AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER by and among BUCKEYE PARTNERS, L.P. BUCKEYE GP LLC GRAND OHIO, LLC and BUCKEYE GP HOLDINGS L.P. and MAINLINE MANAGEMENT LLC Dated as of June 10, 2010
Exhibit 2.1
by and among
BUCKEYE PARTNERS, L.P.
BUCKEYE GP LLC
GRAND OHIO, LLC
BUCKEYE GP LLC
GRAND OHIO, LLC
and
and
MAINLINE MANAGEMENT LLC
Dated as of June 10, 2010
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ARTICLE I |
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CERTAIN DEFINITIONS |
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Section 1.1 Certain Definitions
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1 | |||
ARTICLE II |
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THE MERGER; EFFECTS OF THE MERGER |
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Section 2.1 The Merger
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9 | |||
Section 2.2 Closing
|
10 | |||
ARTICLE III |
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MERGER CONSIDERATION; EXCHANGE PROCEDURES |
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Section 3.1 Merger Consideration
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10 | |||
Section 3.2 Rights As Unitholders; Unit Transfers
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11 | |||
Section 3.3 Exchange of Certificates
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11 | |||
Section 3.4 Anti-Dilution Provisions
|
14 | |||
ARTICLE IV |
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ACTIONS PENDING MERGER |
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Section 4.1 Ordinary Course
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14 | |||
Section 4.2 Equity
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15 | |||
Section 4.3 Equity Changes
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15 | |||
Section 4.4 Acquisitions and Dispositions
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15 | |||
Section 4.5 Amendments
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15 | |||
Section 4.6 Accounting Methods
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15 | |||
Section 4.7 Insurance
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16 | |||
Section 4.8 Taxes
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16 | |||
Section 4.9 Debt, Capital Expenditures and the Like
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16 | |||
Section 4.10 No Dissolution
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16 | |||
Section 4.11 Adverse Actions
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16 | |||
Section 4.12 Agreements
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16 | |||
ARTICLE V |
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REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES |
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Section 5.1 Disclosure Schedule
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16 | |||
Section 5.2 Representations and Warranties
|
17 |
i
ARTICLE VI |
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COVENANTS |
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Section 6.1 Best Efforts
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22 | |||
Section 6.2 Equityholder Approvals
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22 | |||
Section 6.3 Registration Statement
|
23 | |||
Section 6.4 Press Releases
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24 | |||
Section 6.5 Access; Information
|
24 | |||
Section 6.6 Acquisition Proposals; Change in Recommendation
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25 | |||
Section 6.7 Affiliate Arrangements
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27 | |||
Section 6.8 Takeover Laws
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27 | |||
Section 6.9 No Rights Triggered
|
27 | |||
Section 6.10 New LP Units Listed
|
27 | |||
Section 6.11 Third Party Approvals
|
28 | |||
Section 6.12 Indemnification; Directors’ and Officers’ Insurance
|
28 | |||
Section 6.13 Comfort Letters
|
31 | |||
Section 6.14 Notification of Certain Matters
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31 | |||
Section 6.15 Rule 16b-3
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31 | |||
Section 6.16 Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement of Partners
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31 | |||
Section 6.17 Partners GP Board Membership
|
31 | |||
Section 6.18 Partners GP Board
|
32 | |||
ARTICLE VII |
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CONDITIONS TO CONSUMMATION OF THE MERGER |
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Section 7.1 Unitholder Vote
|
32 | |||
Section 7.2 Governmental Approvals
|
32 | |||
Section 7.3 No Injunction
|
32 | |||
Section 7.4 Representations, Warranties and Covenants of Partners and Partners GP.
|
33 | |||
Section 7.5 Representations, Warranties and Covenants of Holdings and Holdings GP.
|
33 | |||
Section 7.6 Effective Registration Statement
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33 | |||
Section 7.7 Opinion of Xxxxxx & Xxxxxx L.L.P.
|
33 | |||
Section 7.8 Opinion of Xxxxxx & Xxxxxxx LLP.
|
34 | |||
Section 7.9 NYSE Listing
|
34 | |||
Section 7.10 Partners Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement
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34 | |||
Section 7.11 Partners GP Board
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35 | |||
ARTICLE VIII |
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TERMINATION |
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Section 8.1 Termination
|
35 | |||
Section 8.2 Effect of Termination
|
37 |
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ARTICLE IX |
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MISCELLANEOUS |
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Section 9.1 Fees and Expenses
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37 | |||
Section 9.2 Waiver; Amendment
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40 | |||
Section 9.3 Counterparts
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40 | |||
Section 9.4 Governing Law
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40 | |||
Section 9.5 Confidentiality
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40 | |||
Section 9.6 Notices
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40 | |||
Section 9.7 Entire Understanding; No Third Party Beneficiaries
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41 | |||
Section 9.8 Severability
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41 | |||
Section 9.9 Headings
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41 | |||
Section 9.10 Jurisdiction
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41 | |||
Section 9.11 Waiver of Jury Trial
|
42 | |||
Section 9.12 Specific Performance
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42 | |||
Section 9.13 Survival
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42 | |||
Section 9.14 No Act or Failure to Act
|
42 |
iii
ANNEXES
Annex A
|
Form of Second Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Holdings | |
Annex B
|
Form of Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Partners | |
Annex C
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Form of Standstill Provision | |
DISCLOSURE SCHEDULES |
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Schedule A
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Partners Disclosure Schedule | |
Schedule B
|
Holdings Disclosure Schedule |
iv
DISCLOSURE SCHEDULES
v
This AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER, dated as of June 10, 2010 (this “Agreement”), is entered
into by and among Buckeye Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (“Partners”), Buckeye GP
LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and the general partner of Partners (“Partners GP”),
Grand Ohio, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Partners
(“MergerCo”), Buckeye GP Holdings L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (“Holdings”), and MainLine
Management LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and the general partner of Holdings (“Holdings
GP”).
WITNESSETH:
WHEREAS, the Holdings GP Board (as defined herein), and the Partners Audit Committee (as
defined herein) of Partners GP, have determined that the business combination provided for herein
pursuant to which MergerCo will, subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, merge with
and into Holdings, with Holdings surviving (the “Merger”), such that following the Merger, Partners
will be the sole limited partner of Holdings, is fair and reasonable to, and in the best interests
of, Holdings and its limited partners, and Partners and its limited partners, respectively;
WHEREAS, as a condition and inducement to Partners, Partners GP, and MergerCo entering into
this Agreement, concurrently with the execution and delivery of this Agreement, Partners and BGH GP
Holdings LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Holdings Unitholder”) and the holder of
approximately 61.2% of outstanding Common Units (as defined herein) and approximately 96.8% of
outstanding Management Units (as defined herein), and the PE Investors (as defined herein) are
entering into the Holdings Unitholder Support Agreement (as defined herein), pursuant to which,
among other things, Holdings Unitholder and the PE Investors have agreed, subject to the terms and
conditions set forth therein, to vote all of their Common Units and their Management Units in favor
of the Merger and the approval and adoption of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated
hereby; and
WHEREAS, the parties hereto desire to make certain representations, warranties and agreements
in connection with the Merger and also to prescribe various conditions to the Merger;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the respective representations,
warranties, covenants, agreements and conditions contained herein, the parties hereto agree as
follows:
ARTICLE I
CERTAIN DEFINITIONS
CERTAIN DEFINITIONS
Section 1.1 Certain Definitions. As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have
the meanings set forth below:
“Acquisition Proposal” means: any proposal or offer from or by any Person other than Partners,
Partners GP, and MergerCo relating to (i) any direct or indirect acquisition of (A) more
1
than 20% of the assets of Holdings and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, (B) more than 20%
of the outstanding equity securities of Holdings or (C) a business or businesses that constitute
more than 20% of the cash flow, net revenues, net income or assets of Holdings and its
Subsidiaries, taken as a whole; (ii) any tender offer or exchange offer, as defined pursuant to the
Exchange Act, that, if consummated, would result in any Person beneficially owning more than 20% of
the outstanding equity securities of Holdings; or (iii) any merger, consolidation, business
combination, recapitalization, liquidation, dissolution or similar transaction involving Holdings,
other than the Merger.
“Action” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.12(a).
“Affiliate” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 of the Securities Act, unless otherwise
expressly stated herein.
“Agreement” shall have the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph to this Agreement.
“Book-Entry Units” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.1(d).
“Business Day” shall mean any day which is not a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which banks
are authorized or required to be closed in the City of New York.
“Certificate” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.1(d).
“Certificate of Merger” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(b).
“Claim” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.12(a).
“Closing” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.2.
“Closing Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.2.
“Code” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
“Common Units” or “Holdings Common Units” shall mean the common units representing limited
partner interests of Holdings having the rights and obligations specified with respect to Common
Units in the Holdings Partnership Agreement.
“Compensation and Benefit Plans” shall mean all material bonus, vacation, deferred
compensation, pension, retirement, profit-sharing, thrift, savings, employee unit ownership, unit
bonus, unit purchase, restricted unit and unit option plans, all employment or severance contracts,
all medical, dental, disability, health and life insurance plans, all other employee benefit and
fringe benefit plans, contracts or arrangements and any applicable “change of control” or similar
provisions in any plan, contract or arrangement maintained or contributed to for the benefit of
officers, former officers, employees, former employees, directors, former directors, or the
beneficiaries of any of the foregoing, including all “employee benefit plans” as defined in ERISA
Section 3(3).
2
“Confidentiality Agreement” shall mean a confidentiality agreement of the nature generally
used in similar circumstances, as determined by Holdings in its reasonable business judgment;
provided, however, that such Confidentiality Agreement shall (i) have a term of not less than one
year, (ii) provide that all non-public information pertaining to Partners be protected as
confidential information thereunder, subject to customary exceptions, (iii) contain a provision
relating to a “standstill” with respect to the Partners LP Units that is no less favorable to
Partners than the form of standstill provision contained in Annex C hereto and (iv) provide
that Partners is a third party beneficiary with respect to any breach thereof other than breaches
relating to standstill provisions solely involving Holdings or solely involving the Holdings Common
Units or information relating solely to Holdings and its Subsidiaries; provided further, that
Holdings may amend or waive the terms of such Confidentiality Agreement in its discretion, except
that Partners shall have the right to approve or consent to any amendment or waiver (a) of the
one-year term of the Confidentiality Agreement, (b) that would have the effect of causing any
non-public information pertaining to Partners that is protected as confidential information under
the Confidentiality Agreement not to be protected as confidential information under the
Confidentiality Agreement, (c) of the provision described in (iii) above or (d) of Partners’
ability to enforce its rights as a third party beneficiary to such Confidentiality Agreement.
“Disclosure Schedule” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.1.
“DLLCA” shall mean the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act, 6 Del.C. §18-101 et
seq.
“DRULPA” shall mean the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act, 6 Del.C.
§17-101 et seq.
“Effective Time” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(b).
“ERISA” shall mean the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended.
“Escrow Agent” shall mean the Holdings Escrow Agent or Partners Escrow Agent, as applicable.
“Escrow Fund” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 9.1(g).
“Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and
regulations thereunder.
“Exchange Agent” shall mean such entity as may be selected by Partners subject to the
reasonable approval of Holdings.
“Exchange Fund” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.3(a).
“Expenses” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 9.1(f).
“Governmental Authority” means any national, state, local, county, parish or municipal
government, domestic or foreign, any agency, board, bureau, commission, court, tribunal,
3
subdivision, department or other governmental or regulatory authority or instrumentality, or
any arbitrator in any case that has jurisdiction over Holdings or Partners, as the case may be, or
any of their respective properties or assets.
“Holdings” shall have the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement.
“Holdings Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement” shall mean the Second Amended and
Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Holdings substantially in the form attached hereto as
Annex A.
“Holdings Audit Committee” shall mean the Audit Committee of the Holdings GP Board, consisting
(as of the date hereof) of Xxxxxx X. XxXxxx, Xx., Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx and Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx.
“Holdings Certificate of Limited Partnership” means the certificate of limited partnership of
Holdings as filed with the Delaware Secretary of State on March 27, 2006.
“Holdings Change in Recommendation” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.6(c).
“Holdings Disclosure Schedule” shall mean the Disclosure Schedule delivered by Holdings
pursuant to Section 5.1.
“Holdings Escrow Agent” shall mean an escrow agent as appointed by Holdings and Partners, in
their reasonable discretion, for the benefit of Holdings for certain payments under Article IX.
“Holdings GP” has the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph to this Agreement.
“Holdings GP Board” means the Board of Directors of Holdings GP.
“Holdings GP LLC Agreement” means the Third Amended & Restated Limited Liability Company
Agreement of Holdings GP, as amended from time to time, dated August 9, 2006.
“Holdings Meeting” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.2.
“Holdings Partnership Agreement” shall mean the Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited
Partnership of Holdings, dated as of August 9, 2006, as amended from time to time.
“Holdings Recommendation” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.2.
“Holdings Termination Fee” shall mean an amount equal to $29 million in cash.
“Holdings Unitholder” shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.
“Holdings Unitholder Approval” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7.1.
4
“Holdings Unitholder Director Designees” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.17.
“Holdings Unitholder Support Agreement” shall mean the Support Agreement dated as of the date
hereof by and among Partners, the Holdings Unitholder, and the PE Investors.
“HSR” shall mean the Xxxx-Xxxxx-Xxxxxx Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended, and the
rules and regulations thereunder.
“Incentive Compensation Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the Partners Partnership
Agreement.
“Indemnification Expenses” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.12(a).
“Indemnified Party” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.12(a).
“Indemnitees” shall have the meaning set forth in the Holdings Partnership Agreement.
“Joint Proxy Statement” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.3(a).
“Law” shall mean any law, rule, regulation, directive, ordinance, code, governmental
determination, guideline, judgment, order, treaty, convention, governmental certification
requirement or other legally enforceable requirement, U.S. or non-U.S., of any Governmental
Authority.
“Lien” shall mean any charge, mortgage, pledge, security interest, restriction, claim, lien,
or encumbrance.
“LP Units” or “Partners LP Units” shall mean the units representing limited partner interests
of Partners having the rights and obligations specified with respect to LP Units in the Partners
Partnership Agreement.
“Management Units” shall mean the management units representing limited partner interests of
Holdings having the rights and obligations specified with respect to Management Units in the
Holdings Partnership Agreement.
“Material Adverse Effect” shall mean, with respect to either Holdings or Partners, any effect
that (x) is or could reasonably be expected to be material and adverse to the financial position,
results of operations, business, assets or prospects of Holdings and its Subsidiaries taken as a
whole, or Partners and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, respectively, or (y) materially impairs
or could reasonably be expected to materially impair the ability of Holdings or Partners,
respectively, to perform its obligations under this Agreement or otherwise materially threaten or
materially impede the consummation of the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by this
Agreement; provided, however, that Material Adverse Effect shall not be deemed to include any of
the following or the impact thereof: (a) circumstances affecting petroleum product and natural gas
transportation, terminalling, storage and distribution companies generally, or in any region in
which Partners operates, (b) the petroleum product transportation, terminalling, storage and
distribution industry generally (including the price of petroleum products and the costs
5
associated with the transportation, terminalling, storage and distribution thereof), or in any
region in which Partners operates, (c) any general market, economic, financial or political
conditions, or outbreak or hostilities or war, in the United States or elsewhere, (d) changes in
Law (other than a change in Tax Law that would make the transactions contemplated hereby taxable to
the holders of Common Units), (e) earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, or other natural disasters, (f)
any failure of Holdings or Partners to meet any internal or external projections, forecasts or
estimates of revenue or earnings for any period, (g) changes in the market price or trading volume
of Common Units or LP Units, (h) the announcement or pendency of this Agreement or the matters
contemplated thereby or the compliance by either party with the provisions of this Agreement, or
(i) with respect to Holdings only, any effect to the extent resulting from a fact, event or
circumstance that has a Material Adverse Effect with respect to Partners under clause (x) of this
definition; provided, that, in the case of clauses (a), (b), (c), (d), or (e), the impact on
Holdings or Partners is not disproportionately adverse as compared to others in the industry.
“Meeting” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.2.
“Merger” shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.
“Merger Consideration” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.1(c).
“MergerCo” shall have the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph in this Agreement.
“Merger Transactions” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.2(l).
“New LP Unit Issuance” shall mean the issuance of the LP Units as part of the Merger
Consideration pursuant to this Agreement.
“New LP Units” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.1(c).
“Non-Qualifying Income Cushion” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 9.1(g).
“Notice of Proposed Recommendation Change” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.6(c).
“NYSE” shall mean the New York Stock Exchange.
“Partners” shall have the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph to this Agreement.
“Partners Acquisition Proposal” means: any proposal or offer from or by any Person other than
Holdings and its Subsidiaries relating to (i) any direct or indirect acquisition of (A) more than
50% of the assets of Partners and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, (B) more than 50% of the
outstanding equity securities of Partners or (C) a business or businesses that constitute more than
50% of the cash flow, net revenues, net income or assets of Partners and its Subsidiaries, taken as
a whole; (ii) any tender offer or exchange offer, as defined pursuant to the Exchange Act, that, if
consummated, would result in any Person beneficially owning more than
6
50% of the outstanding equity securities of Partners; or (iii) any merger, consolidation,
business combination, recapitalization, liquidation, dissolution or similar transaction involving
Partners other than the Merger.
“Partners Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement” shall mean the Amended and Restated
Agreement of Limited Partnership of Partners substantially in the form attached hereto as Annex
B; provided, that if the holders of a majority of the LP Units outstanding and entitled to vote
at the Partners Meeting do not approve the deletion of
Sections 7.7(d)-(f) and (h)-(j), “Partners
Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement” shall mean the Amended and Restated Agreement of
Limited Partnership of Partners substantially in the form attached hereto as Annex B, with
Sections 7.7(d)-(f) and (h)-(j) from the Partners Partnership Agreement reinstated.
“Partners Audit Committee” shall mean the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of
Partners GP, consisting (as of the date hereof) of C. Xxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxx X. XxXxxxxx and Xxxxxx X.
“Xxxx” Xxxxxxx, III.
“Partners Change in Recommendation” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.2.
“Partners Disclosure Schedule” shall mean the Disclosure Schedule delivered by Partners
pursuant to Section 5.1.
“Partners Escrow Agent” shall mean an escrow agent as appointed by Partners and Holdings, in
their reasonable discretion, for the benefit of Partners for certain payments under Article IX.
“Partners GP” shall have the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph to this
Agreement.
“Partners GP Board” shall mean the board of directors of Partners GP.
“Partners GP LLC Agreement” means the Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement
of Partners GP, as amended from time to time, dated as of August 9, 2006.
“Partners GP Units” shall mean the general partner units representing a general partner
interest in Partners having the rights and obligations specified with respect to GP Units in the
Partners Partnership Agreement.
“Partners Meeting” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.2.
“Partners Non-Public Information” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.6(b).
“Partners Partnership Agreement” shall mean the Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited
Partnership of Partners, dated as of April 14, 2008 and effective as of January 1, 2007, as amended
from time to time.
“Partners Recommendation” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.2.
“Partners Termination Fee” shall mean an amount equal to $29 million in cash.
7
“Partners Unaffiliated Unitholders” means the holders of LP Units other than Partners GP and
Holdings and their respective Affiliates, officers and directors.
“Partners Unitholder Approval” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7.1.
“PE Investors” means ArcLight Capital Partners LLC and certain of their affiliates and Xxxxx &
Company and certain of their affiliates.
“Person” or “person” shall mean any individual, bank, corporation, partnership, limited
liability company, association, joint-stock company, business trust or unincorporated organization.
“Receiving Party” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.6(a).
“Registration Statement” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.3(a).
“Regulatory Authorities” shall mean any federal or state governmental agency or court or
authority or other body.
“Representatives” shall mean with respect to a Person, its directors, officers, employees,
agents and representatives, including any investment banker, financial advisor, attorney,
accountant or other advisor, agent or representative.
“Rights” shall mean, with respect to any person, securities or obligations convertible into or
exchangeable for, or giving any person any right to subscribe for or acquire, or any options, calls
or commitments relating to, equity securities of such person.
“Rule 145 Affiliate” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.7(a).
“SEC” shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission.
“SEC Documents” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.2(g).
“Securities Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and
regulations thereunder.
“Subsidiary” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X under
the Securities Act, except, in the case of Holdings, Partners GP and its Subsidiaries (including,
for the sake of clarity, Partners) shall not be deemed to be Subsidiaries of Holdings (unless
otherwise specifically provided in this Agreement).
“Superior Proposal” means any bona fide Acquisition Proposal (except that references to 20%
within the definition of “Acquisition Proposal” shall be replaced by “50%”) made by a third party
on terms that the Holdings GP Board determines, in its good faith judgment and after consulting
with Holdings’ financial advisor and outside legal counsel, and taking into account the financial,
legal, regulatory and other aspects of the Acquisition Proposal (including, without limitation, any
conditions to and the expected timing of consummation and any risks of non-consummation), to be
more favorable to the holders of Common Units and Management Xxxxx,
0
from a financial point of view than the Merger (taking into account any revised proposal by
the Partners Audit Committee on behalf of Partners to amend the terms of this Agreement), provided,
that, to the extent any Acquisition Proposal includes a Partners Acquisition Proposal, it shall not
be a Superior Proposal without the consent of the Partners Audit Committee.
“Surviving Entity” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(a).
“Takeover Law” means any “fair price,” “moratorium,” “control share acquisition,” “business
combination” or any other anti-takeover statute or similar statute enacted under state or federal
law.
“Taxes” shall mean all taxes, charges, fees, levies or other assessments, including, without
limitation, all net income, gross income, gross receipts, sales, use, ad valorem, goods and
services, capital, transfer, franchise, profits, license, withholding, payroll, employment,
employer health, excise, estimated, severance, stamp, occupation, property or other taxes, custom
duties, fees, assessments or charges of any kind whatsoever, together with any interest and any
penalties, additions to tax or additional amounts imposed by any taxing authority, whether disputed
or not.
“Tax Returns” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.2(i).
“Termination Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 8.1(b)(i).
ARTICLE II
THE MERGER; EFFECTS OF THE MERGER
Section 2.1 The Merger.
(a) The Surviving Entity. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, at the
Effective Time, MergerCo shall merge with and into Holdings, the separate existence of MergerCo
shall cease and Holdings shall survive and continue to exist as a Delaware limited partnership
(Holdings, as the surviving entity in the Merger, sometimes being referred to herein as the
“Surviving Entity”), such that following the Merger, Partners will be the sole limited partner of
Holdings and Holdings GP will be the sole general partner of Holdings.
(b) Effectiveness and Effects of the Merger. Subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the
conditions set forth in Article VII in accordance with this Agreement, the Merger shall become
effective upon the later to occur of the filing in the office of the Secretary of State of the
State of Delaware of a properly executed certificate of merger (the “Certificate of Merger”) or
such later date and time as may be set forth in the Certificate of Merger (the “Effective Time”),
in accordance with the DRULPA and the DLLCA. The Merger shall have the effects prescribed in the
DRULPA and the DLLCA.
9
(c) Holdings Certificate of Limited Partnership and Holdings Partnership Agreement. At the
Effective Time, the Holdings Certificate of Limited Partnership shall remain unchanged and shall be
the certificate of limited partnership of the Surviving Entity, until duly amended in accordance
with applicable Law. At the Effective Time, the Holdings Partnership Agreement shall be amended
and restated in its entirety to read as set forth in Annex A, and as so amended and
restated shall be the partnership agreement of the Surviving Entity until duly amended in
accordance with the terms thereof and applicable Law.
Section 2.2 Closing. Subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions as set forth in
Article VII in accordance with this Agreement, the Merger and the other transactions contemplated
hereby (the “Closing”) shall occur on (a) the third Business Day after the day on which the last of
the conditions set forth in Article VII shall have been satisfied or waived in accordance with the
terms of this Agreement or (b) such other date to which the parties may agree in writing. The date
on which the Closing occurs is referred to as the “Closing Date.” The Closing of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement shall take place at the offices of Xxxxxx & Xxxxxx LLP, 000 Xxxxx
Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, XX at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time on the Closing Date.
ARTICLE III
MERGER CONSIDERATION; EXCHANGE PROCEDURES
Section 3.1 Merger Consideration. Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, at the
Effective Time, by virtue of the Merger and without any action on the part of Partners, Holdings or
any holder of Common Units or Management Units:
(a) All of the limited liability company interests in MergerCo outstanding immediately prior
to the Effective Time shall be converted into and become a 100% limited partner interest in
Holdings, which limited partner interest shall be duly authorized and validly issued, fully paid
and non-assessable (except to the extent such non-assessability may be affected by Sections 17-303,
17-607 and 17-804 of the DRULPA), and Partners, as the holder of such limited partner interest,
shall be admitted as the sole limited partner of Holdings.
(b) The general partner interest in Holdings issued and outstanding immediately prior to the
Effective Time shall remain outstanding and unchanged subject to such changes as set forth in the
Holdings Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement, and Holdings GP shall continue to be the sole
general partner of Holdings.
(c) Each Common Unit and Management Unit issued and outstanding immediately prior to the
Effective Time (other than Common Units held by Partners or its Subsidiaries) shall be converted
into the right to receive 0.705 LP Units (the “Merger Consideration”) which LP Units shall be duly
authorized and validly issued in accordance with applicable Laws and the Partners Partnership
Agreement and the Partners Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement, as applicable, fully paid
(to the extent required under the Partners Partnership Agreement and the Partners Amended and
Restated Partnership Agreement, as applicable) and non-assessable (except to the extent such
non-assessability may be affected by Sections 17-303, 17-607 and 17-
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804 of the DRULPA) (such LP Units described in this clause (c) shall be referred to herein as
the “New LP Units”).
(d) All Common Units and Management Units, when converted in the Merger, shall cease to be
outstanding and shall automatically be canceled and cease to exist. At the Effective Time, each
holder of a certificate representing Common Units or Management Units (a “Certificate”) and each
holder of non-certificated Common Units or Management Units represented by book-entry (“Book-Entry
Units”) shall cease to have any rights with respect thereto, except the right to receive (i) the
Merger Consideration, (ii) any cash to be paid in lieu of any fractional New LP Unit in accordance
with Section 3.3(e) and (iii) any distributions in accordance with Section 3.3(c), and in each case
to be issued or paid in consideration therefor in accordance with Section 3.3.
Section 3.2 Rights As Unitholders; Unit Transfers. At the Effective Time, holders of Common
Units and Management Units shall cease to be, and shall have no rights as, unitholders of Holdings,
other than to receive (a) any distribution with respect to such Common Units and Management Units
with a record date occurring prior to the Effective Time that may have been declared or made by
Holdings on such Common Units and Management Units in accordance with the terms of this Agreement
or prior to the date hereof and which remains unpaid at the Effective Time and (b) the
consideration provided under this Article III. After the Effective Time, there shall be no
transfers on the unit transfer books of Holdings with respect to the Common Units or Management
Units.
Section 3.3 Exchange of Certificates.
(a) Exchange Agent. Partners shall deposit or shall cause to be deposited with the Exchange
Agent for the benefit of the holders of Common Units and Management Units, for exchange in
accordance with this Article III, through the Exchange Agent, the New LP Units and cash as required
by this Article III. Partners agrees to make available to the Exchange Agent, from time to time as
needed, cash sufficient to pay any distributions pursuant to Section 3.2(a) and Section 3.3(c) and
to make payments in lieu of any fractional New LP Units pursuant to Section 3.3(e). Any cash and
New LP Units deposited with the Exchange Agent (including as payment for any fractional New LP
Units in accordance with Section 3.3(e) and any distributions in accordance with Section 3.3(c))
shall hereinafter be referred to as the “Exchange Fund.” The Exchange Agent shall, pursuant to
irrevocable instructions, deliver the Merger Consideration contemplated to be paid for Common Units
or Management Units pursuant to this Agreement out of the Exchange Fund. Except as contemplated by
Sections 3.3(c) and 3.3(e), the Exchange Fund shall not be used for any other purpose.
(b) Exchange Procedures. Promptly after the Effective Time, Partners shall instruct the
Exchange Agent to mail to each record holder of Common Units or Management Units (i) a letter of
transmittal (which shall specify that in respect of certificated units, delivery shall be effected,
and risk of loss and title to the Certificates shall pass, only upon proper delivery of the
Certificates to the Exchange Agent, and shall be in customary form and agreed to by Partners and
Holdings prior to the Effective Time) and (ii) instructions for use in effecting the surrender of
the Certificates or Book-Entry Units in exchange for the Merger Consideration payable in respect of
the Common Units or Management Units represented by such Certificates or Book-
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Entry Units. Promptly after the Effective Time, upon surrender of Certificates, if any, for
cancellation to the Exchange Agent together with such letters of transmittal, properly completed
and duly executed, and such other documents (including in respect of Book-Entry Units) as may be
required pursuant to such instructions, the holders of Common Units or Management Units shall be
entitled to receive in exchange therefor (A) New LP Units representing, in the aggregate, the whole
number of New LP Units that such holder has the right to receive pursuant to this Article III
(after taking into account all Common Units and Management Units then held by such holder) and (B)
a check in the amount equal to the aggregate amount of cash that such holder has the right to
receive pursuant to this Article III, including cash payable in lieu of any fractional New LP Units
pursuant to Section 3.3(e) and distributions pursuant to Section 3.3(c). No interest shall be paid
or accrued on any Merger Consideration or on any unpaid distributions payable to holders of
Certificates or Book-Entry Units. In the event of a transfer of ownership of Common Units or
Management Units that is not registered in the transfer records of Holdings, the Merger
Consideration payable in respect of such Common Units or Management Units may be paid to a
transferee, if the Certificate representing such Common Units or Management Units or evidence of
ownership of the Book-Entry Units are presented to the Exchange Agent, and in the case of both
certificated and book-entry Common Units or Management Units, accompanied by all documents required
to evidence and effect such transfer and the Person requesting such exchange shall pay to the
Exchange Agent in advance any transfer or other Taxes required by reason of the delivery of the
Merger Consideration in any name other than that of the record holder of such Common Units or
Management Units, or shall establish to the satisfaction of the Exchange Agent that such Taxes have
been paid or are not payable. Until the required documentation has been delivered and
Certificates, if any, have been surrendered, as contemplated by this Section 3.3, each Certificate
or Book-Entry Unit shall be deemed at any time after the Effective Time to represent only the right
to receive upon such surrender the Merger Consideration payable in respect of the Common Units or
Management Units and any distributions to which such holder is entitled pursuant to Section 3.2.
