XML 58 R16.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v2.4.0.8

Commitments And Contingencies | 3 Months Ended
--- | ---
Nov. 30, 2013
Commitments And Contingencies [Abstract] |
Commitments And Contingencies | Note 9 – Commitments and Contingencies In the ordinary course of its business operations, the Company is involved, from time to time, in commercial litigation, employment disputes, administrative proceedings and other legal proceedings. The Company has established accruals for certain proceedings based on an assessment of probability of loss. The Company believes that any potential loss in excess of the amounts accrued would not have a material effect on the business or its condensed consolidated financial statements. Such proceedings are exclusive of environmental remediation matters which are discussed separately below. Environmental Remediation In 1992, the Company entered into a consent decree with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (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 soil and groundwater. To date, the remediation process has consisted primarily of drilling wells into the aquifer and pumping water to the surface to allow these contaminants to be removed by aeration. In 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 and accrued that undiscounted amount as an operating expense in the first quarter of fiscal 2012. The EPA has not approved the Company’s remediation plan. In fiscal 2013, the Company and the EPA conducted a periodic five-year review of the status of the remediation of the contamination site. The Company intends to complete additional investigation of the soil and groundwater on the site during fiscal 2014 with the expectation that the Company will then come to an agreement with the EPA on how to proceed. During the first three months of fiscal 2014, the Company did not accrue any additional incremental costs related to environmental remediation liabilities. The Company anticipates there could be revisions to the current remediation plan as a result of these activities and as additional information is obtained. Any revisions could be material to the operating results of any fiscal quarter or fiscal year. The Company does not expect such additional expenses would have a material adverse effect on its liquidity or financial condition. The Company accrues the anticipated cost of investigation and remediation when the obligation is probable and can be reasonably estimated. 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 could 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. In addition, the current investigation has not yet been completed and does not include all potentially affected areas on the site. Due to the current stage of discussions with the EPA and the uncertainty of the remediation actions that may be required with respect to these affected areas, the Company believes that meaningful estimates of costs or range of costs cannot currently be made and accordingly have not been accrued. The following table summarizes the undiscounted environmental remediation liability classifications included in the balance sheet as of November 30, 2013 and 2012 and August 31, 2013:
Environmental Remediation Liabilities
($ in thousands) |  | November 30, |  | November 30, |  | August 31,
Balance Sheet Classification |  | 2013 |  | 2012 |  | 2013
Other current liabilities |  | $ | 1,516 |  | $ | 2,391 |  | $ | 1,740
Other noncurrent liabilities |  |  | 5,200 |  |  | 5,200 |  |  | 5,200
Total environmental remediation liabilities |  | $ | 6,716 |  | $ | 7,591 |  | $ | 6,940

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_CommitmentsAndContingenciesDisclosureAbstract
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The entire disclosure for commitments and contingencies. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.25) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 825 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6449706&loc=d3e16207-108621 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 460 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 8 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6398077&loc=d3e12565-110249 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25496072&loc=d3e14435-108349 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 440 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6394976&loc=d3e25287-109308 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_CommitmentsAndContingenciesDisclosureTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration