Exxon\'s Oil Tanker Valdez Ran

¶ … Exxon's oil tanker Valdez ran aground in the Alaskan region of Bligh Reef in Prince William Sound. The accident caused an unprecedented oil spill, causing more than 11 million of the crude go wasted on the surface. The accident was largest of the oil tanker spill in the history of United States. The impact of the spill was disastrous, much because of the reason that the spill can not be controlled. The crude spilled in South Alaskan region coast, affecting areas of Prince William Sound, the Kenai Peninsula, lower Cook Inlet, Kodiak Archipelago, and Alaska Peninsula. The affected territory included three national parks, five State parks, four State critical habitat areas, and a State game sanctuary. The oil spill reached the shoreline nearly 600 miles (965 km) southwest of where the accident occurred, it caused grave concern among the environmentalist about the future impact, and warned of the dire consequences if immediate remedial measures were not incorporated. The accident added further to the agony of the environmentalist when it was reported that the accident occurred during the season of major migrations of birds, and during primary breeding season large species of birds, mammals, fish, and marine invertebrates, following are the affected habitats; bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), black oystercatchers (Haematopus bachmani), common loons (Gavia immer), clams, common murres (Uria aalge), cormorants (Phalacrocorax, three species), cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii), Dolly Varden trout (Salvelinus malma), harlequin ducks (Histrionicus), harbor seals (Phocavitulina), Kittlitz's murrelets (Brachyramphus brevirostris), marbled murrelets (Brachyramphus marmoratus), killer whales (Orcinusorca), mussels (Mytilus edulis), Pacific herring (Clupea harengus), river otters (Lutra canadensis), pigeon guillemots (Cepphus columba), pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha), rockfish (Sebastes sp.), sea otters (Enhydra lutris), and sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka). Birds and mammals were reported death due to cold stress after the oil damaged the insulation provided by their feathers or fur. It was reported that due to the spillage more than 36,000 migratory birds, including around 100 bald eagles along with numerous other varieties of wildlife, were killed.

The spillage had generated impact over upper intertidal zone and intertidal communities, and further remedial actions of beach cleaning, with high-pressure, hot-water also affected the communities. Reduction in the critical food sources also caused damaged to the natural resources. The spillage did not even spare the archaeological sites, the sites were damaged and subject to looting and vandalism before and during the cleaning operations. Another injured resource included sediments, the oil penetrated into the lower surfaces of cobble and boulder beaches. Commercial activities including; hunting, fishing, and gathering), passive use, recreation, and tourism also suffered. The government of United States in coordination with Trustee Council agencies: the National Marine Fisheries Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Alaska Department of Environmental Contaminants, and Alaska Department of Natural Resources formulated restoration plan for the recovery of damages suffered by the natural resources.

GENERAL STRATEGY: MORAL OBLIGATION

General strategies devised to combat such oil spillage includes,

Research and Monitoring The wildlife should be surveyed and well monitored so as to determine the basic information with reference to population trends, productivity, and health. The research also includes sufficient provisions for identification of biological needs of individual species and how each species contributes to the particular region.

General Restoration The restoration of archaeological resources, improvement of subsistence resources, enhancement of salmon runs, reduction of marine pollution, and restoration of damaged habitats are studied, ands their general consequences are developed.

Habitat Protection The measure if fundamental towards adopting concrete measures for the protection of the habitats and preventive measures with reference to additional injury to species due to intrusive development or other loss of habitat are discussed.

Restoration Reserve The measure is incorporated such that full recovery from the oil spill could be ensured. The reserved fund, after being received is utilized towards support of long-term restoration activities. With reference to the spillage caused by Exxon Valdez, the company funded more than $900 million towards civil settlement.

