THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP OF BOARDWALK PIPELINE PARTNERS, LP
Exhibit
3.1
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THIRD
AMENDED AND RESTATED
AGREEMENT
OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
OF
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
ARTICLE
I
DEFINITIONS
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Section
1.1Definitions
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Section
1.2Construction.
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ARTICLE
II
ORGANIZATION
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Section
2.1Formation.
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Section
2.2Name
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Section
2.3Registered Office; Registered Agent; Principal Office; Other
Offices
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Section
2.4Purpose and Business
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Section
2.5Powers.
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Section
2.6Power of Attorney
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Section
2.7Term.
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Section
2.8Title to Partnership Assets.
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ARTICLE
III
RIGHTS OF
LIMITED PARTNERS
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Section
3.1Limitation of Liability.
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Section
3.2Management of Business.
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Section
3.3Outside Activities of the Limited
Partners.
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Section
3.4Rights of Limited Partners.
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ARTICLE
IV
CERTIFICATES;
RECORD HOLDERS; TRANSFER OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS; REDEMPTION OF PARTNERSHIP
INTERESTS
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Section
4.1Certificates
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Section
4.2Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen
Certificates.
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Section
4.3Record Holders
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Section
4.4Transfer Generally.
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Section
4.5Registration and Transfer of Limited Partner
Interests.
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Section
4.6Transfer of the General Partner’s General Partner
Interest.
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Section
4.7Transfer of Incentive Distribution
Rights.
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Section
4.8Restrictions on Transfers
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Section
4.9Taxation Certifications; Ineligible
Assignees.
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Section
4.10Redemption of Partnership Interests of Ineligible
Assignees.
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ARTICLE
V
CAPITAL
CONTRIBUTIONS AND ISSUANCE OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS
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Section
5.1Organizational Contributions
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Section
5.2Contributions by the General Partner and its
Affiliates
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Section
5.3Contributions by Initial Limited
Partners.
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Section
5.4Interest and Withdrawal.
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Section
5.5Capital Accounts.
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Section
5.6Issuances of Additional Partnership
Securities.
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Section
5.7Conversion of Subordinated Units
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Section
5.8Limited Preemptive Right
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Section
5.9Splits and Combinations.
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Section
5.10Fully Paid and Non-Assessable Nature of Limited Partner
Interests
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Section
5.11Establishment of Class B Units.
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ARTICLE
VI
ALLOCATIONS
AND DISTRIBUTIONS
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Section
6.1Allocations for Capital Account
Purposes.
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Section
6.2Allocations for Tax Purposes.
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Section
6.3Requirement and Characterization of Distributions; Distributions to
Record Holders
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Section
6.4Distributions of Available Cash from Operating
Surplus.
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Section
6.5Distributions of Available Cash from Capital
Surplus.
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Section
6.6Adjustment of Minimum Quarterly Distribution and Target Distribution
Levels.
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Section
6.7Special Provisions Relating to the Holders of Subordinated
Units
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Section
6.8Special Provisions Relating to the Holders of Incentive Distribution
Rights.
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Section
6.9Entity-Level Taxation
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ARTICLE
VII
MANAGEMENT
AND OPERATION OF BUSINESS
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Section
7.1Management.
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Section
7.2Certificate of Limited
Partnership
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Section
7.3Restrictions on the General Partner’s
Authority.
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Section
7.4Reimbursement of the General
Partner.
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Section
7.5Outside Activities.
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Section
7.6Loans from the General Partner; Loans or Contributions from the
Partnership or Group Members.
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Section
7.7Indemnification.
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Section
7.8Liability of Indemnitees.
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Section
7.9Resolution of Conflicts of Interest; Standards of Conduct and
Modification of Duties.
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Section
7.10Other Matters Concerning the General
Partner
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Section
7.11Purchase or Sale of Partnership
Securities.
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Section
7.12Registration Rights of the General Partner and its
Affiliates
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Section
7.13Reliance by Third Parties
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ARTICLE
VIII
BOOKS,
RECORDS, ACCOUNTING AND REPORTS
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Section
8.1Records and Accounting.
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Section
8.2Fiscal Year.
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Section
8.3Reports.
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ARTICLE
IX
TAX
MATTERS
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Section
9.1Tax Returns and Information.
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Section
9.2Tax Elections.
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Section
9.3Tax Controversies.
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Section
9.4Withholding.
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ARTICLE
X
ADMISSION
OF PARTNERS
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Section
10.1Admission of Initial Limited
Partners.
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Section
10.2Admission of Substituted Limited
Partners.
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Section
10.3Admission of Successor General
Partner.
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Section
10.4Admission of Additional Limited
Partners.
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Section
10.5Amendment of Agreement and Certificate of Limited
Partnership.
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ARTICLE
XI
WITHDRAWAL
OR REMOVAL OF PARTNERS
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Section
11.1Withdrawal of the General
Partner.
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Section
11.2Removal of the General Partner.
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Section
11.3Interest of Departing General Partner and Successor General
Partner.
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Section
11.4Termination of Subordination Period, Conversion of Subordinated Units
and Extinguishment of Cumulative Common Unit
Arrearages.
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Section
11.5Withdrawal of Limited Partners.
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ARTICLE
XII
DISSOLUTION
AND LIQUIDATION
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Section
12.1Dissolution.
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Section
12.2Continuation of the Business of the Partnership After
Dissolution.
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Section
12.3Liquidator.
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Section
12.4Liquidation.
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Section
12.5Cancellation of Certificate of Limited
Partnership.
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Section
12.6Return of Contributions.
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Section
12.7Waiver of Partition.
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Section
12.8Capital Account Restoration.
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ARTICLE
XIII
AMENDMENT
OF PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT; MEETINGS; RECORD DATE
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Section
13.1Amendments to be Adopted Solely by the General
Partner.
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Section
13.2Amendment Procedures.
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Section
13.3Amendment Requirements.
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Section
13.4Special Meetings.
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Section
13.5Notice of a Meeting.
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Section
13.6Record Date.
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Section
13.7Adjournment.
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Section
13.8Waiver of Notice; Approval of Meeting; Approval of
Minutes.
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Section
13.9Quorum and Voting.
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Section
13.10Conduct of a Meeting.
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Section
13.11Action Without a Meeting.
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Section
13.12Right to Vote and Related
Matters.
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ARTICLE
XIV
MERGER
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Section
14.1Authority.
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Section
14.2Procedure for Merger or
Consolidation.
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Section
14.3Approval by Limited Partners of Merger or
Consolidation.
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Section
14.4Certificate of Merger.
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Section
14.5Amendment of Partnership
Agreement.
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Section
14.6Effect of Merger.
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ARTICLE
XV
RIGHT TO
ACQUIRE LIMITED PARTNER INTERESTS
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Section
15.1Right to Acquire Limited Partner
Interests.
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ARTICLE
XVI
GENERAL
PROVISIONS
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Section
16.1Addresses and Notices.
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Section
16.2Further Action.
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Section
16.3Binding Effect.
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Section
16.4Integration.
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Section
16.5Creditors.
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Section
16.6Waiver.
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Section
16.7Counterparts.
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Section
16.8Applicable Law.
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Section
16.9Invalidity of Provisions.
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Section
16.10Consent of Partners.
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Section
16.11Facsimile Signatures.
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Section
16.12Third Party Beneficiaries.
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THIRD
AMENDED AND RESTATED AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP OF BOARDWALK PIPELINE
PARTNERS, LP
THIS
THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP OF BOARDWALK
PIPELINE PARTNERS, LP dated as of June 17, 2008, is entered into by and between
Boardwalk GP, LP, a Delaware limited partnership, as the General Partner
together with the other Persons who are or become Partners in the Partnership or
parties hereto as provided herein.
WHEREAS,
the General Partner and the other parties thereto entered into that certain
First Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of the Partnership
dated as of November 15, 2005 (the “2005
Agreement”);
WHEREAS,
the General Partner effected an amendment and restatement of the 2005 Agreement
on September 19, 2006 (the “2006
Agreement”);
WHEREAS,
the General Partner effected an amendment of the 2006 Agreement on April 9, 2008
(“Amendment No.
1”);
WHEREAS,
Section 5.6 of the 2006 Agreement, as amended, provides that the Partnership,
without the approval of any Limited Partners, may issue additional Partnership
Securities, or classes or series thereof, for any Partnership purpose at any
time and from time to time, and may issue such Partnership Securities to such
Persons, for such consideration and on such terms and conditions as shall be
established by the General Partner;
WHEREAS,
Section 13.1(g) of the 2006 Agreement, as amended, provides that the General
Partner, without the approval of any Partner, may amend any provision of the
Partnership Agreement necessary or appropriate in connection with the
authorization of issuance of any class or series of Partnership Securities
pursuant to Section 5.6 of the Partnership Agreement;
WHEREAS,
Section 13.1(d)(i) of the 2006 Agreement, as amended, provides that the General
Partner, without the approval of any Limited Partner, may amend any provision of
the 2006 Agreement to reflect a change that the General Partner determines does
not adversely affect the Limited Partners (including any particular class of
Partnership Interests as compared to other classes of Partnership Interests) in
any material respect;
WHEREAS,
the Partnership has entered into a Class B Unit Purchase Agreement, dated as of
April 24, 2008 (the “Purchase
Agreement”), with Boardwalk Pipelines Holding Corp., a Delaware
corporation (“BPHC”);
WHEREAS,
the Purchase Agreement obligates the Partnership to issue limited partner
interests to be designated as Class B Units having the terms set forth herein;
and
WHEREAS,
the General Partner deems it in the best interest of the Partnership to effect
an amendment to the 2006 Agreement in order to provide for (i) the authorization
of a class of Limited Partner Units designated as “Class B Units,” (ii) the
issuance of Class B Units to BPHC pursuant to the Purchase Agreement and (iii)
such other matters as are provided herein.
NOW,
THEREFORE, the General Partner does hereby amend and restate the 2006 Agreement,
as amended by Amendment No. 1, to provide, in its entirety, as
follows:
ARTICLE
I
DEFINITIONS
Section
1.1
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Definitions.
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The
following definitions shall be for all purposes, unless otherwise clearly
indicated to the contrary, applied to the terms used in this
Agreement.
“Acquisition” means any
transaction in which any Group Member acquires (through an asset acquisition,
merger, stock acquisition or other form of investment) control over all or a
portion of the assets, properties or business of another Person for the purpose
of increasing the operating capacity or revenues of the Partnership Group from
the operating capacity or revenues of the Partnership Group existing immediately
prior to such transaction.
“Additional Book Basis” means
the portion of any remaining Carrying Value of an Adjusted Property that is
attributable to positive adjustments made to such Carrying Value as a result of
Book-Up Events. For purposes of determining the extent that Carrying Value
constitutes Additional Book Basis:
(a) Any
negative adjustment made to the Carrying Value of an Adjusted Property as a
result of either a Book-Down Event or a Book-Up Event shall first be deemed to
offset or decrease that portion of the Carrying Value of such Adjusted Property
that is attributable to any prior positive adjustments made thereto pursuant to
a Book-Up Event or Book-Down Event.
(b) If
Carrying Value that constitutes Additional Book Basis is reduced as a result of
a Book-Down Event and the Carrying Value of other property is increased as a
result of such Book-Down Event, an allocable portion of any such increase in
Carrying Value shall be treated as Additional Book Basis; provided, that the amount
treated as Additional Book Basis pursuant hereto as a result of such Book-Down
Event shall not exceed the amount by which the Aggregate Remaining Net Positive
Adjustments after such Book-Down Event exceeds the remaining Additional Book
Basis attributable to all of the Partnership’s Adjusted Property after such
Book-Down Event (determined without regard to the application of this clause (b)
to such Book-Down Event).
“Additional Book Basis Derivative
Items” means any Book Basis Derivative Items that are computed with
reference to Additional Book Basis. To the extent that the Additional Book Basis
attributable to all of the Partnership’s Adjusted Property as of the beginning
of any taxable period exceeds the Aggregate Remaining Net Positive Adjustments
as of the beginning of such period (the “Excess Additional Book Basis”), the
Additional Book Basis Derivative Items for such period shall be reduced by the
amount that bears the same ratio to the amount of Additional Book Basis
Derivative Items determined without regard to this sentence as the Excess
Additional Book Basis bears to the Additional Book Basis as of the beginning of
such period.
“Additional Limited Partner”
means a Person admitted to the Partnership as a Limited Partner pursuant to
Section 10.4 and who is shown as such on the books and records of the
Partnership.
“Adjusted Capital Account”
means the Capital Account maintained for each Partner as of the end of each
fiscal year of the Partnership, (a) increased by any amounts that such Partner
is obligated to restore under the standards set by Treasury Regulation Section
1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(c) (or is deemed obligated to restore under Treasury
Regulation Sections 1.704-2(g) and 1.704-2(i)(5)) and (b) decreased by (i) the
amount of all losses and deductions that, as of the end of such fiscal year, are
reasonably expected to be allocated to such Partner in subsequent years under
Sections 704(e)(2) and 706(d) of the Code and Treasury Regulation Section
1.751-1(b)(2)(ii), and (ii) the amount of all distributions that, as of the end
of such fiscal year, are reasonably expected to be made to such Partner in
subsequent years in accordance with the terms of this Agreement or otherwise to
the extent they exceed offsetting increases to such Partner’s Capital Account
that are reasonably expected to occur during (or prior to) the year in which
such distributions are reasonably expected to be made (other than increases as a
result of a minimum gain chargeback pursuant to Section 6.1(d)(i) or
6.1(d)(ii)). The foregoing definition of Adjusted Capital Account is intended to
comply with the provisions of Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)
and shall be interpreted consistently therewith. The “Adjusted Capital Account”
of a Partner in respect of a Partnership Interest shall be the amount that such
Adjusted Capital Account would be if such Partnership Interest were the only
interest in the Partnership held by such Partner from and after the date on
which such Partnership Interest was first issued.
“Adjusted Operating Surplus”
means, with respect to any period, Operating Surplus generated with respect to
such period (a) less (i) any net increase in Working Capital Borrowings with
respect to such period and (ii) any net decrease in cash reserves for Operating
Expenditures with respect to such period not relating to an Operating
Expenditure made with respect to such period, and (b) plus (i) any net decrease
in Working Capital Borrowings with respect to such period, and (ii) any net
increase in cash reserves for Operating Expenditures with respect to such period
required by any debt instrument for the repayment of principal, interest or
premium. Adjusted Operating Surplus does not include that portion of Operating
Surplus included in clauses (a)(i) and (a)(ii) of the definition of Operating
Surplus.
“Adjusted Property” means any
property the Carrying Value of which has been adjusted pursuant to Section
5.5(d)(i) or 5.5(d)(ii).
“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.
“Aggregate Remaining Net Positive
Adjustments” means, as of the end of any taxable period, the sum of the
Remaining Net Positive Adjustments of all the Partners.
“Agreed Allocation” means any
allocation, other than a Required Allocation, of an item of income, gain, loss
or deduction pursuant to the provisions of Section 6.1, including a Curative
Allocation (if appropriate to the context in which the term “Agreed Allocation”
is used).
“Agreed Value” of any
Contributed Property means the fair market value of such property or other
consideration at the time of contribution as determined by the General Partner.
The General Partner shall use such method as it determines to be appropriate to
allocate the aggregate Agreed Value of Contributed Properties contributed to the
Partnership in a single or integrated transaction among each separate property
on a basis proportional to the fair market value of each Contributed
Property.
“Agreement” means this Third
Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Boardwalk Pipeline
Partners, LP, as it may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to
time.
“Assignee” means a Person to
whom one or more Limited Partner Interests have been transferred in a manner
permitted under this Agreement and who has executed and delivered a Transfer
Application, including a Taxation Certification, as required by this Agreement,
but who has not been admitted as a Substituted Limited Partner.
“Associate” means, when used
to indicate a relationship with any Person, (a) any corporation or organization
of which such Person is a director, officer or partner or is, directly or
indirectly, the owner of 20% or more of any class of voting stock or other
voting interest; (b) any trust or other estate in which such Person has at least
a 20% beneficial interest or as to which such Person serves as trustee or in a
similar fiduciary capacity; and (c) any relative or spouse of such Person, or
any relative of such spouse, who has the same principal residence as such
Person.
“Available Cash” means, with
respect to any Quarter ending prior to the Liquidation Date:
(a) the sum
of (i) all cash and cash equivalents of the Partnership Group (or the
Partnership’s proportionate share of cash and cash equivalents in the case of
Subsidiaries that are not wholly owned) on hand at the end of such Quarter, and
(ii) all additional cash and cash equivalents of the Partnership Group (or the
Partnership’s proportionate share of cash and cash equivalents in the case of
Subsidiaries that are not wholly owned) on hand on the date of determination of
Available Cash with respect to such Quarter resulting from Working Capital
Borrowings made subsequent to the end of such Quarter, less
(b) the
amount of any cash reserves (or the Partnership’s proportionate share of cash
reserves in the case of Subsidiaries that are not wholly owned) established by
the General Partner to (i) provide for the proper conduct of the business of the
Partnership Group (including reserves for future capital expenditures, for
anticipated future credit needs of the Partnership Group and for refunds of
collected rates reasonably likely to be refunded as a result of a settlement or
hearing relating to FERC rate proceedings) subsequent to such Quarter, (ii)
comply with applicable law or any loan agreement, security agreement, mortgage,
debt instrument or other agreement or obligation to which any Group Member is a
party or by which it is bound or its assets are subject or (iii) provide funds
for distributions under Section 6.4 or 6.5 in respect of any one or more of the
next four Quarters; provided, however, that the General
Partner may not establish cash reserves pursuant to (iii) above if the effect of
such reserves would be that the Partnership is unable to distribute the Minimum
Quarterly Distribution on all Common Units, plus any Cumulative Common Unit
Arrearage on all Common Units, with respect to such Quarter; and, provided
further, that disbursements made by a Group Member or cash reserves established,
increased or reduced after the end of such Quarter but on or before the date of
determination of Available Cash with respect to such Quarter shall be deemed to
have been made, established, increased or reduced, for purposes of determining
Available Cash, within such Quarter if the General Partner so
determines.
Notwithstanding
the foregoing, “Available
Cash” with respect to the Quarter in which the Liquidation Date occurs
and any subsequent Quarter shall equal zero.
“Board of Directors” means,
with respect to the Board of Directors of the General Partner, its board of
directors or managers, as applicable, if a corporation or limited liability
company, or if a limited partnership, the board of directors or board of
managers of the general partner of the General Partner.
