The Council will be hosting events in Whittier on Wednesday through Friday, September 16-18, 2026. These events are free and open to the public.
Become a Master of Disaster: Wednesday, Sept. 16 from 1-3:30 p.m.
The Council will be hosting a youth education event at Whittier Community School. All ages are invited to learn about oil spill response, tankers, and related ocean science through interactive stations.
Public reception: Thursday, Sept. 17 from 5:30-7:30 p.m.
In conjunction with the Board meeting, the Council will be co-hosting a public reception at The Inn at Whittier. We invite the community to visit with us, learn more about the Council and share ideas. There will be hors d’oeuvres provided.
Board meeting: Thursday and Friday, Sept. 17-18
The meeting will be located at the City of Whittier Public Safety Building (660 Whittier St. across from the museum and Anchor Inn). Those interested in attending can do so in person, by teleconference (1-888-788-0099, meeting ID: 854 6640 9640) or videoconference (link to come). Visual presentations given during the meeting can be streamed live through the Zoom link or accessed by download on the Council’s website when available.
Meeting Schedule: The tentative schedule for the Thursday session is from 9 a.m. to 4:05 p.m. On Friday, the meeting is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. The meeting is open to the public, except for executive sessions. Public comments are scheduled to be taken on Thursday starting at 9:25 a.m. Those wishing to speak during public comments are highly encouraged to sign up ahead of time by emailing Jennifer Fleming.
On the agenda
- An activity report by Alyeska Pipeline Service Company on the Valdez Marine Terminal and Ship Escort Response Vessel System operations, as well as an update on Alyeska’s Trans Alaska Pipeline System Right-of-Way Renewal Process.
- A presentation focused on an ongoing Council project to examine miscommunication in maritime contexts.
- An update on Alyeska’s hydro-testing in the Valdez Marine Terminal East Tank Farm to evaluate the integrity of the secondary containment liners.
- A presentation on the Gulf-Alaska Knowledge Exchange, a three-part workshop series hosted by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in 2024 and 2025, to share ideas and bring together people with connections to the Exxon Valdez and Deepwater Horizon oil spills.
- A report summarizing a broadscale survey for non-indigenous marine species (NIS) across Kachemak Bay conducted by the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center in summer 2025.
- A summary of data analyzed from the Council’s weather buoys located near the Valdez Marine Terminal and Valdez Duck Flats.