1. Energy-related Environmental Disasters

2. Three-mile Island March 28, 1979 Middletown, PA
The most serious accident in U.S. commercial nuclear power plant operating history (but no deaths or injuries)

3. Three-mile Island: 1/2 meltdown
The NRC became aware of the burn on Friday, although it occurred on Wednesday
Deliberate venting of radioactive gases from the plant Friday morning that released 1,200 millirems directly above the stack of the auxiliary building
NRC also involved, but not prepared for emergency response. (No chain of command; no authority to order evacuations; unclear authority over Metropolitan Edison)
Voluntary evacuations 36 hours after start of incident.
No public health consequences.

4. Three-mile Island
Led to changes in emergency response planning, reactor operator training, human factors engineering, radiation protection, and other areas of nuclear power plant operations
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission had to tighten and heighten its regulatory oversight

5. Chornobyl
April 26, 1986
During a test of the system, safety mechanisms were turned off
The cooling system was mistakenly turned off as well
This led to a complete meltdown and explosion

6. Oil spills

7. Exxon Valdez March 24, 1989 tanker ran aground
11 million gallons spilled in Prince William Sound
1,990 miles of coastline affected

8. Exxon Valdez
Some numbers: 2800 otters, 300+ harbor seals, 250,000 seabirds, 250 bald eagles killed
Mass mortalities of macroalgae and invertebrates
Long-term effects on fish populations…Why?

9. Deep Water Horizon spill
Remember the cause(s)?
4.9 million barrels (2.1 x 109 gallons)
Leaked for 12 weeks
BP recovered ¼
the blowout prevention system failed at the Macondo Well

10. Buzzards Bay 1969 Oil barge Florida ran aground
200,000 gallons of fuel spilled
MANY fishes and invertebrates were killed
Still found in marsh sediments today, still affecting wildlife

11. Kuwait War
Deliberate dumping of oil by the Iraqi army into the Persian Gulf during the Kuwait war (1991)
6 million barrels (2.52 x 108 gallons)
101 sq. mile oil slick

12. Oil Pollution Act 1990
Requires strict safety measures for tankers and storage facilities
Requires contingency plans in the event of a spill
Requires contributions to a trust fund to cover oil spill costs