Schantz Observer Column

By Board President Robert Archibald and Executive Director Donna Schantz

Nothing can change the damage that resulted from the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill. Since our creation, the Council’s goal has always been to try to ensure it never happens again, at the same time making sure we are prepared with a strong response system in case prevention measures fail. We know that the more you tackle challenging issues and prepare ahead of time, the greater the likelihood of reducing the potential damage.

Our volunteers and staff put in countless hours fulfilling our mandates outlined in the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 and our contract with Alyeska Pipeline Service Company.

While much work continues to be done, we are still seeing concerning trends in the loss of experienced personnel, high attrition rates, and budget and staffing cuts in industry and the associated regulatory agencies. The Council has been raising concerns about the diminishment of agency oversight at the Valdez Marine Terminal for over a decade. We hope that a review of the adequacy of the present regulatory oversight of terminal operations, currently being conducted by the federal Government Accountability Office, will highlight any deficiencies that need to be addressed. And, while we are encouraged by Alyeska’s response to our 2023 report “Assessment of Risks and Safety Culture at Alyeska’s Valdez Marine Terminal,” we diligently continue to try to move all its recommendations forward.

We know that a strong regulatory structure benefits development in our state. It also is the cornerstone of protection for our people, communities, economies, and environment. After years of regulatory diminishment, we now need to see the actions necessary to not only stop the cutbacks, but also then restore these agencies to the levels put in place based on lessons learned from the 1989 oil spill.

While the Council is always ready to listen to what industry and regulators are willing to share with us, we will also continue to closely watch what they do. And that is what we are here to do: we listen, we watch, and we advise. We sometimes say that “Trust, but verify” is our unofficial motto. We want to trust that the problems we are speaking out about will be addressed, but will not stop our inquiries and our work until we can verify that they have been.

We know that industry and regulatory agencies have the same goal in mind as the Council: the safe transportation of oil through our region. Our role in that shared goal is defined by and dependent on citizen engagement. We must watch what is happening – the decisions being made, risks being assessed, safety measures implemented – and never be afraid to speak up. Those with the most to lose from oil pollution must have a voice in the decisions that can put their livelihoods and communities at risk. We will continue to work hard to be that voice.

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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By Donna Schantz, Executive Director

Of all the advances made in the safe transportation of oil since the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill, perhaps the most innovative and significant was the establishment of permanent, industry-funded citizen oversight for both Cook Inlet and Prince William Sound. While the citizen advisory groups established in Alaska after the spill were modeled after the advisory committee set up for the Sullom Voe Terminal in the Shetland Islands, throughout the world, most oil development still takes place without citizen involvement. In Prince William Sound, many of the safety improvements now in place are a direct result of partnerships between industry, regulators, and citizens.

March 24, 2024, will mark 35 years since the Exxon Valdez disaster. This year will also mark 34 years since the formation and incorporation of PWSRCAC. The Council recently reconnected with several of our founding members to discuss why they think our organization is still relevant today, with quotes from those conversations featured in our most recent “Year In Review” report.

You can read more about their thoughts on how and why the Council was formed in our publication “Stories from a citizens’ council,” rereleased in 2023.

All of the early Council Board and committee members witnessed firsthand the devastating effects of the oil spill. Some of them are still volunteering for the Council more than a quarter of a century later. These experiences played a big part in the passion and drive of all parties to put systems in place designed to prevent another accident, and to make sure there are adequate trained personnel, and enough equipment available, to respond immediately should prevention measures fail and another spill occurs.

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President Robert Archibald, City of Homer
Executive Director Donna Schantz

We are now six months from the 35th anniversary of the Exxon Valdez oil spill (March 24, 1989). These anniversaries are always a time to reflect on lessons learned and acknowledge the progress made in oil spill prevention in response. We also must bring a sharp focus to concerning trends we are seeing in budget and staffing cuts in industry and the associated regulatory agencies. These trends highlight why we must recommit to our mission of promoting the environmentally safe operation of the Valdez Marine Terminal and associated oil tankers.

As we prepare for the annual commemoration of the spill, the Council recently rereleased the publication “Stories from a citizens council,” a collection of interviews/oral histories from key participants in the formation of the Council. Many of these interviews highlighted the value of relationships founded on trust. Trust is built on transparency, listening, and engaging stakeholders.

This emphasis on relationships and trust is timely. The prevention and response system for the Valdez Marine Terminal and associated tankers is widely regarded as one of the best in the world. However, in recent years, the Council has seen a steady erosion in some of the safety systems put in place as a direct result of the lessons learned from that disaster.

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