the exxon valdez final
TRANSCRIPT
The Exxon Valdez Oil Spill: In Retrospect
Anchal SoodSanjana Suresh
Overview Introduction – a video about what
caused the oil spill Aftereffects and Mitigation strategies Effect on Ecosystems and biodiversity Solutions - Changing policies and
Economic perspectives Deep Water Horizon oil spill Who pays the price? – Tragedy of the
commons
Introduction http://www.travelchannel.com/video/
what-caused-exxon-valdez-spill 1.06- 2.30
Source: http://www.eoearth.org/view/article/161185/
Aftereffects and Mitigation of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill
Clean up efforts:• 11,000 personnel• 1,400 vessels • 85 aircraft
Many local, state, federal, and private agencies and groups.
Largest clean up effort till the 2010 Deepwater Horizon spill in the Gulf of Mexico
Source: The Environment Protection Agency,Exxon Valdezhttp://www.epa.gov/oem/content/learning/exxon.htm
During clean up, the oil continued to spread over Valdez area.
2 days after spill – strong storm that hit the Alaskan coast, transforming spilled oil into mousse and tar balls
Volume 3 times larger than pure oil spilled, making the clean up effort much more difficult.
Source: Encyclopedia of Earth , Exxon Valdex Oil Spill http://www.eoearth.org/view/article/161185/
Immediately after the spill all channels to and from Valdez were shut
Three methods were tried in the effort to clean up the spill:
Burning Mechanical Cleanup Chemical Dispersants
Effects on Ecosystem and Biodiversity
The oil persisted for decades resulting in 3 lethal aftereffects – • Population impact to species in shallow waters
• Delayed population impact to marine and bird species
• Indirect effect on other species, including humans.
Source: alskanwildlife.blogspot.com
Mass mortalities• 2800 sea otters• 250,000 sea birds• 302 harbor seals• 22 killer whales
Alaskan Herring virtually vanished for about 3 years after, came back with various structural defects.
Economic Effects Fishing losses Drop in tourism - monetary losses to
local industries Replacement cost of birds and
mammals Long term economic planning for the
affected area Court settlement with Exxon for the
area itself and the wildlife.Surce: NOAA – Alaskan Fisherieshttp://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/oil/
Policy Changes and Policy Effects Oil Pollution Act of 1990 –United
States Congress.• Double-hulled tankers by the year 2015• New technology introduced - The combined
ability of skimming systems to remove oil from the water is now 10 times greater than it was in 1989.
Source: New York Times- Lessons from the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill www.nytimes.com/2013/12/09/booming/lessons-from-the-exxon-valdez-oil-spill.html?_r=0
Tragedy of the Commons Comparison between Exxon Valdez and BP
oil Spill Gulf of Mexico - fishing hotspot, destroyed
many species and livelihoods of diff nationalities.
The oceans are a controversial geo-political issue when it comes to oil spills making the common man the most vulnerable in this situation.
Deep Water Horizon- A vicious cycle? Source: Encyclopedia of Earth ,Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill http://www.eoearth.org/view/article/152720/
References http://www.travelchannel.com/video/what-
caused-exxon-valdez-spill http://www.eoearth.org/view/article/161185/ http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/oil/ http://www.eoearth.org/view/article/152720/ http://www.epa.gov/oem/content/learning/
exxon.htm alskanwildlife.blogspot.com www.epa.gov/oem/content/learning/exxon www.nytimes.com/2013/12/09/booming/lessons-
from-the-exxon-valdez-oil-spill.html?_r=0