16. Commitments and Contingencies

The Company has obligations under various noncancelable long-term operating leases for office space and equipment. Some of these leases contain escalation clauses for operating costs, property taxes and insurance. In addition, the Company has various obligations under other office space and equipment leases of less than one year.

Total rent expense was $2.1 million, $2.0 million and $2.3 million for the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010, and 2009, respectively.

The future minimum rental commitments under noncancelable long-term operating leases due over the next five years, including buildings leased through a sale-leaseback transaction are as follows:


2012	$	457
2013		406
2014		294
2015		294
2016 and thereafter		3,674

The Company has retained certain self-insurance risks with respect to losses for third party liability, workers' compensation and property damage.

At December 31, 2011 and 2010, the Company was party to surety bonds of $15.7 million and $27.9 million, respectively, and standby letters of credit in the amounts of $0.8 million and $0.8 million, respectively, which may potentially result in liability to the Company if certain obligations of the Company are not met.

In accordance with applicable accounting guidance, the Company establishes an accrued liability for litigation and regulatory matters when those matters present loss contingencies that are both probable and estimable. In such cases, there may be an exposure to loss in excess of any amounts accrued. When a loss contingency is not both probable and estimable, the Company does not establish an accrued liability. As a litigation or regulatory matter develops, the Company, in conjunction with any outside counsel handling the matter, evaluates on an ongoing basis whether such matter presents a loss contingency that is probable and estimable. If, at the time of evaluation, the loss contingency related to a litigation or regulatory matter is not both probable and estimable, the matter will continue to be monitored for further developments that would make such loss contingency both probable and estimable. Once the loss contingency related to litigation or regulatory matter is deemed to be both probable and estimable, the Company will establish an accrued liability with respect to such loss contingency and record a corresponding amount of litigation-related expense. The Company continues to monitor the matter for further developments that could affect the amount of the accrued liability that has been previously established.

For matters in which a loss is probable or reasonably possible in future periods, whether in excess of a related accrued liability or where there is no accrued liability, the Company will estimate and disclose this range of possible loss. In determining whether it is possible to provide an estimate of loss or range of possible loss, the Company reviews and evaluates its material litigation and regulatory matters on an ongoing basis, in conjunction with any outside counsel handling the matter, in light of potentially relevant factual and legal developments. These may include information learned through the discovery process, rulings on dispositive motions, settlement discussions, and other rulings by courts, arbitrators or others. In cases in which the Company possesses sufficient appropriate information to develop an estimate of loss or range of possible loss, that estimate is aggregated and disclosed below. There may be other disclosed matters for which a loss is probable or reasonably possible but such an estimate may not be possible. For those matters where an estimate is possible, management currently estimates the aggregate range of possible loss below in excess of the accrued liability (if any) related to those matters. This estimated range of possible loss is based upon currently available information and is subject to significant judgment and a variety of assumptions, and known and unknown uncertainties. The matters underlying the estimated range will change from time to time, and actual results may vary significantly from the current estimate. Those matters for which an estimate is not possible are not included within this estimated range. Therefore, this estimated range of possible loss represents what the Company believes to be an estimate of possible loss only for certain matters meeting these criteria. It does not represent the Company's maximum loss exposure. Information is provided below regarding the nature of all of these contingencies and, where specified, the amount of the claim associated with these loss contingencies. Based on current knowledge, management does not believe that loss contingencies arising from pending matters, including the matters described herein, will have a material adverse effect on the consolidated financial position or liquidity of the Company. However, in light of the inherent uncertainties involved in these matters, some of which are beyond the Company's control, and the very large or indeterminate damages sought in some of these matters, an adverse outcome in one or more of these matters could be material to the Company's results of operations or cash flows for any particular reporting period.

During 2011, the Company settled and paid a $9.0 million accrued liability in connection with a contract dispute involving the 1997 purchase of land for its former Victoria Park community.

The Company is subject to costs arising out of environmental laws and regulations, which include obligations to remove or limit the effects on the environment of the disposal or release of certain wastes or substances at various sites, including sites which have been previously sold. It is the Company's policy to accrue and charge against earnings environmental cleanup costs when it is probable that a liability has been incurred and an amount can be reasonably estimated. As assessments and cleanups proceed, these accruals are reviewed and adjusted, if necessary, as additional information becomes available.

The Company's former paper mill site in Gulf County and certain adjacent property are subject to various Consent Agreements and Brownfield Site Rehabilitation Agreements with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. The paper mill site has been rehabilitated by Smurfit-Stone Container Corporation in accordance with these agreements. The Company is in the process of assessing the rehabilitation of certain adjacent properties. Management is unable to quantify the rehabilitation costs at this time. The Company believes it is probable a loss will occur related to this matter but is unable to estimate range of loss given the unknown nature of the rehabilitation, if any, at this time.

Other proceedings and litigation involving environmental matters are pending against the Company. Aggregate environmental-related accruals were $1.5 million and $1.6 million for the years ended December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively. Although in the opinion of management none of our litigation matters or governmental proceedings is expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company's consolidated financial position, results of operations or liquidity, it is possible that the actual amounts of liabilities resulting from such matters could be material. Management is unable to quantify an aggregate range of possible loss in excess of the accrued liability (if any) related to this matter.

