possible loss (or a range of loss) can be made in this case. Due to the defects associated with the engineer’s report, management does not believe the report itself has any utility in calculating a reasonably possible loss (or a range of loss). Moreover, the highly uncertain legal environment surrounding the case provides no basis for management to estimate a reasonable possible loss (or a range of loss).

     Environmental The company is subject to loss contingencies pursuant to environmental laws and regulations that in the future may require the company to take action to correct or ameliorate the effects on the environment of prior release of chemicals or petroleum substances, including MTBE, by the company or other parties. Such contingencies may exist for various sites, including, but not limited to, federal Superfund sites and analogous sites under state laws, refineries, crude oil fields, service stations, terminals, land development areas, and mining operations, whether operating, closed or divested. These future costs are not fully determinable due to such factors as the unknown magnitude of possible contamination, the unknown timing and extent of the corrective actions that may be required, the determination of the company’s liability in proportion to other responsible parties, and the extent to which such costs are recoverable from third parties.

     Although the company has provided for known environmental obligations that are probable and reasonably estimable, the amount of additional future costs may be material to results of operations in the period in which they are recognized. The company does not expect these costs will have a material effect on its consolidated financial position or liquidity. Also, the company does not believe its obligations to make such expenditures have had, or will have, any significant impact on the company’s competitive position relative to other U.S. or international petroleum or chemical companies.

     The following table displays the annual changes to the company’s before-tax environmental remediation reserves, including those for federal Superfund sites and analogous sites under state laws.

     Included in the $1,818 million year-end 2008 reserve balance were remediation activities of 248 sites for which

the company had been identified as a potentially responsible party or otherwise involved in the remediation by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or other regulatory agencies under the provisions of the federal Superfund law or analogous state laws. The company’s remediation reserve for these sites at year-end 2008 was $120 million. The federal Superfund law and analogous state laws provide for joint and several liability for all responsible parties. Any future actions by the EPA or other regulatory agencies to require Chevron to assume other potentially responsible parties’ costs at designated hazardous waste sites are not expected to have a material effect on the company’s consolidated financial position or liquidity.

     Of the remaining year-end 2008 environmental reserves balance of $1,698 million, $968 million related to current and former sites for the company’s U.S.