(c) Distributions with Respect to Unexchanged Common Units. No distributions declared or made
with respect to LP Units with a record date after the Effective Time shall be paid to the holder of
any Common Units or Management Units with respect to the New LP Units that such holder would be
entitled to receive in accordance herewith and no cash payment in lieu of fractional New LP Units
shall be paid to any such holder until such holder shall deliver the required documentation and
surrender any Certificate as contemplated by this Section 3.3. Subject to applicable Law,
following compliance with the requirements of Section 3.3(b), there shall be paid to such holder of
the New LP Units issuable in exchange therefor, without interest, (i) promptly after the time of
such compliance, the amount of any cash payable in lieu of fractional New LP Units to which such
holder is entitled pursuant to Section 3.3(e) and the amount of distributions with a record date
after the Effective Time theretofore paid with respect to the New LP Units and payable with respect
to such New LP Units, and (ii) at the appropriate payment date, the amount of distributions with a
record date after the Effective Time but prior to such surrender and a payment date subsequent to
such compliance payable with respect to such New LP Units.
(d) Further Rights in Holdings Units. The Merger Consideration issued upon conversion of a
Common Unit or Management Unit in accordance with the terms hereof (including any cash paid
pursuant to Section 3.2, Section 3.3(c) or Section 3.3(e)) shall be
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deemed to have been issued in full satisfaction of all rights pertaining to such Common Unit
or Management Unit, respectively.
(e) Fractional LP Units. No certificates or scrip of the New LP Units representing fractional
New LP Units or book entry credit of the same shall be issued upon the exchange of Common Units or
Management Units in accordance with Section 3.3(b), and such fractional interests will not entitle
the owner thereof to vote or to have any rights as a holder of any New LP Units. Notwithstanding
any other provision of this Agreement, each holder of Common Units or Management Units exchanged in
the Merger who would otherwise have been entitled to receive a fraction of a New LP Unit (after
taking into account all Common Units or Management Units exchanged by such holder) shall receive,
in lieu thereof, cash (without interest rounded up to the nearest whole cent) in an amount equal to
the product of (i) the closing sale price of the LP Units on the NYSE as reported by The Wall
Street Journal on the trading day immediately preceding the date on which the Effective Time shall
occur and (ii) the fraction of a New LP Unit that such holder would otherwise be entitled to
receive pursuant to this Article III. As promptly as practicable after the determination of the
amount of cash, if any, to be paid to holders of fractional interests, the Exchange Agent shall so
notify Partners, and Partners shall, or shall cause the Surviving Entity to, deposit such amount
with the Exchange Agent and shall cause the Exchange Agent to forward payments to such holders of
fractional interests subject to and in accordance with the terms hereof.
(f) Termination of Exchange Fund. Any portion of the Exchange Fund constituting New LP Units
or cash that remains undistributed to the holders of Common Units or Management Units after 180
days following the Effective Time shall be delivered to Partners upon demand and, from and after
such delivery, any former holders of Common Units or Management Units who have not theretofore
complied with this Article III shall thereafter look only to Partners for the Merger Consideration
payable in respect of such Common Units or Management Units, any cash in lieu of fractional New LP
Units to which they are entitled pursuant to Section 3.3(e) and any distributions with respect to
the New LP Units to which they are entitled pursuant to Section 3.3(c), in each case, without any
interest thereon. Any amounts remaining unclaimed by holders of Common Units or Management Units
immediately prior to such time as such amounts would otherwise escheat to or become the property of
any governmental entity shall, to the extent permitted by applicable Law, become the property of
Partners, free and clear of any Liens, claims or interest of any Person previously entitled
thereto.
(g) No Liability. Neither Partners, Holdings, nor the Surviving Entity shall be liable to any
holder of Common Units or Management Units for any LP Units (or distributions with respect thereto)
or cash from the Exchange Fund delivered to a public official pursuant to any abandoned property,
escheat or similar Law.
(h) Lost Certificates. If any Certificate shall have been lost, stolen or destroyed, upon the
making of an affidavit of that fact by the Person claiming such Certificate to be lost, stolen or
destroyed and, if required by Partners, the posting by such Person of a bond, in such reasonable
amount as Partners may direct, as indemnity against any claim that may be made against it with
respect to such Certificate, the Exchange Agent shall pay in exchange for such lost, stolen or
destroyed Certificate the Merger Consideration payable in respect of the Common Units or
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Management Units represented by such Certificate and any distributions to which the holders
thereof are entitled pursuant to Section 3.2.
(i) Withholding. Each of Partners, the Surviving Entity and the Exchange Agent shall be
entitled to deduct and withhold from the consideration otherwise payable pursuant to this Agreement
to any holder of Common Units or Management Units such amounts as Partners, the Surviving Entity or
the Exchange Agent is required to deduct and withhold under the Code or any provision of state,
local, or foreign Tax Law, with respect to the making of such payment; provided, however, that
Partners, the Surviving Entity or the Exchange Agent, as the case may be, shall provide reasonable
notice to the applicable holders of Common Units or Management Units prior to withholding any
amounts pursuant to this Section 3.3(i). To the extent that amounts are so deducted and withheld
by Partners, the Surviving Entity or the Exchange Agent, such amounts shall be treated for all
purposes of this Agreement as having been paid to the holder of Common Units or Management Units in
respect of whom such deduction and withholding was made by Partners, the Surviving Entity or the
Exchange Agent, as the case may be.
(j) Book Entry and Admission of Holders of New LP Units as Additional Limited Partners of
Partners. All New LP Units to be issued in the Merger shall be issued in book entry form, without
physical certificates. Upon the issuance of New LP Units to the holders of Common Units or
Management Units in accordance with this Section 3.3 and the compliance by such holders with the
requirements of Section 12.4 of the Partners Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement, Partners
GP shall consent to the admission of such holders as limited partners of Partners and reflect such
admission on the books and records of Partners.
Section 3.4 Anti-Dilution Provisions. In the event of any subdivisions, reclassifications,
recapitalizations, splits, combinations or distributions in the form of equity interests with
respect to the Common Units, Management Units and the LP Units (in each case, as permitted pursuant
to Section 4.3), the number of New LP Units to be issued in the Merger and the average closing
sales prices of the LP Units determined in accordance with Section 3.3(e) will be correspondingly
adjusted.
ARTICLE IV
ACTIONS PENDING MERGER
From the date hereof until the Effective Time, except as expressly contemplated by this
Agreement or as set forth on Schedule 4, (a) without the prior written consent of the
Partners Audit Committee (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, delayed or
conditioned), Holdings and Holdings GP will not, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries not to,
and (b) without the prior written consent of the Holdings GP Board (which consent shall not be
unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned), Partners and Partners GP will not, and will cause
each of its Subsidiaries not to:
Section 4.1 Ordinary Course. Conduct the business of it and its Subsidiaries other than in
the ordinary and usual course or, to the extent consistent therewith, fail to use commercially
reasonable best efforts to preserve intact its business organizations, goodwill and
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assets and maintain its rights, franchises and existing relations with customers, suppliers,
employees and business associates, or take any action that would (a) adversely affect the ability
of any party to obtain any approvals required under the HSR for the transactions contemplated
hereby or (b) have a Material Adverse Effect.
Section 4.2 Equity. In the case of Holdings and its Subsidiaries, (a) issue, sell or
otherwise permit to become outstanding, or authorize the creation of, any additional equity, any
appreciation rights or any Rights, (b) enter into any agreement with respect to the foregoing or
(c) permit any additional equity interests to become subject to new grants of employee unit
options, unit appreciation rights or similar equity-based employee rights. In the case of
Partners, Partners will not, and Partners will cause its Subsidiaries not to take any action
described in clause (a), (b) or (c) above, which would materially adversely affect its or Holdings’
ability to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
Section 4.3 Equity Changes.
(a) Split, combine or reclassify any of its equity interests or issue or authorize or propose
the issuance of any other securities in respect of, in lieu of or in substitution for its equity
interests; or
(b) Repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire, or permit any of its Subsidiaries to purchase,
redeem or otherwise acquire any partnership interests, except as required by the terms of its
securities outstanding on the date hereof or as contemplated by any existing Compensation and
Benefit Plan.
Section 4.4 Acquisitions and Dispositions. In the case of Holdings and its Subsidiaries,
sell, lease, dispose of or discontinue any portion of its assets, business or properties, which is
material to it and such Subsidiaries taken as a whole, or acquire, by merger or otherwise, or lease
(other than by way of foreclosures or acquisitions of control in a bona fide fiduciary capacity or
in satisfaction of debts previously contracted in good faith, in each case in the ordinary and
usual course of business consistent with past practice) any assets or all or any portion of, the
business or property of any other entity which, in either case, is material to it and such
Subsidiaries taken as a whole, or would be likely to have a Material Adverse Effect. In the case
of Partners, Partners will not, and will cause its Subsidiaries not to, (i) merge, consolidate or
enter into any other business combination transaction with any Person or make any acquisition or
disposition that would be likely to have a Material Adverse Effect or (ii) enter into a definitive
agreement with respect to a Partners Acquisition Proposal.
Section 4.5 Amendments. In the case of Holdings GP and Holdings, amend the Partners GP LLC
Agreement, the Partners Partnership Agreement, the Holdings Partnership Agreement or the Holdings
GP LLC Agreement other than in accordance with this Agreement.
Section 4.6 Accounting Methods. Implement or adopt any material change in its accounting
principles, practices or methods, other than as may be required by Law or generally accepted
accounting principles.
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Section 4.7 Insurance. Fail to use commercially reasonable best efforts to maintain with
financially responsible insurance companies, insurance in such amounts and against such risks and
losses as has been customarily maintained by it in the past.
Section 4.8 Taxes.
(a) Make or rescind any material express or deemed elections relating to Taxes, including
elections for any and all joint ventures, partnerships, limited liability companies or other
investments where it has the capacity to make such binding election;
(b) settle or compromise any material claim, action, suit, litigation, proceeding,
arbitration, investigation, audit or controversy relating to Taxes; or
(c) change in any material respect any of its methods of reporting income or deductions for
federal income tax purposes from those employed in the preparation of its federal income tax return
for the most recent taxable year for which a return has been filed, except as may be required by
applicable Law.
Section 4.9 Debt, Capital Expenditures and the Like. In the case of Holdings and its
Subsidiaries, (a) incur any indebtedness for borrowed money or guarantee any such indebtedness of
others, (b) enter into any material lease (whether operating or capital), (c) create any Lien on
its property or the property of its Subsidiaries in connection with any pre-existing indebtedness,
new indebtedness or lease, or (d) make or commit to make any capital expenditures. In the case of
Partners, Partners will not, and Partners will cause its Subsidiaries not to take any action
described in clauses (a), (b), (c) or (d) above which would materially adversely affect its or
Holdings’ ability to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
Section 4.10 No Dissolution. Authorize, recommend, propose or announce an intention to adopt
a plan of complete or partial dissolution or liquidation.
Section 4.11 Adverse Actions. Except as permitted by Sections 6.2 and 6.6, knowingly take any
action that is intended or is reasonably likely to result in (a) any of its representations and
warranties set forth in this Agreement being or becoming untrue in any material respect at the
Closing Date, (b) any of the conditions set forth in Article VII not being satisfied, (c) any
material delay or prevention of the consummation of the Merger or (d) a material violation of any
provision of this Agreement except, in each case, as may be required by applicable Law.
Section 4.12 Agreements. Agree or commit to do anything prohibited by Sections 4.1 through
4.11.
ARTICLE V
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
Section 5.1 Disclosure Schedule. On or prior to the date hereof, Partners has delivered to
Holdings and Holdings has delivered to Partners a schedule (respectively, its “Disclosure
Schedule”) setting forth, among other things, items the disclosure of which is necessary or
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appropriate in relation to any or all of its representations and warranties; provided,
however, that (a) no such item is required to be set forth in a Disclosure Schedule as an exception
to a representation or warranty if its absence is not reasonably likely to result in the related
representation or warranty being deemed untrue or incorrect in any material respect, and (b) the
mere inclusion of an item in a Disclosure Schedule shall not be deemed an admission by a party that
such item represents a material exception or fact, event or circumstance or that such item is
reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
Section 5.2 Representations and Warranties. Subject to Section 5.1 and except as set forth in
its Disclosure Schedule or (other than with respect to Sections 5.2(a) and (b)) as set forth in its
SEC Documents filed and publicly available prior to the date hereof (excluding any disclosures
included therein to the extent they are cautionary, predictive or forward-looking in nature,
including those in any risk factor section of such documents), Holdings hereby represents and
warrants (and to the extent necessary with respect to any representations by Holdings herein,
Holdings GP also represents and warrants) to Partners, and Partners and MergerCo hereby represent
and warrant (and to the extent necessary with respect to any representations by Partners and
MergerCo herein, Partners GP also represents and warrants) to Holdings, to the extent applicable,
in each case with respect to itself and its Subsidiaries, as follows:
(a) Organization, Standing and Authority. Such party is a limited partnership or limited
liability company, duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of the
jurisdiction of its organization. Such party (i) is duly qualified to do business and is in good
standing in the states of the United States where its ownership or leasing of property or the
conduct of its business requires it to be so qualified and (ii) has in effect all federal, state,
local, and foreign governmental authorizations and permits necessary for it to own or lease its
properties and assets and to carry on its business as it is now conducted.
(b) Capitalization.
(i) In the case of Holdings, as of the date hereof, there are 27,774,016 Common Units
and 525,984 Management Units issued and outstanding, and all such Common Units and
Management Units and the limited partner interests represented thereby were duly authorized
and are validly issued in accordance with the Holdings Partnership Agreement and are fully
paid (to the extent required under the Holdings Partnership Agreement) and nonassessable
(except as such nonassessability may be affected by Sections 17-303, 17-607 and 17-804 of
the DRULPA), and are not subject to any preemptive or similar rights (and were not issued in
violation of any preemptive or similar rights). As of the date hereof, Holdings GP owns a
non-economic (0.0%) general partner interest in Holdings, and such general partner interest
was duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with the Holdings Partnership
Agreement. The limited partner interest in Holdings to be issued to Partners in accordance
with this Agreement will be duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with the
Holdings Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement and will be fully paid (to the extent
required under the Holdings Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement) and nonassessable
(except as such nonassessability may be affected by Sections 17-303, 17-607 and 17-804 of
the DRULPA).
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(ii) In the case of Partners, as of the date hereof, there are 51,519,271 LP Units
issued and outstanding, and all of such LP Units and the limited partner interests
represented thereby were duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with the Partners
Partnership Agreement and are fully paid (to the extent required under the Partners
Partnership Agreement) and nonassessable (except as such nonassessability may be affected by
Sections 17-303, 17-607 and 17-804 of the DRULPA). As of the date hereof, Partners GP owns
243,914 Partners GP Units and the general partner interests evidenced by the Incentive
Compensation Agreement, and such GP Units and general partner interests evidenced by the
Incentive Compensation Agreement were duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with
the Partners Partnership Agreement. The New LP Units will be duly authorized and validly
issued in accordance with the Partners Partnership Agreement and the Partners Amended and
Restated Partnership Agreement, as applicable, and will be fully paid (to the extent
required under the Partners Partnership Agreement and the Partners Amended and Restated
Partnership Agreement, as applicable) and nonassessable (except as such nonassessability may
be affected by Sections 17-303, 17-607 and 17-804 of the DRULPA).
(iii) As of the date hereof, except as set forth in Schedule 5.2(b) of a
party’s Disclosure Schedule, there are no interests of such party’s equity securities
authorized and reserved for issuance, such party does not have any Rights issued or
outstanding with respect to its equity securities, and such party does not have any
commitment to authorize, issue or sell any such equity securities or Rights, except pursuant
to this Agreement.
(iv) The number of LP Units that are issuable upon exercise of any employee or director
options to purchase LP Units as of the date hereof are set forth in Schedule 5.2(b)
of Partners Disclosure Schedule.
(c) Subsidiaries.
(i) (A) Such party has set forth in Schedule 5.2(c) of its Disclosure Schedule
a list of all of its Subsidiaries together with the jurisdiction of organization of each
such Subsidiary, (B) it owns, directly or indirectly, all of the equity interests of each of
its Subsidiaries, except as set forth in Schedule 5.2(c) of such party’s Disclosure
Schedule, (C) no equity interests of any of its Subsidiaries are or may become required to
be issued by reason of any Rights, (D) there are no contracts, commitments, understandings
or arrangements by which any of such Subsidiaries is or may be bound to sell or otherwise
transfer any equity interests of any such Subsidiaries, (E) there are no contracts,
commitments, understandings, or arrangements relating to its rights to vote or to dispose of
such equity interests, and (F) all of the equity interests of each such Subsidiary held by
it or its Subsidiaries are fully paid and nonassessable and are owned by it or its
Subsidiaries free and clear of any Liens.
(ii) In the case of the representations and warranties of Holdings, other than
ownership of its Subsidiaries, Holdings does not own beneficially, directly or indirectly,
any equity securities or similar interests of any person, or any interest in a partnership
or joint venture of any kind.
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(iii) Each of such party’s Subsidiaries has been duly organized and is validly existing
in good standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its organization and (A) is duly
qualified to do business and in good standing in the jurisdictions where its ownership or
leasing of property or the conduct of its business requires it to be so qualified and (B)
has in effect all federal, state, local, and foreign governmental authorizations and permits
necessary for it to own or lease its properties and assets and to carry on its business as
it is now conducted.
(d) Partnership or Limited Liability Company Power. Such party and each of its Subsidiaries
has the partnership or limited liability company power and authority to carry on its business as it
is now being conducted and to own all its properties and assets; and it has the partnership or
limited liability company power and authority to execute, deliver and perform its obligations under
this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby.
(e) Authority. Subject to Partners Unitholder Approval, in the case of Partners, and to
Holdings Unitholder Approval, in the case of Holdings, this Agreement and the transactions
contemplated hereby have been authorized by all necessary (partnership or limited liability
company, as applicable) action, and this Agreement has been duly executed and delivered and is a
legal, valid and binding agreement of it, enforceable in accordance with its terms (except as such
enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium,
fraudulent transfer and similar Laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’
rights or by general equity principles).
(f) No Defaults. Subject to the declaration of effectiveness of the Registration Statement,
required filings under federal and state securities laws and the NYSE, and the approvals
contemplated by Article VII, the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby do not and will not (i) constitute a breach or
violation of, or result in a default (or an event that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would
become a default) under, or result in the termination or in a right of termination or cancellation
of, or accelerate the performance required by, any note, bond, mortgage, indenture, deed of trust,
license, franchise, lease, contract, agreement, joint venture or other instrument or obligation to
which it or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which it or any of its Subsidiaries or
properties is subject or bound, (ii) constitute a breach or violation of, or a default under, in
the case of Holdings, the Holdings Partnership Agreement or Holdings Certificate of Limited
Partnership, and in the case of Partners, the Partners Partnership Agreement or Partners
Certificate of Limited Partnership, (iii) contravene or conflict with or constitute a violation of
any provision of any Law binding upon or applicable to it or any of its Subsidiaries, (iv) result
in the creation of any Lien on any of its assets or its Subsidiaries’ assets other than in
connection with any indebtedness obtained in connection with the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement, or (v) cause the transactions contemplated by this Agreement to be subject to Takeover
Laws.
(g) Financial Reports and SEC Documents. Its annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year
ended December 31, 2009, and all other reports, registration statements, definitive proxy
statements or information statements filed or to be filed by it or any of its Subsidiaries
subsequent to December 31, 2009 under the Securities Act, or under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and
15(d) of the Exchange Act, in the form filed, or to be filed (collectively, its “SEC
19
Documents”), with the SEC (i) complied or will comply in all material respects as to form with
the applicable requirements under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, as the case may be, and
(ii) did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements made therein, in
light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and each of the balance
sheets contained in or incorporated by reference into any such SEC Document (including the related
notes and schedules thereto) fairly presents the financial position of the entity or entities to
which it relates as of its date, and each of the statements of income and changes in partners’
equity and cash flows or equivalent statements in the case of Partners in such SEC Documents
(including any related notes and schedules thereto) fairly presents the results of operations,
changes in partners’ equity and changes in cash flows, as the case may be, of the entity or
entities to which it relates for the periods to which it relates, in each case in accordance with
generally accepted accounting principles consistently applied during the periods involved, except
in each case as may be noted therein, subject to normal year-end audit adjustments in the case of
unaudited statements. Except as and to the extent set forth on its balance sheet as of December
31, 2009, as of such date, neither it nor any of its Subsidiaries had any liabilities or
obligations of any nature (whether accrued, absolute, contingent or otherwise) that would be
required to be reflected on, or reserved against in, a balance sheet or in the notes thereto
prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles consistently applied.
(h) No Brokers. No action has been taken by it that would give rise to any valid claim
against any party hereto for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or other like payment with
respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, excluding, in the case of Holdings,
fees to be paid to Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, and, in the case of Partners, fees to be
paid to Barclays Capital Inc., in every case pursuant to letter agreements which have been
heretofore disclosed to the other party.
(i) Tax Matters.
(i) All material returns, declarations, reports, estimates, information returns and
statements required to be filed under federal, state, local or any foreign Tax Laws (“Tax
Returns”) with respect to it or any of its Subsidiaries, have been timely filed, or requests
for extensions have been timely filed and have not expired;
(ii) all Tax Returns filed by it are complete and accurate in all material respects;
(iii) all Taxes shown to be due on such Tax Returns and all other Taxes, if any,
required to be paid by it or its Subsidiaries for all periods ending through the date hereof
have been paid or adequate reserves have in accordance with generally accepted accounting
principles been established for the payment of such Taxes; and
(iv) no material (A) audit or examination or (B) refund litigation with respect to any
Tax Return is pending. As of the date hereof, neither it nor any of its Subsidiaries (x)
has granted any requests, agreements, consents or waivers to extend the statutory period of
limitations applicable to the assessment of any Taxes with respect to any Tax Returns or (y)
is a party to any Tax sharing or Tax indemnity agreement.
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(j) Regulatory Approvals. Except as set forth in Schedule 5.2(j) of a party’s
Disclosure Schedule, no approval of any governmental agency is necessary to consummate the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement (other than filings under the Securities Act). As of
the date hereof, neither Holdings nor Partners is aware of any reason why the approvals under the
HSR will not be received if required.
(k) The Holdings GP Board Recommendations. At a meeting duly called and held, the Holdings GP
Board determined that the Merger, this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby are fair
and reasonable to, and in the best interests of, Holdings and the holders of Common Units and
Management Units, and approved and declared the advisability of the Merger and this Agreement, and
resolved to recommend that the holders of Common Units and Management Units approve the Merger,
this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby.
(l) The Partners GP Audit Committee Recommendations. The Partners GP Board, by written
consent, delegated to the Partners Audit Committee the full authority of the Partners GP Board to
consider, review, evaluate, analyze and approve this Agreement and the transactions contemplated
hereby. The Partners Audit Committee has determined that this Agreement and the transactions
contemplated hereby, including the Merger, the New LP Unit Issuance and the adoption of the
Partners Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement (collectively, the “Merger Transactions”) are
fair and reasonable to, and in the best interests of, Partners and the Partners Unaffiliated
Unitholders, and has approved and declared the advisability of this Agreement and the Merger
Transactions, and resolved to recommend that the holders of LP Units approve this Agreement and the
Merger Transactions, and such action by the Partners Audit Committee constituted Special Approval
(as defined in the Partners Partnership Agreement) of this Agreement and the Merger Transactions.
(m) Operations of MergerCo. In the case of Partners, MergerCo was formed solely for the
purpose of engaging in the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and has engaged in no
business other than in connection with entering into this Agreement and engaging in the
transactions contemplated hereby.
(n) Holdings Fairness Opinion. Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC has delivered to the
Holdings GP Board its opinion to the effect that, as of the date the Holdings GP Board approved
this Agreement and subject to certain assumptions, qualifications, limitations and other matters,
the Merger Consideration is fair, from a financial point of view, to the Holdings Unitholders other
than BGH GP Holdings, LLC and its Affiliates, it being agreed that none of BGH GP Holdings, LLC,
Partners, Partners GP nor MergerCo may rely upon such opinion.
(o) Partners Fairness Opinion. Barclays Capital Inc. has delivered to the Partners Audit
Committee its written opinion dated as of the date hereof, that as of such date, the Merger
Consideration to be paid is fair, from a financial point of view, to Partners and accordingly, the
holders of Partners LP Units (other than Holdings, Partners GP, Arclight Capital Partners LLC and
certain of its affiliates and Xxxxx & Company LP and certain of its affiliates).
(p) No Partners Material Adverse Effect. In the case of Partners, there has not occurred a
Material Adverse Effect between January 1, 2010 and the date of this Agreement.
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ARTICLE VI
COVENANTS
Holdings hereby covenants to and agrees with Partners, and Partners hereby covenants to and
agrees with Holdings, that:
Section 6.1 Best Efforts. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, it shall use
its commercially reasonable best efforts in good faith to take, or cause to be taken, all actions,
and to do, or cause to be done, all things necessary, proper, desirable or advisable under
applicable Laws, so as to permit consummation of the Merger promptly and otherwise to enable
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, including, without limitation, obtaining (and
cooperating with the other party hereto to obtain) any third party approval that is required to be
obtained by Holdings or Partners or any of their respective Subsidiaries in connection with the
Merger and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and using commercially reasonable
best efforts to lift or rescind any injunction or restraining order or other order adversely
affecting the ability of the parties to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby, and using
commercially reasonable best efforts to defend any litigation seeking to enjoin, prevent or delay
the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or seeking material damages, and each
shall cooperate fully with the other parties hereto to that end, and shall furnish to the other
party copies of all correspondence, filings and communications between it and its Affiliates and
any Regulatory Authority with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby. In complying with
the foregoing, neither it nor its Subsidiaries shall be required to take measures that would have a
Material Adverse Effect on it and such Subsidiaries taken as a whole.
Section 6.2 Equityholder Approvals. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement,
each of them shall take, in accordance with applicable Law, applicable stock exchange rules and the
Holdings Partnership Agreement, in the case of Holdings, and the Partners Partnership Agreement, in
the case of Partners, all action necessary to call, hold and convene, respectively, an appropriate
meeting of the holders of Common Units and Management Units of Holdings to consider and vote upon
the approval of the Merger, the approval and adoption of this Agreement, and any other matters
required to be approved by Holdings’ unitholders for consummation of the Merger (including any
adjournment or postponement, the “Holdings Meeting”) and an appropriate meeting of the holders of
the LP Units of Partners to consider and vote upon the approval of this Agreement and the Merger
Transactions and any other matters required to be approved by them for consummation of the Merger
(including any adjournment or postponement, the “Partners Meeting”; and each of the Holdings
Meeting and Partners Meeting, a “Meeting”), respectively, promptly after the date hereof. Subject
to Section 6.6(c), the Holdings GP Board shall recommend approval of the Merger, this Agreement and
the transactions contemplated hereby to the holders of Common Units and Management Units (the
“Holdings Recommendation”), and Holdings shall take all reasonable lawful action to solicit such
approval by the holders of Common Units and Management Units. The Partners Audit Committee shall
recommend approval of this Agreement and the Merger Transactions to the holders of LP Units (the
“Partners Recommendation”), and the Partners Audit Committee shall take all reasonable lawful
action to solicit such approval of the holders of the LP Units. Notwithstanding the foregoing, at
any time prior to obtaining Partners Unitholder Approval, the
22
Partners Audit Committee may withdraw, modify or qualify in any manner adverse to Holdings the
Partners Recommendation (any such action being referred to as a “Partners Change in
Recommendation”) if it has concluded in good faith, after consultation with, its outside legal
counsel and financial advisors, that a failure to make a Partners Change in Recommendation would be
inconsistent with its fiduciary duties under the Partners Partnership Agreement and applicable Law;
provided, however, that the Partners Audit Committee shall not be entitled to exercise its rights
to make a Partners Change in Recommendation pursuant to this sentence unless Partners has provided
to Holdings three (3) Business Days prior written notice advising Holdings that the Partners Audit
Committee intends to take such action and specifying the reasons therefor in reasonable detail,
including, if applicable, the terms and conditions of any proposed transaction that is the basis of
the proposed action. Any Partners Change in Recommendation shall not change the approval of this
Agreement or any other approval of the Partners Audit Committee, including in any respect that
would have the effect of causing any state (including Delaware) takeover statute or other similar
statute to be applicable to the matters contemplated hereby. The obligation of Partners to call,
hold and convene the Partners Meeting shall not be affected by a Partners Change in Recommendation
and the obligation of Holdings to call, hold and convene the Holdings Meeting shall not be affected
by a Holdings Change in Recommendation.
Section 6.3 Registration Statement.
(a) Each of Partners and Holdings agrees to cooperate in the preparation of a registration
statement on Form S-4 (the “Registration Statement”) (including the joint proxy statement and
prospectus and other proxy solicitation materials of Partners and Holdings constituting a part
thereof (the “Joint Proxy Statement”) and all related documents) to be filed by Partners with the
SEC in connection with the issuance of New LP Units in the Merger as contemplated by this
Agreement. Provided Holdings has cooperated as required above, Partners agrees to file the
Registration Statement with the SEC as promptly as practicable. Each of Holdings and Partners
agrees to use all commercially reasonable best efforts to cause the Registration Statement to be
declared effective under the Securities Act as promptly as practicable after filing thereof.
Partners also agrees to use commercially reasonable best efforts to obtain all necessary state
securities law or “Blue Sky” permits and approvals required to carry out the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement. Each of Partners and Holdings agrees to furnish to the other party
all information concerning Partners, Partners GP and its Subsidiaries or Holdings, Holdings GP and
its Subsidiaries, as applicable, and the officers, directors and unitholders of Partners and
Holdings and any applicable Affiliates, as applicable, and to take such other action as may be
reasonably requested in connection with the foregoing.
(b) Each of Holdings and Partners agrees, as to itself and its Subsidiaries, that (i) none of
the information supplied or to be supplied by it for inclusion or incorporation by reference in the
Registration Statement will, at the time the Registration Statement and each amendment or
supplement thereto, if any, becomes effective under the Securities Act, contain any untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made,
not misleading, and (ii) the Joint Proxy Statement and any amendment or supplement thereto will, at
the date of mailing to unitholders and at the times of the Partners Meeting and Holdings Meeting,
not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
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state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. Each of
Holdings and Partners further agrees that if it shall become aware prior to the Closing Date of any
information that would cause any of the statements in the Registration Statement to be false or
misleading with respect to any material fact, or omit to state any material fact necessary to make
the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not false or
misleading, it will promptly inform the other party thereof and take the necessary steps to correct
such information in an amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement.
