Exxon Valdez

EXXON VALDEZ OIL SPILL

One of the largest ecological disasters of U.S history is the incident of the former Exxon Corporation in May 24, 1989. An oil tank, called Exxon Valdez, owned by a the former Exxon shipping company was on route from Valdez, Alaska to Los Angeles, California, before it unexpectedly hit Prince William Sound's Bligh Reef. Because of this accident, about 10.8 million US gallons of crude oil was spilled into the ocean. The oil spill impacted over 1,100 miles of non-continuous coastline in Alaska. Because of a storm that later hit Prince William Sound, the wind spread the oil another 90 miles from the spill site. Additionally, clean up was hard because part of the oil reached rocky beaches.

This event brough economic impacts like tourism losses and recreational sport fishing losses. Today, approximately 20 acres of shoreline in Prince William Sound are still contaminated with oil.

Because of this accidents,"1000 to 2800 sea otters, 302 harbor seals, and unprecedented numbers of seabird deaths estimated at 250,000 died" (http://www.eoearth.org/article/Exxon_Valdez_oil_spill)