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Contingency Reserves | 9 Months Ended
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Sep. 30, 2012
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] |
Contingency Reserves | CONTINGENCY RESERVES LP maintains reserves for various contingent liabilities as follows:
Dollar amounts in millions | September 30, 2012 |  | December 31, 2011
Environmental reserves | $ | 14.3 |  |  | $ | 15.0 |
Hardboard siding reserves | 5.8 |  |  | 6.2 |
Total contingency reserves | 20.1 |  |  | 21.2 |
Current portion of contingency reserves | (4.0 | ) |  | (4.0 | )
Long-term portion of contingency reserves | $ | 16.1 |  |  | $ | 17.2 |
Hardboard Siding Reserves LP has established reserves relating to certain liabilities associated with a settlement agreement resulting from a nationwide class action lawsuit involving hardboard siding manufactured or sold by corporations acquired by LP in 1999 and installed prior to May 15, 2000 which was approved by the applicable courts in 2000. This settlement is discussed in greater detail in the Notes to the financial statements included in LP’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011. LP believes that the reserve balance for this settlement at September 30, 2012 will be adequate to cover future payments to claimants and related administrative costs. The activity in the portion of LP's loss contingency reserves relating to hardboard siding contingencies for the first nine months of 2012 and 2011 are summarized in the following table.
Dollar amounts in millions | September 30, 2012 |  | September 30, 2011
Beginning balance, December 31, | $ | 6.2 |  |  | $ | 17.8 |
Reversal of reserves | — |  |  | (10.7 | )
Payments made for claims | (0.3 | ) |  | (0.4 | )
Payments made for administrative costs | (0.1 | ) |  | (0.3 | )
Ending balance | $ | 5.8 |  |  | $ | 6.4 |
LP believes that the reserve balance at September 30, 2012 will be adequate to cover future payments to claimants and related administrative costs. During the third quarter of 2011, LP decreased its reserves in connection with this settlement due to reductions in claims activity.

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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 17 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6393242&loc=d3e13328-110859 Reference 2: 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 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher AICPA -Name Statement of Position (SOP) -Number 96-1 -Paragraph 152, 163, 172 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. 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 SEC -Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB) -Number Topic 5 -Section Y Reference 6: 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=6572457&loc=d3e149879-122751 Reference 7: 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 + Details
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