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Lessons of the Exxon Valdez Steiner 1990 of the Exxon Valdez AI (" ar C 91) Program Elmer E. Rasmuson Library Cataloging-in-Publication Data. Steiner. Rick. Lessons of the Exxon Valdez. (SG-ED-08) 1. Exxon Valdez (Ship) 2. Oil pollution of the sea-Prince William Sound. 3. Oil spills-Environmental aspects-Alaska. I. Byers. Kurt. II. Alaska Sea Granl College Program. III. Series: Sea Grant education publication: no. 8. TD427.P4S741990 This publication was produced by the Alaska Sea Grant College Program which is cooperatively supported by the U.S. Department of Commerce, NOAA Office of Sea Grant and Extramural Programs, under grant number NA90AA-D-SG066, project Af71-01 and A·75-01; and by the University of Alaska with funds appropriated by the state. The University of Alaska provides equal education and employment for all, regardless of race, color. religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, status as a Vietnam era or disabled veteran, marital status. changes in marital status, pregnancy, or parenthood pursuant to applicable state and federal laws. Lessons of the Exxon Valdez Written by Rick Steiner Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program Cordova, Alaska and Kur1 Byers Alaska Sea Grant College Program Fairbanks, Alaska Technical editing by Sue Keller Alaska Sea Grant College Program Fairbanks, Alaska Alaska Sea Grant College Program University of Alaska Fairbanks 138 Irving II Fairbanks, Alaska 99775-5040 (907) 474-7086 Fax (907) 474-6265 ~ SG-ED-08 I!':I' 1990 Acknowledgments Information and Review The 1oIow~'CI people c:ontribuMd w.wable idomIaIion, ~ . aroIlII<:tlnical ....ww for porIic:Q of IhiI pUbllc;Ition. o.~ AdIley. James fall, Uel'd Lowry, CNrIes Ideacl>am, Hern\llfl SaYikl<o, .tIC! I.Iic:IIeIIe Sydeman. AIa$I<a Deparlm8nl 0/ AsII & Ga .... : Richard Balran , Dougiall DoneQar1. and M81W1y Soares, AlUka Oopartment 01 Envln>mlefllal CooS&<Vllkln; TOI'$I\O;4I O'MalleV and SUZ3/VIII ludiooIIo. A~ OtIa cl lhe Gov<l,nor; ~m·lan Cllan lind S"'... Zimm$fll\(ll\, NOM National Marine Fistwie$ Setviot; GottIot1 PaUonen, Inlemational Pacllic HBJibut Commililon; JolIn Rull$lil. Impact Assessmem, toe.: Sob Donald, Vaklotz Counsel, ng C,nt&I; S_ Oraurld. SIOV9 Braund and Associalel; Donald C~, U.S. MlrlMall Managomenl ServIce: David Schmid!, National WkIiIe Federation: Sleval8wis. Euon BiomIdicaI Science, 1o'Ic:.: Ka!S' &Il AodW<.. E.o.wn AIasI<a Operations: $/\ioron Atajl. I.JrIMIrslty 01 AIasIta Anchorage Depao1rr>&1'1! 01 SocIology: T"" Cooney • .Iohn FrencII, and David Shaw, U~ ot AIuI<a Fairbanks SdIooI 01 FISI\eIIet. and Ocean ~ ; Harry s.w. UAF ScIIoaI 01 Agrlcullur,n Und Reosoun::es ManagemenI; &uce 8811.... U.S. Fls/I and Widile SeMce; .IOM """, .. d!. Alaska DIJoeiblle" III HIIaIIh and SocioII SeMon: ~ Pa1miuni. ""~D.Ii')I~ SIanIey Farrllf and RanOee Fo., Silam. r......s. A special ......... to RicNtd SIricklaocI o/1he lWw ..