“Tanker runs aground,” was the exquisitely understated headline in the Kodiak Daily Mirror’s one-column front-page story on March 24, 1989. The grounding of the Exxon Valdez came in below “Unexpected pollock closure has Kodiak reeling,” and ran with the same weight as “Consortium authorizes projects.”
It was Kodiak’s first mention of the environmental disaster that absorbed Alaska for years, and still resonates.
Sunday was the 35th anniversary of the Exxon Valdez oil spill, at the time the worst oil spill in U.S. history. The spill damaged animals, beaches and waters of the Kodiak Archipelago and had economic and social impacts on Kodiak communities from Afognak Island to Akhiok.
In this review, we’ll look at the KDM’s coverage of the disaster and the first month’s spill response.
“TANKER RUNS AGROUND”
ASSOCIATED PRESS MARCH 24-26, 1989
The Associated Press brought first news of the Good Friday disaster. “Cmdr. Stephen McCall, commander of the Valdez detachment, said the Exxon Valdez was heading outbound from the Alyeska marine terminal with 1.26 million barrels of oil on board when it ran aground at Bligh Reef … “It appears that the rate of release of the oil has been greatly reduced. It probably lost the greatest amount of oil when it ran aground. But it’s still leaking.’”
“TANKER WAS ILLEGALLY PILOTED, EXXON SAID”
AP MARCH 27
On Monday, Kodiak was commemorating the 25th-year anniversary of the Good Friday Earthquake, while Exxon Shipping Company President Frank Iarossi was planning to hire C-130s to spray dispersant on, and burn by igniting with lasers, the now-estimated 240,000 barrel spill. “The volume of oil released is for all practical purposes beyond control by mechanical means alone,” Iarossi told AP.
“SPILL MAY AFFECT LOCAL FISHERMEN”
RAY VOGEL, KDM, MARCH 29
KDM’s first local coverage came in a report on the impact the spill might have on Kodiak fishermen who hold Prince William Sound herring and salmon permits. “Kodiak fisherman Tony Jones expects the season scheduled to open April 1, will go on without a hitch. “Fish don’t care what color the surface is. I think there shouldn’t be too many problems in the short term. Possibly in the long term but I’m staying optimistic, and I guess we’ll just see.’”
“OIL SPILL COULD THREATEN KODIAK” AP THURSDAY MARCH 30
“The spill is all over Prince William Sound,” Alaska Gov. Steve Cowper said, and it headed for Montague Strait. The strait is an outlet to the Gulf of Alaska, and Cowper said that is where everyone hopes it will go, “rather than bounding around like a pinball in Prince William Sound and polluting it for years.”
“WHAT IMPACT WILL THE OIL SPILL HAVE ON KODIAK?”
KDM MARCH 31-APRIL 2
Lisa Davis, Kodiak resident: “It might mean that some boats from Prince William Sound will end up fishing here.”
Andre Nault, fisherman: “I think it will affect the guys that fish herring and salmon in Prince William Sound. It will affect the whole state, it’s hard to sum it up.”
Still McKerley, retired: “It could be devastating but I don’t think the effect will be long lasting. There are ships in the Pacific from WWII that leaked a lot of oil, yet those areas are breeding grounds for fish.”
Lucinda Neel, AK DF&G secretary: “Fuel prices will probably go up and it might help the price of herring, but I don’t think it will directly affect our fishing.”
“ISLAND PREPARES FOR WORST CASE SCENARIO”
RAY VOLEY, KDM, APRIL 6
Coast Guard Capt. Rene Roussel attended today’s Kodiak Emergency Services council meeting. “Today I have people coming here and they will have commitments for resources for Kodiak. Exxon is coming to Kodiak to sign an order that will allow you to purchase oil booms on their order. They are sending 6,000 feet of boom and bringing 5 kilometers of boom from Norway for you … Exxon is the responsible party here and they have said they are committed,” Roussel said.
“FISHERMEN ORGANIZING TO PROTECT CRITICAL AREAS” SUZANNE HANCOCK, KDM, APRIL 6
Dave Harville of Kodiak Western Trawler Group donated boom trucks to haul gear to volunteer vessels. “This is a community effort. We have to rely on every village and every vessel to get this thing out of the water.” Harbormaster Corky McCorkle emphasized the need to be flexible and innovative. “Don’t overreact, play it by ear, and use common sense,” he said. “It’ll be a new substance we’ve never dealt with before.”
“KODIAK BEGINS TO MOBILIZE”
RAY VOLEY, KDM, APRIL 7-9
Fueled by determined people and $1 million in spill assistance, Kodiak Island has mobilized to protect its prized fisheries from the massive Prince William Sound oil spill …”It is vital that vessel owners commit themselves,” said Jeff Stephan, United Fishermen’s Marketing Association president. “We may not need them tomorrow or Sunday but they have to be ready to go at a moment’s notice.”
“COUNCIL KEEPS NORTH-TO-SOUTH FOCUS”
SUZANNE HANCOCK, KDM, APRIL 10
“We’re continuing to approach this problem from north to south,” said Borough Mayor Jerome Selby Monday. On Sunday the Kodiak Emergency Service Council sent a ship with 5,000 feet of boom to the Ouzinkie/Port Lions area. Twelve fishing boats are deployed in critical areas with equipment and personnel. They are the Celtic Lady, Golden Girls, Gold Nugget, St. Kathryn, Lana Marie, Holy Cross, Walter N, Barb M II, Terrigail, Marcie La Rue, Ripple and Sea Mac.