(c) Partners will advise Holdings, promptly after Partners receives notice thereof, of the
time when the Registration Statement has become effective or any supplement or amendment has been
filed, of the issuance of any stop order or the suspension of the qualification of the New LP Units
for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, of the initiation or threat of any proceeding for any
such purpose, or of any request by the SEC for the amendment or supplement of the Registration
Statement or for additional information.
(d) Each of Partners and Holdings will use its commercially reasonable best efforts to cause
the Joint Proxy Statement to be mailed to its unitholders as soon as practicable after the
effective date of the Registration Statement.
Section 6.4 Press Releases. Prior to a (a) Holdings Change in Recommendation, if any, or (b)
Partners Change in Recommendation, if any, each of Holdings and Partners will not, without the
prior approval of the Holdings GP Board in the case of Holdings and the Partners Audit Committee in
the case of Partners, issue any press release or written statement for general circulation relating
to the transactions contemplated hereby, except as otherwise required by applicable Law or the
rules of the NYSE, in which case it will consult with the other party before issuing any such press
release or written statement.
Section 6.5 Access; Information.
(a) Upon reasonable notice and subject to applicable Laws relating to the exchange of
information, each party shall, and shall cause its Subsidiaries to, afford the other parties and
their officers, employees, counsel, accountants and other authorized representatives, access,
during normal business hours throughout the period prior to the Effective Time, to all of its
properties, books, contracts, commitments and records, and to its officers, employees, accountants,
counsel or other representatives, and, during such period, it shall, and shall cause its
Subsidiaries to, furnish promptly to such Person and its representatives (i) a copy of each
material report, schedule and other document filed by it pursuant to the requirements of federal or
state securities law (other than reports or documents that Holdings or Partners or their respective
Subsidiaries, as the case may be, are not permitted to disclose under applicable Law) and (ii) all
other information concerning the business, properties and personnel of it as the other may
reasonably request. Neither Holdings nor Partners nor any of their respective Subsidiaries shall
be required to provide access to or to disclose information where such access or disclosure would
jeopardize the attorney-client privilege of the institution in possession or control of such
information or contravene any Law, fiduciary duty or binding agreement entered into prior to the
date of this Agreement. The parties hereto will make appropriate substitute disclosure
arrangements under the circumstances in which the restrictions of the preceding sentence apply.
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(b) Partners and Holdings, respectively, will not use any information obtained pursuant to
this Section 6.5 (to which it was not entitled under Law or any agreement other than this
Agreement) for any purpose unrelated to (i) the consummation of the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement or (ii) the matters contemplated by Section 6.6 in accordance with the terms
thereof, and will hold all information and documents obtained pursuant to this Section 6.5 in
confidence. No investigation by either party of the business and affairs of the other shall affect
or be deemed to modify or waive any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement in this
Agreement, or the conditions to either party’s obligation to consummate the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.
Section 6.6 Acquisition Proposals; Change in Recommendation.
(a) None of Holdings GP, Holdings and its Subsidiaries shall, and they shall use their
commercially reasonable best efforts to cause their Representatives not to, directly or indirectly,
(i) knowingly initiate, solicit or encourage the submission of any Acquisition Proposal, or (ii)
participate in any discussions or negotiations regarding, or furnish to any person any non-public
information with respect to, any Acquisition Proposal. Notwithstanding the foregoing, but subject
to the limitations in Section 6.6(b), nothing contained in this Agreement shall prohibit Holdings
from furnishing any information to, including information pertaining to Partners, or entering into
or participating in discussions or negotiations with, any person that makes an unsolicited written
Acquisition Proposal that did not result from a knowing and intentional breach of this Section 6.6
(a “Receiving Party”), if (i) the Holdings GP Board, after consultation with its outside legal
counsel and financial advisors, determines in good faith (A) that such Acquisition Proposal
constitutes or is likely to result in a Superior Proposal, and (B) that failure to take such action
would be inconsistent with its fiduciary duties under the Holdings Partnership Agreement and
applicable Law and (ii) prior to furnishing any such non-public information to such Receiving
Party, Holdings receives from such Receiving Party an executed Confidentiality Agreement, provided,
however, that if Holdings receives an Acquisition Proposal that includes a Partners Acquisition
Proposal, Holdings may, in its discretion, respond to a Receiving Party to indicate that Holdings
cannot entertain an Acquisition Proposal that includes a Partners Acquisition Proposal.
(b) Holdings may provide any Receiving Party with any non-public information or data
pertaining to Partners (the “Partners Non-Public Information”) only if Holdings has not knowingly
and intentionally breached this Section 6.6 and then only if (i) the Holdings GP Board determines
in good faith, after consultation with its outside legal counsel and financial advisors that the
provision of such Partners Non-Public Information to the Receiving Party could possibly lead to a
Holdings Change in Recommendation and (ii) Holdings shall have first (A) required the Receiving
Party to execute a Confidentiality Agreement, (B) furnished a copy of such Confidentiality
Agreement to Partners and (C) notified Partners of the identity of such Receiving Party. Holdings
shall promptly provide or make available to Partners any non-public information concerning Holdings
or any of its Subsidiaries that is provided or made available to any Receiving Party pursuant to
this Section 6.6 which was not previously provided or made available to Partners. Partners shall
provide to Holdings and any Receiving Party that has executed a Confidentiality Agreement any
Partners Non-Public Information that Holdings reasonably requests in exercising its rights under
this Section 6.6. Holdings shall not provide to any Receiving Party, and Partners shall not be
required to provide to any Receiving Party, in
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each case pursuant to this Section 6.6, any information pertaining to Partners where Holdings
knows that the provision of such information would (x) jeopardize the attorney-client privilege of
the institution in possession or control of such information or (y) contravene any Law or binding
agreement entered into prior to the date of this Agreement.
(c) Except as otherwise provided in this Section 6.6(c), the Holdings GP Board shall not (1)
(a) withdraw, modify or qualify in any manner adverse to Partners the Holdings Recommendation or
(b) publicly approve or recommend, or publicly propose to approve or recommend, any Acquisition
Proposal (any action described in this clause (1) being referred to as a “Holdings Change in
Recommendation”); or (2) approve, adopt or recommend, or publicly propose to approve, adopt or
recommend, or allow Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries to execute or enter into, any letter of
intent, memorandum of understanding, agreement in principle, merger agreement, acquisition
agreement, option agreement, joint venture agreement, partnership agreement, or other similar
contract or any tender or exchange offer providing for, with respect to, or in connection with, any
Acquisition Proposal. Notwithstanding the foregoing, at any time prior to obtaining the Holdings
Unitholder Approval, the Holdings GP Board (including, in the absence of a Superior Proposal, a
majority of the members of the Holdings Audit Committee) may make a Holdings Change in
Recommendation if it has concluded in good faith, after consultation with its outside legal counsel
and financial advisors, that failure to make a Holdings Change in Recommendation would be
inconsistent with its fiduciary duties under the Holdings Partnership Agreement and applicable Law;
provided, however, that the Holdings GP Board shall not be entitled to exercise its right to make a
Holdings Change in Recommendation pursuant to this sentence unless Holdings and Holdings GP have:
(x) complied in all material respects with this Section 6.6, (y) provided to Partners and the
Partners Audit Committee three (3) Business Days prior written notice (such notice, a “Notice of
Proposed Recommendation Change”) advising Partners that the Holdings GP Board intends to take such
action and specifying the reasons therefor in reasonable detail, including, if applicable, the
terms and conditions of any Superior Proposal that is the basis of the proposed action and the
identity of the Person making the proposal and contemporaneously providing a copy of all relevant
proposed transaction documents for such Superior Proposal (it being understood and agreed that any
amendment to the terms of any such Superior Proposal shall require a new Notice of Proposed
Recommendation Change and an additional three (3) Business Day period), and (z) if applicable,
provided to Partners all materials and information delivered or made available to the Person or
group of persons making any Superior Proposal in connection with such Superior Proposal (to the
extent not previously provided). Any Holdings Change in Recommendation shall not change the
approval of this Agreement or any other approval of the Holdings GP Board, including in any respect
that would have the effect of causing any state (including Delaware) corporate takeover statute or
other similar statute to be applicable to the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby,
including the Merger. Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement to the contrary, Partners
and Partners GP shall maintain, and cause their Representatives to maintain, the confidentiality of
all information received from Holdings pursuant to this Section 6.6, subject to the exceptions
contained in the Confidentiality Agreement.
(d) In addition to the obligations of Holdings set forth in this Section 6.6, Holdings shall
as promptly as practicable (and in any event within 24 hours after receipt) advise Partners orally
and in writing of any Acquisition Proposal or any matter giving rise to a Holdings Change in
Recommendation and the material terms and conditions of any such Acquisition Proposal or
26
any matter giving rise to a Holdings Change in Recommendation (including any changes thereto)
and the identity of the Person making any such Acquisition Proposal. Holdings shall keep Partners
informed on a reasonably current basis of material developments with respect to any such
Acquisition Proposal or any matter giving rise to a Holdings Change in Recommendation.
(e) Nothing contained in this Agreement shall prevent Holdings or the Holdings GP Board from
taking and disclosing to the holders of Common Units a position contemplated by Rule 14d-9 and Rule
14e-2(a) promulgated under the Exchange Act (or any similar communication to limited partners) or
from making any legally required disclosure to unitholders. Any “stop-look-and-listen”
communication by Holdings or the Holdings GP Board to the limited partners of Holdings pursuant to
Rule 14d-9(f) promulgated under the Exchange Act (or any similar communication to the limited
partners of Holdings) shall not be considered a failure to make, or a withdrawal, modification or
change in any manner adverse to Partners of, all or a portion of the Holdings Recommendation.
Section 6.7 Affiliate Arrangements.
(a) Not later than the 15th day after the mailing of the Joint Proxy Statement, Holdings shall
deliver to Partners a schedule of each person that, to the best of its knowledge, is or is
reasonably likely to be, as of the date of the relevant Meeting, deemed to be an “affiliate” of
Holdings (a “Rule 145 Affiliate”) as that term is used in Rule 145 under the Securities Act.
(b) Holdings shall use its commercially reasonable best efforts to cause its Rule 145
Affiliates not to sell any securities received under the Merger in violation of the registration
requirements of the Securities Act, including Rule 145 thereunder.
Section 6.8 Takeover Laws. Neither party shall take any action that would cause the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement to be subject to requirements imposed by any Takeover
Laws, and each of them shall take all necessary steps within its control to exempt (or ensure the
continued exemption of) the transactions contemplated by this Agreement from, or if necessary
challenge the validity or applicability of, any rights plan adopted by such party or any applicable
Takeover Law, as now or hereafter in effect, including, without limitation, Takeover Laws of any
state that purport to apply to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.
Section 6.9 No Rights Triggered. Each of Holdings and Partners shall take all steps necessary
to ensure that the entering into of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions
contemplated hereby and any other action or combination of actions, or any other transactions
contemplated hereby, do not and will not result in the grant of any Rights to any person (a) in the
case of Holdings under the Holdings Partnership Agreement, and in the case of Partners under the
Partners Partnership Agreement or (b) under any material agreement to which it or any of its
Subsidiaries is a party.
Section 6.10 New LP Units Listed. In the case of Partners, Partners shall use its
commercially reasonable best efforts to list, prior to the Closing, on the NYSE, upon official
notice of issuance, the New LP Units.
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Section 6.11 Third Party Approvals.
(a) Partners and Holdings and their respective Subsidiaries shall cooperate and use their
respective commercially reasonable best efforts to prepare all documentation, to effect all
filings, to obtain all permits, consents, approvals and authorizations of all third parties
necessary to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and to comply with the
terms and conditions of such permits, consents, approvals and authorizations and to cause the
Merger to be consummated and the Partners Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement to be
effective as expeditiously as practicable. Each of Partners and Holdings shall have the right to
review in advance, and to the extent practicable each will consult with the other, in each case
subject to applicable Laws relating to the exchange of information, with respect to, all material
written information submitted to any third party or any Regulatory Authorities in connection with
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. In exercising the foregoing right, each of the
parties hereto agrees to act reasonably and promptly. Each party hereto agrees that it will
consult with the other parties hereto with respect to the obtaining of all material permits,
consents, approvals and authorizations of all third parties and Regulatory Authorities necessary or
advisable to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and each party will keep
the other parties apprised of the status of material matters relating to completion of the
transactions contemplated hereby.
(b) Each party agrees, upon request, to furnish the other party with all information
concerning itself, its Subsidiaries, directors, officers and unitholders and such other matters as
may be reasonably necessary or advisable in connection with the Registration Statement, the Joint
Proxy Statement or any filing, notice or application made by or on behalf of such other party or
any of such Subsidiaries to any Regulatory Authority in connection with the transactions
contemplated hereby.
Section 6.12 Indemnification; Directors’ and Officers’ Insurance.
(a) Without limiting any additional rights that any director, officer, trustee, employee,
agent, or fiduciary may have under any employment or indemnification agreement or under the
Holdings Partnership Agreement, the limited liability company agreement of Holdings GP, or this
Agreement or, if applicable, similar organizational documents or agreements of any of Holdings’
Subsidiaries, from and after the Effective Time, Partners and the Surviving Entity, jointly and
severally, shall: (i) indemnify and hold harmless each person who is at the date hereof or during
the period from the date hereof through the date of the Effective Time serving as a director or
officer of Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries or as a fiduciary under or with respect to any
employee benefit plan (within the meaning of Section 3(3) of ERISA) (collectively, the “Indemnified
Parties”) to the fullest extent authorized or permitted by applicable Law, as now or hereafter in
effect, in connection with any Claim and any losses, claims, damages, liabilities, costs,
Indemnification Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement (including all
interest, assessments and other charges paid or payable in connection with or in respect of any
thereof) resulting therefrom; and (ii) promptly pay on behalf of or, within ten (10) days after any
request for advancement, advance to each of the Indemnified Parties, any Indemnification Expenses
incurred in defending, serving as a witness with respect to or otherwise participating with respect
to any Claim in advance of the final disposition of such Claim, including payment on behalf of or
advancement to the Indemnified Party of any
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Indemnification Expenses incurred by such Indemnified Party in connection with enforcing any
rights with respect to such indemnification and/or advancement, in each case without the
requirement of any bond or other security). The indemnification and advancement obligations of
Partners and the Surviving Entity pursuant to this Section 6.12(a) shall extend to acts or
omissions occurring at or before the Effective Time and any Claim relating thereto (including with
respect to any acts or omissions occurring in connection with the approval of this Agreement and
the consummation of the Merger and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including the
consideration and approval thereof and the process undertaken in connection therewith and any Claim
relating thereto), and all rights to indemnification and advancement conferred hereunder shall
continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director or officer of Holdings or any of its
Subsidiaries or as a fiduciary under or with respect to any employee benefit plan (within the
meaning of Section 3(3) of ERISA) after the date hereof and shall inure to the benefit of such
person’s heirs, executors and personal and legal representatives. As used in this Section 6.12(a):
(x) the term “Claim” means any threatened, asserted, pending or completed action, whether
instituted by any party hereto, any Governmental Authority or any other person, that any
Indemnified Party in good faith believes might lead to the institution of any action or proceeding,
whether civil, criminal, administrative, investigative or other, including any arbitration or other
alternative dispute resolution mechanism (“Action”), arising out of or pertaining to matters that
relate to such Indemnified Party’s duties or service as a director or officer of Holdings, any of
its Subsidiaries, or as a fiduciary under or with respect to any employee benefit plan (within the
meaning of Section 3(3) of ERISA) maintained by any of the foregoing at or prior to the Effective
Time; and (y) the term “Indemnification Expenses” means reasonable attorneys’ fees and all other
reasonable costs, expenses and obligations (including experts’ fees, travel expenses, court costs,
retainers, transcript fees, duplicating, printing and binding costs, as well as telecommunications,
postage and courier charges) paid or incurred in connection with investigating, defending, being a
witness in or participating in (including on appeal), or preparing to investigate, defend, be a
witness in or participate in, any Claim for which indemnification is authorized pursuant to this
Section 6.12(a), including any Action relating to a claim for indemnification or advancement
brought by an Indemnified Party. Neither Partners nor the Surviving Entity shall settle,
compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment in any actual or threatened Action in respect of
which indemnification has been or could be sought by such Indemnified Party hereunder unless such
settlement, compromise or judgment includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Party from
all liability arising out of such Action without admission or finding of wrongdoing, or such
Indemnified Party otherwise consents thereto.
(b) Without limiting the foregoing, Partners and MergerCo agree that all rights to
indemnification, advancement of expenses and exculpation from liabilities for acts or omissions
occurring at or prior to the Effective Time now existing in favor of the Indemnitees as provided in
the Holdings Partnership Agreement (or, as applicable, the charter, bylaws, partnership agreement,
limited liability company agreement, or other organizational documents of any of Holdings’
Subsidiaries) and indemnification agreements of Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries shall be
assumed by the Surviving Entity, Partners and Partners GP in the Merger, without further action, at
the Effective Time and shall survive the Merger and shall continue in full force and effect in
accordance with their terms.
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(c) For a period of six (6) years from the Effective Time, the Holdings Amended and Restated
Partnership Agreement shall contain provisions no less favorable with respect to indemnification,
advancement of expenses and limitations on liability of directors and officers than are set forth
in the Holdings Partnership Agreement, which provisions shall not be amended, repealed or otherwise
modified for a period of six (6) years from the Effective Time in any manner that would affect
adversely the rights thereunder of individuals who, at or prior to the Effective Time, were
Indemnified Parties, unless such modification shall be required by Law and then only to the minimum
extent required by Law.
(d) Partners shall, or shall cause the Surviving Entity to, maintain for a period of at least
six (6) years following the Effective Time, the current policies of directors’ and officers’
liability insurance maintained by Holdings and its Subsidiaries (provided, that the Surviving
Entity may substitute therefor policies of at least the same coverage and amounts containing terms
and conditions which are not less advantageous to such directors and officers of Holdings than the
terms and conditions of such existing policy from carriers with the same or better rating as the
carrier under the existing policy provided that such substitution shall not result in gaps or
lapses of coverage with respect to matters occurring before the Effective Time) with respect to
claims arising from facts or events that occurred on or before the Effective Time, including in
respect of the Merger and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; provided, that Partners
shall not be required to pay annual premiums in excess of 300% of the last annual premium paid by
Holdings prior to the date hereof but in such case shall purchase as much coverage as reasonably
practicable for such amount.
(e) The provisions of Section 6.12(d) shall be deemed to have been satisfied if prepaid “tail”
policies have been obtained by the Surviving Entity for purposes of this Section 6.12 from carriers
with the same or better rating as the carrier of such insurances as of the date of this Agreement,
which policies provide such directors and officers with the coverage described in Section 6.12(d)
for an aggregate period of not less than six (6) years with respect to claims arising from facts or
events that occurred on or before the Effective Time, including, in respect of the Merger and the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(f) If Partners, Partners GP, the Surviving Entity or any of their respective successors or
assigns (i) consolidates with or merges with or into any other person and shall not be the
continuing or surviving corporation, partnership or other entity of such consolidation or merger or
(ii) transfers or conveys all or substantially all of its properties and assets to any person,
then, and in each such case, proper provision shall be made so that the successors and assigns of
Partners, Partners GP and the Surviving Entity assume the obligations set forth in this Section
6.12.
(g) Partners and Partners GP shall cause the Surviving Entity to perform all of the
obligations of the Surviving Entity under this Section 6.12.
(h) This Section 6.12 shall survive the consummation of the Merger and is intended to be for
the benefit of, and shall be enforceable by, the Indemnified Parties and the Indemnitees and their
respective heirs and personal representatives, and shall be binding on Partners, Partners GP, the
Surviving Entity and their respective successors and assigns.
30
Section 6.13 Comfort Letters.
(a) Holdings shall use all commercially reasonable best efforts to cause to be delivered to
Partners a “comfort” letter of Deloitte & Touche LLP, Holdings’ independent public accountants,
dated and delivered the date on which the Registration Statement shall become effective, in form
and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Holdings GP Board and customary in scope and substance
for letters delivered by independent public accountants in connection with registration statements
similar to the Registration Statement.
(b) Partners shall use all commercially reasonable best efforts to cause to be delivered to
Holdings a “comfort” letter of Deloitte & Touche LLP, Partners’ independent public accountants,
dated and delivered the date on which the Registration Statement shall become effective, in form
and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Partners Audit Committee and customary in scope and
substance for letters delivered by independent public accountants in connection with registration
statements similar to the Registration Statement.
Section 6.14 Notification of Certain Matters. Each of Holdings and Partners shall give prompt
notice to the other of (a) any fact, event or circumstance known to it that (i) is reasonably
likely, individually or taken together with all other facts, events and circumstances known to it,
to result in any Material Adverse Effect with respect to it or (ii) would cause or constitute a
material breach of any of its representations, warranties, covenants or agreements contained
herein, and (b) any change in its condition (financial or otherwise) or business or any litigation
or governmental complaints, investigations or hearings, in each case to the extent such change,
litigation, complaints, investigations, or hearings results in, or would reasonably be expected to
result in, a Material Adverse Effect.
Section 6.15 Rule 16b-3. Prior to the Effective Time, Holdings shall take such steps as may
be reasonably requested by any party hereto to cause dispositions of Holdings equity securities
(including derivative securities) pursuant to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement by
each individual who is a director or officer of Holdings to be exempt under Rule 16b-3 promulgated
under the Exchange Act in accordance with that certain No-Action Letter dated January 12, 1999
issued by the SEC regarding such matters.
Section 6.16 Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement of Partners. Subject to receipt of
the Partners Unitholder Approval, Partners GP shall execute and make effective the Partners Amended
and Restated Partnership Agreement.
Section 6.17 Partners GP Board Membership. Immediately following the Effective Time, the
Partners GP Board shall consist of nine (9) members. Prior to the mailing of the Joint Proxy
Statement, Holdings Unitholder shall designate in its sole discretion two (2) members (the
“Holdings Unitholder Director Designees”) to serve as members of the Partners GP Board following
the Effective Time, and the three (3) members of the Holdings Audit Committee shall serve as
members of the Partners GP Board following the Effective Time. The Chief Executive Officer of
Partners GP and the three (3) members of the Partners Audit Committee shall continue to serve as
members of the Partners GP Board following the Effective Time. Subject to the foregoing, Partners
GP shall take such action as is necessary to cause each director designated pursuant to this
Section 6.17 to be appointed to the Partners GP Board effective as of the
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Effective Time, to serve until the earlier of such individual’s resignation or removal or
until his successor is duly elected and qualified.
Section 6.18 Partners GP Board. Holdings shall cause the members of the Partners GP Board
who are not continuing as directors of Partners GP pursuant to Section 6.17 to execute and deliver
their resignation or shall cause their removal from such Board effective as of the Effective Time.
Section 6.19 Senior Administrative Charge. Holdings GP and Partners GP shall terminate or
cause to be terminated, effective as of the Effective Time, the Amended and Restated Management
Agreement, dated as of December 15, 2004, among Partners GP and Holdings GP (as assignee of
MainLine Sub LLC).
ARTICLE VII
CONDITIONS TO CONSUMMATION OF THE MERGER
The obligations of each of the parties to consummate the Merger are conditioned upon the
satisfaction at or prior to the Closing of each of the following:
Section 7.1 Unitholder Vote. This Agreement and the Merger Transactions shall have been
approved and adopted by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the LP Units
outstanding and entitled to vote at the Partners Meeting (“Partners Unitholder Approval”);
provided, that this condition shall be satisfied if such holders approve all of the Merger
Transactions other than the deletion of Sections 7.7(d)-(f) and
(h)-(j) from the Partners Partnership Agreement; and the Merger, this Agreement and the other transactions contemplated hereby shall have been approved and adopted by (a) the affirmative vote of holders of a majority of Common Units, voting as a separate class, outstanding and entitled to vote at the Holdings Meeting, and (b) the affirmative vote of holders of a majority of the Common Units and Management Units, voting together as a single class, outstanding and entitled to vote at the Holdings Meeting (collectively, “Holdings Unitholder Approval”).
(h)-(j) from the Partners Partnership Agreement; and the Merger, this Agreement and the other transactions contemplated hereby shall have been approved and adopted by (a) the affirmative vote of holders of a majority of Common Units, voting as a separate class, outstanding and entitled to vote at the Holdings Meeting, and (b) the affirmative vote of holders of a majority of the Common Units and Management Units, voting together as a single class, outstanding and entitled to vote at the Holdings Meeting (collectively, “Holdings Unitholder Approval”).
Section 7.2 Governmental Approvals. Any waiting period (including any extended waiting period
arising as a result of a request for additional information by the Federal Trade Commission or the
U.S. Department of Justice) under the HSR shall have expired or been terminated. All other filings
required to be made prior to the Effective Time with, and all other consents, approvals, permits
and authorizations required to be obtained prior to the Effective Time from, any Regulatory
Authority in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the consummation of
the transactions contemplated hereby by the parties hereto or their Affiliates shall have been made
or obtained, except where the failure to obtain such consents, approvals, permits and
authorizations would not be reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect on Partners or
Holdings.
Section 7.3 No Injunction. No order, decree or injunction of any court or agency of competent
jurisdiction shall be in effect, and no Law shall have been enacted or adopted, that enjoins,
prohibits or makes illegal consummation of any of the transactions contemplated hereby, and no
action, proceeding or investigation by any Regulatory Authority with respect to the
32
Merger or the other transactions contemplated hereby shall be pending that seeks to restrain,
enjoin, prohibit or delay consummation of the Merger or such other transaction or to impose any
material restrictions or requirements thereon or on Partners or Holdings with respect thereto;
provided, however, that prior to invoking this condition, each party shall have complied fully with
its obligations under Section 6.1.
Section 7.4 Representations, Warranties and Covenants of Partners and Partners GP. In the
case of Holdings’ obligation to consummate the Merger:
(a) each of the representations and warranties contained herein of Partners and Partners GP
shall be true and correct as of the date of this Agreement and upon the Closing Date with the same
effect as though all such representations and warranties had been made on the Closing Date, except
for any such representations and warranties made as of a specified date, which shall be true and
correct as of such date, in any case, in all material respects.
(b) each and all of the agreements and covenants of Partners and Partners GP to be performed
and complied with pursuant to this Agreement on or prior to the Closing Date shall have been duly
performed and complied with in all material respects; and
(c) Holdings shall have received a certificate signed by the Chief Executive Officer of the
Partners GP, dated the Closing Date, to the effect set forth in Section 7.4(a) and Section 7.4(b).
Section 7.5 Representations, Warranties and Covenants of Holdings and Holdings GP. In the
case of Partners’ obligation to consummate the Merger:
(a) each of the representations and warranties contained herein of Holdings and Holdings GP
shall be true and correct as of the date of this Agreement and upon the Closing Date with the same
effect as though all such representations and warranties had been made on the Closing Date, except
for any such representations and warranties made as of a specified date, which shall be true and
correct as of such date, in any case, in all material respects.
(b) each and all of the agreements and covenants of Holdings and Holdings GP to be performed
and complied with pursuant to this Agreement on or prior to the Closing Date shall have been duly
performed and complied with in all material respects; and
(c) Partners shall have received a certificate signed by the Chief Financial Officer of
Holdings GP, dated the Closing Date, to the effect set forth in Section 7.5(a) and Section 7.5(b).
Section 7.6 Effective Registration Statement. The Registration Statement shall have become
effective under the Securities Act and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement shall have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been
initiated or threatened by the SEC.
Section 7.7 Opinion of Xxxxxx & Xxxxxx L.L.P. In the case of Partners’ obligation to
consummate the Merger, Partners shall have received an opinion from Xxxxxx & Xxxxxx L.L.P., counsel
to Partners, to the effect that:
33
(a) the adoption of the Partners Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement, the Merger and
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement will not result in the loss of limited liability of
any limited partner of Partners;
(b) the adoption of the Partners Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement, the Merger and
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement will not cause Partners or any Operating
Partnership (as defined in the Partners Partnership Agreement) to be treated as an association
taxable as a corporation or otherwise to be taxed as an entity for federal income tax purposes;
(c) at least 90% of the current gross income of Partners constitutes qualifying income within
the meaning of Section 7704(d) of the Code;
(d) the Registration Statement accurately sets forth the material federal tax consequences to
the holders of Partners LP Units (other than Holdings); and
(e) no gain or loss should be recognized by existing holders of Partners LP Units as a result
of the matters contemplated by this Agreement (other than gain resulting from any decrease in
partnership liabilities pursuant to Section 752 of the Code).
In rendering such opinions, Xxxxxx & Xxxxxx L.L.P. may require and rely upon representations
and covenants including those contained in certificates of officers of the General Partner and
others and opinions of Delaware counsel, reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to Xxxxxx &
Xxxxxx L.L.P.
Section 7.8 Opinion of Xxxxxx & Xxxxxxx LLP. In the case of Holdings’ obligation to
consummate the Merger, Holdings shall have received an opinion from Xxxxxx & Xxxxxxx LLP, counsel
to Holdings, to the effect that the Registration Statement accurately sets forth the material
federal income tax consequences to the holders of the Holdings Common Units of the transactions
contemplated hereby, which subject to the limitations stated therein shall include that no gain or
loss should be recognized by the holders of Holdings Common Units or Management Units to the extent
LP Units are received in exchange therefor as a result of the Merger (other than gain resulting
from either (i) any decrease in partnership liabilities pursuant to Section 752 of the Code or (ii)
any cash or other property distributions).
In rendering such opinion, Xxxxxx & Xxxxxxx LLP may require and rely upon representations and
covenants including those contained in certificates of officers of Holdings and others and opinions
of Delaware counsel reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to Xxxxxx & Xxxxxxx LLP.
Section 7.9 NYSE Listing. The New LP Units shall have been approved for listing on the NYSE,
subject to official notice of issuance.
Section 7.10 Partners Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement. In the case of Holdings’
obligation to consummate the Merger, Partners GP shall have executed and made effective the
Partners Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement.
