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Commitments And Contingencies
 6 Months Ended
Feb. 29, 2012
Commitments And Contingencies [Abstract]  
Commitments And Contingencies

(10) Commitments and Contingencies

In 1992, the Company entered into a consent decree with the Environmental Protection Agency of the United States Government (the "EPA") in which the Company committed to remediate environmental contamination of the groundwater that was discovered in 1982 through 1990 at and adjacent to its Lindsay, Nebraska facility (the "site"). The site was added to the EPA's list of priority superfund sites in 1989. Between 1993 and 1995, remediation plans for the site were approved by the EPA and fully implemented by the Company. Since 1998, the primary remaining contamination at the site has been the presence of volatile organic chemicals in the groundwater. The remediation process consists of drilling wells into the aquifer and pumping water to the surface to allow these contaminants to be removed by aeration. The Company accrues the anticipated cost of remediation when the obligation is probable and can be reasonably estimated.

In 2008, the Company and the EPA conducted their periodic five-year review of the status of the remediation of the contamination of the site. In response to the review, the Company and its environmental consultants have developed a remedial action work plan. In addition, the Company is scheduled to meet with the EPA in the third quarter of fiscal 2012 to discuss options that could result in more permanent or more clearly defined remediation of the source areas of contamination at the site. In the first quarter of fiscal 2012, the Company undertook an investigation to assess further potential site remediation and containment actions. In connection with the receipt of preliminary results of this investigation and other evaluations, the Company estimated that it would incur $7.2 million in remediation and operating costs over the next 5 to 10 years and has accrued that undiscounted amount as an operating expense in the first quarter of fiscal 2012. The Company did not accrue additional incremental costs for environmental monitoring and remediation in the second quarter of fiscal 2012.

Although the Company has accrued all reasonably estimable costs associated with remediation of the site, it is expected that additional testing and environmental monitoring and remediation will be required in the future as part of the Company's ongoing discussions with the EPA regarding the development and implementation of the remedial action plans, which could result in changes to its estimates. In addition, the current investigation has not yet been completed and does not include all affected areas on the site. Estimates continue to be refined and evaluated on a number of remediation alternatives and the EPA has not provided feedback or approval of possible action plans. While additional estimated expenses could significantly exceed the amount accrued as of February 29, 2012 and could be material to the operating results of any fiscal quarter or fiscal year, the Company does not expect that such additional expenses would have a material adverse effect on the liquidity or financial condition of the Company.

The following table summarizes the undiscounted environmental remediation liability classifications included in the balance sheet as of February 29, 2012, February 28, 2011 and August 31, 2011:

Environmental Remediation Liabilities
$ in thousands February 29, February 28,   August 31,
Balance Sheet Location   2012   2011   2011
 
Other current liabilities $ 2,737 $ 1,206 $ 1,540
Other noncurrent liabilities   5,200   -   -
Total environmental remediation liabilities $ 7,937 $ 1,206 $ 1,540