Exxon Valdez oil spill trustees hear comments

Published on March 4th, 2010

By JOY LANDALUCE

The Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council was in Cordova on Feb. 18 taking testimony from local scientists, fishermen and interested parties in the library meeting room. Cordovans gathered to make testimony suggesting what needs to be done with the last $100 million left in the coffers from the Exxon Valdez oil spill. The council proposed to focus its restoration efforts to five restoration monitoring categories: herring, lingering oil, long-term monitoring of marine conditions, harbor protection and marine restoration, and habitat acquisition and protection.

Comments were many, and some thanked the trustees for supporting the Cordova Center. The Cordova Center will break ground this year and will have a museum in place with the Exxon Valdez oil spill legacy.

Jennifer Gibbins, president of the Cordova Chamber of Commerce thanked the trustees for the $7 million awarded to the Cordova Center.

"The center is on track - ready to break ground," Gibbins said. "Of the five areas identified I am excited about harbor protection and marine debris."

Nancy Bird, president of the Prince William Sound Science Center, spoke to the importance of long monitoring.

"20 years is too short when dealing with ecosystems," Bird said.

Oceanographer Rob Campbell works at the Prince William Sound Science Center. Campbell is currently working on herring surveys. "Kudos, you have a good idea of what needs to be done. It is with continued sustained commitment that we will work on understanding the Sound," Campbell said. "That is how the understanding will improve. We are here, we are ready and we are excited."

Fisherman John Platt stated in his testimony that he was bitter with the trustees. "I have not fished herring in 17 years. I own a herring permit - I lost my income and I am still liable for the permit," Platt said. "What about the impacted fishermen and their families? I would like to see the money put back to the herring fisheries and families that have been wiped out," Platt said. "Herring needs to be restored for the protection and enhancement of the ecosystem."

Fisherman Cory Blake stated he was a lifelong Cordovan with a four generation family heritage with fishing.

"We were affected the most, no one else was affected to the point that we were," Blake said. "The Prince William Sound needs all the money."

RJ Kopchak spoke to Cordova being the heart of the response, then and now.

"We need to steer herring restoration projects with a 20-year or longer plan."

Executive director of Cordova District Fishermen United, Rochelle van den Broek stated in her testimony how important it is to have the money remain in the community most affected.

"It is so important to have a place to share the history of the oil spill and with the Cordova Center it will be possible," said van den Broek.

Patience Faulkner Anderson was very concerned with the trustees coming to an end with such a need for long-term monitoring.

"We need to have a responsible entity. An important organization cannot just go away with so much resource damage. Exxon was such a challenge for us," Anderson said. "There may be monitoring needed for 30 more years."

In 1992, the Exxon Valdez Trustee Council was formed by six trustees, three state of Alaska trustees, and three federal trustees, to oversee restoration of the natural resources and ecosystem damaged by the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill. The Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council was funded by settlement of civil claims brought against Exxon Companies by the State of Alaska and the United States.

The Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council is seeking comments, and they are due by April 1. For more information, and instructions for submitting comments, please visit www.evostc.state.ak.us/nepa. If you need special accommodations to participate, please call their office at 907-278-8012 or Toll-Free at 800-478-7745.