Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Commitments and Contingencies

v3.22.1
Commitments and Contingencies
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2022
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies

10. Commitments and Contingencies

 

Environmental Liabilities and Contingencies

The Company is subject to certain federal and state environmental laws and regulations associated with sites at which it stores and sells fuel and other fuel products, as well as at owned and leased locations leased or subleased to independent dealers. As of March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, environmental obligations totaled $12.6 million and $12.9 million, respectively. These amounts were recorded as other current and non-current liabilities in the condensed consolidated balance sheets. Environmental reserves have been established on an undiscounted basis based upon internal and external estimates in regard to each site. It is reasonably possible that these amounts will be adjusted in the future due to changes in estimates of environmental remediation costs, the timing of the payments or whether the federal and/or state regulations in which the Company operates, and which deal with the environment, will be amended.

The Company maintains certain environmental insurance policies and participates in various state underground storage tank funds that entitle it to be reimbursed for environmental loss mitigation. Estimated amounts that will be recovered from its insurance policies and various state funds for the exposures totaled $5.0 million and $5.1 million as of March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, respectively, and were recorded as other current and non-current assets in the condensed consolidated balance sheets.

 

Asset Retirement Obligations

As part of the fuel operations at its operated convenience stores, at most of the other owned and leased locations leased to independent dealers, and certain other independent dealer locations, there are underground storage tanks for which the Company is responsible. The future cost to remove an underground storage tank is recognized over the estimated remaining useful life of the underground storage tank or the termination of the applicable lease. A liability for the fair value of an asset retirement obligation with a corresponding increase to the carrying value of the related long-lived asset is recorded at the time an underground storage tank is installed. The estimated liability is based upon historical experience in removing underground storage tanks, estimated tank useful lives, external estimates as to the cost to remove the tanks in the future and current and anticipated federal and state regulatory requirements governing the removal of tanks, and discounted. The Company has recorded an asset retirement obligation of $58.8 million and $58.4 million at March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, respectively. The current portion of the asset retirement obligation is included in other current liabilities in the condensed consolidated balance sheets.

 

Purchase Commitments

In the ordinary course of business, the Company has entered into various purchase agreements related to its fuel supply, which include varying volume commitments. In light of the reduction in the number of gallons sold due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company’s principal fuel suppliers have temporarily suspended (for periods that vary among the different suppliers) the requirements under their agreements with the Company to purchase minimum quantities of gallons, including such requirements under the incentive agreements from such suppliers. As of March 31, 2022, the reduction in gallons sold did not affect the Company’s compliance with its commitments under the agreements with its principal suppliers.

 

Legal Matters

The Company is a party to various legal actions, as both plaintiff and defendant, in the ordinary course of business. The Company’s management believes, based on estimations with support from legal counsel for these matters, that these legal actions are routine in nature and incidental to the operation of the Company’s business and that it is not reasonably possible that the ultimate resolution of these matters will have a material adverse impact on the Company’s business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.