Guide Note

On March 24th, 1989, the Exxon Valdez tanker collided with Alaska's Bligh Reef. The resulting spill dumped 11 million gallons (240,000 barrels) of oil into Prince William Sound with significant impact on the local environment, particularly animal life.

Although the spill ranks fairly low internationally in terms of volume of oil spilled, it is still one of the largest in United States history. The remote location of the spill made it extremely difficult to clean up and the abundance of natural wildlife in the area made the spill one of the worst environmental disasters in recent history.

Fast Facts

Exxon was criticized for responding to the spill too slowly
An estimated 250,000–500,000 seabirds perished
1,300 miles of shoreline were oiled
Spill covered 11,000 square miles of ocean
Many lawsuits against Exxon are still pending
10,000 workers, 100 aircraft and 1,000 boats were involved in the cleanup effort
Exxon spent $2.1 million on the cleanup effort
Some beaches are still oiled

Drunken Captain?

The Captain of the Valdez, Joseph Hazelwood, admitted that he'd been drinking in a local bar before the ship left port. Although a test confirmed that there was alcohol in Hazelwood's blood hours after the incident, he maintains that he was not impaired. He was charged, but found not guilty of operating a vessel while under the influence of alcohol. He was ordered to pay a $50,000 fine and perform 1,000 hours of community service after being found guilty of the misdemeanor charge of negligent discharge of oil.

Categories

History | Disasters | Accidents | Toxic Spills

View Note History

Exxon Valdez Oil Spill

The Mahalo Top 7

Official Site: Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council (EVOSTC)
EPA.gov: Exxon Valdez, Oil Program
Wikipedia: Exxon Valdez oil spill
Anchorage Daily News: Articles: Legacy of a Spill
AlterNet: 18 Years on and Exxon Still Won't Pay $2.5 Billion for Oil Spill (November 5, 2007)
National Marine Fisheries Service: Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Damage Assessment and Restoration
YouTube: Worker Safety Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Alaska 1989 (Time 7:37)

Exxon Valdez Oil Spill News and Events

Google News: Exxon Valdez Oil Spill
Scientific American: Oil Giant Dodges Punitive Damages for Valdez Spill (June 27, 2008)
EVOSTC.com: In the News
IHT.com: U.S. Supreme Court to review punitive damages in Exxon Valdez case (October 29, 2007)
MarketWatch: Exxon Valdez plaintiffs say top court should drop case (September 21, 2007)
Law.com: Exxon Valdez Case Brings $2.5B Damages Fight to Supreme Court (September 12, 2007)
Daily Mail: Kevin Costner: "I've blown £20m on inventions to save the planet" (September 29, 2007)
USAToday.com: Damage of Exxon Valdez endures (February 1, 2007)
Guardian Unlimited: 18 years on, Exxon Valdez oil still pours into Alaskan waters (February 2, 2007)
National Geographic: Exxon Valdez Spill, 15 Years Later: Damage Lingers (2004)

Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Background and Causes

Wikipedia: Exxon Valdez
Living on Earth: Exxon Speaks (1999)
ThinkQuest: Prince William Sound: Paradise Lost?
Encyclopedia of Earth: Exxon Valdez oil spill
BBC.co.uk: On This Day: 1989: Exxon Valdez creates oil slick disaster

Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Central Figures

ExxonMobil

Mahalo's Guide to ExxonMobil
Wikipedia: ExxonMobil
Official Site: Exxon
ABC News: Like Oil and Water, Judge and Exxon Mobil Shouldn't Mix (March 23, 2007)
The New York Times: "Appeals Panel Cuts Award in Valdez Spill by Exxon" (2006)
CBS News: Exxon's Valdez Fines Still Unpaid (2004)

Joseph Hazelwood

Wikipedia: Joseph Hazelwood
Anchorage Daily News: Articles about Captain Joseph Hazelwood
Outside Magazine: The Captain Went Down with the Ship (1997)
The New York Times: "On the Rocks" (1998)
Time Magazine: Joe's Bad Trip (1989)
Living on Earth: Captain Hazelwood and his Ship Today

Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Images and Video

NOAA: Ocean Service Office of Response and Restoration: Exxon Valdez Oil Spill
EVOSTC.com: Images of the 1989 Oil Spill
YouTube: Exxon Valdez search
Google Images: Exxon Valdez oil spill
Flickr: Exxon Valdez oil spill
National Geographic: Oil Spill Pictures, Exxon-Valdez
YouTube Video: Journeyman Pictures: Exxon Valdez documentary (Time: 18:48)
YouTube Video: The Legacy of Exxon Valdez (Time 14:53)

Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Books and Research

Google Book Search: Exxon Valdez
Alaska Fisheries Science Center: Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Research
Amazon.com: Books about the Exxon Valdez

Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Blogs and Communities

TheWholeTruth.net: Prince William Sound Activism
Greenpeace.org: Exxon Valdez disaster- 15 years of lies (2004)
CommonDreams.org: Exxon Oil Spill's Cleanup Crews Share Years of Illness (2001)
Google Blog Search: Exxon Valdez

Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Timeline

March 23, 1989: Exxon Valdez departs from Valdez oil terminal in Alaska
March 24th, 1989: Tanker collides with Bligh Reef
1994: Baker v. Exxon decision forces Exxon to pay $287 million for actual damages and $5 billion for punitive damages
December 6, 2002: Punitive damages reduced to $4 billion on appeal
December 22, 2006: Damages cut again to $2.5 billion
May 23, 2007: Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denies Exxon any further appeal

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