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Commitments and Contingencies
12 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2014
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies
Commitments and Contingencies
Commitments
We lease various buildings and other facilities and vehicles, computer and office equipment under operating leases. Certain of our leases contain renewal and purchase options and also contain step-rent provisions. Our aggregate rental expense for such leases was $79.7 in Fiscal 2014, $82.5 in Fiscal 2013 and $77.9 in Fiscal 2012.
Minimum future payments under operating leases with non-affiliates that have initial or remaining noncancelable terms in excess of one year are as follows:
 
2015
 
2016
 
2017
 
2018
 
2019
 
After 2019
AmeriGas Propane
$
56.2

 
$
46.6

 
$
36.5

 
$
30.6

 
$
25.9

 
$
63.0

UGI Utilities
6.7

 
6.2

 
4.5

 
3.7

 
1.4

 
0.7

UGI International
7.8

 
6.1

 
4.4

 
2.0

 
0.4

 
0.5

Other
1.9

 
1.8

 
0.9

 
0.6

 
0.4

 
0.3

Total
$
72.6

 
$
60.7

 
$
46.3

 
$
36.9

 
$
28.1

 
$
64.5



Our businesses enter into contracts of varying lengths and terms to meet their supply, pipeline transportation, storage, capacity and energy needs. Gas Utility currently has gas supply agreements with producers and marketers with terms not exceeding 16 months. Gas Utility also has agreements for firm pipeline transportation and natural gas storage services, which Gas Utility may terminate at various dates through Fiscal 2030. Gas Utility’s costs associated with transportation and storage capacity agreements are included in its annual PGC filings with the PUC and are recoverable through PGC rates. In addition, Gas Utility has short-term gas supply agreements which permit it to purchase certain of its gas supply needs on a firm or interruptible basis at spot-market prices. Electric Utility purchases its electricity needs under contracts with various suppliers and on the spot market. Contracts with producers for energy needs expire at various dates through Fiscal 2016. Midstream & Marketing enters into fixed-price contracts with suppliers to purchase natural gas and electricity to meet its sales commitments. Generally, these contracts have terms of less than two years. The Partnership enters into fixed-price and variable-price contracts to purchase a portion of its supply requirements. These contracts currently have terms that do not exceed three years. UGI International enters into fixed-price and variable-priced contracts to purchase a portion of its supply requirements that currently do not exceed three years.
The following table presents contractual obligations with non-affiliates under Gas Utility, Electric Utility, Midstream & Marketing, AmeriGas Propane and UGI International supply, storage and service contracts existing at September 30, 2014:
 
2015
 
2016
 
2017
 
2018
 
2019
 
After 2019
UGI Utilities supply, storage and transportation contracts
$
156.9

 
$
66.8

 
$
44.9

 
$
30.8

 
$
23.6

 
$
66.4

Midstream & Marketing supply contracts
302.1

 
107.0

 
42.1

 
4.3

 

 

AmeriGas Propane supply contracts
130.8

 
74.3

 

 

 

 

UGI International supply contracts
144.7

 
72.8

 

 

 

 

