Red Light to Starboard

Minutes before supertanker Exxon Valdez ran aground on Bligh Reef, before rocks ripped a huge hole in her hull and a geyser of crude oil darkened Prince William Sound's pristine waters, the ship's lookout burst through the chart room door. "e;That light, sir, it's still on the starboard side. It should be to port, sir."e; Her frantic words were merely the last in a litany of futile warnings.The parade of ultimately unkept promises began the next day. President Frank Iarossi pronounced that the Exxon Shipping Company had "e;assumed full financial responsibility."e; Alaska Governor Steve Cowper spoke at the Valdez Civic Center. "e;We don't want anybody to think that they have to hire a lawyer and go into federal court and sue the largest corporation in America."e;Valdez native Bobby Day flew over the spill and knew his livelihood was in jeopardy. He struggled with betrayal and guilt, and later, tensions within a divided community. His story lends a local perspective and conveys the damage to individuals and the fishing industry.Lengthy investigations revealed cover ups, reckless management, numerous safety violations, and a broken regulatory process. Lawmakers aligned with businesses, and fishermen spent nearly twenty years in litigation. Despite a massive cleanup effort, oil remains on beaches and continues to impact marine life.Angela Day documents a story that stunned the world, recounts regional and national history, and explains how oil titans came to be entrusted with a spectacular, fragile ecosystem. It discusses environmental consequences, failed governmental and public policy decisions, and changes that offer hope for the future.</Red Light to Starboard won the Western Writers of America's 2015 Spur Award for Best Western Contemporary Nonfiction, two IndieFab Awards from ForeWord Magazine, and was named a 2015 American Library Association Outstanding University Press Title.