2025-08-12T16:35:08-07:00 2024-09-30 920143182 ALTMAN ROGERS & CO 3000 C ST STE 201 ANCHORAGE AK 99503 990 2023-10-01 920129853 Prince William Sound Science & Technology Institute PRIN 9074245800 PO Box 705 Cordova AK 99574 Katrina Hoffman President & CEO 2025-08-12 true true Sterling Gillon CPA P02428406 9072742992 2023 2025-03-06 01:10:19Z Katrina Hoffman PO Box 705 Cordova AK 995740705 7138748 false X www.pwssc.org X 1989 AK To advance community resilience and the understanding and sustainable use of ecosystems. 9 9 41 25 0 9477641 5974377 511229 271622 47408 100730 -126734 440455 9909544 6787184 606108 505089 0 1758222 1873143 0 2 4170763 3795760 6535093 6173992 3374451 613192 28006238 28461596 1515749 1199338 26490489 27262258 X The Prince William Sound Science and Technology Institute (d.b.a. Prince William Sound Science Center) (the Center) was formed in 1989 as an Alaska not-for-profit scientific research and education corporation to contribute to the comprehensive description, sustained monitoring, and ecological understanding of Prince William Sound, the Copper River, and Gulf of Alaska. Establishment of the Center followed the Exxon Valdez oil spill, although planning of this institution preceded that event. The underlying philosophy of the Center is to serve as a model for long-term ecosystem management. false false 3194115 Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council Programs:Gulf Watch AlaskaThe Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council (EVOSTC) is supporting a long-term monitoring program in the Gulf of Alaska region affected by the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill. The monitoring program, called Gulf Watch Alaska, involves more than 25 scientists from multiple agencies, universities, and non-profits and seeks to provide data to identify and help understand the impacts of multiple ecosystem factors on the recovery of injured resources. This program is expected to be 20 years in length but is planned and funded in five-year increments. It builds a legacy of restoration research and monitoring by the EVOSTC and federal and state agencies dating back to 1989. The program includes sites in Prince William Sound, lower Cook Inlet, the Gulf of Alaska, and the outer Kenai Peninsula coast. This year has an overlap between two five-year segments. Mariculture ReCon The Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council (EVOSTC) is supporting a mariculture research program. The overall objective of the Mariculture Research and Restoration Consortium (Mariculture ReCon) is to support resporation, habitat enhancement, and economic development through research and partnerships between scientists and seaweed and shellfish farmers. This suite of applied research components takes a farm-centered approach to address EVOSTC restoration, economic development, outreach, administration, and data management interests that overlap top priorities identified by stakeholders and the Alaska Mariculture Development Plan Developed by the Governors Mariculture Task Force. Results will inform shellfish and seaweed production with farmers as full participants in the research. 820991 65519 Government Programs:EVOSTC New FacilitiesThe Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council is supporting the development of new facilities for the Prince William Sound Science Center. The new facilities include warehouse, office, and research and education spaces. Over $23 million has been pledged to cover costs associated with the new campus. The funds are being administered by the Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development. CORaL Network The Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council is supporting an education and outreach program titled, Community Organized Restoration and Learning [CORaL] Network. The purpose is to create and maintain an ongoing framework that builds the capacity of existing resources withing the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill impacted region to ensure that current scientific information, skills, and activities are publicly accessible and serve ongoing needs as identified by local communities. These funds are being administered by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. BSEE Herder/Burner This is a Joint Industry Program that uses funding from OSRI, ExxonMobil, Shell, Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, and Clean Caribbean Americas for the development of new oil spill response technology. A remotely operated surface vessel is being developed that can apply chemical herders and ignite herded slicks for in-situ burns. The system will carry remote sensing capabilities and can be controlled locally or through a satellite link. AOOS - Alaska Ocean Observing System This project, funded by NOAA via the Alaska Ocean Observing System, continues implementation of the Prince William Sound (PWS) Observing System (PWSOS). The PWSOS collects ocean, atmospheric and biological observations for use by stakeholders. PWSOS supported tracking of marine organisms using the passive acoustic Ocean Tracking Network, salinity measurements at the Cordova tide station, and the maintenance of the SNOTEL meteorological stations. AOOS Intuitive model-driven particle tracking tools A