Alaska Pipeline Threatens Downstream Residents

A new expert analysis commissioned by the Cascadia Wildlands Project shows a chilling downstream exposure to oil spills from the Trans-Alaska Pipeline into the Copper River.

The jaw-dropping results of the analysis show, using the oil companies’ own response planning assumptions, that an spill into the Copper River watershed could reach as far as Cook Inlet and Kodiak.

Author James Brady, of North Cape Fisheries Consulting, was selected to do the analysis because of his first-hand experience. Brady was the state’s area fisheries manager  before, during and after the Exxon Valdez oil spill. He writes that Aleyska’s planned response to a spill from the pipeline into the Gulkana, Tazlina or Klutina Rivers would:

• Send a plume of oil smearing west along Alaska's coastline, as far as Cook Inlet;
• quickly close the popular Copper River commercial, subsistence and sport fisheries;
• send shock waves through markets;
• have long-lasting impacts to subsistence users;
• Even for a small spill, Brady writes, "subsistence fishers would see oil on the water and oil fouling their fish wheels or dip nets." 
  
• expose state agencies to massive costs trying to keep downstream fisheries open;

We had long known that the Copper River was exposed to a spill from the TAPS, but the fact that oil could travel as far as Kodiak, even the Alaska Peninsula, was a surprise. These are the exact areas still suffering from the Exxon Valdez spill. Another spill would be a devastating 1-2 punch for wildlife and residents. It is beyond ironic that the same company, Alyeska, who was in charge of first response in the 1989 incident as well, is again taking risks with Alaska. 

The Brady Report also offers strong opinions about the high value of the Copper River fisheries, and need to protect them. The Copper is one of the world's greatest wild rivers. Whether with a dipnet, driftnet, fishwheel, or paycheck, tens of thousands of Alaskans depend directly on the Copper to put food on their tables.  The lucrative commercial salmon fishery is world-famous. One Copper River King in an Alaska fisherman's net is worth more than a barrel of oil on Wall Street. The Copper River Delta is largest contiguous wetland on the Pacific coast of North America, supporting entire world populations of some species of birds.

The Brady Report was commissioned by Cascadia Wildlands Project as an expert opinion in our legal challenge of the state approval of Alyeska's oil spill contingency plan. It was filed with our witness lists and exhibits December 17, 2007. We are arguing they break the law in refusing to identify or protect the Copper as an "environmentally sensitive area." Under existing regulations this would require a higher level of spill prevention and readiness.  

We are joined in the legal action by commercial fisherman Bill Black, and entepreneur Lauren Padawer, Alaska Glacial Mud Co.  We also have strong support from villages and tribes upriver... more on that later. 

Special thanks for the many whose grassroots financial support for citizen oversight of the pipeline possible—in particular Brainerd and Alaska Conservation Foundation, and Cordova District Fishermen United. 

—GWS  1/16/08