34
Section 7.11 Partners GP Board. The members of the Partners GP Board who are not continuing
as directors of Partners GP pursuant to Section 6.17 shall have executed and delivered their
resignation from such Board, effective as of the Effective Time.
Section 7.12 No Partners Material Adverse Effect. In the case of Holdings’ obligation to
consummate the Merger, there shall not have occurred a Material Adverse Effect with respect to
Partners between the date of this Agreement and the Closing Date.
ARTICLE VIII
TERMINATION
TERMINATION
Section 8.1 Termination. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, this Agreement may
be terminated and the Merger may be abandoned at any time prior to the Effective Time whether
before or after unitholder approval of this Agreement:
(a) By the mutual consent of Partners and Holdings in a written instrument.
(b) By either Partners or Holdings upon written notice to the other, if:
(i) the Merger has not been consummated on or before December 31, 2010 (the
“Termination Date”); provided that either Partners or Holdings may, without the consent of
the other party, extend the Termination Date to February 28, 2011 unless a Law of the U.S.
has been adopted such that gain or loss should be recognized by the holders of Holdings
Common Units or Management Units to the extent LP Units are received in exchange therefor as
a result of the Merger (other than gain resulting from either (i) any decrease in
partnership liabilities pursuant to Section 752 of the Code or (ii) any cash or other
property distributions); provided further, that the right to terminate this Agreement
pursuant to this Section 8.1(b)(i) shall not be available to a party whose failure to
fulfill any material obligation under this Agreement or other material breach of this
Agreement has been the primary cause of, or resulted in, the failure of the Merger to have
been consummated on or before such date;
(ii) any Regulatory Authority has issued a statute, rule, order, decree or regulation
or taken any other action, in each case permanently restraining, enjoining or otherwise
prohibiting the consummation of the Merger or making the Merger illegal and such statute,
rule, order, decree, regulation or other action shall have become final and nonappealable
(provided that the terminating party is not then in breach of Section 6.1);
(iii) Holdings fails to obtain the Holdings Unitholder Approval at the Holdings
Meeting; provided, however, that the right to terminate this Agreement under this Section
8.1(b)(iii) shall not be available to Holdings where the failure to obtain the Holdings
Unitholder Approval shall have been caused by the action or failure to act of Holdings and
such action or failure to act constitutes a material breach by Holdings of this Agreement;
(iv) there has been a material breach of or any material inaccuracy in any of the
representations or warranties set forth in this Agreement on the part of any of the
35
other parties (treating Partners and Partners GP as one party for the purposes of this
Section 8.1 and treating Holdings and Holdings GP as one party for the purposes of this
Section 8.1), which breach is not cured within 30 days following receipt by the breaching
party of written notice of such breach from the terminating party, or which breach, by its
nature, cannot be cured prior to the Termination Date (provided in any such case that the
terminating party is not then in material breach of any representation, warranty, covenant
or other agreement contained herein); provided, however, that no party shall have the right
to terminate this Agreement pursuant to this Section 8.1(b)(iv) unless the breach of a
representation or warranty, together with all other such breaches, would entitle the party
receiving such representation not to consummate the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement under Section 7.4 (in the case of a breach of representation or warranty by
Partners or Partners GP) or Section 7.5 (in the case of a breach of representation or
warranty by Holdings or Holdings GP);
(v) if there has been a material breach of any of the covenants or agreements set forth
in this Agreement on the part of any of the other parties, which breach has not have been
cured within 30 days following receipt by the breaching party of written notice of such
breach from the terminating party, or which breach, by its nature, cannot be cured prior to
the Termination Date (provided in any such case that the terminating party is not then in
material breach of any representation, warranty, covenant or other agreement contained
herein); provided, however, that no party shall have the right to terminate this Agreement
pursuant to this Section 8.1(b)(v) unless the breach of covenants or agreements, together
with all other such breaches, would entitle the party receiving the benefit of such
covenants or agreements not to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement
under Section 7.4. (in the case of a breach of covenants or agreements by Partners or
Partners GP) or Section 7.5. (in the case of a breach of covenants or agreements by Holdings
or Holdings GP); or
(vi) Partners fails to obtain the Partners Unitholder Approval at the Partners Meeting;
provided, however, that the right to terminate this Agreement under this Section 8.1(b)(vi)
shall not be available to Partners where the failure to obtain the Partners Unitholder
Approval shall have been caused by the action or failure to act of Partners and such action
or failure to act constitutes a material breach by Partners of this Agreement.
(c) By Partners, upon written notice to Holdings, in the event that a Holdings Change in
Recommendation has occurred.
(d) By Holdings, upon written notice to Partners, in the event that if, (i) at any time after
the date of this Agreement and prior to obtaining the Holdings Unitholder Approval, Holdings
receives an Acquisition Proposal and the Holdings GP Board shall have concluded in good faith that
such Acquisition Proposal constitutes a Superior Proposal, the Holdings GP Board shall have made a
Holdings Change in Recommendation pursuant to Section 6.6(c) with respect to such Superior
Proposal, Holdings has not knowingly and intentionally breached Section 6.6 of this Agreement, and
the Holdings GP Board concurrently approves, and Holdings concurrently enters into, a definitive
agreement with respect to such Superior Proposal and has paid the Holdings Termination Fee pursuant
to Section 9.1(b), or (ii) a Partners Change in Recommendation has occurred.
36
Section 8.2 Effect of Termination. In the event of the termination of this Agreement as
provided in Section 8.1, written notice thereof shall forthwith be given by the terminating party
to the other parties specifying the provision of this Agreement pursuant to which such termination
is made, and except as provided in this Section 8.2, this Agreement (other than Article IX) shall
forthwith become null and void after the expiration of any applicable period following such notice.
In the event of such termination, there shall be no liability on the part of Partners, MergerCo or
Holdings, except as set forth in Section 9.1 of this Agreement and except with respect to the
requirement to comply with the Confidentiality Agreement; provided that nothing herein shall
relieve any party from any liability or obligation with respect to any fraud or intentional breach
of this Agreement.
ARTICLE IX
MISCELLANEOUS
MISCELLANEOUS
Section 9.1 Fees and Expenses.
(a) Whether or not the Merger is consummated, all costs and expenses incurred in connection
with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be paid by the party incurring
such costs or expenses, except as provided in Section 9.1(b), 9.1(c), 9.1(d) and 9.1(f).
(b) If this Agreement is terminated by Partners pursuant to Section 8.1(c) or by Holdings
pursuant to Section 8.1(d)(i), then Holdings shall pay to the Escrow Agent for the benefit of
Partners the Holdings Termination Fee. If this Agreement is terminated by Holdings pursuant to
Section 8.1(d)(ii), then Partners shall pay to the Escrow Agent for the benefit of Holdings the
Partners Termination Fee. If this Agreement is terminated by Partners pursuant to Section
8.1(b)(iv) or Section 8.1(b)(v) or by Holdings or Partners pursuant to Section 8.1(b)(iii), then
Holdings shall pay to Partners the Expenses of Partners.
(c) In the event that (i) an Acquisition Proposal with respect to Holdings has been proposed
by any Person (meaning, for the purpose of this Section 9.1(c), a Person other than Partners,
Partners GP and MergerCo) or any Person has publicly announced its intention (whether or not
conditional) to make such an Acquisition Proposal or such an Acquisition Proposal or such intention
has otherwise become publicly known to Holdings’ unitholders generally and in any event such
proposal or intention is not subsequently withdrawn prior to the termination of this Agreement,
(ii) thereafter this Agreement is terminated by either Holdings or Partners pursuant to Section
8.1(b)(i) or Section 8.1(b)(iii) or by Partners pursuant to Section 8.1(b)(iv) or Section 8.1(b)(v)
and (iii) within 12 months after the termination of this Agreement, Holdings or any of its
Subsidiaries enters into any definitive agreement providing for an Acquisition Proposal, or an
Acquisition Proposal with respect to Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries is consummated, then
Holdings shall pay to the Escrow Agent for the benefit of Partners, if and when consummation of
such Acquisition Proposal occurs, the Holdings Termination Fee less all Expenses of Partners
previously paid to Partners; provided that for purposes of this Section 9.1(c), “50%” shall be
substituted for “20%” in the definition of Acquisition Proposal.
37
(d) If this Agreement is (i) terminated by Holdings or Partners pursuant to Section
8.1(b)(vi), or (ii) terminated by Holdings pursuant to Section 8.1(b)(iv) or Section 8.1(b)(v),
then Partners shall pay to Holdings the Expenses of Holdings.
(e) Except as otherwise provided herein, any payment of the Holdings Termination Fee or the
Partners Termination Fee or Expenses pursuant to this Section 9.1 shall be made by wire transfer of
immediately available funds to an account of the Partners Escrow Agent designated by Partners or an
account of the Holdings Escrow Agent designated by Holdings, as applicable, within one Business Day
after such payment becomes payable; provided, however, that any payment of the Holdings Termination
Fee by Holdings as a result of termination under Section 8.1(d)(i) shall be made prior to or
concurrently with termination of this Agreement; provided, however, that any payment of the
Holdings Termination Fee pursuant to Section 9.1(c) shall be made contemporaneously with the
consummation of the Acquisition Proposal as provided in clause (iii) of Section 9.1(c). The
parties acknowledge that the agreements contained in this Section 9.1 are an integral part of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and that, without these agreements, none of the
parties would enter into this Agreement.
(f) (i) If the Merger is consummated, Partners shall pay, or cause to be paid, any and all
property or transfer taxes imposed on either party in connection with the Merger, (ii) expenses
incurred in connection with filing, printing and mailing the Joint Proxy Statement and the
Registration Statement shall be paid by Partners and (iii) any filing fees payable pursuant to the
HSR, regulatory Laws and other filing fees incurred in connection with this Agreement shall be paid
by the party incurring the fees. As used in this agreement, “Expenses” includes all out-of-pocket
expenses (including all fees and expenses of counsel, accountants, investment bankers, experts and
consultants to a party hereto and its affiliates) incurred by a party or on its behalf in
connection with or related to the authorization, preparation, negotiation, execution and
performance of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, including the preparation,
printing, filing and mailing of the Joint Proxy Statement and the Registration Statement and the
solicitation of unitholder approvals and all other matters related to the transactions contemplated
hereby; provided that the amount of Expenses payable by one party to another under this Section 9.1
shall not exceed $6 million.
(g) Any amounts paid to the Escrow Agent pursuant to this Article IX, together with interest
thereon (the “Escrow Fund”), shall be released by the Escrow Agent to Partners or to Holdings, as
applicable, as follows:
(i) Prior to the end of the calendar year in which the payment was made to the Escrow
Agent, Partners or Holdings, as applicable, shall submit to the Escrow Agent a certificate
demanding a portion of the Escrow Fund equal to no greater than 70% of the maximum remaining
amount which, in the good faith view of the Partners GP or Holdings GP, as applicable, may
still be taken into the gross income of Partners or Holdings, as applicable, without
exceeding the permissible qualifying income (as defined in Section 7704 of the Code) limits
for a publicly traded partnership, after taking into consideration all other sources of
non-qualifying income (such maximum remaining amount, the “Non-Qualifying Income Cushion”),
and the Escrow Agent shall within one Business Day thereafter, pay Partners or Holdings, as
applicable, the amount demanded,
38
by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account designated by Partners or
Holdings, as applicable;
(ii) During the calendar year following the date that the payment was made to the
Escrow Agent but prior to the passage of 30 Business Days following the filing of the IRS
Form 1065 for the prior year, Partners or Holdings, as applicable, shall submit to the
Escrow Agent a certificate identifying the actual Non-Qualifying Income Cushion from the
prior year. If the payment contemplated by clause (i) above was (A) less than 80% of the
actual Non-Qualifying Income Cushion, then Partners or Holdings, as applicable, shall submit
to the Escrow Agent a certificate demanding a portion of the Escrow Fund equal to an amount
which, when combined with the payment contemplated by clause (i) will equal 90% of the
actual Non-Qualifying Income Cushion, and the Escrow Agent shall within one Business Day
thereafter, pay Partners or Holdings, as applicable, the amount demanded, (B) greater than
or equal to 80%, but less than or equal to 90% of the actual Non-Qualifying Income Cushion,
then Partners or Holdings, as applicable, shall notify the Escrow Agent that it will not
demand any additional payments from the Escrow Account, and (C) greater than 90% of the
actual Non-Qualifying Income Cushion, then Partners or Holdings, as applicable, shall
deliver a certificate to such effect to the Escrow Agent and return to the Escrow Fund an
amount equal to the excess of the payment contemplated by clause (i) over 80% of the
Non-Qualifying Income Cushion. Any payment under this clause (ii) shall be made by the
Escrow Agent, or by Partners or Holdings, as applicable, as the case may be, by wire
transfer of immediately available funds to an account designated by Partners or Holdings, as
applicable, or the Escrow Agent, as the case may be; and
(iii) Within one Business Day following the earlier of (A) completion of the procedures
as contemplated by Section 9.1(g)(ii) above and (B) the passage of 30 days following the
filing of the IRS Form 1065 for the prior year, the Escrow Agent shall pay Holdings or
Partners, as applicable, the remainder, if any, of the Escrow Fund, by wire transfer of
immediately available funds to an account designated by Holdings or Partners, as applicable.
Each of Holdings and Partners, as applicable, acknowledges and agrees that (x) the amount of a
payment, if any, pursuant to Section 9.1(g)(ii) above is uncertain, and that depending on the
amount of the demands made by Partners or Holdings, as applicable, pursuant to Section 9.1(g)(ii)
above, the Escrow Fund may be insufficient to permit payments to Holdings or Partners, as
applicable, pursuant to Section 9.1(g)(ii) above, and (y) it shall have no rights to any amounts in
the Escrow Fund (other than as contemplated by this subsection (g)) or to audit or inquire into the
amounts demanded by or paid to Partners or Holdings, as applicable.
(h) Holdings agrees that, notwithstanding any right that it or Partners GP may otherwise have,
including pursuant to the Partners Partnership Agreement, the Partners Amended and Restated
Partnership Agreement, or otherwise, it hereby waives and renounces for itself and its Affiliates,
and shall cause Partners GP to waive and renounce, any distribution by Partners to its partners of
any amount paid to Partners by the Escrow Agent, together with an income allocation associated with
such distribution, it being understood that following payment to
39
Partners from the Escrow Agent, Partners will make a distribution to the holders of LP Units
who are unaffiliated with Holdings.
(i) This Section 9.1 shall survive any termination of this Agreement.
Section 9.2 Waiver; Amendment. Subject to compliance with applicable Law, prior to the
Closing, any provision of this Agreement may be (a) waived in writing by the party benefited by the
provision and approved by the Partners Audit Committee in the case of Partners and by the Holdings
GP Board in the case of Holdings and executed in the same manner as this Agreement, or (b) amended
or modified at any time, whether before or after the Holdings Unitholder Approval or before or
after the Partners Unitholder Approval, by an agreement in writing between the parties hereto
approved by the Partners Audit Committee in the case of Partners and by the Holdings GP Board in
the case of Holdings and executed in the same manner as this Agreement, provided, that after the
Holdings Unitholder Approval, no amendment shall be made that requires further Holdings Unitholder
Approval without such approval, and after the Partners Unitholder Approval, no amendment shall be
made that requires further Partners Unitholder Approval without such approval.
Section 9.3 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of
which shall be deemed to constitute an original.
Section 9.4 Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by, and interpreted in accordance
with, the Laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to the conflict of law principles thereof
(except to the extent that mandatory provisions of federal or Delaware law govern).
Section 9.5 Confidentiality. Each of the parties hereto and their respective agents,
attorneys and accountants will maintain the confidentiality of all information provided in
connection herewith to the extent required by, and subject to the limitations of, Section 6.5(b).
Section 9.6 Notices. All notices, requests and other communications hereunder to a party
shall be in writing and shall be deemed given if personally delivered, telecopied (with
confirmation) or mailed by registered or certified mail (return receipt requested) to such party at
its address set forth below or such other address as such party may specify by notice to the
parties hereto.
If to Partners, to:
Buckeye Partners, L.P.
Xxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxxx, XX 00000
Attention: General Counsel
Xxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxxx, XX 00000
Attention: General Counsel
With copies to:
Buckeye Partners, L.P.
Xxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx 000
Xxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx 000
00
Xxxxxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Chairman of the Audit Committee
Attention: Chairman of the Audit Committee
and
Xxxxxx & Xxxxxx L.L.P.
Attn: Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx, Esq.
000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000
Fax: (000) 000-0000
Attn: Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx, Esq.
000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000
Fax: (000) 000-0000
If to Holdings, to:
Buckeye GP Holdings L.P.
Attn: Xxxx X. Xxxxxx
c/o ArcLight Capital Partners, LLC
000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxxx 00000
Fax: (000) 000-0000
Attn: Xxxx X. Xxxxxx
c/o ArcLight Capital Partners, LLC
000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxxx 00000
Fax: (000) 000-0000
With copies to:
Xxxxxx & Xxxxxxx LLP
Attn: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx XX, Esq.
Xxxx X. Xxxxxxx, Esq.
000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000
Fax: (000) 000-0000
Attn: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx XX, Esq.
Xxxx X. Xxxxxxx, Esq.
000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000
Fax: (000) 000-0000
Section 9.7 Entire Understanding; No Third Party Beneficiaries. This Agreement represents the
entire understanding of the parties hereto with reference to the transactions contemplated hereby
and supersedes any and all other oral or written agreements heretofore made. Except as
contemplated by Section 6.12, nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, is intended to
confer upon any person, other than the parties hereto or their respective successors, any rights,
remedies, obligations or liabilities under or by reason of this Agreement.
Section 9.8 Severability. Any provision of this Agreement which is invalid, illegal or
unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to that jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of
such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability, without affecting in any way the remaining
provisions hereof in such jurisdiction or rendering that or any other provision of this Agreement
invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any other jurisdiction.
Section 9.9 Headings. The headings contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes
only and are not part of this Agreement.
Section 9.10 Jurisdiction. The parties hereto agree that any suit, action or proceeding
seeking to enforce any provision of, or based on any matter arising out of or in connection with,
41
this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby shall be brought in any federal court
located in the State of Delaware or the Delaware Court of Chancery, and each of the parties hereby
irrevocably consents to the jurisdiction of such courts (and of the appropriate appellate courts
therefrom) in any such suit, action or proceeding and irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent
permitted by Law, any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the laying of the venue of any
such suit, action or proceeding in any such court or that any such suit, action or proceeding
brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum. Process in any such suit,
action or proceeding may be served on any party anywhere in the world, whether within or without
the jurisdiction of any such court. Without limiting the foregoing, each party agrees that service
of process on such party as provided in Section 9.6 shall be deemed effective service of process on
such party.
Section 9.11 Waiver of Jury Trial. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY
AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO THIS AGREEMENT
OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.
Section 9.12 Specific Performance. The parties agree that irreparable damage would occur if
any provision of this Agreement were not performed in accordance with the terms hereof and,
accordingly, that the parties shall be entitled to an injunction or injunctions to prevent breaches
of this Agreement or to enforce specifically the performance of the terms and provisions hereof in
any federal court located in the State of Delaware or in the Delaware Court of Chancery, in
addition to any other remedy to which they are entitled at law or in equity.
Section 9.13 Survival. All representations, warranties, agreements and covenants contained in
this Agreement shall not survive the Closing or the termination of this Agreement if this Agreement
is terminated prior to the Closing; provided, however, that if the Closing occurs, the agreements
of the parties in Sections 3.3, 6.12 and Article IX shall survive the Closing, and if this
Agreement is terminated prior to the Closing, the agreements of the parties in Section 6.5(b), 8.2,
and Article IX shall survive such termination.
Section 9.14 No Act or Failure to Act. No act or failure to act by the Partners GP Board
shall constitute a breach by Partners or Partners GP of this Agreement unless such act or failure
to act is expressly approved by the Partners Audit Committee.
[Remainder of this page is intentionally left blank.]
42
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed in
counterparts by their duly authorized officers, all as of the day and year first above written.
BUCKEYE GP HOLDINGS L.P. | ||||||||||
By: | MainLine Management LLC, its | |||||||||
general partner | ||||||||||
By: | /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx | |||||||||
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx | ||||||||||
Title: Chief Executive Officer | ||||||||||
MAINLINE MANAGEMENT LLC | ||||||||||
By: | /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx | |||||||||
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx | ||||||||||
Title: Chief Executive Officer | ||||||||||
BUCKEYE PARTNERS, L.P. | ||||||||||
By: | Buckeye GP LLC, its general partner | |||||||||
By: | /s/ Xxxxx X. St.Clair | |||||||||
Name: | Xxxxx X. St.Clair | |||||||||
Title: | Senior Vice President and Chief | |||||||||
Financial Officer | ||||||||||
BUCKEYE GP LLC | ||||||||||
By: | /s/ Xxxxx X. St.Clair | |||||||||
Name: | Xxxxx X. St.Clair | |||||||||
Title: | Senior Vice President and Chief | |||||||||
Financial Officer | ||||||||||
GRAND OHIO, LLC | ||||||||||
By: | Buckeye Partners, L.P., its sole member | |||||||||
By: | Buckeye GP LLC, its general partner | |||||||||
By: | /s/ Xxxxx X. St.Clair | |||||||||
Name: | Xxxxx X. St.Clair | |||||||||
Title: | Senior Vice President and | |||||||||
Chief Financial Officer |
Signature Page to Merger Agreement
ANNEX A
AMENDED AND RESTATED PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT OF HOLDINGS
A-1
This SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP OF BUCKEYE GP HOLDINGS L.P.
(this “Agreement”), dated as of [___], 2010 and effective at the Effective Time (as
defined below) is entered into by and between MainLine Management LLC, a Delaware limited liability
company, as general partner (the “General Partner”), and Buckeye Partners, L.P., as the
limited partner (the “Limited Partner”).
BACKGROUND
Buckeye GP Holdings L.P. (the “Partnership”) was formed as of March 27, 2006 as a
limited partnership pursuant to the provisions of the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership
Act, as amended from time to time (the “Act”). On August 9, 2006, the General Partner and
limited partners as of such date adopted an Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership
of the Partnership (the “Prior Agreement”).
Pursuant to (A) the Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”), dated as of
June 10, 2010, by and among the Limited Partner, Buckeye GP LLC, a Delaware limited liability
company and the general partner of the Limited Partner (“Partners GP”), [MergerCo], a
Delaware limited liability company and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Partners, the Partnership, and
the General Partner, and (B) Sections 14.2(e) and 14.5 of the Prior Agreement, the Prior Agreement
is hereby amended and restated in its entirety as follows.
1. Name. The name of Partnership is Buckeye GP Holdings L.P.
2. Purpose. The purpose and nature of the business to be conducted by the Partnership shall
be to own all of the limited liability company interests in, and be the sole member of, Partners
GP, which is the general partner of the Limited Partner and indirectly owns the general partner
interest in certain partnership subsidiaries of the Limited Partner. The General Partner shall
cause the Partnership not to engage, directly or indirectly, in any business activity other than
the ownership, and being a member, of Partners GP and immaterial or administrative actions related
thereto, without the prior consent of the Limited Partner.
3. Registered Office. The registered office of the Partnership in the State of Delaware is
c/o Corporation Service Company, 0000 Xxxxxxxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxx 000, Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000.
4. Registered Agent. The name and address of the registered agent of the Partnership for
service of process on the Partnership in the State of Delaware is Corporation Service Company, 0000
Xxxxxxxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxx 000, Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000.
1
5. Partners. At the Effective Time, the Limited Partner was admitted as the sole limited
partner of the Partnership and was issued a 100% limited partner interest in the Partnership, such
100% partnership interest being duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and, subject to
applicable law, non-assessable. The names, percentage interests and the business, residence or
mailing addresses of the General Partner and the Limited Partner are as follows:
General Partner: | Percentage Interest: | |||
MainLine Management LLC
|
0 | % | ||
Xxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx |
||||
Xxxxx 000 |
||||
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000 |
Limited Partner: | Percentage Interest: | |||
Buckeye Partners, L.P.
|
100 | % | ||
Xxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx |
||||
Xxxxx 000 |
||||
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000 |
6. Nature of General Partner Interest. The General Partner’s interest in the Partnership is a
non-economic interest, and is thus comprised solely of the management interest of the General
Partner in the Partnership pursuant to this Agreement and the Act.
7. Powers. The Partnership shall be managed by the General Partner, and the powers of the
General Partner include all powers, statutory and otherwise, possessed by general partners under
the laws of the State of Delaware. The General Partner shall not consent to any amendment to this
Agreement or to the Limited Liability Company Agreement of Partners GP without the consent of the
Limited Partner. The Limited Partner may, in its sole discretion, designate one or more
individuals to serve as Special Managers of the Partnership. Such Special Managers shall
constitute delegates of the General Partner, with all powers, statutory and otherwise, possessed by
the General Partner, if the General Partner fails to cause the Partnership to take any action
required by this Agreement. The General Partner shall not cause the Partnership to take any action
without the prior consent of the Limited Partner unless otherwise expressly permitted by this
Agreement to be taken without such prior consent
8. Dissolution. The Partnership shall dissolve, and its affairs shall be wound up if (a) all
of the partners of the Partnership approve in writing, (b) an event of withdrawal of the General
Partner has occurred under the Act unless there is a remaining general partner who is hereby
authorized to, and shall, carry on the business of the Partnership without dissolution or the
business of the Partnership is continued in accordance with the Act, (c) there are no limited
partners of the Partnership unless the business of the Partnership is continued in accordance with
the Act, or (d) an entry of a decree of judicial dissolution of the Partnership has occurred under
§17-802 of the Act.
9. Additional Contributions. No partner of the Partnership is required to make any additional
capital contribution to the Partnership.
2
10. Distributions. To the extent the Partnership receives any cash or other property in
excess of its expected liabilities and expenses, the General Partner shall cause the Partnership to
distribute 100% of such cash or other property promptly to the Limited Partner. Notwithstanding
any other provision of this Agreement, neither the Partnership, nor the General Partner on behalf
of the Partnership, shall be required to make a distribution to a partner of the Partnership on
account of its interest in the Partnership if such distribution would violate the Act or other
applicable law.
11. Taxes. The General Partner shall prepare and timely file (on behalf of the Partnership)
all state and local tax returns, if any, required to be filed by the Partnership. The Partnership
and the partners acknowledge that for federal income tax purposes, the Partnership will be
disregarded as an entity separate from the Limited Partner pursuant to Treasury Regulation §
301.7701-3.
12. Assignments.
(a) The Limited Partner may assign all or any part of its partnership interest in the
Partnership and may withdraw from the Partnership only with the consent of the General Partner.
(b) The General Partner may assign all or any part of its partnership interest in the
Partnership and may withdraw from the Partnership only with the consent of the Limited Partner.
13. Withdrawal. The General Partner agrees not to withdraw from the Partnership without the
prior consent of the Limited Partner. Upon the withdrawal of the General Partner from the
Partnership or any event that causes the General Partner to cease to be a general partner of the
Partnership, whether or not permitted by this Agreement, (a) the withdrawing General Partner shall
cease to have any rights or powers under this Agreement and shall not be entitled to any payment or
distribution in connection with its interest in the Partnership, and (b) the Limited Partner shall
have the right to designate a successor General Partner and cause such successor General Partner to
be admitted to the Partnership as a general partner effective immediately prior to the withdrawal
of the prior General Partner.
14. Admission of Additional or Substitute Partners.
(a) One (1) or more additional or substitute limited partners of the Partnership may be
admitted to the Partnership with only the consent of the General Partner and the Limited Partner.
(b) One (1) or more additional or substitute general partners of the Partnership may be
admitted to the Partnership with only the consent of the Limited Partner and the General Partner.
15. Liability of Limited Partner. The Limited Partner shall not have any liability for the
obligations or liabilities of the Partnership except to the extent required by the Act.
3
16. Appointment of Board of Directors of Partners GP. The Partnership shall exercise its
rights as sole member of Partners GP to cause the Directors to be appointed, replaced or removed in
accordance with the provisions of this Section 16.
(a) For so long as BGH GP Holdings, ArcLight Capital Partners, LLC and Xxxxx & Company and
their Affiliates (directly and indirectly), collectively, own 85.0% or more of the number of LP
Units owned by such Persons immediately after the Effective Time, the General Partner shall have
the right to cause the Partnership to appoint two Directors.
(b) For so long as BGH GP Holdings, ArcLight Capital Partners, LLC and Xxxxx & Company and
their Affiliates (directly and indirectly), collectively, own 42.5% or more of the number of LP
Units owned by such Persons immediately after the Effective Time, but less than 85.0% of the number
of LP Units owned by such Persons immediately after the Effective Time, the General Partner shall
have the right to cause the Partnership to appoint one Director.
(c) Upon BGH GP Holdings, ArcLight Capital Partners, LLC and Xxxxx & Company and their
Affiliates (directly and indirectly), collectively, ceasing to own 85.0% or more of the number of
LP Units owned by such Persons immediately after the Effective Time, the General Partner shall
designate one of the two Holdco GP Directors to be removed, and the Partnership shall cause such
Holdco GP Director to resign or be removed from the Board of Directors.
(d) Upon BGH GP Holdings, ArcLight Capital Partners, LLC and Xxxxx & Company and their
Affiliates (directly and indirectly), collectively, ceasing to own 42.5% or more of the number of
LP Units owned by such Persons immediately after the Effective Time, the Partnership shall cause
any remaining Holdco GP Director(s) to resign or be removed from the Board of Directors, and
thereafter the Board of Directors shall consist only of Public Directors.
(e) The General Partner shall have the right to designate Holdco GP Directors in its sole
discretion, and the Partnership shall cause any individual designated by the General Partner to be
appointed or removed as a Holdco GP Director to be so appointed (subject to the limitations on the
number of Holdco GP Directors provided above) or removed. The General Partner shall have the right
to fill any vacancy among the Holdco GP Directors, other than any vacancies caused by a resignation
or removal pursuant to Section 16(c) or (d) above.
(f) All Public Directors shall be nominated, elected or appointed, and any vacancies in the
Public Director shall be filled, in accordance with the terms of the MLP Agreement. The
Partnership shall not remove any Public Director from the Board, except in accordance with the
terms of the MLP Agreement.
(g) The General Partner shall not take, and shall not have the power to take, any action
inconsistent with the terms of this Section 16. The General Partner shall take all action
necessary to give effect to the terms of this Section 16, including causing the Public Directors to
be elected, appointed and removed in accordance with this Section 16 and the MLP Agreement.
