Commitments and Contingencies

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2017

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]


4.	COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

Environmental Matters

We are involved, together with several other companies, in an environmental cleanup in the Village of Hartford, Illinois (the Village) and during 2015, one of these companies assumed the ongoing remediation in the Village pursuant to a federal court order. We had previously conducted an initial response in the Village, along with other companies, pursuant to an administrative order issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The parties involved in the initial response may have further claims among themselves for costs already incurred. We also continue to be engaged in site assessment and interim measures at the adjacent shutdown refinery site, which we acquired as part of an acquisition in 2005, and we are in litigation with other potentially responsible parties and the Illinois EPA relating to the remediation of the site. In each of these matters, we have various defenses, limitations, and potential rights for contribution from the other responsible parties. We have recorded a liability for our expected contribution obligations. However, because of the unpredictable nature of these cleanups, the methodology for allocation of liabilities, and the State of Illinois’ failure to directly sue third parties responsible for historic contamination at the site, it is reasonably possible that we could incur a loss in a range of $0 to $200 million in excess of the amount of our accrual to ultimately resolve these matters. Factors underlying this estimated range are expected to change from time to time, and actual results may vary significantly from this estimate.

Litigation Matters

We are party to claims and legal proceedings arising in the ordinary course of business. We have not recorded a loss contingency liability with respect to some of these matters because we have determined that it is remote that a loss has been incurred. For other matters, we have recorded a loss contingency liability where we have determined that it is probable that a loss has been incurred and that the loss is reasonably estimable. These loss contingency liabilities are not material to our financial position. We re-evaluate and update our loss contingency liabilities as matters progress over time, and we believe that any changes to the recorded liabilities will not be material to our financial position, results of operations, or liquidity.