The 17th annual Alaska Forum on the Environment (AFE) was held in Anchorage during the week of February 9, 2015.

AFE is a statewide gathering of environmental professionals from government agencies, non-profit and for-profit businesses, community leaders, Alaskan youth, conservationists, biologists and community elders. The forum has speakers on a variety of environmental issues important to Alaskans, with a strong focus on the unique environmental issues and challenges faced by rural Alaskan communities. The annual meeting of the Oil Spill Recovery Institute (OSRI) was also held at AFE to provide an opportunity for interested public to attend and hear about the institute’s activities.

OSRI was established by Congress in response to the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill. OSRI’s mandate is to identify and develop the best available techniques, equipment and materials for dealing with oil spills in the Arctic and sub-Arctic marine environment; and complement federal and state damage assessment efforts and determine, document, assess and understand the long-range effects of Arctic and sub-Arctic oil spills on the natural resources of Prince William Sound, and the environment, the economy and the lifestyle and well-being of the people who are dependent on those resources. OSRI is governed by an Advisory Board that includes three federal, three state, two oil and gas industry, two fishing industry, two native community, and two at-large representatives. Additionally, there are non-voting members from the Institute of Marine Science/ University of Alaska Fairbanks, and the Prince William Sound Science Center. Doug Helton is the current chair of the Board.

For further information, contact Doug.Helton@noaa.gov.

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