[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 47 (Wednesday, March 24, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3159-S3161]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           10TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ``EXXON VALDEZ'' OIL SPILL

  Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, today is the 10th anniversary of the 
Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska.
  I want to use this opportunity to reflect on the impact that disaster 
had on the land and people of my State.
  I still remember traveling to Alaska to view the damage caused by the 
Exxon Valdez in Prince William Sound.
  Believe me, Mr. President, it is a sight I never want to see again.
  At that time, I referred to the huge oil slick battering against the 
shoreline as ``the black blanket of the Exxon Valdez.''
  And while that spill caused serious damage to our wildlife, our 
environment and our people, that black blanket has had somewhat of a 
silver lining.
  I refer to the Oil Pollution Act of 1990--OPA '90.
  Congress and the Department of Defense are currently looking at 
implementing a ``national missile defense system'' to protect the 
United States from incoming ballistic missiles.
  I consider OPA '90 to be the ``National Oil Spill Defense System'' 
that protects the United States from future oil spills.
  OPA '90, as many Senators will recall, was signed into law on August 
18, 1990.
  It is important to note that OPA '90 has not been significantly 
revised since 1990--and at present, there has not been any push for 
comprehensive revisions.
  It is a testament to the act itself that it has not needed major 
revisions.
  Some of the provisions of OPA '90 were under consideration prior to 
1989, but unfortunately, it took the Exxon Valdez spill to bring about 
a comprehensive approach to our national system of oil spill prevention 
and response.
  Congress enacted OPA '90 only 17 months after the spill--a very short 
period of time given the scope of the legislation.
  That landmark piece of legislation created a new national framework 
that focuses on both the prevention of spills and the response to 
spills.
  It was written to reduce the chances we will ever have another spill 
of the magnitude of the Valdez--anywhere.
  That act, and the actions it mandates, has already vastly improved 
the response system for lesser spills.
  On a national level, OPA '90--
  (1) Required the phase-in of double-hull oil tankers--which has begun 
and will be completed by the year 2015;

[[Page S3160]]

