Case Studies - Environmental Science - page 347

caught fire again, this time making national news when Time magazine described it as the river that "oozes
rather than flows." The river was filled with chemicals from the many manufacturers along its banks. The 1969
Cuyahoga River fire helped spur water control legislation that resulted in the Clean Water Act, the Great Lakes
Water Quality Agreement, and the creation of the federal Environmental Protection Agency.
Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill
The Deepwater Horizon oil spill (also referred to as the BP oil spill or the Gulf of Mexico oil spill) was a ma-
jor oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico that flowed for approximately three months in 2010. The broken well was
capped, but the impact of the spill continued. It is the largest accidental marine oil spill in the history of the
petroleum industry. The spill originated on April 20, 2010, when the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig exploded.
The well was capped on July 15, 2010, but not before an estimated 5 million barrels of crude oil had been re-
leased. The spill caused extensive damage to the marine life in the Gulf of Mexico and the habitats along the
coast.
The spill created a threat to the environment due to the toxicity of the petroleum, depletion of dissolved oxy-
gen, and the use of the oil dispersant, Corexit. Eight U.S. National Parks in the area are threatened. More than
400 species live in the islands and coastline of the mainland, and 8,332 species live in the Gulf spill area, in-
cluding four species of sea turtles, 1,200 fish, 200 birds, 1,400 mollusks, 1,500 crustaceans, and 29 marine
mammals. As of August 13, 2010, 4,678 dead animals had been collected. The oil spill has also had a harsh
impact on the local fishing industry, tourism industry, and other businesses dependent on the Gulf.
Exxon Valdez Oil Spill
The Exxon Valdez tanker struck a reef in Prince William Sound on March 24, 1989. The oil tanker was bound
for Long Beach, California, when it ran aground and spilled 260,000 to 750,000 barrels of crude oil. It is con-
sidered to be one of the worst environmental disasters caused by humans. It was the largest oil spill in U.S. wa-
ters until the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010, although the spill ranks low on the list
of worldwide spills.
The Exxon Valdez oil spill occurred in a very remote location with limited access. The area was accessible only
by boat, plane, or helicopter, which made it difficult to respond to the spill. Clean-up efforts also were
hampered by the amount of coastline, rocky coves and inlets, and cold temperatures. The spill covered 1,300
miles of coastline and 11,000 square miles of ocean. The region is a major habitat for salmon, sea otters, seals,
and seabirds. The immediate effects included the estimated deaths of 100,000 to 250,000 seabirds, at least
2,800 sea otters, approximately 12 river otters, 300 harbor seals, 247 bald eagles, 22 killer whales, and billions
of salmon and herring eggs.
In response to the oil spill, the U.S. Congress passed the Oil Pollution Act in 1990. The law included a gradual
phase-in of double-hull ships that provide an additional layer between the oil tanks and the ocean. The law in-
cludes a provision that prohibits any ship that has caused an oil spill of more than one million gallons in any
marine area from operating in Prince William Sound.
Fukushimi Daiichi Nuclear Disaster
The most recent global nuclear event occurred at the Fukushimi Daiichi plant in Japan as a consequence of an
offshore earthquake and resulting tsunami. The plant was damaged after the earthquake, aftershocks, and a
tsunami impacted the costal facility, rendering it nonfunctioning. Multiple hydrogen explosions occurred as
well, weakening the structure even further.