“Book Basis Derivative Items”
means any item of income, deduction, gain or loss included in the determination
of Net Income or Net Loss that is computed with reference to the Carrying Value
of an Adjusted Property (e.g., depreciation, depletion, or gain or loss with
respect to an Adjusted Property).
“Book-Down Event” means an
event that triggers a negative adjustment to the Capital Accounts of the
Partners pursuant to Section 5.5(d).
“Book-Tax Disparity” means
with respect to any item of Contributed Property or Adjusted Property, as of the
date of any determination, the difference between the Carrying Value of such
Contributed Property or Adjusted Property and the adjusted basis thereof for
federal income tax purposes as of such date. A Partner’s share of the
Partnership’s Book-Tax Disparities in all of its Contributed Property and
Adjusted Property will be reflected by the difference between such Partner’s
Capital Account balance as maintained pursuant to Section 5.5 and the
hypothetical balance of such Partner’s Capital Account computed as if it had
been maintained strictly in accordance with federal income tax accounting
principles.
“Book-Up Event” means an event
that triggers a positive adjustment to the Capital Accounts of the Partners
pursuant to Section 5.5(d).
“Business Day” means Monday
through Friday of each week, except that a legal holiday recognized as such by
the government of the United States of America or the State of Texas shall not
be regarded as a Business Day.
“Capital Account” means the
capital account maintained for a Partner pursuant to Section 5.5. The “Capital Account” of a Partner
in respect of a Partnership Interest shall be the amount that such Capital
Account would be if such Partnership Interest were the only interest in the
Partnership held by such Partner from and after the date on which such
Partnership Interest was first issued.
“Capital Contribution” means
any cash, cash equivalents or the Net Agreed Value of Contributed Property that
a Partner contributes to the Partnership.
“Capital Improvement” means
any (a) addition or improvement to the capital assets owned by any Group Member,
(b) acquisition of existing, or the construction of new, capital assets
(including pipelines, terminals, tankage and other storage, gathering and
distribution facilities and related assets) or (c) capital contribution by a
Group member to a Person that is not a Subsidiary in which a Group Member has an
equity interest, to fund the Group Member’s pro rata share of the cost of the
acquisition of existing, or the construction of new, capital assets (including
pipelines, terminals, tankage and other storage, gathering and distribution
facilities and related assets), in each case if such addition, improvement,
acquisition or construction is made to increase operating capacity, revenues or
cash flow of the Partnership Group, in the case of clauses (a) and (b), or such
Person, in the case of clause (c), from the operating capacity, revenues or cash
flow of the Partnership Group or such Person, as the case may be, immediately
prior to such addition, improvement, acquisition or construction.
“Capital Surplus” has the
meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.3(a).
“Carrying Value” means (a)
with respect to a Contributed Property, the Agreed Value of such property
reduced (but not below zero) by all depreciation, amortization and cost recovery
deductions charged to the Partners’ and Assignees’ Capital Accounts in respect
of such Contributed Property, and (b) with respect to any other Partnership
property, the adjusted basis of such property for federal income tax purposes,
all as of the time of determination. The Carrying Value of any property shall be
adjusted from time to time in accordance with Sections 5.5(d)(i) and 5.5(d)(ii)
and to reflect changes, additions or other adjustments to the Carrying Value for
dispositions and acquisitions of Partnership properties, as deemed appropriate
by the General Partner.
“Cause” means a court of
competent jurisdiction has entered a final, non-appealable judgment finding the
General Partner liable for actual fraud or willful misconduct in its capacity as
a general partner of the Partnership.
“Certificate” means (a) a
certificate (i) substantially in the form of Exhibit A to this Agreement, (ii)
issued in global form in accordance with the rules and regulations of the
Depositary or (iii) in such other form as may be adopted by the General Partner,
issued by the Partnership evidencing ownership of one or more Common Units or
(b) a certificate, in such form as may be adopted by the General Partner, issued
by the Partnership evidencing ownership of one or more other Partnership
Securities.
“Certificate of Limited
Partnership” means the Certificate of Limited Partnership of the
Partnership filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware as
referenced in Section 7.2, as such Certificate of Limited Partnership may be
amended, supplemented or restated from time to time.
“claim” has the meaning
assigned to such term in Section 7.12(d).
“Class B Unit” means a Unit
representing a fractional part of the Partnership Interests of all Limited
Partners and Assignees and having the rights and obligations specified with
respect to the Class B Units in this Agreement. The term “Class B
Unit” as used herein does not include a Common Unit or Subordinated
Unit. A Class B Unit that is convertible into a Common Unit shall not
constitute a Common Unit until such conversion occurs.
“Class B Unit Arrearage”
means, with respect to any Class B Unit, whenever issued, as to any Quarter
within the Subordination Period, the excess, if any, of (a) the Class B Unit
Quarterly Distribution with respect to a Class B Unit in respect of such Quarter
over (b) the sum of all cash distributed with respect to a Class B Unit in
respect of such Quarter pursuant to Section 6.4(a)(i).
“Class B Unit Quarterly
Distribution” means $0.30 per Class B Unit per Quarter, subject to
adjustment in accordance with Sections 6.6 and 6.9.
“Class B Unit Return” means
with respect to any Class B Unit, whenever issued, and as of the end of any
taxable period, an amount equal to the product of (A) the Class B Unit Quarterly
Distribution multiplied by (B) the number of Quarters (or portions thereof)
having occurred in the current taxable period and all prior taxable periods
beginning on or after July 1, 2008.
“Closing Date” means the first
date on which Common Units are sold by the Partnership to the Underwriters
pursuant to the provisions of the Underwriting Agreement.
“Closing Price” means, in
respect of any class of Limited Partner Interests, as of the date of
determination, the last sale price on such day, regular way, or in case no such
sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices on
such day, regular way, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction
reporting system with respect to securities listed on the principal National
Securities Exchange (other than the Nasdaq National Market) on which the
respective Limited Partner Interests are listed or admitted to trading or, if
such Limited Partner Interests are not listed or admitted to trading on any
National Securities Exchange (other than the Nasdaq National Market), the last
quoted price on such day or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and
low asked prices on such day in the over-the-counter market, as reported by the
Nasdaq National Market or such other system then in use, or, if on any such day
such Limited Partner Interests of such class are not quoted by any such
organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices on such day as
furnished by a professional market maker making a market in such Limited Partner
Interests of such class selected by the General Partner, or if on any such day
no market maker is making a market in such Limited Partner Interests of such
class, the fair value of such Limited Partner Interests on such day as
determined by the General Partner.
“Code” means the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as amended and in effect from time to time. Any reference
herein to a specific section or sections of the Code shall be deemed to include
a reference to any corresponding provision of any successor law.
“Conversion Date” means, with
respect any Class B Unit, the time immediately prior to the close of business on
the date of which a Certificate representing such Class B Unit and a duly signed
Conversion Notice have been received by the Partnership.
“Combined Interest” has the
meaning assigned to such term in Section 11.3(a).
“Commences Commercial
Service,” “Commenced
Commercial Service” and “Commencement of Commercial
Service” shall mean the date a Capital Improvement is first put into
service by a Group Member following, if applicable, completion of
construction and testing.
“Commission” means the United
States Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Common Unit” means a Unit
representing a fractional part of the Partnership Interests of all Limited
Partners and Assignees, and having the rights and obligations specified with
respect to Common Units in this Agreement. The term “Common Unit” does not refer
to a Subordinated Unit or a Class B Unit, in each case, prior to its conversion
into a Common Unit pursuant to the terms hereof.
“Common Unit Arrearage” means,
with respect to any Common Unit, whenever issued, as to any Quarter within the
Subordination Period, the excess, if any, of (a) the Minimum Quarterly
Distribution with respect to a Common Unit in respect of such Quarter over (b)
the sum of all Available Cash distributed with respect to a Common Unit in
respect of such Quarter pursuant to Sections 6.4(a)(i) and (ii) and
6.4(b)(i).
“Conflicts Committee” means a
committee of the Board of Directors of the General Partner composed entirely of
two or more directors who are not (a) security holders, officers or employees of
the General Partner, (b) officers, directors or employees of any Affiliate of
the General Partner (other than, if the General Partner is a limited
partnership, directors or managers of the general partner of the General Partner
who otherwise satisfy the requirements of this definition) or (c) holders of any
ownership interest in the Partnership Group other than Common Units and who also
meet the independence standards required of directors who serve on an audit
committee of a board of directors established by the Securities Exchange Act and
the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and by the National
Securities Exchange on which the Common Units are listed or admitted to
trading.
“Contributed Property” means
each property or other asset, in such form as may be permitted by the Delaware
Act, but excluding cash, contributed to the Partnership. Once the Carrying Value
of a Contributed Property is adjusted pursuant to Section 5.5(d), such property
shall no longer constitute a Contributed Property, but shall be deemed an
Adjusted Property.
“Contribution Agreement” means
that certain Contribution and Conveyance Agreement, dated as of the Closing
Date, among the General Partner, the Partnership, the Operating Partnership and
certain other parties, together with the additional conveyance documents and
instruments contemplated or referenced thereunder, as such may be amended,
supplemented or restated from time to time.
“Conversion Date” means, with
respect any Class B Unit, the time immediately prior to the close of business on
the date of which a Certificate representing such Class B Unit and a duly signed
Conversion Notice have been received by the Partnership.
“Conversion Notice” means
notice of conversion of Class B Units substantially in the form of Exhibit B to
this Agreement.
“Cumulative Class B Unit
Arrearage” means, with respect to any Class B Unit, whenever issued, and
as of the end of any Quarter, the excess, if any, of (a) the sum resulting from
adding together the Class B Unit Arrearage as to an Initial Class B Unit for
each of the Quarters within the Subordination Period ending on or before the
last day of such Quarter over (b) the sum of any distributions theretofore made
pursuant to Sections 6.4(a)(iii) and 6.5(a) with respect to an Initial Class B
Unit (including any distributions to be made in respect of the last of such
Quarters).
“Cumulative Common Unit
Arrearage” means, with respect to any Common Unit, whenever issued, and
as of the end of any Quarter, the excess, if any, of (a) the sum resulting from
adding together the Common Unit Arrearage as to an Initial Common Unit for each
of the Quarters within the Subordination Period ending on or before the last day
of such Quarter over (b) the sum of any distributions theretofore made pursuant
to Sections 6.5(a) and (b), 6.4(a)(iii) and (iv) and 6.4(b)(ii) with respect to
an Initial Common Unit (including any distributions to be made in respect of the
last of such Quarters).
“Curative Allocation” means
any allocation of an item of income, gain, deduction, loss or credit pursuant to
the provisions of Section 6.1(d)(xi).
“Current Market Price” means,
in respect of any class of Limited Partner Interests, as of the date of
determination, the average of the daily Closing Prices per Limited Partner
Interest of such class for the 20 consecutive Trading Days immediately prior to
such date.
“Delaware Act” means the
Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act, 6 Del C. Section 17-101, et
seq., as amended, supplemented or restated from time to time, and any successor
to such statute.
“Departing General Partner”
means a former General Partner from and after the effective date of any
withdrawal or removal of such former General Partner pursuant to Section 11.1 or
11.2.
“Disposed of Adjusted
Property” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.1(d)(xii)(B).
“Depositary” means, with
respect to any Units issued in global form, The Depository Trust Company and its
successors and permitted assigns.
“Economic Risk of Loss” has
the meaning set forth in Treasury Regulation Section 1.752-2(a).
“Eligible Holder” means a
Person either (a) subject to United States federal income taxation on the income
generated by the Partnership or (b) in the case of entities that are
pass-through entities for United States federal income taxation, all of whose
beneficial owners are subject to United States federal income taxation on the
income generated by the Partnership. Schedule I to the Transfer Application
provides examples of Persons that are and Persons that are not Eligible
Holders.
“Estimated Incremental Quarterly Tax
Amount” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section
6.9.
“Event of Withdrawal” has the
meaning assigned to such term in Section 11.1(a).
“Expansion Capital
Expenditures” means cash expenditures for Acquisitions or Capital
Improvements. Expansion Capital Expenditures shall include interest
(and related fees) on debt incurred and distributions on equity incurred, in
each case, to finance the construction of a Capital Improvement and paid during
the period beginning on the date that the Partnership enters into a Capital
Improvement and ending on the earlier to occur of the date that such Capital
Improvement Commences Commercial Service or the date that such Capital
Improvement is abandoned or disposed of. Debt incurred or equity
issued to fund such construction period interest payments, or such construction
period distributions on equity paid during such period, shall also be deemed to
be debt or equity, as the case may be, incurred to finance the construction of a
Capital Improvement.
“FERC” means the Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission.
“Final Subordinated Units” has
the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.1(d)(x).
“First Liquidation Target
Amount” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section
6.1(c)(i)(D).
“First Target Distribution”
means $0.4025 per Unit per Quarter (or, with respect to the period commencing on
the Closing Date and ending on December 31, 2005, it means the product of $0.
4025 multiplied by a fraction of which the numerator is the number of days in
such period, and of which the denominator is 92), subject to adjustment in
accordance with Sections 6.6 and 6.9.
“Fully Diluted Basis” means,
when calculating the number of Outstanding Units for any period, a basis that
includes, in addition to the Outstanding Units, all Partnership Securities and
options, rights, warrants and appreciation rights relating to an equity interest
in the Partnership (a) that are convertible into or exercisable or
exchangeable for Units that are senior to or pari passu with the Subordinated
Units, (b) whose conversion, exercise or exchange price is less than the
Current Market Price on the date of such calculation, (c) that may be
converted into or exercised or exchanged for such Units prior to or during the
Quarter immediately following the end of the period for which the calculation is
being made without the satisfaction of any contingency beyond the control of the
holder other than the payment of consideration and the compliance with
administrative mechanics applicable to such conversion, exercise or exchange and
(d) that were not converted into or exercised or exchanged for such Units during
the period for which the calculation is being made; provided, however, that for purposes of
determining the number of Outstanding Units on a Fully Diluted Basis when
calculating whether the Subordination Period has ended or the Subordinated Units
are entitled to convert into Common Units pursuant to Section 5.7, such
Partnership Securities, options, rights, warrants and appreciation rights shall
be deemed to have been Outstanding Units only for the four Quarters that
comprise the last four Quarters of the measurement period; provided, further, that if
consideration will be paid to any Group Member in connection with such
conversion, exercise or exchange, the number of Units to be included in such
calculation shall be that number equal to the difference between (i) the
number of Units issuable upon such conversion, exercise or exchange and (ii) the
number of Units that such consideration would purchase at the Current Market
Price.
“General Partner” means
Boardwalk GP, LP, a Delaware limited partnership, and its successors and
permitted assigns that are admitted to the Partnership as general partner of the
Partnership, in its capacity as general partner of the Partnership (except as
the context otherwise requires).
“General Partner Interest”
means the ownership interest of the General Partner in the Partnership (in its
capacity as a general partner without reference to any Limited Partner Interest
held by it), which is evidenced by General Partner Units, and includes any and
all benefits to which the General Partner is entitled as provided in this
Agreement, together with all obligations of the General Partner to comply with
the terms and provisions of this Agreement.
“General Partner Unit” means a
fractional part of the General Partner Interest having the rights and
obligations specified with respect to the General Partner
Interest. General Partner Units are equivalents of other “Units” for
the allocation and distribution purposes of Article VI only, and shall be
“Units” only for such purpose and for the purpose of other defined terms when
used in Article VI.
“Group” means a Person that
with or through any of its Affiliates or Associates has any agreement, contract,
arrangement, understanding or relationship for the purpose of acquiring,
holding, voting (except voting pursuant to a revocable proxy or consent given to
such Person in response to a proxy or consent solicitation made to 10 or more
Persons), exercising investment power or disposing of any Partnership Interests
with any other Person that beneficially owns, or whose Affiliates or Associates
beneficially own, directly or indirectly, Partnership Interests.
“Group Member” means a member
of the Partnership Group.
“Group Member Agreement” means
the partnership agreement of any Group Member, other than the Partnership, that
is a limited or general partnership, the limited liability company agreement of
any Group Member that is a limited liability company, the certificate of
incorporation and bylaws or similar organizational documents of any Group Member
that is a corporation, the joint venture agreement or similar governing document
of any Group Member that is a joint venture and the governing or organizational
or similar documents of any other Group Member that is a Person other than a
limited or general partnership, limited liability company, corporation or joint
venture, as such may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to
time.
“Holder” as used in Section
7.12, has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 7.12(a).
“Incentive Distribution Right”
means a non-voting Limited Partner Interest issued to the General Partner in
connection with the transfer of all of its interests in Boardwalk Pipelines, LP
to the Partnership pursuant to the Contribution Agreement, which Limited Partner
Interest will confer upon the holder thereof only the rights and obligations
specifically provided in this Agreement with respect to Incentive Distribution
Rights (and no other rights otherwise available to or other obligations of a
holder of a Partnership Interest). Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to
the contrary, the holder of an Incentive Distribution Right shall not be
entitled to vote such Incentive Distribution Right on any Partnership matter
except as may otherwise be required by law.
“Incentive Distributions”
means any amount of cash distributed to the holders of the Incentive
Distribution Rights pursuant to Section 6.4.
“Indemnified Persons” has the
meaning assigned to such term in Section 7.12(d).
“Indemnitee” means (a) the
General Partner, (b) any 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, director, officer, fiduciary or trustee
of any Group Member, the General Partner or any Departing General Partner or any
Affiliate of any Group Member, the General Partner or any Departing General
Partner, (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, member, partner,
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, and (f) any Person the General Partner
designates as an “Indemnitee” for purposes of this Agreement.
“Ineligible Assignee” means a
Person whom the General Partner has determined is not an Eligible
Holder.
“Initial Class B Unit” means
the Class B Units issued pursuant to the Purchase Agreement.
“Initial Common Units” means
the Common Units sold in the Initial Offering.
“Initial Limited Partners”
means Boardwalk Pipelines Holding Corp., the General Partner (with respect to
the Common Units, Subordinated Units and Incentive Distribution Rights received
by it pursuant to Section 5.2), and the Underwriters, in each case upon being
admitted to the Partnership in accordance with Section 10.1.
“Initial Offering” means the
initial offering and sale of Common Units to the public, as described in the
Registration Statement.
