Components Of Net Periodic Pension Benefit Cost

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2011

Components Of Net Periodic Pension Benefit Cost [Abstract]

Components Of Net Periodic Pension Benefit Cost

Note I – Components of Net Periodic Pension Benefit Cost

Prior to January 1, 1999, we maintained a defined benefit pension plan for which most of our employees were eligible. We elected to freeze benefits under this defined benefit pension plan as of December 31, 1998.

In 1994, we adopted a non-qualified, unfunded, supplemental pension plan covering certain employees, which

provides for incremental pension payments so that total pension payments equal those amounts that would have been payable from our principal pension plan if it were not for limitations imposed by income tax regulations. The benefits under this supplemental pension plan continue to accrue as if the principal pension plan had not been frozen.

Net pension cost for both plans included the following components:

	Three Months Ended September 30,
In thousands	2011			2010
Service cost	$	114		$	85
Interest cost		2,030			1,996
Expected return on plan assets		(1,756	)		(1,541	)
Amortization of prior service cost		12			14
Recognized actuarial loss		1,130			1,020
Net periodic benefit cost	$	1,530		$	1,574

	Nine Months Ended September 30,
In thousands	2011			2010
Service cost	$	343		$	256
Interest cost		6,089			5,987
Expected return on plan assets		(5,267	)		(4,623	)
Amortization of prior service cost		36			41
Recognized actuarial loss		3,389			3,061
Net periodic benefit cost	$	4,590		$	4,722

We plan to make total contributions of approximately $5.2 million to our funded, frozen pension plan in 2011 in order to obtain the Pension Protection Act of 2006 full funding limit exemption. We made contributions of $4.2 million in the first nine months of 2011. We plan to make a contribution of $1.1 million in the fourth quarter of 2011.

We are not required to make and do not intend to make any contributions to our unfunded, supplemental pension plan in 2011 other than to the extent needed to cover benefit payments. We expect benefit payments under this supplemental pension plan to total $1.0 million in 2011.