Aerospace company behind toxic Orange County tanker leak announces millions in payments to evacuees how victims can collect

Southern California residents who had to evacuate their homes following a tanker leak in Orange County could be eligible for aid with millions of dollars in payments coming from the aerospace company behind it.GKN Aerospace announced that it is giving $4 million to help the tens of thousands of residents and business owners whose lives were impacted by last month’s evacuation in Garden Grove, according to a press release.For days, crews worked to prevent an explosion or a massive leak of the chemical methyl methacrylate from an overheated storage facility before the threat was eliminated.The company said $3 million of those funds will go towards the Orange County United Way’s OC Community Resilience Fund, which was set up to provide “recovery support for those affected by the incident.”The rest will go towards “broader community initiatives” across the county, the release noted.“By working with a trusted local organization with the infrastructure to mobilize resources quickly, we hope to help expedite assistance to those most in need,” GKN Senior Vice President Steve Carlin, who oversees the Garden Grove site’s programs, said.“We will continue to engage with community leaders, work with the authorities, and help the community move forward.” Those interested are encouraged to call 2-1-1 in Orange County, a service of Orange County United Way. The service will connect people “with local health and human service resources and information about available aid,” the release noted.The city of Staton, which was greatly impacted by the evac orders, posted a message on Facebook about the process residents can take to get aid through the OC Community Resilience Fund, with eligible residents being offered a “one-time $250 assistance payment delivered electronically or $150 in Northgate Market gift cards delivered in person at City Hall.”The city said assistance is limited, with only “one payment per household.” It also said that the payments ...