Al Burch, who served on the Council’s Board of Directors since September of 2002, resigned in May. Burch represented the Kodiak Island Borough for 16 years. He served for 14 of those years on the Council’s Legislative Affairs Committee, helping to guide the Council’s advice to elected officials and to provide input on legislative matters.
The Council held annual elections to choose its seven-member executive committee at the May meeting in Valdez.
Amanda Bauer, who represents the City of Valdez, was re-elected as president. Thane Miller, who represents Prince William Sound Aquaculture Corporation, was re-elected as vice-president. Bob Shavelson, who represents the Oil Spill Region Environmental Coalition, was re-elected as secretary. Wayne Donaldson, who represents the City of Kodiak, was re-elected as treasurer. Robert Archibald, who represents the City of Homer; Melissa Berns, who represents the Kodiak Village Mayors Association; and new Board member Rebecca Skinner, representing the Kodiak Island Borough, were all elected to serve as at-large members of the executive committee.
Rebecca Skinner of Kodiak has replaced Burch as the representative for the Kodiak Island Borough. In addition, Josie Hickel from Chugach Alaska Corporation resigned from the Board in May and was replaced by Peter Andersen.
Skinner was born and raised in Kodiak, Alaska, and is a member of the Sun’aq Tribe of Kodiak. She is a practicing attorney and Executive Director of Alaska Whitefish Trawlers Association.
Andersen, who is currently the Vice President of Operations at Chugach Commercial Holdings at Chugach Alaska Corporation, has an extensive background in oil spill prevention and response.
More about our new members: Current Board of Directors
By Lisa Matlock
“What lives here in the winter?” This is a question anyone might ask when visiting Prince William Sound in the off-season. It is also a question recently asked by local organizations in order to better protect these rich waters and their wildlife occupants year-round from oil spills.
The Prince William Sound Regional Citizens’ Advisory Council worked with the Prince William Sound Science Center in 2016 to complete a biological resource inventory of winter species in the Sound. The goal of this project was to develop a detailed bibliography documenting the presence of all wildlife studied in the Sound during the winter since 1989. This project allows this information to be shared with anyone working or visiting the region.
The resulting paper also identifies gaps in knowledge regarding the Sound’s winter species to be filled by future researchers. It provides valuable, scientifically accurate information that can be used by the Council and others to identify sensitive biological resources which informs oil spill contingency plans and helps spill responders and spill drill participants better consider winter species when protecting sensitive areas from harm.
To see the list of winter species download the final report:
Winter Species in Prince William Sound, Alaska, 1989-2016