This report is a history of the oil spill prevention and response plan for crude oil tankers operating in Prince William Sound.
This project spans the first plan developed under then-new state requirements put in place in 1995, following the Exxon Valdez oil spill, up through the state-approved plan that was in place in 2020. The plan structure, commitments, owners, and content have changed in that time under both State of Alaska requirements and state-approved operator-initiated revisions.
The history compiled through this project focuses on issues and changes associated with Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC) findings that elements of the plan are adequate and meet state regulations, and the conditions of approval issued when ADEC does not consider an issue to be resolved at the time of plan approval. See also:
Together, these materials are intended to provide a resource for those interested in understanding how issues have been addressed over time and why certain elements of the plan are the way they are today. In many cases, they are the result of extensive, and often collaborative, effort by the plan holders, State, and PWSRCAC on behalf of its member entities and stakeholders.