The Exxon Valdez incident and the environmental impact caused by the spill attracted the attention of national political, scientific, and environmental interests. The scientific groups include those from Exxon Corporation and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that got involved in efforts to use experimental technologies such as bioremediation to clean up the spill. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration was involved in providing weather forecasts for Prince William Sound. This allowed the cleanup team to know what type of cleanup technology would be compatible with the changing weather conditions in the Sound. A Valdez trustee council was born, which is organizing a meeting about oil spills to attract more scientific research papers from studies on the Exxon Valdez incident. This council is made up of representatives from numerous federal and Alaskan state agencies that deal with environmental issues. The Exxon Valdez incident also prompted the U.S. government to require the U.S. Coast Guard to strengthen their regulations on oil tank vessels and oil tank owners and operators under an environmental law known as the Oil Pollution Act of 1990. As of July 17, 1992, all tank vessels of 20,000 tons or greater are required to carry special equipment that will enable the vessel captain and the vessel traffic center in Valdez to communicate better for safer sailing through that area. Restoration projects to bring back natural conditions of the affected areas are just beginning. On September 30, 1991, an agreement was reached between Exxon Corporation, the state of Alaska, and the Federal government. As a result of this agreement, Exxon Corporation agreed to pay $900 million for environmental restoration. SUMMARY The Exxon Valdez incident increased public awareness about the risks involved in the transport of oil. It also revealed many weaknesses in the abilities of state, federal, and industry officials to plan for and respond to such a disaster. The remote location of the spill and a lack of necessary equipment added to response problems. Prevention of spills is the first line of defense, and the oil industry has taken steps to reduce the risks of oil spills. Once a spill occurs, however, improved response coordination between federal, state, and local authorities should produce more rapid cleanup actions. A program to provide better training of emergency response personnel is being prepared, and safety issues are being addressed. Beach-cleaning techniques that are more effective and less labor-intensive are being developed. Studies of the long-term environmental effects of oil spills and their influence on food chains in the ocean and on land are now underway. The costs of cleanup activities, ecosystem restoration, and legal settlements of oil spills are so high that the best strategy is to work to prevent them. GLOSSARY Asphalt: A brown to black residue formed from weathered petroleum products, consisting chiefly of a mixture of hydrocarbons; varies in texture from hard and brittle to plastic. Biodegradation: The breaking down of substances by microorganisms, which use the substances for food and generally release harmless byproducts such as carbon dioxide and water. Bioremediation: The act of adding nutrients or microorganisms to the environment to increase the rate at which biodegradation occurs. Boom: A temporary floating barrier used to contain an oil spill. Dispersion: The spreading of oil on the water's surface and, to a lesser degree, into the water column. Emulsification: The formation of a mixture of two liquids, such as oil and water, in which one of the liquids is in the form of fine droplets and is dispersed in the other. Evaporation: The physical change by which any substance is converted from a liquid to a vapor or gas. Hydrocarbons: A large class of organic compounds containing only carbon and hydrogen; common in petroleum products. Hydrophobic: Not easily wet by water. Incineration: The destruction of wastes by burning at high temperatures. Mousse: A thick, foamy oil-and-water mixture formed when petroleum products are subjected to mixing with water by the action of waves and wind. Oil: As commonly used, a naturally-occurring mixture of hydrocarbons and other substances typically used as fuels or refined for use in a variety of commercial products. Oleophilic: Having a strong affinity for oils. Oxidation: A chemical reaction that occurs when a substance is combined with oxygen; may lead to degradation or deterioration of the substance. Seeding: The addition of microorganisms to the environment; used in bioremediation. Skimmers: Devices used to remove oil from the water's surface. Slick: A thin film of oil on the water's surface. Sorbents: Substances that take up and hold water or oil. Solidifiers: Substances that can be added to liquid oil to make the oil "harden" into solid substances that can either be picked up from the water's surface or left to sink to the ocean bottom. Specific gravity: The ratio of the density of a substance to the density of water. Surface tension: The attractive force exerted upon the surface molecules of a liquid by the molecules beneath the surface. When oil is spilled on water, this tension makes the oil behave as a continuous thin sheet that is difficult to separate or break up. Surfactant: A substance that breaks oil into small droplets. This helps to increase the surface area of the oil spill, which increases the rate at which the oil can be degraded or weathered into less toxic substances. Tar balls: Dense, black sticky spheres of hydrocarbons; formed from weathered oil. Viscosity: Resistance to flow. Substances that are extremely viscous do not flow easily. Weathering: Action of the elements on a substance, such as oil, that leads to disintegration or deterioration of the substance. |