4
(h) The General Partner shall cause the Partnership to, with the consent of the Limited
Partner as to the form of the agreement, amend the limited liability company agreement of Partners
GP as soon as practicable after the Effective Time, in order to conform to the terms of the MLP
Agreement and this Section 16.
17. Indemnification.
(a) To the fullest extent permitted by law but subject to the limitations expressly provided
in this Agreement, all Indemnitees shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Partnership from
and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, joint or several, expenses (including
legal fees and expenses), judgments, fines, penalties, interest, settlements or other amounts
arising from any and all claims, demands, actions, suits or proceedings, whether civil, criminal,
administrative or investigative, in which any Indemnitee may be involved, or is threatened to be
involved, as a party or otherwise, by reason of its status as an Indemnitee and relating to the
business and affairs of the Partnership; provided, that the Indemnitee shall not be indemnified and
held harmless if there has been a final and non-appealable judgment entered by a court of competent
jurisdiction determining that, in respect of the matter for which the Indemnitee is seeking
indemnification pursuant to this Section 17, the Indemnitee acted in bad faith or engaged in fraud,
willful misconduct, or in the case of a criminal matter, acted with knowledge that the Indemnitee’s
conduct was unlawful. Any indemnification pursuant to this Section 17 shall be made only out of
the assets of the Partnership, it being agreed that the General Partner shall not be personally
liable for such indemnification and shall have no obligation to contribute or loan any monies or
property to the Partnership to enable it to effectuate such indemnification.
(b) To the fullest extent permitted by law, expenses (including legal fees and expenses)
incurred by an Indemnitee who is indemnified pursuant to Section 17(a) in defending any claim,
demand, action, suit or proceeding shall, from time to time, be advanced by the Partnership prior
to a determination that the Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified upon receipt by the
Partnership of any undertaking by or on behalf of the Indemnitee to repay such amount if it shall
be determined that the Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified as authorized in this Section
17.
(c) The indemnification provided by this Section 17 shall be in addition to any other rights
to which an Indemnitee may be entitled under any agreement, pursuant to any vote of the Limited
Partner, as a matter of law or otherwise, both as to actions in the Indemnitee’s capacity as an
Indemnitee and as to actions in any other capacity, and shall continue as to an Indemnitee who has
ceased to serve in such capacity and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, successors, assigns
and administrators of the Indemnitee.
(d) For purposes of this Section 17, the Partnership shall be deemed to have requested an
Indemnitee to serve as fiduciary of an employee benefit plan whenever the performance by it of its
duties to the Partnership also imposes duties on, or otherwise involves services by, it to the plan
or participants or beneficiaries of the plan; excise taxes assessed on an Indemnitee with respect
to an employee benefit plan pursuant to applicable law shall constitute “fines” within the meaning
of Section 17(a); and action taken or omitted by it with respect to any employee benefit plan in
the performance of its duties for a purpose reasonably believed by it to
5
be in the best interest of the participants and beneficiaries of the plan shall be deemed to
be for a purpose that is in the best interests of the Partnership.
(e) An Indemnitee shall not be denied indemnification in whole or in part under this Section
17 because the Indemnitee had an interest in the transaction with respect to which the
indemnification applies if the transaction was otherwise permitted by the terms of this Agreement.
(f) The provisions of this Section 17 are for the benefit of the Indemnitees, their heirs,
successors, assigns and administrators and shall not be deemed to create any rights for the benefit
of any other Persons.
(g) No amendment, modification or repeal of this Section 17 or any provision hereof shall in
any manner terminate, reduce or impair the right of any past, present or future Indemnitee to be
indemnified by the Partnership, nor the obligations of the Partnership to indemnify any such
Indemnitee under and in accordance with the provisions of this Section 17 as in effect immediately
prior to such amendment, modification or repeal with respect to claims arising from or relating to
matters occurring, in whole or-in part, prior to such amendment, modification or repeal, regardless
of when such claims may arise or be asserted.
(h) Subject to the rights of the Indemnitees in Section 17(g), which shall remain in full
force and effect, the Limited Partner may, by 14 days notice to the General Partner, terminate this
Section 17 (together with its guarantee thereof) on a prospective basis only, following the later
of (a) the date the General Partner no longer has the right to cause the Partnership to appoint at
least one Director and (b) the Applicable Date (as defined in the Support Agreement, dated as of
June 10, 2010, by and among the Limited Partner, BGH GP Holdings, and certain other parties).
Notwithstanding Section 13, prior to the effective date of such termination, the General Partner
shall have the right to require the Limited Partner (or a wholly owned Subsidiary of the Limited
Partner designated by the Limited Partner) to purchase the interests of the General Partner in the
Partnership for $1,000, effective as of the date of termination of this Section 17.
18. Liability of Indemnitees.
(a) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Agreement, no Indemnitee shall
be liable for monetary damages to the Partnership, the Limited Partner or any other Persons who
have acquired interests in the Partnership, for losses sustained or liabilities incurred as a
result of any act or omission of an Indemnitee unless there has been a final and non-appealable
judgment entered by a court of competent jurisdiction determining that, in respect of the matter in
question, the Indemnitee acted in bad faith or engaged in fraud, willful misconduct or, in the case
of a criminal matter, acted with knowledge that the Indemnitee’s conduct was criminal.
(b) The General Partner shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part
of any agent which exercised the powers granted to the General Partner pursuant to the Prior
Agreement and appointed by the General Partner in good faith.
6
(c) To the extent that, at law or in equity, an Indemnitee has duties (including fiduciary
duties) and liabilities relating thereto to the Partnership or to the Partners, the General Partner
and any other Indemnitee acting in connection with the Partnership’s business or affairs shall not
be liable to the Partnership or to any Partner for its good faith reliance on the provisions of
this Agreement.
(d) Any amendment, modification or repeal of this Section 18 or any provision hereof shall be
prospective only and shall not in any way affect the limitations on the liability of the
Indemnitees under this Section 18 as in effect immediately prior to such amendment, modification or
repeal with respect to claims arising from or relating to matters occurring, in whole or in part,
prior to such amendment, modification or repeal, regardless of when such claims may arise or be
asserted, and provided such Person became an Indemnitee hereunder prior to such amendment,
modification or repeal.
19. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed under, the laws of the
State of Delaware, without regard to the principles of conflicts of law.
20. Third Party Beneficiaries. Each partner agrees that any Indemnitee shall be entitled to
assert rights and remedies hereunder as a third-party beneficiary hereto with respect to those
provisions of this Agreement affording a right, benefit or privilege to such Indemnitee.
21. Defined Terms. The following definitions shall for all purposes, unless otherwise
clearly indicated to the contrary, apply to the terms used in this Agreement:
(a) “Act” has the meaning set forth in the Background to this Agreement.
(b) “Affiliate” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person that directly or
indirectly through one or more intermediaries controls, is controlled by or is under common control
with, the Person in question. As used herein, the term “control” means the possession, direct or
indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person,
whether through ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.
(c) “Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the preamble to this Agreement.
(d) “BGH GP Holdings” has the meaning set forth in the MLP Agreement.
(e) “Board of Directors” has the meaning set forth in the MLP Agreement.
(f) “Directors” has the meaning set forth in the MLP Agreement.
(g) “Departing General Partner” means any former general partner of the Partnership,
from and after the effective date of such general partner’s withdrawal or removal.
7
(h) “Effective Time” has the meaning specified in the Merger Agreement.
(i) “General Partner” has the meaning set forth in the preamble to this Agreement.
(j) “Holdco GP Directors” means Directors appointed by the General Partner pursuant to
Section 16.
(k) “Indemnitee” means (a) the General Partner, (b) a Departing General Partner, (c)
any Person who is or was an Affiliate of the General Partner or any Departing General Partner, (d)
any Person who is or was a member, partner, officer, director, employee, agent, fiduciary or
trustee of the Partnership or any of its Subsidiaries, the General Partner or any Departing General
Partner or any Affiliate of the Partnership or any of its Subsidiaries, the General Partner or any
Departing General Partner, and (e) any Person who is or was serving at the request of the General
Partner or any Departing General Partner or any Affiliate of the General Partner or any Departing
General Partner as an officer, director, employee, member, partner, agent, fiduciary or trustee of
another Person; provided, that a Person shall not be an Indemnitee by reason of providing, on a
fee-for-services basis, trustee, fiduciary or custodial services. For the avoidance of doubt,
ArcLight Capital Partners, LLC and Xxxxx & Company and their Affiliates shall be Indemnitees under
this Agreement.
(l) “Limited Partner” has the meaning set forth in the preamble to this Agreement.
(m) “LP Units” has the meaning set forth in the MLP Agreement.
(n) “Merger Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the Background to this Agreement.
(o) “MLP Agreement” means the Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of
the Limited Partner, as it may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to time.
(p) “Partners GP” has the meaning set forth in the Background to this Agreement.
(q) “Partnership” has the meaning set forth in the Background to this Agreement.
(r) “Person” means an individual, a corporation, a limited liability company, a
partnership, a trust, an unincorporated organization, an association or any other entity.
(s) “Prior Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the Background to this Agreement.
8
(t) “Public Directors” has the meaning set forth in the MLP Agreement.
(u) “Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person, (a) a corporation of which more
than 50% of the voting power of shares entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any
contingency) to vote in the election of directors or other governing body of such corporation is
owned, directly or indirectly, at the date of determination, by such Person, by one or more
Subsidiaries of such Person or a combination thereof, (b) a partnership (whether general or
limited) in which such Person or a Subsidiary of such Person is, at the date of determination, a
general or limited partner of such partnership, but only if more than 50% of the partnership
interests of such partnership (considering all of the partnership interests of the partnership as a
single class) is owned, directly or indirectly, at the date of determination, by such Person, by
one or more Subsidiaries of such Person, or a combination thereof, or (c) any other Person (other
than a corporation or a partnership) in which such Person, one or more Subsidiaries of such Person,
or a combination thereof, directly or indirectly, at the date of determination, has (i) at least a
majority ownership interest or (ii) the power to elect or direct the election of a majority of the
directors or other governing body of such Person.
9
In Witness Whereof, this Agreement has been duly executed by the General Partner as of the
date first above written.
MainLine Management LLC, as General Partner |
||||
By: | ||||
Name: | ||||
Title: | ||||
The Limited Partner hereby guarantees the performance and payment of the Partnership’s
obligations under Section 17 of this Agreement.
Buckeye Partners, L.P. By: Buckeye GP LLC, its General Partner |
||||
By: | ||||
Name: | ||||
Title: | ||||
10
ANNEX B
AMENDED AND RESTATED PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT OF PARTNERS
B-1
AMENDED AND RESTATED AGREEMENT
OF
LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
OF
BUCKEYE PARTNERS, L.P.
(As Amended and Restated on , 2010)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
ARTICLE II
ORGANIZATIONAL MATTERS
Section 2.1 Continuation |
7 | |||
Section 2.2 Name |
8 | |||
Section 2.3 Principal Office; Registered Office |
8 | |||
Section 2.4 Power of Attorney |
8 | |||
Section 2.5 Term |
9 | |||
Section 2.6 Organizational Certificate |
9 |
ARTICLE III
PURPOSE
Section 3.1 Purpose |
10 |
ARTICLE IV
CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS; PURCHASES PURSUANT
TO PURCHASE AGREEMENTS; ADDITIONAL ISSUANCES
TO PURCHASE AGREEMENTS; ADDITIONAL ISSUANCES
Section 4.1 Transformation of the General Partner Interest |
10 | |||
Section 4.2 Limited Partner Contributions |
10 | |||
Section 4.3 Issuances of Additional LP Units and Other Securities |
10 | |||
Section 4.4 No Preemptive Rights |
11 | |||
Section 4.5 No Interest |
11 | |||
Section 4.6 Loans from Partners |
11 | |||
Section 4.7 No Withdrawal |
11 |
ARTICLE V
CAPITAL ACCOUNTS; DISTRIBUTIONS
Section 5.1 Capital Accounts |
12 | |||
Section 5.2 Distributions in Respect of Partnership Interests |
14 |
ARTICLE VI
INCOME TAX MATTERS
Section 6.1 Tax Allocations |
15 |
i
Section 6.2 Preparation of Tax Returns |
16 | |||
Section 6.3 Tax Elections |
16 | |||
Section 6.4 Tax Controversies |
16 | |||
Section 6.5 Withholding |
16 |
ARTICLE VII
MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION OF BUSINESS; INDEMNIFICATION
Section 7.1 Powers of General Partner |
16 | |||
Section 7.2 Duties of General Partner |
18 | |||
Section 7.3 Reliance by Third Parties |
18 | |||
Section 7.4 Compensation and Reimbursement of the General Partner |
19 | |||
Section 7.5 Purchase or Sale of LP Units and Other Partnership Securities |
19 | |||
Section 7.6 [Reserved] |
19 | |||
Section 7.7 Outside Activities; Contracts with Affiliates; Loans to or from Affiliates |
19 | |||
Section 7.8 Tax Basis and Value Determinations |
20 | |||
Section 7.9 Resolution of Conflicts of Interest; Standard of Care |
20 | |||
Section 7.10 [Reserved] |
21 | |||
Section 7.11 Other Matters Concerning the General Partner |
21 | |||
Section 7.12 Limited Liability; Indemnification |
22 |
ARTICLE VIII
RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF LIMITED PARTNERS
Section 8.1 Limitation of Liability |
24 | |||
Section 8.2 Management of Business |
24 | |||
Section 8.3 Outside Activities |
24 | |||
Section 8.4 Return of Capital |
24 | |||
Section 8.5 Rights of Limited Partners Relating to the Partnership |
24 |
ARTICLE IX
BOOKS, RECORDS, ACCOUNTING AND REPORTS
Section 9.1 Books, Records and Accounting |
25 | |||
Section 9.2 Fiscal Year |
25 | |||
Section 9.3 Reports |
25 |
ARTICLE X
ISSUANCE OF LP CERTIFICATES; TRANSFER AND EXCHANGE OF LP UNITS
Section 10.1 Initial Issuance of LP Certificates |
26 | |||
Section 10.2 Registration, Registration of Transfer and Exchange |
26 | |||
Section 10.3 Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen LP Certificates |
27 | |||
Section 10.4 Persons Deemed Owners |
27 |
ii
Section 10.5 Prohibited Transfers |
28 |
ARTICLE XI
[RESERVED]
ARTICLE XII
ADMISSION OF SUBSTITUTED AND ADDITIONAL
LIMITED PARTNERS
LIMITED PARTNERS
Section 12.1 [Reserved] |
28 | |||
Section 12.2 Admission of Substituted Limited Partners |
28 | |||
Section 12.3 Admission of Successor General Partner |
28 | |||
Section 12.4 Admission of Additional Limited Partners |
28 | |||
Section 12.5 Amendment of Agreement and Certificate of Limited Partnership |
29 |
ARTICLE XIII
WITHDRAWAL OR REMOVAL OF THE GENERAL PARTNER
Section 13.1 Withdrawal or Removal of the General Partner |
29 | |||
Section 13.2 Sale of Former General Partner’s Interest |
30 |
ARTICLE XIV
DISSOLUTION AND LIQUIDATION
Section 14.1 Dissolution |
30 | |||
Section 14.2 Reconstitution |
31 | |||
Section 14.3 Liquidation |
32 | |||
Section 14.4 Distribution in Kind |
32 | |||
Section 14.5 Cancellation of Certificate of Limited Partnership |
33 | |||
Section 14.6 Return of Capital |
33 | |||
Section 14.7 Waiver of Partition |
33 | |||
Section 14.8 Certain Prohibited Acts |
33 |
ARTICLE XV
AMENDMENT OF PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT
Section 15.1 Amendments Which May be Adopted Solely by the General Partner |
34 | |||
Section 15.2 Other Amendments |
35 | |||
Section 15.3 Amendment Requirements |
35 |
iii
ARTICLE XVI
MEETINGS
Section 16.1 Meetings |
35 | |||
Section 16.2 Record Date |
41 | |||
Section 16.3 Conduct of Meeting |
41 | |||
Section 16.4 Action Without a Meeting |
42 |
ARTICLE XVII
CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS
Section 17.1 Additional Units |
42 | |||
Section 17.2 Certain Amendments |
42 | |||
Section 17.3 Sale of Assets |
43 |
ARTICLE XVIII
[RESERVED]
ARTICLE XIX
GENERAL PROVISIONS
Section 19.1 Opinions Regarding Taxation as a Partnership |
43 | |||
Section 19.2 Personal Property |
43 | |||
Section 19.3 Addresses and Notices |
43 | |||
Section 19.4 Headings |
43 | |||
Section 19.5 Binding Effect |
44 | |||
Section 19.6 Integration |
44 | |||
Section 19.7 Waiver |
44 | |||
Section 19.8 Counterparts |
44 | |||
Section 19.9 Severability |
44 | |||
Section 19.10 Applicable Law |
44 |
iv
AMENDED AND RESTATED AGREEMENT
OF
LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
OF
BUCKEYE PARTNERS, L.P.
THIS AMENDED AND RESTATED AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP, dated as of ,
2010 and effective immediately following the Effective Time (as defined below) (the “Agreement”),
is entered into by and among Buckeye GP LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (together with
any successor in its capacity as general partner of the Partnership, the “General Partner”), and
the additional Persons that are or become Partners of the Partnership as provided herein.
BACKGROUND
On April 14, 2008, the General Partner amended and restated the Amended and Restated Agreement
of Limited Partnership of the Partnership, effective as of January 1, 2007 (as amended and
restated, the “2007 Agreement”).
On June 10, 2010, the Partnership, the General Partner, Grand Ohio, LLC, a Delaware limited
liability company (“MergerCo”), Buckeye GP Holdings L.P., a Delaware limited partnership
(“Holdco”), and MainLine Management LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Holdco GP”),
entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”), providing for, among other
things, the merger of MergerCo with and into Holdco (the “Merger”), with Holdco surviving the
Merger, and each Common Unit and Management Unit of Holdco being converted into 0.705 LP Units (as
defined herein) (the “New LP Units”).
On June 10, 2010, the limited partners of the Partnership approved the Merger Agreement and
the transactions contemplated thereby, including the Merger, the issuance of the New LP Units and
the entry into this Agreement.
This Agreement amends the 2007 Agreement, effective immediately following the Effective Time
(as defined in the Merger Agreement), to reflect, among other things, the conversion of the GP
Units (as defined in the 2007 Agreement) into the GP Interest (as defined herein) and the
cancellation of the Incentive Compensation Agreement (as defined herein) and to set forth the
rights, preferences and privileges of the LP Units and the GP Interest.
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
The following definitions shall for all purposes, unless otherwise clearly indicated to the
contrary, apply to the terms used in this Agreement:
1
“2007 Agreement” has the meaning specified in the Background.
“Affiliate” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person that directly or indirectly
controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with the Person in question; provided,
however, that, except as expressly provided herein to the contrary, Holdco GP and its controlling
Affiliates shall be deemed to not be Affiliates of the General Partner. As used herein, the term
control means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction
of the management and policies of a Person, whether through ownership of voting securities, by
contract or otherwise.
“Agent” has the meaning specified in Section 2.4
“Agreed Value” of any Contributed Property means the fair market value of such property as of
the time of contribution (or, in the case of cash, the amount thereof), as determined by the
General Partner using such reasonable method of valuation as it may adopt.
“Agreement” means this amended and restated agreement of limited partnership, as amended or
amended and restated from time to time.
“Audit Committee” means a committee of the Board of Directors composed entirely of three or
more directors who meet the independence, qualification and experience requirements of the New York
Stock Exchange.
“BGH GP Holdings” means BGH GP Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, and the
sole member of Holdco GP.
“Board of Directors” means the Board of Directors of the General Partner (or comparable
governing body of any successor to the General Partner).
“Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday, or a legal holiday recognized as
such by the Government of the United States or the State of New York.
“Capital Accounts” mean the capital accounts maintained with respect to Partnership Interests
pursuant to Section 5.1(a).
“Capital Contribution” means any Contributed Property which a Partner contributes to the
Partnership.
“Carrying Value” means (a) with respect to Contributed Property, the Agreed Value of such
property reduced as of the time of determination (but not below zero) by (i) all depreciation, cost
recovery and amortization deductions charged to the Capital Accounts pursuant to Section 5.1(a)
with respect to such property and (ii) an appropriate amount to reflect any sales, retirements and
other dispositions of assets included in such property, and (b) with respect to any other property,
the adjusted basis of such property for federal income tax purposes as of the time of
determination, in any case as may be adjusted from time to time pursuant to Section 5.1(e).
2
“Certificate of Limited Partnership” means the Amended and Restated Certificate of Limited
Partnership filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware as described in the first
sentence of Section 2.6, as amended or restated from time to time.
“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.
“Contributed Property” means any cash, property or other consideration (in such form as may be
permitted under the Delaware Act) contributed to the Partnership.
“Contributing Partner” means any Partner contributing Contributed Property to the Partnership
in exchange for Units (or any transferee of such Units).
“Delaware Act” means the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act, as amended from
time to time, and any successor to such Act.
“Designated Expenses” mean all costs and expenses (direct or indirect) incurred by the General
Partner which are directly or indirectly related to the formation, capitalization, business or
activities of the Partnership Group; provided, however, that Designated Expenses shall not include
(a) any cost or expense for which the General Partner is not entitled to be reimbursed by reason of
the proviso at the end of Section 7.12(b) or (b) severance costs not permitted to be reimbursed
pursuant to the Management Agreements in connection with the withdrawal of the General Partner.
“Directors” shall mean the members of the Board of Directors.
“Effective Time” has the meaning specified in the Merger Agreement.
“Eighty Percent Interest” means Limited Partners holding an aggregate of at least 80% of the
outstanding LP Units.
“ESOP” means the Buckeye Pipe Line Services Company Employee Stock Ownership Plan Trust, as
amended.
“ESOP Loan” means the loan to the ESOP due March 28, 2011 in the original principal amount of
$44,133,600, and shall include any loans refinancing such loan.
“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time, and
any successor to such statute.
“General Partner” has the meaning specified in the first paragraph.
“General Partner Agreement” means the Second Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company
Agreement of the General Partner, dated as of the date hereof, as amended from time to time.
“GP Interest” means the management interest of the General Partner in the Partnership in its
capacity as the general partner of the Partnership. The GP Interest does not have any rights to
3
ownership or profit of the Partnership or any rights to receive any distributions from the
operation or liquidation of the Partnership.
“Group Member” means a member of the Partnership Group.
“Holdco” has the meaning specified in the Background.
“Holdco GP” has the meaning specified in the Background.
“Holdco GP Directors” means Directors appointed by Holdco GP as described in Section
16.1(b)(iv).
“Holdco Partnership Agreement” means the Second Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited
Partnership of Holdco, dated as of the date hereof and adopted pursuant to Section 2.1(c) of the
Merger Agreement, as amended from time to time.
“Incentive Compensation Agreement” means the Fifth Amended and Restated Incentive Compensation
Agreement, dated as of August 9, 2006 between the Partnership and the General Partner.
“Indemnitee” means the General Partner, any Affiliate of the General Partner, any Person who
is or was a director, officer, manager, member, employee or agent of the General Partner or any
such Affiliate, or any Person who is or was serving at the request of the General Partner or any
such Affiliate as a director, officer, manager, member, partner, trustee, employee or agent of
another Person (including any Person serving in such a role at Services Company).
“Issue Price” means the price at which a Unit is purchased from the Partnership.
“Limited Partner” means any limited partner of the Partnership, in its capacity as such.
“Liquidator” has the meaning specified in Section 14.3.
“LP Certificate” means a certificate issued by the Partnership, substantially in the form of
Annex A to this Agreement, evidencing ownership of one or more LP Units.
“LP Unit” means a Partnership Interest issued pursuant to Sections 4.2 or 4.3 and representing
a limited partner’s interest in the Partnership.
“Majority Interest” means Limited Partners holding an aggregate of more than 50% of the
outstanding LP Units.
“Management Agreements” mean the amended and restated management agreements, dated as of
August 9, 2006 pursuant to which the OLP GP manages the Operating Partnerships, in each case as
amended or restated from time to time.
“MergerCo” has the meaning specified in the Background.
“Merger” has the meaning specified in the Background.
4
“Merger Agreement” has the meaning specified in the Background.
“National Securities Exchange” means an exchange registered with the Securities and Exchange
Commission under Section 6(a) of the Exchange Act.
“New LP Units” has the meaning specified in the Background.
“Net Agreed Value” means (a) in the case of any Contributed Property, the Agreed Value of such
Contributed Property reduced by any indebtedness either assumed by the Partnership upon
contribution of such Contributed Property or to which such Contributed Property is subject when
contributed, (b) in the case of any property distributed to a Partner pursuant to Sections 5.2,
14.3 or 14.4, the fair market value of such property at the time of such distribution reduced by
any indebtedness either assumed by such Partner upon such distribution or to which such property is
subject at the time of distribution.
“OLP GP” means MainLine L.P., in its capacity as the general partner of the Operating
Partnerships and in its capacity as manager of the Operating Partnerships pursuant to the
Management Agreements, and any successors to MainLine L.P. as such general partner and manager.
“Operating Partnership Agreements” mean the amended and restated agreements of limited
partnership, dated as of August 9, 2006, governing the rights and obligations of the partners of
the Operating Partnerships and certain related matters, as amended or restated from time to time.
“Operating Partnerships” means, collectively, Buckeye Pipe Line Company, L.P., Buckeye Pipe
Line Holdings, L.P., Everglades Pipe Line Company, L.P. and Laurel Pipe Line Company, L.P., each a
Delaware limited partnership, and each other current or future subsidiary of the Partnership which
is managed by the General Partner or the OLP GP pursuant to its organizational documents or any
other contractual arrangement with the General Partner or the OLP GP.
“Opinion of Counsel” means a written opinion of counsel (who may be regular counsel of the
General Partner or any of its Affiliates) acceptable to the General Partner.
“Partner” means the General Partner or a Limited Partner.
“Partnership” means Buckeye Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership.
“Partnership Group” means the Partnership, Holdco, the General Partner and any subsidiary of
any such entity (including MainLine GP, Inc., OLP GP and the Operating Partnerships), treated as a
single consolidated entity.
“Partnership Interest” means the GP Interest or a limited partner’s interest in the
Partnership.
“Partnership Securities” has the meaning specified in Section 4.3.
5
“Percentage Interest” means, with respect to any Partner, the number of Units held by such
Partner divided by the number of Units outstanding. The Percentage Interest of the General Partner
and the Percentage Interest with respect to the GP Interest shall each at all times be zero.
“Person” means an individual, a corporation, a limited liability company, a partnership, a
trust, an unincorporated organization, an association or any other entity.
“Public Directors” means the Directors designated as Public Directors as of the date hereof in
the General Partner Agreement, the Directors elected by the Public Limited Partners pursuant to
Section 16.1(b)(iv), and any Directors appointed by the Public Directors to fill vacancies among
the Public Directors (including, without limitation, any vacancy caused by an increase in the
number of Directors on the Board of Directors).
“Public Limited Partners” means (i) for so long as Holdco GP has the right to designate one or
more Holdco GP Directors, as described in Section 16.1(b)(iv), all Limited Partners other than BGH
GP Holdings, ArcLight Capital Partners, LLC and Xxxxx & Company and their Affiliates and (ii) after
such time as Holdco GP ceases to have the right to designate one or more Holdco GP Directors, as
described in Section 16.1(b)(iv), all Limited Partners.
“Recapture Income” means any gain recognized by the Partnership upon the disposition of any
asset of the Partnership that is not a capital gain due to the recapture of certain deductions
previously taken with respect to such asset.
“Record Date” means the date established by the General Partner for determining the identity
of Limited Partners entitled (a) to notice of or to vote at any meeting of Limited Partners, to
vote by ballot or approve Partnership action in writing without a meeting or to exercise rights in
respect of any other lawful action of Limited Partners, or (b) to receive any report or
distribution.
“Record Holder” or “Holder” of any LP Unit means the Person in whose name such Unit is
registered in the Units Register.
“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended from time to time, and any
successor to such statute.
“Services Agreement” means the Services Agreement, dated as of December 15, 2004, between the
Partnership, the Operating Partnerships, Wood River Pipe Lines LLC, Buckeye Terminals, LLC and
Services Company, as amended or supplemented from time to time.
“Services Company” means Buckeye Pipe Line Services Company, a Pennsylvania corporation.
“Special Approval” means approval by a majority of the members of the Audit Committee.
“Time of Delivery” means December 23, 1986.
6
“Transfer Agent” means the bank, trust company or other Person appointed from time to time by
the Partnership to act as successor transfer agent and registrar for LP Units.
“Two-Thirds Interest” means Limited Partners holding an aggregate of at least two-thirds of
the outstanding LP Units.
“Unit” means an LP Unit. The term “Unit” does not include the GP Interest.
“Unit Price” of a Unit means, as of any date of determination, (a) if such Unit is one of a
class of Units listed or admitted to trading on a National Securities Exchange, the average of the
last reported sales prices per Unit regular way or, in case no such reported sale takes place on
any such day, the average of the last reported bid and asked prices per Unit regular way, in either
case on the principal National Securities Exchange on which such class of Units is listed or
admitted to trading (or, if such class of Units is listed or admitted to trading on the New York
Stock Exchange, on the New York Stock Exchange Composite Tape), for the five trading days
immediately preceding the date of determination; or (b) if such Unit is not of a class of Units
listed or admitted to trading on a National Securities Exchange, an amount equal to the fair market
value of such Unit as of such date of determination, as determined by the General Partner using any
reasonable method of valuation it may select.
“Units Register” has the meaning specified in Section 10.2.
“Unrealized Gain” attributable to a Partnership property means, as of any date of
determination, the excess, if any, of the fair market value of such property as of such date of
determination over the Carrying Value of such property as of such date of determination (prior to
any adjustment to be made pursuant to Section 5.1(e) as of such date).
“Unrealized Loss” attributable to a Partnership property means, as of any date of
determination, the excess, if any, of the Carrying Value of such property as of such date of
determination (prior to any adjustment to be made pursuant to Section 5.1(e) as of such date) over
the fair market value of such property as of such date of determination.
