An environmental engineer who worked on design and construction of the Valdez Marine Terminal, Dan Lawn joined the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation as one of the first inspectors of terminal and tanker operations. He was the first regulator notified the night the Exxon Valdez ran aground on Bligh Reef. For over ten years before the spill, Dan documented the failures of the oil industry to prevent spills and to adequately prepare for clean-ups, and warned the state about the potential for a major disaster in Prince William Sound.
For his efforts, Dan was harassed, intimidated, and wrongfully demoted by the state. Finally, in December 1996, he won a decision from Alaska's Supreme Court ordering ADEC to reinstate him to his former duties overseeing the Valdez Marine Terminal. He is now represents ADEC at the Joint Pipeline Office's Valdez office.
-Dan Lawn -