Here are some facts for this day. You are welcome to log your interesting, quirky or fun fact/s with your log.
On This Day - March 24th 1989
The Exxon Valdez oil tanker runs aground, creating an oil slick disaster in Alaska.
On 23 March 1989, the oil tanker Exxon Valdez departed from the Valdez oil terminal in Valdez, Alaska, heading south through Prince William Sound, with a full cargo of oil. At 12:04 am on 24 March 1989, the tanker hit Bligh Reef, splitting its side open and releasing up to 115,000 m³ of crude oil, though media reports put the figure much lower. The spillage affected 1,900 km of coastline; loss of wildlife estimates were 250,000 seabirds, nearly 3,000 sea otters, 300 harbour seals, 250 bald eagles, up to 22 killer whales and billions of salmon and herring eggs.
Numerous difficulties were encountered with the cleanup. Equipment was not readily available, or not up to the massive task. In the aftermath of the environmental disaster, US Congress passed the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, including a clause banning the Exxon Valdez from Alaskan waters. On 29 January 1990, the trial of captain Joseph Hazelwood began in Anchorage, Alaska, and on 27 February 1990, Exxon and its shipping company were indicted on five criminal counts. Exxon spent around 2 billion dollars cleaning up the spill with 11,000 workers, and a further $1 billion to settle civil and criminal charges related to the case. A lawsuit brought by fishermen, property owners, businesses and communities who claimed they were harmed by the spill was still in progress as of 2002.