36 OCTOBER 2017 • FOGHORN GREENWATERS NEWS Stan Stephens Glacier & Wildlife Cruises, Valdez, AK, is the newest PVA Vessel member to participate in the PVA Green WATERS Program. Operating since 1971 from Valdez and the Prince William Sound, located east of Anchorage, Stan Stephens Glacier & Wildlife Cruises has been bringing visitors to America’s last frontier and introducing them to some of the most majestic and ecologically delicate, natural wonders in the world. With two 149-passenger vessels, the Glacier Spirit (built by PVA Associate member Mavrik Marine) and the Valdez Spirit (constructed by PVA Associate member All American Marine), Stan Stephens Glacier & Wildlife Cruises is a seasonal operation that brings pas- sengers up close and personal to the Columbia and Meares Glaciers, as well as the spectacular Alaskan wildlife. “We work with local organizations to ensure that the health of our region is preserved,” said company President Colleen Stephens. Many will recall that the pristine coastline of Valdez was critically harmed on March 24, 1989, when the oil tanker Exxon Valdez, full of crude oil, struck a reef and unleashed 11 million gallons of oil into the Prince William Sound. According to a report by The Atlantic, “more than 1,000 miles of coastline were fouled, and hundreds of thousands of animals perished.” This was a devastating event for the entire community, and Stan Stephens Glacier & Wildlife Cruises was also affected. In fact, that catastrophic incident was monumental for the operation. Right away, the Stephens’ were involved in trying to help fix the situation. Stan’s vessels were some of the first to carry response observers to the site. Due to the need for spill research, the Stephens’s purchased two additional boats. It was the early days of the spill as Stan was observing the response that he dedicated the remainder of his life to working with industry to protect Prince William Sound. Today, the crew at Stan Stephens Cruises lives by Stan’s example and works to share and preserve the corner of Alaska he worked so hard to protect. Being an active participant in the PVA Green WATERS Program, a voluntary environmental program designed for the U.S. passenger vessel industry to protect, preserve, and sustain our fragile marine environment, is one of the ways the excursion operator strives to improve the waterways. Introduced in 2009, the PVA Green PVA Welcomes Alaskan Operator to the Green WATERS Program