Linda House

Katherine Kelly

Gregory Robinson

John Schmick

When one considers environmental catastrophes, the phrase "oil spill" stands out on the list. Oil spills cause massive environmental damage and create a horrible image of human carelessness. This leads to the question of whether the benefits of oil products are worth the risk entailed in transporting crude oil. Our case study examines the Exxon Valdez spill in the Prince William Sound of Alaska.

Immediately after the spill, work on cleaning it up started. The work was divided up into three groups: response, damage assessment, and restoration. Response was lead by the US coast guard, the Alaska department of environmental conservation, and Exxon. Both damage assessment and restoration were lead by the Alaskan government and several federal agencies. Response consisted of salvaging the Exxon Valdez and the four fifths of oil that did not spill. Assessments were taken to see exactly how much of the surrounding areas were contaminated. These assessments were done with the help of both ground and air surveys. The oil that could be skimmed off of the surface of the water was taken up.

Beaches were cleaned as well as possible. Wildlife rescue was

attempted. During all this work more than 11,000 people participated and two billion dollars were used. By June 10, 1992, the shoreline clean up was officially over, but the damage assessment was just beginning.

The damage assessment of the Exxon Valdez oil spill was the largest in US history. Over 100 million dollars were spent on one hundred and sixty four different studies related to the spill. These studies examined the immediate injury inflicted on species, long term effects on populations, and degradation of the ecosystem.

Overall, the oil was able to spread from the Bligh reef to the surrounding areas and down to Kodiak Island, which is some three hundred miles distant. It contaminated 1,200 miles of shoreline, part of which belonged to three national parks, four wildlife refuges, and communities of Alaskan natives that depend on hunting and fishing to survive.

The Exxon Valdez oil spill was one of the largest in U.S. history. This spill effected both people and the environment. Many species of animals were either killed or severely injured. Exxon and the Alaskan government immediately began to try and remedy this by cleaning oil as best as possible. The animals that were not killed

were treated at specific stations for oiled species. Exxon agreed to pay those people whose well being was hindered by spill. Millions of dollars in compensation have been awarded to those effected but the actual payment has not been carried out.

-Impact On Wildlife

Prince William Sound used to be known for its pristine, uncontaminated condition. Normally, marine mammals such as porpoises, seals, whales, sea lions, and sea otters inhabit the area (Lee, 1989, p. 262). The largest population of sea otters (around ten thousand (Lee, 1989, p. 262)) in North America used to live in the Sound. In addition, five species of salmon spawn or are raised in hatcheries here (Lee, 1989, p. 262). Various other species of fish such as herring commonly populate the Sound as well. Also, approximately four hundred thousand birds (Lee, 1989, p. 262), including species like the bald eagle and the common murre, are indigenous to the area.

In addition, millions of seabirds and waterfowl migrate to the sound in the spring.

Stations were set up to launder oiled animals. There were four stations set up to deal specifically with otters. One of these stations, which was located in Valdez, received 156 otters, but only half of them survived (Hodgson, 1990, p. 28-29). The rescued birds fared much worse than the otters. One article estimated that all of the cleaned up birds released only lived for six to eleven days (Luoma, 1999, p. 54). A final note here is that while efforts were made to save otters, birds, and other oil-coated animals, no one had thought about the ill effects the oil might have on the people trying to clean it up (Hodgson, 1990, p. 41).

-Oil Cleanup

Most of these methods helped to physically remove some of the oil from the beaches and the water. When teams from Exxon and state and federal agencies surveyed the contaminated areas in 1990, they found a measurable reduction in the amounts of oil on the affected shorelines (Michel, 1991, p. 16). Manual removal, berm relocation, and bioremediation continued to be used in the cleanup efforts in 1990 (Michel, 1991, p. 17).

-Effectiveness of Cleanup

The effectiveness of some of these methods is questionable. Obviously, the use of 140º F water ranks first in this area because in addition to being effective in removing oil from beach rocks, it was also very effective in killing any organisms on the beaches that had survived the oil. Evidence of this damage is in a line on one of the beaches. To the area on the left of this line, the hot water method had been used, while the area on the right side of the line had been left to its own devices. A weed called Fucus grows all over the rocks on this beach, but the plant has grown to a greater height on the right side of the beach than it has on the left. Various investigations have shown that beaches cleaned in this manner have not recovered as well as those that were treated more gently or were left alone. Also, this method washed the oil back into the ocean where it had a chance to cause more water contamination before the skimmers could suck it up. ( Berm relocation created the same problem.) Bioremediation is also problematic because of the fertilizer. First, it has not been clearly demonstrated that the fertilizer encourages the bacteria to eat the oil any faster than they would normally. Second, Inipol is known to be toxic. Promoters of bioremediation argue that when Inipol is washed over by the water, it is diluted so fast that it cannot poison anything.

Whether Prince William Sound will return to its pre-spill state is questionable at best. Exxon claimed that the ecosystems recovered about two years after the spill (Luoma, 1999, p. 53), but there is still evidence of the incident today. Residues of the oil still remain in the beaches where they sometimes seep out and cause damage. In October 1998, the National Marine Fisheries Service found "small pools of weathered oil" on the banks of streams releasing toxins that "can stunt or kill young pink salmon even in tiny concentrations" (Luoma, 1999, p. 53).

Over the past ten years, numerous regulations have been placed on oil tankers in Prince William Sound in response to the Exxon Valdez oil spill. Important steps have been taken to prevent another such tragedy. These steps came in response to the fury and anguish expressed by citizens, environmental and animal activists, and government officials.

The Alyeska Service Company’s Ship Escort Response Vessel System (SERVS) was enacted by the governor of Alaska following the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill. The first action taken by SERVS stated that every tanker was to be escorted through the Prince William Sound. In addition, the oil spill contingency plan had to be revised. SERVS developed to prevent future spills and to respond to those that could not be prevented. The organization’s primary goal is to

prevent the spills by keeping trained workers on staff and keeping a very close eye on the oil tankers. A tug and an Escort Response Vessel (ERV) measuring up to 210 feet in length must escort the oil vessel through the sound. The ERVs are easily maneuverable and hold emergency cleanup supplies. Oil tankers must stay in their "shipping lanes" to prevent collisions with other vessels and icebergs. These obstacles are scouted closely by radar and escort vehicles sent out by SERVS. Through advanced tracking, radio, and radar, the vessels are always accounted for precisely. The SERVS program is one that came when Alaska was in great need. It keeps check on all Prince William Sound travelers in order to prevent future disaster.

SERVS is not the only organization, which has started to enforce and prevent dangerous oil tankers from danger. The requirements for captain or pilot training have become much more rigid. An oil tanker captain must be advanced in his training. Few requirements existed for oil tanker captains prior to the spill of 1989. Training for oil captains was nothing more than the somewhat basic training for regular shipping tanker captains. Today, very advanced training is required. After a captain is trained and certified, his or her performance is open to evaluation and monitoring.

Community involvement has become key in the response process. Although citizens themselves cannot prevent an oil spill, they can educate themselves in the response and cleanup processes. Community centers now are scattered throughout the Prince William Sound area. Here forums are held for concerned citizens.

These regulations for prevention and response only scratch the surface on what is being done today for oil spill control. With the help of various organizations and individuals, hopefully we will be able to prevent a future disaster.

In March of 1989, the small communities of Prince William Sound were devastated when Exxon’s oil tanker, the Valdez, ran aground on the Bligh reef. The repercussions of the oil spill had a detrimental impact on these communities who rely upon the environment for food as well as their economy. These villages along the Sound are subsistent in nature, meaning that they live off the renewable resources found in Prince William Sound. These resources

include the wildlife found in the region, and the communities are especially dependent upon the population and health of fish. Species of fish and shell fish present in Prince William Sound include, salmon, herring, halibut, cod, trout, crab, shrimp, clams, and mussels. The 11.2 million gallons of crude oil, which spilled into the Sound, had grave consequences for these species.

The communities of Prince William Sound are highly dependent on these renewable resources for their livelihood. The devastation of the Exxon Valdez Oil spill was especially detrimental for the native villages of Alaska who operate in a subsistence economy. Such economies: "do not convert extracted resources or labor into capital." Therefore, when the tanker dumped 11.2 million gallons of crude oil into the waters off Prince William Sound, it not only destroyed the population of fish and other sea-life, but the economies of these small villages as well.

The small villages in this region have no industry, and very limited means of stimulus to rejuvenate their economy once these renewable resources are no longer an option.

A subsistent economy was the last thread these natives had to their traditional lifestyle. Western attitudes had been forced upon them when Alaska joined the United States, thereby slowly eroding at the cultural identity of the natives. The last tie they had to the culture of their ancestors was the subsistence economy, taken from them on March 24, 1989. Furthermore the livelihood of the people was interrupted by their participation in the clean-up process. This took time away from their subsistence activities, thereby causing a food shortage that winter.

