Commitments and Contingencies |
3 Months Ended |
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Mar. 31, 2026 | |
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| Commitments and Contingencies | 17. Commitments and Contingencies Environmental Matters Due to the nature of our business, certain of our subsidiaries’ operations are subject to numerous existing and proposed laws and governmental regulations designed to protect human health and safety and the environment, particularly regarding plant wastes and emissions and solid waste disposal. We do not believe that environmental matters will have a material adverse impact on our consolidated results of operations and financial condition. Energy Call Option Coverage Cases – The appeal filed by CVR Energy and certain of its affiliates (the “Call Defendants”) of the summary judgment granted in Texas state court (the “Texas Suit”) in favor of certain of CVR Energy’s primary and excess insurers (the “Insurers”) relating to the August 2022 settlement (the “Settlement”) of the consolidated lawsuits filed by purported former unitholders of CVR Refining on behalf of themselves and an alleged class of similarly situated unitholders relating to CVR Energy’s exercise of the call option under the CVR Refining Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership, has been fully briefed but remains pending before an appellate court in Texas. In April 2026, the Call Defendants requested a status conference in the action filed by the Call Defendants in Delaware against the Insurers seeking recovery of all amounts paid in connection with the Settlement (the “Delaware Suit”), which Delaware Suit had been effectively stayed by the Delaware court pending the outcome of the Texas Suit appeal. While both cases remain pending, CVR Energy does not expect the outcome of these lawsuits to have a material adverse impact on the CVR Energy’s financial position, results of operations, or cash flows. RFS Disputes - The petitions for review filed by CVR Energy’s obligated-party subsidiary, Wynnewood Refining Company, LLC (“WRC”) along with multiple other parties, challenging the August 2025 decisions of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) on several pending small refinery exemption (“SRE”) petitions including the August 2025 SRE Decisions, remain pending and are at an early stage. Petitions for review of the EPA’s December 2025 decisions addressing previously pending SRE petitions filed by other small refiners (together with the August 2025 SRE Decisions, the “2025 SRE Decisions”) are also pending and in preliminary stages. Certain small refineries, including WRC, have been granted leave to intervene in related proceedings brought by certain biofuels groups challenging the EPA’s issuance of SREs in the August 2025 SRE Decisions. Separately, the EPA has not yet issued a determination on WRC’s SRE petition filed in July 2025, notwithstanding the EPA’s legal obligation to act within ninety days. WRC is evaluating potential courses of action in the event the EPA fails to act or issues an adverse determination with respect to WRC’s 2025 SRE petition. Given the early stage of these matters, the Company is currently unable to estimate the potential impact on WRC’s past, current, and future obligations under the Renewable Fuel Standard (“RFS”) or on the Company’s financial position, results of operations, or cash flows; however, such impact could be material. The costs to comply with the RFS obligations through the purchase of RINs, to the extent not otherwise reduced through the blending of ethanol, biodiesel, or renewable diesel, are included in cost of goods sold in the consolidated statements of operations. At each reporting period, to the extent RINs purchased or generated through blending are less than the RFS obligation (excluding the impact of exemptions or waivers to which CVR Energy’s obligated-party subsidiaries may be entitled), the remaining obligation is valued using period-end RIN market prices for the applicable or nearest vintage year. As of March 31, 2026 and December 31, 2025, CVR Energy’s obligated-party subsidiaries’ RFS liability was $204 million and $72 million, respectively, and is included in accrued expenses and other liabilities in the condensed consolidated balance sheets. 45Q Transaction In January 2023, CVR Energy and its obligated-party subsidiaries entered into a joint venture and related agreements with unaffiliated third-party investors and others intended to qualify for certain tax credits available under Section 45Q of the Internal Revenue Code. Under the agreements entered into in connection with the 45Q Transactions, CVR Partners and certain of its subsidiaries are obligated to meet certain minimum quantities of carbon dioxide supply each year during the term of the agreement and is subject to fees of up to $15 million per year, with an overall cap at $45 million, should it fail to perform. Litigation From time to time, we and our subsidiaries are involved in various lawsuits arising in the normal course of business. We do not believe that such normal routine litigation will have a material effect on our financial condition or results of operations. See the matters described under the caption “Other” below. Recent developments since the last periodic report of the Company are discussed below. Energy Guaranty Dispute – All deadlines in the 2024 action filed by one of CVR Energy’s subsidiaries in the Superior Court of the State of Delaware, which disputes the validity of an alleged 1993 guaranty (the “Guaranty Dispute”) asserted by Exxon Mobil Corporation (“XOM”), have been temporarily stayed until June 2026. The asserted guaranty purports to obligate the subsidiary to defend and indemnify XOM against multiple lawsuits filed against XOM between 2018 and 2025 by property owners in Louisiana alleging property contamination from oil wells. The stay is in place while