Environmental Monitoring News Archives | Page 8 of 9 | Prince William Sound Regional Citizens' Advisory Council

Environmental Protection Agency revising rules on oil spill dispersants

May 11, 2015 by Amanda Johnson

A vessel sprays water as practice for applying dispersants during an oil spill drill.

By Joe Banta
Council Project Manager

The Environmental Protection Agency is updating the rules for using chemicals, including dispersants, to respond to oil spills in the United States. This update is intended to address the concerns that arose during and after the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster in 2010. During that disaster, an estimated 210 million gallons of oil was spilled, and over 1.8 million gallons of dispersants were applied to the spill.

Dispersants are chemicals applied to spilled oil to try to break down the oil into small particles with the hope that these particles disperse into the water column rather than remain floating on the surface in a slick.

New regulations mean cleaner air in Prince William Sound

May 11, 2015 by Amanda Johnson

By Austin Love
Council Project Manager

Crude oil tankers in Prince William Sound are using cleaner fuel than they were just a few years ago. New regulations, created by the International Maritime Organization, aim to improve air quality by limiting pollutants emitted from large ships. The regulations target three air pollutants produced by internal combustion engines and released in vessel exhaust: sulfur oxides, particulate matter, and nitrogen oxides.

First of two new oil tankers to begin service in Prince William Sound in 2014

June 11, 2024July 24, 2014 by Amanda Johnson

Photo of tanker Liberty Bay with escort tug. Photo courtesy of Aker Philadelphia Shipyard. — Photo of Liberty Bay courtesy of Aker Philadelphia Shipyard.

The first of two new SeaRiver oil tankers is expected to begin service in Prince William Sound later this year.

SeaRiver, the shipping arm of ExxonMobil, held a naming ceremony for the vessel Liberty Bay on April 25. The second vessel will be named Eagle Bay.

Built by Aker Philadelphia Shipyard, Inc., both vessels measure 823.5 feet long and 144 feet wide, and have double hull protection for both cargo and fuel tanks. The vessels are capable of carrying 115,000 tons of weight including cargo, fuel, ballast water, provisions and crew. Cargo capacity is 800,000 barrels (approximately 33.6 million gallons). Propelled by a slow speed diesel engine, the vessels’ “service speed” is 15 knots (approximately 17 miles per hour).

Ballast water treatment technology

Citizen network monitors for aquatic invasive species

July 19, 2013 by Amanda Johnson

Sarah Hoepfner has volunteered to monitor the Cordova area for invasive green crabs.

With support from the council, a network of citizens monitor our region for invasive species, particularly European green crab and tunicates. This program was initiated by the council in 2000, and has evolved into a self-sustaining grassroots system. Many communities such as Homer and Seward now run their own operations through local science centers. The council supports participation in some of the smaller communities.

The council is particularly concerned about the European green crab. This crab, known to travel in the ballast water of ships at seas, is an efficient and voracious predator that has invaded the West Coast from San Francisco to Vancouver Island. It is feared that the green crab will find its way to Alaska waters. Fortunately, no green crabs were captured in the communities of Chenega, Seward, Homer, Kodiak or Valdez in 2012.

All photos by Janice Banta.

Council staffer Joe Banta recently visited Cordova to help train Sarah Hoepfner, a Cordova high school student who has volunteered to monitor the Cordova area for green crabs. Left to right: Sarah Hoepfner, Jonas Banta, and Alan Marquette. Marquette is the previous green crab monitor for Cordova.