Note 15 - Commitments and Contingencies

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2013

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Text Block]

Note 15 — Commitments and Contingencies

In the ordinary course of conducting our business, we become involved in litigation and other claims from private party actions, as well as judicial and administrative proceedings involving governmental authorities at the federal, state and local levels. In the opinion of management, any liability in these matters should not have a material effect on our consolidated financial statements.

Leases

We lease various manufacturing facilities, warehouses, office space, machinery and equipment, including transportation equipment, under operating leases with remaining terms ranging from one to six years, with various renewal options. Substantially all leases require payment of taxes, insurance and maintenance costs in addition to rental payments. Total rental expenses for all operating leases were approximately $30.2 million, $26.5 million and $24.2 million for the years ending 2013, 2012 and 2011, respectively. Total rental expense includes $5.7 million, $5.2 million and $4.8 million for our Environmental Services business classified as discontinued operations for the years ending 2013, 2012 and 2011 respectively.

Future minimum payments under non-cancelable operating leases, with initial or remaining terms in excess of one year are included in the table below. Future minimum payments under capital leases are not significant.

(In thousands)
2014	$	13,832
2015		7,992
2016		5,589
2017		3,824
2018		2,367
Thereafter		2,043
	$	35,647

(1)   The table includes $3.7 million in future minimum payments related to our Environmental Services business classified as discontinued operations.

Other

In conjunction with our insurance programs, we had established letters of credit in favor of certain insurance companies in the amount of $4.0 million and $3.9 million at December 31, 2013 and 2012. We also had $9.9 million and $8.6 million in guarantee obligations in connection with facility closure bonds and other performance bonds issued by insurance companies outstanding as of December 31, 2013 and 2012, of which $9.3 million and $7.0 million in obligations related to operations that are classified as discontinued operations as of December 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively. The definitive agreement for the sale of our Environmental Services business requires the purchaser to replace these facility closure bonds and performance bonds following the closing of such sale.

Other than normal operating leases for office and warehouse space, barges, rolling stock and other pieces of operating equipment, we do not have any off-balance sheet financing arrangements or special purpose entities. As such, we are not materially exposed to any financing, liquidity, market or credit risk that could arise if we had engaged in such financing arrangements.

We are self-insured for health claims, subject to certain “stop loss” insurance policies. Claims in excess of $225,000 per incident are insured by third-party insurers. We had accrued liabilities of $1.2 million for unpaid claims incurred, based on historical experience at December 31, 2013 and 2012. Substantially all of these estimated claims are expected to be paid within six months of their occurrence.

We are self-insured for certain workers’ compensation, auto and general liability claims up to a certain policy limit. Claims in excess of $750,000 are insured by third-party reinsurers. At December 31, 2013 and 2012, we had accrued a liability of $2.5 million and $3.1 million, respectively, for the uninsured portion of claims.

We maintain accrued liabilities for asset retirement obligations, which represent obligations associated with the retirement of tangible long-lived assets that result from the normal operation of the long-lived asset. Our asset retirement obligations primarily relate to repair cost obligations associated with the return of leased barges as well as required expenditures associated with owned and leased facilities. Upon settlement of the liability, a gain or loss for any difference between the settlement amount and the liability recorded is recognized. As of December 31, 2013 and 2012, we had accrued asset retirement obligations of $3.3 million and $2.7 million, including $2.9 million and $2.3 million, respectively, reflecting obligations within discontinued operations.