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LEGAL PROCEEDINGS, ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS, AND OTHER EVENTS | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2015
LEGAL PROCEEDINGS, ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS, AND OTHER EVENTS |
LEGAL PROCEEDINGS, ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS, AND OTHER EVENTS | NOTE O – LEGAL PROCEEDINGS, ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS, AND OTHER EVENTS The Company is involved in various legal actions arising in the ordinary course of business. The Company maintains liability insurance against certain risks arising out of the normal course of its business, subject to certain self‑insured retention limits. The Company routinely establishes and reviews the adequacy of reserves for estimated legal, environmental, and self‑insurance exposures. While management believes that amounts accrued in the consolidated financial statements are adequate, estimates of these liabilities may change as circumstances develop. Considering amounts recorded, routine legal matters are not expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition, results of operations, or cash flows; however, the Company is currently involved in an environmental compliance matter, as further described below, for which the outcome and related financial impact cannot be determined at this time. Environmental Matters The Company’s subsidiaries store fuel for use in tractors and trucks in 62 underground tanks located in 18 states. Maintenance of such tanks is regulated at the federal and, in most cases, state levels. The Company believes it is in substantial compliance with all such regulations. The Company’s underground storage tanks are required to have leak detection systems. The Company is not aware of any leaks from such tanks that could reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company. The Company has received notices from the Environmental Protection Agency and others that it has been identified as a potentially responsible party under the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act, or other federal or state environmental statutes, at several hazardous waste sites. After investigating the Company’s or its subsidiaries’ involvement in waste disposal or waste generation at such sites, the Company has either agreed to de minimis settlements or determined that its obligations, other than those specifically accrued with respect to such sites, would involve immaterial monetary liability, although there can be no assurance in this regard. Certain ABF Freight branch facilities operate with stormwater permits under the federal Clean Water Act (the “CWA”). The stormwater permits require periodic monitoring and reporting of stormwater sampling results and establish maximum levels of certain contaminants that may be contained in such samples. ABF Freight received, in late March 2014, a sixty-day Notice of Intent to Sue under the provisions of the CWA from a citizens group alleging multiple violations since 2009 by ABF Freight of the requirements of a stormwater permit in force at the ABF Freight branch located in Kent, Washington. On July 6, 2014, the citizens group filed suit against ABF Freight in the United States District Court in Seattle, Washington seeking to collect fines and obtain injunctive relief for the alleged violations. ABF Freight resolved this matter for an amount less than $0.2 million prior to December 31, 2015. ABF Freight received a similar Notice of Intent to Sue from another citizens group in December 2014 alleging CWA violations at its Brooklyn, New York branch. During the investigation of the allegations contained in the Notice of Intent to Sue, it was determined that the operations at the Brooklyn site were being conducted in a manner protected from stormwater and, as a result, the site qualified for exemption from the permitting requirements of the Clean Water Act under a procedure known as “no exposure certification” (“NEC”). In December 2014, ABF Freight made a n NEC filing with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation covering the Brooklyn facility. During first quarter 2015, the citizens group filed suit against ABF Freight in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York asserting the violations of the CWA that were identified in the Notice of Intent to Sue and contesting the validity of the NEC filing. It is not possible to assess potential damages or make an assessment of the probability of future losses at this time as discovery is in process. Therefore, no liability has been established at December 31, 2015 in connection with this matter. At December 31, 2015 and 2014, the Company’s reserve, which was included in accrued expenses, for estimated environmental cleanup costs of properties currently or previously operated by the Company totaled $0.8 million. Amounts accrued reflect management’s best estimate of the future undiscounted exposure related to identified properties based on current environmental regulations, management’s experience with similar environmental matters, and testing performed at certain sites. Legal Proceedings Trademark Infringement On December 23, 2014, Jaguar Land Rover Limited filed suit against Panther in the Northern District of Ohio under various causes of action, collectively falling under a trademark infringement claim. In January 2016, the parties reached an agreement whereby Panther agreed to make minor modifications to the Panther logo and, as a result, Jaguar dismissed the claim.

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