CARB adopts changes to Cap-and-Invest Program to benefit consumers and business

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) updated its Cap-and-Invest Program (formerly known as Cap-and-Trade) last week. CARB asserts that the changes ensure that California maintains its path toward meeting its 2030 and 2045 climate targets while also supporting affordability for Californians, long-term investment in clean energy in the state, and helping industry by providing compliance support.

Photo Credit: CARB

The changes were made in response to economic impacts, volatile market conditions, global events, and federal disruption of incentives. As a result, CARB says these changes will maintain "environmental ambition" as well as easing financial pressures and helping to avoid additional costs for consumers.

Said CARB Chair Lauren Sanchez, 

“At a moment when climate policy is under attack and global economic upheaval is creating real uncertainty, this rulemaking is critically important for California. California has both an opportunity and a responsibility to lead with consistency. By moving forward today, we are responding to real affordability concerns while sending a clear and unwavering signal to the world that we remain committed to long-term investment in clean energy, good jobs, and healthier communities.”

Here are some key points from the adopted changes:

• Establishes more stringent allowance budgets to align with the 2030 and 2045 climate targets​: Guarantees the removal of 118 million allowances from allowance budgets, resulting in an 11% cap decline year-over-year for this decade and an average of 7% from 2031 to 2045.
• Dedicates 80% of allowances to directly benefit Californians: Provides $10 billion for electricity bill credits and maintains an estimated $8 billion for the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund.
• Stronger support for California businesses and jobs: Doubles the Manufacturing Decarbonization Incentive Fund to $4 billion to support investment in California and help make up for the loss of federal incentives. Eligible entities include manufacturers – food processors, cement plants, and refiners, who make large investment upgrades that reduce emissions at their facilities and reduce future compliance costs.
• $800 million in added compliance support for industry: Enhances near-term stability, supports California businesses and jobs, and ensures no additional cost passthrough at the pump for consumers.

For more information on this program: Cap-and-Invest Program

EPA grants $15.7 million to address forever chemicals (PFAS) in Southern California water

The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced new investments in Southern California to address water contamination by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The funding totals $15.7 million and will be split among 7 different projects. This is in addition to EPA's previously announced investment of $77.257 million to address PFAS across California.

Photo Credit: Kings County.Gov (Fair use)

PFAS are commonly referred to as "forever chemicals" and are found in numerous common items. They have been known to cause cancer and fertility issues. They are sometimes found in stain resistant furniture, carpets, textiles, cosmetics, food packaging, cookware, and many other items. 

As stated by Acting EPA Pacific Southwest Region Administrator Michael Martucci, "EPA is laser focused on ensuring that every American has safe drinking water, and we’re proud to be providing the resources to make good on that commitment here in California. This federal investment will be key to our local partners’ efforts to tackle the threat of PFAS across Southern California."

The Southern California projects receiving federal funding are:

• $2,500,0000 to La Habra Heights County Water District to construct a PFAS remediation and treatment system at five groundwater wells.
• $1,750,000 to the Orange County Water District to install an innovative ion exchange treatment system at Santa Ana’s Wells 27 and 28, to ensure treated groundwater can be safely served to residents.
• $959,752 to the City of Riverside to modify the Palmyrita Water Treatment Plant for PFAS removal and to improve drinking water infrastructure.
• $2,100,000 to the Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency to construct a new treatment facility to remove PFAS contaminants from groundwater at the existing S7 well.
• $959,752 to the Santa Margarita Water District to fund a preliminary design report for the new Ranch Water Filtration Plant and support the district’s effort to provide potable reused water.
• $959,752 to the City of South Gate to treat four wells affected by PFAS contamination that supply more than 50% of the City’s total water demand.
• $6,452,972 to the Western Municipal Water District to fund rehabbing, repairing, and replacing aging sewer lines to prevent the infiltration of PFAS-contaminated groundwater into March Air Reserve Base’s sewer system.

All evacuation orders lifted in Garden Grove, CA for the GKN Aerospace toxic chemical incident

This evening the Orange County Fire Authority announced that all evacuation orders related to the Garden Grove hazardous materials incident have been lifted.

Unified Command (Fire, Law, EPA, and County Health) have confirmed there is:

No chemical leak

No threat of explosion

No threat of fire

No risk to the public

The OCFA released this revised map:

Map Details:

Green shaded area on the map = Repopulation area

Red line = Road closure (Western between Chapman & Garden Grove Blvd.)

Red circle = An exclusion zone to allow hazardous materials teams to continue monitoring the tanks out of an abundance of caution (no residents affected).

The OCFA also announced earlier today that the tank temperature had stabilized at 92° F and that they had secured all of the other nearby tanks.

No further details are available at this time.

Have any of you been physically affected by methyl methacrylate monomer before?

 Just a little sidebar about the hazardous chemical tank incident in Garden Grove, CA.

The chemical of concern is methyl methacrylate monomer. When it polymerizes and turns into a solid, it gives off a lot of heat because the polymerization is an endothermic reaction.

Methyl Methacrylate molecule, Photo Credit: Jynto

Anyway, a long time ago (1973-74), I used to work for a carbide tool manufacturer in Latrobe, PA, called Kennametal. They were famous for making tire studs for winter tires, welding rods, and carbide tool bits.

We were experimenting with different mixing agents for the carbide powders used in the processes, including methyl methacrylate monomer.

One day I went home after work and suddenly started getting horrible hives. They were huge and covered my arms, legs, and other parts of my body. We weren't sure what caused it, but, the only thing different from what I usually did there was that I was in the lab when they were experimenting with methyl methacrylate. I remember the strong odor of it. My doctor suspected that was the cause. It took a week or two for all the hives to disappear.

A few months later I resigned and went to grad school to study environmental science. One day I was walking up the stairwell in one of the chemical lab buildings. The floor tiles were being replaced and I smelled a familiar odor. When I got to my apartment, I broke out in hives again, just like before. I later found out that methyl methacrylate was one of the chemicals being used to secure the floor tiles to the stairway!

In all of the reporting being done about this incident in Garden Grove, I don't recall anyone discussing this effect of the chemical on some people.

Have any of you had a similar experience? Let us know in the comments below.

Was the company responsible for the hazardous chemical incident in Garden Grove in compliance with hazardous chemical storage requirements?

By now, most of you have heard of the ongoing emergency in Garden Grove, CA, revolving around a disastrous failure of a storage tank containing methyl methacrylate. Fears of a massive spill and/or explosion have resulted in the evacuation of thousands of residents from their homes since last Friday.

Photo Credit. GKN Aerospace logo (fair use)

Emergency response authorities such as the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) have done a great job in keeping the public informed of the current status of the emergency response. We have discussed the incident in previous articles in this blog.

However, one thing we have not personally seen, but, perhaps our readers have, is whether anyone has addressed the following:

Did GKN Aerospace Transparency Systems, the owner of the tank in question, follow/comply with required federal/state/and/or local requirements and procedures for the storage of hazardous chemicals, including the existence of an emergency response plan if required?

In all of the news reporting that we have seen (including our own) nobody has addressed this fundamental issue.

• What federal, state, and/or local regulations for the storage of methyl methacrylate, if any, applied to this facility?
• Was an emergency response plan required and in place, and if so, did GKN follow it? 
• If GKN did follow it, what went wrong in this particular situation that required outside agencies to be called in to take over the response?

It should be noted that in January of last year, GKN settled alleged violations of the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) rules and regulations to the tune of over $900,000. The Orange County Register recently reported on this in more detail. 

To be perfectly clear, we are making no accusations of wrong-doing on the part of anyone. We just would like someone to address whether the company was in compliance with existing regulations and emergency plans or not. 

And, if they were in compliance, was this particular situation, involving a tank of methyl methacrylate monomer that apparently started to polymerize and uncontrollably heat up while a control valve failed, addressed in existing plans or was it simply an unforeseen circumstance?

Please let us know in the comments below if you have any information regarding the above questions, or, if you have any other comments.

Risk of Explosion from Garden Grove Toxic Chemical Tank Eliminated per OCFA

In a video update made this morning by the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA), the risk of the methyl methacrylate tank experiencing an explosion, otherwise known as a BLEVE (Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion) has been eliminated.

Photo Credit: Screenshot of OCFA Incident Update, 5/25/26

According to the OCFA, temperatures in the tank have been measured as decreasing from a high upwards of !00° F to current levels at 93° F. Additionally, pressure in the tank has been reduced due to a crack found in the tank wall.

Nevertheless, the mandatory evacuation order remains in place until the threat of a potential major spill is eliminated.

We have previously provided details on this extremely hazardous toxic chemical storage tank emergency in Garden Grove, CA, in the following two articles:

• California Governor Newsom Declares State of Emergency for Orange County for Garden Grove Chemical Tank Incident 
• Mandatory Evacuation Orders issued in Garden Grove, CA, due to hazardous chemical storage tank emergency. 

California Governor Newsom Declares State of Emergency for Orange County for Garden Grove Chemical Tank Incident

California's Governor Newsom just declared a State of Emergency for Orange County related to the malfunctioning chemical tank in Garden Grove. Fears that a storage tank of methyl methacrylate may fail and spill thousands of gallons of the toxic chemical or even explode next to other toxic chemical storage tanks has led to the mandatory evacuation of thousands of residents in nearby areas. (We discussed this in an earlier article, here.)

