The Council’s Board of Directors met in Kenai on Thursday and Friday, September 19 and 20, 2019. Agenda, meeting documents, and teleconference information: Board of Directors Meeting – Kenai, September 2019 Topics on the agenda included: A report evaluating the safety of established potential places of refuge, or pre-identified sites that may aid decision-makers in responding to vessels in distress. These sites provide a sheltered location…
New techniques in the field of genetic analysis are improving our understanding of the effects of oil spills. The Council collects samples from blue mussels like these to better understand the effects of oil spills. Photo by Lisa Matlock. Since 1993, the Council has gathered data on the presence of hydrocarbons in sediments and blue mussels in the region. Samples of sediments and mussels are collected and analyzed for the presence of oil or…
By Lisa Matlock Outreach Coordinator Since 2009, the council has partnered with the Chugach Children’s Forest to help youth from the Exxon Valdez oil spill region connect to Prince William Sound directly through unique outdoor experiences. The council has co-sponsored multiple expeditions in which students from Cordova to Kodiak ply the waters of Prince William Sound by kayak, charter vessel, and ferry. The wonders of the Sound, its wildlife,…
Council voices support for full funding Representatives from the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation and SERVS observe an oil spill exercise in Prince William Sound. The State of Alaska’s Oil and Hazardous Substances Release Prevention and Response Fund is in trouble. Funding for the prevention of spills is projected to be in a deficit by 2025. Reduced pipeline flow contributes to shortfall The amount of money going into the…