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ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS | 3 Months Ended
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Mar. 31, 2017
ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS | NOTE 7 – ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS UNITIL’S ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS ARE DESCRIBED IN NOTE 8 TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS IN ITEM 8 OF PART II OF UNITIL CORPORATION’S FORM 10-K FOR DECEMBER 31, 2016 AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON FEBRUARY 2, 2017. The Company’s past and present operations include activities that are generally subject to extensive and complex federal and state environmental laws and regulations. The Company is in material compliance with applicable environmental and safety laws and regulations and, as of March 31, 2017, has not identified any material losses reasonably likely to be incurred in excess of recorded amounts. However, we cannot assure that significant costs and liabilities will not be incurred in the future. It is possible that other developments, such as increasingly stringent federal, state or local environmental laws and regulations could result in increased environmental compliance costs. Based on the Company’s current assessment of its environmental responsibilities, existing legal requirements and regulatory policies, the Company does not believe that these environmental costs will have a material adverse effect on the Company’s consolidated financial position or results of operations. Northern Utilities Manufactured Gas Plant Sites – Northern Utilities has an extensive program to identify, investigate and remediate former manufactured gas plant (MGP) sites, which were operated from the mid-1800s through the mid-1900s. In New Hampshire, MGP sites were identified in Dover, Exeter, Portsmouth, Rochester and Somersworth. In Maine, Northern Utilities has documented the presence of MGP sites in Lewiston and Portland, and a former MGP disposal site in Scarborough. Northern Utilities has worked with the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (ME DEP) and New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NH DES) to address environmental concerns with these sites. Northern Utilities or others have substantially completed remediation of the Exeter, Rochester, Dover, Somersworth, Portsmouth, Lewiston, Portland and Scarborough sites, though on site monitoring continues and it is possible that future activities may be required. The NHPUC and MPUC have approved regulatory mechanisms for the recovery of MGP environmental costs. For Northern Utilities’ New Hampshire division, the NHPUC has approved the recovery of MGP environmental costs over succeeding seven-year periods. For Northern Utilities’ Maine division, the MPUC has authorized the recovery of environmental remediation costs over succeeding five-year periods. The Environmental Obligations table below shows the amounts accrued for Northern Utilities related to estimated future cleanup costs associated with Northern Utilities’ environmental remediation obligations for former MGP sites. Corresponding Regulatory Assets were recorded to reflect that the future recovery of these environmental remediation costs is expected based on regulatory precedent and established practices. Fitchburg’s Manufactured Gas Plant Site – Fitchburg has worked with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MA DEP) to address environmental concerns with the former MGP site at Sawyer Passway, and has substantially completed remediation activities, though on site monitoring will continue and it is possible that future activities may be required. The Environmental Obligations table below shows the amounts accrued for Fitchburg related to estimated future cleanup costs for permanent remediation of the Sawyer Passway site with a corresponding Regulatory Asset recorded to reflect that the recovery of these environmental remediation costs are probable through the regulatory process. The amounts recorded do not assume any amounts are recoverable from insurance companies or other third parties. Fitchburg recovers the environmental response costs incurred at this former MGP site in gas rates pursuant to the terms of a cost recovery agreement approved by the MDPU. Pursuant to this agreement, Fitchburg is authorized to amortize and recover environmental response costs from gas customers over succeeding seven-year periods. The following table sets forth a summary of changes in the Company’s liability for Environmental Obligations for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016.
Environmental Obligations |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|  | ($ millions) |
|  | Fitchburg |  |  | Northern Utilities |  |  | Total |
|  | Three months ended March 31, |
|  | 2017 |  |  | 2016 |  |  | 2017 |  |  | 2016 |  |  | 2017 |  |  | 2016 |
Total Balance at Beginning of Period |  | $ | 0.1 |  |  | $ | 1.2 |  |  | $ | 1.9 |  |  | $ | 1.6 |  |  | $ | 2.0 |  |  | $ | 2.8 |
Additions |  |  | — |  |  |  | — |  |  |  | 0.4 |  |  |  | 1.0 |  |  |  | 0.4 |  |  |  | 1.0 |
Less: Payments / Reductions |  |  | — |  |  |  | — |  |  |  | 0.1 |  |  |  | 1.1 |  |  |  | 0.1 |  |  |  | 1.1 |
Total Balance at End of Period |  |  | 0.1 |  |  |  | 1.2 |  |  |  | 2.2 |  |  |  | 1.5 |  |  |  | 2.3 |  |  |  | 2.7 |
Less: Current Portion |  |  | 0.1 |  |  |  | 0.2 |  |  |  | 0.4 |  |  |  | 0.5 |  |  |  | 0.5 |  |  |  | 0.7 |
Noncurrent Balance at End of Period |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | 1.0 |  |  | $ | 1.8 |  |  | $ | 1.0 |  |  | $ | 1.8 |  |  | $ | 2.0 |

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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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