Oil Spill | Kodiak, Alaska | March 15-16 2019

What Happened?

On March 15-16, 2019, an oil spill occurred due to a leak in a fuel line to a refrigeration unit at an American President Lines LTD (APL) yard in Kodiak, Alaska.

An estimated 1,369-gallons of oil from the leaking diesel tank entered the Lake Louise Tributary, the Buskin River, and St. Paul Harbor. The impacted area includes migratory fish habitat, and riverine, estuarine, and marine habitats, the Buskin River State Recreation Site, and the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge.

What Were the Impacts?

The spill impacted freshwater and marine resources and habitats, as well as human uses including recreational and cultural practices. 

The Lake Louise Tributary, Buskin River, estuarine marsh at the mouth of the river, and nearshore marine waters support fish species including chum, coho, pink, and sockeye salmon, as well as steelhead trout and Dolly Varden. The waters impacted by the spill are used by salmon for spawning, rearing, and migration. Multiple fish species, at various life stages, were present at the time of the spill.

The spill also impacted a variety of bird species, including seabirds, waterfowl, raptors, and passerines, and bird habitats that are used for foraging, nesting, and overwintering. Other resources that were impacted by the spill include freshwater invertebrates and plants found in the river and estuary. Part of the impacted area is within the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge and an Audubon Alaska designated Important Bird Area. 

The Buskin River is the most heavily fished drainage in Kodiak and is used by sport and subsistence fishers. The Buskin River State Recreation Site is a popular, year-round, road-accessible recreation spot for Kodiak residents and visitors. Access to and use of the Buskin River State Recreation Site was impacted by the spill and response operations. Warning signs about the spill were posted at multiple access points to the Buskin River and State Recreation Site. Additionally, areas along the Buskin River that are traditionally used by members of the Sun’aq Tribe of Kodiak for gathering grasses were impacted by the spill and response. 

What's Happening Now?

The Trustees are currently working to determine the magnitude of the injuries to the resources and services that were impacted by the spill and appropriate compensatory restoration for those injuries. The Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) is focused on aquatic habitat service losses and lost human uses.

On October 13th, 2020, the NRDA Trustees published a preassessment report summarizing the evidence of likely impacts from the spill. They are currently working cooperatively with the Responsible Party on restoration planning.

On August 22, 2023, the Trustees entered into an administrative settlement with American President Lines LLC to resolve liability for natural resource damages resulting from the APL Buskin River oil spill.  Under the settlement, approximately $170,000 will be paid to the Natural Resource Trustees for the planning, selecting, implementing, and monitoring of restoration projects.  The Trustees will propose restoration projects through the development of a restoration plan, which will be provided for public comment.