Read the following texts and table with financial data from an S&P 500 earnings report carefully.Based on the question-answer history (if provided), answer the last question. The answer may require mathematical calculation based on the data provided.


working on the site . the company resolved five of the eight pending lawsuits arising from this matter and believes that it has adequate insurance to resolve remaining matters . the company believes that the settlement of these lawsuits will not have a material adverse effect on its consolidated financial statements . during the 2009 third quarter , in connection with an environmental site remediation action under cer- cla , international paper submitted to the epa a feasibility study for this site . the epa has indicated that it intends to select a proposed remedial action alternative from those identified in the study and present this proposal for public comment . since it is not currently possible to determine the final remedial action that will be required , the company has accrued , as of december 31 , 2009 , an estimate of the minimum costs that could be required for this site . when the remediation plan is finalized by the epa , it is possible that the remediation costs could be sig- nificantly higher than amounts currently recorded . exterior siding and roofing litigation international paper has established reserves relating to the settlement , during 1998 and 1999 , of three nationwide class action lawsuits against the com- pany and masonite corp. , a former wholly-owned subsidiary of the company . those settlements relate to ( 1 ) exterior hardboard siding installed during the 1980 2019s and 1990 2019s ( the hardboard claims ) ; ( 2 ) omniwood siding installed during the 1990 2019s ( the omniwood claims ) ; and ( 3 ) woodruf roofing installed during the 1980 2019s and 1990 2019s ( the woodruf claims ) . all hardboard claims were required to be made by january 15 , 2008 , while all omniwood and woodruf claims were required to be made by jan- uary 6 , 2009 . the following table presents an analysis of total reserve activity related to the hardboard , omniwood and woodruf settlements for the years ended december 31 , 2009 , 2008 and 2007 : in millions total . <table class='wikitable'><tr><td>1</td><td>in millions</td><td>total</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>balance december 31 2006</td><td>$ 124</td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td>payments</td><td>-78 ( 78 )</td></tr><tr><td>4</td><td>balance december 31 2007</td><td>46</td></tr><tr><td>5</td><td>additional provision</td><td>82</td></tr><tr><td>6</td><td>payments</td><td>-87 ( 87 )</td></tr><tr><td>7</td><td>balance december 31 2008</td><td>41</td></tr><tr><td>8</td><td>payments</td><td>-38 ( 38 )</td></tr><tr><td>9</td><td>balance december 31 2009</td><td>$ 3</td></tr></table> the company believes that the aggregate reserve balance remaining at december 31 , 2009 is adequate to cover the final settlement of remaining claims . summary the company is also involved in various other inquiries , administrative proceedings and litigation relating to contracts , sales of property , intellectual property , environmental and safety matters , tax , personal injury , labor and employment and other matters , some of which allege substantial monetary damages . while any proceeding or litigation has the element of uncertainty , the company believes that the outcome of any of the lawsuits or claims that are pending or threatened , or all of them combined , will not have a material adverse effect on its consolidated financial statements . note 12 variable interest entities and preferred securities of subsidiaries variable interest entities in connection with the 2006 sale of approximately 5.6 million acres of forestlands , international paper received installment notes ( the timber notes ) total- ing approximately $ 4.8 billion . the timber notes , which do not require principal payments prior to their august 2016 maturity , are supported by irrev- ocable letters of credit obtained by the buyers of the forestlands . during the 2006 fourth quarter , interna- tional paper contributed the timber notes to newly formed entities ( the borrower entities ) in exchange for class a and class b interests in these entities . subsequently , international paper contributed its $ 200 million class a interests in the borrower enti- ties , along with approximately $ 400 million of international paper promissory notes , to other newly formed entities ( the investor entities ) in exchange for class a and class b interests in these entities , and simultaneously sold its class a interest in the investor entities to a third party investor . as a result , at december 31 , 2006 , international paper held class b interests in the borrower entities and class b interests in the investor entities valued at approx- imately $ 5.0 billion . international paper has no obligation to make any further capital contributions to these entities and did not provide financial or other support during 2009 , 2008 or 2007 that was not previously contractually required . based on an analysis of these entities under guidance that considers the potential magnitude of the variability in the structure and which party bears a majority of the gains or losses , international paper determined that it is not the primary beneficiary of these entities .
Question: what was the positive sum of payments in 2006?
Answer: 78.0
Question: what was the positive sum in 2007?
Answer: 87.0
Question: what is the total sum for 2007 and 2008?

165.0