Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Essay -- essays research papers

Exxon Valdez Oil SpillABSTRACT     In March of 1989, the Exxon Valdez oil tanker ran aground on Bligh Reefin Prince William Sound, Alaska. An eighteen pes wide hole was ripped into thehull, and 10.9 million gallons of vernacular oil spilled into the ocean. In thefollowing weeks, many things transpired. This paper will discuss the cleanup,the damage, and the results of the biggest oil spill in joined States history.     On March 24, 1989, in Prince William Sound Alaska, the Exxon Valdez wasmoving South West after leaving Port Valdez. The ship was carrying over fiftymillion gallons of crude oil. When the Valdez was only twenty-eight miles fromthe port, it ran aground on Bligh reef. The bottom was ripped open, and 10.9million gallons of North Slope Crude Oil spilled into the frozen Alaskan watersat a rate of two hundred thousand gallons per minute. The remaining forty-twomillion gallons were off loaded. In the ensuing days, more than 1,200 mil es ofshoreline were hit with oil. This area included tetrad depicted object Wildlife Refugees,three National Parks, and Chugach National Forest.     Within hours, smaller tanker vessels arrived in order to off load theremaining oil. Unfortunately, the cleanup effort was hindered by an inadequatecleanup plan that had been created during the 1970s. These plans outlined howan oil spill would be handled, including provisions for maintaining equipmentsuch as containment booms and "skimmer boats." The plans also called for aresponse team to be on twenty-four hour nonice. Unfortunately, the plans weregood on paper only. A spill of this size had not been anticipated. Therefore,the response teams had been demobilized, and the equipment that was supposed tobe sterilise at all times was either too far away or nonexistent.. Precious hourswere also wasted as Corporations, the Alaskan State Government, and the Nationalgovernment argued over who should take control of the situation. The argumentsensued after debates over who would pay for what, who was responsible for what,and who would do the best job.     The local fishermen were a big help with the cleanup effort. Theybattled with the oil in order to protect their industry. Many fisherman wereseen in row-boats in the small coastal inlets. The fishermen work... ...industry in Alaska, so there has beenmuch business organisation over the welfare of the fish. Many natives also live bysubsistence fishing. Pink pinkish-orange and herring were the two species that peoplewere most concerned about. Pink pinkish-orange is the biggest commercial fish inAlaskan waters, many people were afraid that the salmon population would needyears to recover, however, studies have shown that the effect of the oil onspawning, eggs, and fry was negligible. Chromatography tests have also shownthat there are no hydrocarbons in the flesh of most of the fish. Those that dohave hydrocarbons in thei r flesh have a level that is so low as to be measuredin the parts per billion range. Herring is also a huge commercial fish inAlaska. The 1988 catch yielded twelve point three million dollars. In 1989,after the spill, herring was declared "off limits" to fishermen. However, thiswas compensated by a salmon catch that was six times as big as it had been in1988. In 1990, when herring fishing resumed, it returned to normal levels. Thedamage to the fishing industry was not nearly as bad as had been anticipated.Usha Varanasi, director of the NOAAs Environmental Conservation Division in S