“Initial Unit Price” means (a)
with respect to the Common Units and the Subordinated Units, the initial public
offering price per Common Unit at which the Underwriters offered the Common
Units to the public for sale as set forth on the cover page of the prospectus
included as part of the Registration Statement and first issued at or after the
time the Registration Statement first became effective or (b) with respect to
any other class or series of Units, the price per Unit at which such class or
series of Units is initially sold by the Partnership, as determined by the
General Partner, in each case adjusted as the General Partner determines to be
appropriate to give effect to any distribution, subdivision or combination of
Units.
“Interim Capital Transactions”
means the following transactions if they occur prior to the Liquidation Date:
(a) borrowings, refinancings or refundings of indebtedness (other than Working
Capital Borrowings and other than for items purchased on open account in the
ordinary course of business) by any Group Member and sales of debt securities of
any Group Member; (b) sales of equity interests of any Group Member (including
the Common Units sold to the Underwriters pursuant to the exercise of the
Over-Allotment Option); (c) sales or other voluntary or involuntary dispositions
of any assets of any Group Member other than (i) sales or other dispositions of
inventory, accounts receivable and other assets in the ordinary course of
business, and (ii) sales or other dispositions of assets as part of normal
retirements or replacements; (d) the termination of interest rate swap
agreements; (e) capital contributions received; and (f) corporate
reorganizations or restructurings.
“Issue Price” means the price
at which a Unit is purchased from the Partnership, after taking into account any
sales commission or underwriting discount charged to the
Partnership.
“Limited Partner” means,
unless the context otherwise requires, (a) the Organizational Limited Partner
prior to its withdrawal from the Partnership, each Initial Limited Partner, each
Substituted Limited Partner, each Additional Limited Partner and any Departing
General Partner upon the change of its status from General Partner to Limited
Partner pursuant to Section 11.3, in each case, in such Person’s capacity as a
limited partner of the Partnership or (b) solely for purposes of Articles V, VI,
VII, IX and XII, each Assignee; provided, however, that when the term
“Limited Partner” is used herein in the context of any vote or other approval,
including Articles XIII and XIV, such term shall not, solely for such purpose,
include any holder of an Incentive Distribution Right (solely with respect to
its Incentive Distribution Rights and not with respect to any other Limited
Partner Interest held by such Person) except as may otherwise be required by
law.
“Limited Partner Interest”
means the ownership interest of a Limited Partner or Assignee in the
Partnership, which may be evidenced by Common Units, Subordinated Units,
Incentive Distribution Rights, Class B Units or other Partnership Securities or
a combination thereof or interest therein, and includes any and all benefits to
which such Limited Partner or Assignee is entitled as provided in this
Agreement, together with all obligations of such Limited Partner or Assignee to
comply with the terms and provisions of this Agreement; provided, however, that when the term
“Limited Partner Interest” is used herein in the context of any vote or other
approval, including Articles XIII and XIV, such term shall not, solely for such
purpose, include any Incentive Distribution Right except as may be required by
law.
“Limited Partner Unit” means
each of the Common Units, Class B Units, Subordinated Units and other Units
representing fractional parts of the Partnership Interests of all Limited
Partners and Assignees.
“Liquidation Date” means (a)
in the case of an event giving rise to the dissolution of the Partnership of the
type described in clauses (a) and (b) of the first sentence of Section 12.2, the
date on which the applicable time period during which the holders of Outstanding
Units have the right to elect to continue the business of the Partnership has
expired without such an election being made, and (b) in the case of any other
event giving rise to the dissolution of the Partnership, the date on which such
event occurs.
“Liquidator” means one or more
Persons selected by the General Partner to perform the functions described in
Section 12.4 as liquidating trustee of the Partnership within the meaning of the
Delaware Act.
“Merger Agreement” has the
meaning assigned to such term in Section 14.1.
“Minimum Quarterly
Distribution” means $0.35 per Unit per Quarter (or with respect to the
period commencing on the Closing Date and ending on December 31, 2005, it means
the product of $0.35 multiplied by a fraction of which the numerator is the
number of days in such period and of which the denominator is 92), subject to
adjustment in accordance with Sections 6.6 and 6.9.
“National Securities Exchange”
means an exchange registered with the Commission under Section 6(a) of the
Securities Exchange Act, and any successor to such statute, or the Nasdaq
National Market or any successor thereto.
“Net Agreed Value” means, (a)
in the case of any Contributed Property, the Agreed Value of such property
reduced by any liabilities either assumed by the Partnership upon such
contribution or to which such property is subject when contributed, and (b) in
the case of any property distributed to a Partner or Assignee by the
Partnership, the Partnership’s Carrying Value of such property (as adjusted
pursuant to Section 5.5(d)(ii)) at the time such property is distributed,
reduced by any indebtedness either assumed by such Partner or Assignee upon such
distribution or to which such property is subject at the time of distribution,
in either case, as determined under Section 752 of the Code.
“Net Income” means, for any
taxable year, the excess, if any, of the Partnership’s items of income and gain
(other than those items taken into account in the computation of Net Termination
Gain or Net Termination Loss) for such taxable year over the Partnership’s items
of loss and deduction (other than those items taken into account in the
computation of Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss) for such taxable
year. The items included in the calculation of Net Income shall be determined in
accordance with Section 5.5(b) and shall not include any items specially
allocated under Section 6.1(d); provided, that the
determination of the items that have been specially allocated under Section
6.1(d) shall be made as if Section 6.1(d)(xii) were not in this
Agreement.
“Net Loss” means, for any
taxable year, the excess, if any, of the Partnership’s items of loss and
deduction (other than those items taken into account in the computation of Net
Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss) for such taxable year over the
Partnership’s items of income and gain (other than those items taken into
account in the computation of Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss) for
such taxable year. The items included in the calculation of Net Loss shall be
determined in accordance with Section 5.5(b) and shall not include any items
specially allocated under Section 6.1(d); provided, that the
determination of the items that have been specially allocated under Section
6.1(d) shall be made as if Section 6.1(d)(xii) were not in this
Agreement.
“Net Positive Adjustments”
means, with respect to any Partner, the excess, if any, of the total positive
adjustments over the total negative adjustments made to the Capital Account of
such Partner pursuant to Book-Up Events and Book-Down Events.
“Net Termination Gain” means,
for any taxable year, the sum, if positive, of all items of income, gain, loss
or deduction recognized by the Partnership (a) after the Liquidation Date or (b)
upon the sale, exchange or other disposition of all or substantially all of the
assets of the Partnership Group, taken as a whole, in a single transaction or a
series of related transactions (excluding any disposition to a member of the
Partnership Group). The items included in the determination of Net
Termination Gain shall be determined in accordance with Section 5.5(b) and shall not include any items of
income, gain or loss specially allocated under Section
6.1(d).
“Net Termination Loss” means,
for any taxable year, the sum, if negative, of all items of income, gain, loss
or deduction recognized by the Partnership (a) after the Liquidation Date or (b)
upon the sale, exchange or other disposition of all or substantially all of the
assets of the Partnership Group, taken as a whole, in a single transaction or a
series of related transactions (excluding any disposition to a member of the
Partnership Group). The items included in the determination of Net
Termination Loss shall be determined in accordance with Section 5.5(b) and shall not include any items of
income, gain or loss specially allocated under Section
6.1(d).
“Nonrecourse Built-in Gain”
means with respect to any Contributed Properties or Adjusted Properties that are
subject to a mortgage or pledge securing a Nonrecourse Liability, the amount of
any taxable gain that would be allocated to the Partners pursuant to Sections
6.2(b)(i)(A), 6.2(b)(ii)(A) and 6.2(b)(iii) if such properties were disposed of
in a taxable transaction in full satisfaction of such liabilities and for no
other consideration.
“Nonrecourse Deductions” means
any and all items of loss, deduction or expenditure (including any expenditure
described in Section 705(a)(2)(B) of the Code) that, in accordance with the
principles of Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(b), are attributable to a
Nonrecourse Liability.
“Nonrecourse Liability” has
the meaning set forth in Treasury Regulation Section 1.752-1(a)(2).
“Notice of Election to
Purchase” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section
15.1(b).
“Operating Expenditures” means
all Partnership Group expenditures (or the Partnership’s proportionate share of
expenditures in the case of Subsidiaries that are not wholly owned), including,
but not limited to, taxes, reimbursements of the General Partner, non-Pro Rata
repurchases of Units, repayment of Working Capital Borrowings, debt service
payments and capital expenditures, subject to the following:
(a) repayment
of Working Capital Borrowings deducted from Operating Surplus pursuant to clause
(b)(iii) of the definition of Operating Surplus shall not constitute Operating
Expenditures when actually repaid;
(b) payments
(including prepayments) of principal of and premium on indebtedness other than
Working Capital Borrowings shall not constitute Operating Expenditures;
and
(c) Operating
Expenditures shall not include (i) Expansion Capital Expenditures, (ii) payment
of transaction expenses (including taxes) relating to Interim Capital
Transactions or (iii) distributions to Partners. Where capital
expenditures are made in part for Expansion Capital Expenditures and in part for
other purposes, the General Partner, with the concurrence of the Conflicts
Committee, shall determine the allocation between the amounts paid for
each.
“Operating Partnership” means
Boardwalk Pipelines, LP, a Delaware limited partnership, and any successors
thereto.
“Operating Surplus” means,
with respect to any period ending prior to the Liquidation Date, on a cumulative
basis and without duplication,
(a) the sum
of (i) $75 million, (ii) all cash and cash equivalents of the Partnership Group
(or the Partnership’s proportionate share of cash and cash equivalents in the
case of Subsidiaries that are not wholly owned) on hand as of the close of
business on the Closing Date, (iii) all cash receipts of the Partnership Group
(or the Partnership’s proportionate share of cash receipts in the case of
Subsidiaries that are not wholly owned) for the period beginning on the Closing
Date and ending on the last day of such period, but excluding cash receipts from
Interim Capital Transactions (except to the extent specified in Section 6.5),
(iv) all cash receipts of the Partnership Group (or the Partnership’s
proportionate share of cash receipts in the case of Subsidiaries that are not
wholly owned) after the end of such period but on or before the date of
determination of Operating Surplus with respect to such period resulting from
Working Capital Borrowings and (v) the amount of distributions paid on equity
issued in connection with the construction of a Capital Improvement or
replacement asset and paid during the period beginning on the date that the
Partnership enters into a binding obligation to commence construction of such
Capital Improvement or replacement asset and ending on the earlier to occur of
the date that such Capital Improvement or replacement asset Commences Commercial
Service or the date that it is abandoned or disposed of (equity issued to fund
the construction period interest payments on debt incurred (including periodic
net payments under related interest rate swap agreements), or construction
period distributions on equity issued, to finance the construction of a Capital
Improvement or replacement asset shall also be deemed to be equity issued to
finance the construction of a Capital Improvement or replacement asset for
purposes of this clause (v)), less
(b) the sum
of (i) Operating Expenditures for the period beginning on the Closing Date and
ending on the last day of such period, (ii) the amount of cash reserves (or the
Partnership’s proportionate share of cash reserves in the case of Subsidiaries
that are not wholly owned) established by the General Partner to provide funds
for future Operating Expenditures and (iii) all Working Capital
Borrowings not repaid within twelve months after having been incurred; provided, however, that disbursements
made (including contributions to a Group Member or disbursements on behalf of a
Group Member) or cash reserves established, increased or reduced after the end
of such period but on or before the date of determination of Available Cash with
respect to such period shall be deemed to have been made, established, increased
or reduced, for purposes of determining Operating Surplus, within such period if
the General Partner so determines.
Notwithstanding
the foregoing, “Operating
Surplus” with respect to the Quarter in which the Liquidation Date occurs
and any subsequent Quarter shall equal zero.
“Opinion of Counsel” means a
written opinion of counsel (who may be regular counsel to the Partnership or the
General Partner or any of its Affiliates) acceptable to the General
Partner.
“Option Closing Date” means
the date or dates on which any Common Units are sold by the Partnership to the
Underwriters upon exercise of the Over-Allotment Option.
“Organizational Limited
Partner” means Boardwalk Pipelines Holding Corp. in its capacity as the
organizational limited partner of the Partnership pursuant to this
Agreement.
“Outstanding” means, with
respect to Partnership Securities, all Partnership Securities that are issued by
the Partnership and reflected as outstanding on the Partnership’s books and
records as of the date of determination; provided, however, that if at any time
any Person or Group (other than the General Partner or its Affiliates)
beneficially owns 20% or more of the Outstanding Partnership Securities of any
class then Outstanding, all Partnership Securities owned by such Person or Group
shall not be voted on any matter and shall not be considered to be Outstanding
when sending notices of a meeting of Limited Partners to vote on any matter
(unless otherwise required by law), calculating required votes, determining the
presence of a quorum or for other similar purposes under this Agreement, except
that Units so owned shall be considered to be Outstanding for purposes of
Section 11.1(b)(iv) (such Units shall not, however, be treated as a separate
class of Partnership Securities for purposes of this Agreement); provided, further, that the
foregoing limitation shall not apply to (i) any Person or Group who acquired 20%
or more of the Outstanding Partnership Securities of any class then Outstanding
directly from the General Partner or its Affiliates, (ii) any Person or Group
who acquired 20% or more of the Outstanding Partnership Securities of any class
then Outstanding directly or indirectly from a Person or Group described in
clause (i) provided that the General Partner shall have notified such Person or
Group in writing that such limitation shall not apply, or (iii) any Person or
Group who acquired 20% or more of any Partnership Securities issued by the
Partnership with the prior approval of the Board of Directors. Class
B Units will be deemed not to be Outstanding for the purpose of the definition
of “Subordination Period” or the application of Section 5.7(a) for any Quarter
ending on or prior to June 30, 2008.
“Over-Allotment Option” means
the over-allotment option granted to the Underwriters by the Partnership
pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement.
“Partner Nonrecourse Debt” has
the meaning set forth in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(b)(4).
“Partner Nonrecourse Debt Minimum
Gain” has the meaning set forth in Treasury Regulation Section
1.704-2(i)(2).
“Partner Nonrecourse
Deductions” means any and all items of loss, deduction or expenditure
(including any expenditure described in Section 705(a)(2)(B) of the Code) that,
in accordance with the principles of Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(i), are
attributable to a Partner Nonrecourse Debt.
“Partners” means the General
Partner and the Limited Partners.
“Partnership” means Boardwalk
Pipeline Partners, LP, a Delaware limited partnership.
“Partnership Group” means the
Partnership and its Subsidiaries treated as a single entity.
“Partnership Interest” means
an interest in the Partnership, which shall include the General Partner Interest
and Limited Partner Interests.
“Partnership Minimum Gain”
means that amount determined in accordance with the principles of Treasury
Regulation Section 1.704-2(d).
“Partnership Security” means
any class or series of equity interest in the Partnership (but excluding any
options, rights, warrants and appreciation rights relating to an equity interest
in the Partnership), including Common Units, Class B Units, Subordinated Units,
General Partner Units and Incentive Distribution Rights.
“Percentage Interest” means as
of any date of determination (a) as to any Unitholder or Assignee holding Units,
the product obtained by multiplying (i) 100% less the percentage applicable to
clause (b) below by (ii) the quotient obtained by dividing (A) the number of
Units held by such Unitholder or Assignee by (B) the total number of all
Outstanding Units and (b) as to the holders of other Partnership Securities
issued by the Partnership in accordance with Section 5.6, the percentage
established as a part of such issuance. The Percentage Interest with respect to
an Incentive Distribution Right shall at all times be zero.
“Person” means an individual
or a corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust,
unincorporated organization, association, government agency or political
subdivision thereof or other entity.
“Per Unit Capital Amount”
means, as of any date of determination, the Capital Account with respect to any
class of Units, stated on a per Unit basis, underlying any Unit held by a
Person; provided that
in respect of the Common Units, the Per Unit Capital Amount means the Capital
Account, stated on a per Unit basis, underlying any Common Unit held by a Person
other than the General Partner or any Affiliate of the General Partner who holds
Common Units.
“Pro Rata” means (a) when used
with respect to Units or any class thereof, apportioned equally among all
designated Units in accordance with their relative Percentage Interests, (b)
when used with respect to Partners and Assignees or Record Holders, apportioned
among all Partners and Assignees or Record Holders in accordance with their
relative Percentage Interests and (c) when used with respect to holders of
Incentive Distribution Rights, apportioned equally among all holders of
Incentive Distribution Rights in accordance with the relative number or
percentage of Incentive Distribution Rights held by each such
holder.
“Purchase Agreement” means the
Class B Unit Purchase Agreement, dated as of April 24, 2008, between the
Partnership and Boardwalk Pipelines Holding Corp.
“Purchase Date” means the date
determined by the General Partner as the date for purchase of all Outstanding
Limited Partner Interests of a certain class (other than Limited Partner
Interests owned by the General Partner and its Affiliates) pursuant to Article
XV.
“Quarter” means, unless the
context requires otherwise, a fiscal quarter of the Partnership, or, with
respect to the first fiscal quarter of the Partnership after the Closing Date,
the portion of such fiscal quarter after the Closing Date.
“Recapture Income” means any
gain recognized by the Partnership (computed without regard to any adjustment
required by Section 734 or Section 743 of the Code) upon the disposition of any
property or asset of the Partnership, which gain is characterized as ordinary
income because it represents the recapture of deductions previously taken with
respect to such property or asset.
“Record Date” means the date
established by the General Partner or otherwise in accordance with this
Agreement for determining (a) the identity of the Record Holders entitled to
notice of, or to vote at, any meeting of Limited Partners or entitled to vote by
ballot or give approval of Partnership action in writing without a meeting or
entitled to exercise rights in respect of any lawful action of Limited Partners
or (b) the identity of Record Holders entitled to receive any report or
distribution or to participate in any offer.
“Record Holder” means the
Person in whose name a Common Unit is registered on the books of the Transfer
Agent as of the opening of business on a particular Business Day, or with
respect to other Partnership Interests, the Person in whose name any such other
Partnership Interest is registered on the books that the General Partner has
caused to be kept as of the opening of business on such Business
Day.
“Redeemable Interests” means
any Partnership Interests for which a redemption notice has been given, and has
not been withdrawn, pursuant to Section 4.10.
“Registration Statement” means
the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-127578) as it has been or
as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time, filed by the Partnership
with the Commission under the Securities Act to register the offering and sale
of the Common Units in the Initial Offering.
