This document is a summary report for 28th year of Long Term Environmental Monitoring Program.
The Long-Term Environmental Monitoring Program (LTEMP), managed by the Prince William Sound Regional Citizens’ Advisory Council, is in its 28th year of monitoring hydrocarbons in the wake of the Exxon Valdez oil spill.
Through LTEMP, we are able to determine the source of hydrocarbons and the potential adverse effects on the ecosystem from Alyeska Pipeline Service Company’s Valdez Marine Terminal and tanker activity. These data have been insightful in understanding the influence of terminal and non-terminal sources of hydrocarbons and environmental factors on hydrocarbon dynamics across Prince William Sound and the Gulf of Alaska.
The following study presents the 2021 results from the LTEMP in Port Valdez and aims to determine:
- The extent, if any, that the terminal and associated tankers’ hydrocarbon fingerprint is present in 2021 samples.
- The potential environmental and toxicological risk posed by the measured hydrocarbon contribution from the terminal and tankers.
- Other factors (e.g., environmental or anthropogenic) that may be influencing hydrocarbon presence and composition in 2021 samples and the toxicological relevance of these results.
- How the 2021 data compare to historical LTEMP trends and whether new analysis supports previous conclusions.
- Recommendations for future monitoring of petroleum hydrocarbons at the terminal and in Prince William Sound.
Prepared by: Morgan L. Bender. Contributors: James R. Payne and William B. Driskell