[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 35 (Thursday, March 24, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: March 24, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
          THE 5-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF ``EXXON VALDEZ'' OIL SPILL

  (Ms. ESHOO asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, 5 years ago today, the oil tanker named Exxon 
Valdez ran aground on Bligh Reef in Prince William Sound, AK. The reef 
tore open the ship's hull and more than 11 million gallons of crude oil 
flooded in the previously pristine area.
  This was, and remains, the largest oilspill in U.S. history. And the 
results were devastating. Hundreds of thousands of birds and marine 
mammals, as well as millions of salmon and herring, were killed. More 
than 1,200 miles of coastline were polluted with oil, affecting 
shorelines as far as 600 miles from Bligh Reef.
  Although some would have us believe that the area has recovered from 
this disaster, the truth is, it will take years for some of the species 
to recover from the spill.
  The good news is this catastrophe finally opened our eyes to the 
issue of oilspill prevention and control.
  Five years ago, we knew little about the extent of this type of 
disaster and its affect on the ecosystem. Since then, the State of 
Alaska and the Federal Government have conducted more than 100 studies 
and Congress has finally passed oil pollution legislation containing 
necessary prevention and response mandates.
  However, we still have a lot to accomplish. My State of California is 
just now learning that continuous leaks and spills from a Unocal 
refinery have amounted to the largest spill in California history.
  Dead wildlife, filthy beaches, undrinkable ground water, and millions 
of dollars of cleanup are the costs of oilspills whether they come from 
a tanker or a refinery.
  That is why we must never forget Exxon Valdez--on its fifth 
anniversar6y it continues to serve as a valuable lesson and reminder to 
all of us.

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