SB 883 strengthens safeguards for reactive chemical facilities to help prevent another chemical emergency incident

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Today, Senator Thomas J. Umberg (D-Santa Ana), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, announced that Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 883, the Preventing Chemical Explosions Act, legislation introduced in response to the chemical emergency that forced widespread evacuations in Garden Grove earlier this year.

“Earlier this year, tens of thousands of people in and around Garden Grove were forced from their homes as first responders worked around the clock to prevent a chemical explosion,” said Senator Tom Umberg. "I was on the ground throughout the emergency and saw firsthand the fear and disruption our community experienced. We were incredibly fortunate that the situation was brought under control without an explosion or reported injuries, but we cannot rely on good fortune to keep our communities safe. SB 883 addresses the gaps this incident exposed and puts stronger safeguards in place to help ensure it never happens again. I thank Governor Newsom for signing this legislation and for his commitment to protecting California communities.”

SB 883 was developed following the May emergency at the GKN Aerospace facility in Garden Grove, where a tank containing thousands of gallons of methyl methacrylate (MMA), a highly flammable reactive chemical, began overheating and building pressure. The emergency prompted the evacuation of approximately 50,000 residents as crews worked for days to stabilize the tank and prevent an explosion or chemical release.

Governor Newsom declared a state of emergency in Orange County during the incident, mobilizing additional state resources to support the response. The emergency ultimately ended without an explosion, but exposed serious gaps in the regulation, oversight and emergency planning surrounding reactive chemicals stored near residential communities.

SB 883 strengthens California’s chemical safety protections by:

• Requiring new reactive chemical storage facilities that pose an explosion risk to have a backup cooling system or another approved contingency system.
• Preventing these new high-risk facilities from being located adjacent to homes and requiring public notice and an opportunity for community input before approval.
• Requiring routine inspections of reactive chemical storage facilities at least once every three years, with results reported to state emergency and environmental agencies.
• Requiring local emergency plans to clearly designate which emergency response department will take the lead during hazardous materials incidents.
• Bringing facilities that store significant quantities of methyl methacrylate under California’s accidental release prevention requirements, including Risk Management Plans designed to prevent and prepare for chemical accidents.

SB 883 is designed to ensure California learns from what happened in Garden Grove and takes action before another community faces a similar emergency.

For full text of the bill, visit: SB 883

###

Senator Thomas J. Umberg represents the 34th Senate District, which includes the cities of Anaheim, Buena Park, Fullerton, Garden Grove, La Habra, Orange, Placentia, Santa Ana, and East and South Whittier. Umberg is a retired U.S. Army Colonel, former federal prosecutor, and small businessman. He and his wife, Brigadier General Robin Umberg, USA (ret.), live in Orange County.