Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2012

Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans [Abstract]

Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans

Note 5 - Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans

Components of net periodic benefit cost for the three and six months ended June 30:

	For The Three Months Ended June 30,											For The Six Months Ended June 30,
	Pension Benefits						Other Benefits					Pension Benefits						Other Benefits
(In thousands)	2012			2011			2012			2011		2012			2011			2012			2011
Service cost-benefits earned during the period	$	511		$	385		$	113		$	130	$	1,028		$	769		$	228		$	259
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation		2,806			3,015			971			1,079		5,637			6,020			1,945			2,157
Expected return on plan assets		(2,957	)		(3,247	)		-			-		(5,945	)		(6,482	)		-			-
Amortization of net transition (asset) obligation		-			-			-			-		-			-			-			-
Amortization of prior service (credit) cost		11			11			-			-		22			22			-			-
Amortization of (gain)/loss		266			-			(8	)		-		536			-			(16	)		-
Total benefits cost charged to income	$	637		$	164		$	1,076		$	1,209	$	1,278		$	329		$	2,157		$	2,416

As of June 30, 2012, $5.8 million has been contributed to our sponsored pension plans.  We presently anticipate contributing an additional $8.7 million to fund our pension plans during 2012 for a total of $14.5 million.  On July 6, 2012, The Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act, which includes provisions related to pension funding stabilization, was signed into law.  We are currently assessing the impact that this law will have on our pension funding for the remainder of 2012.