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Whittier, Alaska The Council will be hosting events in Whittier on Wednesday through Friday, September 16-18, 2026. These events are free and open to the public. The Council will be hosting a youth education event at Whittier Community School. All ages are invited to learn about oil spill response, tankers, and related ocean science through interactive stations. In conjunction with the Board meeting, the Council will be co-hosting a public reception in Whittier.

The Council’s Board of Directors will meet in Whittier, Alaska on September 17 and 18, 2026. The meeting will also be available virtually and telephonically for those unable to travel. Online meeting information will be available here closer to the meeting date. Board meetings are open to the public, and an opportunity for the public to provide comments is provided at the beginning of each meeting.

Job Location: Anchorage, AK The Council is seeking skilled and experienced applicants for the IT/Admin Assistant position in Anchorage! We are seeking an IT and administrative professional with expertise in hardware, software, and digital platforms. Their role will be to maintain the reliable operation of our IT systems, ensuring they function efficiently and securely, as well as provide document management and general office coordination and administrative support.

The Council is seeking a qualified contractor to build an informational GIS storymap using Esri’s ArcGIS mapping software platform. This storymap will convey the geographic focus of the organization in a visually engaging and dynamic way, serving as a public-facing educational tool that tells the story of how the Council represents its region.

The skyline continues to change at the Valdez Marine Terminal! Last summer, crews demolished A-incinerator, a construction-era apparatus at the Power Vapor facility that thermally destroys excess tank farm vapors. This summer, terminal project teams have a dual task: removal and replacement. On May 28, two large cranes worked in tandem to lift the new Vapor Combustion Unit, or VCU, into place.

Donna Schantz Following the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill, two citizen councils were authorized and empowered to help reduce the frequency and impacts of oil spills in Alaska waters through more effective oversight: the Prince William Sound Regional Citizens’ Advisory Council and our counterpart for Cook Inlet. This oversight was mandated in the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, or OPA 90. That Act was achieved through the efforts of Senators Ted Stevens and Frank Murkowski, and Congressman Don Young.

Copper River Delta and Flats – A unique and rich habitat: The mouth of the Copper River is a unique geographic area. This 700,000-acre estuary made up of an intricate web of tidal flats, marshes, freshwater ponds, braided river channels, and barrier islands. By volume, it is the 10th largest river in the U.S. When this volume of fresh water flows into salty seawater, the tides are complex and can be unsafe for vessels to navigate.

When the Exxon Valdez ran aground in 1989, oil spill cleanup equipment was not ready to go. Some of it was buried in snow, other equipment was not operating. The first three days after the spill, the weather was calm, but responders could do little without equipment. Today, Alyeska’s Ship Escort Response Vessel System and the tanker companies are required to practice throughout the year by implementing various aspects of spill response plans.

Amanda Glazier Dr. Amanda Glazier, scientist and educator, is the newest member of the Council’s Information and Education Committee. She grew up in Connecticut, but credits a family trip to St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands for the beginnings of her fascination with marine biology. “I was in maybe 3rd grade, and the place we stayed had a little reef, right off the beach,” Glazier recalls.

“Protectors of Prince William Sound” is filled with illustrations like this one in Crestodina’s signature style. The drawings show how and why local fishing vessels, escort tugs, pilot boats, tankers, and other technology work together to keep the marine ecosystems and coastal communities of Prince William Sound safe.