ARTICLE II
ORGANIZATIONAL MATTERS
Section 2.1 Continuation
The parties hereto, pursuant to the authority contained in Article XV of the 2007 Agreement,
do hereby amend and restate the 2007 Agreement in its entirety, effective immediately following the
Effective Time, to continue the Partnership as a limited partnership pursuant to the provisions of
the Delaware Act and to set forth the rights and obligations of the Partners and certain matters
related thereto. Except as expressly provided herein to the contrary, the rights and obligations
of the Partners and the administration, dissolution and termination of the Partnership shall be
governed by the Delaware Act.
7
Section 2.2 Name
The name of the Partnership shall be, and the business of the Partnership shall be conducted
under the name of, “Buckeye Partners, L.P.”; provided, however, that (a) the Partnership’s business
may be conducted under any other name or names deemed advisable by the General Partner, (b) the
General Partner may change the name of the Partnership at any time and from time to time and (c)
the name under which the Partnership conducts business shall include “Ltd.” or “Limited
Partnership” (or similar words or letters) where necessary for purposes of maintaining the limited
liability status of each Limited Partner or otherwise complying with the laws of any jurisdiction
that so requires.
Section 2.3 Principal Office; Registered Office
(a) The principal office of the Partnership shall be Xxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx 000, Xxxxxxx,
XX, or such other place as the General Partner may from time to time designate. The Partnership
may maintain offices at such other places as the General Partner deems advisable.
(b) The address of the Partnership’s registered office in the State of Delaware shall be 0000
Xxxxxxxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxx 000, Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000, and the name of the Partnership’s
registered agent for service of process at such address shall be Corporation Service Company.
Section 2.4 Power of Attorney
(a) Each Limited Partner hereby constitutes and appoints the General Partner or, if a
Liquidator shall have been selected pursuant to Section 14.3, the Liquidator, with full power of
substitution, as such Limited Partner’s true and lawful agent and attorney-in-fact (“Agent”), with
full power and authority in such Limited Partner’s name, place and stead to:
(i) execute, swear to, acknowledge, deliver, file and record in the appropriate public
offices (A) all certificates, documents and other instruments (including, without
limitation, this Agreement and the Certificate of Limited Partnership and any amendments or
restatements thereof) which the Agent deems appropriate or necessary to form or qualify, or
continue the existence or qualification of, the Partnership as a limited partnership (or a
partnership in which the Limited Partners have limited liability) under the laws of any
state or jurisdiction; (B) all certificates, documents and other instruments which the Agent
deems appropriate or necessary to reflect any amendments, changes or modifications of this
Agreement in accordance with its terms; (C) all conveyances and other documents or
instruments which the Agent deems appropriate or necessary to reflect the dissolution and
liquidation of the Partnership pursuant to the terms of this Agreement; (D) all
certificates, documents and other instruments relating to the admission, substitution,
withdrawal or removal of any Partner pursuant to Articles XII, XIII or XIV and other events
described in Articles XII, XIII or XIV; and (E) all certificates, documents and other
instruments (including, without limitation, this Agreement and the Certificate of Limited
Partnership and any amendments or restatements thereof) relating to the determination of the
rights, preferences and privileges of any class or series of Units issued pursuant to
Section 4.4; and
8
(ii) execute, swear to, acknowledge and file all ballots, consents, approvals, waivers,
certificates, documents and other instruments which the Agent deems appropriate or necessary
in order to make, evidence, give, confirm or ratify any vote, consent, approval, agreement
or other action which is made or given by the Partners hereunder, is deemed to be made or
given by the Partners hereunder, is consistent with the terms of this Agreement or is deemed
by the Agent to be appropriate or necessary to effectuate the terms or intent of this
Agreement or the purposes of the Partnership; provided, however, that, if any vote or
approval of Limited Partners is specifically required for an action by any provision of this
Agreement, the Agent may exercise the power of attorney made in this subsection (ii) to take
such action only after such vote or approval is obtained.
(b) The foregoing power of attorney is hereby declared to be irrevocable and a power coupled
with an interest, and it shall survive and not be affected by the subsequent death, incompetency,
disability, incapacity, dissolution, bankruptcy or termination of any Limited Partner and the
transfer of all or any portion of such Limited Partner’s Units and shall extend to such Limited
Partner’s heirs, transferees, successors, assigns and personal representatives. Each Limited
Partner hereby agrees to be bound by any representations made by the Agent acting in good faith
pursuant to such power of attorney; and each Limited Partner hereby waives any and all defenses
which may be available to contest, negate or disaffirm the action of the Agent taken in good faith
pursuant to such power of attorney. Each Limited Partner shall execute and deliver to the Agent,
within 15 days after receipt of the Agent’s request therefor, such further designations, powers of
attorney and other instruments as the Agent deems appropriate or necessary to effectuate the terms
or intent of this Agreement or the purposes of the Partnership.
Section 2.5 Term
The Partnership shall continue in existence until the close of Partnership business on
December 31, 2086 or until the earlier termination of the Partnership in accordance with the
provisions of Article XIV.
Section 2.6 Organizational Certificate
The General Partner shall cause to be filed such certificates or documents as may be required
for the formation, operation and qualification of a limited partnership in Delaware and any other
state in which the Partnership may elect to do business. The General Partner shall thereafter file
any necessary amendments to the Certificate of Limited Partnership and any such other certificates
and documents and do all things requisite to the maintenance of the Partnership as a limited
partnership (or as a partnership in which the Limited Partners have limited liability) under the
laws of Delaware and any other state in which the Partnership may elect to do business. Subject to
applicable law, the General Partner may omit from the Certificate of Limited Partnership and any
such other certificates and documents, and from all amendments thereto, the names and addresses of
the Limited Partners and information relating to the Capital Contributions and shares of profits
and compensation of the Limited Partners, or state such information in the aggregate rather than
with respect to each individual Limited Partner.
9
ARTICLE III
PURPOSE
Section 3.1 Purpose
The purpose and business of the Partnership shall be to engage in any lawful activity for
which limited partnerships may be organized under the Delaware Act.
ARTICLE IV
CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS; PURCHASES PURSUANT
TO PURCHASE AGREEMENTS; ADDITIONAL ISSUANCES
TO PURCHASE AGREEMENTS; ADDITIONAL ISSUANCES
Section 4.1 Conversion of the General Partner Interest
The GP Units (as defined in the 2007 Agreement) in the Partnership that existed immediately
prior to the date hereof are, effective immediately following the Effective Time, hereby converted
into a non-economic GP Interest in the Partnership. From the date hereof, the GP Interest shall
only represent a non-economic management interest of the General Partner in the Partnership.
Buckeye GP LLC hereby continues as general partner of the Partnership and the Partnership is
continued without dissolution. Effective immediately following the Effective Time, the Incentive
Compensation Agreement is hereby terminated and the Partnership Interest evidenced by the Incentive
Compensation Agreement is hereby cancelled.
Section 4.2 Limited Partner Contributions
At and as of the Time of Delivery, each underwriting firm which entered into an underwriting
agreement with the Partnership contributed to the Partnership, in exchange for the number of LP
Units specified therein an amount in cash equal to the Issue Price for such LP Units (as specified
in such underwriting agreement) multiplied by the number of LP Units being so purchased.
Section 4.3 Issuances of Additional LP Units and Other Securities
(a) The General Partner is hereby authorized to cause the Partnership to issue additional LP
Units, or classes or series thereof, or options, rights, warrants or appreciation rights relating
thereto or any other type of equity security that the Partnership may lawfully issue, any secured
or unsecured debt obligations of the Partnership, or debt obligations of the Partnership
convertible into any class or series of equity securities of the Partnership (collectively,
“Partnership Securities”), for any Partnership purpose, at any time or from time to time, to
Partners or to other Persons (including, without limitation, to employee benefit plans sponsored by
the Group Members or Services Company), for such consideration and on such terms and conditions,
and entitling the holders thereof to such relative rights and powers, as shall be established by
the General Partner, all without the approval of any Limited Partners, except as provided in
Section 17.1.
10
(b) Without limiting the generality of the foregoing (but subject to the provisions of Section
17.1), the additional Partnership Securities to be issued by the Partnership under this Section 4.3
may contain provisions with respect to (i) the allocation of items of Partnership income, gain,
loss, deduction and credit; (ii) the right to share in Partnership distributions; (iii) rights upon
dissolution and liquidation of the Partnership; (iv) whether any such issue of Partnership
Securities may be acquired by the Partnership, by purchase, redemption or otherwise, and if so,
the price at which, and the terms and conditions upon which, such Partnership Securities may be
purchased, redeemed or otherwise acquired by the Partnership; (v) the conversion rights applicable
to any such issue of Partnership Securities, and if so, the rate at which, and the terms and
conditions upon which, such Partnership Securities may be converted into any other class or series
of Partnership Securities; (vi) the terms and conditions upon which any such Partnership Securities
will be issued, assigned, or transferred; and (vii) the right, if any, of the holders of any such
issue of Partnership Securities to vote on Partnership matters.
(c) The General Partner is hereby authorized and directed to do all acts which it deems
appropriate or necessary in connection with each issuance of Units or other securities by the
Partnership and to amend this Agreement in any manner which it deems appropriate or necessary to
provide for each such issuance, to admit additional limited partners in connection therewith and to
specify the relative rights, powers and duties of the holders of the Units or other securities
being so issued, all without the approval of any Limited Partners, except as provided in Section
17.1.
Section 4.4 No Preemptive Rights
No Partner shall have any preemptive right with respect to the issuance or sale of Units or
other securities that may be issued by the Partnership.
Section 4.5 No Interest
No interest shall be paid by the Partnership on Capital Contributions.
Section 4.6 Loans from Partners
Loans or other advances by a Partner to or for the account of the Partnership shall not be
considered Capital Contributions.
Section 4.7 No Withdrawal
No Partner shall be entitled to withdraw any part of its Capital Contributions or its Capital
Account or to receive any distributions from the Partnership except as provided in this Agreement.
11
ARTICLE V
CAPITAL ACCOUNTS; DISTRIBUTIONS
Section 5.1 Capital Accounts
(a) The Partnership shall maintain for each Partner a separate Capital Account with respect to
its Partnership Interests in accordance with the regulations issued pursuant to Section 704 of the
Code. The Capital Account of any Partner shall be increased by (i) the Net Agreed Value of all
Capital Contributions made by such Partner in exchange for its Partnership Interest and (ii) all
items of income and gain computed in accordance with Section 5.1(b) and allocated to such Partner
pursuant to Section 5.1(c) and reduced by (iii) the Net Agreed Value of all distributions of cash
or property made to such Partner with respect to its Partnership Interest and (iv) all items of
deduction and loss computed in accordance with Section 5.1(b) and allocated to such Partner
pursuant to Section 5.1(c).
(b) For purposes of computing the amount of each item of income, gain, loss or deduction to be
reflected in the Capital Accounts, the determination, recognition and classification of such item
shall be the same as its determination, recognition and classification for federal income tax
purposes, provided that:
(i) Any deductions for depreciation, cost recovery or amortization attributable to any
Partnership property shall be determined as if the adjusted basis of such property was equal
to the Carrying Value of such property. Upon an adjustment to the Carrying Value of any
Partnership property subject to depreciation, cost recovery or amortization pursuant to
Sections 5.1(e) or 7.8, any further deductions for such depreciation, cost recovery or
amortization attributable to such property shall be determined as if the adjusted basis of
such property was equal to the Carrying Value of such property immediately following such
adjustment.
(ii) If the Partnership’s adjusted basis in property subject to depreciation, cost
recovery or amortization is reduced for federal income tax purposes pursuant to Section
48(q)(1) of the Code, the amount of such reduction shall be deemed to be an additional item
of deduction in the year such property is placed in service. Any restoration of such basis
pursuant to Section 48(q)(2) of the Code shall be deemed to be an additional item of income
in the year of restoration.
(iii) Any income, gain or loss attributable to the taxable disposition of any
Partnership property shall be determined by the Partnership as if the adjusted basis of such
property as of such date of disposition was equal in amount to the Carrying Value of such
property as of such date.
(iv) All fees and other expenses incurred by the Partnership to promote the sale of (or
to sell) a Partnership Interest that can neither be deducted nor amortized under Section 709
of the Code shall be treated as items of deduction.
(v) The computation of all items of income, gain, loss and deduction shall be made
without regard to any election under Section 754 of the Code which may be made
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by the Partnership and, as to those items described in Section 705(a)(1)(B) or Section
705(a)(2)(B) of the Code, without regard to the fact that such items are not includible in
gross income or are neither currently deductible nor capitalizable for federal income tax
purposes.
(c) (i) After giving effect to the special allocations set forth in Section 5.1(c)(ii)-(iv)
for purposes of maintaining the Capital Accounts, each item of income, gain, loss and deduction
(computed in accordance with Section 5.1(b)) shall be allocated to the Partners in accordance with
their respective Percentage Interests.
(ii) If any Partner unexpectedly receives any adjustment allocation or distribution
described in Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(4), 1.704-1 (b)(2)(ii)(d)(5),
or 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(6), items of Partnership income and gain shall be specially
allocated to such Partner in an amount and manner sufficient to eliminate a deficit in its
Capital Account created by such adjustment, allocation or distribution as quickly as
possible.
(iii) To preserve uniformity of Units, the General Partner may make special allocations
of income or deduction pursuant to Section 6.1(c) that do not have a material adverse effect
on the Limited Partners and are consistent with the principles of Section 704 of the Code.
(iv) If there is a net decrease in Partnership minimum gain, within the meaning of
Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b) (4) (iv), during a Partnership taxable year, all
Partners with deficit balances in their Capital Accounts, computed as described in Treasury
Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(4)(iv)(c) at the end of such year, will be allocated items of
Partnership income and gain for such year (and, if necessary, subsequent years) in the
amounts and in the proportions needed to eliminate such deficits as quickly as possible,
before any other allocations are made under Section 704(b) of the Code.
(v) (A) In the event the Carrying Value of Partnership property is adjusted pursuant
to Section 5.1(e), this Section 5.1(c)(v) is intended to cause the respective Capital
Accounts of the Partners to return to, over time, the relative proportionality of the
Capital Account balances of the Partners if the prior adjustment to the Carrying Value of
Partnership property had not occurred. To effectuate the intent of this Section
5.1(c)(v)(A), the General Partner may allocate that portion of the deductions, cost recovery
or amortization attributable to an adjustment to the Carrying Value of a Partnership
property pursuant to Section 5.1(e) in the same manner that the Unrealized Gain or
Unrealized Loss attributable to such property is allocated pursuant to Section 5.1(e).
(B) In making the allocations required under this Section 5.1(c)(v), including
the allocations that may result from the sale or other taxable disposition of any
Partnership property that has been subject to an adjustment to the Carrying Value of
such Partnership property, the General Partner may apply whatever
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conventions or other methodology it determines will satisfy the purpose of this
Section 5.1(c)(v).
(d) (i) Except as otherwise provided in this Section 5.1(d), a transferee of LP Units shall,
upon becoming a Limited Partner, succeed to the portion of the transferor’s Capital Account
maintained with respect to the Units transferred.
(ii) If a transfer of Units causes a termination of the Partnership under Section
708(b)(1)(B) of the Code, the Partnership properties shall be deemed to have been
distributed in liquidation of the Partnership to the Partners (including the transferee of
the Units) pursuant to Sections 14.4 and 14.5 and recontributed by such Partners and
transferees in reconstitution of the Partnership. The Capital Accounts of such
reconstituted Partnership shall be maintained in accordance with this Article V.
(e) If any additional LP Units (or other Partnership Interests) are to be issued pursuant to
Section 4.3, or if any Partnership Property is to be distributed, the Capital Accounts of the
Partners (and the Carrying Values of all Partnership properties) shall, immediately prior to such
issuance or distribution, be adjusted (consistent with the provisions hereof and of Section 704(b)
of the Code) upwards or downwards to reflect any Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss attributable to
all Partnership properties (as if such Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss had been recognized upon
an actual sale of such properties immediately prior to such issuance). In determining such
Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss, the fair market value of Partnership properties, as of any date
of determination, (i) shall, in the case of the issuance of additional LP Units, be deemed to be
equal to (A) the number of Units outstanding, as of the date of determination, times the Issue
Price for which such additional LP Units are so issued, plus (B) the fair market value of any
Partnership Interests not otherwise valued pursuant to Section 5.1(e)(i)(A) and (C) the amount of
any Partnership indebtedness outstanding as of the date of determination, (ii) shall, in the case
of an issuance of other Partnership Interests, be deemed to be equal to (A) the number of Units
outstanding, as of the date of determination, times the last reported sales price per LP Unit on
the principal National Securities Exchange on which such LP Units are listed, plus (B) the fair
market value of any Partnership Interests not otherwise valued pursuant to Section 5.1(e)(ii)(A)
and (C) the amount of any Partnership indebtedness outstanding as of the date of determination, and
(iii) shall, in the case of the distribution of Partnership property, be determined in the manner
provided in Section 14.3.
Section 5.2 Distributions in Respect of Partnership Interests
(a) From time to time, not less often than quarterly, the General Partner shall review the
Partnership’s accounts to determine whether distributions are appropriate. The General Partner may
make such cash distributions as it may determine, without being limited to current or accumulated
income or gains, from any Partnership funds, including, without limitation, Partnership revenues,
Capital Contributions or borrowed funds. The General Partner may also distribute to the Partners
other Partnership property, additional Units or other securities of the Partnership or other
entities.
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All distributions in respect of Units shall be made concurrently to all Record Holders on the
Record Date set for purposes of such distribution and shall be prorated in accordance with such
Record Holders’ respective Percentage Interests as of such Record Date.
(b) Amounts paid pursuant to Section 7.4, any Management Agreement or any Operating
Partnership Agreement shall not be deemed to be distributions with respect to a Partnership
Interest for purposes of this Agreement.
ARTICLE VI
INCOME TAX MATTERS
Section 6.1 Tax Allocations
(a) Except as otherwise provided herein, for federal income tax purposes, each item of income,
gain, loss, deduction and credit of the Partnership shall be allocated among the Partners in the
manner in which the correlative item of “book” income, gain, loss or deduction is computed in
accordance with Section 5.1(b) and allocated pursuant to Section 5.1(c), except that the General
Partner shall have the authority to make such other allocations as are necessary and appropriate to
comply with Section 704 of the Code and the regulations issued pursuant thereto.
(b) Gain resulting from the sale or other taxable disposition of Partnership assets and
allocated to (or recognized by) a Partner (or its successor in interest) for federal income tax
purposes shall be deemed to be Recapture Income to the extent such Partner has been allocated or
has claimed any deduction directly or indirectly giving rise to the treatment of such gain as
Recapture Income.
(c) To preserve uniformity of LP Units, the General Partner may (i) adopt such conventions as
it deems appropriate or necessary in determining the amount of depreciation and cost recovery
deductions; (ii) make special allocations of income or deduction and (iii) amend the provisions of
this Agreement as appropriate (x) to reflect the proposal or promulgation of regulations under
Section 704(c) of the Code or (y) otherwise to preserve the uniformity of Units issued or sold from
time to time. The General Partner may adopt such conventions and make such allocations and
amendments only if they would not have a material adverse effect on the Limited Partners and are
consistent with the principles of Section 704 of the Code.
(d) Items of Partnership income, gain, loss, deduction and credit shall, for federal income
tax purposes, be determined on a monthly basis (or other basis, as required or permitted by Section
706 of the Code) and shall be allocated to the Persons who are Record Holders of Units as of the
close of business on the first day of such month; provided, however, that gain or loss on a sale or
other disposition of all or a substantial portion of the assets of the Partnership shall be
allocated to the Persons who are Record Holders of Units as of the close of business on the date of
sale.
(e) Pursuant to Section 704(c) of the Code, items of income, gain, loss, deduction and credit
attributable to Contributed Property shall be allocated in such a manner as to take into account
the variation between the basis of such property to the Partnership and its Carrying Value.
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Section 6.2 Preparation of Tax Returns
The General Partner shall arrange for the preparation and timely filing of all returns of
Partnership income, gains, losses, deductions, credits and other items necessary for federal and
state income tax purposes and shall use all reasonable efforts to furnish to the Limited Partners
within 90 days after the close of the taxable year the tax information reasonably required for
federal and state income tax reporting purposes. The classification, realization and recognition of
income, gains, losses, deductions, credits and other items shall be on the accrual method of
accounting for federal income tax purposes, unless the General Partner shall determine otherwise.
Section 6.3 Tax Elections
Except as otherwise provided herein, the General Partner shall determine whether to make any
available election. The General Partner shall elect under Section 754 of the Code to cause the
basis of Partnership property to be adjusted for federal income tax purposes as provided by
Sections 734 and 743 of the Code, but the General Partner may seek to revoke this election if the
General Partner determines that such revocation is in the best interests of the Limited Partners.
Section 6.4 Tax Controversies
Subject to the provisions hereof, the General Partner is designated as the Tax Matters Partner
(as defined in Section 6231 of the Code) and is authorized and required to represent the
Partnership (at the Partnership’s expense) in connection with all examinations of the Partnership’s
affairs by tax authorities, including resulting administrative and judicial proceedings, and to
expend Partnership funds for professional services and costs associated therewith. Each Limited
Partner agrees to cooperate with the General Partner and to do or refrain from doing any and all
things reasonably required by the General Partner to conduct such proceedings.
Section 6.5 Withholding
The General Partner is authorized to take any action necessary to comply with any withholding
requirements established by applicable law, including, without limitation, with regard to (a) the
sale of United States real property interests, (b) the distributions of cash or property to any
Partner which is a foreign Person, and (c) the transfer of Units.
ARTICLE VII
MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION OF BUSINESS; INDEMNIFICATION
Section 7.1 Powers of General Partner
Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement, all powers to control and manage the
business and affairs of the Partnership shall be exclusively vested in the General Partner, and no
Limited Partner shall have any power to control or manage the business and affairs of the
Partnership.
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In addition to the powers now or hereafter granted a general partner of a limited partnership
under applicable law or which are granted to the General Partner under any other provisions of this
Agreement, the General Partner is hereby authorized and empowered, in the name of and on behalf of
the Partnership, to do and perform any and all acts and things which it deems appropriate or
necessary in the conduct of the business and affairs of the Partnership, including, without
limitation, the following:
(a) to lend or borrow money, to assume, guarantee or otherwise become liable for indebtedness
and other liabilities and to issue evidences of indebtedness;
(b) to buy, lease (as lessor or lessee), sell, mortgage, encumber or otherwise acquire or
dispose of any or all of the assets of the Partnership;
(c) to own, use and invest the assets of the Partnership;
(d) to purchase or sell products, services and supplies;
(e) to make tax, regulatory and other filings, and to render periodic and other reports, to
governmental agencies or bodies having jurisdiction over the assets or business of the Partnership;
(f) to open, maintain and close bank accounts and to draw checks and other orders for the
payment of money;
(g) to negotiate, execute and perform any contracts, conveyances or other instruments;
(h) to distribute Partnership cash;
(i) to utilize the services of officers and employees of the General Partner or of any other
Persons and to select and dismiss employees (if any) and outside attorneys, accountants,
consultants and contractors;
(j) to maintain insurance for the benefit of the Partnership, the Partners and the
Indemnitees;
(k) to form, participate in or contribute or loan cash or property to limited or general
partnerships, joint ventures, limited liability companies, corporations or similar arrangements;
(l) to expand the business activities in which the Partnership is engaged or engage in new
business activities by acquisition or internal development;
(m) to conduct litigation and incur legal expenses and otherwise deal with or settle claims or
disputes;
(n) to purchase, sell or otherwise acquire or dispose of Units; and
(o) to take any action in connection with the Partnership’s ownership and operation of any
Group Member (including Holdco);
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in each case at such times and upon such terms and conditions as the General Partner deems
appropriate or necessary, and subject to any express restrictions contained elsewhere in this
Agreement.
Section 7.2 Duties of General Partner
The General Partner shall manage the business and affairs of the Partnership in the manner the
General Partner deems appropriate or necessary. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing,
the General Partner’s duties shall include the following:
(a) to take possession of the assets of the Partnership;
(b) to staff and operate the business of the Partnership with the officers and employees of
the General Partner or of other Persons;
(c) to render or cause to be rendered engineering, environmental and other technical
services and perform or cause to be performed financial, accounting, logistical and other
administrative functions for the Partnership;
(d) to render such reports and make such periodic and other filings as may be required under
applicable federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations;
(e) to provide or cause to be provided purchasing, procurement, repair and other services for
the Partnership; and
(f) to conduct the business of the Partnership in accordance with this Agreement and all
applicable laws, rules and regulations;
in each case in such a manner as the General Partner deems appropriate or necessary.
Section 7.3 Reliance by Third Parties
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, any Person dealing with the
Partnership shall be entitled to assume that the General Partner has full power and authority to
encumber, sell or otherwise use in any manner any and all assets of the Partnership and to enter
into any contracts on behalf of the Partnership, and such Person shall be entitled to deal with the
General Partner as if it were the Partnership’s sole party in interest, both legally and
beneficially. Each Limited Partner hereby waives any and all defenses or other remedies which may
be available against such Person to contest, negate or disaffirm any action of the General Partner
in connection with any such dealing. In no event shall any Person dealing with the General Partner
or its representatives be obligated to ascertain that the terms of this Agreement have been
complied with or to inquire into the necessity or expedience of any act or action of the General
Partner or its representatives. Each and every certificate, document or other instrument executed
on behalf of the Partnership by the General Partner or its representatives shall be conclusive
evidence in favor of any and every Person relying thereon or claiming thereunder that (a) at the
time of the execution and delivery of such certificate, document or instrument, this Agreement was
in full force and effect, (b) the Person executing and delivering such certificate, document or
instrument was duly authorized and empowered to do so for and on behalf of the Partnership and
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(c) such certificate, document or instrument was duly executed and delivered in accordance
with the terms and provisions of this Agreement and is binding upon the Partnership.
Section 7.4 Compensation and Reimbursement of the General Partner
(a) Except as provided in this Section 7.4 or elsewhere in this Agreement or any other
agreement contemplated or permitted hereby or thereby, the General Partner shall not be compensated
for its services as General Partner to the Partnership.
(b) The General Partner shall be promptly reimbursed for all Designated Expenses, in addition
to any reimbursement as a result of indemnification in accordance with Section 7.12. The General
Partner shall determine such Designated Expenses in any reasonable manner determined by it.
(c) The General Partner may propose and adopt, without the approval of the Limited Partners,
fringe benefit plans, including, without limitation, plans comparable to those that covered
employees employed by the predecessors to the Operating Partnerships and plans involving the
issuance of Units, for the benefit of employees of the Partnership Group and Services Company in
respect of services performed, or obligated to be performed, directly or indirectly, for the
benefit of the Partnership Group.
Section 7.5 Purchase or Sale of LP Units and Other Partnership Securities
The General Partner may, on behalf of the Partnership, purchase or otherwise acquire or sell
or otherwise dispose of LP Units and other Partnership Securities. As long as LP Units are held by
any member of the Partnership Group, such LP Units or other Partnership Securities shall not be
considered outstanding for any purpose.
Section 7.6 [Reserved]
Section 7.7 Outside Activities; Contracts with Affiliates; Loans to or from Affiliates
(a) The General Partner shall not have any business interests or engage in any business
activities except for those relating to the Partnership and the Operating Partnerships.
(b) Any Affiliate of the General Partner and any director, officer, manager, member, partner
or employee of the General Partner or any of its Affiliates shall be entitled to and may have
business interests and engage in business activities in addition to those relating to the
Partnership, including business interests and activities in direct competition with the Partnership
Group, for their own account and for the account of others, without having or incurring any
obligation to offer any interest in such businesses or activities to the Partnership Group or any
Partner. No member of the Partnership Group nor any of the Partners shall have any rights by
virtue of this Agreement or the partnership relationship governed hereby in any such business
interests.
(c) Each of the Limited Partners hereby approves, ratifies and confirms the execution,
delivery and performance of the Operating Partnership Agreements, and the Management Agreements and
agrees that the General Partner is authorized to execute, deliver and perform the
19
other agreements, acts, transactions and matters described therein on behalf of the
Partnership without the approval or vote of any Limited Partners, notwithstanding any other
provision of this Agreement or the Operating Partnership Agreements.
(d) The Partnership may lend or contribute to any Group Member, and any Group Member may
borrow from the Partnership, funds on terms and conditions established by the General Partner;
provided, however, that the Partnership may not charge the Group Member interest at a rate less
than the rate that would be charged to the Group Member (without reference to the Group Member’s
financial abilities or guarantees) by unrelated lenders on comparable loans. The foregoing
authority shall be exercised by the General Partner shall not create any right or benefit in favor
of any Group Member or any other Person.
Section 7.8 Tax Basis and Value Determinations
To the extent that the General Partner is required pursuant to the provisions of this
Agreement to establish fair market values or allocate amounts realized, tax basis, Agreed Values or
Net Agreed Values, the General Partner shall establish such values and make such allocations in a
manner that is reasonable and fair to the Limited Partners, taking into account all applicable
laws, governmental regulations, rulings and decisions. The General Partner may modify or revise
such allocations in order to comply with such laws, governmental regulations, rulings or decisions
or to the extent it otherwise deems such modification or revision appropriate or necessary. The
General Partner is authorized, to the extent deemed by it to be appropriate or necessary, to
utilize the services of an independent appraiser in establishing such values or allocations and the
General Partner shall in such cases be entitled to rely on the values or allocations established by
such independent appraiser.
