Chancellor Fran Ulmer's update on Oil Spill Commission report available via podcast

Dear UAA Community,

Last week I, along with the other six members of the BP Deepwater Horizon Gulf Oil Spill Commission delivered our findings and recommendations personally to President Obama. Our report was the culmination of six months of intense and detailed investigation into the root causes of the worst oil spill in our nation's history. We provided the President recommendations for preventing spills in the future.

I am grateful for the strong leadership team at UAA that made it possible for me to devote energy to this important commission while serving as Chancellor, and the support from President Gamble and the Board of Regents.

Many Alaskans contributed to the Oil Spill Commission with their expertise and advice. Alaskans have much in common with Louisianans:  a reliance on the oil and gas industry, fishing, tourism, regional culture and dependence on the local environment and the food it produces for families.

The tragic losses and hardships that people in the Gulf are experiencing reminded me greatly of the devastation in Alaska after the Exxon Valdez Oils Spill. The need to prevent future spills is vital to our economic, environmental and social wellbeing.

This week I spoke at the 10th Annual Marine Science Symposium to more than 500 scientists from Alaska and the Pacific Northwest about the importance of evolving best practices, technology, standards and safety systems which are effective in Arctic conditions. This is the first of a series of speeches planned to bring the lessons learned from the tragedy in the Gulf of Mexico to Alaskans.

You can listen to the speech on KSKA's website. Hopefully, the report will provide guidance and support to both government and industry in ways that will motivate and accelerate the change that is needed in America's offshore oil and gas operations. You can read the report on the Oil Spill Commission website.

I look forward to the University of Alaska taking a leadership role through job training and education, policy analysis and research in guiding future oil and gas development in our state and nation.

Sincerely,

Fran Ulmer, Chancellor