The Company uses an estimated annual effective tax rate, which is based on expected annual income, statutory tax rates and tax planning opportunities available in the various jurisdictions in which the Company operates, to determine its quarterly provision for income taxes.

The Company had income tax expenses of $71,000 and $218,000 for continuing operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017, respectively, and income tax expense of $37,000 and income tax benefit of $3,093,000 for continuing operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016, respectively. The Company’s effective tax rates were approximately 3.7% and 6.0% for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017, respectively, and 2.5% and (18.7%) for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016, respectively. The Company’s income tax benefit for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 was primarily the result of a tax benefit recorded in the amount of $3,203,000 resulting from the permit impairment loss recorded for the Company’s M&EC subsidiary.