Company: EGP
Filing Date: 2025-02-12
Form Type: 10-K
Source: 0000049600-25-000019
Chunk: 110

Company: EASTGROUP PROPERTIES INC
Filing Date: 2025-02-12
Form: 10-K
Item: Item 1A
Chunk 110
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  In addition, because of our status as a REIT, the Internal Revenue Code limits our ability to sell our properties.  If we must sell an investment, we cannot ensure that we will be able to dispose of the investment on terms favorable to the Company.

We are subject to environmental laws and regulations.  Current and previous real estate owners and operators may be required under various federal, state and local laws, ordinances and regulations to investigate and clean up hazardous substances released at the properties they own or operate.  They may also be liable to the government or to third parties for substantial property or natural resource damage, investigation costs and cleanup costs.  Such laws often impose liability without regard to whether the owner or operator knew of, or was responsible for, the release or presence of such hazardous substances.  In addition, some environmental laws create a lien on the contaminated site in favor of the government for damages and costs the government incurs in connection with the contamination.  Contamination may adversely affect the owner’s ability to use, sell or lease real estate or to borrow using the real estate as collateral.  We have no way of determining at this time the magnitude of any potential liability to which we may be subject arising out of environmental conditions or violations with respect to the properties we currently or formerly owned.  Environmental laws today can impose liability on a previous owner or operator of a property that owned or operated the property at a time when hazardous or toxic substances were disposed of, released from, or present at the property. A conveyance of the property, therefore, may not relieve the owner or operator from liability.  Although ESAs have been conducted at our properties to identify potential sources of contamination at the properties, such ESAs do not reveal all environmental liabilities or compliance concerns that could arise from the properties.  Moreover, material environmental liabilities or compliance concerns may exist, of which we are currently unaware, that in the future may have a material adverse effect on our business, assets or results of operations.

Climate change and its effects, including compliance with new laws or regulations such as “green” building codes, may require us to make improvements to our existing properties or result in unanticipated losses that could affect our business and financial condition. To the extent that climate change causes an increase in catastrophic weather events, such as severe storms, fires or floods, our properties may be susceptible to an increase in weather-related damage.  Even in the absence of direct physical damage to our properties, the occurrence of any natural