Prince William Sound Regional Citizens' Advisory Council

The Council was formed after the Exxon Valdez oil spill to provide a voice for citizens affected by decisions related to the Alyeska pipeline terminal and associated tankers.

Who we represent

The Council is a voice for those affected by Prince William Sound's oil industry. Council members represent Alaska communities and organizations that were affected by the Exxon Valdez oil spill, including:

• Aquaculture interests
• Commercial fishing
• Environmental groups
• Alaska Native communities
• Recreation interests
• Tourism interests

Communities and interest groups from Prince William Sound to Kodiak Island to lower Cook Inlet are represented — areas that were touched by oil from the Exxon Valdez spill.

How we were formed and funded

The Council is a federally mandated, independent nonprofit corporation. Our structure and responsibilities stem from two key foundations:

1. Contract with Alyeska Pipeline Service Company (1990)

• Guarantees annual funding for the Council.
• Ensures independence from Alyeska; the Council operates with an advisory role, not as part of the company.
• Remains in effect as long as oil flows through the trans-Alaska pipeline.

2. The federal Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA 90)

• Congress identified complacency by both the oil industry and government regulators as a root cause of the Exxon Valdez spill.
• OPA 90 mandated regional citizens' councils for Prince William Sound and Cook Inlet to help combat complacency in the future.

Our role today

The Council:

• Provides citizen oversight of environmental compliance by oil terminals and tankers associated with the Alyeska terminal.
• Promotes partnership and cooperation among local citizens, industry, and government.
• Helps build trust and transparency around oil transportation activities in Prince William Sound and the Exxon Valdez region.
• Ensures that people with the most to lose from oil pollution have a voice in the decisions that affect their livelihoods, communities, and environment.

This citizen-based oversight is a unique approach that complements, but is independent from, both industry and government.

Address 2525 Gambell Street Ste 305 Anchorage, AK 99503

Phone

• Main: 907.277.7222
• Toll free: 800.478.7221
• Fax: 907.277.4523

Valdez office

Mailing address P.O. Box 3089 Valdez, AK 99686

Physical address 130 S. Meals Ste 202 Valdez, AK 99686

Phone

• Main: 907.834.5000
• Toll free: 877.478.7221
• Fax: 907.835.5926

Email newsletter

You can sign up to receive the Council's email newsletter, The Observer, using the signup form on our website.

Report an oil spill incident to the Council

If you need to notify the Prince William Sound Regional Citizens' Advisory Council about an oil spill incident, please use the following phone number:

• Incident reporting line: 907.751.4489

*(Incident reporting is open 24/7.)*

This number connects you with the Council to report incidents related to our area of responsibility.

For non-urgent questions about the Council or our work, please use the general contact information listed in our Offices and general contact information document or on our website.

Ask anyway — the agent will say plainly that it is not published rather than guess.