Photo Credit: Screenshot, OCFA Facebook video post

The proclamation directs the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) and all state agencies to address the emergency and support Orange County and impacted local jurisdictions. It also unlocks additional emergency response resources including making state-owned properties and fairgrounds available as shelters for evacuated residents.

Governor Newsom said, "The safety of Orange County residents is the top priority. We are mobilizing every state resource available to support local responders and make sure the community has what they need to stay safe."

Added Director of Cal OES Caroline Thomas Jacobs, "Cal OES continues to work alongside our local partners to support the ongoing hazardous materials response operation. Our role is to coordinate resources, share critical information, and ensure local responders have all the resources necessary to safely respond to this dynamic situation. We are committed to a unified, whole-of-government response focused on keeping our communities safe."

Orange County Fire Authority Unified Incident Commander Craig Covey posted a current assessment of the situation on Facebook this morning.

Current evacuation maps can be found here:  Garden Grove website 

Additional information, including shelter locations, can be found here: Cal OES Community Resource page.

The text of today’s emergency proclamation for the Orange County can be found here.

Mandatory Evacuation Orders issued in Garden Grove, CA, due to hazardous chemical storage tank emergency

Due to an emergency related to a malfunctioning hazardous chemical storage tank, the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) and local law enforcement today have issued mandatory evacuation orders for the surrounding facility.

Photo Credit: Screenshot of OCFA and local law enforcement Critical Incident Update

Emergency crews responded yesterday, May 21, 2026, to a hazardous materials call at the GKN Aerospace facility located in the 12000 block of Western Avenue in Garden Grove. The emergency was due to an overheated 34,000 gallon tank containing methyl methacrylate, a highly volatile, flammable, and toxic chemical used to make acrylic plastics and aerospace components. As a result of the overheating, the tank began releasing toxic vapors into the sky.

The initial response to the emergency was to douse the tank with water to cool it own, however, the situation worsened this morning. Additionally, according to OCFA Division Chief Craig Covey, the chemical cannot be safely removed because of an inoperable valve on the tank and is therefore considered to be "unable to be secured and mitigated."

Although there is no active toxic gas plume in the air surrounding the emergency, officials fear that because of the thermal characteristics of methyl methacrylate (a self-heating substance), they are facing a critical thermal runaway threat that leaves them, currently, with only two outcomes:

1. Tank failure, which would result in the spill of approximately 6,000 to 7,000 gallons of the chemical into the immediate industrial complex and parking lot, or, 

2. Catastrophic thermal runaway and explosion, which could potentially impact nearby tanks that contain fuel and other chemicals.

Because of this concern, a massive one-mile buffer zone has been established, resulting in the following mandatory evacuation zone:

• North of Trask Avenue 
• South of Ball Road
• East of Valley View Street
• West of Dale Street

Additionally, the following temporary resources and shelters have been established:

• Stanton City Hall, 7800 Katella Ave., Stanton (temporary shelter)
• Community Recreation Center, 13641 Deodora Drive, Garden Grove (reunification center)

The following school closures have also been announced:

The Garden Grove Unified School District has closed several campuses and district facilities until further notice. All outdoor activities for schools outside the evacuation zone have been canceled.

No injuries have been reported as of yet and specialized HAZMAT teams are still on site attempting to manage the tank.

EPA Announces $27.5 Million Grant to Reduce Lead in Drinking Water in California

On May 20, 2026, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it will be granting California $27.5 million to fund efforts to reduce lead in drinking water. The funding is part of a $2.9 billion funding effort to help states and American territories locate and replace lead pipes that can contaminate drinking with toxic lead.

Photo credit: United States EPA

Jess Kramer, EPA's Assistant Administrator for Water, said, "An investment in removing lead pipes is an investment in America's children and families. The Trump EPA is committed to tackling lead exposure and this $2.9 billion will help protect current and future generations across America by accelerating local efforts to find and replace toxic lead pipes. 

The size of the grants given to each state and territory may vary widely. For example, California's grant pales in comparison to, say, the state of Illinois, which will be getting almost $296 million. However, the reason for this is that the Safe Drinking Water Act requires EPA to base its funding decisions on the infrastructure needs of each state. Using the best-available data from service line inventories to project the number of lead service lines ensures that EPA can provide funding to the locations that need these funds the most.  

For the DWSRF Lead Service Line Replacement funding, EPA used the 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment (DWINSA) to estimate lead service-line specific need by incorporating nationwide lead service line inventory data. Please see this fact sheet and webpage for more information:

 

Fact Sheet -  https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2025-11/fact-sheet-2025-7th-dwinsa-update.pdf  

DWINSA - https://www.epa.gov/dwsrf/epas-7th-drinking-water-infrastructure-needs-survey-and-assessment