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Source: Alaska
Department of Community and Economic Development
Valdez, AK
| Current Population: |
3,749 (2004 State Demographer estimate) |
| Incorporation Type: |
Home Rule City |
| Borough Located In: |
Unorganized |
| Taxes: |
Sales: None, Property: 20.0 mills,
Special: 6% Accommodations Tax |
| Location
and Climate |
| Valdez is
located on the north shore of Port Valdez, a deep water fjord in Prince
William Sound. It lies 305 road miles east of Anchorage, and 364 road
miles south of Fairbanks. It is the southern terminus of the
Trans-Alaska oil pipeline. The community lies at approximately
61.130830° North Latitude and -146.34833° (West) Longitude. (Sec. 32,
T008S, R006W, Copper River Meridian.) Valdez is located in the Valdez
Recording District. The area encompasses 222.0 sq. miles of land and
55.1 sq. miles of water. January temperatures range from 21 to 30; July
temperatures are 46 to 61. Annual precipitation is 62 inches. The
average snowfall is, incredibly, 325 inches (27 feet) annually.
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| History, Culture and
Demographics |
| The Port of Valdez was named in
1790 by Don Salvador Fidalgo for the celebrated Spanish naval officer
Antonio Valdes y Basan. Due to its excellent ice-free port, a town
developed in 1898 as a debarkation point for men seeking a route to the
Eagle Mining District and the Klondike gold fields. Valdez soon became
the supply center of its own gold mining region, and incorporated as a
City in 1901. Fort Liscum was established in 1900, and a sled and wagon
road was constructed to Fort Egbert in Eagle by the U.S. Army. The
Alaska Road Commission further developed the road for automobile travel
to Fairbanks; it was completed by the early 1920s. A slide of unstable
submerged land during the 1964 earthquake destroyed the original City
waterfront, killing several residents. The community was rebuilt on a
more stable bedrock foundation 4 miles to the west. During the 1970s,
construction of the Trans-Alaska oil pipeline terminal and other cargo
transportation facilities brought rapid growth to Valdez. In March 1989,
it was the center for the massive oil-spill cleanup after the "Exxon
Valdez" disaster. In a few short days, the population of the town
tripled.
The population of the community consists of 10.2% Alaska Native or
part Native. As a result of significant oil
taxation revenues, the City offers a variety of quality public services.
During the 2000 U.S. Census, total housing
units numbered 1,645, and vacant housing units numbered 151. Vacant
housing units used only seasonally numbered 46. U.S. Census data for
Year 2000 showed 2,076 residents as employed. The unemployment rate at
that time was 6.2 percent, although 30.64 percent of all adults were not
in the work force. The median household income was $66,532, per capita
income was $27,341, and 6.2 percent of residents were living below the
poverty level. |
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Facilities, Utilities, Schools and Health Care |
| Water is derived from four primary wells
and is stored in five 750,000-gal. reservoirs prior to piped
distribution throughout Valdez. Water storage capacity is 2.24 million
gallons. The sewage treatment plant is capable of processing 1.25
million gallons a day. Sewage is deposited in a secondary treatment
lagoon. Over 95% of homes are fully plumbed. Many homes use individual
wells and septic tanks. The Class 2 landfill uses a balefill system. An
oil and hazardous waste recycling center was completed in 1998. Copper
Valley Electric purchases power from the Four Dam Pool Power Agency and
the Petro Star Refinery, and owns diesel plants in Glennallen and
Valdez. Electricity is provided by Copper Valley Electric Assoc. There
are 4 schools located in the community, attended by 979 students. Local
hospitals or health clinics include Valdez Community Hospital
(835-2249); Valdez Native Tribe Clinic (835-4951). The hospital is a
qualified Acute Care facility. Long Term Care: Sourdough Place. Valdez
is classified as a large town/Regional Center, it is found in EMS Region
2F in the Prince William Sound Region. Emergency Services have
helicopter, marine and airport access. Emergency service is provided by
911 Telephone Service and paid EMS Service Auxiliary health care is
provided by Valdez Fire Dept/EMS (835-4560 x301). |
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Economy and Transportation |
Valdez has one of the highest municipal
tax bases in Alaska as the southern terminus and off-loading point of
oil extracted from Prudhoe Bay on the North Slope. Four of the top ten
employers in Valdez are directly connected to the oil terminus. Alyeska
Pipeline Service Co. employs nearly 300 persons. Valdez is a major
seaport, with a $48 million cargo and container facility. City, state,
and federal agencies combined provide significant employment. 49
residents hold commercial fishing permits. Three fish processing plants
operate in Valdez, including Peter Pan and Seahawk Seafoods. Valdez
Fisheries Dev. Assoc. will open its year-round processing facility in
October 2003. 7 cruise ships will dock in Valdez in 2004. Valdez is a
Foreign Free Trade Zone.
The Richardson Highway connects Valdez to Anchorage, Fairbanks and
Canada. Port Valdez is ice-free year round and is navigated by hundreds
of ocean-going oil cargo vessels each year. The State Ferry provides
transport to Whittier, Cordova, Kodiak, Seward and Homer in the summer;
Cordova only in the winter. Valdez has the largest floating concrete
dock in the world, with a 1,200' front and water depth exceeding 80'.
Numerous cargo and container facilities are present in Valdez. A small
harbor accommodates 546 commercial fishing boats and recreational
vessels. Boat launches and haul-out services are available. Both barges
and trucking services deliver cargo to the City. The airport is operated
by the state, with a 6,500' long by 150' wide paved runway, instrument
landing system and control tower. A State-owned seaplane base is
available at Robe Lake. |
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