25th Anniversary of Exxon Valdez oil spill March 24, 1989
- 9 years ago
Originally published on March 16, 2014
On March 24, 1989, the oil tanker Exxon Valdez struck Bligh Reef in Prince William Sound, Alaska, shortly after midnight. The accident caused the oil tanker to spill more than 11 million gallons of crude oil. which equals roughly 1,264,155 barrels, or 17 olympic-sized swimming pools.
The Exxon Valdez departed from the Trans Alaska Pipeline terminal at 9:12 pm March 23, 1989. The ship ran aground on Bligh Reef at 12:04 a.m., threatening the delicate food chain that supports Prince William Sound's commercial fishing industry. Also in danger were ten million migratory shore birds and waterfowl, hundreds of sea otters, dozens of other species, such as harbor porpoises and sea lions, and several varieties of whales.
Many factors complicated the cleanup efforts following the spill, including the size of the spill and its remote location, which was accessible only by helicopter and boat. The spill affected the area region from Bligh Reef 460 miles to the tiny village of Chignik on the Alaska Peninsula.
A U.S. Coast Guard at USCG investigator, along with a representative from the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, visited the scene of the incident to assess the damage. By noon on Friday, March 25, the Alaska Regional Response Team was brought together by teleconference, and the National Response Team was activated soon thereafter.
Alyeska, the association that represents seven oil companies who operate in Valdez, including Exxon, first assumed responsibility for the cleanup, in accordance with the area's contingency planning. Alyeska opened an emergency communications center in Valdez shortly after the spill was reported and set up a second operations center in Anchorage, Alaska.
Three methods were tried in the effort to clean up the spill: burning, mechanical cleanup, and chemical dispersants. A trial burn was conducted during the early stages of the spill. A fire-resistant boom was placed on tow lines, and two e
On March 24, 1989, the oil tanker Exxon Valdez struck Bligh Reef in Prince William Sound, Alaska, shortly after midnight. The accident caused the oil tanker to spill more than 11 million gallons of crude oil. which equals roughly 1,264,155 barrels, or 17 olympic-sized swimming pools.
The Exxon Valdez departed from the Trans Alaska Pipeline terminal at 9:12 pm March 23, 1989. The ship ran aground on Bligh Reef at 12:04 a.m., threatening the delicate food chain that supports Prince William Sound's commercial fishing industry. Also in danger were ten million migratory shore birds and waterfowl, hundreds of sea otters, dozens of other species, such as harbor porpoises and sea lions, and several varieties of whales.
Many factors complicated the cleanup efforts following the spill, including the size of the spill and its remote location, which was accessible only by helicopter and boat. The spill affected the area region from Bligh Reef 460 miles to the tiny village of Chignik on the Alaska Peninsula.
A U.S. Coast Guard at USCG investigator, along with a representative from the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, visited the scene of the incident to assess the damage. By noon on Friday, March 25, the Alaska Regional Response Team was brought together by teleconference, and the National Response Team was activated soon thereafter.
Alyeska, the association that represents seven oil companies who operate in Valdez, including Exxon, first assumed responsibility for the cleanup, in accordance with the area's contingency planning. Alyeska opened an emergency communications center in Valdez shortly after the spill was reported and set up a second operations center in Anchorage, Alaska.
Three methods were tried in the effort to clean up the spill: burning, mechanical cleanup, and chemical dispersants. A trial burn was conducted during the early stages of the spill. A fire-resistant boom was placed on tow lines, and two e