The damage done to orca populations by the Exxon Valdez extends beyond the immediate death toll, however. Surviving the spill was not enough - there were still toxins remaining in whale's bodies and in their habitat. They were still consuming prey animals that were slick with oil. Birthrates dropped significantly, and by 1992 the orca population of Prince William Sound was reduced from 251 to 183 members. Today, the AT1 pod of transients numbers only seven orcas. They have not experienced a birth in their group since 1986, prior to the spill.

The calamity of the Exxon Valdez occurred 20 years ago, but the damage caused has not yet been undone. Not only has the Exxon/Mobil corporation failed to pay the $5 billion in damages as ordered by the courts, but the wildlife of the area have been unable to recover from the blow to their health. In 2001, scientists determined that over 100 tons of oil remains on the beaches of Alaska's coastline, and it grows ever more poisonous as time progresses. This slow recovery process is due, in part, to Alaska's cold climate. Apparently, spilled oil will evaporate more quickly in temperate regions, such as the Middle East. But with an environment similar to Alaska's, the Pacific Northwest - and, by default, our southern resident orcas - are at high risk of injury with every drop of oil that leaks into the Puget Sound. A major oil spill could easily drive our orca pods to the very brink of extinction. So, what actions are being taken to protect the Puget Sound and prevent the possibility of a tanker crash as severe as the Exxon Valdez?

Not nearly enough.

The Puget Sound waters contain some of the busiest shipping lanes in the world, with 15 billion gallons of petroleum products and crude oil being transported through the Strait of Juan de Fuca each year. Statistically speaking, the area is long overdue for disaster. True, Washington State holds oil spill drills . . . but if the exercises have not been planned out ahead of time, they invariably are bungled. True, Washington State requires that large tankers passing through have a pre-arranged plan for spill-cleanup . . . but all ships contract with a single Seattle-based response company whose efforts the Seattle PI has described as "inadequate", "unorganized", and "understaffed". There is too much compliancy toward regulating the cleanliness of the Puget Sound at both a state and a federal level. Washington State is unprepared to respond to a serious oil spill. Already, the Sound is violated by as many as 600 minor spills per year, with the worst offenders being fishing vessels, pleasure crafts, and oil refineries. And let's not forget that the refineries are ALLOWED BY LAW to dump as much as 880 pounds of oil into the waters of the Puget Sound each day.

A visit to the website of the Islands' Oil Spill Association of San Juan County is both an optimistic and disheartening experiencing.  While it is an inspiration to know that there are dedicated volunteers ready to spring into action and alleviate the damage caused by oil spills, it is also shocking to note how many accidents occur in such a limited area.

Click HERE to view the oil spill response history from 2002-2009 and to find out how YOU can help the IOSA.

As far as preventing a major oil spill in the Puget Sound, there is hope on the horizon:

In 2003, Senator Patty Murray helped to secure 1.6 million from the U.S. Coast Guard to station a tug boat in Washington's Neah Bay.  This vessel will be on call to pull disabled ships to safety and prevent them from collision should they lose their ability to function while traveling in the Puget Sound.  The Neah Bay tug project was originally financed through the year 2008, but funding contract on this valuable safeguard has since been extended through June 30, 2010.

An official independent citizens' group - the Oil Spill Advisory Council - was established several years ago to prevent oil spills in the Puget Sound. Since its induction, the Council's funding has been shaky, and the management has been shifted between various organizations. As of the summer of 2009, Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire revoked the OSAC's funding, and turned the responsibility of oil spill prevention to the Puget Sound Partnership.  

Websites used to research this article:

http://www.defenders.org

http://www.uaf.edu

http://www.commondreams.org

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com

http://iosaonline.org

http://www.pugetsound.org

http://www.whalesalaska.org

Selected photos courtesy of:  Office of Response and Restoration, National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The MEGA BORG released 5.1 million gallons of oil as the result of a lightering accident and subsequent fire. The incident occurred 60 nautical miles south-southeast of Galveston, Texas on June 8, 1990.