~ 01 WashingIcwI Sea GIani College ProQram. who provided InsighIIIA ctiticaI .Il'<4800 oj \lie ~ ....,.....;ripI . Production lftSOlll oIlf1t1 E.uoo VM1Iu essay _ W'fitten by Riel< Sleinel and edited by """ B~ . ~ dIapIers ""9<lI co"'piled and ..,.;"8<1 by Kurt By&rs. SuII K.... prooI.ead and ediIed!he ~ I>otJOIa Sd>neider ~ resumo assistance on !hili 1_ iOIog~ dIapIe<. Kut1 BVers o:Ie$gned II>e publicatlon, 5uMon 1lo.ltrou;r..lI8signed II>e IXN .. a nd _ill paQII5. and pasted up Ill. bocII<'-I ; am Karen lundqulst pmvidBdaeslgn~ . Lisa SpOOeaer anli led whh pmoi'8ading IIl1d cIo!;ktop pUblislling. Typesetling was by Colo, A~ POOling 01 ArIc:ttoragfl and Auto­ matlld Bu ......,. Cenler 01 Fallbanll$. color oepa,atioos by AlaSl<ll Color Sean 01 Ardlofage. aocl printing Wat by Uriverlily 01 AlaSl<ll"""'~ng and DuPicating ServIce .. Cover c-painllng. onIitD:lII9~_ ·' 8IWs. ;. by Lynn WIIIdorT. at\ anisI who dMdos he< . .... _ HomfIr. A1aska. lind ~ (;aIjornia. Waldorf. pair.tjng ... ~~ 01 at\ a<telhi:Ji"t III ~ V~ Af1S c...... 01 Alaska In Anchorage. eru.1Ied Gr\:ItOII(f Zero. The e~ oa-.e IIItists and """" tfISicIon\s In comrnunoMI hoi by ~ ~ .... oppo<1UniIy 10 00fWfI111n1ug11a<\ ..... ~ fII"Id Impfe . IS about !he 011 sPI. 1/ighIi_·, a- lIaS been ~ by !he Pracr MuMum i-I ......... fII"Id;' on dOIpIay lhefe. 8acl<Qrouncl CCH8I phoIo ;. by KUfI ay..s ...., $IIow$ Fossil Cliffs on KocqIc I$I8nd along !he Gull 01 AIaSI<.a. Photographers I<un 8~ II communicalions manager","" Allow Sea Gram at tile Univ8r5ity 01 AlltSka F.ir1Ianks. and hi& p/"IOIOO,aphs haW! appeared in M/cIIiQlm NalUltli ReSOUtalS magazine, Micltl(pn Nall}fl/ RelOlllCf/s R9Q/$1.,-. USDA Nftws. nowspapors 111""-"1'001 Alaska and In Michigan . and yn/vefsily potlllcilioon.. Roy Corrlll i. auocialG dOt 01 Alaska magazine In AncIIofaoe. and ~ photograplls haW! &ppGa'OI;i In AI.uIur FUll , G.ilme. N,_ Gqagfaphic. Na5.\:.o. Ou~• • od In new~ . Alissa Crandall is M Anchor. p/>oIogra· pIw ""- _ lias _,.... in ~ ~. NJlI>oniII Pari<. AI.lska. ~. W~ Consemo/iiotl, aod In SIe<f. Club CIIend&ora aocl !he CtttislW> ~ MonIfor. Jo/"fI Hyde 10 • YiIIuaI infcfma\lotl apea.1is, .... .,.. AIeska Oepartmenl 01 Fioh & Game In ..kI ....u. fII"Id hit phoIogr3ptla haV1I .....,.., In NMionM ~. NMutltlHisloty. ~ OuIdoOtPllotrlgl.""... fII"Id $pons ~Ied. GeoI!r-r 0r"Ih is a FairbankI ~ and comneocial fisIIemIan """'*' .... dugo...,.. ,...,." appeared In Paril UaICt>, a.onr.. L '£io;ptlI$S. L.~ fII"Id In u.S. _ and W<n1R1tpgf1. foId,os, 11\1..iIe. 0uIsdt. NatiotulF"~ eocl P«/k F"1SIIir1Il. J.tI Sc:fU:z is an Aroc:toorage phoIograploet whoeIo photographs ........ appearecIln nn.. NUonItI ~ Amori:aI'o f'hoto(,8IIJhIr. ~ $loris ~ fII"Id 0uIs.i:I&. Mm;on $Iim.op ;' S t<cxiak.. Alaska. photographer and wriIaI whoM pIooIogr.. '- ,""",f1Od in ~ NasQ F"1Sh' GamoI. SitImJ CUI, SN Front>atI . ..-.:I ~~ma;azJnM. /I Contents iv Foreword 1 Introduction 3 Lessons of the Exxon Valdez 13 Effects of the Oil 19 Oil Spill Containment and Cleanup Technology 24 Legal Issues 26 Annotated Bibliography C) I. IoIARI(lN sm""."" One of f 000 com ernet1 eiti; ~n' a ~odiak Island rally. ill Foreword no. wrool< 01 the Exxon Valdez was more than just anolh&r oil spil. It .... as the most significant environmental disaster 01 the 08<:000 and has sefVed as a calaiysllor sweeping revj. siems of how this counuy deals with oil spins. II has triggered a new sense 01 environmentalism th rol.lghout Ihe world. Before you now is Lessons a/the Elflfon Valdez. a document w ~h onelur.damental and (:(lmmendable purpose: pI',.,.n\lng another Exxon Valdez I~ from ever happen­ ing again. II looks 811119 oiling of Prinoo W~ W am Sound and other llIeas 01 soulhcenltal Alaska as a "teachable IT1CIIn.nl- in history. bIII:l\orWIg ~ s . educalQr1:, OOI'ISefYatiooists, and people in aD walks of ~ I . 