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Environmental Matters
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2012
Environmental Matters [Abstract]  
Environmental Matters
12. Environmental Matters

The Corporation is currently performing certain remedial actions in connection with the sale of real estate previously owned. Settlements were paid by the Corporation's insurance carriers at two third-party landfill sites where it was named a Potentially Responsible Party. In addition, as a result of a sale of a segment in 2003, the Corporation retained the liability to remediate certain environmental contamination and has agreed to indemnify the buyer against third-party claims arising from the discharge of certain contamination, the costs for which were accrued at the time of sale.

Environmental exposures are difficult to assess and estimate for numerous reasons including lack of reliable data, the multiplicity of possible solutions, the years of remedial and monitoring activity required, and identification of new sites. In the opinion of management and in consideration of advice from the Corporation's consultants, the potential liability for all environmental proceedings of approximately $1,278,000 at March 31, 2012 is considered adequate based on information known to date.