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ENVIRONMENTAL AND MINE CLOSURE OBLIGATIONS | 3 Months Ended
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Mar. 31, 2017
Environmental Remediation Obligations [Abstract] |
ENVIRONMENTAL AND MINE CLOSURE OBLIGATIONS | NOTE 11 - ENVIRONMENTAL AND MINE CLOSURE OBLIGATIONS We had environmental and mine closure liabilities of $211.0 million and $206.8 million at March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively. The following is a summary of the obligations as of March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016:
| (In Millions)
| March 31, 2017 |  | December 31, 2016
Environmental | $ | 2.8 |  |  | $ | 2.8 |
Mine closure |  |  |
U.S. Iron Ore 1 | 190.9 |  |  | 187.8 |
Asia Pacific Iron Ore | 17.3 |  |  | 16.2 |
Total mine closure | 208.2 |  |  | 204.0 |
Total environmental and mine closure obligations | 211.0 |  |  | 206.8 |
Less current portion | 12.8 |  |  | 12.9 |
Long-term environmental and mine closure obligations | $ | 198.2 |  |  | $ | 193.9 |
1 U.S. Iron Ore includes our active operating mines, our indefinitely idled Empire mine and a closed mine formerly operating as LTVSMC.
Mine Closure The accrued closure obligation for our active mining operations provides for contractual and legal obligations associated with the eventual closure of the mining operations. The accretion of the liability and amortization of the related asset is recognized over the estimated mine lives for each location. The following represents a roll forward of our asset retirement obligation liability for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and for the year ended December 31, 2016:
| (In Millions)
| March 31, 2017 |  | December 31, 2016
Asset retirement obligation at beginning of period | $ | 204.0 |  |  | $ | 230.4 |
Accretion expense | 3.6 |  |  | 14.0 |
Remediation payments | (0.3 | ) |  | (2.2 | )
Exchange rate changes | 0.9 |  |  | (0.2 | )
Revision in estimated cash flows | — |  |  | (38.0 | )
Asset retirement obligation at end of period | $ | 208.2 |  |  | $ | 204.0 |
For the year ended December 31, 2016, the revisions in estimated cash flows recorded during the year related primarily to revisions in the timing of the estimated cash flows related to two of our U.S. mines. The Empire mine asset retirement obligation was reduced $29.6 million as a result of the further refinement of the timing of cash flows and a downward revision of estimated asset retirement costs related to technology associated with required storm water management systems expected to be implemented. Additionally, during 2016, a new economic reserve estimate was completed for United Taconite, increasing salable product reserves by 115 million long tons and consequently significantly increasing the life-of-mine plan, resulting in a $9.2 million decrease in the asset retirement obligation.

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- Definition The entire disclosure for environmental loss contingencies, such as presence of hazardous waste, relevant information from reports issued by regulators, and estimated costs to achieve compliance with regulatory requirements. This element may be used for all of an entity's disclosures about environmental loss contingencies. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 410 -SubTopic 30 -Section 50 -Paragraph 12 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6393242&loc=d3e13296-110859 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 410 -SubTopic 30 -Section 50 -Paragraph 17 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6393242&loc=d3e13328-110859 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 410 -SubTopic 30 -Section 50 -Paragraph 10 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6393242&loc=d3e13237-110859 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 410 -SubTopic 30 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6393242&loc=d3e13185-110859 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SAB Topic 5.Y.Q2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27011672&loc=d3e149879-122751 + Details
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