The Council’s partnerships with regulators and industry help progress our shared goal for the safe transportation of oil in the Exxon Valdez oil spill region. Our research, advice, and resources help support regulators and industry towards that goal. It is important to share and celebrate joint accomplishments and positive progress, especially during this current time of heightened divisiveness in our culture. Highlighting collaborative achievements helps encourage the desire to continue working together to find solutions to complex, long-term problems. Fostering these successful partnerships by cultivating trust, transparency, and open communication also helps navigate to common ground at times when the parties may not be in complete alignment.
This edition of the Observer includes coverage of a working group involving both Regional Citizens Advisory Councils in Alaska, industry, and others, who collaborated to promote a federal legislative solution to ensure that local fishing vessels primarily engaged in non-oil spill response activities could be used temporarily to assist during an oil spill emergency in the state of Alaska. The language passed in the FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act ensures that the Alyeska/Ship Escort Response Vessel System’s contracted fishing vessel fleet remains a vital part of the oil spill response program in our region. The pre-contracted and trained fleet, made up of over 350 vessels and local mariners who understand our waters, is considered the backbone of the response system and is essential to help mitigate impacts from a potential spill.
We also have been working on a new illustrated book with author and artist Tom Crestodina. This book, highlighting the equipment, technology, local expertise, and skilled personnel that make up the oil spill prevention and response system designed to protect Prince William Sound and its downstream communities, would not have been possible without the support and input by industry in the development and verification of the content. We anticipate launching the book “Protectors of Prince William Sound” in May, so stay tuned!
When Congress created the Regional Citizens Advisory Councils following the Exxon Valdez spill, they found that, “only when local citizens are involved in the process will the trust develop that is necessary to change the present system from confrontation to consensus.” During these tumultuous times of state and federal deregulation, and budget and staffing reductions within industry and regulatory agencies, the Council’s work is more important than ever. This can be seen in our ability to enlist technical and scientific experts, the expertise and contributions of our volunteers, our outreach work to educate the public and help create stewards in the youth of our region, and so much more. We are a small staff, but with the involvement of our volunteers and support from communities, we have the ability to make a positive impact.
While we don’t always have the same views or risk tolerance as industry and regulators, we recognize and appreciate their dedicated staff who care about protecting their backyards and who work to keep our communities, local economies, and environment safe from another major spill. It is the Council’s job to support their efforts and do what we can to ensure they have the budget, staffing, and resources needed to keep the system operating safely. The Council’s founders had tremendous passion and overcame so much in the months and years immediately following the spill. The Regional Citizens Advisory Council model as envisioned and established by Congress has made a positive difference since then, and it is important for citizens to continue this legacy by working alongside industry and regulators on our common goals. Your voices and actions have made a difference. Let’s keep it up.