Commitments and Contingencies
Litigation
In the ordinary conduct of our business, we are from time to time subject to lawsuits, investigations and claims, including environmental claims and employee-related matters. Although we cannot predict with certainty the ultimate resolution of lawsuits, investigations and claims asserted against us, including civil penalties or other enforcement actions, we do not believe that any currently pending legal proceeding or proceedings to which we are a party will have a material adverse effect on our financial statements.
Texas Department of Transportation Settlement
Beginning in August 2023, the Partnership was involved in litigation with the State of Texas Department of Transportation. The subject of the litigation was the expansion of the highway where the Partnership's Nettleton Station is situated. As a result of this expansion, two tanks owned by the Partnership were impacted. This litigation was settled in the second quarter of 2024 and resulted in the Partnership recovering $8.3 million in condemnation proceeds, which was recorded in other operating expense (income), net in the consolidated statements of income and comprehensive income. In 2025, we recovered an additional $4.3 million related to this settlement, which is recorded in other operating expense (income), net in the accompanying consolidated statements of income and comprehensive income.
Environmental, Health and Safety
We are subject to extensive federal, state and local environmental and safety laws and regulations enforced by various agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency (the "EPA"), the United States Department of Transportation, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, as well as numerous state, regional and local environmental, safety and pipeline agencies. These laws and regulations govern the discharge of materials into the environment, waste management practices and pollution prevention measures, as well as the safe operation of our pipelines and the safety of our workers and the public. The State of New Mexico promulgated new regulations to limit emissions from oil and gas operations in 2022. The cost to comply is not expected to be material. Numerous permits or other authorizations are required under these laws and regulations for the operation of our terminals, pipelines, salt wells, trucks and related operations, and may be subject to revocation, modification and renewal.
These laws and permits raise potential exposure to future claims and lawsuits involving environmental and safety matters, which could include soil, surface water and groundwater contamination, air pollution, personal injury and property damage allegedly caused by substances which we may have handled, used, released or disposed of, transported, or that relate to pre-existing conditions for which we may have assumed responsibility. We believe that our current operations are in substantial compliance with existing environmental and safety requirements. However, there have been and we expect that there will continue to be ongoing discussions about environmental and safety matters between us and federal and state authorities, including the receipt and response to notices of violations, citations and other enforcement actions, some of which have resulted or may result in changes to operating procedures and in capital expenditures. While it is often difficult to quantify future environmental or safety related expenditures, we anticipate that continuing capital investments and changes in operating procedures will be required to comply with existing and new requirements, as well as evolving interpretations and enforcement of existing laws and regulations.
Releases of hydrocarbons or hazardous substances into the environment could, to the extent the event is not insured, or is not a reimbursable event under the Omnibus Agreement, subject us to substantial expenses, including costs to respond to, contain and remediate a release, to comply with applicable laws and regulations and to resolve claims by governmental agencies or other persons for personal injury, property damage, response costs, or natural resources damages.

Historical Timeline

Fiscal YearFiled
2025Feb 27, 2026Showing above
2023Feb 28, 2024
2022Mar 1, 2023
2020Mar 1, 2021
2019Feb 28, 2020
2018Mar 1, 2019
2016Feb 28, 2017
2015Feb 29, 2016

About Commitments Disclosures

Commitments and contingencies disclosures catalog a company's off-balance-sheet obligations and legal exposures — purchase commitments, guarantee arrangements, pending litigation, and regulatory proceedings. These items represent potential future cash outflows that may not appear as liabilities on the balance sheet until they become probable and estimable.

Key signals: litigation reserves and disclosed loss ranges quantify management's estimate of legal exposure, but unquantified "reasonably possible" losses often represent the larger risk. Watch for changes in language around pending cases — shifts from "remote" to "reasonably possible" or increases in estimated loss ranges signal deteriorating outcomes. Unconditional purchase obligations and take-or-pay contracts create fixed cost structures that reduce operational flexibility. Guarantee arrangements for subsidiaries or joint ventures can create cascading obligations. Compare the total commitment schedule against projected free cash flow to assess whether the company can meet its obligations without additional financing.