EXXON: COURT AFFAIRS

The Exxon Corporation and Exxon Shipping Company were liable to make payment of $900 million towards the damages. The organization was also asked to fund more than $100 million towards unreported damage towards natural resources. Both the corporate were also pleaded guilty towards federal environmental criminal charges for violating the environment and safety act. The companies were reported to submit fine of more than $100 million, of which the half will be issued to State of Alaska as compensation and additional funding towards restoration of the damaged natural resources. The Exxon Shipping company was found involved in practices against the Clean Water Act, the Refuse Act, and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. 'The aggregate of one billion dollars in civil damages and criminal restitution is by far the largest single amount ever paid as a result of environmental violations. Through tough negotiations by the Department of Justice, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Interior, the Department of Transportation, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the State of Alaska, and federal prosecutors, the federal and state interests surrounding the legal responsibilities of Exxon Shipping and Exxon Corporation have been vindicated' (Dick Thornburgh, Attorney General State of Alaska). 'It's a good settlement and its use will benefit the environment directly' (Walter Hickel, Alaskan Governor). 'These funds assure that necessary activities will be carried out and monitored to restore Prince William Sound. It also should send a clear signal to ship owners that they share responsibility for protecting waters and coastlines. The settlement closes a chapter on the nation's largest oil spill ever, and it allows us to turn our attention finally now to the tasks of restoration', (Reilly Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator). 'The funds from the settlement will enable the Department of Agriculture to restore the natural beauty of the portion of the Chugach National Forest that was impaired by the spill', (Secretary of Agriculture Edward Madigan). It was decided that more than 75% of the amount paid by the Exxon towards civil claims, will be used for scientific research and cleanup efforts of the Gulf of Alaska.

Since the incident of spillage, the Exxon has paid more than $2.2 billion towards the cleanup campaign of Prince William Sound and Alaskan Gulf. The company has provided financial and logistic support towards mobilizing thousands of workers to conduct excavation of contaminated beaches, high pressure water washing of beaches, containment of oil using booms, skimming oil from the surface of the water, and rescuing and rehabilitating wildlife fouled by oil.

Following capabilities, if fully incorporated and practiced can have positive impact, and can prevent such environmental crimes strongly. This is the summary of the report submitted to the President and undertaken by Secretary of Transportation Samuel K. Skinner and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator William K. Reilly, focuses on the primary goals required for the implementation of healthy and secured environment. The report encompasses series of measures, and their practicality is only possible if moral and social values are well understood and applied. The report has categorized series of moral and preventives measures,

Preventive Measures:

Preventive measures should be incorporated, and accidents should be avoided, this can be achieved by the implementation of quality assurances, and health safety measures with spirit. Steps should be taken so as to minimize threats of oil leakages.

Action Plan

Exxon did not comply by its moral and social obligation, and its non-serious attitude towards handling the oil spillage incidents made both the environment and company suffer terrible losses. It was not just the oil company but even the state government never expected that such an extreme level of oil spillage can ever occur. The non-serious attitude of the state and the company made the world community suffer the terrible consequences in long run. The Exxon's initial plan and response towards the Valdez incident was not encouraging, and was highly disappointing for the environmentalist. It is therefore required that the future needs should be addressed by applying contingent plans to assists and recover from the worst case scenarios. It is equally important that both the private and public sector should introduce and utilize required equipments and services for cater for the spillage, or any other disastrous event. The responsibilities of the organizational task force and departments should be clear and well defined, and the authorities should be informative about their role and responsibilities. 'The National Response Team is conducting a study of the adequacy of oil spill contingency plans throughout the country under the leadership of the Coast Guard' (Alaskan Oil Spillage Report).

Reduce Environmental Risk

The research work should be carried out to reduce the oil spills, and their low recovery should be improved. The recovery rates of the spillage are low, and it is therefore important that the environmentalist and scientist should propose such methodology for improving the recovery rate. The researchers should introduce upon mechanical, chemical and biological to reduce the oil spills. This requires effective decision making, as the occurrence of the event has to be handled on immediate notice, rather than waiting for the approval of senior authority. The workforce should be clear about the implementation of technologies for protecting natural resources, through formulating strategies.

Ratification of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) 1984 Protocols

Domestic legislation on compensation and liability is needed to implement two IMO protocols related to compensation and liability. The United States should ratify the 1984 Protocols to the 1969 Civil Liability and the 1971 Fund Conventions. Expeditious ratification is essential to ensure international agreement on responsibilities associated with oil spills around the world' (A Report to the President: Executive Summary).

Introduction of Safeguards

It is imperative to establish such environmental safeguards so as to minimize the possibility of oil spillage, by improving transportation, production, storing facilities. 'The infrequency of major oil spills in recent years contributed to the complacency that exacerbated the effect of the Exxon Valdez spill' (CNN: Exxon found guilty).

Legislation on liability and compensation is needed