Out of the Channel: The Exxon Valdez Oil Spill in Prince Will Sound

by John Keeble

Ten years later, the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill in Prince William Sound remains the largest tanker spill in the history of North America, and in its devastating effects upon wildlife and habitat, arguably the most damaging tanker spill in the history of the world. First released in 1992, John Keeble's account, Out of the Channel, combined on-the-scene witnessing of the oil spill's lethal results with analysis of its ramifications upon ecology, community, economy, law, the nature of public information, and upon the American mythos. The aftermath of the oil spill, and no less transforming, the spill of Exxon's money and power, reached into every sector of Alaskan life as well as into the conscience of the people of the lower forty-eight states. The event is now seen as one of a handful of signal ecological disasters of the twentieth century. The new "Tenth Anniversary" edition of Out of the Channel adds to its evocative, original text as new and full assessment of the permutations and twists of big money, big litigation, and "petroleum speak" from the vantage point of several years' remove, as well as an account of the 1991, $1 billion civil settlement between Exxon, the U.S. Justice Department, and the State of Alaska―the largest such environmental settlement ever. In this now definitive book on the oil spill, all the primary concerns of the first edition are updated with new material, including the cause of the ship's grounding on Bligh Reef, the long lasting effects of the spill, the projected death toll among animals, the little-known 1993 fishermen's tanker blockade, late-developing evidence about the quantity of oil spilled, the benefits and abuses of professional science, as well as the heartening results of citizen pressure to improve oil shipping procedures in Prince William Sound and to protect fragile habitat.

384 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 1991

Reviews

[Mike Moore · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a journalist, I was impressed by the guy's thorough reporting. He talked to EVERYONE. Except it was a little too objective and my short attention span had trouble after a while.

[Amanda Fredericks · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author spent months interviewing different communities affected immediately after the spill and experienced firsthand the effects of the oil spill economically, environmentally, physically, and mentally on the community. The book is a first hand account of who he interviewed and what he saw. I was really impressed by how each community took control of their own fate once they realized that Exxon was basically useless. I wish this book would have included a bit more environmental policy and the regulators perspectives but overall a very insightful and well written book.

[Sherrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Moral of the story? Exxon bad, locals good. Unless you throw money at the locals, then they are bad, too.

I was impressed that Bush Sr. and the Congress of 1990 passed the Oil Pollution Act because of this. It heavily increased liability for corporations responsible for environmental disasters.

It seems that the winner in this situation, if there was one, was the Native Alaskans (Eyak tribe) who sort of refound themselves in fighting corporatism during this time.

[Rob Reed · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you want a boots on the ground view of the Exxon Valdez catastrophe /crime, this is it.