News & Announcements

Registration for the 2013 Marine Firefighting Symposium is now open.

Through this program, up to 75 firefighters and first responders from Prince William Sound and other Alaska coastal communities will be provided hands-on classroom and field training opportunities that are tailored for the challenges faced in Alaska. Topics will include shipboard basics, cruise ship awareness, fire plans and ship’s crew coordination, politics of a marine incident, and more.

The event will be held October 8-10 at AVTEC – Alaska’s Institute of Technology’s facility in Seward.  

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Articles from the May issue of The Observer newsletter are now online.

1. 

   Council and partners work to permit oil spill simulant for response training
   Because evaluating the effectiveness of oil recovery efforts during trainings and drills can be difficult, the council has been working to find an appropriate oil simulant. A simulant would mimic oil on water and provide responders with a practice target and help to increase proficiency with response gear and tactics.
   Read more: Council and partners work to permit oil spill simulant for response training

2. Review of proposed contingency plan shows some areas improved, others need more detail
   The council has been analyzing proposed changes to the Valdez Marine Terminal Oil Discharge Prevention and Contingency Plan during a recent public review.
   Read more: Review of proposed contingency plan shows some areas improved, others need more detail

3. Colder and saltier water increases toxic effects of dispersed oil
   Temperature and salinity of water can have an effect on how toxic dispersed oil is to organisms in the environment, a council study has found.
   Read more: Colder and saltier water increases toxic effects of dispersed oil

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The next meeting of the council’s board of directors will be taking place at the Valdez Convention and Civic Center on Thursday and Friday, May 2 and 3.

The tentative times for public sessions are from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, and from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Friday. The meeting is open to the public, except for executive sessions. Public comments are scheduled for Thursday starting at 8:55 a.m.

The council will be conducting regular business during the meeting including the election of officers, orientation of new volunteers and seating the established committees.

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The council’s next board of directors meeting is scheduled for May 2 and 3, 2013 at the Valdez Convention and Civic Center in Valdez, Alaska.

The draft meeting agenda and documents supporting this meeting have been posted online:  May 2013 Meeting of the Prince William Sound Regional Citizens’ Advisory Council.

There are a number of important items requiring board action and attention at this meeting.  Board members should receive copies of the meeting notebook in the mail.  To complete council business efficiently, board members are asked to review meeting materials prior to the meeting.

Board meetings are open to the public, and an opportunity for the public to provide comments is provided at the beginning of each meeting.

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