Mat-Su official disputes claims that new Port MacKenzie tank farm was factor in refinery closure

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http://www.adn.com/2014/02/06/3311296/mat-su-official-disputes-claims.html



Mat-Su official disputes claims that new Port MacKenzie tank farm was factor in refinery closure
By RICHARD MAUER
February 6, 2014 Updated 8 hours ago

JUNEAU -- The Mat-Su port administrator rejected claims by Koch Industry officials, Gov. Sean Parnell and a North Pole legislator that the big tank farm going up at the port next summer has something to do with the looming shut down of the Flint Hills Refinery near Fairbanks.

"If they're trying to blame it on Port MacKenzie, that's not where the blame should be," said Marc Van Dongen, port director for the Mat-Su Borough.

Fingers quickly began pointing Tuesday over the loss of the refinery and about 80 jobs. Some of the blame was cast across Cook Inlet from Anchorage, where a 7-million-gallon tank farm for refined petroleum products will be built with 90 percent state financing. The tanks can store fuel brought to Southcentral Alaska by tanker from anywhere -- and provide competition for the jet fuel and gasoline made by Flint Hills and hauled to Anchorage on railroad tank cars.

A spokesman for Flint Hills, owned by the billionaire Koch brothers, said Tuesday that the tank farm would hurt the refinery. Rep. Doug Isaacson, a North Pole Republican, said he was "livid" that the state "paid $15 million to help support the import of refined fuel from out of state."