Item 3. Legal Proceedings
Item 3. Legal Proceedings
Commitment and Contingency Reserves
In the ordinary course of business, we may become party to legal, regulatory or administrative proceedings or governmental investigations, including environmental and other matters. Damages or penalties may be sought from us in some matters and certain matters may require years to resolve. While the outcome and impact of these proceedings and investigations on us cannot be predicted with certainty, based on advice of counsel and information currently available to us, management believes that the resolution of these proceedings and investigations through settlement or adverse judgment will not either individually or in the aggregate have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.
The environmental proceedings are reported to comply with SEC regulations which require us to disclose proceedings arising under provisions regulating the discharge of materials into the environment or protecting the environment when a governmental authority is party to the proceedings and such proceedings involve potential monetary sanctions that we reasonably believe could exceed $300,000 or more.
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Environmental Matters
Navajo
HF Sinclair Navajo Refining LLC (“HFS Navajo”) has been engaged in discussions with, and has responded to document requests from, the EPA, the United States Department of Justice (the “DOJ”) and the New Mexico Environment Department (the “NMED”) (collectively, the “Agencies”) regarding HFS Navajo’s compliance with the Clean Air Act (“CAA”) and underlying regulations, and similar New Mexico laws and regulations, at its Artesia and Lovington, New Mexico refineries. The discussions have included the following topics: (a) alleged noncompliance with CAA’s National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (“NESHAP”) and New Source Performance Standards (“NSPS”) at the Artesia refinery, which were set forth in a Notice of Violation (“May 2020 NOV”) issued by the EPA in May 2020; (b) a Post Inspection Notice issued in June 2020 by the NMED, alleging noncompliance issues similar to those alleged by the EPA in its May 2020 NOV as well as alleged noncompliance with the State Implementation Plan (“SIP”) and the Title V permit operating programs; (c) an information request issued in September 2020 by the EPA, pursuant to CAA Section 114, related to benzene fenceline monitoring, flare fuel gas, leak detection and repair, storage vessels and tanks, and other information regarding the Artesia refinery; (d) an information request issued by the EPA in May 2021, pursuant to CAA Section 114, requesting additional information and testing related to certain tanks at the Artesia refinery; and (e) informal information requests related to, among other things, the Artesia refinery’s wastewater treatment plant, oil water separators and heat exchangers. In each of April 2022, June 2023 and August 2023, the EPA alleged additional CAA noncompliance at the Artesia refinery beyond the allegations in the May 2020 NOV, including alleged noncompliance with NESHAP, NSPS, SIP, Title V and other requirements.
Beginning in the spring of 2021, HFS Navajo and the Agencies began monthly meetings to discuss potential injunctive relief measures to address the alleged noncompliance at the Artesia refinery. In September 2021 and August 2023, the EPA presented to HFS Navajo potential claims for stipulated penalties for alleged noncompliance with a 2002 consent decree.
HFS Navajo continues to work with the Agencies to resolve these issues. At this time, no penalties have been demanded, and it is too early to predict the outcome of this matter.
Renewable Fuel Standard
On April 7, 2022, the EPA issued a decision reversing the grant of small refinery exemptions for our Woods Cross and Cheyenne refineries for the 2018 compliance year. On June 3, 2022, the EPA issued a decision reversing the grant of small refinery exemptions for our Woods Cross and Cheyenne refineries for the 2016 compliance year and denying small refinery exemption petitions for our Woods Cross and Cheyenne refineries for the 2019 and 2020 compliance years.
Various subsidiaries of HollyFrontier are currently pursuing legal challenges to the EPA’s decisions to reverse its grant of small refinery exemptions for the 2016 and 2018 compliance years. The first lawsuit, filed against the EPA on May 6, 2022 and currently pending before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit, seeks to have the EPA’s reversal of our 2018 small refinery exemption petitions overturned. The second lawsuit, filed against the EPA on August 5, 2022 and currently pending before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit, seeks to have the EPA’s reversal of our 2016 small refinery exemption petitions overturned and to have the EPA’s denial of our 2019 and 2020 small refinery exemption petitions reversed.
In addition, for both the 2016 and 2018 compliance years, pursuant to the June 2022 and April 2022 decisions, respectively, the EPA established an alternative compliance demonstration for small refineries pursuant to which the EPA is not imposing any obligations for the small refineries whose exemptions were reversed. On June 24, 2022, Growth Energy filed two lawsuits in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit against the EPA challenging the alternative compliance demonstration for the 2016 and 2018 compliance years. On July 25, 2022, various subsidiaries of HollyFrontier intervened on behalf of the EPA to aid the defense of the EPA’s alternative compliance demonstration decision.
It is too early to predict the outcome of these matters.
Osage Pipeline
On July 8, 2022, the Osage Pipeline, which is owned by Osage Pipe Line Company, LLC (“Osage”), a joint venture between El Dorado Osage Company LLC and CHS McPherson Refinery Inc., experienced a release of crude oil at a location approximately 5 miles north of Cushing, Oklahoma.
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Osage and Holly Energy Partners – Operating, L.P. (“HEP Operating”), the operator of the Osage Pipeline, are working with federal, state, tribal, and local governmental agencies, as well as the affected landowners. Discussions with the U.S. Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, the EPA and the DOJ regarding resolution of their potential claims relating to the incident are ongoing. On September 13, 2023, Osage and HEP Operating received an offer for settlement from the EPA and the DOJ. After several months of negotiations, the EPA, the DOJ, Osage, and HEP Operating reached an agreement that resolves the civil claims of the United States under the CWA, subject to certain reservations of rights by the United States, in exchange for the payment of a $7.4 million civil penalty and performance of certain items of injunctive relief by Osage and HEP Operating. The agreement is set forth in a Consent Decree lodged in federal court on January 30, 2024. The Consent Decree is subject to a review and comment period of 30 days.
Other
We are a party to various other litigation and proceedings that we believe, based on advice of counsel, will not either individually or in the aggregate have a materially adverse impact on our financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.
Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures
Not Applicable.
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PART II