Guest Opinion By RICK STEINER A universal truth in all major oil spills is that once the oil is spilled, the damage is done. In Alaska, damage from the 1989 Exxon Valdez persists today, 24 years later. In the Gulf of Mexico, serious impacts from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon blowout are well documented, and will … Read more
Former Coast Guard commander Stephen Rothchild has been hired as administrative deputy director for the council. Rothchild began work in the Anchorage office on April 1. He replaced Stan Jones, who retired after 17 years with the council. “We are delighted to have someone with Steve’s knowledge of Prince William Sound taking over this position,” … Read more
Funding for the state agency in charge of oil spill prevention and response is projected to go into the red within three years if no action is taken by the Alaska Legislature. The Department of Environmental Conservation’s Spill Prevention and Response Division, known as SPAR, is the agency in charge of oil spill prevention and … Read more
In February, Representative Paul Seaton of Homer introduced House Bill 89 to the Alaska legislature. This bill, if passed, would direct the state’s Department of Fish and Game to set up a plan for an interagency rapid response to an invasion of non-native species. The bill called for funding to support the response efforts. The … Read more