team of researchers is developing a particle tracking tool that can be overlayed on oceanographic circulation models to allow users to visualize trajectories of drifters, disabled ships, oil spills, and larvae. The focus is connecting the tools to the Cook Inlet Operational Forecast System model used by NOAA. AKSSF Evaluating in-river mortality of Copper River sockeye salmon The Alaska Sustainable Salmon Fund provided support to radio tag sockeye salmon traveling up the Copper River. The fish were measured and weighed prior to tagging to determine their fitness. Radio towers allowed the fish to be detected as they moved upstream. The fish were also searched for on the spawning grounds. This provided the information needed to determine how fitness determined survival during migration and success at the spawning grounds. AKSSF Run timing, spawning distribution, and survival of Copper River sockeyeThe Alaska Sustainable Salmon Fund provided support to radio tag sockeye salmon traveling up the Copper River. The tags were detected at towers along the river and using aerial surveys. The aerial surveys allowed the determination of the final spawning grounds based on the time the fish entered the system and were tagged.NPRB - Automation of Sockeye Salmon Scale Estimation This project examines the ability of using machine vision and deep learning to automate the reading of Sockeye Salmon scales to determine their age. Automation has the potential to improve management of salmon fisheries. Precise age information is critical to the evaluation of escapement goals, the generation of pre-season forecasts, and the long-term monitoring of population structure. NPRB Seabird use of spatially-predictable tidal rips This project adds a bird and mammal component to a physical oceanography project that is separately sponsored by BOEM. The purpose is to discover if birds and mammals are preferentially using tide rips in Cook Inlet. By understanding how birds and mammals use oceanographic features we can better predict potential impacts of oil spills. NOAA Empowering kelp faming The seaweed mariculture industry in Prince William Sound needs market development, science-backed information on best practices, and local capacity to improve the probability of success. This work has kelp farmers and biologists collaborating to establish a kelp nursery in Cordova, AK, and evaluate best practices for collecting seed stock from fertile tissue. NOAA Climate adaptation and resilience This project addresses the critical need for fishing communities in the Gulf of Alaska to formalize fisheries resilience strategies in adaptation plans, focusing on three of the most highly dependent and divers fishing communities in the region Cordova, Kodiak, and Sitka. The project will advance integrated scientific research and build partnerships between scientists, fishermen, Tribes, and Tribal citizens to enhance local planning capacity and responsiveness to climate change. NPS Migratory success of Copper River Sockeye Salmon This project aims to integrate prior and ongoing radio-telemetry data on Copper River sockeye spawning migration with several long-term ADF&G data sets to develop forecasting models to predict migratory success by incorporating new information from a recently available hydrological model developed by USGS. BOEM Cook Inlet Physical Oceanography With support from the Bureau of Ocean and Energy Management this project is pulling together the existing data from Cook Inlet, modeling factors that affect circulation, and make field measurements as needed to fill gaps identified in the analysis of the existing data. NPS Examining the health metrics of sockeye salmon This project supports a UAF led project. It collects tissue samples and energetics estimates from Copper River sockeye salmon. In collaboration with UAF it helps to analyze the data and supports energetic modeling efforts. USFWS Aleutian Tern The Aleutian Tern Technical Committee working group is undertaking a project to determine the current distribution and abundance of Aleutian terns at a statewide scale. This project uses aerial surveys to identify current breeding colonies, and on-the-ground access to estimate tern abundance. PWSMFC Empowering coastal Alaska by building local capacity for kelp farming This project strives to increase seaweed mariculture success by addressing market development, science-backed information on best practices, and local capacity in collaboration with local mariculture farms and biologists. There is a focus on best practices for collecting and growth of seed stock. EDA Seaweed nursery expansion This program provides equipment needed to allow PWSSC serve as a nursery facility for local seaweed mariculture operations. 