The Observer, January 2006

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Volunteer Profile
Long-distance TOEM member keeps eye on Sound

By SUSAN SOMMER
Project Manager

Janice Wiegers lives in Fairbanks, but Valdez holds a special interest for her.

Since 1999, she has been a member of the council’s Terminal Operations and Environmental Monitoring Committee, learning about and weighing in on oil terminal issues via teleconference during meetings that originate nearly 400 miles from her home.

TOEM, as the committee is usually called, identifies actual and potential sources of pollution at the Valdez Marine Terminal. Most of its work focuses on ballast water treatment and its impact on water quality in Port Valdez, and on air quality issues stemming from hydrocarbons emitted during tanker loading and other facility operations.

One of Janice’s projects when she was a graduate student at Western Washington University involved a comprehensive look at environmental aspects of Port Valdez after many years of oil being transported through the area. After earning her master’s degree in applied ecology and moving back to her hometown of Fairbanks, she wanted to stay in touch with environmental issues concerning Prince William Sound and the port, so she called the council and asked if any volunteers were needed. TOEM took her on immediately.

Being a TOEM volunteer, says Janice, broadens her understanding of Alaska’s environmental issues. It takes her beyond the things she works with as an environmental program specialist with the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, where she focuses on soil and water contamination.

“You become so entrenched in the things you deal with regularly,” she explains, “and it’s only a small part of what’s going on.”

Janice says she’s particularly interested in learning more about fire suppression and the terminal’s various operating permits, topics less familiar to her than more traditional TOEM issues such as air and water quality.

Janice received the TOEM Volunteer of the Year Award in 2001.

In December, Janice participated in the council’s volunteer workshop, a gathering of committee volunteers, board members, and staff to share ideas and brainstorm better ways of working toward common goals. She was impressed by the number of people who brought both knowledge of marine oil transportation issues and concern for the Sound to the meeting.

An outdoorswoman and life-long learner, Janice lives with her husband and two dogs. She’s trained the younger animal to skijor, or pull her on skis. She also spends lots of time exploring trails with a local hiking club. Lately, she’s been practicing tai chi, a Chinese martial art.

With work, family, and plenty of other pursuits to keep her busy in Fairbanks, Janice doesn’t get to visit Valdez as often as she’d like. Volunteering on TOEM, though, keeps her in touch with this community at the pipeline’s terminus. “I’m impressed with RCAC – the number of projects and the level of commitment the organization maintains. And trying to work with industry is a great thing,” she says.