Brigham A. McCown will become the next president of Alyeska Pipeline Service Company. The selection was announced by the Trans Alaska Pipeline System’s (TAPS) Owners Committee. McCown is the second company president hired as an Alyeska employee following Vice Admiral Thomas Barrett, U.S. Coast Guard (Ret.), who was brought on in January 2011 and is … Read more
By Austin Love
Council Project Manager
The Council funds monitoring for marine species that could be introduced into Prince William Sound as a result of the operation of the Valdez Marine Terminal and associated oil tankers. If an invasive species, such as the European green crab, becomes established in Prince William Sound, they could cause serious economic and ecological harm.
By Alan Sorum
Council Project Manager
A recent Council-sponsored study reviewed eight “potential places of refuge,” or PPOR, which are locations where an oil tanker in distress can anchor and take action to stabilize its condition. Of the eight reviewed in the study, none were found to be safe for use by tankers. However, several safe alternates were identified, analyzed, and proposed for future consideration.
Identifying these sites in advance allows decision-makers to save time during their critical initial response to a potential oil spill. Establishment of these places of refuge is recognized by the International Maritime Organization and other governmental agencies as an important marine safety and pollution mitigation measure.
By Betsi Oliver Outreach Coordinator In September, Council volunteers brought a message of citizen engagement and oil spill prevention to Kenai’s second and third graders. At the education event known as Masters of Disaster, students engaged in engineering challenges, learned principles of chemistry, got an introduction to tanker design, and practiced oiled wildlife response. The … Read more