Study says Exxon Valdez oil lingering in Sound

Dan Joling

Associated Press Writer

Oil spilled from the Exxon Valdez 17 years ago extends farther into Alaska tidal waters than previously thought and could be causing long-term harm to wildlife, according to a paper published May 16.

The study by research chemist Jeffrey Short and colleagues at the National Marine Fisheries Service in Juneau concluded that oil was found in rich, lower intertidal areas where predators such as sea otters and sea ducks may encounter it while disturbing sediment in search of prey.

“This study shows that it is very plausible that exposure to Exxon Valdez oil is having a material impact on many shore-dwelling animals and is contributing to their slow recovery in some parts of Prince William Sound,” Short said in a statement. The study was published on the Web site of the American Chemical Society journal, Environmental Science & Technology.

“Sea otters, for instance, have yet to re-inhabit Herring Bay, the most oiled bay we studied, and the population of otters elsewhere around northern Knight Island continues to decline,” said Short, who wasn’t immediately available for comment.

Exxon Mobil Corp. spokesman Mark Boudreaux said May 16 that the company has had more than 350 studies done by independent academics that have not found significant, lingering impact on species as a result of the spill.

“We believe that the sound has recovered, is healthy and is thriving,” he said.

The oil tanker Exxon Valdez ran aground March 24, 1989, on Bligh Reef 25 miles south of Valdez, spilling 11 million gallons of Alaska North Slope crude.