Commitments and Contingencies

12 Months Ended

Jan. 01, 2023

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

Commitments and Contingencies

Commitments and Contingencies

The Company is and may from time to time become involved in litigation and disputes arising in the ordinary course of business, such as actions related to injuries; property damage; handling, storage or disposal of vehicles; environmental laws and regulations; and other litigation incidental to the business. Management considers the likelihood of loss or the incurrence of a liability, as well as the ability to reasonably estimate the amount of loss, in determining loss contingencies. The Company accrues an estimated loss contingency when it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of loss (or range of possible losses) can be reasonably estimated. Management regularly evaluates current information available to determine whether accrual amounts should be adjusted. Accruals for contingencies, including litigation and environmental matters, are included in “Other accrued expenses” at undiscounted amounts and exclude claims for recoveries from insurance or other third parties. These accruals are adjusted periodically as assessment and remediation efforts progress, or as additional technical or legal information becomes available. If the amount of an actual loss is greater than the amount accrued, this could have an adverse impact on the Company’s operating results in that period. Such matters are generally not, in the opinion of management, likely to have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition, results of operations or cash flows. Legal fees are expensed as incurred.

Pyrite Canyon

In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020, the Company’s wholly owned subsidiary, Insurance Auto Auctions, Inc. (hereafter “IAAI”), received a letter from the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (the “DTSC”) styled “Draft Imminent and Substantial Endangerment Determination and Order and Remedial Action Order” (the “ Draft Order”) in which the DTSC states that IAAI, along with nine other respondents named in the Draft Order, has been named as a potential responsible party for the release of hazardous substances at the former Universal Propulsion Company site (the “Former UPCo Site”). The Draft Order states that the Former UPCo Site has been identified as contributing to the Pyrite Canyon Plume of hazardous substances by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and prescribes initial steps and a schedule for responding to the release of hazardous substances at the Former UPCo Site. The Draft Order further states that IAAI has been identified as a potential responsible party because it is either the company or the successor of a company responsible for a release of hazardous substances at the Former UPCo Site. The Draft Order is currently unsigned and has not been issued by DTSC.

On January 26, 2021, DTSC hosted an informational teleconference for the respondents named in the Draft Order. At the meeting, DTSC described the background and current status at the Former UPCo Site, but did not provide any information related to possible response actions, associated cost estimates or financial liability determinations. DTSC directed the Respondents to provide comments upon the Draft Order. On March 31, 2021, IAAI provided comments to the Draft Order by the deadline imposed upon it by the DTSC, and subsequently made a technical presentation to the DTSC, asking, among other things, that IAAI be removed from the Draft Order. No additional actions regarding IAAI have been taken by DTSC in this matter. The matter remains pending.

The Company does not believe that IAAI should bear any financial liability for actions taken pursuant to the Draft Order because it does not believe that IAAI is the company or a successor of a company responsible for a release of hazardous substances at the Former UPCo Site. IAAI currently leases 50 gross acres of the Former UPCo Site, having commenced a sublease at the location on or about March 1, 2016. At all times since, IAAI has used the site for vehicle storage and general operations. The most significant contaminants at the Former UPCo Site, and the Pyrite Canyon Plume are perchlorate, NDMA and PCBs. These contaminants pre-date IAAI’s occupancy and operations at the Former UPCo Site and are inconsistent with any chemicals stored at the location or used in its operations.

IAAI also tendered this matter to its landlord pursuant to indemnity provisions in its sublease, and to its environmental insurance carrier. IAAI’s landlord responded by tendering its own indemnification demand to IAAI, and IAAI in turn notified its environmental insurance carrier of the same. At this time, the Company does not have adequate information to determine IAAI’s liability, if any, for contamination at the Former UPCo Site.

Lower Duwamish Waterway

Since June 2004, IAAI has operated a branch on property it leases in Tukwila, Washington just south of Seattle. The property is located adjacent to a Superfund site known as the Lower Duwamish Waterway Superfund Site (“LDW Site”). The LDW Site

had been designated a Superfund site in 2001, three years prior to IAAI’s tenancy. On March 25, 2008, the United States Environmental Protection Agency, or the “EPA,” issued IAAI a General Notice of Potential Liability, or “General Notice,” pursuant to Section 107(a), and a Request for Information pursuant to Section 104(e) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, or “CERCLA,” related to the LDW Site. On November 7, 2012, the EPA issued IAAI a Second General Notice of Potential Liability, or “Second General Notice,” for the LDW Site. The EPA's website indicates that the EPA has issued general notice letters to approximately 116 entities, and has issued Section 104(e) Requests to more than 300 entities related to the LDW Site. In the General Notice and Second General Notice, the EPA informed IAAI that the EPA believed IAAI may be a Potentially Responsible Party, or “PRP,” but the EPA did not specify the factual basis for this assertion. At this time, the EPA still has not specified the factual basis for this assertion and has not demanded that IAAI pay any funds or take any action apart from responding to the Section 104(e) Information Request. Four PRPs, The Boeing Company, the City of Seattle, the Port of Seattle and King County - the Lower Duwamish Waterway Group (“LDWG”), have funded a remedial investigation and feasibility study related to the cleanup of the LDW Site. In December 2014, the EPA issued a Record of Decision (“ROD”), detailing the final cleanup plan for the LDW Site. The ROD estimated the cost of cleanup to be $342 million, with the plan involving dredging of 105 acres, capping 24 acres, and enhanced natural recovery of 48 acres. The estimated length of the cleanup was 17 years, including 7 years of active remediation, and 10 years of monitored natural recovery. The Company is aware that certain authorities may bring natural resource damage claims against PRPs. On February 11, 2016, IAAI received a Notice of Intent letter from the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration informing IAAI that the Elliott Bay Trustee Council were beginning to conduct an injury assessment for natural resource damages in the LDW. The Notice of Intent indicated that the decision of the trustees to proceed with this natural resources injury assessment followed a pre-assessment screen performed by the trustees. Shortly thereafter, in a letter dated August 16, 2016, EPA issued a status update to the PRPs at the LDW Site. The letter stated that EPA expected the bulk of the pre-remedial design work currently being performed by the LDWG to be completed by the beginning of 2018, with the Remedial Design/Remedial Action (“RD/RA”) phase to follow. The EPA previously anticipated that the pre-design work would be completed sometime during 2018, and the Company is not aware of any further information regarding that schedule. Accordingly, the Company is unable to predict when RD/RA negotiations with all PRPs might begin.

In addition, the Washington State Department of Ecology (“Ecology”) is working with the EPA in relation to the LDW Site, primarily to investigate and address sources of potential contamination contributing to the LDW Site. In 2007, IAA installed a stormwater capture and filtration system designed to treat sources of potential contamination before discharge to the LDW Site. The immediate-past property owner, the former property owner and IAAI have had discussions with Ecology concerning possible source control measures, including an investigation of the water and soils entering the stormwater system, an analysis of the source of contamination identified within the system, if any, and possible repairs and upgrades to the stormwater system if required. As of May 31, 2020, IAAI ceased all operations at the site and terminated its remaining lease of the property in June 2020. Accordingly, IAAI submitted a Notice of Termination of its stormwater permit to Ecology, discontinuing IAAI’s ongoing obligations around the stormwater system maintenance and any additional source control measures.

At this time, IAAI has not received any further notices from the EPA and still does not have adequate information to determine IAAI's liability, if any, for contamination at this site, or to estimate the Company's loss as a result of this potential liability which might have been incurred during IAAI’s occupancy.