the parties continue to engage in mediation . The subsidiary continues to dispute the validity of the alleged XOM guaranty. However, if these matters are ultimately resolved adversely to the Company, they could have a material, adverse effect on CVR Energy’s financial position, results of operations, or cash flows. CRNF Ammonia Release – CVR Energy, CVR Partners and certain affiliates have been named in multiple lawsuits arising from an October 2025 ammonia release at the nitrogen fertilizer facility in Coffeyville, Kansas. Following the incident, multiple contractors were evaluated and treated for potential injuries. The litigation includes personal injury and related damages claims filed in Texas state court, as well as a declaratory judgment action filed in Kansas state court by an insurance carrier seeking a determination that it has no duty to defend or indemnify the Company in connection with certain of the underlying claims. As these matters are in the preliminary stages, CVR Energy cannot yet determine whether they will have a material adverse effect on its financial position, results of operations, or cash flows. Kansas Environmental Claims – Discovery has commenced in the lawsuit filed in the United States District Court for the District of Kansas against CVR Energy, CVR Partners and certain of their affiliates (collectively, the "Kansas Defendants") by three residents of Coffeyville and a purported class of similarly situated persons seeking compensatory and punitive damages and a court-supervised medical monitoring program, arising from alleged emissions from operations at the Coffeyville Refinery and the Coffeyville Fertilizer Facility. While this matter is in its earliest stages, if ultimately concluded in a manner adverse to the Kansas Defendants, it could have a material effect on CVR Energy’s financial position, results of operations, or cash flows. Other Matters Pension Obligations Mr. Icahn, through certain affiliates, owns 100% of Icahn Enterprises GP and approximately 86% of Icahn Enterprises’ outstanding depositary units as of March 31, 2026. Applicable pension and tax laws make each member of a “controlled group” of entities, generally defined as entities in which there is at least an 80% common ownership interest, jointly and severally liable for certain pension plan obligations of any member of the controlled group. These pension obligations include ongoing contributions to fund the plan, as well as liability for any unfunded liabilities that may exist at the time the plan is terminated. In addition, the failure to pay these pension obligations when due may result in the creation of liens in favor of the pension plan or the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (the “PBGC”) against the assets of each member of the controlled group. As a result of the more than 80% ownership interest in us by Mr. Icahn’s affiliates, we and our subsidiaries are subject to the pension liabilities of entities in which Mr. Icahn has a direct or indirect ownership interest of at least 80%, which include the liabilities of a pension plan sponsored by Viskase. All the minimum funding requirements of the Internal Revenue Code, as amended, and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, for the Viskase plan have been met as of March 31, 2026. If the plan was voluntarily terminated, it would be underfunded by approximately $19 million as of March 31, 2026. These results are based on the most recent information provided by the plans’ actuary. This liability could increase or decrease, depending on a number of factors, including future changes in benefits, investment returns, and the assumptions used to calculate the liability. As members of the controlled group, we would be liable for any failure of Viskase to make ongoing pension contributions or to pay the unfunded liabilities upon a termination of the Viskase pension plan. In addition, other entities now or in the future within the controlled group in which we are included may have pension plan obligations that are, or may become, underfunded and we would be liable for any failure of such entity to make ongoing pension contributions or to pay the unfunded liabilities upon termination of such plan. The current underfunded status of the Viskase pension plan requires them to notify the PBGC of certain “reportable events,” such as if we cease to be a member of the Viskase controlled group, or if we make certain extraordinary dividends or stock redemptions. The obligation to report could cause us to seek to delay or reconsider the occurrence of such reportable events. Starfire Holding Corporation (“Starfire”), which is 99.6% owned by Mr. Icahn and his affiliates (excluding us and Brett Icahn), has undertaken to indemnify us and our subsidiaries from losses resulting from any imposition of certain pension funding or termination liabilities that may be imposed on us and our subsidiaries or our assets as a result of being a member of the Icahn controlled group. The Starfire indemnity provides, among other things, that so long as such contingent liabilities exist and could be imposed on us, Starfire will not make any distributions to its stockholders that would reduce its net worth to below $250 million. Nonetheless, Starfire may not be able to fund its indemnification obligations to us. Other Icahn Enterprises L.P. was contacted on May 3, 2023 by the U.S. Attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York, seeking production of information relating to the Company and certain of its affiliates’ corporate governance, capitalization, securities offerings, disclosure, dividends, valuation, marketing materials, due diligence and other materials. The Company produced documents in response to that inquiry and has had no substantive communication with the U.S. Attorney’s office since the initial inquiry on May 3, 2023.
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