The Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) denied Westminster's request for California Disaster Assistance Act (CDAA) funding over the weekend. The city sought reimbursement for costs incurred during a chemical tank emergency that prompted the evacuation of approximately 50,000 people in North Orange County roughly a few months ago. This denial impacts Westminster's efforts to recover expenses from the significant incident.
According to a letter provided by Westminster city officials, CalOES determined that the city was not impacted enough to receive emergency funds. The letter, signed by Robyn Fennig, a deputy director at CalOES, stated that the incident's impacts were "not of such severity and magnitude" to be beyond the capabilities of local government to respond to and recover from. It specified that the request for CDAA funds to address the "2026 Orange County Chemical Incident" was therefore denied.
Westminster City Manager Christine Cordon expressed disappointment over the state's decision. In a Tuesday text message, Cordon emphasized Westminster's significant role, noting the city experienced the third-highest number of evacuees during the incident. She questioned the criteria used by state officials to measure magnitude and severity when assessing impacts to life, safety, and peace of mind in local disaster situations. Cordon underscored that cities are generally not equipped to manage such atypical emergencies, especially those facing financial hardships or those involuntarily affected, as Westminster was.
The chemical tank emergency at GKN Aerospace in Garden Grove led to widespread disruption across several Orange County municipalities. Westminster, along with Garden Grove, Stanton, Buena Park, Cypress, and Anaheim, were all impacted by evacuation orders. Stanton was particularly affected, with nearly its entire area falling under evacuation orders at one point. City officials in these areas grappled with coordinating resident transportation to evacuation centers, managing street closures, and addressing a host of other critical response challenges. Scores of local businesses also had to close their doors during the emergency.
During an Aug. 17 city council meeting, Cordon stated that Garden Grove is the only city known to have received state emergency funding for the incident at this time. Johnathan Garcia, Garden Grove city spokesman, confirmed that state officials approved their city's reimbursement request, though the final amount has not yet been determined. Garcia clarified that CDAA assistance is specifically intended to reimburse eligible costs incurred by local governments for emergency response, and it does not provide aid to individuals, households, or businesses. Separately, GKN Aerospace officials have indicated they are working to create a claim program for residents impacted by the evacuations, which could include compensation for costs such as hotel stays.
