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This activity was supported by the Gulf Research Program of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of any organization or agency that provided support for the project.

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Digital Object Identifier: https://doi.org/10.17226/29176

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Suggested citation: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2025. Gulf-Alaska Knowledge Exchange: Learning from the Legacy of Past Oil Spills: Proceedings of a Workshop Series. Washington, DC: National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/29176.

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PLANNING COMMITTEE FOR THE GULF-ALASKA KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE WORKSHOP SERIES

EDWIN “ED” LEVINE (Chair), Scientific Support and Coordination, LLC, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (retired)

ADRIANA C. BEJARANO, Senior Ecotoxicologist, Shell Global Solutions, Inc. (until June10, 2024)

RAVEN CUNNINGHAM, Tribal Fish and Wildlife Director, Chugach Regional Resources Commission (until July 24, 2024)

BERNARD D. GOLDSTEIN (NAM),¹ Professor Emeritus, University of Pittsburgh, School of Public Health

DAVIN HOLEN, Coastal Community Resilience Specialist, Associate Professor, Alaska Sea Grant, University of Alaska Fairbanks

MÂY NGUYỄN, Senior Philanthropic Advisor, East Bay Community Foundation

W. SCOTT PEGAU, Research Program Manager, Oil Spill Recovery Institute

E. BARRETT RISTROPH, Principal, Program Manager, Ristroph Law, Planning, and Research (until January 14, 2025)

STEPHEN H. SEMPIER, Outreach and Deputy Director, Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium

U. RASHID SUMAILA, University Killam Professor, Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries and the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs, University of British Columbia

FRANCES ULMER, Associate, Arctic Initiative, Harvard Kennedy School, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs

COLLIN P. WARD, Associate Scientist, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Staff

JENNIFER A. COHEN, Senior Program Officer

STEPHANIE A. HOUSER, Program Officer

RAÚL D. FLAMENCO, Research Associate

THELMA L. COX, Program Coordinator

Reviewers

This Proceedings of a Workshop Series was reviewed in draft form by individuals chosen for their diverse perspectives and technical expertise. The purpose of this independent review is to provide candid and critical comments that will assist the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in making each published proceedings as sound as possible and to ensure that it meets the institutional standards for quality, objectivity, evidence, and responsiveness to the charge. The review comments and draft manuscript remain confidential to protect the integrity of the process.

We thank the following individuals for their review of this proceedings:

Although the reviewers listed above provided many constructive comments and suggestions, they were not asked to endorse the content of the

Acknowledgments

The Gulf Research Program (GRP) wishes to express sincere gratitude to Ed Levine (planning committee chair) and the entire workshop planning committee for their unwavering dedication to this project. Their invaluable contributions to the planning, development, and orchestration of this uniquely designed workshop series resulted in three well-designed and executed workshops that provided a safe space for open, honest, and ardent discussions and exchanges.

GRP would also like to thank the speakers and workshop participants who generously shared their lived experiences and expertise by contributing to the rich discussions and by truly embracing the knowledge exchange aspect of this effort. Gratitude is also extended to the in-person and online audiences who shared their wisdom and insights and enriched the breakout group discussions. We also want to acknowledge and thank the many workshop speakers, presenters, and audience members who traveled very long distances to attend and participate in these workshops.

Special thanks to Gregory Kallenberg, Chris Lyons, and Jeremy Spring from the video production company Rational Middle Media for their work on the video they produced for this workshop series. Their sensitivity, professionalism, and talent were recognized and appreciated by everyone with whom they engaged.

We would also like to extend a special thank you to several GRP staff members who generously volunteered their time to support the workshop by managing online Zoom breakout groups or providing other assistance.

Contents

Acronyms and Abbreviations

Summary

1 Introduction

2 Workshop 1: Anchorage, Alaska

DAY 1 OPENING REMARKS

SESSION 1: SOCIOECONOMIC IMPACTS

SESSION 2: TRANSFORMATIVE RECOVERY

DAY 2 OPENING REMARKS

SESSION 3: PROACTIVE PREPAREDNESS

WRAP-UP SESSION

ANCHORAGE WORKSHOP THEMES

3 Workshop 2: Thibodaux, Louisiana

DAY 1 OPENING REMARKS

ANCHORAGE WORKSHOP OVERVIEW

SESSION 1: COMMUNITY-CENTERED RESPONSE

GROUNDING SPEAKER

SESSION 2: TRANSFORMATIVE RECOVERY

DAY 2 OPENING REMARKS

SESSION 3: PROACTIVE PREPAREDNESS

INTERACTIVE WORLD CAFÉ SESSION

CLOSING REMARKS

THIBODAUX WORKSHOP THEMES

4 Workshop 3: Washington, D.C.

DAY 1 OPENING REMARKS

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

SESSION 1: EFFECTIVE INFORMATION EXCHANGE AND COMMUNICATION

SESSION 2: AFFECTED COMMUNITIES

DAY 2 OPENING REMARKS

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

SESSION 3: PREVENTION

TAKEAWAY SESSION

CLOSING REMARKS

WASHINGTON, D.C., WORKSHOP THEMES

5 Workshop Series Summary

A Planning Committee and Staff Biographical Sketches

B Workshop Speakers’ Abbreviated Biographical Information

C Public Workshop Agendas

D Thibodaux World Café Session Responses

E Washington, D.C., Breakout Activity Responses

Box, Figures, and Tables

BOX

1-1 Gulf-Alaska Knowledge Exchange Workshop Series Statement of Task

FIGURES

1-1 Workshop travel by speakers, invited guests, and committee members

1-2 Illustration of participants by sector for each workshop

2-1 Map showing location of Exxon Valdez oil spill and the movement of spilled oil in the Gulf of Alaska

2-2 Blockade in Valdez Narrows to prevent the passage of tankers

2-3 Results of word cloud from day 1 of workshop

3-1 Sign at the Reluctant Fisherman Inn in Cordova, Alaska

3-2 The number of days of surface oil in the Gulf after Deepwater Horizon based on satellite imagery

4-1 Possible human effects of large marine oil spills

4-2 Map showing the shoreline protection zone and oil and gas structures, wells, and platforms along the Louisiana coast

4-3 Oil spill actions: A community engaged roadmap

4-4 Oil spill risk matrix

TABLES

S-1 Summary Issues That Arose Throughout the Workshop Series

2-1 Themes from Anchorage Workshop with Attribution

3-1 Themes from Thibodaux Workshop 2 with Attribution

4-1 Parallel Steps of Shoreline Cleanup Assessment Technique (SCAT) and Public Welfare Review Technique (PWR-T)

4-2 Themes from Washington, D.C., Workshop with Attribution

5-1 Summary of Cross-Cutting Issues Raised Across Workshop Discussions

D-1 Formal Response Processes Board

D-2 Community Involvement in Preparedness Board

D-3 Mental Health Board

D-4 Communication and Trust Board

D-5 Community-driven Research Board

D-6 Miscellaneous Board

E-1 Prevention and Preparedness Board

E-2 Day of Oil Spill Board

E-3 Early Days Post-Spill Board

E-4 Longer-term Recovery and Restoration Board

Acronyms and Abbreviations