Toxic Legacy: Long-term Effects of Offshore Oil on Wildlife & Public Health - Oceana

Report | November, 2010

Toxic Legacy: Long-term Effects of Offshore Oil on Wildlife & Public Health

 

In the early hours of March 24, 1989, the Exxon Valdez oil tanker ran into Bligh Reef, spilling 10.8 million gallons of oil into Prince William Sound. In response to the spill, efforts were led by President George H.W. Bush, President Bill Clinton and bipartisan Congressional efforts to prevent such a tragedy from occurring again. These political leaders instituted offshore oil drilling moratoria in the outer continental shelf and Bristol Bay.

Nearly twenty years after the Exxon disaster, President George W. Bush and Congress have reversed these moratoria and have raised the risk of another oil spill catastrophe. “Toxic Legacy” thoroughly documents the consequences of our addiction to oil, from drilling to transportation and final use. The report calls for a reinstatement of the moratoria in order to better protect our oceans.