"What's New" Archives, 2011
Most recent items are at the top.
Slideshow - 2011 Marine Firefighting Symposium
The council recently sponsored the 6th Land-Based Marine Firefighting Symposium in Valdez, Alaska, October 4-6, 2011.
More information: Marine Firefighting Symposium Project
Annual Marine Safety Recognition Award
The council participates as a member of the Valdez Marine Safety Committee, a forum for planning, assessing, and communicating operational measures that promote safe and efficient use of Prince William Sound and the Port of Valdez.
The committee has created a Marine Safety Recognition Award, to be presented annually to an individual, group, organization, or company whose efforts significantly and proactively contributed to improving maritime safety and/or maritime environmental protection in Prince William Sound.
Find out more: Valdez Marine Safety Committee
The citizens' council's board of directors met September 15 & 16 in Kenai.
The Prince William Sound Regional Citizens' Advisory Council's board of directors met September 15 & 16 at the Challenger Learning Center in Kenai, Alaska. Meeting materials are online.
More information: Prince William Sound Regional Citizens' Advisory Council Board of Directors
The Observer
Check out the September edition of The Observer, the council's quarterly newsletter.
In this edition, read about two new tankers coming to the Sound in 2014, the Copper River Watershed Project's petition for citizen oversight for the trans-Alaska pipeline, The Spill being used in a college classroom, why transparency in oil spill response is so important and much more.
Just as a reminder, you can now receive The Observer by email! Sign up today to receive our newsletter straight into your inbox.
2011 Marine Firefighting Symposium
The council recently sponsored the 6th Land-Based Marine Firefighting Symposium in Valdez, Alaska, October 4-6, 2011.
Photos of the event are available on the council's Facebook page.
Visit our Marine Firefighting project page for more information.
The Observer
Check out the July edition of The Observer, the council's quarterly newsletter.
In this edition, read about the U.S. Coast Guard's report on the Pathfinder incident, the Kachemak Bay Research Reserve's recent oil spill education event in Homer, see which council volunteer is passionate about teaching teens in the Prince William Sound area about oil spills, and find out why it's so important to be "fish literate!"
Tethered Balloon oil spill surveillance demonstration
The council, in conjunction with the Oil Spill Recovery Institute of Cordova and BP's Crisis Management Unit are working on the development of a promising new method of providing aerial observations during an oil spill. The surveillance technology uses a helium filled balloon carrying both infrared and conventional cameras that is tethered to a vessel. The spill balloon can be lofted 500 feet in the air and would supplement traditional aircraft over-flights during a response. A demonstration of this system was conducted on April 25 in Valdez at the small boat harbor. An on water demonstration took place later that afternoon in Port Valdez.
Photo: The balloon tethered to a vessel in Port Valdez.
Tethered Balloon Surveillance Demonstration (pdf)
Photos from the April 19 test in Cordova by the Oil Spill Recovery Institute. (Cordova photos by the Oil Spill Recovery Institute.)A final report on this demonstration was approved by the council's board of directors in September: OSRI Balloon‐Based Spill Surveillance System Operations and Testing Results
The citizens' council's board of directors met May 5 and 6 in Valdez.
The Prince William Sound Regional Citizens' Advisory Council's board of directors met May 5 and 6 at the Valdez Convention & Civic Center in Valdez, Alaska. The meeting agenda and support materials are online.
More information: Prince William Sound Regional Citizens' Advisory Council Board of Directors
Discovery Lab in Homer
The Kachemak Bay Research Reserve held a public Discovery Lab:"Could It Happen Here? Coastal Mapping and Oil Spill Response"on April 6th from 3pm – 5pm at the Islands and Ocean Visitor Center.
You can read more about it in the July issue of The Observer, and be sure to check out some photos from our Facebook page: Discovery Lab by Kachemak Bay Research Reserve
This Discovery Lab was sponsored by the council through our Youth Involvement Program.
BP Gulf of Mexico oil spill:
The National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill has released its final report.
From the report: "Recommendation
EPA and the Coast Guard should bolster state and local involvement in oil spill contingency planning and training and create a mechanism for local involvement in spill planning and response similar to the Regional Citizens' Advisory Councils mandated by the Oil Pollution Act of 1990."More information on these recommendations.
The council has a wealth of information on the effects of major oil spills and many lessons learned from the Exxon Valdez oil spill, both environmental and psychological. Please visit our information website, where we have been posting a collection of links to materials that we believe could be useful to reporters, citizens, agencies, organizations, companies, and communities continuing to deal with BP’s Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
**Visit the council's info website: Prince William Sound Regional Citizens' Advisory Council's oil spill resources site.
2009-2010 In Review
Get a glimpse into the council's citizen oversight projects over the past year, including the Pathfinder grounding on Bligh Reef, problems with the fishing vessel oil spill response program, the council's outreach activities to those affected by the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, and much more.
The Prince William Sound Regional Citizens' Advisory Council's 2009-2010 In Review Annual Report is now available online.
Dispersant use in the Gulf of Mexico
The council has significant concerns regarding the first response use of dispersants in the BP Deepwater Horizon spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
For more information, read the council's white paper: Observations, Questions And Recommendations Regarding Use Of Dispersants On The BP Deepwater Horizon Spill.
Visit the Oil Spill Dispersants project page for more information on the council's position on dispersant use.
Legislation to preserve tug escorts for Prince William Sound oil tankers signed by President Obama!
"Today I have signed into law H.R. 3619, the "Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2010."" -President Barack Obama, Oct 15, 2010.
The Coast Guard Authorization Act, which includes provisions that will preserve the dual-tug escort system for loaded tankers in the Sound has passed the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives was signed by President Obama last week!Thanks to all who supported this effort, especially Sens. Mark Begich and Lisa Murkowski, and Congressman Don Young!
The Observer:
January's issue of the council's Observer newsletter is now online!
Read about the new federal law that will preserve escorts for double-hulled tankers in Prince William Sound, last October's unannounced drill, and a recent training class on helping wildlife which comes in contact with oil during a spill.
The citizens' council's board of directors met January 20 & 21 in Anchorage.
The Prince William Sound Regional Citizens' Advisory Council's board of directors met in Anchorage recently. The meeting agenda and support materials are on the board meeting information page.
Minutes from the meeting and highlights from the meeting and other recent council activities will be posted soon.
More information: Prince William Sound Regional Citizens' Advisory Council Board of Directors
Council receives Google grant!
The council has been awarded a Google Grant for free Google AdWords advertising. Council ads are displayed alongside related search results on Google.com, and when people click on the ad, they are taken to our homepage. The Google Grant award is helping us promote the environmentally safe operation of the Alyeska terminal and tankers and to inform, engage, and connect with our constituents. Thank you, Google!
Council meeting in Seldovia:
The citizen's council recently held one of three annual board meetings in beautiful Seldovia, Alaska on Thursday and Friday, September 16 & 17, 2010.
Agenda and documents are posted online:
September 16-17 council board meeting materials.Check back soon for a list of motions and actions from this board meeting.
The Observer:
September's edition of the council's Observer newsletter is online!
Read about the recent visitors to Prince William Sound from the Gulf of Mexico, nine high school students from around the country who visited the Sound to study oceanography and oil spills, recent Geographic Response Strategy tests, and more.