Total
$
734.5

 
$
320.9

 
$
87.0

 
$
35.1

 
$
23.6

 
$
66.4



The Partnership and UGI International also enter into other contracts to purchase LPG to meet supply requirements. Generally, these contracts are one- to three-year agreements subject to annual price and quantity adjustments.
Contingencies
Environmental Matters
UGI Utilities
CPG is party to a Consent Order and Agreement (“CPG-COA”) with the DEP requiring CPG to perform a specified level of activities associated with environmental investigation and remediation work at certain properties in Pennsylvania on which MGP related facilities were operated (“CPG MGP Properties”) and to plug a minimum number of non-producing natural gas wells per year. In addition, PNG is a party to a Multi-Site Remediation Consent Order and Agreement (“PNG-COA”) with the DEP. The PNG-COA requires PNG to perform annually a specified level of activities associated with environmental investigation and remediation work at certain properties on which MGP-related facilities were operated (“PNG MGP Properties”). Under these agreements, environmental expenditures relating to the CPG MGP Properties and the PNG MGP Properties are capped at $1.8 and $1.1, respectively, in any calendar year. The CPG-COA is scheduled to terminate at the end of 2018. The PNG-COA terminates in 2019 but may be terminated by either party effective at the end of any two-year period beginning with the original effective date in March 2004. At September 30, 2014 and 2013, our accrued liabilities for environmental investigation and remediation costs related to the CPG-COA and the PNG-COA totaled $10.7 and $14.0, respectively. In accordance with GAAP related to rate-regulated entities, we have recorded associated regulatory assets in equal amounts.
From the late 1800s through the mid-1900s, UGI Utilities and its former subsidiaries owned and operated a number of MGPs prior to the general availability of natural gas. Some constituents of coal tars and other residues of the manufactured gas process are today considered hazardous substances under the Superfund Law and may be present on the sites of former MGPs. Between 1882 and 1953, UGI Utilities owned the stock of subsidiary gas companies in Pennsylvania and elsewhere and also operated the businesses of some gas companies under agreement. Pursuant to the requirements of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935, by the early 1950s UGI Utilities divested all of its utility operations other than certain Pennsylvania operations, including those which now constitute UGI Gas and Electric Utility.
UGI Utilities does not expect its costs for investigation and remediation of hazardous substances at Pennsylvania MGP sites to be material to its results of operations because (1) UGI Gas is currently permitted to include in rates, through future base rate proceedings, a five-year average of such prudently incurred remediation costs and (2) CPG and PNG are currently receiving regulatory recovery of estimated environmental investigation and remediation costs associated with Pennsylvania sites. At September 30, 2014, neither the undiscounted nor the accrued liability for environmental investigation and cleanup costs for UGI Gas was material.
From time to time, UGI Utilities is notified of sites outside Pennsylvania on which private parties allege MGPs were formerly owned or operated by UGI Utilities or owned or operated by its former subsidiaries. Such parties generally investigate the extent of environmental contamination or perform environmental remediation. Management believes that under applicable law UGI Utilities should not be liable in those instances in which a former subsidiary owned or operated an MGP. There could be, however, significant future costs of an uncertain amount associated with environmental damage caused by MGPs outside Pennsylvania that UGI Utilities directly operated, or that were owned or operated by former subsidiaries of UGI Utilities if a court were to conclude that (1) the subsidiary’s separate corporate form should be disregarded or (2) UGI Utilities should be considered to have been an operator because of its conduct with respect to its subsidiary’s MGP.
Other Matters

Federal Trade Commission Investigation of Propane Grill Cylinder Filling Practices. On or about November 4, 2011, the General Partner received notice that the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) had initiated an antitrust and consumer protection investigation into certain practices of the Partnership relating to the filling of portable propane cylinders. On February 2, 2012, the Partnership received a Civil Investigative Demand from the FTC that requested documents and information concerning, among other things, (i) the Partnership’s decision, in 2008, to reduce the volume of propane in cylinders it sells to consumers from 17 pounds to 15 pounds, and (ii) cross-filling, related service arrangements and communications regarding the foregoing with competitors. The Partnership responded to that subpoena and cooperated with subsequent requests for information. On March 27, 2014, the FTC issued an administrative complaint against the Partnership and UGI alleging that the General Partner and one of its competitors colluded in 2008 to persuade its common customer, Walmart Stores, Inc., to accept the cylinder fill reduction from 17 pounds to 15 pounds.  The complaint does not seek monetary remedies.  The Partnership and UGI filed their answer to the complaint on April 18, 2014.  On August 25, 2014, the parties entered into an Agreement Containing Consent Orders, and on August 27, 2014, the FTC issued an Order Withdrawing Matter from Adjudication for the Purpose of Considering a Proposed Consent Agreement. The consent agreement was accepted by the FTC on October 31, 2014, and is subject to a 30-day public comment period. Thereafter, the FTC may either withdraw its acceptance of the consent agreement or issue its decision and order in settlement of the proceeding.  

Purported Class Action Lawsuits.  Following the issuance of the FTC’s administrative complaint described above, more than 35 class action lawsuits were filed in multiple jurisdictions against the Partnership/UGI Corporation and a competitor by certain of their direct and indirect customers.  The class action lawsuits allege that the Partnership and its competitor colluded in 2008 to reduce the fill level and combined to persuade its common customer, Walmart Stores, Inc., to accept that fill reduction, resulting in increased cylinder costs to retailers and end-user customers in violation of federal and certain state antitrust laws.  The claims seek treble damages, injunctive relief, attorneys’ fees and costs on behalf of the putative classes.  On October 16, 2014, the United States Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation transferred all of these purported class action cases to the Western Division of the Western District of Missouri.  We are unable to reasonably estimate the impact, if any, arising from such litigation.  We believe we have strong defenses to the claims and intend to vigorously defend against them.

In addition to the matters described above, there are other pending claims and legal actions arising in the normal course of our businesses. Although we cannot predict the final results of these pending claims and legal actions, we believe, after consultation with counsel, that the final outcome of these matters will not have a material effect on our consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows.