ENVIRONMENTAL AND NATURAL RESOURCE DAMAGE LIABILITIES

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2023

Environmental Remediation Obligations [Abstract]

ENVIRONMENTAL AND NATURAL RESOURCE DAMAGE LIABILITIES

ENVIRONMENTAL AND NATURAL RESOURCE DAMAGE LIABILITIES

Various federal and state environmental laws in the states in which we operate place cleanup or restoration liability on the current and former owners of affected real estate. These laws are often a source of “strict liability,” meaning that an owner or operator need not necessarily have caused, or even been aware of, the release of contaminated materials. Similarly, there are certain environmental laws that allow state, federal, and tribal trustees (collectively, the “Trustees”) to bring suit against property owners to recover damage for injuries to natural resources. Like the liability that attaches to current property owners in the cleanup context, liability for natural resource damages (“NRD”) can attach to a property simply because an injury to natural resources resulted from releases of contaminated materials on or from the owner’s property, regardless of culpability for the release.

Changes in environmental and NRD liabilities from December 31, 2022 to March 31, 2023 are shown below:

	Port Gamble, WA
Non-current portion at December 31, 2022	$14,418
Plus: Current portion	1,175
Total Balance at December 31, 2022	15,593
Expenditures charged to liabilities	(110)
Total Balance at March 31, 2023	15,483
Less: Current portion	(1,175)
Non-current portion at March 31, 2023	$14,308

It is expected that the upland mill site cleanup and NRD restoration will occur over the next one to two years, while the monitoring of Port Gamble Bay, mill site and landfills will continue for an additional 15 to 20 years. NRD costs are subject to change as the scope of the restoration projects become more clearly defined. It is reasonably possible that these components of the liability may increase as the project progresses. Management continues to monitor the Port Gamble cleanup process and will make adjustments as needed. Should any future circumstances result in a change to the estimated cost of the project, we will record an appropriate adjustment to the liability in the period it becomes known and when we can reasonably estimate the amount. For further information on the timing and amount of future payments related to our environmental remediation liabilities, see Note 10 - Commitments in our 2022 Form 10-K.

We do not currently anticipate any material loss in excess of the amounts accrued; however we are not able to estimate a possible loss or range of loss, if any, in excess of the established liabilities. Our future remediation expenses may be affected by a number of uncertainties including, but not limited to, the difficulty in estimating the extent and method of remediation, the evolving nature of environmental regulations, and the availability and application of technology. We do not expect the resolution of such uncertainties to have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial position or liquidity.