On November 3, 2010, a securities class action lawsuit was filed against St. Joe and certain of our current and former officers before Judge Richard Smoak in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida (Meyer v. The St. Joe Company et al., No. 5:11-cv-00027). A consolidated class action complaint was filed in the case on February 24, 2011 alleging various securities laws violations primarily related to our accounting for our real estate assets. The complaint seeks an unspecified amount in damages. We filed a motion to dismiss the case on April 6, 2011, which the court granted without prejudice on August 24, 2011. Plaintiff filed an amended complaint on September 23, 2011. The Company filed a motion to dismiss the amended complaint on October 24, 2011. On January 12, 2012, the Court granted the motion to dismiss with prejudice and entered judgment in favor of St. Joe and the individual defendants. On February 9, 2012, plaintiff filed a motion to alter or amend the judgment, which the Court denied on February 14, 2012. The time for plaintiff to appeal has not expired.

On March 29, 2011 and July 21, 2011, two separate derivative lawsuits were filed by shareholders on behalf of St. Joe against certain of its officers and directors in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida (Nakata v. Greene et. al., No. 5:11-cv-00090 and Packer v. Greene, et al., No. 3:11-cv-00344). The complaints allege breaches of fiduciary duties, waste of corporate assets and unjust enrichment arising from substantially similar allegations as those described above in the Meyer case. On June 6, 2011, the court granted the parties' motion to stay the Nakata action pending the outcome of the Meyer action. On September 12, 2011, a third derivative lawsuit was filed in the Northern District of Florida (Shurkin v. Berkowitz, et al., No. 5:11-cv-304) making similar claims as those in the Nakata and Packer actions. On September 16, 2011, plaintiffs in Nakata and Packer filed a joint motion to consolidate all derivative actions and appoint lead counsel. On October 3, 2011, plaintiff in Shurkin filed a cross motion seeking separate lead counsel for Shurkin and coordination of Shurkin with the other derivative cases. On October 6, 2011, the Company filed a response in which it stated that all derivative cases should be consolidated. On October 14, 2011, Nakata and Packer plaintiffs filed an amended joint motion seeking consolidation of those two cases only. On October 21, 2011, the court issued an order consolidating the Nakata and Packer lawsuits.

The Company believes that it has meritorious defenses to the above claims and intends to defend the actions vigorously. The Company believes that the probability of loss related to this litigation and an estimate of the amount of loss, if any, are not determinable at this time. The Company cannot evaluate the likelihood of an unfavorable outcome related to this litigation to be either "probable" or "remote", nor can they predict the amount or range of possible loss from an unfavorable outcome to give an estimated range.

On January 4, 2011 the SEC notified the Company it was conducting an inquiry into the Company's policies and practices concerning impairment of investment in real estate assets. On June 24, 2011, the Company received notice from the SEC that it has issued a related order of private investigation. The order of private investigation covers a variety of matters for the period beginning January 1, 2007 including (a) the antifraud provisions of the Federal securities laws as applicable to the Company and its past and present officers, directors, employees, partners, subsidiaries, and/or affiliates, and/or other persons or entities, (b) compliance by past and present reporting persons or entities who were or are directly or indirectly the beneficial owner of more than 5% of the Company's common stock (which includes Fairholme Funds, Inc, Fairholme Capital Management L.L.C. and the Company's current Chairman Bruce R. Berkowitz) with their reporting obligations under Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act, (c) internal controls, (d) books and records, (e) communications with auditors and (f) financial reports. The order designates officers of the SEC to take the testimony of the Company and third parties with respect to any or all of these matters. The Company is cooperating with the SEC on historical matters as well as communicating and providing relevant information regarding the Company's recent change in investment strategy and impairments. The Company believes that the probability of loss related to this matter and an estimate of the amount of loss, if any, are not determinable at this time. The Company cannot evaluate the likelihood of an unfavorable outcome related to this matter to be either "probable" or "remote", nor can they predict the amount or range of possible loss from an unfavorable outcome to give an estimated range.

On October 21, 2009, the Company entered into a strategic alliance agreement with Southwest Airlines to facilitate the commencement of low-fare air service in May 2010 to the Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport. The Company has agreed to reimburse Southwest Airlines if it incurs losses on its service at the new airport during the first three years of service. The agreement also provides that Southwest Airlines' profits from the air service during the term of the agreement will be shared with the Company up to the maximum amount of its break-even payments. The term of the agreement extends for a period of three years after the commencement of Southwest Airlines' air service at the new airport. Although the agreement does not provide for maximum payments, the agreement may be terminated by the Company if the payments to Southwest Airlines exceed $14.0 million in the first year of air service and $12.0 million in the second year of air service. Southwest Airlines may terminate the agreement if its actual annual revenues attributable to the air service at the new airport are less than certain minimum annual amounts established in the agreement. The Company carried a standby guarantee liability of $0.8 million at December 31, 2011 and December 31, 2010 related to this strategic alliance agreement.

In November, 2010, the Company entered into a new supply agreement with RockTenn that requires the Company to deliver and sell a total of 3.9 million tons of pine pulpwood through December, 2017. Pricing under the agreement approximates market, using a formula based on published regional prices for pine pulpwood. The agreement is assignable by the Company, in whole or in part, to purchasers of its properties, or any interest therein, and does not contain a lien, encumbrance, or use restriction on any of St. Joe's properties.