“LET’S TALK CRUDE”
DR. BOB, KDM, APRIL 10
Crude oil is a natural mixture of hydrocarbons and contains paraffins, naphthalenes, aromatics and small amounts of organic compounds such as sulphur, nitrogen and oxygen. It also contains trace quantities of heavy metals nickle, lead and vanadium. Sometimes, hydrogen sulfide gas can accumulate in containers of crude oil. It would be advisable not to swim in oily waters.”
“OIL RETREATING; FISHERMEN SWITCH TO OFFENSE”
RAY VOLEY, KDM, APRIL 11
The offensive is coming later today, when 36 vessels and one Coast Guard ship, including six Kodiak trawlers, will drag tightly-meshed shrimp and herring nets through the “mousse,” or emulsified oil at the leading edge of the slick at Resurrection Bay. According to today’s Coast Guard report, all the sheen that was within 60 miles of the Barren Islands had dissipated.
“OIL SLICK APPEARS TO BE BREAKING UP, KODIAK SAFE”
AP, APRIL 12
“I don’t want to say it’s over because something may change, but the oil is breaking up very rapidly,” said John Whitney with NOAA. The news comes as welcome relief to areas of the Central Gulf Coast that have spent three tense weeks waiting for the oil to make landfall. Whitney and other federal and state officials said aerial reconnaissance indicated that the Kenai Peninsula and Kodiak Island were in less danger than suspected just days ago.
“OIL SOUTH OF SHUYAK, FLIGHT CONFIRMS”
RAY VOLEY, KDM APRIL 14-16
What appeared to be only a threat turned to reality Thursday as reports of oil streaks penetrating Big Fort Island Channel south of Shuyak Island were confirmed. “It’s thick, it’s gooey, it’s definitely here,” said Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation supervisor Bruce Erickson. As yesterday’s incident proved, an “out of sight, out of mind” philosophy can do little to placate fears.
“VILLAGES WANT INDEPENDENT ANALYSIS”
RAY VOLEY, KDM APRIL 17
Getting Exxon to understand the long-term consequences of the spill has been a formidable problem for Kodiak Natives. “It’s turning out to be a money deal, Ronnie Lind, KANA Economic Development Spokesperson said. “It’s not a concern about the destruction of a way of life that would result if that oil hits. When those guys leave, we still have to live here.”
“SLICK THREATENS $3.2 MILLION HERRING FISHERY”
SUZANNE HANCOCK, KDM, APRIL 17
“Despite the oil, the 1989 commercial herring sac-roe opened Saturday. But by nightfall, the following sections had been closed: Shuyak, Perenosa, Dolphin, Seal and Tonki. Oil headed for the north end of Afognak prompted the closure. The game plan now at the Alaska Department of Fish and Game is to systematically close areas if oil is present.
“EXXON READY TO START WRITING CHECKS”
SUZANNE HANCOCK, KDM, APRIL 18
Last night spokesmen for Exxon said they will stay here 20 years if it takes that long to settle all of the long-term claims from the Exxon Valdez oil spill. Dan Jones and Dick Rosnaigle of Exxon answered some of the questions posed by a crowd that filled the bleachers at the Kodiak High School gym. Exon has opened offices in Kodiak, Homer, Valdez and Cordova. Facing 19 class actions suites Exxon officials indicated a desire to start writing checks.
Partial settlements, which could represent 100 percent of a lost season, with partial releases, are what the company seemed to expect.
“TESTS ON OIL SAMPLES ARE GOOD NEWS”
RAY VOLEY, KDM, APRIL 19
Toxicity tests of emulsified oil taken near Big Fort Island show no detectable volatile aromatics, according to the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation. The tests which began this week, will survey water near all six Kodiak Island villages as well as Kodiak and Chiniak, Borough Mayor Jerome Selby said. He said the study will sample mussels and clams at each of the eight sites, and if the study picks up hydrocarbons, more complex tests will be conducted.
“COMPLIMENTS FOR KODIAK ‘STRIKE TEAM’”
RAY VOLEY, KDM, APRIL 21-23
U.S. Secretary of Interior Manuel Lujan, Representatives Don Young, R-Alaska, Elton Gallegy, R-Calif., Curt Weldon, R-Penn., and Senator Ted Stevens praised Kodiak’s organizational efforts in a visit here as part of a tour of oil-stricken areas. “We’ve been traveling the last two days in Homer and Valdez, and I want to compliment you on your strike team,” Young said. “In a lot of other areas we have found a lot of mistrust and dissent and frankly no effort at trying to solve the problem. Here in Kodiak, it looks good,” Young added.
Despite the good feelings about Kodiak’s response, and the island’s apparent close call in the month following the spill, through the summer and beyond, oil sheen, mousse and tarballs hit just about every beach on north and east Afognak Island and the Shelikof Strait side of Kodiak Island.
Cleanup workers found hundreds of oiled, poisoned birds and marine mammals. Overall, the spill killed an estimated 250,000 sea birds, 3,000 otters, 300 seals, 250 bald eagles and 22 killer whales.
The oil spill also played a role in the collapse of salmon and herring fisheries in Prince William Sound in the early 1990s. The Gulf of Alaska economy including Kodiak suffered in the following years.
Some reports estimated the total economic loss from the Exxon Valdez oil spill to be as much as $2.8 billion.
“Local residents grapple with the impacts of this spill in hundreds of ways. The fact is in addition to the environmental damage caused by the Exxon Valdez oil spill, the human toll has been enormous. People’s livelihoods have been put in jeopardy, their families’ futures are in peril, and their mental health has been disrupted,” wrote Kodiak mayors Linda Freed and Bob Brodie in a May 30, 1989 letter to National Public Radio host Noah Adams.
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