Note 21. Legal Proceedings

General

Although the Partnership may, from time to time, be involved in litigation and claims arising out of its operations in the normal course of business, the Partnership does not believe that it is a party to any litigation that will have a material adverse impact on its financial condition or results of operations. Except as described below and in Note 12 included herein, the Partnership is not aware of any significant legal or governmental proceedings against it, or contemplated to be brought against it. The Partnership maintains insurance policies with insurers in amounts and with coverage and deductibles as its general partner believes are reasonable and prudent. However, the Partnership can provide no assurance that this insurance will be adequate to protect it from all material expenses related to potential future claims or that these levels of insurance will be available in the future at economically acceptable prices.

Other

The Partnership determined that gasoline loaded from certain loading bays at one of its terminals did not contain the necessary additives as a result of an IT-related configuration error. The error was corrected and all gasoline being sold at the terminal now contains the appropriate additives. Based upon current information, the Partnership believes approximately 14 million gallons of gasoline were impacted. The Partnership has notified the EPA of this error. As a result of this error, the Partnership could be subject to fines, penalties and other related claims, including customer claims.

In February 2016, the Partnership received a request for information from the EPA seeking certain information regarding its Albany terminal in order to assess its compliance with the Clean Air Act (the “CAA”). The information requested generally related to crude oil received by, stored at and shipped from the Partnership’s petroleum product transloading facility in Albany, New York (the “Albany Terminal”), including its composition, control devices for emissions and various permitting-related considerations. The Albany Terminal is a 63-acre licensed, permitted and operational stationary bulk petroleum storage and transfer terminal that currently consists of petroleum product storage tanks, along with truck, rail and marine loading facilities, for the storage, blending and distribution of various petroleum and related products, including gasoline, ethanol, distillates, heating and crude oils. No violations were alleged in the request for information. The Partnership submitted responses and documentation, in March and April 2016, to the EPA in accordance with the EPA request. On August 2, 2016, the Partnership received a Notice of Violation (“NOV”) from the EPA, alleging that permits for the Albany Terminal, issued by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (“NYSDEC”) between August  9, 2011 and November 7, 2012, violated the CAA and the federally enforceable New York State Implementation Plan (“SIP”) by increasing throughput of crude oil at the Albany Terminal without complying with the New Source Review (“NSR”) requirements of the SIP. The applicable permits issued by the NYSDEC to the Partnership in 2011 and 2012 specifically authorize the Partnership to increase the throughput of crude oil at the Albany Terminal. According to the allegations in the NOV, the NYSDEC permits should have been regulated as a major modification under the NSR program, requiring additional emission control measures and compliance with other NSR requirements. The NYSDEC has not alleged that the Partnership’s permits were subject to the NSR program. The CAA authorizes the EPA to take enforcement action in response to violations of the New York SIP seeking compliance and penalties. The Partnership believes that the permits issued by the NYSDEC comply with the CAA and applicable State air permitting requirements and that no material violation of law has occurred. The Partnership disputes the claims alleged in the NOV and responded to the EPA in September, 2016. The Partnership has met with the EPA and provided additional information at the agency’s request. On December 16, 2016, the EPA proposed a Settlement Agreement in a letter to the Partnership relating to the allegations in the NOV. On January 17, 2017, the Partnership responded to the EPA indicating that the EPA had failed to explain or provide support for its allegations and that the EPA should better explain its positions and the evidence on which it was relying. To-date, the EPA has not responded to the Partnership’s response and has not taken any further action with respect to the NOV.

By letter dated October 5, 2015, the Partnership received a notice of intent to sue (the “October NOI”), which supersedes and replaces a prior notice of intent to sue that the Partnership received on September 1, 2015 (the “September NOI”) from Earthjustice, an environmental advocacy organization on behalf of the County of Albany, New York, a public housing development owned and operated by the Albany Housing Authority and certain environmental organizations, related to alleged violations of the CAA, particularly with respect to crude oil operations at the Albany Terminal. The October NOI revises the superseded and replaced September NOI to add two additional environmental advocacy organizations and to revise the relief sought and the description of the alleged CAA violations.