The lifestyle of the Alaskan natives was seriously effected by the oil spill of 1989. The contamination of the water, has had a long term effect on the fisheries present, but also on the physiological health of the people. The lifestyle of the people provided:

Thus, life, as it was known to the people of these small communities, was forever altered by the carelessness of the crews of the Exxon Valdez. Such an abrupt change in lifestyle is bound to have detrimental effects on the mental health of the villagers. A tremendous amount of stress was placed on their shoulders. The members of these communities had to find a new way to provide for their families. No longer could they rely on the environment to provide for their livelihood. This stress influences the character and attitudes of the Alaskan villages and thereby forever imbedding the disaster of the Exxon Valdez Oil spill deep within their society.

The devastating impact of the Exxon Valdez oil spill covers every aspect of the social structure in these small Alaskan communities, just as it covered the beaches and water. The black mark of the oil spill is still very present today, more than ten years after the fateful event occurred, and it will inevitably be present for many years to

come. Such a tragedy forced the people effected by the carelessness of the Exxon Valdez crew to seek legal action. In 1994 the people

effected by the spill were awarded $5 billion in punitive damages, and a total of $287 million for compensatory damages. While this money was awarded to the people they have yet to see a dime of it. The case has been in appeal for several years now. A full decade after the oil spill off Prince William Sound, the people whose lives were forever changed, have not received any compensation for the hardships Exxon bestowed upon them.

The initial response of the Exxon Oil Company was one of regret and sympathy for the people of Prince William Sound. The company immediately began sponsoring the clean-up process working closely with environmental organizations, government, and local community members. Although the company was vital in the efforts to clean up Prince William Sound, a consequential lawsuit ensued. In its own defense, Exxon, points out that the impact of the oil spill was not as horrible or detrimental so that it would warrant the company to pay the $5 billion dollars in punitive damages.

In the wake of the oil spill, Exxon has established new

regulations so that they may avoid such disasters in the future. Such

regulations include modified tanker routes and drug and alcohol testing, for the crews of tankers. Exxon has also established response centers around the world to ensure quick clean up for spills that may occur in the future.

Some ten years later, the people of Prince William Sound and Exxon remain in a heated court-room battle. Exxon continues to argue that while they are at fault the environmental impact was not as great as it may appear, and the people of Prince William Sound have not yet returned to their original lifestyle. Both parties continue their efforts to protect the environment and prevent such an incident from happening in the future.

The groups effected by the Exxon Valdez oil spill include; the department of tourism, citizens of Prince William Sound communities, fishermen, Exxon Oil Company, the environment, wildlife, the US government, and environmental protection agencies. The benefits that these groups received from the oil spill are indeed minimal when compared to the costs. The oil spill caused a decline in tourism, and had no apparent benefits. The fishing industry was devastated by the spill, and has not yet fully recovered. Residents of the surrounding Prince William Sound communities benefited from the media attention and compensation fees, however the loss to their lifestyle was far greater than any monetary gain. The Exxon Oil Company received nothing but poor publicity for their negligence in the accident, causing the company to lose business and money. The environment suffered the worst of all stakeholders because of the destruction of habitats and bio-diversity. The entire ecosystem was overturned with the introduction of crude oil, thereby changing the environment forever. The wildlife suffered a great amount as well, with the oil rendering the habitats and food sources poisonous. The Federal government gained from the oil spill through the new regulations placed on oil companies however they had to finance cleanup costs. Environmental protection agencies gained great publicity in the wake of the Exxon oil spill and their costs were minimal.

Had the Exxon Valdez never run aground on the Bligh reef in March of 1989, the pristine environment of Prince William Sound would have never reached its current state. The benefits that stakeholders received from the spill are not worth the devastation to the environment, the communities, or Exxon.

Sources:

Holloway, Marguerite. "Soiled Shores." Scientific American 265.4 (1991): 102-116.

Lee, Douglas B. "Tragedy in Alaskan Waters." National Geographic 176.2 (1989): 260-263.

Luoma, John R. "Spilling the Truth." Audubon 101.2 (1999): 52-55.

Michel, Jacqueline. "The Exxon Valdez oil spill: status of the shoreline." Geotimes 35.5 (1990): 20-22.

Michel, Jacqueline. "Prince William Sound, Alaska: The Cleanup Continues." Geotimes 36.3 (1991): 16-17.

Gill and Picou II:

Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council:

Survivors of the Exxon Oil Spill: