Oil collected inside boom during spill. Photo by Jeremy Robida. On September 21, approximately 100 gallons of North Slope Crude oil was spilled into Port Valdez. The spill occurred during a planned annual leak-test of the pipes that load oil onto tankers out at the end of loading Berth 5 at the Valdez Marine Terminal. To conduct the annual test, Alyeska Pipeline Service Company uses the berth’s fire system to pump seawater into the crude…
By Mark Swanson Executive Director Prince William Sound Regional Citizens’ Advisory Council. The council has long been skeptical about the use of dispersants in responding to oil spills in our local waters. Until they can be shown to be effective and environmentally beneficial, the council does not recommend their use and advocates for mechanical clean-up options with booms and skimmers that physically remove the spilled oil from the…
Volunteer Spotlight Tim Robertson is a member of the Council’s Oil Spill Prevention & Response Committee. The committee works to minimize the risk and impacts associated with oil transportation through research, advice, and recommendations for strong and effective spill prevention and response measures, contingency planning, and regulations. Growing up in western North Carolina, over 3,000 miles away from Alaska, Tim Robertson and his…
The Council offers free lesson plans on topics related to our mission. The K-12 lesson plans are used by classroom teachers, homeschool parents, and informal educators. Our lessons are selected for hands-on learning and local relevance. Search our lesson bank About our free lesson plans University students learning from the Oil Spill in a Pan lesson. The lessons start with foundational science and ecosystem concepts for the younger ages and…