  (2) Required improvements to vessel traffic systems and to vessel 
communications and warning equipment;
  (3) Brought about stringent background checks and manning standards 
for tank vessels;
  (4) Required the United States to seek better international oil spill 
prevention and response measures;
  (5) Clearly defined the liability of tank vessel owners and 
operators;
  (6) Required the creation of a national contingency plan and response 
system, as well as area contingency and response plans.
  These prevention measures are vitally important if we are to ensure 
the safe transportation of oil in our waters.
  As a result of OPA '90 spill response equipment must be pre-
positioned in strategic locations all over the country.
  By doing this, we greatly increase the response time for a future oil 
spill, God forbid it ever happens again.
  The national and area contingency plans required by OPA '90 are the 
primary reason the response to oil spills has become so quick.
  Unlike when the Valdez disaster occurred, if a spill occurs today, it 
should be literally a matter of minutes before a response plan is 
executed.
  By requiring contingency plans, OPA '90 forces planning for potential 
spills in a comprehensive manner.
  A large part of the credit for the implementation of the new plans 
should go to the Coast Guard and I have commended it for the tremendous 
work it has done in the past 10 years in developing the national and 
area plans.
  In addition to the national measures put in place by OPA '90, it 
contained a number of measures specific to Alaska and Prince William 
Sound.
  The act required the installation of a marker and light on Bligh 
Reef.
  It required tankers in Prince William Sound to be escorted by at 
least two tugs and to have two local pilots on their bridge.
  It required the creation of a vessel traffic system for Prince 
William Sound--including an alarm system to warn if vessels deviate 
from the designated navigation routes.
  It prevents the Exxon Valdez tanker from ever entering Alaska water 
again--no matter what name it sails under or how many structural 
improvements it undergoes.
  While this provision is largely symbolic, it goes to the heart of how 
Alaskans feel about the disaster and our state.
  We take pride in keeping our environment and wildlife clean and safe, 
and we expect visitors to our state to do the same.
  In addition to the regulatory requirements set forth in OPA '90, the 
act created two regional citizens' advisory councils.
  These councils give Alaskans a voice in the development of oil spill 
prevention and contingency measures.
  Over the past 10 years these councils provided dialogue allowing 
Alaskans and the oil industry to work beyond differences in a positive 
manner.
  The main goal of all parties involved is the prevention of further 
disasters.
  That is the only true way to ensure that we never have to clean oil 
off Alaska beaches again.
  I have thanked the many Alaskans who have served on the regional 
citizens' advisory councils for the improvements they have helped bring 
into being.
  They could have turned their backs on the oil industry, but they 
deserve a great deal of credit for choosing to work with the industry 
rather than trying to make a bad situation worse.
  OPA '90 also required the creation of the oil spill recovery 
institute in Cordova.
  The institute's mission is to evaluate the long term effects of the 
Exxon Valdez oil spill on the environment and the people and animals of 
Prince William Sound--and to refine the world's knowledge about arctic 
and subarctic oil spills.
  Incidently Mr. President, I have been to that institute in Cordova, 
and I must say that they are doing great things, and I encourage them 
to keep up the good work.
  It took a number of years to secure the funding for the institute, 
but in 1996 we managed to create a dedicated fund.
  For a 10 year period that began in 1996, the Oil Spill Recovery 
Institute will receive the annual interest from $22.5 million that is 
currently on deposit in the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund.
  The Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund was a centerpiece of OPA `90.
  The law made ``responsible parties'' liable for the costs of cleaning 
up oil spills.
  As you know, Mr. President, it is not always possible to obtain 
clean-up funds from responsible parties in time to adequately respond 
to spills.
  The Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund was created to ensure that funds 
are available to respond to oil spills in the United States.
  This is another area where the Coast Guard deserves credit for its 
superb efforts in recovering costs from responsible parties.
  You will be glad to know that many of the species negatively affected 
by the oil spill are making a strong comeback.
  Mother nature is responding.
  I am pleased with the environmental efforts and the progress made in 
putting new prevention measures in place.
  It is my hope that one day my grandchildren will be able to ask me 
``Grandpa, what's an oil spill?''
  I think OPA '90, and the efforts of everyone involved in the oil 
industry, will help to bring about that wish.
  Mr. President, I do not normally come before the Senate to talk about 
a terrible day, but I come today to talk in the spirit of remembrance. 
As I said, this is the 10th anniversary of the Exxon Valdez oilspill in 
my State. I want to use this opportunity to reflect on the impact that 
disaster had upon the people of my State and on Prince William Sound.
  I remember that was just the beginning of the Easter recess and I had 
left for vacation with my family when I got that call that told me of 
this disaster, and I had to fight to get reservations to get back, but 
I did get back to my State. I flew to Prince William Sound to view the 
damage that was there. I had talked to my good friend, former Senator 
Henry Bellmon, Governor of Oklahoma, about that, and asked him if he 
had any advice. He said find some way to burn it.
  I went down to the Valdez to see if there was something I might do to 
encourage that, following that advice. At the time I flew down by 
helicopter with the Commandant of the Coast Guard, Admiral Yost. We 
flew over a sickening black blanket on the Nation's largest inland 
sound. Prince William Sound is a place where I have spent a lot of 
time, fishing and traveling with friends. It is a beautiful place. Yet 
that day, that black blanket oozing out of the Exxon Valdez left a 
memory I shall never forget. That spill caused serious damage to our 
wildlife, to our environment, and to our people. It is hard, today, to 
remember anything except that great tragedy.
  The wind kept spreading that oil. As a matter of fact, I flew up to 
Alaska with our friend, the oceanographer from the University of 
Alaska, Mr. Royer, who told me what was going to happen. He predicted 
correctly that that oil would go out of the Prince William Sound and 
start down the Aleutian chain. If it went through the pass in the 
chain, it was going to cause enormous damage to the breeding grounds 
for Alaska's fisheries.
  It was a sad day, and I come today with a feeling of sadness.
  In view of all the publicity that has been given to this terrible 
tragedy, I also want to talk about what I call the silver lining that 
came as a result of that spill. That silver lining was the Oil 
Pollution Act of 1990. We call it OPA '90. Congress and the Department 
of Defense are currently looking at implementing a national missile 
defense system to protect the United States from incoming ballistic 
missiles. I consider OPA '90 to be the national oilspill defense system 
that protects our Nation from future oilspills.
  It was as a result of the terrible tragedy in our State that Congress 
enacted these provisions. As many Senators here will recall, that law 
was signed on August 18, 1990. It has not been revised since that time. 
I do not know of any push for any revisions. That is a testament to 
that act in itself, that it has not needed major revisions in this 
period.
  Some of the provisions of OPA '90 were under consideration prior to 
that act, but unfortunately, they had no impetus. It took the Exxon 
Valdez disaster to bring about a comprehensive

