75 cents SATURDAY, MARCH 1, 2014 newsminer.com THE VOICE OF INTERIOR ALASKA SINCE 1903 Inside Today Environmental Protection Agency taking 1st steps to restricting Pebble developments. » A3 GOOD MORNING Refinery decision draws cleanup questions economy but left questions about the ances from the state that a prospec- Parnell absolves future owners of liability long-term environmental cleanup and tive buyer won’t have to pay for the mitigation of soil and groundwater cleanup. for groundwater contamination at the site contamination in the North Pole area “These conditions will require a ded- unanswered. icated and timely effort by Gov. Parnell By Matt Buxton water contamination stemming from Earlier this week, Flint Hills spokes- and his administration, along with [email protected] years of chemical spills at the site. A man Jeff Cook sent a letter to Interior encouragement and support from all company official, meanwhile, indicat- lawmakers saying that the company those interested in seeing the refinery JUNEAU — Gov. Sean Parnell has ed a number of parties are reportedly has had “a number of inquiries from continue in operation,” Cook wrote in decided that the state won’t consider looking to buy the soon-to-close plant. parties interested in purchasing our the letter. The weather. a new owner of the Flint Hills refinery Parnell’s announcement was her- North Pole Refinery and keeping it in Today will be partly in North Pole liable for the ground- alded as good news for the Interior operation” but said he needed assur- REFINERY » A7 cloudy. High today ..............27 Low tonight .............-8 WEATHER » A9 Aurora forecast. Family, friends say goodbye to Stepovich Auroral activity will be low. Weather permit- ting, low displays will be visible overhead from Barrow to Fairbanks. This information is provid- ed by aurora forecasters at the Geophysical Institute at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. For more infor- mation about the aurora, visit http://www.gi.alaska. edu/AuroraForecast • • • NANOOK VICTORY Team beats fourth- ranked Ferris State. SPORTS Page B1 • • • Michael A. Stepovich Jr. gives the eulogy during the funeral Mass for his father, former territorial Gov. Mike Stepovich, on Friday at Sacred Heart Cathedral. ERIC ENGMAN/NEWS-MINER Former territorial governor laid to rest By Jeff Richardson PUT TO [email protected] THE TEST Nearly 500 people filled Sacred Heart Cathedral on Friday to say Primaries will be goodbye to Mike Stepovich, who first real test of new was remembered as both a pioneer- voter ID laws in ing Alaska leader and a dedicated several states. family man. NATION Former Fairbanks Bishop Donald Kettler traveled from his new dio- Page A7 cese in St. Cloud, Minn., to concel- ebrate the Mass. He began with a • • • simple summary of Stepovich’s life. “His journey has been completed,” SOURDOUGH JACK: Kettler said. “He did it well.” Above: Bishop Roger L. Schwietz, archbishop of Alaska, swings the thurible while incensing the casket during the funeral Mass. Left: Nick Stepovich, “Alaska said STEPOVICH » A7 left, gets a hug after the service. ERIC ENGMAN/NEWS-MINER goodbye to a great one yesterday.” Assembly to spend grant money on anti-pollution campaign By Amanda Bohman smoke pollution. The leaders are talking about encour- The measure passed in a 5-2 vote, FOR THE NEWS-MINER The local leaders behind the effort, aging residents not to burn wood when with Assemblymen Guy Sattley and Assemblyman John Davies, Assem- the air is so bad that people are advised Lance Roberts voting no. Get ready to see and hear more about blywoman Kathryn Dodge and Mayor to stay indoors and avoid exertion. Davies had initially sought $300,000. air pollution in Fairbanks. Luke Hopkins, are discussing posting “It’s actually about changing people’s He offered an amendment reducing the The Fairbanks North Star Borough signs at the entrance of subdivisions behavior,” Davies said, “and changing amount to $200,000 after an attempt to Assembly appropriated $200,000 on alerting people of the air quality index, people’s behavior is hard.” reduce it to $100,000 narrowly failed. Thursday to launch a massive public and having people sign themselves up The money for the ordinance will information campaign about wood for robocalls. come from state and federal grants. AIR » A7 INSIDE Alaska » A3 | Classified » B8 | Comics » B7 | Dear Abby » B6 | Markets » A8 | Nation » A9 | Opinion » A6 | Weather » A9 coverage of the 2 0 14 Iditarod Listen as EMILY SCHWING reports from the trail RACE BEGINS TODAY! and MATTHEW SCHRODER anchors from Fairbanks Iditarod coverage on KUAC sponsored by: WEEKDAYS at 7:30, 8:30 a.m.and 9:30 a.m., with an update at noon, SATURDAY at 7:30 and 8:30 a.m. and SUNDAY at 8:30 and 9:30 a.m. Listen at 89.9 FM or tune into KUAC-TV Ch.9.5 with online stories at fm.kuac.org 12503078-3-1-14 EEmily miilly SSchwingSchhwwiinngg Tune in for a live update from Anchorage at 8:35 a.m. on 3/1/14. MatthewM atthew SchroderSchroderr.