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Environmental Matters | 3 Months Ended
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Mar. 31, 2023
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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, 2022 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on february 14, 2023. 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, 2023, has not identified any material losses reasonably likely to be incurred in excess of recorded amounts. However, the Company 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 its 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 and New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NH DES) to address environmental concerns with these sites. Northern Utilities or others have completed remediation activities at all sites; however, on site monitoring continues at several sites which may result in future remedial actions as directed by the applicable regulatory agency. In July 2019, the NH DES requested that Northern Utilities review modeled expectations for groundwater contaminants against observed data at the Rochester site. In June 2020, the NH DES coupled the submittal of the review to a proposed extension of the gas distribution system by Northern Utilities. Northern Utilities submitted the review in January 2022, and the NH DES directed that soil treatability studies as part of a Remedial Action Plan (RAP) be developed in June 2022. The Company submitted the studies and RAP to the NH DES in December 2022 and is awaiting a decision from the agency; the RAP included three remediation alternatives for consideration by NH DES. In anticipation of the probable NH DES approval of one of the remediation alternatives and subsequent request for project design, the Company has accrued $2.5 million for estimated costs to complete the remediation at the Rochester site, which is included in Environmental Obligations. The Company has determined that the high end of the range of reasonably possible remediation costs for the Rochester site could be $5.6 million based on remediation alternatives. Northern Utilities anticipates the commencement of remediation activities in 2024. 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 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 (Mass DEP) to address environmental concerns with the former MGP site at Sawyer Passway, and has substantially completed remediation activities, though on site monitoring continues. In April 2020, Fitchburg received notification from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (Mass DOT) that a portion of the site may be incorporated into the proposed Twin City Rail Trail with an anticipated commencement date in 2025. Depending upon the final agreement between Fitchburg and Mass DOT, additional minor costs are expected prior to completion. In August 2021, the Mass DEP issued a Notice of Non-compliance to FGE following a November 2020 audit of the September 2015 Response Action Outcome on the MGP site. Mass DEP directed Fitchburg to further define the extent of MGP site contaminants in the sediment and riverbank of an abutting watercourse. Fitchburg began the investigation in November 2021 with the Mass DEP expanding the scope in June 2022 to include an observed river seep. FGE submitted the results of its investigation and an Immediate Response Action (IRA) plan associated with the river seep to the Mass DEP in December 2022. The Mass DEP has review and approval authority over the IRA plan’s recommendations, and FGE anticipates a limited remediation effort associated with the seep in 2023. The Company does not believe this investigation will have a material adverse effect on its financial condition, results of operations or cash flows. 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. Unitil Energy - Kensington Distribution Operations Center - Unitil Energy conducted a Phase I and II environmental site assessment (ESA) in the second quarter of 2021. The ESA results identified soil and groundwater contaminants in excess of state regulatory standards. In September 2021, the NH DES directed Unitil Energy to conduct a supplemental site investigation (SSI) and identify whether there is a need to conduct further investigation or remedial actions. Unitil Energy began the SSI in December 2021 with the NH DES extending the SSI scope in June 2022 to further delineate potential impacts. Unitil Energy completed the field portion of the SSI in September 2022 and anticipates submitting a report to the NH DES in the second quarter of 2023. The Company does not believe this investigation will have a material adverse effect on its financial condition, results of operations or cash flows. The following table sets forth a summary of changes in the Company’s liability for Environmental Obligations for the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022.
Environmental Obligations (millions) |
|  | March 31, |
|  | 2023 |  |  | 2022 |
Total Balance at Beginning of Period |  | $ | 4.4 |  |  | $ | 2.7 |
Additions |  |  | 0.5 |  |  |  | — |
Less: Payments / Reductions |  |  | (0.2 | ) |  |  | — |
Total Balance at End of Period |  |  | 4.7 |  |  |  | 2.7 |
Less: Current Portion |  |  | 0.6 |  |  |  | 0.5 |
Noncurrent Balance at End of Period |  | $ | 4.1 |  |  | $ | 2.2 |

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