Item 3. Legal Proceedings
Item 3. Legal Proceedings.
Although we may, from time to time, be involved in litigation and claims arising out of our operations in the ordinary course of business, we are not currently a party to any significant legal or governmental proceedings, except as described below. In addition, we are not aware of any significant legal or governmental proceedings contemplated to be brought against us, under the various environmental protection statutes to which we are subject.
Fiberspar Corporation. On May 3, 2022, Fiberspar Corporation (“Fiberspar”) filed a petition in the District Court of Harris County, Texas alleging, before costs and interest, over $5.0 million owed but not paid for orders of pipeline product from Fiberspar. The petition asserts causes of action for breach of contract and suit on sworn account. A civil action on the same claims had been filed by Fiberspar in 2016 but was dismissed without prejudice pursuant to a standstill and tolling agreement that expired in 2021. We filed an answer on September 6, 2022 denying Fiberspar’s claims and asserting counter claims. The case is pending in the District Court of Harris County, Texas and a trial date has been set for April 2026. We are unable to predict the final outcome of this matter.
Global Settlement. On August 4, 2021, SMLP and several of its subsidiaries entered into agreements to resolve government investigations into the previously disclosed 2015 Blacktail Release, from a pipeline owned and operated by Meadowlark Midstream, which at the time was a wholly owned subsidiary of Summit Investments (together with Meadowlark Midstream, the “Companies”). The Companies entered into the following agreements to resolve the U.S. federal and North Dakota state governments’ environmental claims against the Companies with respect to the 2015 Blacktail Release: (i) a Consent Decree with (a) the DOJ, on behalf of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Interior, and (b) the State of North Dakota, on behalf of the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality and the North Dakota Game and Fish Department, lodged with the U.S. District Court; (ii) a Plea Agreement with the U.S., by and through the U.S. Attorney for the District of North Dakota, and the Environmental Crimes Section of the DOJ; and (iii) a Consent Agreement with the NDIC (together, the “Global Settlement”).
The Consent Decree provides for, among other requirements and subject to the conditions therein, (i) payment of total civil penalties and reimbursement of assessment costs of approximately $21.25 million, with the federal portion of penalties payable over up to five years and the state portion of penalties payable over up to, for the federal and state civil amounts, six years and, for the federal criminal amounts, five years, with interest accruing at, for the federal and state civil amounts, a fixed rate of 3.25% and, for the federal criminal amounts, a variable rate set by statute; (ii) continuation of remediation efforts at the site of the 2015 Blacktail Release; (iii) other injunctive relief, including, but not limited to, control room management, an environmental management system audit, training, and reporting; and (iv) no admission of liability to the U.S. or North Dakota. The Consent Decree was entered by the U.S. District Court on September 28, 2021.
The Consent Agreement settles a complaint brought by the NDIC in an administrative action against the Companies for alleged violations of the North Dakota Administrative Code (“NDAC”) arising from the 2015 Blacktail Release on the following terms: (i) the Companies admit to three counts of violating the NDAC; (ii) the Companies agree to follow the terms and conditions of the Consent Decree, including payment of penalty and reimbursement amounts set forth in the Consent Decree; and (iii) specified conditions in the Consent Decree regarding operation and testing of certain existing produced water pipelines shall survive until those pipelines are properly abandoned.
Under the Plea Agreement, the Companies agreed to, among other requirements and subject to the conditions therein, (i) enter guilty pleas for one charge of negligent discharge of a harmful quantity of oil and one charge of knowing failure to immediately report a discharge of oil; (ii) sentencing that includes payment of a fine of $15.0 million plus mandatory special assessments over a period of up to five years with interest accruing at the federal statutory rate; (iii) organizational probation for a minimum period of three years from sentencing on December 6, 2021, which will include payment in full of certain components of the fines and penalty amounts; and (iv) compliance with the remedial measures in the Consent Decree.
On December 6, 2021, the U.S. District Court accepted the Plea Agreement. This Global Settlement resulted in losses amounting to $36.3 million and will be paid over five to six years. As of December 31, 2025, we have paid principal amounts totaling $28.0 million and we intend to fully satisfy all monetary obligations by December 31, 2026.
Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures.
Not applicable.
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PART II