Contingencies

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2022

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

Contingencies

Litigation

West Fertilizer Co.

On April 17, 2013, there was a fire and explosion at the West Fertilizer Co. fertilizer storage and distribution facility in West, Texas. According to published reports, 15 people were killed and approximately 200 people were injured in the incident, and the fire and explosion damaged or destroyed a number of homes and buildings around the facility. Various subsidiaries of CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (the CF Entities) were named as defendants along with other companies in lawsuits filed in 2013, 2014 and 2015 in the District Court of McLennan County, Texas by the City of West, individual residents of the County and other parties seeking recovery for damages allegedly sustained as a result of the explosion. The cases were consolidated for discovery and pretrial proceedings in the District Court of McLennan County under the caption “In re: West Explosion Cases.” The two-year statute of limitations expired on April 17, 2015. As of that date, over 400 plaintiffs had filed claims, including at least 9 entities, 325 individuals, and 80 insurance companies. Plaintiffs allege various theories of negligence, strict liability, and breach of warranty under Texas law. Although we did not own or operate the facility or directly sell our products to West Fertilizer Co., products that the CF Entities manufactured and sold to others were delivered to the facility and may have been stored at the West facility at the time of the incident.

All but two of the claims, including all wrongful death and personal injury claims, have been resolved pursuant to confidential settlements that have been or we expect will be fully funded by insurance. The two remaining subrogation and statutory indemnification claims have not yet been set for trial. We believe we have strong legal and factual defenses and intend to continue defending the CF Entities vigorously in the remaining lawsuits. Based upon currently available information, we expect any potential loss to be immaterial and fully indemnified by insurance.

Other Litigation

From time to time, we are subject to ordinary, routine legal proceedings related to the usual conduct of our business, including proceedings regarding public utility and transportation rates, environmental matters, taxes and permits relating to the operations of our various plants and facilities. Based on the information available as of the date of this filing, we believe that the ultimate outcome of these routine matters will not have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

Environmental

From time to time, we receive notices from governmental agencies or third parties alleging that we are a potentially responsible party at certain cleanup sites under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act or other environmental cleanup laws. In 2011, we received a notice from the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (IDEQ) that alleged that we were a potentially responsible party for the cleanup of a former phosphate mine site we owned in the late 1950s and early 1960s located in Georgetown Canyon, Idaho. The current owner of the property and a former mining contractor received similar notices for the site. In 2014, we and the current property owner entered into a Consent Order with IDEQ and the U.S. Forest Service to conduct a remedial investigation and feasibility study of the site. The remedial investigation was submitted to the agencies in 2021. The next step will be a risk assessment, followed by a feasibility study. In 2015, we and several other parties received a notice that the U.S. Department of the Interior and other trustees intended to undertake a natural resource damage assessment for 18 former phosphate mines and three former processing facilities in southeast Idaho. The Georgetown Canyon former mine and processing facility was included in the group of former mines and processing facilities identified by the trustees. In June 2021, we received another notice from the U.S. Department of the Interior that the natural resource damage trustees were commencing a ‘subsequent’ phase of the natural resource damage assessment, but no further details were provided with respect to said assessment. Because the former Georgetown Canyon mine site is still in the risk assessment and feasibility study stage, we are not able to estimate at this time our potential liability, if any, with respect to the cleanup of the site or a possible claim for natural resource damages. However, based on the results of the site investigation conducted to date, we do not expect the remedial or financial obligations to which we may be subject involving this or other cleanup sites will have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows.