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On Good Friday, March 24, 1989, 25 years after the 1964 Good Friday Earthquake, the Exxon Valdez oil tanker ran aground at Bligh Reef. The vessel
spilled 10.8 million gallons of unrefined Alaskan crude oil into Prince William Sound, causing the largest oil spill in North American history.
No crude oil actually made it into the Port of Valdez, as Bligh Reef is about 25 miles south of the Port. However, winds and tides moved the floating
crude oil further south into the Sound and onto beaches. Oil covered over 1200 miles of rocky beaches — the task of cleaning it up was a big
one.
The EPA, ADEC, and the US Coast Guard gave Exxon a September 15 cleanup deadline. Since Valdez was the most accessible city close to the spill,
Exxon mobilized its response headquarters in the community and began a massive cleanup effort. During the summer of 1989 over 10,000 workers were
employed by Exxon and its management company, VECO-Norcon. Each worker had to be supplied with equipment, transportation, food, lodging, logistical
support, and supervision.
Valdez, a city of 3,500 people, grew to three times its normal size almost overnight. Bed & Breakfasts sprang up all over the city. Food and
clothing stores rolled into town and prices soared. Temporary buildings were erected for Exxon's office space, and rent everywhere went sky-high.
Money flowed through town in unprecedented amounts. On average it cost Exxon $1,000 each day to support one worker on a beach cleanup crew. That
figure multiplied by 10,000 makes for an astounding sum of money.
Jobs were plentiful. Exxon employed many people in the Prince William Sound area to transport supplies to the villages in the Sound, and to support
the cleanup crews throughout the oiled areas. Press crews covered every facet of the spill. Environmental groups worked to save the oiled seals,
otters, and birds. Alyeska Pipeline Service company, the nonprofit company that manages the Trans-Alaska Pipeline,
added a new division to its ranks: SERVS (Service Escort Response Vessels), designed to help prevent another spill and to supply immediate response
if one should occur.
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