United Kingdom-based GKN Aerospace paid nearly $1 million to settle a lawsuit with California regulators after the company was accused of emitting toxic or volatile compounds into the air at its Garden Grove facility.
The lawsuit brought by the South Coast Air Quality Management District, which provided a copy of the 2024 settlement agreement to CBS LA, stemmed from a variety of alleged violations by GKN, including a failure to obtain appropriate permits.
South Coast AQMD alleged that the GKN Aerospace site was the source of emissions of VOCs or volatile organic compounds. Methyl methacrylate, the substance inside the tank at the center of the chemical incident at the Garden Grove site, is a VOC. However, the settlement does not specify if methyl methacrylate was the VOC allegedly emitted at the GKN site in violation of California regulations.
GKN agreed to pay $909,935 to South Coast AQMD by January 6, 2025.
CBS LA reached out to GKN for comment on the settlement, but was directed to the company’s website for a statement. The statement on the website addressed the current ongoing crisis, but not the settlement.
The Orange County Register first reported the settlement on Saturday.
Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer announced on Saturday that his office had launched an investigation into the company after the crisis began.
“For goodness’ sake, they’re in the middle of a commercial area, residential, it’s an urban population. … It’s irresponsible, it’s horrific, and I’m angry about it,” Spitzer said in an interview. “I’m gonna channel my anger to continue to protect the public. … Tonight, we are not getting satisfactory answers. But in the future, I can assure you we will.”