On February 3, 2016, Earthjustice and the other entities identified in the October NOI filed suit against the Partnership in federal court in Albany under the citizen suit provisions of the CAA. In summary, this lawsuit alleges that certain of the Partnership’s operations at the Albany Terminal are in violation of the CAA. The plaintiffs seek, among other things, relief that would compel the Partnership both to apply for what the plaintiffs contend is the applicable permit under the CAA, and to install additional pollution controls. In addition, the plaintiffs seek to prohibit the Albany Terminal from receiving, storing, handling, and marine loading certain types of Bakken crude oil and to require payment of a civil penalty of $37,500 for each day the Partnership as operated the Albany Terminal in violation of the CAA. The Partnership believes that it has meritorious defenses against all allegations. On February 26, 2016, the Partnership filed a motion to dismiss the CAA action. No decision has yet been issued by the Court and all discovery and other litigation activity is stayed pending a decision by the Court on the motion to dismiss.

By letter dated January 25, 2017, the Partnership received a notice of intent to sue (the “2017 NOI”) from Earthjustice related to alleged violations of the CAA; specifically alleging that the Partnership was operating the Albany Terminal without a valid CAA Title V Permit. On February 9, 2017, the Partnership responded to Earthjustice advising that the 2017 NOI was without factual or legal merit and that the Partnership would move to dismiss any action commenced by Earthjustice. At this time, there has been no further action taken by Earthjustice. Neither the EPA nor the NYSDEC has followed up on the NOI. The Albany Terminal is currently operating pursuant to its Title V Permit. The Partnership believes that it has meritorious defenses against all allegations.

On May 29, 2015 and in connection with a commercial dispute with Tethys Trading Company LLC (“Tethys”), the Partnership received a notice from Tethys alleging a default under, and purporting to terminate, the Partnership’s contract with Tethys for crude oil services at the Partnership’s Oregon facility. However, the Partnership does not believe Tethys had the right to terminate the contract, and the Partnership will continue to investigate and determine the appropriate action to take to enforce its rights under the agreement. 

On March 26, 2015, the Partnership received a Notice of Non-Compliance (“NON”) from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (“DEP”) with respect to the Revere Terminal, alleging certain violations of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit (“NPDES Permit”) related to storm water discharges. The NON required the Partnership to submit a plan to remedy the reported violations of the NPDES Permit. The Partnership has responded to the NON with a plan and has implemented modifications to the storm water management system at the Revere Terminal in accordance with the plan. The Partnership has requested that the DEP acknowledge completion of the required modifications to the storm water management system in satisfaction of the NON. While no response has yet been received, the Partnership believes that compliance with the NON has been achieved, and implementation of the plan will have no material impact on its operations.

The Partnership had a dispute with Lansing Ethanol Services, LLC (“Lansing”) for damages in excess of $12.0 million. The dispute involved Lansing’s failure to transfer RINs to the Partnership in connection with certain agreements for the purchase and sale of ethanol. The parties had agreed to arbitrate under the rules of the American Arbitration Association. The Partnership filed for arbitration on March 24, 2015 and the hearing was conducted in March 2016. A decision was rendered on June 10, 2016, which netted the Partnership $1.5 million. Neither party appealed the decision and the appeal period expired on July 14, 2016. The parties executed a Settlement Agreement and Mutual Release on August 2, 2016, and payment was made by Lansing and received by the Partnership on that date. 

On May 16, 2014, the Partnership received a subpoena from the SEC requesting information for relevant time periods primarily relating to the Partnership’s accounting for RINs and the restatements of its consolidated financial statements as of and for the quarters ended March 31, 2013, June 30, 2013 and September 30, 2013. The Partnership has cooperated fully with the SEC and believes it has provided the SEC with all requested materials. On October 26, 2016, the Partnership was informed that the SEC has concluded its investigation and does not intend to recommend that an enforcement action by the SEC be taken against the Partnership.

The Partnership received letters from the EPA dated November 2, 2011 and March 29, 2012, containing requirements and testing orders (collectively, the “Requests for Information”) for information under the CAA. The Requests for Information were part of an EPA investigation to determine whether the Partnership has violated sections of the CAA at certain of its terminal locations in New England with respect to residual oil and asphalt. On June 6, 2014, a NOV was received from the EPA, alleging certain violations of its Air Emissions License issued by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, based upon the test results at the South Portland, Maine terminal. The Partnership met with and provided additional information to the EPA with respect to the alleged violations. On April 7, 2015, the EPA issued a Supplemental Notice of Violation (the “Supplemental NOV”) modifying the allegations of violations of the terminal’s Air Emissions License. The Partnership has responded to the Supplemental NOV and is engaged in further negotiations with the EPA. A tolling agreement was executed with the United States on December 1, 2015, which has currently been extended through March 31, 2017. While the Partnership does not believe that a material violation has occurred, and it contests the allegations presented in the NOV and Supplemental NOV, the Partnership does not believe any adverse determination in connection with the NOV would have a material impact on its operations.