Accounting Policies

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2011

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

ACCOUNTING POLICIES

2. ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Newly Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

In January 2010, accounting guidance was issued regarding fair value measurements and disclosures and improvement in the disclosure about fair value measurements. This guidance requires additional disclosures regarding significant transfers in and out of Levels 1 and 2 of fair value measurements, including a description of the reasons for the transfers. This guidance also requires additional disclosures for the activity in Level 3 fair value measurements, requiring presentation of information about purchases, sales, issuances, and settlements in the reconciliation for fair value measurements. This guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2010, and for interim periods within those fiscal years. See Note 10 for applicable disclosures.

Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Implemented

In September 2011, accounting guidance was issued which requires that employers provide additional separate disclosures for multiemployer pension plans and multiemployer other postretirement benefit plans. The additional quantitative and qualitative disclosures will provide users with more detailed information about an employer’s involvement in multiemployer pension plans. This standard is effective for annual periods ending after December 15, 2011. The Company has determined that the adoption of this standard will affect the Company’s disclosures but will not have a material effect on the Company’s financial position or results of operations.

In June 2011, accounting guidance was issued which requires an entity to present the total of comprehensive income, the components of net income, and the components of other comprehensive income either in a single continuous statement of comprehensive income or in two separate but consecutive statements. This guidance eliminates the option to present the components of other comprehensive income as part of the statement of equity. This standard is effective for periods beginning after December 15, 2011. The Company has determined that the adoption of this standard will affect the Company’s disclosures but will not have a material effect on the Company’s financial position or results of operations.

In May 2011, accounting guidance was issued which generally aligns the principles for fair value measurements and the related disclosure requirements under Generally Accepted Accounting Principles and International Financial Reporting Standards. This guidance requires additional disclosures regarding details about Level 3 fair value measurements, including quantitative information about the significant unobservable inputs used in estimating fair value, a discussion of the sensitivity of the measurement to these inputs and a description of the entity’s valuation processes. Disclosures will also be needed concerning any transfers between Level 1 and 2 of the fair value hierarchy (not just significant transfers as previous guidance required) and the hierarchy classification for items whose fair value is not recorded on the balance sheet but is disclosed in the notes. This standard is effective for periods beginning after December 15, 2011. The Company has determined that the adoption of this standard will affect the Company’s disclosures but will not have a material effect on the Company’s financial position or results of operations.