Schantz Observer Column

The Council’s mandates were created after the Exxon Valdez oil spill: prevent the return of the complacency that led to that disaster; advocate for oil spill prevention and strong response capabilities in case prevention measures fail; minimize environmental impacts of terminal facilities and associated tankers; and promote partnerships that build trust between citizens, industry, and regulators. Our volunteers and staff log countless hours toward these goals.

While the Council continues to carry out its work, we are facing escalating threats to many safety measures enacted in direct response to lessons learned. This includes a significant diminishment of staffing and resources at most of the regulatory agencies that oversee safety for the terminal.

We continue to follow up on issues covered by our 2023 report, “Assessment of Risks and Safety Culture at Alyeska’s Valdez Marine Terminal,” by Billie Pirner Garde. That report noted these reductions, among other safety concerns. The subsequent report from the Government Accountability Office, released in 2025, warrants additional scrutiny and advocacy.

More details on these reports: GAO report looks at Joint Pipeline Office

Our concerns in these areas are only increasing as cuts to personnel, resources, and budgets have escalated at both the federal and state level. We are concerned whether critical safety oversight is adequate to prevent another catastrophic accident and devastating oil spill. We are concerned that the complacency that played a part in the spill is returning.

In addition, Alyeska has announced a reorganization that will reduce its workforce by 60 positions system-wide, or 8%, by January 2026. A reduction in staffing is concerning on many levels, including that Alyeska deferred development of a human factors program that was planned in response to our 2023 report noted earlier, citing a lack of staffing and resources.

Studies have shown that business reorganizations and staffing reductions have been directly linked to an increased risk of accidents and negative health outcomes for employees across all industries. This results from psychological strain on employees, loss of expertise, and operational changes that compromise safety protocols. It is unclear how Alyeska’s reorganization will impact workloads including development of their pending human factors program during a time when the risk of human-caused accidents could rise.

After years of advocating for increased staffing and resources for the agencies that oversee safety for oil spill prevention and response systems, we are now faced with these agencies being asked to do more with even less. This combination seems to be setting the stage for a dangerous path at a time when oil production is expanding in Alaska.

The Council is a voice for citizens – those who have the most to lose from a major oil spill. We provide those in our region with a platform to stand up for safety and push back on complacency at the highest levels. While we strive to understand the impacts of all these changes, we must remember why we were created: to hold the line to maintain the safest spill prevention and response system possible.

By Donna Schantz
Executive Director

I was reminded recently that when the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, or OPA 90, was voted on by Congress after the Exxon Valdez oil spill, it passed unanimously by both the House and the Senate. That kind of bipartisan support and unity is hard to image today, yet it is only when we set our differences aside and work together to find common ground that true and lasting change is made – for the good of all.

The Council’s mandates under OPA 90 include fostering long-term partnerships with government and industry. The Act specifically states, “…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.”

While the Council strives to build and maintain positive relationships with industry and regulators, the nature of our mission is to observe, ask questions, verify information, provide advice, and push for the highest level of transparency and safeguards. This has led to some uncomfortable conversations and recommendations over the years, and continues to this day. But, respectful disagreement is a cornerstone to addressing issues.

With that said, when information is withheld from citizens, trust is broken. If we look into issues and are told we don’t have all the facts, or that we have gotten something wrong, we are open to further examining and reevaluating our findings and conclusions based on the new information. However, we can’t correct any perceived inaccuracies unless we are provided what is needed. Improving the Council’s access to data and information necessary to fulfill our federally mandated role is the only way we can move forward together and work collaboratively with our industry and regulatory partners.

Another uncomfortable reality is the continued, and now escalating, federal budget cuts. The Council has raised concerns for years about reduced budgets, staffing, and resources at the agencies that oversee the Trans Alaska Pipeline System, including the Valdez Marine Terminal. Recent cuts to science and research budgets based on what is being characterized as an excessive and burdensome regulatory environment has concerned and alarmed many academics, researchers, and conservationists – as well as local citizens in our region. All of these concerns increase the risk of a major oil spill.

When we have comprehensive and consistent regulatory oversight, at both the federal and state level, along with citizen involvement, we create an environment that promotes development and ensures it is done safely. At a time when the U.S. is trying to unleash the full potential of American energy, we should be working to support a balanced approach for these agencies in their work, not cutting and decimating them.

All of this makes the work of the Council, and the need for all parties to work together on solutions, more important than ever. We need to be willing to have the uncomfortable conversations, respectfully and inclusively, and ensure there is adequate information to understand all impacts in the interest of safe transportation of oil through our region. We owe this to all those that suffered after the Exxon Valdez oil spill, and to those who would suffer if another similar disaster were to happen. We must be strong in the face of adversity. Only together – government, industry, and citizens – can we protect our resources, economies, communities, and environment, as was envisioned when OPA 90 was unanimously endorsed.

By Board President Robert Archibald and Executive Director Donna Schantz

Nothing can change the damage that resulted from the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill. Since our creation, the Council’s goal has always been to try to ensure it never happens again, at the same time making sure we are prepared with a strong response system in case prevention measures fail. We know that the more you tackle challenging issues and prepare ahead of time, the greater the likelihood of reducing the potential damage.

Our volunteers and staff put in countless hours fulfilling our mandates outlined in the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 and our contract with Alyeska Pipeline Service Company.

While much work continues to be done, we are still seeing concerning trends in the loss of experienced personnel, high attrition rates, and budget and staffing cuts in industry and the associated regulatory agencies. The Council has been raising concerns about the diminishment of agency oversight at the Valdez Marine Terminal for over a decade. We hope that a review of the adequacy of the present regulatory oversight of terminal operations, currently being conducted by the federal Government Accountability Office, will highlight any deficiencies that need to be addressed. And, while we are encouraged by Alyeska’s response to our 2023 report “Assessment of Risks and Safety Culture at Alyeska’s Valdez Marine Terminal,” we diligently continue to try to move all its recommendations forward.

We know that a strong regulatory structure benefits development in our state. It also is the cornerstone of protection for our people, communities, economies, and environment. After years of regulatory diminishment, we now need to see the actions necessary to not only stop the cutbacks, but also then restore these agencies to the levels put in place based on lessons learned from the 1989 oil spill.

While the Council is always ready to listen to what industry and regulators are willing to share with us, we will also continue to closely watch what they do. And that is what we are here to do: we listen, we watch, and we advise. We sometimes say that “Trust, but verify” is our unofficial motto. We want to trust that the problems we are speaking out about will be addressed, but will not stop our inquiries and our work until we can verify that they have been.

We know that industry and regulatory agencies have the same goal in mind as the Council: the safe transportation of oil through our region. Our role in that shared goal is defined by and dependent on citizen engagement. We must watch what is happening – the decisions being made, risks being assessed, safety measures implemented – and never be afraid to speak up. Those with the most to lose from oil pollution must have a voice in the decisions that can put their livelihoods and communities at risk. We will continue to work hard to be that voice.