732755 505089 Oil Spill Recovery Institute Programs:Oil Spill Recovery Institute (OSRI)This program funds the administration and awards of the Oil Spill Recovery Institute, a federally established program to support research, education, and demonstration projects designed to respond to and understand the effects of oil spills in Arctic and sub-Arctic marine environments. Initiated in 1997, funding is provided directly from the interest earnings on a $35.3 million principal allocationadministered by the U.S. Coast Guard (from the National Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund). The Institute is governed by an Advisory Board which includes representatives from Federal and State agencies, Alaska Native and PWS communities, and industry representatives appointed by the Governor of Alaska. The Advisory Board Chair is a U.S. Department of Commerce representative.PWSSC OSRI Program ManagerThe OSRI Program Manager supports OSRI by identifying research needs, working with the Work Plan Committee to develop annual work plans, and track progress on contracts. The Program Manager also interfaces with other research efforts to share the information learned by OSRI.PWSSC H2O Headwaters to Ocean Program & Education ProgramThe H2O Headwaters to Ocean Program is the umbrella under which all our education and outreach efforts occur. This program has four primary components this year: (1) the Discovery Room, a program which supplements elementary school science education; (2) Secondary School Outreach, programming designed to keep older students engaged in marine science-centric activities that promote critical thinking, problem solving and ecological literacy; (3) Outreach Discovery to support delivery of STEM education programming to audiences outside of Cordova; (4) Mini Discovery, such as Seq Squirts and Little Dippers, are designed to engage youth who are not yet school age in hands-on activities. Headwaters to Ocean is funded in large part by OSRI. Other funding comes from ConocoPhillips Alaska, Saltchuk, Boeing, iindividual and small business donations, foundations, and program fees.PWSSC Herder/BurnerThis is a Joint Industry Program that uses funding from OSRI, ExxonMobil, Shell, Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, North Caspian Operation Company, and Clean Caribbean Americas for the development of new oil spill response technology. A remotely operated surface vessel is being developed that can apply chemical herders and ignite herded slicks for in-situ burns. The system will carry remote sensing capabilities and can be controlled locally or through a satellite link. 465591 209715 5213452 true true false true false false false false false true true false false false false true true false false false false true false false true false false true false true false false false false false false false false true false false false false false false false false true 20 0 true 41 true false false false false false true true false 0 false false false false false false false false false false X 9 9 false false false false false false false true true false false true true true true true true true true false X X W Scott Pegau 9074245800 700 Orca Cannery Road Cordova AK 99574 Katrina Hoffman CEO 55.00 0.00 X 114063 0 59855 W Scott Pegau OSRI Director 40.00 0.00 81795 0 71290 Robert Campbell Oceanograher 40.00 0.00 104554 0 22640 Linnea Ronnegard Finance Direct. 9.00 0.00 X 41507 0 32462 Chris Rurik Director 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Craig Tillery Director 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Peter Andersen Director 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Jacques White Director 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Walter Wrede Director 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Robin Reich Director 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Scott Hicks Director 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Mead Treadwell Secretary 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Douglas Causey Director 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Todd Telesz Chairman 2.00 0.00 X X 0 0 0 Robyn McGhee 1st Vice Chair 2.00 0.00 X X 0 0 0 Katherine Dugan 2nd Vice Chair 2.00 0.00 X X 0 0 0 Thea Thomas Treasurer 2.00 0.00 X X 0 0 0 341919 186247 2 false true false University of Alaska - Fairbanks PO Box 757880 Fairbanks AK 99775 Oceanographic research 940281 Tactical Electronics 2200 N Hemlock Avenue Broken Arrow OK 74012 Construction 113489 AXIOM 3424 Robin St Anchorage AK 99504 Data management 202247 Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation PO Box 2223 Wrangell AK 99929 Business research 440814 University of AK Southeast UAS 11066 Auke Lake Way Juneau AK 99801 Cetation research 109430 5 5633170 341207 129493 5974377 Fees & Contracts Gov Agencies 541700 65519 65519 Service Contracts 541700 206103 206103 271622 63660 63660 0 0 80408 80408 80408 80408 150579 113509 37070 37070 37070 589983 233548 356435 356435 0 8119 4507 3612 3612 0 6787184 275234 537573 455666 455666 0 49423 49423 0 162133 135522 23339 3272 0 1112690 930064 160169 22457 53626 43609 8595 1422 440844 358492 70659 11693 103850 84450 16645 2755 0 9437 5526 1921 1990 46804 27407 9529 9868 21999 12882 4479 4638 0 9276 9276 317317 180211 66981 70125 7622 7622 49117 47975 1142 0 0 124946 26862 94578 3506 147944 100584 24915 22445 0 21279 17914 1964 1401 0 0 652167 276214 375953 89161 45993 42765 403 Subcontracts 2106039 2106039 Supplies 279611 211692 67919 Equipment Rental & Maintenance 55108 21439 33669 Fuel - New Wave 19442 16368 1794 1280 -161509 59120 5685 -226314 6173992 5213452 960538 2 1452525 942000 1078170 1705259 509634 308934 25558 4529 0 0 0 22283 18807 80846 76623 27319160 3365323 23589319 23953837 1247903 1451607 0 0 0 0 28006238 28461596 973631 853251 