The Council monitors terminal operations and maintenance, air and water quality standards, reviews operating permits and protocols, and conducts independent research on topics such as corrosion and piping inspection technologies.
Through the work of the terminal operations program, a number of significant improvements have helped reduce environmental impacts from the terminal.
- Prior to 1998, large amounts of hydrocarbon vapors, including known carcinogens such as benzene, were released into the atmosphere as crude oil was loaded onto tanker ships. Work done in this program helped the Council advocate for a vapor recovery system to capture those harmful vapors. In 1998, Alyeska finished installing vapor recovery systems on its two active loading berths, eliminating the emission of those hydrocarbons.
- Prior to 2009, the ballast water treatment facility on the terminal was also a large source of atmospheric emissions of hydrocarbons. The reason for this was because one of the treatment stages, dissolved air flotation, was open to the atmosphere allowing hydrocarbons to escape. Through this program the Council advocated that these vapors be contained. In 2009 and 2010, Alyeska covered the dissolved air flotation tanks, eliminating this source of air contamination.
GAO report looks at Joint Pipeline Office
A new report from the Government Accountability Office, or GAO, examines the current status of the Joint Pipeline Office, or ...
Study estimates emissions from 2022 incident
A new Council report contains an estimate of crude oil vapors emitted during an incident at the Valdez Marine Terminal ...
Pilot test evaluates testing methods for buried liners
How do you detect damage underground? The Council, Alyeska, and the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, or ADEC, have been ...
Two years later: Has safety at Alyeska improved?
Alyeska’s response yields many improvements although concerns remain A 2023 Council report identified some serious safety risks at Alyeska’s Valdez ...
Contingency plan for terminal under review
The oil spill contingency plan for the Valdez Marine Terminal is undergoing its five year renewal. During a public comment ...
Annual Report now available
The Council's annual report, Year in Review 2022/2023, is now available. This report covers the many programs and projects we’ve ...