Exxon Valdez oil spill trustees invite comments

JOY LANDALUCE

April 25, 2008 at 10:50AM AKST

The six state and federal trustees of the Exxon Valdez oil spill settlement will be in Cordova on May 1 to hear from residents, particularly on the Cordova Center project and herring research issues.

The oil spill settlement fund now has more than $120 million remaining designated for restoration activities. Additionally, there is a smaller fund set aside for habitat protection and acquisition.

The city of Cordova has requested about $7 million for construction of the Cordova Center, a multi-purpose building designed to house a 200-seat auditorium, an oil spill response center and science education rooms, an expanded public library and museum, and city hall offices.

At its March 17 meeting, a majority of the Trustee Council members expressed support for the Cordova Center project.

However, they also stated their support can only be for portions of the building which have clear connection to restoration of resources injured by the 1989 oil spill.

A separate but related workshop on restoration of herring in Prince William Sound will be held April 29-30. The trustee council is committed to ongoing research investigations by a multidisciplinary group of scientists and has also appointed a Herring Plan Steering Committee, which includes fishermen, managers and scientists.

The workshop will bring all of these individuals together to review research progress and determine next steps.

The public is invited to the workshop April 29-30; the location is to be determined. Contact Cathy Sherman at 424-6665 or Nancy Bird at 424-5800, ext. 225, for details.

Joy Landaluce can be reached at (907) 424-7181.