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Commitments and Contingencies | 3 Months Ended
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Mar. 31, 2017
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] |
Commitments and Contingencies | Commitments and Contingencies The Company is involved in a number of legal and regulatory matters, principally environmental in nature, that are incidental to the normal conduct of its business, including lawsuits, investigations and claims. The outcome of these matters are inherently unpredictable. The Company believes that, in the aggregate, the outcome of all known legal and regulatory matters will not have a material adverse effect on its consolidated financial statements; however, specific outcomes with respect to such matters may be material to the Company's consolidated statements of operations in any particular period in which costs, if any, are recognized. The Company's assessment of the potential impact of environmental matters, in particular, is subject to uncertainty due to the complex, ongoing and evolving process of investigation and remediation of such environmental matters, and the potential for technological and regulatory developments. In addition, the impact of evolving claims and programs, such as natural resource damage claims, industrial site reuse initiatives and state remediation programs creates further uncertainty of the ultimate resolution of these matters. The Company anticipates that the resolution of many legal and regulatory matters, and in particular environmental matters, will occur over an extended period of time. Environmental. As of March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, the Company had reserves for environmental contingencies totaling approximately $48,217 and $48,817, respectively, most of which was classified as noncurrent liabilities. The Company's assessment of the potential impact of these environmental contingencies is subject to considerable uncertainty due to the complex, ongoing and evolving process of investigation and remediation, if necessary, of such environmental contingencies, and the potential for technological and regulatory developments. From time to time the Company receives notices or inquiries from government entities regarding alleged violations of environmental laws and regulations pertaining to, among other things, the disposal, emission and storage of chemical substances, including hazardous wastes. Item 103 of the SEC's Regulation S-K requires disclosure of certain environmental matters when a governmental authority is a party to the proceedings and the proceedings involve potential monetary sanctions, unless the Company reasonably believes such sanctions would not exceed $100.
• | In May 2013, an amendment to an existing consent order agreed to by the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection and a predecessor of Axiall required that it, among other things, pay a penalty in the amount of $449 and continue certain corrective action associated with discharges of hexachlorocyclohexane (commonly referred to as BHC) from the Natrium, West Virginia facility's effluent discharge outfalls. The penalty was paid and corrective actions required are on-going per a December 2016 agreement to extend the compliance date under the amended consent order.
• | In May 2013 and September 2013, the Environmental Protection Agency (the "EPA") conducted inspections at the Company's Plaquemine, Louisiana facility pursuant to requirements of the federal Clean Air Act Section 112(r) Risk Management Program and Title V. As a result of the inspections, the EPA identified areas of concern and the Company subsequently engaged in negotiations to resolve alleged violations. A Consent Agreement and Final Order (“CAFO”) was filed in October 2016, pursuant to which the Company paid civil penalties in the amount of $167.
• | The LDEQ has issued notices of violations ("NOVs") regarding the Company's olefins facilities in Lake Charles, Louisiana for various air and water compliance issues. The Company has reached an agreement with the LDEQ to settle certain of the NOVs along with other alleged violations not made the subject of any specific NOV in two separate settlement agreements for a combined $192 in civil penalties.
• | During September 2010, the Company's vinyls facilities in north Lake Charles and Plaquemine each received a Consolidated Compliance Order and Notice of Potential Penalty, alleging violations of various requirements of those facilities' air permits, based largely on self-reported permit deviations related to record-keeping violations. The Company has been negotiating a possible global settlement of these and several other matters with the LDEQ. The Company believes the resolution of these matters may require the payment of a monetary sanction in excess of $100.
• | In April 2015, Axiall received a communication from the EPA related to, among other things, the EPA's investigation of the 2012 and 2013 fires that occurred at its VCM plant in Lake Charles. In late 2015, Axiall settled this matter with the EPA, with such settlement including on-going supplemental environmental projects and a penalty payment of $878.
• | For several years, the EPA has been conducting an enforcement initiative against petroleum refineries and petrochemical plants with respect to emissions from flares. On April 21, 2014, the Company received a Clean Air Act Section 114 Information Request from the EPA which sought information regarding flares at the Calvert City, Kentucky and certain Lake Charles facilities. The EPA has informed the Company that the information provided leads the EPA to believe that some of the flares are out of compliance with applicable standards. The EPA has indicated that it is seeking a consent decree that would obligate the Company to take corrective actions relating to the alleged noncompliance. The Company believes the resolution of these matters may require the payment of a monetary sanction in excess of $100.
The Company does not believe that resolutions of any or all of these matters will have a material adverse effect on the Company's financial condition, results of operations or cash flows. Environmental Remediation: Reasonably Possible Matters. The Company's assessment of the potential impact of environmental contingencies is subject to considerable uncertainty due to the complex, ongoing and evolving process of investigation and remediation, if necessary, of such environmental contingencies, and the potential for technological and regulatory developments. As such, in addition to the amounts currently reserved, the Company may be subject to reasonably possible loss contingencies related to environmental matters in the range of $40,000 to $80,000.

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