Online Observer

Community Corner: Prince William Sound College students tour Bligh Reef

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A group of attendees gather on a deck on the front of the boat looking toward Bligh Reef.On May 1, Council volunteers and staff joined local high school and college students, educators, and other partners on a cruise to Bligh Reef, where the Exxon Valdez oil tanker ran aground in 1989.

On board Stan Stephens’ Valdez Spirit, the students were immersed in learning about the marine environment and the effects of oil spills. Passengers were treated to the typical delights of Prince William Sound including glimpses of whales, views of sea lions, and the beautiful scenery.

The tour was put on by the Copper River Watershed Project, or CRWP, in collaboration with the Prince William Sound College, or PWSC. CRWP Program Director Kate Morse and PWSC Professor Amanda Glazier coordinated the event. Morse is also a member of the Council’s Information and Education Committee. Council members led activities and contributed their expertise on board.

Groups of students and adults rotated through learning stations over the course of the five-hour tour including conducting plankton “tows” to collect samples from the water, exploring plankton samples under microscopes, collecting water chemistry data, discussing marine navigation, and learning about marine oil spill response.

Two students from Prince William Sound College use microscopes to examine water samples taken during the trip. Participants also had the opportunity to engage in an activity titled “Voices from the Spill,” which involved reading personal stories of the Exxon Valdez oil spill and its aftermath, and then respond through creative writing or art.

Alyeska Pipeline Service Company generously provided a meal during the trip. Mixed groups of high school students, college students, and adults ate together and talked through a list of questions that prompted sharing about education and career pathways. In between learning activities, narration was provided about environmental, historical, and marine industry items of interest. Narrators included experts on board, such as trip leaders, the vessel captain, Council volunteers and staff, and staff from Alyeska’s Ship Escort Response Vessel System.

In addition to viewing the Valdez Marine Terminal and oil spill response equipment from the water, there was exciting tanker activity. The group observed two tankers at the terminal, an empty inbound tanker with its tug escort, and a laden outbound tanker with its two escort tugs including one tethered to the stern.

The Council helped fund this tour as part of its Youth Involvement Program, which strives to help build the next generation of environmental stewards for our region. The Bligh Reef Expedition was successful at getting local youth out into the environment of Prince William Sound to learn about ecology, oceanography, history, oil industry operations, and marine safety, all while connecting with local community members who work in associated fields.

Funds of up to $5,000 are available for educational projects related to our mission. Please contact Maia Draper-Reich if you would like to be notified when the next proposal period opens.

Council concerned about vessel-whale strikes

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At the Council’s May Board meeting, a draft resolution in support of voluntary speed reductions for oil tankers in Prince William Sound was presented by a concerned citizen. The Council has been studying the issue of vessel speed reductions to reduce whale strikes through the Scientific Advisory and Port Operations and Vessel Traffic System committees for over two years.

The Council recognizes that vessel-whale strikes occur worldwide by all classes of ships and research has demonstrated that reducing vessel speed is currently the most effective way to lower the number of whale strikes. We also recognize that while there is currently a lack of information and research regarding the prevalence and risk of tanker-whale strikes in Prince William Sound, lack of information does not necessarily mean an absence of harm.

During the meeting, Board members discussed concerns about protecting whale populations from impacts of the oil industry in our region; current speed limits for laden oil tankers; the effect of slower speeds on reduced air emissions and underwater noise pollution from tankers; and other considerations.

A motion was then passed to issue advisory letters conveying the Council’s concerns related to vessel-whale strikes and acknowledging the effectiveness of reduced vessel speeds. The advisory letters will outline the Council’s recommendations to fill existing information gaps on the threat to whales posed by oil tankers compared to other vessels in Prince William Sound and the need for additional outreach to mariners about existing regulations. These letters will be directed to relevant regulatory agencies and the Trans Alaska Pipeline System tanker operators.

From Alyeska: New Allison Creek response barge joins Alyeska’s fleet

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The new oil spill response barge Allison Creek arrived in Valdez in May, the sixth new-build barge to join the Alyeska’s Ship Escort Response Vessel System, or SERVS, fleet since 2018. The custom-built vessel replaces the old Allison Creek barge, which was built in 1956, and in service on the Trans Alaska Pipeline System, or TAPS, as long anyone can remember.

The new Allison Creek is now typically moored off the west end of the Valdez Marine Terminal, or VMT. The 200-foot barge has 13,600 barrels of recovered crude storage and is usually paired with the Valdez Star, a 123-foot self-propelled belt skimmer. On deck, there is an office for personnel and four connexes that hold oil spill response supplies and decontamination equipment. The barge is powered by two cat diesel generators and has a deck crane. It was built by Dakota Creek Industries in Anacortes, Washington.

Emergency Preparedness and Response Manager Mike Day evoked his family’s history in Valdez on February 12, when he and other SERVS staff celebrated the launch of the new barge in Anacortes.

“The Allison Creek is where my family got their drinking water,” he said of the Valdez landmark that is the namesake of the new barge. Mike’s family homesteaded on the land that eventually became the Valdez Marine Terminal. Allison Creek now provides hydroelectric power for the community as well as drinking and process water to the VMT. “Our goal for this barge is that we never actually use it for the purpose that we built it for.”

Photos and article courtesy of Alyeska Corporate Communications.

Remaining vigilant: Review of government oversight is needed

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Donna Schantz

By Donna Schantz
Executive Director

Last year, the Council released a report titled, “Assessment of Risks and Safety Culture at Alyeska’s Valdez Marine Terminal.” This report was initiated in response to safety concerns brought to the Council by concerned current and former Alyeska employees. The main conclusion was that there currently is an unacceptable safety risk to the terminal.

The Council has been encouraged by Alyeska’s response to this report. We stand ready to support Alyeska, and state and federal regulatory agencies, in our role as an advisor.

One of the recommendations in the report was for Congress to initiate a review by the Government Accountability Office, or GAO, to determine the adequacy of the present regulatory oversight of terminal operations by federal and state agencies. The GAO reviews federal programs on behalf of Congress and provides fact-based, nonpartisan information to lawmakers and federal agencies that can be used to improve government.

The Council is pleased to report that members of Alaska’s Congressional Delegation have requested the review and a GAO review team has been formed. The GAO team has now started their review of the regulatory and safety oversight of the Trans Alaska Pipeline System, or TAPS, which includes the 800-mile pipeline and the Valdez Marine Terminal.

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