401426 209911 140692 136176 1515749 1199338 X 26333489 27121213 157000 141045 26490489 27262258 28006238 28461596 613192 158577 X false true X true true true X 4725709 13299289 13909369 9477641 5974377 47386385 0 0 4725709 13299289 13909369 9477641 5974377 47386385 0 47386385 29593 27698 34459 40222 127681 259653 0 10707 53139 37909 24496 126251 47772289 2266201 0.99190 0.99360 X RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED false false false false false false false false false false true 21999 21999 false false Part I-A, Line 1 - Direct and Indirect Political Campaign Activities Lobbying expenses were incurred for the purpose of monitoring and influencing state and federal legislation that are of interest to Prince William Sound Science Center and its exempt purpose. Part II-B, Line 1i - Other Activities Description Contractor hired to assist Prince William Sound Science & Technology Institute in the obtaining of funding. Part IV - Additional Information 18461 944 19405 18000 461 18461 100835 100835 384991 100845 384991 10 100835 384991 384991 1.00000 false false false 114752 114752 24260717 1161507 23099210 2943691 2203816 739875 23953837 X 7191988 158577 158577 7033411 9276 -255503 -246227 6787184 6420219 233548 233548 6186671 9276 -21955 -12679 6173992 Part V, Line 4: Intended uses of the endowment fund. The purpose of the endowment is to support the general operations of the Prince William Sound Science Center. Procedes from it may be used to support education, research, and administrative needs. Part X : FIN48 Footnote The Center qualifies as a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The Center is exempt from State income taxes under the Alaska Nonprofit Corporation Act. Therefore, the accompanying statements do not reflect a provision for income taxes. Although the Center is exempt from federal income taxes, any income derived from unrelated business activities is subject to the requirement of filing U.S. Federal Income Tax Form 990-T and a tax liability may be determined on these activities. The Center had no income derived from unrelated business activities as of September 30, 2024. The Centers policy is to report interest and penalties associated with income taxes as other expense. The Center applies the provisions of Topic 740 of the FASB Accounting Standards Codification relating to accounting for uncertainty in income taxes. The Center files tax returns in the US Federal Jurisdiction and the State of Alaska. As of 2024, the tax years that remain subject to examination begins with 2021. Part XII, Line 2d: Other expenses and losses per audited F/S Fundraising Expenses on Part VIII $233548 true Canada Kenneth Lee Res 24992 Wire Trans. Cash Paid Canada Memorial University 24431 Wire Trans. Cash Paid 2 false false false false false false Part I, Line 2 - Grantmakers Explanation For Monitoring Use of Funds Outside US Grant spending is checked with each invoice. Activities are checked through annual and final reports. X X X X X X X true AK Copper River Nouveau 306405 306405 58634 3590 3506 52868 General 257578 257578 92862 1 26000 26000 100 21988 589983 589983 58634 3690 3506 167718 233548 356435 true Farallon Institute 101 H Street Suite Q Petaluma CA 94952 260467490 45244 0 Arctic Cod Fjord & Fish Sciences 2475 Sprucewood St Anchorage AK 99508 332262429 5728 0 Subsistence Food Contaminant New Jersey Institute of Tech Suite 340 Fenster Hall Mart Newark NJ 07102 226000910 24999 0 Impact of below-freezing air temper North Pacific Research Board 1007 West 3rd Avenue Ste 100 Anchorage AK 99501 201415981 50000 0 Polar Bear and Seal Distribution Resource Planning Inc 1121 Park Street Columbia SC 29201 570909363 32734 0 ESI Shoreline / Bird Habitat Safeguard Marine 17321 Yellowstone Dr Eagle River AK 99574 274924275 149550 0 Maritime Evaluation of Refuge University of Alaska Fairbank PO Box 757880 Fairbanks AK 99775 926000147 58760 0 Aerial Sys/Oil Spill/Radar/Env. Cas University of New Orleans 2000 Lakeshore Dr New Orleans LA 70148 720702000 46520 0 Detection & Toxiciy of Hydrocarbon US Fish and Wildlife Service 1011 E Tudor Rd MS-361 Anchorage AK 99503 530201504 20000 0 Printing of Alaska Spill Response W 4 5 Grantmaker's Description of How Grants are Used These funds are awarded from the Oil Spill Recovery Institute (OSRI), an institute within the Prince William Sound Science & Technology Institute dba PWSSC. An annual work plan is developed and approved by the OSRI advisory is developed and approved by the OSRI advisory board. OSRI funds are given directly by the USCG Department of Treasury to the PWSSC, who has the fiduciary responsibility for these funds. These funds received from the USCG Department of the Treasury are treated as federal for reporting purposes. These awards include grants and service contracts that are included in the work plan. Proposals are accepted through the advertised request for proposal (RFP) process or by a request for a proposal to a specific entity to meet the work plan needs. These proposals are peer reviewed by OSRI's Scientific & technology committee. If approved, they go to the Executive Director who approves. The grants are then awarded or amended if from prior years. Deliverables, financials and reporting expectations are included in the award