Federal disaster loans available to Garden Grove businesses struggling after chemical crisis
Federal disaster loans available to Garden Grove businesses
Hazmat cleanup is underway at GKN Aerospace in Garden Grove as many local businesses continue recovering from the May chemical emergency and evacuation. Federal officials say eligible businesses affected by the incident can apply for SBA loans and receive assistance through a new Business Recovery Center.
GARDEN GROVE, Calif. - On Monday, hazmat cleanup began in Garden Grove at GKN Aerospace after a chemical emergency forced tens of thousands to evacuate in May.
While the exact cause of the initial tank overheating remains under investigation, many small businesses are still recovering financially from the crisis.
Brees' Quality Meats has been a staple in the Garden Grove community for more than 60 years.
"From here, you get the quality that you're looking for," said owner Keith Brees.
He is encouraging people to support local businesses in the area, many of whom have yet to bounce back financially after much of the surrounding area was forced to evacuate in late May due to the chemical hazmat crisis.
"We weathered it out, we're going to weather it out, it's just a matter of how long it's going to take to get where we were," Brees said.
Federal leaders are reminding residents that small-business loans are available to business owners facing financial loss tied to the chemical incident and evacuation.
Eligible businesses may qualify for loan assistance of up to $2 million, with interest rates as low as 4 percent for businesses.
"Whether it's healthcare costs for their employees, rent, inventory or whatever happened that caused a loss to them during that evacuation period," said U.S. Rep. Derek Tran, D-Calif.
For more information on the SBA loans, click here.
The Small Business Administration has also opened a Business Recovery Center in Garden Grove to help small businesses impacted by the evacuations tied to the GKN chemical emergency.
With cleanup operations at the GKN Aerospace facility underway, U.S. Rep. Derek Tran says he's still putting pressure on the company to do more to help those impacted recover financially.
"My office just had a call with them, making sure that they continue to do what they can to help, and the $3 million that they initially provided is not enough," Tran said.
At the GKN facility, crews are working over the next few days to remove a toxic and highly flammable liquid known as MMA from several storage tanks. According to the county, the material crews are removing is going to Ohio in gel form and will be incinerated per EPA guidelines.
City and county leaders say residents near the facility may experience a fruity smell tied to the cleanup, but say it's not a health concern.
Orange County Supervisor Janet Nguyen says several agencies "will continue to monitor the air and the wind currents as well and also make sure there is no liquid form that would hit the water or our sewer system."
She says ultimately she wants to make sure residents don't have to ever go through a chemical crisis like this again.
"We are all waiting for the incident report, and that's important because for me as a county supervisor, I want to make sure how we got to where we were will be prevented in the future, but also to know how it happened so that GKN can move forward with how they can make the community whole," Nguyen said.