INCOME TAXES (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2015

INCOME TAXES [Abstract]

Components of Earnings (Loss) From Continuing Operations before Income Taxes

in thousands	2015	2014	2013
Earnings (Loss) from Continuing
Operations before Income Taxes
Domestic	$      293,547	$     264,473	$     (34,239)
Foreign	34,310	34,365	30,536
Total	$      327,857	$     298,838	$        (3,703)

Provision (Benefit) For Income Taxes from Continuing Operations

in thousands	2015	2014	2013
Provision for (Benefit from) Income Taxes
from Continuing Operations
Current
Federal	$        67,521	$       47,882	$        (3,691)
State and local	14,035	18,983	7,941
Foreign	7,784	7,174	5,423
Total	$        89,340	$       74,039	$         9,673
Deferred
Federal	$        11,192	$       13,556	$     (20,581)
State and local	(4,888)	4,120	(13,542)
Foreign	(701)	(23)	(9)
Total	$          5,603	$       17,653	$     (34,132)
Total provision (benefit)	$        94,943	$       91,692	$     (24,459)

Sources and Tax Effects of Differences Between Benefit from Income Taxes and Amount Computed by Applying Federal Statutory Income Tax Rate to Losses from Continuing Operations before Income Taxes

dollars in thousands		2015		2014		2013
Income tax provision (benefit) at the
federal statutory tax rate of 35%	$    114,750	35.0%	$    104,594	35.0%	$      (1,296)	35.0%
Provision for (Benefit from)
Income Tax Differences
Statutory depletion	(27,702)	-8.4%	(25,774)	-8.6%	(20,875)	563.7%
State and local income taxes, net of federal
income tax benefit	5,945	1.8%	15,017	5.0%	(3,641)	98.3%
U.S. production deduction	(5,099)	-1.6%	0	0.0%	0	0.0%
Foreign tax credit carryforwards impairment	6,486	2.0%	0	0.0%	0	0.0%
Permanently reinvested foreign earnings	(6,396)	-2.0%	0	0.0%	0	0.0%
Other, net	6,959	2.2%	(2,145)	-0.7%	1,353	-36.5%
Total income tax provision (benefit)/
Effective tax rate	$      94,943	29.0%	$      91,692	30.7%	$    (24,459)	660.5%

Components of Net Deferred Income Tax Liability

in thousands	2015	2014
Deferred Tax Assets Related to
Employee benefits	$        78,999	$       97,757
Asset retirement obligations & other reserves	59,507	53,670
Deferred compensation	117,298	121,900
State net operating losses	61,658	59,315
Federal credit carryforwards	34,340	40,212
Other	48,856	52,241
Total gross deferred tax assets	400,658	425,095
Valuation allowance	(59,323)	(56,867)
Total net deferred tax assets	$      341,335	$     368,228
Deferred Tax Liabilities Related to
Property, plant and equipment	$      665,057	$     661,697
Goodwill/other intangible assets	324,910	329,539
Other	32,464	28,403
Total deferred tax liabilities	$   1,022,431	$  1,019,639
Net deferred tax liability	$      681,096	$     651,411

Net Deferred Tax Liability

in thousands	2015	2014
Deferred Income Taxes
Current assets 1	$                0	$     (39,726)
Noncurrent liabilities	681,096	691,137
Net deferred tax liability	$     681,096	$     651,411

1 As discussed in Note 1, we early adopted ASU 2015-17 on a prospective basis as of December 31, 2015. Thus, all deferred income taxes as of December 31, 2015 are classified as noncurrent resulting in a $44,464 thousand decrease in current assetswith a corresponding decrease in noncurrent liabilities.

Changes in Unrecognized Income Tax Benefits

in thousands	2015	2014	2013
Unrecognized tax benefits as of January 1	$          7,057	$       12,155	$       13,550
Increases for tax positions related to
Prior years	491	229	28
Current year	942	528	845
Decreases for tax positions related to
Prior years	0	(53)	(86)
Settlements with taxing authorities	0	0	(136)
Expiration of applicable statute of limitations	(43)	(5,802)	(2,046)
Unrecognized tax benefits as of December 31	$          8,447	$         7,057	$       12,155