documentation and the grant policy manual found online on the OSRI web site OSRI.US. Because the original source of these funds are from the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund, they can be used for matching purposes on other federal awards. true X false false false false false false false false false Katrina Hoffman CEO 114063 14874 44981 173918 W Scott Pegau OSRI Director 81795 26309 44981 153085 X Supplies 54 129493 FMV false false false Form 990, Part III, Line 4d OTHER PROGRAM SERVICES 4: Other Programs: Communications PWSSC maintains a communications program to outreach the research and education efforts and maintain awareness of our activities to our members. This program is responsible for maintaining our website, producing the Delta-Sound Connections paper, and the Breakwater newsletter among other things. Lectures on the area and the Science Center activities are provided to cruise patrons and other interested parties.Hydroponic FarmPWSSC was able to purchase an established hydroponic farming facility to develop a capacity for providing greater regional resilience through food security of items normally shipped into the community.JIP Herder/BurnerThis is a Joint Industry Program that uses funding from OSRI, North Caspian Operating Company, ExxonMobil, Shell, Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, and Clean Caribbean Americas for the development of new oil spill response technology. A remotely operated surface vessel is being developed that can apply chemical herders and ignite herded slicks for in-situ burns. The system will carry remote sensing capabilities and can be controlled locally or through a satellite link.Climate Works CO2This project examines the CO2 uptake via chemical weathering of glacial particles in the ocean. These natural particles can help us understand the potential for removing CO2 through the addition of minerals to the ocean. By studying the reaction in fjords, we have a natural reactor with regions farther from glaciers indicating what occurs through time.PWSRCAC Marine BirdsPrince William Sound Regional Citizens Advisory Council funded PWSSC for winter surveys of marine birds in Prince William Sound. The funding allows for winter marine bird surveys along the tanker lanes to identify their presence outside of the summer season when most surveys occur.PWSRCAC Weather BuoyThe Prince William Sound Citizens Advisory Council funded PWSSC to assemble and deploy two weather buoys in the Port of Valdez. These buoys provide weather information necessary to understand potential oil spill trajectories.U-Mass Avian FluSamples are being collected for the University of Massachusetts to detect if avian flu is present in the Cordova area.Other Grants / ContractsMiscellaneous PWSSC projects noted in the audit schedules. Funding from PWSSC enterprise Dept. for the R/V New Wave and miscellaneous funding for project research and education activities. Form 990, Part VI, Section B, Line 11b The 990 is prepared by the accounting firm, reviewed and signed by the president. The 990 is sent electronically to all members of the Board of Directors prior to its submittal to the IRS. It is also presented to the board at the next regular meeting following submittal. The 990 is also posted on the PWSSC website, www.pwssc.org, along with the organization's audited financial statements. Form 990, Part VI, Section B, Line 12c PWSSC does have a conflict of interest policy. A Conflict of Interest Declaration Form is given to the Board of Directors annually and addresses the questions in this section of the 990. The form is then signed and returned to us for our files. Form 990, Part VI, Section B, Line 15a The PWSSC President does an annual self evaluation, which is then submitted to the Board of Directors. The Board meets with the President in open and closed sessions and then completes their evaluation of the President. The evaluation is discussed and any comments or compensation changes are then finalized with a letter signed by the Chairman of the Board. The President evaluates other key employees. The key employees provide a self evaluation to the President who then makes comments on theperformance and reviews the evaluation with the employee. Any compensation changes are finalized with a letter signed by the President/CEO. Form 990, Part VI, Section B, Line 15b The PWSSC President does an annual self evaluation, which is then submitted to the Board of Directors. The Board meets with the President in open and closed sessions and then completes their evaluation of the President. The evaluation is discussed and any comments or compensation changes are then finalized with a letter signed by the Chairman of the Board. The President evaluates other key employees. The key employees provide a self evaluation to the President who then makes comments on theperformance and reviews the evaluation with the employee. Any compensation changes are finalized with a letter signed by the President/CEO. Form 990, Part VI, Section C, Line 19 PWSSC ensures that one year of audited financial statements and IRS form 990 are available on their website at pwssc.org, guidestar. These documents along with the conflict of interest policy and other governing documents are available upon request at their offices.