Exxon Valdez

The Exxon Valdez was an oil tanker that, in 1989, ran aground in Prince William Sound, Alaska, spilling approximately 11 million gallons of crude oil into the ocean. This disaster caused extensive environmental damage, killing wildlife and harming local ecosystems. The incident raised awareness about the risks of oil transportation and led to changes in regulations, including the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, which aimed to prevent similar spills in the future. The Exxon Valdez spill remains one of the worst environmental disasters in U.S. history, highlighting the challenges of oil extraction and transportation.