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.
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.”
Edison Chouest Offshore crew greet visitors to the barge Allison Creek during equipment load-out.
The Allison Creek was built by Dakota Creek Industries in Anacortes, WA.
The Allison Creek is shown in the foreground at its mooring off the western coast of the Valdez Marine Terminal, during a recent field deployment.
The deck of the barge is home to several connexes with additional oil spill response equipment.
Photos and article courtesy of Alyeska Corporate Communications.
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.
Donna Schantz is executive director for the Prince William Sound Regional Citizens’ Advisory Council. Robert Archibald is the president of the Council’s board of directors and represents the City of Homer.
Correcting the record: the Council is concerned about protecting whale populations from impacts of the oil industry in our region.
The Prince William Sound Regional Citizens’ Advisory Council is an independent nonprofit corporation whose mission is to promote the environmentally safe operation of the Valdez Marine Terminal and associated oil tankers. Our work is guided by the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 and our contract with Alyeska Pipeline Service Company. Although the Council is funded chiefly by Alyeska, we are completely independent from industry and serve in an advisory role.
The Council’s member organizations are communities in the region affected by the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill, as well as commercial fishing, aquaculture, Alaska Native, recreation, tourism and environmental groups.
At a recent Council board meeting, held in Valdez on May 2-3, 2024, a draft resolution in support of voluntary speed reductions for oil tankers in Prince William Sound was presented by an outside individual. A recent opinion piece contained incorrect information about the Council’s position on this issue and mischaracterized the discussion that took place. The Council would like to correct the record.
The Council has been studying the issue of vessel speed reductions to reduce whale strikes through its technical committees for some time. The Council recognizes that vessel-whale strikes are a widespread problem and 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 specifically regarding the prevalence and risk of tanker-whale strikes in Prince William Sound, lack of information does not necessarily mean an absence of harm.
We want to make it clear that the Council is concerned about protecting whale populations from impacts of the oil industry in our region.
During our May meeting, along with the above concerns, Council members discussed current speed limits for laden oil tankers; how slower speeds could reduce air emissions and noise pollution from tankers; the potential increase in crew hours resulting from slower speeds; and whether longer transit time through Prince William Sound could affect safety or have other unintended consequences.
A motion was then passed to issue an advisory letter acknowledging the known benefits of reduced vessel speeds and encouraging further scientific study to better understand the potential occurrence of vessel-whale strikes in our region. The advisory letter will outline the Council’s concerns, questions, and advice regarding the potential outcomes of reduced speeds to tanker operations as a method to mitigate whale strikes, among other environmental concerns. This letter will be directed to relevant regulatory agencies and the Trans Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) tanker operators.
The topic of full redundancy in engine and steering systems on all TAPS oil tankers has also recently been brought to the Council’s attention by a member of the public. The request we received was to promote an amendment to the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 requiring full redundancy in all newly built tankers in the U.S. The Council believes that, given the importance of the Act, any potential amendments to the legislation should only be considered after thorough vetting and with the utmost due diligence. The Council has not had the opportunity to vet this topic through our technical committees, which is how advice for improving safety is developed at the Council.
The U.S. Coast Guard annually certifies the Council as the federally approved citizens’ advisory group for Prince William Sound, pursuant to the Act. Since the Council was first certified in 1991, the Coast Guard has consistently determined that we foster the general goals and purposes of the Act, and are broadly representative of the communities and interests as envisioned therein.
The Council provides technically and scientifically supported advice and recommendations to promote the safe operation of the Valdez terminal and associated tankers, and reduce the environmental impacts of oil transportation through our region. Council Board and technical committee meetings are open to the public and recordings are available on request. Any member of the public interested in listening to the May board meeting is encouraged to contact the Council at 1-800-478-7221.
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.
