Editing Valdez, Alaska (section)

===Trans-Alaska pipeline===
From 1975 to 1977, the [[Trans-Alaska Pipeline System|Trans-Alaska pipeline]] was built to carry oil from the [[Prudhoe Bay]] oil fields in northern Alaska to a [[Valdez oil terminal|terminal]] in Valdez, the nearest ice-free port.<ref name=piglfol>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=8cdVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=mdkDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3512%2C5094502 |work=Eugene Register-Guard |location=(Oregon) |agency=UPI |title='Pig' leading flow of oil in pipeline |date=June 20, 1977 |page=1A}}</ref><ref name=hnsof>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=h1ZOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=_PgDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4733%2C784844 |work=Spokane Daily Chronicle |location=(Washington) |agency=Associated Press |title=Hot North Slope oil flowing |date=June 20, 1977 |page=1}}</ref>  Oil is loaded onto tanker ships for transport. The construction and operation of the pipeline and terminal boosted the economy of Valdez. The first tanker to be loaded with pipeline oil was the ''[[ARCO]] Juneau'' in early August 1977, bound for the [[Cherry Point Refinery]] in {{nowrap|[[Washington (state)|Washington]].<ref name=arcjun>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=1a1VAAAAIBAJ&sjid=KeADAAAAIBAJ&pg=6909%2C169514 |work=Eugene Register-Guard |location=(Oregon) |agency=wire services |title=Tanker casts off with load of oil |date=August 2, 1977 |page=3A}}</ref>}}

The 1989 [[Exxon Valdez oil spill|''Exxon Valdez'' oil spill]] occurred as the oil tanker ''[[Exxon Valdez]]'' was leaving the terminal at Valdez full of oil. The spill occurred at [[Bligh Reef]], about {{convert|40|km|mi|abbr=on}} from Valdez. Although the oil did not reach Valdez, it devastated much of the marine life in the surrounding area. The clean-up of the oil caused a short-term boost to the economy of Valdez.