[[Page S3161]]

approach to our national system of oilspill prevention and response. We 
enacted that bill just 17 months after the spill, really a very short 
time, given the scope of the legislation.
  This landmark piece of legislation created a new national framework 
that focuses on both prevention of spills and response to spills. It 
was written to reduce the chances that we will ever have another spill 
of the magnitude of the Valdez anywhere under the American flag. That 
act, and the actions it mandates, has already vastly improved the 
response to lesser spills.
  I want to point out some of the things it has done. We have greatly 
increased the response time--that is, decreased the time it takes--we 
have increased the ability to respond in time to spills that may take 
place in our waters. As a result of that act, we have spill response 
equipment pre-positioned in strategic locations all over the Nation. 
The national and area contingency plans required by OPA '90 are the 
primary reasons the response to oilspills has become so quick. Unlike 
when the Valdez disaster occurred, if a spill occurs today, it should 
literally be a matter of minutes before a plan is put into effect and 
executed. By requiring contingency plans in advance, OPA '90 forces 
planning for potential spills in a comprehensive manner.
  Mr. President, the main goal of all parties involved in that act was 
the prevention of future disasters. That is the only true way we can 
ensure that we will keep the beaches in Alaska and throughout our 
Nation free of oil.
  I have thanked many Alaskans who have served on the regional citizens 
advisory councils for the improvements they have helped bring into 
being.
  Mr. President, at my request, that act was amended to assure that 
there would be specific Alaska provisions in it. In addition to the 
national measures put into place by OPA '90, it contained, at my 
request, a number of measures specific to Prince William Sound in 
Alaska. It required the installation of a marker and light on Bligh 
Reef. It required tankers in Prince William Sound to be escorted by at 
least two tugs and to have two local pilots on the bridge. It required 
the creation of a vessel traffic control system for Prince William 
Sound, including an alarm system to warn if vessels deviated from the 
routes they had designated at the time they left the pier.
  It prevents the Exxon Valdez tanker from ever entering Alaskan waters 
again, no matter what name it sails under or how many structural 
improvements it undergoes. That provision is largely symbolic, but it 
goes to the heart of how Alaskans feel about that disaster.
  The only true way to ensure that we will never have to clean Alaskan 
oil off Alaska beaches again is to implement the plans and maintain the 
systems that OPA '90 requires.
  I hope that the Nation will not lose heart, that it will continue to 
fund the facilities and the pre-positioned equipment that we require. 
For a 10-year period that began in 1996, we have created in Alaska an 
Oilspill Recovery Institute in Cordova. We also have an oilspill lab 
with a trust fund created to assure that funds are available to respond 
to oilspills throughout the United States.
  Let me close by saying that I want to report to the Senate that many 
of the species that were affected by the oilspill are making a strong 
comeback. Mother Nature in the sound is responding. The environmental 
efforts that we have made and the progress we have made with putting 
into effect the new prevention measures have, in fact, deterred future 
spills.
  It is my hope that one day one of my grandchildren will ask me, 
Grandpa, what is an oilspill? I believe that we have gone a long way to 
making oilspills of the magnitude that I saw 10 years ago today a 
memory. I hope it remains a memory.

  Mr. President, I thank my friend for yielding.

                          ____________________