The company also has connected 28 homes to North Pole’s municipal water system.
A proposal to more than 100 homeowners whose wells are contaminated with sulfolane from the North Pole refinery is expected to be announced by the end of September, refinery spokesman Jeff Cook said.
Gasoline spills that occurred before 2000 are believed to have soaked into soil at the refinery and caused sulfolane to seep into the groundwater.
Flint Hills bought the refinery from Williams Alaska Petroleum Inc. in 2004 and discovered the contamination last year.
Cook declined to disclose the amount of the cash settlement offered to some homeowners, saying the offers were made ahead of other homeowners because of special considerations, such as new construction.
Flint Hills is in the midst of drilling new wells for the North Pole city water system, Cook said.
Trace amounts of sulfolane, a chemical used in the oil refining process, were found in the city of North Pole’s two wells, which supply water to more than 500 businesses and homes.
“The new wells for the city are being drilled and the water main extensions to connect the new wells to the water plant at the city of North Pole are under construction,” Cook stated in an e-mail. “We expect these projects to be completed by the end of the year.”
The contamination stretches to a point about 3 miles northwest of the refinery. Most of the tainted wells are outside North Pole city limits.
Sulfolane levels in many of the private wells exceed standards recommended by the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Flint Hills has been providing bottled water to affected households. State officials said the sulfolane levels are well below levels that made laboratory animals sick.
Both Flint Hills and Williams are named in a lawsuit involving James West, one of the affected property owners.
Attorney Jason Weiner said his request to broaden West’s lawsuit into a class-action case was denied. Weiner said his law office is talking to other homeowners but no one else has joined the lawsuit.
“We are going to be basically representing people on an individual basis until we can move again to re-certify,” Weiner said.
Contact staff writer Amanda Bohman at 459-7544.
My main concern that has never been addressed is this: When I went to the meetings they said that the levels in their wells had stayed the same. I am thinking that if this is in the groundwater and is leeching out away from Koch's refinery Why aren't those levels going down. Makes me think they still have a leak.
Please keep us posted , this is an important story. Thanks and God bless those affected.
It is going to be kind of odd that the federal government is going to be kicked out the same time that North Pole water problem might be eligible for Super Fund clean up (paid for by taxpayers) and leaving the onus of footing the bill on the Libertarian Koch brothers for the clean up .. unless of course they do not plan on spending any money because the problem will get drawn out into infinity with lawyers.
I am honestly quite concerned about what the future holds for my family's health after drinking this tainted water for years now.
So, with the future health problems we may be facing and devaluation of property that my life savings is built into, I just don't know how a person can be properly compensated.
Be careful and make proper considerations before accepting a settlement! I have 5 people in my house and worthless life savings now.
Around the world there are people exploring ways to replace oil in some way that is cheap, safe and acceptable. But making a purse out of a sow’s ear takes a little longer than writing a screaming letter to the editor.
According to the Scientific American there are over ten million products produced from crude, a overwhelming number by any count. Maybe we can all help by using less and study the problems facing us and finding and applying solutions.
60% of the fuel made there is for aviation (they're not really worried about providing any cheap fuel for civilians, pilots and the military are a richer market).
Anyway, this is the kind of thing that goes hand in hand with crude oil production/processing. It's funny how people keep trying to say we "need" this crap to "survive" because we need crude about as badly as Dodo birds needed to be flightless.
they are not going to miss out on proffits!
just like the insurance company. RIGHT?