, and potential environmental concerns.”
The City of Westminster has a responsibility to advocate for its residents, businesses, and taxpayers and ensure that those responsible for incidents involving hazardous materials are held accountable. Any costs incurred by the City, including emergency response, public safety operations, staff time, environmental monitoring, public communication, and related expenses, should be evaluated for reimbursement by the responsible party.
In addition to City-incurred costs, residents and local businesses may have experienced financial losses and disruptions resulting from evacuation orders, road closures, reduced customer traffic, business interruptions, lost revenue, property impacts, health concerns, or other unforeseen expenses associated with the incident. The City should urge GKN Aerospace to establish a process to identify, document, and fairly compensate affected residents and businesses for verified losses resulting from the incident.
Residents and businesses also deserve transparency regarding corrective actions taken by GKN Aerospace to prevent similar occurrences in the future. The City should formally request information regarding the company's investigation, mitigation efforts, and long-term safety measures.
A formal letter from the City would communicate the Council's expectation that GKN Aerospace:
1. Accept responsibility for any impacts resulting from the incident.
2. Reimburse the City for eligible costs associated with emergency response, environmental monitoring, public safety services, and related activities.
3. Establish a claims and compensation process for residents and businesses that suffered documented losses or disruptions related to the incident.
4. Provide a detailed report regarding the cause of the incident and corrective actions implemented.
5. Demonstrate an ongoing commitment to environmental and public safety standards.
6. Engage with the community and local government to address concerns arising from the incident.
7. Work cooperatively with the City to ensure affected residents and businesses are made whole to the greatest extent possible.
The City Council of Garden Grove voted on June 4 to send a letter (Attachment 1) to GKN Aerospace representatives; and Mayor Dave Shawver, on behalf of the City of Stanton, also sent a letter (Attachment 2) to GKN’s leadership team.
FISCAL IMPACT
None.
LEGAL REVIEW
The City Attorney’s Office has reviewed as to form.
CONCLUSION
Accountability is important in the recovery effort, and therefore, Councilwoman Phan West is requesting Council to approve staff drafting and submitting a letter to GKN Aerospace, outlining the impacts to the Westminster community and demanding full compensation for those in Westminster who were affected by this incident.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Letter from City of Garden Grove
2. Letter from City of Stanton
REVIEWED BY
Erin Backs, Finance Director
City Attorney’s Office
Christine Cordon, City Manager