Opinion: We need to protect B.C.’s coast from an oil tanker spill

Thomas Gunton: Direct costs of a major oil spill could range up to $4.7 billion, which exceeds available compensation funds by over $3 billion. Taxpayers, therefore, could be on the hook to cover a large proportion of the damage costs.

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Shortly after 9 p.m. on March 23, 1989, the oil tanker Exxon Valdez departed from Alaska destined for California. Three hours later it ran aground on Bligh reef and 258,000 barrels of oil spilled into the ocean.

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The impacts of the spill on the environment and economy were devastating. More than 100,000 marine birds, 2,600 sea otters and over one-third of the resident orca population died. Over 750 kilometres of shoreline was contaminated and over 20 years after the spill 18 of the 28 impacted resources had still not recovered and compensation for the extensive damages was still unresolved.

Some may think that an Exxon Valdez-type spill could never happen again with the improvements in marine safety, double-hull tankers and tug escorts. But while the

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