Section 7.9 Resolution of Conflicts of Interest; Standard of Care
(a) Unless otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement or any other agreement contemplated
hereby, whenever a conflict of interest exists or arises between the General Partner or any of its
Affiliates, on the one hand, and the Partnership or any Limited Partner, on the other hand, any
resolution or course of action by the General Partner or such Affiliate in respect of such conflict
of interest shall be permitted and deemed approved by all Partners, and shall not constitute a
breach of this Agreement or of any agreement contemplated hereby, or of a duty stated or implied by
law or equity, if the resolution or course of action is, or by operation of this Agreement is
deemed to be, fair and reasonable to the Partnership; provided that any conflict of interest and
any resolution of such conflict of interest shall be conclusively deemed fair and reasonable to the
Partnership if such conflict of interest or resolution is (i) approved by Special Approval (as long
as the material facts known to the officers and directors of the General Partner regarding any
proposed transaction were disclosed to the Audit Committee at the time of its approval), (ii) on
terms objectively demonstrable to be no less favorable to the Partnership than those generally
being provided to or available from unrelated third parties, or (iii) fair to the Partnership,
taking into account the totality of the relationships among the parties involved (including other
transactions that may be particularly favorable or advantageous to the Partnership). For the
avoidance of doubt, in connection with its resolution of a conflict of interest the General Partner
is authorized but not required to seek Special Approval and may adopt a resolution or course of
action that has not received Special Approval. In connection with
20
the determination by the General Partner (or the Audit Committee in connection with Special
Approval, as applicable) of what is fair and reasonable to the Partnership in connection with its
resolution of a conflict of interest, the General Partner (or the Audit Committee) shall be
authorized to consider (A) the relative interests of each party to such conflict, agreement,
transaction or situation, and the benefits and burdens relating to such interests; (B) any
customary or accepted industry practices, and any customary or historical dealings with a
particular Person; (C) any applicable generally accepted accounting or engineering practices or
principles; and (D) such additional factors as the Audit Committee determines to be relevant,
reasonable or appropriate under the circumstances. Nothing contained in this Agreement, however,
is intended to, nor shall it be construed to require the General Partner (or the Audit Committee)
to consider the interests of any Person other than the Partnership. In the absence of bad faith by
the General Partner, the resolution, action or terms so made, taken or provided by the General
Partner in compliance with this Section 7.9 shall not constitute a breach of this Agreement or any
other agreement contemplated hereby or a breach of any standard of care or duty imposed hereby or
under the Delaware Act or any other applicable law, rule or regulation.
(b) Whenever a particular transaction, arrangement or resolution of a conflict of interest is
required under this Agreement or any agreement contemplated hereby to be fair and/or reasonable to
any Person, the fair and/or reasonable nature of such transaction, arrangement or resolution shall
be considered in the context of similar or related transactions.
(c) Whenever the General Partner makes a determination or takes or declines to take any other
action, whether under this Agreement, or any other agreement contemplated hereby or otherwise, then
unless another express standard is provided for in this Agreement, the General Partner shall make
such determination or take or decline to take such other action in good faith and shall not be
subject to any other or different standards imposed by this Agreement, any other agreement
contemplated hereby or under the Delaware Act or any other law, rule or regulation or at equity.
In order for a determination or other action to be in “good faith” for purposes of this Agreement,
the Person or Persons making such determination or taking or declining to take such other action
must believe that the determination or other action is in the best interests of the Partnership.
Section 7.10 [Reserved]
Section 7.11 Other Matters Concerning the General Partner
(a) The General Partner (including the Audit Committee) may rely and shall be protected in
acting or refraining from acting upon any certificate, document or other instrument believed by it
to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties.
(b) The General Partner (including the Audit Committee) may consult with legal counsel,
accountants, appraisers, management consultants, investment bankers and other consultants and
advisors selected by it and shall be fully protected in relying on any opinion or advice of any
such Person as to matters which the General Partner (including the Audit Committee) believes to be
within such Person’s professional or expert competence in connection with any action taken or
suffered or omitted by the General Partner (including the Audit Committee) hereunder in good faith
and in accordance with such opinion or advice.
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(c) The General Partner (including the Audit Committee) may exercise any of the powers granted
to it by this Agreement and perform any of the duties imposed upon it hereunder either directly or
by or through its agents, and the General Partner (including the Audit Committee) shall not be
responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any such agent appointed by the General
Partner in good faith.
Section 7.12 Limited Liability; Indemnification
(a) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, and except to the extent
required by applicable law, no Indemnitee shall be liable to the Partnership or any Partner for any
action taken or omitted to be taken by such Indemnitee in its capacity as a person of the type
described in the definition of the term, “Indemnitee,” provided that such Indemnitee acted in good
faith and such action or omission does not involve the gross negligence or willful misconduct of
such Indemnitee. The termination of any action, suit or proceeding by judgment, order, settlement,
conviction or upon a plea of nolo contendere, or its equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a
presumption that an Indemnitee did not act in good faith or that an action or omission involves
gross negligence or willful misconduct.
(b) The Partnership shall, to the extent permitted by applicable law, indemnify each
Indemnitee against expenses (including legal fees and expenses), judgments, fines and amounts paid
in settlement, actually and reasonably incurred by such Indemnitee, in connection with any
threatened, pending or completed claim, demand, action, suit or proceeding to which such Indemnitee
was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party, by reason of (i) such Indemnitee’s status as
a General Partner, any Affiliate of the General Partner, any Person who is or was a director,
officer, manager, member, employee or agent of the General Partner or any such Affiliate, or any
Person who is or was serving at the request of the General Partner or any such Affiliate as a
director, officer, manager, member, partner, trustee, employee or agent of another Person
(including any Person serving in such a role at Services Company) or (ii) any action taken or
omitted to be taken by such Indemnitee in any capacity referred to in clause (i) of this Section
7.12(b), relating to this Agreement or the property, business, affairs or management of the
Partnership Group or Services Company (provided that the Indemnitee acted in good faith and the act
or omission which is the basis of such claim, demand, action, suit or proceeding does not involve
the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee).
(c) Expenses (including legal fees and expenses) incurred in defending any claim, demand,
action, suit or proceeding subject to Section 7.12(b) shall be paid by the Partnership in advance
of the final disposition of such claim, demand, action, suit or proceeding upon receipt of an
undertaking (which need not be secured) by or on behalf of the Indemnitee to repay such amount if
it shall ultimately be determined, by a court of competent jurisdiction, that the Indemnitee is not
entitled to be indemnified by the Partnership as authorized hereunder.
(d) The indemnification provided by Section 7.12(b) shall be in addition to any other rights
to which an Indemnitee may be entitled, and shall continue as to an Indemnitee who has ceased to
serve in a capacity for which the Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification and shall inure to the
benefit of the heirs, successors, assigns, administrators and personal representatives of the
Indemnitee.
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(e) To the extent commercially reasonable, the Partnership shall purchase and maintain
insurance on behalf of the Indemnitees against any liability which may be asserted against or
expense which may be incurred by an Indemnitee in connection with the Partnership Group’s
activities, whether or not the Partnership would have the power to indemnify an Indemnitee against
such liability under the provisions of this Agreement.
(f) An Indemnitee shall not be denied indemnification in whole or in part under Section
7.12(b) because the Indemnitee had an interest in the transaction with respect to which the
indemnification applies if the transaction was otherwise permitted by the terms of this Agreement
or any predecessor agreement thereto, including a transaction involving the General Partner, any
Affiliate thereof or any member, partner, officer, director, employee, agent, manager, or trustee
of any Group Member, Services Company, the General Partner or any Affiliate of any Group Member.
(g) The provisions of this Section 7.12 are for the benefit of the Indemnitees and the heirs,
successors, assigns, administrators and personal representatives of the Indemnitees and shall not
be deemed to create any rights for the benefit of any other Persons.
(h) For purposes of this Section 7.12, the Partnership shall be deemed to have requested an
Indemnitee to serve as fiduciary of an employee benefit plan whenever the performance of duties by
such Indemnitee for the Partnership also imposes duties on, or otherwise involves services by, such
Indemnitee to the plan or participants or beneficiaries of the plan; excise taxes assessed on an
Indemnitee with respect to an employee benefit plan pursuant to applicable law shall constitute
“fines” within the meaning of Section 7.12(b); and action taken or omitted by an Indemnitee with
respect to any employee benefit plan in the performance of duties by such Indemnitee for a purpose
reasonably believed by such Indemnitee to be in the interest of the participants and beneficiaries
of the plan shall be deemed to be for a purpose which does not involve gross negligence or willful
misconduct.
(i) In no event may an Indemnitee subject the Limited Partners to personal liability by reason
of the indemnification provisions set forth in this Agreement.
(j) No amendment, modification or repeal of this Section 7.12 or any provision hereof shall in
any manner terminate, reduce or impair the right of any past, present or future Indemnitee to be
indemnified by the Partnership, nor the obligations of the Partnership to indemnify any such
Indemnitee under and in accordance with the provisions of this Section 7.12, or any predecessor
thereto, however numbered, as in effect immediately prior to such amendment, modification or repeal
with respect to claims arising from or relating to matters occurring, in whole or in part, prior to
such amendment, modification or repeal, regardless of when such claims may arise or be asserted and
provided that such Person became an Indemnitee hereunder prior to such amendment, modification or
repeal.
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ARTICLE VIII
RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF LIMITED PARTNERS
Section 8.1 Limitation of Liability
The Limited Partners shall have no liability under this Agreement (including, without
limitation, liability under Section 7.12).
Section 8.2 Management of Business
No Limited Partner shall, in its capacity as a Limited Partner, take part in the operation,
management or control (within the meaning of the Delaware Act) of the Partnership’s business,
transact any business in the Partnership’s name or have the power to sign documents for or
otherwise bind the Partnership. The transaction of any such business by a director, officer,
manager, member, employee or agent of the General Partner or an Affiliate of the General Partner in
such Person’s capacity as such (whether or not such Person is also a Limited Partner) shall not
affect, impair or eliminate the limitations on the liability of the Limited Partners under this
Agreement.
Section 8.3 Outside Activities
Limited Partners shall be entitled to and may have business interests and engage in business
activities in addition to those relating to the Partnership, including business interests and
activities in direct competition with the Partnership Group. No member of the Partnership Group
nor any of the other Partners shall have any rights by virtue of this Agreement or the partnership
relationship created hereby in any business ventures of any Limited Partner.
Section 8.4 Return of Capital
No Limited Partner shall be entitled to the withdrawal or return of its Capital Contribution,
except to the extent, if any, that distributions made pursuant to this Agreement or upon
termination of the Partnership may be considered as such by law and then only to the extent
provided for in this Agreement.
Section 8.5 Rights of Limited Partners Relating to the Partnership
In addition to other rights provided by this Agreement or by applicable law, each Limited
Partner shall have the right for a proper purpose reasonably related to such Limited Partner’s
interest in the Partnership, upon reasonable demand and at such Limited Partner’s own expense:
(a) to obtain true and full information regarding the status of the business and financial
condition of the Partnership;
(b) promptly after becoming available, to obtain a copy of the Partnership’s federal and state
income tax returns for each year;
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(c) to obtain a current list of the name and address of each Partner as set forth in the Units
Register;
(d) to obtain a description and statement of the Net Agreed Value of any Capital Contribution
made or agreed to be made by each Partner, and the date on which such Partner became a Partner;
(e) to obtain a copy of this Agreement and the Certificate of Limited Partnership and all
amendments thereto, together with executed copies of any powers of attorney pursuant to which this
Agreement, the Certificate of Limited Partnership and all amendments thereto have been executed;
and
(f) to obtain such other information regarding the affairs of the Partnership as may be just
and reasonable;
provided, however, that the General Partner may keep confidential from the Limited Partners, for
such period of time as the General Partner deems reasonable, any information which the General
Partner reasonably believes to be in the nature of trade secrets or other information the
disclosure of which the General Partner in good faith believes could damage the Partnership or its
business or be in violation of applicable law, including, without limitation, federal securities
law, or which the Partnership is required by agreements with third parties to keep confidential.
ARTICLE IX
BOOKS, RECORDS, ACCOUNTING AND REPORTS
Section 9.1 Books, Records and Accounting
The General Partner shall keep or cause to be kept books and records with respect to the
Partnership’s business, which books and records shall at all times be kept at the principal office
of the Partnership. Any books and records maintained by the Partnership in the regular course of
its business, including the Units Register, books of account and records of Partnership
proceedings, may be kept on, or be in the form of, punch cards, disks, magnetic tape, photographs,
micrographics or any other information storage device, provided that the records so kept are
convertible into clearly legible written form within a reasonable period of time. The books of the
Partnership shall be maintained, for financial reporting purposes, on the accrual basis, or on a
cash basis adjusted periodically to an accrual basis, as the General Partner shall determine, in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and applicable law.
Section 9.2 Fiscal Year
The fiscal year of the Partnership for financial reporting purposes shall be the calendar
year, unless the General Partner shall determine otherwise.
Section 9.3 Reports
(a) As soon as practicable, but in no event later than 90 days after the close of each fiscal
year, the General Partner shall cause to be mailed or made available, by any reasonable means, to
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each Record Holder of LP Units as of the last day of that fiscal year reports containing
financial statements of the Partnership for the fiscal year, presented in accordance with generally
accepted accounting principles, including a balance sheet, statement of income, statement of
Partners’ capital and statement of changes in financial position, such statements to be audited by
a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants selected by the General Partner.
(b) As soon as practicable, but in no event later than 45 days after the close of each
calendar quarter, except the last calendar quarter of each fiscal year, the General Partner shall
cause the Partnership to electronically file with the Securities and Exchange Commission a
quarterly report for the calendar quarter containing such financial and other information as the
General Partner deems appropriate.
(c) Such reports shall present the consolidated financial position of the Partnership Group,
together with Services Company and such other Persons as may be required by generally accepted
accounting principles.
(d) The General Partner shall be deemed to have made a report available to each Record Holder
as required by this Section 9.3 if it has either (i) electronically filed such report with the
Securities and Exchange Commission via its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system
and such report is publicly available on such system or (ii) made such report available on any
publicly available website maintained by the Partnership.
ARTICLE X
ISSUANCE OF LP CERTIFICATES; TRANSFER AND EXCHANGE OF LP UNITS
Section 10.1 Initial Issuance of LP Certificates
Upon the issuance of LP Units to any Person, the Partnership may (and will upon request of an
owner of LP Units) issue one or more LP Certificates in the name of such Person evidencing the
number of such LP Units being so issued. LP Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the
Partnership by the General Partner. No LP Certificate shall be valid for any purpose until
manually countersigned by the Transfer Agent.
Section 10.2 Registration, Registration of Transfer and Exchange
(a) The Partnership will cause to be kept a register (the “Units Register”) in which, subject
to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe and subject to the provisions of Section
10.2(b), the Partnership will provide for the registration of LP Units and of transfers of such LP
Units. The Transfer Agent is hereby appointed registrar for the purpose of registering LP Units
and transfers of such LP Units as herein provided.
Upon surrender for registration of transfer or exchange of any LP Certificate, and subject to
the provisions of Section 10.2(b), the General Partner on behalf of the Partnership will execute,
and the Transfer Agent will countersign and deliver, in the name of the holder or the designated
transferee or transferees, as required pursuant to the holder’s instructions, one or more new LP
Certificates evidencing the same aggregate number of LP Units as did the LP Certificate so
surrendered.
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(b) Every LP Certificate surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange shall be duly
endorsed on the reverse side thereof, or be accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form
satisfactory to the General Partner or the Transfer Agent, as the case may be, duly executed, in
either case by the holder thereof or such holder’s attorney duly authorized in writing. Every LP
Certificate surrendered for registration of transfer shall be duly accepted on the reverse side
thereof, or be accompanied by a written instrument of acceptance to the same effect in form
satisfactory to the General Partner or the Transfer Agent, as the case may be, duly executed, in
either case by the transferee or such transferee’s attorney duly authorized in writing. As a
condition to the issuance of any new LP Certificate under this Section 10.2, the General Partner
may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may
be imposed in relation thereto.
Section 10.3 Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen LP Certificates
(a) If any mutilated LP Certificate is surrendered to the Transfer Agent, the General Partner
on behalf of the Partnership shall execute and the Transfer Agent shall countersign and deliver in
exchange therefor a new LP Certificate evidencing the same number of LP Units as did the LP
Certificate so surrendered.
(b) If there shall be delivered to the General Partner and the Transfer Agent (i) evidence to
their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any LP Certificate and (ii) such security
or indemnity as may be required by them to save each of them and any of their agents harmless,
then, in the absence of notice to the General Partner or the Transfer Agent that such LP
Certificate has been acquired by a bona fide purchaser, the General Partner on behalf of the
Partnership shall execute and upon its request the Transfer Agent shall countersign and deliver, in
lieu of any such destroyed, lost or stolen Certificate, a new LP Certificate evidencing the same
number of LP Units as did the LP Certificate so destroyed, lost or stolen.
(c) As a condition to the issuance of any new LP Certificate under this Section 10.3, the
General Partner may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental
charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other expenses (including the fees and
expenses of the Transfer Agent) connected therewith.
(d) Every new LP Certificate issued pursuant to this Section 10.3 in lieu of any destroyed,
lost or stolen LP Certificate shall evidence an original additional Partnership Interest in the
Partnership, whether or not the destroyed, lost or stolen LP Certificate shall be at any time
enforceable by anyone, and shall be entitled to all the benefits of this Agreement equally and
proportionately with any and all other LP Units duly issued hereunder.
Section 10.4 Persons Deemed Owners
Prior to due presentment of an LP Certificate for registration of transfer and satisfaction of
the requirements of Section 10.2(b) with respect thereto, (a) the Partnership, the General Partner,
the Transfer Agent and any agent of any of the foregoing may deem and treat the Record Holder as
the absolute owner thereof and of the LP Units evidenced thereby for all purposes whatsoever and
(b) a transferee shall not be entitled to distributions or allocations or any other
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rights in respect of the LP Units evidenced thereby other than the right to further transfer
such LP Units.
Section 10.5 Prohibited Transfers
Subject to Section 13.2, neither the Partnership nor any of its Affiliates shall transfer any
or all of the limited liability company interests of the General Partner and the General Partner
shall not transfer the GP Interest to any Person whatsoever.
ARTICLE XI
[RESERVED]
ARTICLE XII
ADMISSION OF SUBSTITUTED AND ADDITIONAL
LIMITED PARTNERS
LIMITED PARTNERS
Section 12.1 [Reserved]
Section 12.2 Admission of Substituted Limited Partners
A transferee of LP Units shall automatically be admitted to the Partnership as a Limited
Partner (and the transferor of such LP Units shall, if such transferor is assigning all of such
transferor’s LP Units, automatically cease to be a Limited Partner) at and as of the time the
transfer is registered on the Units Register pursuant to Section 10.2.
Section 12.3 Admission of Successor General Partner
A successor General Partner approved pursuant to Section 13.1 or the proviso to Section 14.1
shall be admitted to the Partnership as the successor General Partner, effective as of the date an
amendment or restatement of the Certificate of Limited Partnership is filed with the Secretary of
State of the State of Delaware effecting such substitution; provided, however, that no such
successor shall be so admitted to the Partnership until it has agreed in writing to assume the
former General Partner’s obligations hereunder. This Agreement and the Certificate of Limited
Partnership shall be amended as appropriate to reflect the termination of the former General
Partner as a general partner, if applicable, and the admission of the successor General Partner.
Section 12.4 Admission of Additional Limited Partners
By acceptance of the transfer of any LP Units in accordance with this Agreement or the
issuance of any LP Units pursuant to this Agreement (including in connection with a merger or
consolidation), each transferee of an LP Unit and each Person who is issued LP Units pursuant to
this Agreement (including in connection with a merger or consolidation) (including any nominee
holder or an agent or representative acquiring LP Units for the account of another Person) (i)
shall be admitted to the Partnership as a Limited Partner with respect to the LP Units so
transferred or issued to such Person when any such transfer, issuance or admission is reflected in
the books and records of the Partnership, with or without execution of this Agreement, (ii) shall
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become bound by the terms of, and shall be deemed to have executed, this Agreement, (iii)
shall become the Record Holder of the LP Units so transferred or issued, (iv) represents that the
transferee or Person being issued such LP Units has the capacity, power and authority to enter into
this Agreement, (v) grants the powers of attorney set forth in this Agreement and (vi) makes the
consents and waivers contained in this Agreement. The transfer of any LP Units, the issuance of
any LP Units pursuant to this Agreement, and the admission of any new Limited Partner shall not
constitute an amendment to this Agreement. A Person may be admitted as a Limited Partner or become
a record holder of LP Units without the consent or approval of any of the Partners.
Section 12.5 Amendment of Agreement and Certificate of Limited Partnership
The General Partner shall take all steps necessary and appropriate under the Delaware Act to
amend the records of the Partnership and, if necessary, this Agreement and the Certificate of
Limited Partnership to reflect the admission of any Partner.
ARTICLE XIII
WITHDRAWAL OR REMOVAL OF THE GENERAL PARTNER
Section 13.1 Withdrawal or Removal of the General Partner
(a) Buckeye GP LLC agrees to act as General Partner of the Partnership until the later of (i)
the date which is twenty-five years after the Time of Delivery or (ii) the date the ESOP Loan is
paid in full. At any time after the later of (i) the date which is twenty-five years after the
Time of Delivery or (ii) the date the ESOP Loan is paid in full, the General Partner may withdraw
from the Partnership effective upon at least 90 days’ advance written notice to the Limited
Partners, such withdrawal to take effect on the date specified in such notice, provided that such
withdrawal is approved by an Eighty Percent Interest or the Partnership has received an Opinion of
Counsel that such withdrawal would not result in the loss of limited liability of any Limited
Partner or result in the Partnership or any Operating Partnership being treated as an association
taxable as a corporation for federal income tax purposes. Any such withdrawal shall also
constitute the withdrawal of the OLP GP from the Operating Partnerships, as provided in the
Operating Partnership Agreements. If the General Partner gives a notice of withdrawal, a Majority
Interest may, prior to the effective date of such withdrawal, approve a successor General Partner.
The Person so approved (or its designated Affiliates) shall become the successor general partner or
partners of the Operating Partnerships, as provided in the Operating Partnership Agreements. If no
successor General Partner is so approved, the Partnership shall be dissolved pursuant to Section
14.1. Buckeye GP LLC further agrees that it shall not cause the OLP GP to withdraw as general
partner of any Operating Partnership, except in connection with Buckeye GP LLC’s withdrawal as
General Partner.
(b) The General Partner may be removed only by an Eighty Percent Interest, and only if (i) in
connection therewith, a successor General Partner is approved by a Majority Interest, (ii) the
Partnership shall have received an Opinion of Counsel that the removal of the General Partner and
the approval of a successor General Partner will not result in the loss of limited liability of any
Limited Partner or cause the Partnership or any of the Operating Partnerships to
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be treated as an association taxable as a corporation for federal income tax purposes, (iii)
the successor General Partner or an Affiliate thereof agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the
General Partner and its Affiliates from any liability or obligation arising out of, or causes the
General Partner and its Affiliates to be released from, any and all liabilities and obligations
(including loan guarantees) under fringe benefit plans sponsored by the General Partner or any of
its Affiliates in connection with the business of the Partnership Group, except as otherwise
prohibited by this Agreement, and (iv) all required regulatory approvals for removal of the General
Partner shall have been obtained. Such removal shall be effective upon the admission of the
successor General Partner pursuant to Section 12.3. The Person so approved (or its designated
Affiliates) shall become the successor general partner or partners of the Operating Partnerships,
as provided in the Operating Partnership Agreements.
Section 13.2 Sale of Former General Partner’s Interest
If a successor General Partner is approved pursuant to Sections 13.1 or 14.2 or the proviso to
Section 14.1, such successor shall purchase the GP Interest of the former General Partner for an
amount in cash equal to the fair market value thereof, determined as of the date the successor
General Partner is admitted pursuant to Section 12.3. The fair market value of the GP Interest
shall include the value of all rights associated with being the General Partner. The value of the
GP Interest shall be reduced by the value of the assumption by the successor General Partner or its
Affiliate of the obligations of the General Partner and its Affiliates pursuant to Section
13.1(b)(iii). Such fair market value shall be determined by agreement between the former General
Partner and its successor or, failing agreement within 30 days after the date the successor General
Partner is so admitted, by a firm of independent appraisers jointly selected by the former General
Partner and its successor (or, if the former General Partner and its successor cannot agree on the
selection of such a firm within 45 days after the date the successor General Partner is so
admitted, by a firm of independent appraisers selected by two firms, one of which will be selected
by the former General Partner and the other of which will be selected by the successor).
ARTICLE XIV
DISSOLUTION AND LIQUIDATION
Section 14.1 Dissolution
The Partnership shall be dissolved, and its affairs shall be wound up, upon:
(a) expiration of the term as provided in Section 2.5;
(b) withdrawal of the General Partner pursuant to Section 13.1 (unless a Person becomes a
successor General Partner prior to or on the effective date of such withdrawal);
(c) bankruptcy or dissolution of the General Partner, or any other event that results in the
General Partner ceasing to be a general partner in the Partnership (other than by reason of a
withdrawal or removal pursuant to Section 13.1); or
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(d) an election by the General Partner to dissolve the Partnership which is approved by a
Two-Thirds Interest;
provided, however, that the Partnership shall not be dissolved upon an event described in Sections
14.1(b) or 14.1(c) if, within 90 days of such event, all Partners agree in writing to continue the
business of the Partnership and to the appointment of a successor General Partner.
For purposes of this Section 14.1, bankruptcy of the General Partner shall be deemed to have
occurred when (i) it commences a voluntary proceeding seeking liquidation, reorganization or other
relief under any bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in effect, (ii) it
seeks, consents to or acquiesces in the appointment of a trustee, receiver or liquidator for it or
for all or any substantial part of its properties, (iii) it is adjudged a bankrupt or insolvent, or
has entered against it a final and nonappealable order for relief, under any bankruptcy, insolvency
or similar law now or hereafter in effect, (iv) it executes and delivers a general assignment for
the benefit of its creditors, (v) it files an answer or other pleading admitting or failing to
contest the material allegations of a petition filed against it in any involuntary proceeding of
the nature described in clause (i) above, or (vi) (1) any involuntary proceeding of the nature
described in clause (i) above has not been dismissed 120 days after the commencement thereof, (2)
the appointment without its consent or acquiescence of a trustee, receiver or liquidator for it or
for all or any substantial part of its properties has not been vacated or stayed within 90 days of
such appointment, or (3) such appointment has been stayed but is not vacated within 90 days after
the expiration of any such stay.
Section 14.2 Reconstitution
Upon dissolution of the Partnership in accordance with Sections 14.1(b) or 14.1(c), and a
failure of all Partners to agree to continue the business of the Partnership and to the appointment
of a successor General Partner as provided in the proviso to Section 14.1, then within 180 days
after the event described in Sections 14.1(b) or 14.1(c), a Majority Interest may elect to
reconstitute the Partnership and continue its business by forming a new partnership on terms
identical to those set forth in this Agreement and having as a general partner a Person approved by
a Majority Interest. Upon any such election by a Majority Interest, all Partners shall be bound
thereby and shall be deemed to have consented thereto. Unless such an election is made within such
180-day period, the Partnership shall conduct only activities necessary to wind up its affairs. If
such an election is made within such 180-day period, then (a) the reconstituted partnership shall
continue until the end of the term set forth in Section 2.5 unless earlier dissolved in accordance
with this Article XIV and (b) all necessary steps shall be taken to cancel this Agreement and the
Certificate of Limited Partnership and to enter into a new partnership agreement and certificate of
limited partnership, and the successor general partner may for this purpose exercise the powers of
attorney granted the General Partner pursuant to this Agreement; provided that the right of a
Majority Interest to reconstitute and to continue the business of the Partnership shall not exist
and may not be exercised unless the Partnership has received an Opinion of Counsel that (i) the
exercise of the right would not result in the loss of limited liability of any Limited Partner and
(ii) neither the Partnership nor the reconstituted partnership would be treated as an association
taxable as a corporation for federal income tax purposes.
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Section 14.3 Liquidation
Upon dissolution of the Partnership, unless the Partnership is reconstituted pursuant to
Section 14.2, the General Partner, or in the event the General Partner has withdrawn from the
Partnership, been removed or dissolved or become bankrupt (as defined in Section 14.1), a
liquidator or liquidating committee approved by a Majority Interest shall be the liquidator of the
Partnership (the “Liquidator”). The Liquidator (if other than the General Partner) shall be
entitled to receive such compensation for its services as may be approved by a Majority Interest.
The Liquidator shall agree not to resign at any time without 15 days’ prior written notice and (if
other than the General Partner) may be removed at any time, with or without cause, by notice of
removal approved by a Majority Interest. Upon dissolution, resignation or removal of the
Liquidator, a successor and substitute Liquidator (who shall have and succeed to all rights, powers
and obligations of the original Liquidator) shall, within 30 days thereafter, be approved by a
Majority Interest. Except as expressly provided in this Article XIV, the Liquidator approved in
the manner provided herein shall have and may exercise, without further authorization or approval
of any of the parties hereto, all of the powers conferred upon the General Partner under the terms
of this Agreement (but subject to all of the applicable limitations, contractual and otherwise,
upon the exercise of such powers, other than the restrictions set forth in Article XVII) to the
extent appropriate or necessary in the good faith judgment of the Liquidator to carry out the
duties and functions of the Liquidator hereunder for and during such period of time as shall be
reasonably required in the good faith judgment of the Liquidator to complete the winding-up and
liquidation of the Partnership as provided for herein. The Liquidator shall liquidate the assets
of the Partnership and apply and distribute the proceeds of such liquidation in the following order
of priority, unless otherwise required by mandatory provisions of applicable law:
(a) to creditors of the Partnership (including Partners); and
(b) to the Partners, in proportion to and to the extent of the positive balances in their
respective Capital Accounts;
provided, however, that the Liquidator may place in escrow a reserve of cash or other assets of
the Partnership for contingent liabilities in an amount determined by the Liquidator to be
appropriate for such purposes.
Section 14.4 Distribution in Kind
Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 14.3 requiring the liquidation of the assets of the
Partnership, but subject to the order of priorities set forth therein, if on dissolution of the
Partnership the Liquidator determines that an immediate sale of part or all of the Partnership’s
assets would be impractical or would cause undue loss to the Partners, the Liquidator may, in its
sole discretion, defer for a reasonable time the liquidation of any assets except those necessary
to satisfy liabilities of the Partnership and may, in its sole discretion, distribute to the
Partners, or to specific classes of Partners, as tenants in common, in lieu of cash, and as their
interests may appear in accordance with the provisions of Section 14.3(b), undivided interests in
such Partnership assets as the Liquidator deems not suitable for liquidation. Any distributions in
kind shall be subject to such conditions relating to the disposition and management thereof as the
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Liquidator deems reasonable and equitable and to any joint ownership agreements or other
agreements governing the ownership and operation of such properties at such time. The Liquidator
shall determine the fair market value of any property distributed in kind using such reasonable
method of valuation as it may adopt.
Section 14.5 Cancellation of Certificate of Limited Partnership
Upon the completion of the distribution of Partnership property pursuant to Sections 14.3 and
14.4, the Partnership shall be terminated, and the Liquidator (or the Limited Partners if
necessary) shall cause the cancellation of the Certificate of Limited Partnership and all
qualifications of the Partnership as a foreign limited partnership in jurisdictions other than the
State of Delaware and shall take such other actions as may be necessary to terminate the
Partnership.
