Press Release

State, Williams and Flint Hills Agree to Share the Costs to Study a Potential Water Distribution System in North Pole

July 11, 2014

Fairbanks, AK) - Attorney General Michael Geraghty announced today that the State, Flint Hills Resources Alaska, LLC and Williams Alaska Petroleum, Inc. have agreed to equally share the costs of preliminary engineering and survey work to provide a water distribution utility service to homeowners and property affected by the sulfolane plume in North Pole. The parties have arranged for Fairbanks Sewer & Water, Inc. to develop the design, cost estimate and construction schedule for a water main extension from the Fairbanks Sewer & Water system as well as a local distribution system to serve the properties currently affected by sulfolane contamination.

“While none of the parties are committing at this point to the construction of a new water system,” Attorney General Michael Geraghty said, “this is an important step in potentially solving the long-term problem in North Pole and hopefully enabling the sale of the refinery to another operator.”

For more information, please contact Chief Assistant Attorney General Steve Mulder at 269-5100 or steve.mulder@alaska.gov.

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Department Media Contacts: Communications Director Patty Sullivan at patty.sullivan@alaska.gov or (907) 269-6368. Information Officer Sam Curtis at sam.curtis@alaska.gov or (907) 269-6269.