Item 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

From time to time, we may be involved in litigation and claims arising out of our operations in the normal course of business. Additionally, we have elected a $300,000 threshold to disclose certain proceedings arising under federal, state or local environmental laws when a governmental authority is a party to the proceedings. The following matters are disclosed in accordance with that requirement. We do not currently believe that the eventual outcome of any matters reported, individually or in the aggregate, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.

Further, our U.S. refineries are implementing two separate consent decrees, regarding alleged violations of the Federal Clean Air Act, with the EPA, five states and one local air pollution agency. Some of the requirements and limitations contained in the decrees provide for stipulated penalties for violations. Stipulated penalties under the decrees are not automatic, but must be requested by one of the agency signatories. As part of periodic reports under the decrees or other reports required by permits or regulations, we occasionally report matters that could be subject to a request for stipulated penalties. If a specific request for stipulated penalties meeting the reporting threshold set forth in SEC rules is made pursuant to these decrees based on a given reported exceedance, we will separately report that matter and the amount of the proposed penalty.

New Matters

The EPA and U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) notified Phillips 66 that the government will seek penalties for alleged violations of the 2019 consent decree (Civil Action No. 3:18-cv-01484-SMY-GCS) at our Wood River Refinery. We expect that penalties paid for the enforcement action will exceed $300,000. We are working with EPA and DOJ to resolve this matter.

Matters Previously Reported (unresolved or resolved since the quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended September 30, 2022)

On July 2, 2020, the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) issued a demand for penalties totaling $2,697,575. The penalty demand proposes to resolve 26 Notices of Violation (NOVs) issued between 2017 and 2020 for alleged violations of air permit and air pollution regulatory requirements at the Los Angeles Refinery. We are working with SCAQMD to resolve these NOVs.

In 2018, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) issued a Compliance Advisory in relation to an improperly permitted facility flare and related air emissions from flare operations at one of DCP LP’s gas processing plants, which DCP LP self-disclosed to CDPHE in December 2017. Following information exchanges and discussions with CDPHE, a resolution was proposed pursuant to which the plant’s air permit would be revised, and DCP LP would be assessed an administrative penalty and economic benefit payment. A revised air permit was issued in May 2019, but the parties had not yet entered into a final settlement agreement to complete the matter. Subsequently, in July 2020, CDPHE issued a Notice of Violation in relation to amine treater emissions at this plant, which DCP LP self-disclosed to CDPHE in April 2020. DCP LP is engaging with CDPHE as to this and the flare-related matter, including possible settlement terms, although these matters, which have since been combined, may result in formal legal proceedings. It is possible that resolution of this matter may include an administrative penalty and economic benefit payment, further revisions to the facility air permit, or installation of emissions management equipment, or a combination of these, that could result in costs that exceed $1 million.

See Note 16—Contingencies and Commitments, in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements, for additional information.