Description: On March 24, 1989, the Exxon Valdez oil tanker struck a reef off the coast of Alaska, spilling nearly 11 million gallons of crude oil into Prince William Sound. It remains one of the worst environmental disasters in U.S. history—devastating marine life, coastal ecosystems, and native communities for decades. A sobering reminder of the fragile balance between industry and nature—and the lasting cost of neglect.