The Exxon Valdez Oil Spill
By: Andrea San Luis
Where and When
The Exxon Valdez Oil Spill happened in March 24, 1989, in Prince William Sound in Alaska. The Exxon Valdez was bound for Long Beach, California when tragedy struck.
How and Why?
-The Exxon Valdez Oil Spill occurred in 1989, because it ran aground on Bligh Reef. It ruptured and spilled 11 million gallons of crude oil in Prince William Sound.
-The spill happened because Exxon allowed Captain Hazelwood to command the ship, despite knowing that he was a relapsed alchoholic.
The Damage it Done
-The spill also resulted in deaths of more than a billion birds and sea animals, such as killer whales, otters, seals, salmon, herring, bald eagles, and seabirds.
Cleaning Up
It took at least 4 summers to clean the spill up, until efforts were called off. Exxon said about $2.1 million was spent on the cleanup.
-Several methods used were Hot Water Treatment, but was stopped, beacuse it cooked a lot of animals. Mechanical cleanup, solvents, and chemicals were used, also. Bioremedation was probably the most succesful method.
-Volunteers also made an effort to clean the wildlife. Thye scrubbed otters and ducks with gentle soap, but they died.