Section 14.6 Return of Capital
The General Partner shall not be personally liable for the return of the Capital Contributions
of the Limited Partners, or any portion thereof, it being expressly understood that any such return
shall be made solely from Partnership assets.
Section 14.7 Waiver of Partition
Each Partner hereby waives any rights to partition of the Partnership property.
Section 14.8 Certain Prohibited Acts
Without obtaining Special Approval, the General Partner shall not take any action to cause the
Partnership to (i) make or consent to a general assignment for the benefit of the Partnership’s
creditors; (ii) file or consent to the filing of any bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization
petition for relief under the United States Bankruptcy Code naming the Partnership or otherwise
seek, with respect to the Partnership, relief from debts or protection from creditors generally;
(iii) file or consent to the filing of a petition or answer seeking for the Partnership a
liquidation, dissolution, arrangement, or similar relief under any law; (iv) file an answer or
other pleading admitting or failing to contest the material allegations of a petition filed against
the Partnership in a proceeding of the type described in clauses (i) — (iii) of this Section 14.8;
(v) seek, consent to or acquiesce in the appointment of a receiver, liquidator, conservator,
assignee, trustee, sequestrator, custodian or any similar official for the Partnership or for all
or any substantial portion of its properties; (vi) sell all or substantially all of its assets,
except in accordance with Section 17.3; (vii) dissolve or liquidate, except in accordance with this
Article XIV; or (viii) merge or consolidate.
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ARTICLE XV
AMENDMENT OF PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT
Section 15.1 Amendments Which May be Adopted Solely by the General Partner
Subject to Section 15.3, the General Partner may amend any provision of this Agreement without
the consent of any Limited Partner, and may execute, swear to, acknowledge, deliver, file and
record whatever documents may be required in connection therewith, to reflect:
(a) a change in the name of the Partnership, in the location of the principal place of
business of the Partnership or in the registered office or registered agent of the Partnership;
(b) a change that the General Partner deems appropriate or necessary to (i) qualify, or
continue the qualification of, the Partnership as a limited partnership (or a partnership in which
the Limited Partners have limited liability) under the laws of any state or jurisdiction or (ii)
ensure that neither the Partnership nor any of the Operating Partnerships will be treated as an
association taxable as a corporation for federal income tax purposes;
(c) a change to divide outstanding Units into a greater number of Units, to combine
outstanding Units into a smaller number of Units or to reclassify Units in a manner that in the
good faith opinion of the General Partner, does not adversely affect any class of Limited Partners
in any material respect;
(d) a change that the General Partner deems appropriate or necessary to (i) satisfy any
requirements, conditions or guidelines contained in any order, rule or regulation of any federal or
state agency or contained in any federal or state statute or (ii) facilitate the trading of any
Units or comply with any rule, regulation, requirement, condition or guideline of any National
Securities Exchange on which any Units are or will be listed or admitted to trading;
(e) a change that is appropriate or necessary, as stated in an Opinion of Counsel, to prevent
the Group Members and their respective directors and officers from in any manner being subjected to
the provisions of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the Investment Advisers Act of
1940, as amended, or “plan asset” regulations adopted under the Employee Retirement Income Security
Act of 1974, as amended, whether or not substantially similar to plan asset regulations currently
applied or proposed by the United States Department of Labor;
(f) a change that is required or contemplated by any provision of this Agreement, including,
without limitation, Sections 4.3, 12.3 and 12.5;
(g) a change that in the good faith opinion of the General Partner does not adversely affect
the Limited Partners in any material respect; or
(h) any changes or events similar to the foregoing.
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Section 15.2 Other Amendments
Amendments to this Agreement may be proposed only by the General Partner. Subject to Section
15.3, a proposed amendment (other than amendments adopted pursuant to Section 15.1) shall be
effective only when approved by a Majority Interest. Notwithstanding the provisions of Sections
15.1 and 15.3, no amendment of (i) the definitions of “Audit Committee,” or “Special Approval,”
(ii) Section 7.6, (iii) Section 17.3, (iv) Section 7.9(a), (v) Section 14.8, or (vi) any other
provision of this Agreement requiring that Special Approval be obtained as a condition to any
action, shall be effective without first obtaining Special Approval.
Section 15.3 Amendment Requirements
Notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 15.1 and 15.2, (i) the approval of an Eighty
Percent Interest shall be required for any amendment unless the Partnership has received an Opinion
of Counsel that such amendment would not result in the loss of limited liability of any Limited
Partner or result in the Partnership or any Operating Partnership being treated as an association
taxable as a corporation for federal income tax purposes, (ii) no provision of this Agreement which
establishes a percentage of the Limited Partners required to take or approve any action shall be
amended in any respect which would have the affect of reducing the voting requirement, unless such
amendment is approved by at least such percentage of Limited Partners, and (iii) this Section 15.3
shall be amended only with the approval of an Eighty Percent Interest.
ARTICLE XVI
MEETINGS
Section 16.1 Meetings
(a) Special meetings of Limited Partners may be called by the General Partner or by Limited
Partners holding an aggregate of at least 20% of the outstanding LP Units. Within 60 days after
receipt by the General Partner of a written proposal to call a meeting signed by Limited Partners
holding the requisite number of LP Units and indicating the purpose for which the meeting is to be
called (or such longer period as shall be reasonably required by the General Partner in order to
prepare documents required therefor), the General Partner shall cause a notice of the meeting to be
given to each Limited Partner. A special meeting shall be held at a time and place determined by
the General Partner within 60 days after the giving of notice of the meeting.
(b) (i) An annual meeting of the Limited Partners for the election of Public Directors by the
Public Limited Partners and such other matters as the Board of Directors shall submit to a vote of
the Limited Partners shall be held in [ ] of each year, beginning in 2011, or at such
other date and time as may be fixed from time to time by the General Partner at such place within
or without the State of Delaware as may be fixed from time to time by the General Partner and all
as stated in the notice of the meeting. Notice of the annual meeting shall be given in accordance
with Section 16.2 not less than 10 days nor more than 60 days prior to the date of such meeting.
(ii) The Public Limited Partners shall vote together as a single class for the election of
Public Directors. The Public Limited Partners entitled to vote shall elect by a
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plurality of the votes cast at such meeting (not counting abstentions) persons to serve as
Public Directors on the Board of Directors who are nominated in accordance with the provisions of
this Section 16.1(b). The exercise by a Limited Partner of the right to elect the Public Directors
and any other rights afforded to a Limited Partner under this Section 16.1(b) shall be in such
Limited Partner’s capacity as a limited partner of the Partnership and shall not cause a Limited
Partner to be deemed to be taking part in the management and control of the business and affairs of
the Partnership so as to jeopardize such Limited Partner’s limited liability under the Delaware Act
or the law of any other state in which the Partnership is qualified to do business.
(iii) Each Limited Partner shall be entitled to one vote for each LP Unit that is registered
in the name of such Limited Partner on the record date for such meeting.
(iv) As of the date hereof, after giving effect to the Merger and the adoption of the Holdco
Partnership Agreement (and the Holdco Partnership Agreement shall also provide):
(A) on an ongoing basis, the Public Limited Partners have the right to elect
all of the Directors other than the Directors appointed by Holdco GP;
(B) for so long as BGH GP Holdings, ArcLight Capital Partners, LLC and Xxxxx &
Company and their Affiliates (directly and indirectly), collectively, own 85.0% or
more of the number of LP Units owned by such Persons immediately after the Effective
Time, Holdco GP shall have the right to designate two Directors;
(C) for so long as BGH GP Holdings, ArcLight Capital Partners, LLC and Xxxxx &
Company and their Affiliates (directly and indirectly), collectively, own 42.5% or
more of the number of LP Units owned by such Persons immediately after the Effective
Time, but less than 85.0% of the number of LP Units owned by such Persons
immediately after the Effective Time, Holdco GP shall have the right to designate
one Director;
(D) upon BGH GP Holdings, ArcLight Capital Partners, LLC and Xxxxx & Company
and their Affiliates (directly and indirectly), collectively, ceasing to own 85.0%
or more of the number of LP Units owned by such Persons immediately after the
Effective Time, Holdco GP shall designate one of the two Holdco GP Directors to be
removed, and Holdco shall cause such Holdco GP Directors to resign or be removed
from the Board of Directors; and
(E) upon BGH GP Holdings, ArcLight Capital Partners, LLC and Xxxxx & Company
and their Affiliates (directly and indirectly), collectively, ceasing to own 42.5%
or more of the number of LP Units owned by such Persons immediately after the
Effective Time, Holdco shall cause any remaining Holdco GP Director(s) to resign or
be removed from the Board of Directors, and thereafter the Board of Directors shall
consist only of Public Directors.
(v) With respect to the election of Directors to the Board of Directors, if at any time any
Person or group (as defined for purposes of Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act) beneficially owns
20% or more of the outstanding LP Units, then all LP Units owned by such
36
Person or group in excess of 20% of the outstanding LP Units shall not be voted, and in each
case, the foregoing LP Units shall not be counted when calculating the required votes for such
matter and shall not be deemed to be outstanding for purposes of determining a quorum for such
meeting (but such LP Units shall not, however, be treated as a separate class of Partnership
Securities for purposes of this Agreement). Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, the Board of
Directors may, by action specifically referencing votes for the election of Directors under this
Section 16.1(b), determine that the limitation set forth in the preceding sentence shall not apply
to a specific Person or group.
(vi) The number of Directors that shall constitute the whole Board of Directors shall not be
less than three and not more than nine as shall be established from time to time by a resolution
adopted by a majority of the Directors. The Public Directors shall be divided into three classes,
Class I, Class II, and Class III. The number of Public Directors in each class shall be the whole
number contained in the quotient arrived at by dividing the authorized number of Public Directors
by three, and if a fraction is also contained in such quotient, then if such fraction is one-third,
the extra director shall be a member of Class I and if the fraction is two-thirds, one of the extra
directors shall be a member of Class I and the other shall be a member of Class II. Each Public
Director shall serve for a term ending as provided herein; provided, however, that the Public
Directors designated in the General Partner Agreement to Class I shall serve for an initial term
that expires at the annual meeting of Limited Partners held in 2011, the Directors designated in
the General Partner Agreement to Class II shall serve for an initial term that expires at the
annual meeting of Limited Partners held in 2012, and the Directors designated in the General
Partner Agreement to Class III shall serve for an initial term that expires at the annual meeting
of Limited Partners held in 2013. At each succeeding annual meeting of Limited Partners beginning
with the annual meeting held in 2011, successors to the class of Directors whose term expires at
that annual meeting shall be elected for a three-year term.
(vii) If the number of Directors is changed, any increase or decrease shall be apportioned
among the classes of Public Directors so as to maintain the number of Public Directors in each
class as nearly equal as possible and any additional Public Director of any class elected to fill a
vacancy resulting from an increase in such class shall hold office for a term that shall coincide
with the remaining term of that class, but in no case will a decrease in the number of Directors
shorten the term of any incumbent Director and no decrease in the number of Holdco GP Directors
shall be made except as described in Section 16.1(b)(iv). If a Holdco GP Director is removed or
resigns pursuant to Section 16.1(b)(iv)(D) or (E), the number of Directors that shall constitute
the whole Board of Directors shall automatically be reduced appropriately. A Public Director shall
hold office until the annual meeting of the Limited Partners of the year in which his term expires
and until his successor shall be elected and shall qualify, subject, however, to death, resignation
or removal from office. Any vacancy among the Public Directors (including, without limitation, any
vacancy caused by an increase in the number of Directors on the Board of Directors) may only be
filled by a majority of the Public Directors then in office, even if less than a quorum, or by a
sole remaining Public Director. Any Public Director elected to fill a vacancy not resulting from
an increase in the number of Directors shall have the same remaining term as that of his
predecessor. A Public Director may be removed only for cause and only upon a vote of the majority
of the remaining Public Directors then in office.
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(viii) (A) (1) Nominations of persons for election as Public Directors may be made at an
annual meeting of the Limited Partners only (a) by or at the direction of the Public Directors or
any committee thereof or (b) by any Public Limited Partner who was a Record Holder at the time the
notice provided for in this Section 16.1(b)(viii) is delivered to the General Partner, who is
entitled to vote at the meeting and who complies with the notice procedures set forth in this
Section 16.1(b)(viii).
(2) For any nominations brought before an annual meeting by a Public Limited
Partner pursuant to clause (b) of paragraph (A)(1) of this Section 16.1(b)(viii),
the Public Limited Partner must have given timely notice thereof in writing to the
General Partner. To be timely, a Public Limited Partner’s notice shall be delivered
to the General Partner not later than the close of business on the ninetieth (90th)
day, nor earlier than the close of business on the one hundred twentieth (120th)
day, prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting
(provided, however, that in the event that the date of the annual meeting is more
than thirty (30) days before or more than seventy (70) days after such anniversary
date, notice by the Public Limited Partner must be so delivered not earlier than the
close of business on the one hundred twentieth (120th) day prior to such annual
meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the ninetieth
(90th) day prior to such annual meeting or the tenth (10th) day following the day on
which public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made by the
Partnership or the General Partner). For purposes of the 2011 annual meeting, the
first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting shall be deemed to be
[ ], 201[1]. In no event shall the public announcement of an adjournment or
postponement of an annual meeting commence a new time period (or extend any time
period) for the giving of a Public Limited Partner’s notice as described above. Such
Public Limited Partner’s notice shall set forth: (a) as to each person whom the
Public Limited Partner proposes to nominate for election as a Public Director (i)
all information relating to such person that is required to be disclosed in
solicitations of proxies for election of directors in an election contest, or is
otherwise required, in each case pursuant to and in accordance with Regulation 14A
under the Exchange Act and (ii) such person’s written consent to being named in the
proxy statement as a nominee and to serving as a Public Director if elected; and (b)
as to the Public Limited Partner giving the notice and the beneficial owner, if any,
on whose behalf the nomination is made (i) the name and address of such Public
Limited Partner, as they appear on the Partnership’s books and records, and of such
beneficial owner, (ii) the number of LP Units which are owned beneficially and of
record by such Public Limited Partner and such beneficial owner, (iii) a description
of any agreement, arrangement or understanding with respect to the nomination
between or among such Public Limited Partner and such beneficial owner, any of their
respective Affiliates or associates, and any others acting in concert with any of
the foregoing, (iv) a description of any agreement, arrangement or understanding
(including any derivative or short positions, profit interests, options, warrants,
stock appreciation or similar rights, hedging transactions, and borrowed or loaned
LP Units) that has been entered into as of the date of the Public Limited Partner’s
notice by, or on behalf of, such Public Limited Partner and such beneficial
38
owners, the effect or intent of which is to mitigate loss to, manage risk or
benefit of LP Unit price changes for, or increase or decrease the voting power of,
such Public Limited Partner and such beneficial owner, with respect to LP Units, (v)
a representation that the Public Limited Partner is a Record Holder entitled to vote
at such meeting and intends to appear in person or by proxy at the meeting to
propose such nomination, and (vi) a representation whether the Public Limited
Partner or the beneficial owner, if any, intends or is part of a group which intends
(a) to deliver a proxy statement and/or form of proxy to holders of at least the
percentage of the Partnership’s LP Units required to elect the nominee and/or (b)
otherwise to solicit proxies from Public Limited Partners in support of such
nomination. The General Partner may require any proposed nominee to furnish such
other information as it may reasonably require to determine the eligibility of such
proposed nominee to serve as a Public Director.
(3) Notwithstanding anything in the second sentence of paragraph (A)(2) of this
Section 16.1(b)(viii) to the contrary, in the event that the number of Public
Directors to be elected is increased effective at the annual meeting and there is no
public announcement by the Partnership or the General Partner naming the nominees
for the additional directorships at least one hundred (100) days prior to the first
anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting, a Public Limited Partner’s
notice required by this Section 16.1(b)(viii) shall also be considered timely, but
only with respect to nominees for the additional directorships, if it shall be
delivered to the General Partner not later than the close of business on the tenth
(10th) day following the day on which such public announcement is first made by the
Partnership or the General Partner.
(B) Nominations of persons for election as Public Directors may be made at a special
meeting of Limited Partners at which Public Directors are to be elected pursuant to the
General Partner’s notice of meeting (1) by or at the direction of the Public Directors or
any committee thereof or (2) provided that the Directors or the Limited Partners pursuant to
Section 16.1(a) hereof have determined that Public Directors shall be elected at such
meeting, by any Public Limited Partner who is a Record Holder at the time the notice
provided for in this Section 16.1(b)(viii) is delivered to the General Partner, who is
entitled to vote at the meeting and upon such election and who complies with the notice
procedures set forth in this Section 16.1(b)(viii). In the event the General Partner calls a
special meeting of Public Limited Partners for the purpose of electing one or more Public
Directors, any Public Limited Partner entitled to vote in such election of Public Directors
may nominate a person or persons (as the case may be) for election to such position(s) as
specified in the General Partner’s notice of meeting, if the Public Limited Partner’s notice
required by paragraph (A)(2) of this Section 16.1(b)(viii) shall be delivered to the General
Partner not earlier than the close of business on the one hundred twentieth (120th) day
prior to such special meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the
ninetieth (90th) day prior to such special meeting or the tenth (10th) day following the day
on which public announcement is first made of the date of the special meeting and of the
nominees proposed by the Public Directors to be elected at such meeting. In no event shall
the public announcement of an adjournment or
39
postponement of a special meeting commence a new time period (or extend any time
period) for the giving of a Public Limited Partner’s notice as described above.
(C) (1) Only such persons who are nominated in accordance with the procedures set forth
in this Section 16.1(b)(viii) shall be eligible to be elected at an annual or special
meeting of Public Limited Partners to serve as Public Directors. Except as otherwise
provided by law, the chairman designated by the General Partner pursuant to Section 16.3
shall have the power and duty (a) to determine whether a nomination was made in accordance
with the procedures set forth in this Section 16.1(b)(viii) (including whether the Public
Limited Partner or beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination is made
solicited (or is part of a group which solicited) or did not so solicit, as the case may be,
proxies in support of such Public Limited Partner’s nominee in compliance with such Public
Limited Partner’s representation as required by clause (A)(2)(b)(vi) of this Section
16.1(b)(viii)) and (b) if any proposed nomination was not made in compliance with this
Section 16.1(b)(viii), to declare that such nomination shall be disregarded. Notwithstanding
the foregoing provisions of this Section 16.1(b)(viii) unless otherwise required by law, if
the Public Limited Partner (or a qualified representative of the Public Limited Partner)
does not appear at the annual or special meeting of Public Limited Partners to present a
nomination, such nomination shall be disregarded notwithstanding that proxies in respect of
such vote may have been received by the General Partner or the Partnership. For purposes of
this Section 16.1(b)(viii), to be considered a qualified representative of the Public
Limited Partner, a person must be a duly authorized officer, manager or partner of such
Public Limited Partner or must be authorized by a writing executed by such Public Limited
Partner or an electronic transmission delivered by such Public Limited Partner to act for
such Public Limited Partner as proxy at the meeting of Public Limited Partners and such
person must produce such writing or electronic transmission, or a reliable reproduction of
the writing or electronic transmission, at the meeting of Limited Partners.
(2) For purposes of this Section 16.1(b)(viii), “public announcement” shall
include disclosure in a press release reported by the Dow Xxxxx News Service,
Associated Press or other national news service or in a document publicly filed by
the Partnership or the General Partner with the Securities and Exchange Commission
pursuant to Section 13, 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act.
(3) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 16.1(b)(viii), a
Public Limited Partner shall also comply with all applicable requirements of the
Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder with respect to the matters
set forth in this Section 16.1(b)(viii); provided however, that any references in
this Agreement to the Exchange Act or the rules promulgated thereunder are not
intended to and shall not limit any requirements applicable to nominations pursuant
to this Section 16.1(b)(viii) (including paragraphs A(1)(c) and B hereof), and
compliance with paragraphs A(1)(c) and B of this Section 16.1(b)(viii) shall be the
exclusive means for a Public Limited Partner to make nominations.
(ix) This Section 16.1(b) shall not be deemed in any way to limit or impair the ability of the
Board of Directors to adopt a “poison pill” or unitholder or other similar rights plan
40
with respect to the Partnership, whether such poison pill or plan contains “dead hand”
provisions, “no hand” provisions or other provisions relating to the redemption of the poison pill
or plan, in each case as such terms are used under Delaware common law.
(x) The Partnership and General Partner shall use their commercially reasonable best efforts
to take such action as shall be necessary or appropriate to give effect to and implement the
provisions of this Section 16.1(b), including, without limitation, amending the General Partner
Agreement and Holdco Partnership Agreement such that at all times the General Partner Agreement and
Holdco Partnership Agreement shall provide (i) that the Public Directors shall be elected in
accordance with the terms of this Agreement, and (ii) terms consistent with this Section 16.1(b).
(xi) If the General Partner delegates to an existing or newly formed wholly-owned subsidiary
the power and authority to manage and control the business and affairs of the Partnership Group,
the foregoing provisions of this Section 16.1(b) shall be applicable with respect to the board of
directors or other governing body of such subsidiary.
(c) The Limited Partners owning a majority of the LP Units entitled to vote at a meeting,
represented in person or by proxy, shall constitute a quorum at a meeting of the Limited Partners.
At any meeting of the Limited Partners duly called and held in accordance with this Agreement at
which a quorum is present, the act of Limited Partners owning LP Units that in the aggregate
represent a majority of the outstanding LP Units present in person or by proxy at such meeting and
entitled to vote shall constitute the act of all Limited Partners, unless a greater or different
percentage is required with respect to such action under the provisions of this Agreement, in which
case the act of the Limited Partners owning LP Units that in the aggregate represent at least such
greater or different percentage shall be required.
Section 16.2 Record Date
For purposes of determining the Limited Partners entitled to notice of or to vote at any
meeting or to give approvals without a meeting as provided in Section 16.4, the General Partner may
set a Record Date, which date for purposes of notice of a meeting shall not be less than 10 days
nor more than 60 days before the date of the meeting.
Section 16.3 Conduct of Meeting
The General Partner shall have full power and authority concerning the manner of conducting
any meeting of Limited Partners or the solicitation of proxies or consents in writing, including,
without limitation, the determination of Persons entitled to vote, the existence of a quorum, the
conduct of voting, the validity and effect of any proxies, and the determination of any
controversies, votes or challenges arising in connection with or during the meeting or voting. The
General Partner shall designate an individual to serve as chairman of any meeting and shall further
designate an individual to take the minutes of any meeting, which individuals may be directors or
officers of the General Partner. All minutes shall be kept with the records of the Partnership
maintained by the General Partner.
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Section 16.4 Action Without a Meeting
Any action that may be taken at a meeting of the Limited Partners, other than the election of
Public Directors, may be taken without a meeting if approvals in writing setting forth the action
so taken are signed by Limited Partners holding in the aggregate at least the minimum number of LP
Units that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all the
Limited Partners were present and voted. Prompt notice of the taking of action without a meeting
shall be given to the Limited Partners who have not approved in writing. If approvals to the
taking of any action by the Limited Partners is solicited by any Person other than by or on behalf
of the General Partner, the approvals shall have no force and effect unless and until (a) they are
deposited with the Partnership in care of the General Partner, (b) approvals sufficient to take the
action proposed are dated as of a date not more than 90 days prior to the date sufficient consents
are deposited with the Partnership, and (c) the Partnership receives an Opinion of Counsel that
giving effect to such approvals would not result in the loss of limited liability of any Limited
Partner or cause the Partnership or any of the Operating Partnerships to be treated as an
association taxable as a corporation for federal income tax purposes.
ARTICLE XVII
CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS
Section 17.1 Additional Units
(a) Without the prior approval of a Two-Thirds Interest, the General Partner shall not cause
the Partnership to issue any class or series of LP Units having preferences or other special or
senior rights over the LP Units issued pursuant to Section 4.2.
(b) The General Partner shall not cause the Partnership to issue Units to the General Partner
or any of its Affiliates unless (i) the Units are of a class which is, prior to such issuance,
listed or admitted to trading on a National Securities Exchange and the Net Agreed Value of the
Contributed Property being contributed in exchange for such Units is at least equal to the number
of Units being so issued times the Unit Price of such Units or (ii) such issuance is approved by a
Majority Interest.
Section 17.2 Certain Amendments
(a) Without the prior approval of a Two-Thirds Interest, the Partnership shall not amend, and
the General Partner shall not permit the Partnership or any Operating Partnership to amend, any
compensation arrangement for the General Partner, unless, in any case, such amendment does not, in
the good faith opinion of the General Partner, in its capacity as general partner of the
Partnership or the indirect owner of the general partner of the Operating Partnerships, as
applicable, adversely affect the Limited Partners in any material respect.
(b) The General Partner shall not cause the Partnership to approve any amendment to an
Operating Partnership Agreement pursuant to Section 13.2 thereof unless such amendment is approved
by a Majority Interest.
42
Section 17.3 Sale of Assets
Without the prior approval of a Two-Thirds Interest, the General Partner may not sell,
exchange or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of the consolidated assets owned by the
Partnership and the Operating Partnerships; provided, however, that in the event that less than 80%
of the LP Units are held by the General Partner and its Affiliates, prior Special Approval shall
also be required.
ARTICLE XVIII
[RESERVED]
ARTICLE XIX
GENERAL PROVISIONS
Section 19.1 Opinions Regarding Taxation as a Partnership
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement, the requirement, as a condition to any
action proposed to be taken under this Agreement, that the Partnership receive an Opinion of
Counsel that the proposed action would not result in the Partnership or any of the Operating
Partnerships being treated as an association taxable as a corporation for federal income tax
purposes (a) shall not be applicable to the extent that the Partnership or any of the Operating
Partnerships is at such time treated in all material respects as an association taxable as a
corporation for federal income tax purposes and (b) shall be deemed satisfied by an Opinion of
Counsel containing conditions, limitations and qualifications which are acceptable to the General
Partner.
Section 19.2 Personal Property
The Partnership Interest of any Partner shall be personal property for all purposes.
Section 19.3 Addresses and Notices
Any notice, demand, request, payment or report required or permitted to be given or made to a
Limited Partner under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed given or made when
delivered in person or when sent by first class mail or by other means of written communication to
the Limited Partner at such Limited Partner’s address as shown on the Units Register. Any notice
to the Partnership or the General Partner shall be deemed given if received in writing by the
General Partner at the principal office of the Partnership designated pursuant to Section 2.3.
Section 19.4 Headings
All article or section headings in this Agreement are for convenience only and shall not be
deemed to control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions hereof.
43
Section 19.5 Binding Effect
This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto (including
the additional Persons that become Limited Partners as provided herein) and their heirs, executors,
administrators, successors, legal representatives and assigns.
Section 19.6 Integration
This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement among the parties pertaining to the subject
matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings pertaining thereto.
Section 19.7 Waiver
No failure by any party to insist upon the strict performance of any covenant, duty, agreement
or condition of this Agreement or to exercise any right or remedy consequent upon a breach thereof
shall constitute a waiver of any such breach or of any other covenant, duty, agreement or
condition.
Section 19.8 Counterparts
This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, all of which together shall
constitute one agreement binding on the parties hereto (including the additional Persons that
become Limited Partners as provided herein).
Section 19.9 Severability
If any provision of this Agreement is or becomes invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any
respect, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions hereof, or of such
provision in other respects, shall not be affected thereby.
Section 19.10 Applicable Law
This Agreement shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of
the State of Delaware.
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In Witness Whereof, this Agreement has been duly executed by the General Partner, as of the
date first above written.
Buckeye GP LLC, as General Partner |
||||
By: | ||||
Name: | ||||
Title: | ||||
[Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Buckeye Partners, L.P.]
Annex A
Specimen LP Certificate
[Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Buckeye Partners, L.P.]
ANNEX C
FORM OF STANDSTILL PROVISION
Each party to such Confidentiality Agreement (a “Proposing Party”) agrees that without the
prior written consent of the Audit Committee of Partners GP, for a period of two years from the
date of the Confidentiality Agreement, it will not, and will cause each of its affiliates not to,
directly or indirectly, alone or in concert with other Persons: (i) make, or in any way participate
in, any “solicitation” of “proxies” (as such terms are used in the proxy rules of the SEC) with
respect to Partners LP Units, or advise or seek to influence any Person with respect to the voting
of, or giving of consents with respect to, any Partners LP Units, or form, join, or in any way
participate in, a “group” (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act) with respect
to the Partners LP Units, (ii) acquire or offer or agree to acquire, directly or indirectly, by
purchase or otherwise: (a) any Partners LP Units, (b) any option, warrant, convertible security,
unit appreciation right or other right with an exercise or conversion privilege or a settlement
payment or mechanism at a price related to the Partners LP Units or with a value derived from the
Partners, whether or not such instrument or right shall be subject to settlement in Partners LP
Units (a “Derivative Instrument”), (c) any short interest in the Partners LP Units whereby such
Proposing Party or any of its affiliates, directly or indirectly, through any contract,
arrangement, understanding, relationship or otherwise, has the opportunity to profit or share in
any profit derived from a decrease in the value of the Partners LP Units, (d) any rights to
distributions on the Partners LP Units that are separated or separable from the Partners LP Units,
(e) any performance-related payments based on any increase or decrease in the value of the Partners
LP Units or Derivative Instruments or (f) any assets of Partners or any of its subsidiaries (other
than products or services of Partners acquired in the ordinary course of business, or in connection
with any bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding involving Partners or any of such subsidiaries)
(except that the Proposing Party and its affiliates may acquire through brokerage, investment,
asset management and trading activities in the ordinary course up to aggregate ownership of 4.99%
of the outstanding Partners LP Units directly or derivatively, including through options, warrants,
convertible securities, unit appreciation rights or other rights, short interests, rights to
distributions, or performance related payments described in clauses (b) through (e) and shall have
the right to vote such securities, in each case so long as such Proposing Party shall not have used
any Confidential Information in connection therewith in violation of the Confidentiality
Agreement), (iii) otherwise seek to influence or control, in any manner whatsoever, the management
or policies of Partners (other than in connection with a potential acquisition of Holdings), (iv)
assist, advise or otherwise encourage any other Person to do any of the foregoing, or (v) make any
request to waive, terminate, or amend any portion of this provision (including this clause (v)).
C-1