Chugach, our communities in the Chugach Region, and our lands were among those most devastated by the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill. Chugach’s communities include, Port Graham, Nanwalek, Seward, Cordova, Tatitlek, Chenega, and Valdez, and are all within the Spill Affected Area.

The oil spill devastated the Chugach region and communities by:

• Damaging our traditional and subsistence way of life;
• Crippling our local economies, including commercial fishing, hunting, gathering, and tourism; and
• Causing irreparable and lasting damage to our lands and the resources that depend on those lands.

We are resilient people and in the 31 years since the oil spill we have taken steps to rebuild our communities, but the resources and services in the Chugach region have never fully recovered.