10 leam Irom and avoid repsal' lng!his catastrophe. L6$SOfI$ of the Exxon Valdez provides a 100II Blthe many months 01 scientific and technical reseateh into citaJm­ StaneeS thaI allowed the ac:ciDef11 10 happ&n. 11 pl'oposIIS prevenlive solutions that must be pari of the poblic (!;scus­ !>ion about oil &pills. 11 is instructiVe, use""'. and good raadirog lor those Interested In a bioad lMIfView of 0fl0 01 America's most unfortunata environmental events, -Sieve ColOp6f Gov.mor OIIht'J State o f Alaska Go~_Steve COwpet'OfI InIpKtIon four gf an ollctd buell, " Introduction This public education booklet features an essay on PfeYen· tion and oontroj of oil spil ls. It is tntended 10 provoke thought and action among industry. government, and the public thai will lead to safer transport 01 oil, more eff9c1r.e ways of responding 10 oil spills, and less dependency on petroleum prodliCls. The essay is followed by a summary of I!f1viroomental and biological effects of the spill accompanied by informalion on state and lederal research , an overview of oil spill contain­ ment and cleanup technology, and a summary of significant state and federal legislative action. Also included is a list of olher publicaMns for feadefs who would like 10 e xplore in greater detail different aspects of the spill. The essay was writu," by Rick Steiner. associate protes· SO( of fisheries with ltJe University of Ataska Fairbanks. Ste;ner, now on sabbatical leave, is the Sea Grant Marine Advisory agent in Cordova. The essay is part of testimony Ste;nef prllS4lnted at the June 3. 1989. mee1ing of tile North Pacific Legislative Task Force in Kod i a ~ . Alas~a . His opin­ ions were based partj1 on a fact-finding trip he took in May 1989. sponsored by Ataska Sea Granl. 10 Su llom Voe Oil Terminal in lhe Shetland IslandS. s.ooliand. Rick Sieiner. Cordova. a town of aboul 2.000 people forty mifes lrom Bligh A&af. harbors the largest commercial lishing fleet in Prince WWiam Sound. The morning.after the Spill . Steillllf alerted Alaska Sea Grant,Director Ron ~arbom of the need lor immediate research so that belore-and-after comparisons COI.Jld be made 10 delermine biological &Hects of the spill. As a r!!'Sult . the University 01 Alaska was first 10 dispatch scien­ tists to tile soond. Three days aHer tile spill. Steiner. a commercial fisher­ man. and three lellow Cordovans met with oil company and Coast Guard Officials. They developed a plan to illVclve Prince Wimam Sound fishermen In a campaign to cordon off witll oil containment booms three Of the work/'s largest and most valuable satmon hatcheries. nearby estuaries and escapement streams, and two bays where herring spawn. The effort was a success. Steiner has since lectured to var;oos groups and pre_ sented his ideas to govemment olficials.lnctu<ling U.S. Secretary of Transportation Samuel Skinner.
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