“Remaining Net Positive
Adjustments” means as of the end of any taxable period, (i) with respect
to the Unitholders holding Limited Partner Units, the excess of (a) the Net
Positive Adjustments of the Unitholders holding Limited Partner Units as of the
end of such period over (b) the sum of those Partners’ Share of Additional Book
Basis Derivative Items for each prior taxable period, (ii) with respect to the
General Partner (as holder of the General Partner Units), the excess of (a) the
Net Positive Adjustments of the General Partner as of the end of such period
over (b) the sum of the General Partner’s Share of Additional Book Basis
Derivative Items with respect to the General Partner Units for each prior
taxable period, and (iii) with respect to the holders of Incentive Distribution
Rights, the excess of (a) the Net Positive Adjustments of the holders of
Incentive Distribution Rights as of the end of such period over (b) the sum of
the Share of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items of the holders of the
Incentive Distribution Rights for each prior taxable period.
“Required Allocations” means
(a) any limitation imposed on any allocation of Net Losses or Net Termination
Losses under Section 6.1(b) or 6.1(c)(ii) and (b) any allocation of an item of
income, gain, loss or deduction pursuant to Section 6.1(d)(i), 6.1(d)(ii),
6.1(d)(iv), 6.1(d)(vii) or 6.1(d)(ix).
“Residual Gain” or “Residual
Loss” means any item of gain or loss, as the case may be, of the
Partnership recognized for federal income tax purposes resulting from a sale,
exchange or other disposition of a Contributed Property or Adjusted Property, to
the extent such item of gain or loss is not allocated pursuant to Section
6.2(b)(i)(A) or 6.2(b)(ii)(A), respectively, to eliminate Book-Tax
Disparities.
“Retained Converted Class B
Unit” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section
5.5(c)(iii).
“Retained Converted Subordinated
Unit” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section
5.5(c)(ii).
“Second Liquidation Target
Amount” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section
6.1(c)(i)(E).
“Second Target Distribution”
means $0.4375 per Unit per Quarter (or, with respect to the period commencing on
the Closing Date and ending on December 31, 2005, it means the product of
$0.4375 multiplied by a fraction of which the numerator is equal to the number
of days in such period and of which the denominator is 92), subject to
adjustment in accordance with Sections 6.6 and 6.9.
“Securities Act” means the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, supplemented or restated from time to time
and any successor to such statute.
“Securities Exchange Act”
means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, supplemented or restated
from time to time and any successor to such statute.
“Share of Additional Book Basis
Derivative Items” means in connection with any allocation of Additional
Book Basis Derivative Items for any taxable period, (i) with respect to the
Unitholders holding Limited Partner Units, the amount that bears the same ratio
to such Additional Book Basis Derivative Items as the Unitholders’ Remaining Net
Positive Adjustments as of the end of such period bears to the Aggregate
Remaining Net Positive Adjustments as of that time, (ii) with respect to the
General Partner (as holder of the General Partner Units), the amount that bears
the same ratio to such Additional Book Basis Derivative Items as the General
Partner’s Remaining Net Positive Adjustments as of the end of such period bears
to the Aggregate Remaining Net Positive Adjustment as of that time, and (iii)
with respect to the Partners holding Incentive Distribution Rights, the amount
that bears the same ratio to such Additional Book Basis Derivative Items as the
Remaining Net Positive Adjustments of the Partners holding the Incentive
Distribution Rights as of the end of such period bears to the Aggregate
Remaining Net Positive Adjustments as of that time.
“Special Approval” means
approval by a majority of the members of the Conflicts Committee.
“Subordinated Unit” means a
Unit representing a fractional part of the Partnership Interests of all Limited
Partners and Assignees and having the rights and obligations specified with
respect to Subordinated Units in this Agreement. The term “Subordinated Unit”
does not include a Common Unit. A Subordinated Unit that is
convertible into a Common Unit shall not constitute a Common Unit until such
conversion occurs.
“Subordination Period” means
the period commencing on the Closing Date and ending on the first to occur of
the following dates:
(a) the
second Business Day following the distribution of Available Cash to Partners
pursuant to Section 6.3(a) in respect of any Quarter, in respect of which (A)
distributions of Available Cash from Operating Surplus on each of the
Outstanding Common Units, Class B Units, Subordinated Units, General Partner
Units and any other Outstanding Units that are senior or equal in right of
distribution to the Subordinated Units with respect to each of the three
consecutive, non-overlapping four-Quarter periods immediately preceding such
date equaled or exceeded the sum of the Minimum Quarterly Distribution (treating
the Class B Unit Quarterly Distribution as the Minimum Quarterly Distribution
with respect to the Class B Units for this purpose) on all Outstanding Common
Units, Class B Units and Subordinated Units and any other Outstanding Units that
are senior or equal in right of distribution to the Subordinated Units and the
General Partner Units during such periods and (B) the Adjusted Operating Surplus
for each of the three consecutive, non-overlapping four-Quarter periods
immediately preceding such date equaled or exceeded the sum of the Minimum
Quarterly Distribution (treating the Class B Unit Quarterly Distribution as the
Minimum Quarterly Distribution with respect to the Class B Units for this
purpose) on all of the Common Units, Class B Units, Subordinated Units and any
other Units that are senior or equal in right of distribution to the
Subordinated Units that were Outstanding during such periods on a Fully Diluted
Basis, plus the related distribution on the General Partner Units and (ii) there
are no Cumulative Common Unit Arrearages; and
(b) the date
on which the General Partner is removed as general partner of the Partnership
upon the requisite vote by holders of Outstanding Units under circumstances
where Cause does not exist and no Units held by the General Partner and its
Affiliates are voted in favor of such removal.
“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.
“Substituted Limited Partner”
means a Person who is admitted as a Limited Partner to the Partnership pursuant
to Section 10.2 in place of and with all the rights of a Limited Partner and who
is shown as a Limited Partner on the books and records of the
Partnership.
“Surviving Business Entity”
has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 14.2(b).
“Taxation Certification” means
a properly completed certificate in such form or forms as may be specified by
the General Partner by which a Limited Partner certifies that he (and if he is a
nominee holding for the account of another Person, that to the best of his
knowledge such other Person) is an Eligible Holder and includes a Transfer
Application containing such a certification.
“Third Liquidation Target
Amount” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section
6.1(c)(i)(F).
“Third Target Distribution”
means $0.525 per Unit per Quarter (or, with respect to the period commencing on
the Closing Date and ending on December 31, 2005, it means the product of $0.525
multiplied by a fraction of which the numerator is equal to the number of days
in such period and of which the denominator is 92), subject to adjustment in
accordance with Sections 6.6 and 6.9.
“Trading Day” means, for the
purpose of determining the Current Market Price of any class of Limited Partner
Interests, a day on which the principal National Securities Exchange on which
such class of Limited Partner Interests are listed is open for the transaction
of business or, if Limited Partner Interests of a class are not listed on any
National Securities Exchange, a day on which banking institutions in New York
City generally are open.
“transfer” has the meaning
assigned to such term in Section 4.4(a).
“Transfer Agent” means such
bank, trust company or other Person (including the General Partner or one of its
Affiliates) as shall be appointed from time to time by the General Partner to
act as registrar and transfer agent for the Common Units; provided, that if no Transfer
Agent is specifically designated for any other Partnership Securities, the
General Partner shall act in such capacity.
“Transfer Application” means
an application and agreement for transfer of Units in the form set forth on the
back of a Certificate or in a form substantially to the same effect in a
separate instrument.
“Underwriter” means each
Person named as an underwriter in Schedule I to the Underwriting Agreement who
purchases Common Units pursuant thereto.
“Underwriting Agreement” means
that certain Underwriting Agreement dated as of November 8, 2005 among the
Underwriters, the Partnership, the General Partner and the other parties
thereto, providing for the purchase of Common Units by the
Underwriters.
“Unit” means a Partnership
Security that is designated as a “Unit” and shall include Common Units, Class B
Units and Subordinated Units and, for the purpose of the definition
of “Percentage Interest,” Article VI and defined terms when used in Article VI,
General Partner Units, but shall for no purposes include Incentive Distribution
Rights.
“Unitholders” means the
holders of Units.
“Unit Majority” means, (i)
during the Subordination Period, at least a majority of the Outstanding Common
Units and Class B Units (excluding Common Units and Class B Units owned by the
General Partner and its Affiliates) voting as a single class, and at least a
majority of the Outstanding Subordinated Units voting as a class, and (ii) after
the end of the Subordination Period, at least a majority of the Outstanding
Units voting as a single class.
“Unpaid MQD” has the meaning
assigned to such term in Section 6.1(c)(i)(B).
“Unrealized Gain” attributable
to any item of Partnership property means, as of any date of determination, the
excess, if any, of (a) the fair market value of such property as of such date
(as determined under Section 5.5(d)) over (b) the Carrying Value of such
property as of such date (prior to any adjustment to be made pursuant to Section
5.5(d) as of such date).
“Unrealized Loss” attributable
to any item of Partnership property means, as of any date of determination, the
excess, if any, of (a) the Carrying Value of such property as of such date
(prior to any adjustment to be made pursuant to Section 5.5(d) as of such date)
over (b) the fair market value of such property as of such date (as determined
under Section 5.5(d)).
“Unrecovered Initial Unit
Price” means at any time, (a) with respect to a Common Unit or
Subordinated Unit, the Initial Unit Price of such Common Unit or Subordinated
Unit less the sum of all distributions constituting Capital Surplus theretofore
made in respect of an Initial Common Unit and any distributions of cash (or the
Net Agreed Value of any distributions in kind) in connection with the
dissolution and liquidation of the Partnership theretofore made in respect of an
Initial Common Unit and (b) with respect to a Class B Unit, the Initial Unit
Price of such Class B Unit less the sum of all distributions constituting
Capital Surplus theretofore made in respect of an Initial Class B Unit and any
distributions of cash (or the Net Agreed Value of any distributions in kind) in
connection with the dissolution and liquidation of the Partnership theretofore
made in respect of an Initial Class B Unit, in each case adjusted as the General
Partner determines to be appropriate to give effect to any distribution,
subdivision or combination of such Units.
“U.S. GAAP” means United
States generally accepted accounting principles consistently
applied.
“Withdrawal Opinion of
Counsel” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section
11.1(b).
“Working Capital Borrowings”
means borrowings used solely for working capital purposes or to pay
distributions to Partners, made pursuant to a credit facility, commercial paper
facility or similar financing arrangement; provided that when incurred it is the
intent of the borrower to repay such borrowings within 12 months from other than
additional Working Capital Borrowings.
Section
1.2
|
Construction.
|
Unless
the context requires otherwise: (a) any pronoun used in this Agreement shall
include the corresponding masculine, feminine or neuter forms, and the singular
form of nouns, pronouns and verbs shall include the plural and vice versa; (b)
references to Articles and Sections refer to Articles and Sections of this
Agreement; (c) the terms “include”, “includes”, “including” and words of like
import shall be deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation”; and (d)
the terms “hereof”, “herein” and “hereunder” refer to this Agreement as a whole
and not to any particular provision of this Agreement. The table of
contents and headings contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes
only, and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this
Agreement.
ARTICLE
II
ORGANIZATION
Section
2.1
|
Formation.
|
The
General Partner and the Organizational Limited Partner have previously formed
the Partnership as a limited partnership pursuant to the provisions of the
Delaware Act and hereby amend and restate the original Agreement of Limited
Partnership of Boardwalk Pipeline Partners, LP, as amended prior to the date
hereof, in its entirety. This amendment and restatement shall become effective
on the date of this Agreement. Except as expressly provided to the
contrary in this Agreement, the rights, duties (including fiduciary duties),
liabilities and obligations of the Partners and the administration, dissolution
and termination of the Partnership shall be governed by the Delaware Act. All
Partnership Interests shall constitute personal property of the owner thereof
for all purposes.
Section
2.2
|
Name.
|
The name
of the Partnership shall be “Boardwalk Pipeline Partners, LP”. The
Partnership’s business may be conducted under any other name or names as
determined by the General Partner, including the name of the General Partner.
The words “Limited Partnership,” “L.P.,” “Ltd.” or similar words or letters
shall be included in the Partnership’s name where necessary for the purpose of
complying with the laws of any jurisdiction that so requires. The General
Partner may change the name of the Partnership at any time and from time to time
and shall notify the Limited Partners of such change in the next regular
communication to the Limited Partners.
Section
2.3
|
Registered
Office; Registered Agent; Principal Office; Other
Offices
|
Unless
and until changed by the General Partner, the registered office of the
Partnership in the State of Delaware shall be located at 0000 Xxxxxxxxxxx Xxxx,
Xxxxx 000, Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000-0000, and the registered agent for service
of process on the Partnership in the State of Delaware at such registered office
shall be Corporation Service Company. The principal office of the Partnership
shall be located at 0 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx 0000, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000 or such
other place as the General Partner may from time to time designate by notice to
the Limited Partners. The Partnership may maintain offices at such other place
or places within or outside the State of Delaware as the General Partner shall
determine necessary or appropriate. The address of the General Partner shall be
0 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx 0000, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000 or such other place as the
General Partner may from time to time designate by notice to the Limited
Partners.
Section
2.4
|
Purpose
and Business.
|
The
purpose and nature of the business to be conducted by the Partnership shall be
to engage directly in, or enter into or form, hold and dispose of any
corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other
arrangement to engage indirectly in, any business activities that relate to the
business of gathering, transmitting by pipeline, processing or storing natural
gas (either in gaseous or liquid form) or activities now or hereafter
customarily conducted in conjunction with gathering, transmitting by pipeline,
processing or storing natural gas (either in gaseous or liquid form), that is
approved by the General Partner, in its sole discretion, and any other business
that is approved by the General Partner, in its sole discretion, and in any
event that lawfully may be conducted by a limited partnership organized pursuant
to the Delaware Act and, in connection therewith, to exercise all of the rights
and powers conferred upon the Partnership pursuant to the agreements relating to
such business activity, and do anything necessary or appropriate to the
foregoing, including the making of capital contributions or loans to a Group
Member; provided,
however, that the General Partner shall not cause the Partnership to
engage, directly or indirectly, in any business activity that the General
Partner determines would cause the Partnership to be treated as an association
taxable as a corporation or otherwise taxable as an entity for federal income
tax purposes. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the General
Partner shall have no duty or obligation to propose or approve, and may, in its
individual capacity, decline to propose or approve, the conduct by the
Partnership of any business free of any fiduciary duty or obligation whatsoever
to the Partnership, any Limited Partner or Assignee and, in declining to so
propose or approve, shall not be required to act in good faith or pursuant to
any other standard imposed by this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, any
other agreement contemplated hereby or under the Delaware Act or any other law,
rule or regulation or at equity.
Section
2.5
|
Powers.
|
The
Partnership shall be empowered to do any and all acts and things necessary or
appropriate for the furtherance and accomplishment of the purposes and business
described in Section 2.4 and for the protection and benefit of the
Partnership.
Section
2.6
|
Power
of Attorney.
|
(a) Each
Limited Partner and each Assignee hereby constitutes and appoints the General
Partner and, if a Liquidator shall have been selected pursuant to Section 12.3,
the Liquidator (and any successor to the Liquidator by merger, transfer,
assignment, election or otherwise) and each of their authorized officers and
attorneys-in-fact, as the case may be, with full power of substitution, as his
true and lawful agent and attorney-in-fact, with full power and authority in his
name, place and xxxxx, to:
(i) execute,
swear to, acknowledge, deliver, file and record in the appropriate public
offices (A) all certificates, documents and other instruments (including this
Agreement and the Certificate of Limited Partnership and all amendments or
restatements hereof or thereof) that the General Partner or the Liquidator
determines to be necessary or appropriate to form, 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) in the State
of Delaware and in all other jurisdictions in which the Partnership may conduct
business or own property; (B) all certificates, documents and other instruments
that the General Partner or the Liquidator determines to be necessary or
appropriate to reflect, in accordance with its terms, any amendment, change,
modification or restatement of this Agreement; (C) all certificates, documents
and other instruments (including conveyances and a certificate of cancellation)
that the General Partner or the Liquidator determines to be necessary or
appropriate 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, withdrawal, removal or substitution
of any Partner pursuant to, or other events described in, Article IV, X, XI or
XII; (E) all certificates, documents and other instruments relating to the
determination of the rights, preferences and privileges of any class or series
of Partnership Securities issued pursuant to Section 5.6; and (F) all
certificates, documents and other instruments (including agreements and a
certificate of merger) relating to a merger, consolidation or conversion of the
Partnership pursuant to Article XIV; and
(ii) execute,
swear to, acknowledge, deliver, file and record all ballots, consents,
approvals, waivers, certificates, documents and other instruments that the
General Partner or the Liquidator determines to be necessary or appropriate to
(A) make, evidence, give, confirm or ratify any vote, consent, approval,
agreement or other action that is made or given by the Partners hereunder or is
consistent with the terms of this Agreement or (B) effectuate the terms or
intent of this Agreement; provided, that when required
by Section 13.3 or any other provision of this Agreement that establishes a
percentage of the Limited Partners or of the Limited Partners of any class or
series required to take any action, the General Partner and the Liquidator may
exercise the power of attorney made in this Section 2.6(a)(ii) only after the
necessary vote, consent or approval of the Limited Partners or of the Limited
Partners of such class or series, as applicable.
Nothing
contained in this Section 2.6(a) shall be construed as authorizing the General
Partner to amend this Agreement except in accordance with Article XIII or as may
be otherwise expressly provided for in this Agreement.
(b) The
foregoing power of attorney is hereby declared to be irrevocable and a power
coupled with an interest, and it shall survive and, to the maximum extent
permitted by law, not be affected by the subsequent death, incompetency,
disability, incapacity, dissolution, bankruptcy or termination of any Limited
Partner or Assignee and the transfer of all or any portion of such Limited
Partner’s or Assignee’s Partnership Interest and shall extend to such Limited
Partner’s or Assignee’s heirs, successors, assigns and personal representatives.
Each such Limited Partner or Assignee hereby agrees to be bound by any
representation made by the General Partner or the Liquidator acting in good
faith pursuant to such power of attorney; and each such Limited Partner or
Assignee, to the maximum extent permitted by law, hereby waives any and all
defenses that may be available to contest, negate or disaffirm the action of the
General Partner or the Liquidator taken in good faith under such power of
attorney. Each Limited Partner or Assignee shall execute and deliver to the
General Partner or the Liquidator, within 15 days after receipt of the request
therefor, such further designation, powers of attorney and other instruments as
the General Partner or the Liquidator may request in order to effectuate this
Agreement and the purposes of the Partnership.
Section
2.7
|
Term.
|
The term
of the Partnership commenced upon the filing of the Certificate of Limited
Partnership in accordance with the Delaware Act and shall continue in existence
until the dissolution of the Partnership in accordance with the provisions of
Article XII. The existence of the Partnership as a separate legal entity shall
continue until the cancellation of the Certificate of Limited Partnership as
provided in the Delaware Act.
Section
2.8
|
Title
to Partnership Assets.
|
Title to
Partnership assets, whether real, personal or mixed and whether tangible or
intangible, shall be deemed to be owned by the Partnership as an entity, and no
Partner or Assignee, individually or collectively, shall have any ownership
interest in such Partnership assets or any portion thereof. Title to any or all
of the Partnership assets may be held in the name of the Partnership, the
General Partner, one or more of its Affiliates or one or more nominees, as the
General Partner may determine. The General Partner hereby declares and warrants
that any Partnership assets for which record title is held in the name of the
General Partner or one or more of its Affiliates or one or more nominees shall
be held by the General Partner or such Affiliate or nominee for the use and
benefit of the Partnership in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement;
provided, however, that the General
Partner shall use reasonable efforts to cause record title to such assets (other
than those assets in respect of which the General Partner determines that the
expense and difficulty of conveyancing makes transfer of record title to the
Partnership impracticable) to be vested in the Partnership as soon as reasonably
practicable; provided,
further, that, prior to the withdrawal or removal of the General Partner or as
soon thereafter as practicable, the General Partner shall use reasonable efforts
to effect the transfer of record title to the Partnership and, prior to any such
transfer, will provide for the use of such assets in a manner satisfactory to
the General Partner. All Partnership assets shall be recorded as the property of
the Partnership in its books and records, irrespective of the name in which
record title to such Partnership assets is held.
ARTICLE
III
RIGHTS OF
LIMITED PARTNERS
Section
3.1
|
Limitation
of Liability.
|
The
Limited Partners and the Assignees shall have no liability under this Agreement
except as expressly provided in this Agreement or the Delaware Act.
Section
3.2
|
Management
of Business.
|
No
Limited Partner or Assignee, in its capacity as such, shall participate 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. Any action
taken by any Affiliate of the General Partner or any officer, director,
employee, manager, member, general partner, agent or trustee of the General
Partner or any of its Affiliates, or any officer, director, employee, manager,
member, general partner, agent or trustee of a Group Member, in its capacity as
such, shall not be deemed to be participation in the control of the business of
the Partnership by a limited partner of the Partnership (within the meaning of
Section 17-303(a) of the Delaware Act) and shall not affect, impair or eliminate
the limitations on the liability of the Limited Partners or Assignees under this
Agreement.
Section
3.3
|
Outside
Activities of the Limited Partners.
|
Subject
to the provisions of Section 7.5, any Limited Partner or Assignee 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. Neither the
Partnership nor any of the other Partners or Assignees shall have any rights by
virtue of this Agreement in any business ventures of any Limited Partner or
Assignee.
Section
3.4
|
Rights
of Limited Partners.
|
(a) In
addition to other rights provided by this Agreement or by applicable law, and
except as limited by Section 3.4(b), each Limited Partner shall have the right,
for a purpose reasonably related to such Limited Partner’s interest as a Limited
Partner in the Partnership, upon reasonable written demand stating the purpose
of such demand, and at such Limited Partner’s own expense:
(i) to obtain
true and full information regarding the status of the business and financial
condition of the Partnership;
(ii) promptly
after its becoming available, to obtain a copy of the Partnership’s federal,
state and local income tax returns for each year;
(iii) to obtain
a current list of the name and last known business, residence or mailing address
of each Partner;
(iv) to obtain
a copy of this Agreement and the Certificate of Limited Partnership and all
amendments thereto, together with copies of the executed copies of all powers of
attorney pursuant to which this Agreement, the Certificate of Limited
Partnership and all amendments thereto have been executed;
(v) to obtain
true and full information regarding the amount of cash and a description and
statement of the Net Agreed Value of any other Capital Contribution by each
Partner and that each Partner has agreed to contribute in the future, and the
date on which each became a Partner; and
(vi) to obtain
such other information regarding the affairs of the Partnership as is just and
reasonable.
(b) The
General Partner may keep confidential from the Limited Partners and Assignees,
for such period of time as the General Partner deems reasonable, (i) any
information that the General Partner reasonably believes to be in the nature of
trade secrets or (ii) other information the disclosure of which the General
Partner in good faith believes (A) is not in the best interests of the
Partnership Group, (B) could damage the Partnership Group or its business or (C)
that any Group Member is required by law or by agreement with any third party to
keep confidential (other than agreements with Affiliates of the Partnership the
primary purpose of which is to circumvent the obligations set forth in this
Section 3.4).
ARTICLE
IV
CERTIFICATES;
RECORD HOLDERS; TRANSFER OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS; REDEMPTION OF PARTNERSHIP
INTERESTS
Section
4.1
|
Certificates.
|
Upon the
Partnership’s issuance of Common Units or Subordinated Units to any Person, the
Partnership shall issue, upon the request of such Person, one or more
Certificates in the name of such Person evidencing the number of such Units
being so issued. In addition, (a) upon the General Partner’s request, the
Partnership shall issue to it one or more Certificates in the name of the
General Partner evidencing its General Partner Units and (b) upon the request of
any Person owning Incentive Distribution Rights or any other Partnership
Securities other than Common Units or Subordinated Units, the Partnership shall
issue to such Person one or more certificates evidencing such Incentive
Distribution Rights or other Partnership Securities other than Common Units or
Subordinated Units. Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Partnership
by the President or any Executive Vice President, Senior Vice President or Vice
President and the Chief Financial Officer or the Secretary or any Assistant
Secretary of the General Partner. No Common Unit Certificate shall be valid for
any purpose until it has been countersigned by the Transfer Agent; provided, however, that if the General
Partner elects to issue Common Units in global form, the Common Unit
Certificates shall be valid upon receipt of a certificate from the Transfer
Agent certifying that the Common Units have been duly registered in accordance
with the directions of the Partnership. Subject to the requirements of Section
6.7(b), the Partners holding Certificates evidencing Subordinated Units may
exchange such Certificates for Certificates evidencing Common Units on or after
the date on which such Subordinated Units are converted into Common Units
pursuant to the terms of Section 5.7.
Section
4.2
|
Mutilated,
Destroyed, Lost or Stolen
Certificates.
|
(a) If any
mutilated Certificate is surrendered to the Transfer Agent, the appropriate
officers of the General Partner on behalf of the Partnership shall execute, and
the Transfer Agent shall countersign and deliver in exchange therefor, a new
Certificate evidencing the same number and type of Partnership Securities as the
Certificate so surrendered.
(b) The
appropriate officers of the General Partner on behalf of the Partnership shall
execute and deliver, and the Transfer Agent shall countersign, a new Certificate
in place of any Certificate previously issued if the Record Holder of the
Certificate:
(i) makes
proof by affidavit, in form and substance satisfactory to the General Partner,
that a previously issued Certificate has been lost, destroyed or
stolen;
(ii) requests
the issuance of a new Certificate before the General Partner has notice that the
Certificate has been acquired by a purchaser for value in good faith and without
notice of an adverse claim;
(iii) if
requested by the General Partner, delivers to the General Partner a bond, in
form and substance satisfactory to the General Partner, with surety or sureties
and with fixed or open penalty as the General Partner may direct to indemnify
the Partnership, the Partners, the General Partner and the Transfer Agent
against any claim that may be made on account of the alleged loss, destruction
or theft of the Certificate; and
(iv) satisfies
any other reasonable requirements imposed by the General Partner.
If a
Limited Partner or Assignee fails to notify the General Partner within a
reasonable period of time after he has notice of the loss, destruction or theft
of a Certificate, and a transfer of the Limited Partner Interests represented by
the Certificate is registered before the Partnership, the General Partner or the
Transfer Agent receives such notification, the Limited Partner or Assignee shall
be precluded from making any claim against the Partnership, the General Partner
or the Transfer Agent for such transfer or for a new Certificate.
(c) As a
condition to the issuance of any new Certificate under this Section 4.2, 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 and any other
expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Transfer Agent) reasonably
connected therewith.
Section
4.3
|
Record
Holders.
|
The
Partnership shall be entitled to recognize the Record Holder as the Partner or
Assignee with respect to any Partnership Interest and, accordingly, shall not be
bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to, or interest in, such
Partnership Interest on the part of any other Person, regardless of whether the
Partnership shall have actual or other notice thereof, except as otherwise
provided by law or any applicable rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of
any National Securities Exchange on which such Partnership Interests are listed
or admitted to trading. Without limiting the foregoing, when a Person (such as a
broker, dealer, bank, trust company or clearing corporation or an agent of any
of the foregoing) is acting as nominee, agent or in some other representative
capacity for another Person in acquiring and/or holding Partnership Interests,
as between the Partnership on the one hand, and such other Persons on the other,
such representative Person (a) shall be the Partner or Assignee (as the case may
be) of record and beneficially, and (b) shall be bound by this Agreement and
shall have the rights and obligations of a Partner or Assignee (as the case may
be) hereunder and as, and to the extent, provided for herein.
Section
4.4
|
Transfer
Generally.
|
(a) The term
“transfer,” when used in this Agreement with respect to a Partnership Interest,
shall be deemed to refer to a transaction (i) by which the General Partner
assigns its General Partner Units to another Person or by which a holder of
Incentive Distribution Rights assigns its Incentive Distribution Rights to
another Person, and includes a sale, assignment, gift, pledge, encumbrance,
hypothecation, mortgage, exchange or any other disposition by law or otherwise
or (ii) by which the holder of a Limited Partner Interest (other than an
Incentive Distribution Right) assigns such Limited Partner Interest to another
Person who is or becomes a Limited Partner or an Assignee, and includes a sale,
assignment, gift, exchange or any other disposition by law or otherwise,
including any transfer upon foreclosure of any pledge, encumbrance,
hypothecation or mortgage.
(b) No
Partnership Interest shall be transferred, in whole or in part, except in
accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in this Article IV. Any
transfer or purported transfer of a Partnership Interest not made in accordance
with this Article IV shall be null and void.
(c) Nothing
contained in this Agreement shall be construed to prevent a disposition by any
stockholder, member, partner or other owner of the General Partner of any or all
of the shares of stock, membership interests, partnership interests or other
ownership interests in the General Partner.
Section
4.5
|
Registration
and Transfer of Limited Partner
Interests.
|
(a) The
General Partner shall keep or cause to be kept on behalf of the Partnership a
register in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe
and subject to the provisions of Section 4.5(b), the Partnership will provide
for the registration and transfer of Limited Partner Interests. The Transfer
Agent is hereby appointed registrar and transfer agent for the purpose of
registering Common Units and transfers of such Common Units as herein provided.
The Partnership shall not recognize transfers of Certificates evidencing Limited
Partner Interests unless such transfers are effected in the manner described in
this Section 4.5. Upon surrender of a Certificate for registration of transfer
of any Limited Partner Interests evidenced by a Certificate, and subject to the
provisions of Section 4.5(b), the appropriate officers of the General Partner on
behalf of the Partnership shall execute and deliver, and in the case of Common
Units, the Transfer Agent shall 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 Certificates evidencing the same
aggregate number and type of Limited Partner Interests as was evidenced by the
Certificate so surrendered.
(b) Except as
otherwise provided in Section 4.9, the General Partner shall not recognize any
transfer of Limited Partner Interests until the Certificates evidencing such
Limited Partner Interests are surrendered for registration of transfer and such
Certificates are accompanied by a Transfer Application, properly completed and
including a Taxation Certification, duly executed by the transferee (or the
transferee’s attorney-in-fact duly authorized in writing). No charge shall be
imposed by the General Partner for such transfer; provided, that as a condition
to the issuance of any new Certificate under this Section 4.5, the General
Partner may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other
governmental charge that may be imposed with respect thereto. No
distributions or allocations will be made in respect of the Limited Partner
Interests until a properly completed Transfer Application has been
delivered.
(c) Limited
Partner Interests may be transferred only in the manner described in this
Section 4.5. The transfer of any Limited Partner Interests and the admission of
any new Limited Partner shall not constitute an amendment to this
Agreement.
(d) Until
admitted as a Substituted Limited Partner pursuant to Section 10.2, the Record
Holder of a Limited Partner Interest shall be an Assignee in respect of such
Limited Partner Interest. Limited Partners may include custodians, nominees or
any other individual or entity in its own or any representative
capacity.
(e) A
transferee of a Limited Partner Interest who has completed and delivered a
Transfer Application shall be deemed to have (i) requested admission as a
Substituted Limited Partner, (ii) agreed to comply with and be bound by and to
have executed this Agreement, (iii) represented and warranted that such
transferee has the right, power and authority and, if an individual, the
capacity to enter into this Agreement, (iv) granted the powers of attorney set
forth in this Agreement, and (v) given the consents and approvals and made the
waivers contained in this Agreement.
(f) The
General Partner and its Affiliates shall have the right at any time to transfer
their Subordinated Units and Common Units (whether issued upon conversion of the
Subordinated Units or otherwise) to one or more Persons.
Section
4.6
|
Transfer
of the General Partner’s General Partner
Interest.
|
(a) Subject
to Section 4.6(c) below, prior to September 30, 2015, the General Partner shall
not transfer all or any part of its General Partner Interest to a Person unless
such transfer (i) has been approved by the prior written consent or vote of the
holders of at least a majority of the Outstanding Common Units (excluding Common
Units held by the General Partner and its Affiliates) or (ii) is of all, but not
less than all, of its General Partner Interest to (A) an Affiliate of the
General Partner (other than an individual) or (B) another Person (other than an
individual) in connection with the merger or consolidation of the General
Partner with or into such other Person or the transfer by the General Partner of
all or substantially all of its assets to such other Person.
(b) Subject
to Section 4.6(c) below, on or after September 30, 2015, the General Partner may
transfer all or any of its General Partner Interest without Unitholder
approval.
(c) Notwithstanding
anything herein to the contrary, no transfer by the General Partner of all or
any part of its General Partner Interest to another Person shall be permitted
unless (i) the transferee agrees to assume the rights and duties of the General
Partner under this Agreement and to be bound by the provisions of this
Agreement, (ii) the Partnership receives an Opinion of Counsel that such
transfer would not result in the loss of limited liability under Delaware
law of any Limited
Partner or cause the Partnership to be treated as an association taxable as a
corporation or otherwise to be taxed as an entity for federal income tax
purposes (to the extent not already so treated or taxed) and (iii) such
transferee also agrees to purchase all (or the appropriate portion thereof, if
applicable) of the partnership or membership interest of the General Partner as
the general partner or managing member, if any, of each other Group
Member. In the case of a transfer pursuant to and in compliance with
this Section 4.6, the transferee or successor (as the case may be) shall,
subject to compliance with the terms of Section 10.3, be admitted to the
Partnership as the General Partner immediately prior to the transfer of the
General Partner Interest, and the business of the Partnership shall continue
without dissolution.
Section
4.7
|
Transfer
of Incentive Distribution Rights.
|
Prior to
September 30, 2015, a holder of Incentive Distribution Rights may transfer any
or all of the Incentive Distribution Rights held by such holder without any
consent of the Unitholders to (a) an Affiliate of such holder (other than an
individual) or (b) another Person (other than an individual) in connection with
(i) the merger or consolidation of such holder of Incentive Distribution Rights
with or into such other Person, (ii) the transfer by such holder of all or
substantially all of its assets to such other Person or (iii) the sale of all
the ownership interests in such holder. Any other transfer of the Incentive
Distribution Rights prior to September 30, 2015 shall require the prior approval
of holders of at least a majority of the Outstanding Common Units (excluding
Common Units held by the General Partner and its Affiliates). On or
after September 30, 2015, the General Partner or any other holder of Incentive
Distribution Rights may transfer any or all of its Incentive Distribution Rights
without Unitholder approval. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, no
transfer of Incentive Distribution Rights to another Person shall be permitted
unless the transferee agrees to be bound by the provisions of this
Agreement. The General Partner and any transferee or transferees of
the Incentive Distribution Rights may agree in a separate instrument as to the
General Partner’s exercise of its rights with respect to the Incentive
Distribution Rights under Section 11.3 hereof.
Section
4.8
|
Restrictions
on Transfers.
|
(a) Except as
provided in Section 4.8(d) below, but notwithstanding the other provisions of
this Article IV, no transfer of any Partnership Interests shall be made if such
transfer would (i) violate the then applicable federal or state securities laws
or rules and regulations of the Commission, any state securities commission or
any other governmental authority with jurisdiction over such transfer, (ii)
terminate the existence or qualification of the Partnership under the laws of
the jurisdiction of its formation, or (iii) cause the Partnership to be
treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise to be taxed as
an entity for federal income tax purposes (to the extent not already so treated
or taxed).
(b) The
General Partner may impose restrictions on the transfer of Partnership Interests
if it receives an Opinion of Counsel that such restrictions are necessary to
avoid a significant risk of the Partnership becoming taxable as a corporation or
otherwise becoming taxable as an entity for federal income tax purposes. The
General Partner may impose such restrictions by amending this Agreement; provided, however, that any amendment
that would result in the delisting or suspension of trading of any class of
Limited Partner Interests on the principal National Securities Exchange on which
such class of Limited Partner Interests is then listed or admitted to trading
must be approved, prior to such amendment being effected, by the holders of at
least a majority of the Outstanding Limited Partner Interests of such
class.
(c) The
transfer of a Subordinated Unit that has converted into a Common Unit shall be
subject to the restrictions imposed by Section 6.7(b).
(d) Nothing
contained in this Article IV, or elsewhere in this Agreement, shall preclude the
settlement of any transactions involving Partnership Interests entered into
through the facilities of any National Securities Exchange on which such
Partnership Interests are listed or admitted to trading.
(e) Each
certificate evidencing Partnership Interests shall bear a conspicuous legend in
substantially the following form:
THE
HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY ACKNOWLEDGES FOR THE BENEFIT OF BOARDWALK PIPELINE
PARTNERS, LP THAT THIS SECURITY MAY NOT BE SOLD, OFFERED, RESOLD, PLEDGED OR
OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED IF SUCH TRANSFER WOULD (A) VIOLATE THE THEN APPLICABLE
FEDERAL OR STATE SECURITIES LAWS OR RULES AND REGULATIONS OF THE SECURITIES AND
EXCHANGE COMMISSION, ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION OR ANY OTHER GOVERNMENTAL
AUTHORITY WITH JURISDICTION OVER SUCH TRANSFER, (B) TERMINATE THE EXISTENCE OR
QUALIFICATION OF BOARDWALK PIPELINE PARTNERS, LP UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF
DELAWARE, OR (C) CAUSE BOARDWALK PIPELINE PARTNERS, LP TO BE TREATED AS AN
ASSOCIATION TAXABLE AS A CORPORATION OR OTHERWISE TO BE TAXED AS AN ENTITY FOR
FEDERAL INCOME TAX PURPOSES (TO THE EXTENT NOT ALREADY SO TREATED OR
TAXED). BOARDWALK GP, LP, THE GENERAL PARTNER OF BOARDWALK PIPELINE
PARTNERS, LP, MAY IMPOSE ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS ON THE TRANSFER OF THIS
SECURITY IF IT RECEIVES AN OPINION OF COUNSEL THAT SUCH RESTRICTIONS ARE
NECESSARY TO AVOID A SIGNIFICANT RISK OF BOARDWALK PIPELINE PARTNERS, LP
BECOMING TAXABLE AS A CORPORATION OR OTHERWISE BECOMING TAXABLE AS AN ENTITY FOR
FEDERAL INCOME TAX PURPOSES. THE RESTRICTIONS SET FORTH ABOVE SHALL NOT PRECLUDE
THE SETTLEMENT OF ANY TRANSACTIONS INVOLVING THIS SECURITY ENTERED INTO THROUGH
THE FACILITIES OF ANY NATIONAL SECURITIES EXCHANGE ON WHICH THIS SECURITY IS
LISTED OR ADMITTED TO TRADING.
Section
4.9
|
Taxation Certifications;
Ineligible Assignees.
|
(a) If a
transferee of a Limited Partner Interest fails to furnish a properly completed
Taxation Certification in a Transfer Application or if, upon receipt of such
Taxation Certification or otherwise, the General Partner determines that such
transferee is not an Eligible Holder, the Limited Partner Interests owned by
such transferee shall be subject to redemption in accordance with the provisions
of Section 4.10.
(b) The
General Partner may request any Limited Partner or Assignee to furnish to the
General Partner, within 30 days after receipt of such request, an executed
Taxation Certification or such other information concerning his federal income
tax status with respect to the income and loss generated by the Partnership (or,
if the Limited Partner or Assignee is a nominee holding for the account of
another Person, the federal income tax status of such Person) as the General
Partner may request. If a Limited Partner or Assignee fails to
furnish to the General Partner within the aforementioned 30-day period such
Taxation Certification or other requested information or if upon receipt of such
Taxation Certification or other requested information the General Partner
determines that a Limited Partner or Assignee is not an Eligible Holder, the
Limited Partner Interests owned by such Limited Partner or Assignee shall be
subject to redemption in accordance with the provisions of Section 4.10. In
addition, the General Partner may require that the status of any such Limited
Partner or Assignee be changed to that of an Ineligible Assignee and, thereupon,
the General Partner shall be substituted for such Ineligible Assignee as the
Limited Partner in respect of the Ineligible Assignee’s Limited Partner
Interests.
(c) The
General Partner shall, in exercising voting rights in respect of Limited Partner
Interests held by it on behalf of Ineligible Assignee, distribute the votes in
the same ratios as the votes of Partners (including the General Partner) in
respect of Limited Partner Interests other than those of Ineligible Assignee are
cast, either for, against or abstaining as to the matter.
(d) At any
time after an Ineligible Assignee can and does certify that it has become an
Eligible Holder, such Ineligible Assignee may, upon application to the General
Partner, request admission as a Substituted Limited Partner with respect to any
Limited Partner Interests of such Ineligible Assignee not redeemed pursuant to
Section 4.10, and upon admission of such Ineligible Assignee pursuant to Section
10.2, the General Partner shall cease to be deemed to be the Limited Partner in
respect of such Ineligible Assignee’s Limited Partner Interests.
Section
4.10
|
Redemption
of Partnership Interests of Ineligible
Assignees.
|
(a) If at any
time a Limited Partner, Assignee or transferee fails to furnish a Taxation
Certification or other information requested within the 30-day period specified
in Section 4.9(b) or in a Transfer Application, or
if upon receipt of such Taxation Certification or other information the General
Partner determines, with the advice of counsel, that a Limited Partner, Assignee
or transferee is not an Eligible Holder, the Partnership may, unless the Limited
Partner, Assignee or transferee establishes to the satisfaction of the General
Partner that such Limited Partner, Assignee or transferee is an Eligible Holder
or has transferred his Partnership Interests to a Person who is an Eligible
Holder and who furnishes a Taxation Certification to the General Partner prior
to the date fixed for redemption as provided below, redeem the Limited Partner
Interest of such Limited Partner, Assignee or transferee as
follows:
(i) The
General Partner shall, not later than the 30th day before the date fixed for
redemption, give notice of redemption to the Limited Partner, Assignee or
transferee, at his last address designated on the records of the Partnership or
the Transfer Agent, by registered or certified mail, postage
prepaid. The notice shall be deemed to have been given when so
mailed. The notice shall specify the Redeemable Interests, the date
fixed for redemption, the place of payment, that payment of the redemption price
will be made upon surrender of the Certificate evidencing the Redeemable
Interests and that by virtue of the Limited Partner, Assignee or transferee’s
status as an Ineligible Assignee, no further allocations or distributions to
which such Person would otherwise be entitled in respect of the Redeemable
Interests will accrue or be made.
(ii) The
aggregate redemption price for Redeemable Interests shall be an amount equal to
the lesser of (i) the Current Market Price (the date of determination of which
shall be the date fixed for redemption) of Limited Partner Interests of the
class to be so redeemed and (ii) the price paid for such Limited
Partner Interests by the Limited Partner, Assignee or transferee. The redemption
price shall be paid, as determined by the General Partner, in cash or by
delivery of a promissory note of the Partnership in the principal amount of the
redemption price, bearing interest at the rate of 5% annually and payable in
three equal annual installments of principal together with accrued interest,
commencing one year after the redemption date.
(iii) Upon
surrender by or on behalf of the Limited Partner, Assignee or transferee, at the
place specified in the notice of redemption, of the Certificate evidencing the
Redeemable Interests, duly endorsed in blank or accompanied by an assignment
duly executed in blank, the Limited Partner, Assignee or transferee or his duly
authorized representative shall be entitled to receive the payment
therefor.
(iv) After the
redemption date, Redeemable Interests shall no longer constitute issued and
Outstanding Limited Partner Interests.
(b) The
provisions of this Section 4.10 shall also be applicable to Limited Partner
Interests held by a Limited Partner or Assignee as nominee of a Person
determined to be other than an Eligible Holder.
(c) Nothing
in this Section 4.10 shall prevent the recipient of a notice of redemption from
transferring his Limited Partner Interest before the redemption date if such
transfer is otherwise permitted under this Agreement. Upon receipt of notice of
such a transfer, the General Partner shall withdraw the notice of redemption,
provided the transferee of such Limited Partner Interest certifies to the
satisfaction of the General Partner in a Transfer Application that he is an
Eligible Holder. If the transferee fails to make such certification, such
redemption shall be effected from the transferee on the original redemption
date.
ARTICLE
V
CAPITAL
CONTRIBUTIONS AND ISSUANCE OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS
Section
5.1
|
Organizational
Contributions.
|
In
connection with the formation of the Partnership under the Delaware Act, the
General Partner made an initial Capital Contribution to the Partnership in the
amount of $20.00, for a 2% General Partner Interest in the Partnership and has
been admitted as the General Partner of the Partnership, and the Organizational
Limited Partner made an initial Capital Contribution to the Partnership in the
amount of $980.00 for a 98% Limited Partner Interest in the Partnership and has
been admitted as a Limited Partner of the Partnership. As of the
Closing Date, the interest of the Organizational Limited Partner shall be
redeemed as provided in the Contribution Agreement; and the initial Capital
Contribution of the Organizational Limited Partner shall thereupon be refunded.
Ninety-eight percent of any interest or other profit that may have resulted from
the investment or other use of such initial Capital Contributions shall be
allocated and distributed to the Organizational Limited Partner, and the balance
thereof shall be allocated and distributed to the General Partner.
Section
5.2
|
Contributions
by the General Partner and its
Affiliates.
|
(a) On the
Closing Date and pursuant to the Contribution Agreement: (i) the General
Partner shall contribute to the Partnership, as a Capital Contribution, all of
its ownership interests in Boardwalk Pipelines, LP in exchange for (A) 2,068,367
General Partner Units representing the 2% General Partner Interest, subject to
all of the rights, privileges and duties of the General Partner under this
Agreement and (B) the Incentive Distribution Rights; and (ii) Boardwalk
Pipelines Holding Corp. shall contribute to the Partnership, as a Capital
Contribution, all of its ownership interests in Boardwalk Operating GP, LLC and
Boardwalk Pipelines, LP in exchange for (A) 53,256,122 Common Units and (B)
33,093,878 Subordinated Units.
(b) Upon the
issuance of any additional Limited Partner Interests by the Partnership (other
than the Common Units issued in the Initial Offering), the General Partner may,
in exchange for a proportionate number of General Partner Units, make additional
Capital Contributions in an amount equal to the product obtained by multiplying
(i) the quotient determined by dividing (A) the General Partner’s Percentage
Interest by (B) 100 less the General Partner’s Percentage Interest times (ii)
the amount contributed to the Partnership by the Limited Partners in exchange
for such additional Limited Partner Interests. Except as set forth in
Article XII, the General Partner shall not be obligated to make any additional
Capital Contributions to the Partnership.
Section
5.3
|
Contributions
by Initial Limited Partners.
|
(a) On the
Closing Date and pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, each Underwriter shall
contribute to the Partnership cash in an amount equal to the Issue Price per
Initial Common Unit, multiplied by the number of Common Units specified in the
Underwriting Agreement to be purchased by such Underwriter at the Closing Date.
In exchange for such Capital Contributions by the Underwriters, the Partnership
shall issue Common Units to each Underwriter on whose behalf such Capital
Contribution is made in an amount equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (i)
the cash contribution to the Partnership by or on behalf of such Underwriter by
(ii) the Issue Price per Initial Common Unit.
(b) Upon the
exercise of the Over-Allotment Option, each Underwriter shall contribute to the
Partnership cash in an amount equal to the Issue Price per Initial Common Unit,
multiplied by the number of Common Units to be purchased by such Underwriter at
the Option Closing Date. In exchange for such Capital Contributions by the
Underwriters, the Partnership shall issue Common Units to each Underwriter on
whose behalf such Capital Contribution is made in an amount equal to the
quotient obtained by dividing (i) the cash contributions to the Partnership by
or on behalf of such Underwriter by (ii) the Issue Price per Initial Common
Unit.
(c) No
Limited Partner Interests will be issued or issuable as of or at the Closing
Date other than (i) the Common Units issuable pursuant to subparagraph (a)
hereof in aggregate number equal to 15,000,000, (ii) the “Option Units” as such
term is used in the Underwriting Agreement in an aggregate number up to
2,250,000 issuable upon exercise of the Over-Allotment Option pursuant to
subparagraph (b) hereof, (iii) the 33,093,878 Subordinated Units issuable
pursuant to Section 5.2 hereof, (iv) the 53,256,122 Common Units issuable
pursuant to Section 5.2 hereof, and (v) the Incentive Distribution
Rights.
Section
5.4
|
Interest
and Withdrawal.
|
No
interest shall be paid by the Partnership on Capital Contributions. No Partner
or Assignee 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. Except to the
extent expressly provided in this Agreement, no Partner or Assignee shall have
priority over any other Partner or Assignee either as to the return of Capital
Contributions or as to profits, losses or distributions. Any such return shall
be a compromise to which all Partners and Assignees agree within the meaning of
Section 17-502(b) of the Delaware Act.
Section
5.5
|
Capital
Accounts.
|
(a) The
Partnership shall maintain for each Partner (or a beneficial owner of
Partnership Interests held by a nominee in any case in which the nominee has
furnished the identity of such owner to the Partnership in accordance with
Section 6031(c) of the Code or any other method acceptable to the General
Partner) owning a Partnership Interest a separate Capital Account with respect
to such Partnership Interest in accordance with the rules of Treasury Regulation
Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv). Such Capital Account shall be increased by (i) the
amount of all Capital Contributions made to the Partnership with respect to such
Partnership Interest and (ii) all items of Partnership income and gain
(including income and gain exempt from tax) computed in accordance with Section
5.5(b) and allocated with respect to such Partnership Interest pursuant to
Section 6.1, and decreased by (x) the amount of cash or Net Agreed Value of all
actual and deemed distributions of cash or property made with respect to such
Partnership Interest and (y) all items of Partnership deduction and loss
computed in accordance with Section 5.5(b) and allocated with respect to such
Partnership Interest pursuant to Section 6.1.
(b) For
purposes of computing the amount of any item of income, gain, loss or deduction
which is to be allocated pursuant to Article VI and is to be reflected in the
Partners’ Capital Accounts, the determination, recognition and classification of
any such item shall be the same as its determination, recognition and
classification for federal income tax purposes (including any method of
depreciation, cost recovery or amortization used for that purpose), provided,
that:
(i) Solely
for purposes of this Section 5.5, the Partnership shall be treated as owning
directly its proportionate share (as determined by the General Partner based
upon the provisions of the applicable Group Member Agreement) of all property
owned by any other Group Member that is classified as a partnership for federal
income tax purposes.
(ii) 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, if any, shall, for purposes of Capital Account
maintenance, be treated as an item of deduction at the time such fees and other
expenses are incurred and shall be allocated among the Partners pursuant to
Section 6.1.
(iii) Except as
otherwise provided in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(m), 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
by the Partnership and, as to those items described in Section 705(a)(1)(B) or
705(a)(2)(B) of the Code, without regard to the fact that such items are not
includable in gross income or are neither currently deductible nor capitalized
for federal income tax purposes. To the extent an adjustment to the adjusted tax
basis of any Partnership asset pursuant to Section 734(b) or 743(b) of the Code
is required, pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(m), to be
taken into account in determining Capital Accounts, the amount of such
adjustment in the Capital Accounts shall be treated as an item of gain or
loss.
(iv) Any
income, gain or loss attributable to the taxable disposition of any Partnership
property shall be determined as if the adjusted basis of such property as of
such date of disposition were equal in amount to the Partnership’s Carrying
Value with respect to such property as of such date.
(v) In
accordance with the requirements of Section 704(b) of the Code, any deductions
for depreciation, cost recovery or amortization attributable to any Contributed
Property shall be determined as if the adjusted basis of such property on the
date it was acquired by the Partnership were equal to the Agreed Value of such
property. Upon an adjustment pursuant to Section 5.5(d) to the Carrying Value of
any Partnership property subject to depreciation, cost recovery or amortization,
any further deductions for such depreciation, cost recovery or amortization
attributable to such property shall be determined (A) as if the adjusted basis
of such property were equal to the Carrying Value of such property immediately
following such adjustment and (B) using a rate of depreciation, cost recovery or
amortization derived from the same method and useful life (or, if applicable,
the remaining useful life) as is applied for federal income tax purposes; provided, however, that, if the asset
has a zero adjusted basis for federal income tax purposes, depreciation, cost
recovery or amortization deductions shall be determined using any method that
the General Partner may adopt.
(vi) If the
Partnership’s adjusted basis in a depreciable or cost recovery property is
reduced for federal income tax purposes pursuant to Section 48(q)(1) or 48(q)(3)
of the Code, the amount of such reduction shall, solely for purposes hereof, be
deemed to be an additional depreciation or cost recovery deduction in the year
such property is placed in service and shall be allocated among the Partners
pursuant to Section 6.1. Any restoration of such basis pursuant to Section
48(q)(2) of the Code shall, to the extent possible, be allocated in the same
manner to the Partners to whom such deemed deduction was allocated.
(c) (i) A
transferee of a Partnership Interest shall succeed to a pro rata portion of the
Capital Account of the transferor relating to the Partnership Interest so
transferred.
(ii) Subject
to Section 6.7(c), immediately prior to the transfer of a Subordinated Unit or
of a Subordinated Unit that has converted into a Common Unit pursuant to Section
5.7 by a holder thereof (other than a transfer to an Affiliate unless the
General Partner elects to have this subparagraph 5.5(c)(ii) apply), the Capital
Account maintained for such Person with respect to its Subordinated Units or
converted Subordinated Units will (A) first, be allocated to the Subordinated
Units or converted Subordinated Units to be transferred in an amount equal to
the product of (x) the number of such Subordinated Units or converted
Subordinated Units to be transferred and (y) the Per Unit Capital Amount for a
Common Unit, and (B) second, any remaining balance in such Capital Account will
be retained by the transferor, regardless of whether it has retained any
Subordinated Units or converted Subordinated Units (“Retained Converted
Subordinated Units”). Following any such allocation, the transferor’s Capital
Account, if any, maintained with respect to the retained Subordinated Units or
Retained Converted Subordinated Units, if any, will have a balance equal to the
amount allocated under clause (B) hereinabove, and the transferee’s Capital
Account established with respect to the transferred Subordinated Units or
converted Subordinated Units will have a balance equal to the amount allocated
under clause (A) hereinabove.
(iii) Immediately
prior to the transfer of a Class B Unit or of a Class B Unit that has converted
into a Common Unit pursuant to Section 5.11(c) by a holder thereof (other than a
transfer to an Affiliate unless the General Partner elects to have this
subparagraph 5.5(c)(iii) apply), the Capital Account maintained for such Person
with respect to its Class B Units or converted Class B Units will (A) first, be
allocated to the Class B Units or converted Class B Units to be transferred in
an amount equal to the product of (x) the number of such Class B Units or
converted Class B Units to be transferred and (y) the Per Unit Capital Amount
for a Common Unit, and (B) second, any remaining balance in such Capital Account
will be retained by the transferor, regardless of whether it has retained any
Class B Units or converted Class B Units (“Retained Converted Class B Units”).
Following any such allocation, the transferor’s Capital Account, if any,
maintained with respect to the retained Class B Units or converted Class B
Units, if any, will have a balance equal to the amount allocated under clause
(B) above, and the transferee’s Capital Account established with respect to the
transferred Class B Units or converted Class B Units will have a balance equal
to the amount allocated under clause (A) hereinabove.
(d) (i) In
accordance with Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(f), on an issuance
of additional Partnership Interests for cash or Contributed Property, the
issuance of Partnership Interests as consideration for the provision of services
or the conversion of the General Partner’s Combined Interest to Common Units
pursuant to Section 11.3(b), the Capital Accounts
of all Partners and the Carrying Value of each Partnership property immediately
prior to such issuance shall be adjusted upward or downward to reflect any
Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss attributable to such Partnership property, as
if such Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss had been recognized on an actual sale
of each such property for an amount equal to its fair market value immediately
prior to such issuance and had been allocated to the Partners at such time
pursuant to Section 6.1(b)(i) in the same manner as
any item of gain or loss actually recognized following an event giving rise to
the dissolution of the Partnership would have been allocated. In determining
such Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss, the aggregate cash amount and fair
market value of all Partnership assets (including cash or cash equivalents)
immediately prior to the issuance of additional Partnership Interests shall be
determined by the General Partner using such method of valuation as it may
adopt; provided,
however, that the General Partner, in arriving at such valuation, must
take fully into account the fair market value of the Partnership Interests of
all Partners at such time. The General Partner shall allocate such aggregate
value among the assets of the Partnership (in such manner as it determines) to
arrive at a fair market value for individual properties.
(ii) In
accordance with Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(f), immediately
prior to any actual or deemed distribution to a Partner of any Partnership
property (other than a distribution of cash that is not in redemption or
retirement of a Partnership Interest), the Capital Accounts of all Partners and
the Carrying Value of all Partnership property shall be adjusted upward or
downward to reflect any Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss attributable to such
Partnership property, as if such Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss had been
recognized on an actual sale of each such property immediately prior to such
distribution for an amount equal to its fair market value, and had been
allocated to the Partners, at such time, pursuant to Section 6.1(b)(i) in the same manner as any item of
gain or loss actually recognized following an event giving rise to the
dissolution of the Partnership would have been allocated. In determining such
Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss the aggregate cash amount and fair market
value of all Partnership assets (including cash or cash equivalents) immediately
prior to a distribution shall (A) in the case of an actual distribution that is
not made pursuant to Section 12.4 or in the case of
a deemed distribution, be determined and allocated in the same manner as that
provided in Section 5.5(d)(i) or (B) in the case of
a liquidating distribution pursuant to Section
12.4, be determined and allocated by the Liquidator using such method of
valuation as it may adopt.
Section
5.6
|
Issuances
of Additional Partnership
Securities.
|
(a) The
Partnership may issue additional Partnership Securities and options, rights,
warrants and appreciation rights relating to the Partnership Securities for any
Partnership purpose at any time and from time to time to such Persons for such
consideration and on such terms and conditions as the General Partner shall
determine, all without the approval of any Limited Partners.
(b) Each
additional Partnership Security authorized to be issued by the Partnership
pursuant to Section 5.6(a) may be issued in one or more classes, or one or more
series of any such classes, with such designations, preferences, rights, powers
and duties (which may be senior to existing classes and series of Partnership
Securities), as shall be fixed by the General Partner, including (i) the right
to share in Partnership profits and losses or items thereof; (ii) the right to
share in Partnership distributions; (iii) the rights upon dissolution and
liquidation of the Partnership; (iv) whether, and the terms and conditions upon
which, the Partnership may or shall be required to redeem the Partnership
Security (including sinking fund provisions); (v) whether such Partnership
Security is issued with the privilege of conversion or exchange and, if so, the
terms and conditions of such conversion or exchange; (vi) the terms and
conditions upon which each Partnership Security will be issued, evidenced by
certificates and assigned or transferred; (vii) the method for determining the
Percentage Interest as to such Partnership Security; and (viii) the right, if
any, of each such Partnership Security to vote on Partnership matters, including
matters relating to the relative rights, preferences and privileges of such
Partnership Security.
(c) The
General Partner shall take all actions that it determines to be necessary or
appropriate in connection with (i) each issuance of Partnership Securities and
options, rights, warrants and appreciation rights relating to Partnership
Securities pursuant to this Section 5.6, (ii) the conversion of the General
Partner Interest or any Incentive Distribution Rights into Units pursuant to the
terms of this Agreement, (iii) the admission of Additional Limited Partners and
(iv) all additional issuances of Partnership Securities. The General Partner
shall determine the relative rights, powers and duties of the holders of the
Units or other Partnership Securities being so issued. The General Partner shall
do all things necessary to comply with the Delaware Act and is authorized and
directed to do all things that it determines to be necessary or appropriate in
connection with any future issuance of Partnership Securities or in connection
with the conversion of the General Partner Interest or any Incentive
Distribution Rights into Units pursuant to the terms of this Agreement,
including compliance with any statute, rule, regulation or guideline of any
federal, state or other governmental agency or any National Securities Exchange
on which the Units or other Partnership Securities are listed or admitted to
trading.
Section
5.7
|
Conversion
of Subordinated Units.
|
(a) All of
the Subordinated Units will convert into Common Units on a one-for-one basis on
the second Business Day following the distribution of Available Cash to Partners
pursuant to Section 6.3(a) in respect of any Quarter ending on or after December
31, 2006, in respect of which:
(i) distributions
of Available Cash from Operating Surplus under Section 6.4 on each of the
Outstanding Common Units, Class B Units, Subordinated Units and any other
Outstanding Units that are senior or equal in right of distribution to the
Subordinated Units with respect to the four-Quarter period immediately preceding
such date equaled or exceeded the sum of the Third Target Distribution (treating
the Class B Unit Quarterly Distribution as the Third Target Distribution with
respect to the Class B Units for this purpose) on all of the Outstanding Common
Units, Class B Units, Subordinated Units and any other Outstanding Units that
are senior or equal in right of distribution to the Subordinated
Units during such period;
(ii) the
Adjusted Operating Surplus for the four-Quarter period immediately preceding
such date equaled or exceeded the sum of the Third Target Distribution (treating
the Class B Unit Quarterly Distribution as the Third Target Distribution with
respect to the Class B Units for this purpose) on all of the Common Units, Class
B Units, Subordinated Units and any other Units that are senior or equal in
right of distribution to the Subordinated Units that were Outstanding during
such period on a Fully Diluted Basis, plus the related distribution on the
General Partner Units during such period; and
(iii) there are
no Cumulative Common Unit Arrearages.
(b) If the
Subordinated Units are not converted into Common Units pursuant to Section
5.7(a), the Subordinated Units shall convert into Common Units on a one-for-one
basis upon the expiration of the Subordination Period.
(c) Notwithstanding
any other provision of this Agreement, all the Subordinated Units will
automatically convert into Common Units on a one-for-one basis as set forth in,
and pursuant to the terms of, Section 11.4.
(d) A
Subordinated Unit that has converted into a Common Unit shall be subject to the
provisions of Section 6.7.
Section
5.8
|
Limited
Preemptive Right.
|
Except as
provided in this Section 5.8 and in Section 5.2, no Person shall have any
preemptive, preferential or other similar right with respect to the issuance of
any Partnership Security, whether unissued, held in the treasury or hereafter
created. The General Partner shall have the right, which it may from time to
time assign in whole or in part to any of its Affiliates, to purchase
Partnership Securities from the Partnership whenever, and on the same terms
that, the Partnership issues Partnership Securities to Persons other than the
General Partner and its Affiliates, to the extent necessary to maintain the
Percentage Interests of the General Partner and its Affiliates equal to that
which existed immediately prior to the issuance of such Partnership
Securities.
Section
5.9
|
Splits
and Combinations.
|
(a) Subject
to Sections 5.9(d), 6.6 and 6.9 (dealing with adjustments of distribution
levels), the Partnership may make a Pro Rata distribution of Partnership
Securities to all Record Holders or may effect a subdivision or combination of
Partnership Securities so long as, after any such event, each Partner shall have
the same Percentage Interest in the Partnership as before such event, and any
amounts calculated on a per Unit basis are proportionately
adjusted. For the avoidance of doubt, upon any Pro Rata distribution
of Partnership Securities to all Record Holders of Common Units or any
subdivision or combination (or reclassified into a greater or smaller number) of
Common Units, the Partnership will proportionately adjust the number of Class B
Units as follows: (a) if the Partnership issues Partnership
Securities as a distribution on its Common Units or subdivides the Common Units
(or reclassifies them into a greater number of Common Units) then the Class B
Units shall be subdivided into a number of Class B Units equal to the result of
multiplying the number of Class B Units by a fraction, (A) the numerator of
which shall be the sum of the number of Common Units outstanding immediately
prior to such distribution or subdivision plus the total number of Partnership
Securities constituting such distribution or newly created by such subdivision;
and (B) the denominator of which shall be the number of Common Units outstanding
immediately prior to such distribution or subdivision; and (b) if the
Partnership combines the Common Units (or reclassifies them into a smaller
number of Common Units) then the Class B Units shall be combined into a number
of Class B Units equal to the result of multiplying the number of Class B Units
by a fraction, (A) the numerator of which shall be the sum of the number of
Common Units outstanding immediately following to such combination; and (B) the
denominator of which shall be the number of Common Units outstanding immediately
prior to such combination.
(b) Whenever
such a distribution, subdivision or combination of Partnership Securities is
declared, the General Partner shall select a Record Date as of which the
distribution, subdivision or combination shall be effective and shall send
notice thereof at least 20 days prior to such Record Date to each Record Holder
as of a date not less than 10 days prior to the date of such notice. The General
Partner also may cause a firm of independent public accountants selected by it
to calculate the number of Partnership Securities to be held by each Record
Holder after giving effect to such distribution, subdivision or combination. The
General Partner shall be entitled to rely on any certificate provided by such
firm as conclusive evidence of the accuracy of such calculation.
(c) Promptly
following any such distribution, subdivision or combination, the Partnership may
issue Certificates to the Record Holders of Partnership Securities as of the
applicable Record Date representing the new number of Partnership Securities
held by such Record Holders, or the General Partner may adopt such other
procedures that it determines to be necessary or appropriate to reflect such
changes. If any such combination results in a smaller total number of
Partnership Securities Outstanding, the Partnership shall require, as a
condition to the delivery to a Record Holder of such new Certificate, the
surrender of any Certificate held by such Record Holder immediately prior to
such Record Date.
(d) The
Partnership shall not issue fractional Units upon any distribution, subdivision
or combination of Units. If a distribution, subdivision or combination of Units
would result in the issuance of fractional Units but for the provisions of this
Section 5.9(d), each fractional Unit shall be rounded to the nearest whole Unit
(and a 0.5 Unit shall be rounded to the next higher Unit).
Section
5.10
|
Fully
Paid and Non-Assessable Nature of Limited Partner
Interests.
|
All
Limited Partner Interests issued pursuant to, and in accordance with the
requirements of, this Article V shall be fully paid and non-assessable Limited
Partner Interests in the Partnership, except as such non-assessability may be
affected by Section 17-607 of the Delaware Act.
Section
5.11
|
Establishment
of Class B Units.
|
(a) There is
hereby created a series of Limited Partner Units to be designated as “Class B
Units,” consisting of a total of 22,866,667 Class B Units and having the terms
and conditions set forth herein.
(b) The
holders of the Class B Units shall have rights upon dissolution and liquidation
of the Partnership, including the right to share in any liquidating
distributions pursuant to Section 12.4, in accordance with Article XII of the
Partnership Agreement.
(c) (i) Subject
to and upon compliance with this Section 5.11(c), at the option of the holders
of Class B Units, any and all Class B Units may be converted into fully paid and
nonassessable Common Units (calculated in Common Units as to each conversion to
seven decimal places and rounded down to six decimal places) as hereinafter
provided (the “Conversion”); provided, however, such
conversion right (the “Conversion Right”) shall not
commence until June 30, 2013.
(ii) The Class
B Units will convert into Common Units on a one-for-one basis upon exercise of
the Conversion Right.
(iii) In order
to exercise the Conversion Right, the holder of any Class B Unit to be converted
shall surrender the Certificate representing such Class B Unit, duly endorsed or
assigned to the Partnership or in blank, at any office or agency of the
Partnership maintained for that purpose (which may be the Transfer Agent),
accompanied by a duly signed Conversion Notice substantially in the form
provided in Exhibit B hereto, stating that the holder of Class B Units elects to
convert the Class B Units represented by such Certificate, or, if less than the
entire number of Class B Units represented by such Certificate are to be
converted, the whole number of such Class B Units to be
converted. Any such delivery of Certificates and the Conversion
Notice shall be irrevocable. Only whole numbers of Class B Units may
be converted. If a Class B Unit is surrendered for conversion during
the period from the close of business on any Record Date next preceding any
distribution date to the opening of business on such distribution date, the
distribution payable in respect of a Class B Unit on such Distribution Date
shall be paid to the holder of Class B Units of such Class B Unit on the Record
Date, notwithstanding that such Class B Unit has been surrendered for conversion
or the Conversion Date with respect to such Class B Unit has
occurred. If a Class B Unit is surrendered for conversion and the
Conversion Date with respect to such Class B Unit occurs prior to a Record Date
for distributions, such Class B Unit will, as provided below, have been deemed
transferred to the Partnership and cancelled on such Conversion Date, and
therefore no distribution will be made on the cancelled Class B Unit on the
related distribution date, whether or not the Partnership has yet delivered to
the holder of Class B Units the Certificates representing Common Units
deliverable upon the conversion. Except as provided in this Section
5.11(c)(iii), no cash or other payment or adjustment shall be made upon any
conversion on account of any distribution declared from the distribution date
next preceding the Conversion Date in respect of any Class B Unit surrendered
for conversion, or on account of any distribution declared or payable on the
Common Unit deliverable upon conversion.
(iv) Class B
Units being converted shall be deemed to have been converted on the Conversion
Date, and at such time the rights of the holder of such Class B Units as holder
of Class B Units shall cease, including any rights under the Partnership
Agreement, except such Person shall continue to be a Limited Partner and shall
have the right to receive Common Units from the Partnership in conversion for
such Class B Units in accordance with this Section 5.11(c), and such Class B
Units shall upon the Conversion Date be deemed to be transferred to, and
cancelled by, the Partnership. Within three Trading Days after the
Conversion Date, the Partnership shall deliver to the Transfer Agent, for
delivery to the holder of Class B Units being converted, a Certificate or
Certificates for the number of Common Units deliverable upon conversion,
together with payment in lieu of any fraction of a Common Unit, if any, as
provided in Section 5.11(c)(vi) below. Such Certificate or
Certificates for Common Units shall be registered in the name of the holder of
the Class B Units surrendered for conversion. Holders of Class B
Units, in their capacity as such, have no rights in respect of Common Units
unless and until the Class B Units are converted and Common Units registered in
the name of the holder have been issued and delivered to such holder or to the
Transfer Agent as described above. If a Record Date for distributions
in respect of Common Units occurs between the Conversion Date and the earlier of
the date on which Common Units issued upon conversion of Class B Units are
registered in the name of the holder of such converted Class B Units and the
date on which the Partnership delivers to the Transfer Agent the Certificates
for Common Units deliverable upon such conversion as provided above, the
Partnership shall (i) with respect to such distribution to be made with respect
to the Common Unit deliverable by the Partnership with respect to such
conversion, forward such distribution with respect to such Common Units to the
holder of Class B Units surrendering such Class B Units for conversion at the
address reflected on the records of the Transfer Agent, or as shown on the
Conversion Notice, and (ii) with respect to a Record Date for voting or consent
of Common Units, provide the holder of Class B Units surrendering such Class B
Units for conversion a proxy enabling such holder of Class B Units to vote or
consent with respect to the vote or consent of such Common Units for the matters
related to such Record Date.
(v) In the
case of any Certificate representing Class B Units which are converted in part
only, upon such conversion the Transfer Agent shall authenticate and deliver to
the holder of Class B Units thereof, at the expense of the Partnership, a new
Certificate representing the number of Class B Units not so
converted.
(vi) No
fractional Common Unit shall be delivered upon conversion of any Class B
Units. If more than one Certificate representing Class B Units shall
be surrendered for conversion with the same Conversion Date by the same holder
of Class B Units, the number of full Common Units which shall be deliverable
upon conversion thereof shall be computed on the basis of the aggregate number
of whole Class B Units so surrendered. Instead of any fractional
Common Unit which would otherwise be issuable upon conversion of any Class B
Units, the Partnership shall calculate and pay a cash adjustment in respect of
such fraction (calculated with respect to a Common Unit to seven decimal places
and rounded down to six decimal places) in an amount equal to the same fraction
of the Closing Price on the Conversion Date (or, if such day is not a Trading
Day, on the Trading Day immediately preceding such day), or at the Partnership
’s option, the Partnership may round the number of Common Units delivered up to
the next higher whole Common Unit.
(vii) If a
holder converts a Class B Unit, the Partnership shall pay any documentary, stamp
or similar issue or transfer taxes or duties relating to the issuance or
delivery of Common Units upon exercise of such conversion
rights. However, the holder shall pay any tax or duty which may be
payable relating to any transfer involving the issuance or delivery of Common
Units in a name other than the holder’s name. The Transfer Agent may
refuse to deliver the Certificate representing Common Units being issued in a
name other than the holder’s name until the Transfer Agent receives a sum
sufficient to pay any tax or duties which will be due because the shares are to
be issued in a name other than the holder’s name. Nothing herein
shall preclude any tax withholding required by law or regulation.
(viii) (A) The
Partnership shall keep free from preemptive rights a sufficient number of Common
Units to permit the conversion of all outstanding Class B Units into Common
Units to the extent provided in, and in accordance with, this Section
5.11(c).
(B) All
Common Units delivered upon conversion of the Class B Units shall be newly
issued, shall be duly authorized and validly issued, and shall be free from
preemptive rights and free of any lien or adverse claim.
(C) The
Partnership shall comply with all applicable securities laws regulating the
offer and delivery of any Common Units upon conversion of Class B Units and, if
the Common Units are then listed or quoted on the New York Stock Exchange, the
Nasdaq or any other United States national or regional securities exchange or
other market, shall list or cause to have quoted and keep listed and quoted the
Common Units issuable upon conversion of the Class B Units to the extent
permitted or required by the rules of such exchange or market.
(D) Notwithstanding
anything herein to the contrary, nothing herein shall give to any holder of
Class B Units any rights as a creditor in respect solely of its right to
conversion.
(d) Subject
to Section 13.3(c), the Class B Units will have such voting rights pursuant to
the Agreement as such Class B Units would have if they were Common Units that
were then Outstanding and shall vote together with the Common Units as a single
class, except that the Class B Units shall be entitled to vote as a separate
class on any matter on which Unitholders are entitled to vote that adversely
affects the rights or preferences of the Class B Units in relation to other
classes of Partnership Interests in any material respect or as required by
law. The approval of a majority of the Class B Units shall be
required to approve any matter for which the holders of the Class B Units are
entitled to vote as a separate class. When voting together with the
Common Units as a single class, each Class B Unit will be entitled to the number
of votes equal to the number of Common Units into which a Class B Unit is
convertible at the time of the Record Date for the vote or written consent on
the matter.
(f) If (i)
the Partnership issues rights, warrants or appreciation rights to all holders of
its Common Units entitling them for a period of not more than 60 calendar days
to subscribe for or purchase Common Units at a price per unit less than the
Current Market Price on the Business Day immediately preceding the date of
announcement of such issuance or (ii) the Partnership or any Subsidiary of the
Partnership distributes cash or other consideration in respect of a tender offer
or exchange offer made by the Partnership or any Subsidiary of the Partnership
for all or any portion of the Common Units where the sum of the aggregate amount
of such cash distributed and the aggregate fair market value (as determined by
the Board of Directors, whose determination shall be conclusive and set forth in
a resolution of the Board of Directors), as of the Expiration Date (as defined
below), of such other consideration distributed expressed as an amount per
Common Unit validly tendered or exchanged, and accepted for purchase, pursuant
to such tender offer or exchange offer as of the last time at which tenders or
exchanges could have been made pursuant to such tender offer or exchange offer
(such tendered or exchanged Common Units, the “Purchased Units”) exceeds the
Current Market Price per Common Unit per Common Unit on the first Trading Day
immediately following the last date (such last date, the “Expiration Date”) on which
tenders or conversions could have been made pursuant to such tender offer or
exchange offer (as the same may be amended through the Expiration Date), then in
each such case the Partnership will make proper provision such that such
subscription, purchase, tender offer or exchange offer is made to the Class B
Units as if such Class B Units were Common Units and receive the same rights,
warrants, appreciation rights, cash or other consideration, as the case may be,
per Class B Unit as would be payable to a Common Unit.
(g) If (1)
there shall occur (a) any reclassification of the Common Units (other than a
change as a result of a subdivision or combination of the Partnership’s Common
Units); (b) a statutory unit exchange, consolidation, merger or combination
involving the Partnership other than a merger in which the Partnership is the
continuing partnership and which does not result in any reclassification of, or
change (other than as a result of a subdivision or combination pursuant to the
final sentence of Section 5.9(a) above) in, outstanding Common Units; or (c) a
sale or conveyance as an entirety or substantially as an entirety of the
property and assets of the Partnership, directly or indirectly, to another
Person; and (2) pursuant to such reclassification, statutory unit exchange,
consolidation, merger, combination, sale or conveyance, outstanding Common Units
are converted or exchanged into or for stock (other than Common Units), other
securities, other property, assets or cash, then the Partnership, or such
successor or surviving, purchasing or transferee Person, as the case may be,
shall, as a condition precedent to such reclassification, statutory unit
exchange, consolidation, merger, combination, sale or conveyance, execute an
amendment to the Partnership Agreement providing that, at and after the
effective time of such reclassification, statutory unit exchange, consolidation,
sale or conveyance, the right to convert a Class B Unit will be changed into a
right to convert it into the kind and amount of stock, other
securities or other property or assets (including cash or any combination
thereof) that a holder of a Common Unit immediately prior to such
reclassification, statutory unit exchange, consolidation, merger, combination,
sale or conveyance would have owned or been entitled to receive (the “Reference Property”) upon
such transaction immediately prior to such reclassification, statutory unit
exchange, consolidation, merger, combination, sale or conveyance. If
the reclassification, statutory unit exchange, consolidation, merger,
combination, sale or conveyance causes the Common Units to be converted into the
right to receive more than a single type of consideration (determined based in
part upon any form of election), the Reference Property into which the Class B
Units will be convertible will be deemed to be the weighted average of the types
and amounts of consideration received by the holders of Common Units that
affirmatively make such an election. However, at and after the effective time of
the reclassification, statutory unit exchange, consolidation, merger,
combination, sale or conveyance, any amount otherwise payable in cash upon
conversion of the Class B Units will continue to be payable in cash. None of the
foregoing provisions shall affect the right of a holder of Class B Units to
convert its Class B Units in accordance with the provisions of this Section
5.11(c) prior to the effective date of such reclassification, statutory unit
exchange, consolidation, merger, combination, sale or conveyance.
(h) If the
Partnership proposes to distribute to holders of its Partnership Interests any
equity interests of the Partnership, evidences of indebtedness or other non-cash
assets, or rights or warrants (excluding distributions and rights or warrants
referred to in subsection (f) or (g) of this Section 5.11) (such capital stock,
evidences of indebtedness or other non-cash assets, or rights or warrants “Property”), the aggregate
fair market value of such Property shall be determined by the Board of Directors
(whose determination shall be conclusive and set forth in a resolution of the
Board of Directors). Such Property will then be distributed as if it
were Available Cash (from Operating Surplus or Capital Surplus as determined
pursuant to the provisions of Section 6.3 or 6.5).
(i) A
Unitholder shall not be permitted to transfer a Class B Unit or a Class B Unit
that has converted into a Common Unit pursuant to Section 5.11 (other than a
transfer to an Affiliate) if the remaining balance in the transferring
Unitholder’s Capital Account with respect to the retained Class B Units or
Retained Converted Class B Units would be negative after giving effect to the
allocation under Section 5.5(c)(iii)(B).
(j) A
Unitholder holding a Class B Unit that has converted into a Common Unit pursuant
to Section 5.11 shall not be issued a Common Unit Certificate pursuant to
Section 4.1, and shall not be permitted to transfer its converted Class B Units
to a Person that is not an Affiliate of the holder until such time as the
General Partner determines, based on advice of counsel, that a converted Class B
Unit should have, as a substantive matter, like intrinsic economic and federal
income tax characteristics, in all material respects, to the intrinsic economic
and federal income tax characteristics of an Initial Common Unit. In connection
with the condition imposed by this Section 5.11(j), the General Partner may take
whatever steps are required to provide economic uniformity to the converted
Class B Units in preparation for a transfer of such converted Class B Units,
including the application of Sections 5.5(c)(iii) and 5.11(i); provided,
however, that no such steps may be taken that would have a material adverse
effect on the Unitholders holding Common Units represented by Common Unit
Certificates.
ARTICLE
VI
ALLOCATIONS
AND DISTRIBUTIONS
Section
6.1
|
Allocations
for Capital Account Purposes.
|
For
purposes of maintaining the Capital Accounts and in determining the rights of
the Partners among themselves, the Partnership’s items of income, gain, loss and
deduction (computed in accordance with Section 5.5(b)) shall be allocated among
the Partners in each taxable period as provided herein below. For the
avoidance of doubt, cumulative allocations pursuant to Sections referenced in
this Section 6.1 shall include amounts previously allocated under predecessor
provisions thereto.
(a) Net
Income. After giving effect to the special allocations set forth in Section
6.1(d), Net Income for each taxable period and all items of income, gain, loss
and deduction taken into account in computing Net Income for such taxable period
shall be allocated as follows:
(i) First,
100% to the General Partner, in an amount equal to the aggregate Net Losses
allocated to the General Partner pursuant to Section 6.1(b)(iii) for all
previous taxable periods until the aggregate Net Income allocated to the General
Partner pursuant to this Section 6.1(a)(i) for the current taxable period and
all previous taxable periods is equal to the aggregate Net Losses allocated to
the General Partner pursuant to Section 6.1(b)(iii) for all previous taxable
periods;
(ii) Second,
100% to all Unitholders, Pro Rata, until the aggregate Net Income allocated to
such Unitholders pursuant to this Section 6.1(a)(ii) for the current taxable
period and all previous taxable periods is equal to the aggregate Net Losses
allocated to such Unitholders pursuant to Section 6.1(b)(ii) for all previous
taxable periods;
(iii) Third,
100% to the Unitholders, Pro Rata, until the amount allocated pursuant to this
Section 6.1(a)(iii) to the Unitholders holding Class B Units for the current
taxable period and all previous taxable periods is equal to the then existing
Class B Unit Return;
(iv) Fourth,
if a disparity exists between the Per Unit Capital Amounts of the Common Units
and the Class B Units, (A) to the General Partner in accordance with its
Percentage Interest and (B) if (x) the Per Unit Capital Amounts of the Class B
Units is higher, then to the Unitholders holding Common Units or Subordinated
Units, otherwise (y) to the Unitholders holding Class B Units, in either case
their Pro Rata share of a percentage equal to 100% less the General Partner’s
Percentage Interest, until such disparity has been eliminated; and
(v) Thereafter,
the balance, if any, (x) to the General Partner in accordance with its
Percentage Interest and (y) to all Unitholders holding Common Units or
Subordinated Units, their Pro Rata share of a percentage equal to 100% less the
General Partner’s Percentage Interest.
(b) Net
Losses. After giving effect to the special allocations set forth in Section
6.1(d), Net Losses for each taxable period and all items of income, gain, loss
and deduction taken into account in computing Net Losses for such taxable period
shall be allocated as follows:
(i) First,
100% to all Unitholders, Pro Rata, until the aggregate Net Losses allocated
pursuant to this Section 6.1(b)(i) for the current taxable period and all
previous taxable periods is equal to the aggregate Net Income allocated to the
Unitholders pursuant to Section 6.1(a)(v), for all previous taxable periods,
provided that the Net Losses shall not be allocated pursuant to this Section
6.1(b)(i) to the extent that such allocation would cause any Unitholder holding
Limited Partner Units to have a deficit balance in its Adjusted Capital Account
at the end of such taxable period (or increase any existing deficit balance in
its Adjusted Capital Account);
(ii) Second,
100% to all Unitholders, Pro Rata; provided, that Net Losses shall not be
allocated pursuant to this Section 6.1(b)(ii) to the extent that such allocation
would cause any Unitholder holding Limited Partner Units to have a deficit
balance in its Adjusted Capital Account at the end of such taxable period (or
increase any existing deficit balance in its Adjusted Capital Account);
and
(iii) Thereafter,
the balance, if any, 100% to the General Partner.
(c) Net
Termination Gains and Losses. After giving effect to the special allocations set
forth in Section 6.1(d), all items of income, gain, loss and deduction taken
into account in computing Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss for such
taxable period shall be allocated in the same manner as such Net Termination
Gain or Net Termination Loss is allocated hereunder. All allocations under this
Section 6.1(c) shall be made after Capital Account balances have been adjusted
by all other allocations provided under this Section 6.1 and after all
distributions of Available Cash provided under Sections 6.4 and 6.5 have been
made; provided, however, that solely for purposes of this Section 6.1(c),
Capital Accounts shall not be adjusted for distributions made pursuant to
Section 12.4.
(i) If a Net
Termination Gain is recognized (or deemed recognized pursuant to Section
5.5(d)), such Net Termination Gain shall be allocated among the Partners in the
following manner (and the Capital Accounts of the Partners shall be increased by
the amount so allocated in each of the following subclauses, in the order
listed, before an allocation is made pursuant to the next succeeding
subclause):
(A) First, to
each Partner having a deficit balance in its Capital Account, in the proportion
that such deficit balance bears to the total deficit balances in the Capital
Accounts of all Partners, until each such Partner has been allocated Net
Termination Gain equal to any such deficit balance in its Capital
Account;
(B) Second,
(x) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest and (y) to
all Unitholders holding Common Units or Class B Units, their Pro Rata shares of
a percentage equal to 100% less the General Partner’s Percentage Interest, until
the Capital Account in respect of each Common Unit then Outstanding is equal to
the sum of (1) its Unrecovered Initial Unit Price, (2) the Minimum Quarterly
Distribution for the Quarter during which the Liquidation Date occurs, reduced
by any distribution pursuant to Section 6.4(a)(i) and (a)(ii), (b)(i), (c)(i)
and (c)(ii) or (d)(i) with respect to such Common Unit for such Quarter (the
amount determined pursuant to this clause (2) is hereinafter referred to as the
“Unpaid MQD”) and (3) any then existing Cumulative Common Unit Arrearage; provided however, that for
taxable periods ending on or prior to the Conversion Date, amounts allocated
pursuant to this Section 6.1(c)(i)(B) to the Unitholders holding Class B Units
shall not cause the Class B Unit Per Unit Capital Amount to exceed the sum of
(i) the Class B Unit Unrecovered Initial Unit Price and (ii) the Class B Unit
Return, reduced by any distribution pursuant to Section 6.4(a)(i) or (b)(i) with
respect to such Class B Unit;
(C) Third, if
such Net Termination Gain is recognized (or is deemed to be recognized) prior to
the conversion of the last Outstanding Subordinated Unit, (x) to the General
Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest and (y) all Unitholders
holding Subordinated Units, their Pro Rata share of a percentage equal to 100%
less the General Partner’s Percentage Interest, until the Capital Account in
respect of each Subordinated Unit then Outstanding equals the sum of (1) its
Unrecovered Initial Unit Price and (2) the Minimum Quarterly Distribution for
the Quarter during which the Liquidation Date occurs, reduced by any
distribution pursuant to Section 6.4(a)(v) or (b)(iii) with respect to such
Subordinated Unit for such Quarter;
(D) Fourth,
if a disparity exists between the Per Unit Capital Amounts of the Common Units
and the Class B Units, (A) to the General Partner in accordance with its
Percentage Interest and (B) if (x) the Per Unit Capital Amounts of the Class B
Units is higher, then to the Unitholders holding Common Units or Subordinated
Units, otherwise (y) to the Unitholders holding Class B Units, in either case
their Pro Rata share of a percentage equal to 100% less the General Partner’s
Percentage Interest, until such disparity has been eliminated;
(E) Fifth,
100% to all Unitholders, Pro Rata, until the Capital Account in respect of each
Common Unit then Outstanding is equal to the sum of (1) its Unrecovered Initial
Unit Price, (2) the Unpaid MQD, (3) any then existing Cumulative Common Unit
Arrearage, and (4) the excess of (aa) the First Target Distribution less the
Minimum Quarterly Distribution for each Quarter of the Partnership’s existence
over (bb) the cumulative per Unit amount of any distributions of Available Cash
that is deemed to be Operating Surplus made pursuant to Sections 6.4(a)(vi),
(b)(iv), (c)(iii) and (d)(ii) (the sum of (1), (2), (3) and (4) is hereinafter
referred to as the “First Liquidation Target Amount”);
(F) Sixth,
(x) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest, (y) 13%
to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata, and (z) to all
Unitholders holding Limited Partner Units, their Pro Rata share of a percentage
equal to 100% less the sum of the percentages applicable to subclause (x) and
(y) of this clause (F), until the Capital Account
in respect of each Common Unit then Outstanding is equal to the sum of (1) the
First Liquidation Target Amount, and (2) the excess of (aa) the Second Target
Distribution less the First Target Distribution for each Quarter of the
Partnership’s existence over (bb) the cumulative per Unit amount of any
distributions of Available Cash that is deemed to be Operating Surplus made
pursuant to Sections 6.4(a)(vii), (b)(v), (c)(iv) and (d)(iii) (the sum of (1)
and (2) is hereinafter referred to as the “Second Liquidation Target
Amount”);
(G) Seventh,
(x) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest, (y) 23%
to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata, and (z) to all
Unitholders holding Limited Partner Units, their Pro Rata share of a percentage
equal to 100% less the sum of the percentages applicable to subclause (x) and
(y) of this clause (G), until the Capital Account
in respect of each Common Unit then Outstanding is equal to the sum of (1) the
Second Liquidation Target Amount, and (2) the excess of (aa) the Third Target
Distribution less the Second Target Distribution for each Quarter of the
Partnership’s existence over (bb) the cumulative per Unit amount of any
distributions of Available Cash that is deemed to be Operating Surplus made
pursuant to Sections 6.4(a)(viii), (b)(vi), (c)(v) and (d)(iv) (the sum of (1)
and (2) is hereinafter referred to as the “Third Liquidation Target Amount”);
and
(H) Finally,
(x) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest, (y) 48%
to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata, and (z) to all
Unitholders holding Limited Partner Units, their Pro Rata share of a percentage
equal to 100% less the sum of the percentages applicable to subclause (x) and
(y) of this clause (H).
(ii) If a Net
Termination Loss is recognized (or deemed recognized pursuant to Section
5.5(d)), such Net Termination Loss shall be allocated among the Partners in the
following manner:
(A) First, if
such Net Termination Loss is recognized (or is deemed to be recognized) prior to
the conversion of the last Outstanding Subordinated Unit, (x) to the General
Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest and (y) to all Unitholders
holding Subordinated Units, their Pro Rata share of a percentage equal to 100%
less the General Partner’s Percentage Interest, until the Capital Account in
respect of each Subordinated Unit then Outstanding has been reduced to
zero;
(B) Second,
if a disparity exists between the Per Unit Capital Amounts of the Common Units
and the Class B Units, (A) to the General Partner in accordance with its
Percentage Interest and (B) to all Unitholders holding such class with the
higher Per Unit Capital Amount their Pro Rata share of a percentage equal to
100% less the General Partner’s Percentage Interest, until such disparity has
been eliminated; provided, that Net
Termination Loss shall not be allocated pursuant to this Section 6.1(c)(ii)(B)
to the extent that such allocation would cause any Unitholder holding Limited
Partner Units to have a deficit balance in its Capital Account at the end of
such taxable period (or increase any existing deficit balance in its Capital
Account);
(C) Third,
(x) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest and (y) to
all Unitholders holding Common Units or Class B Units, their Pro Rata share of a
percentage equal to 100% less the General Partner’s Percentage Interest, until
the Capital Account in respect of each Common Unit and Class B Unit then
Outstanding has been reduced to zero; and
(D) Thereafter,
the balance, if any, 100% to the General Partner.
(d) Special Allocations.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 6.1, the following special
allocations shall be made for such taxable period:
(i) Partnership Minimum Gain
Chargeback. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 6.1, if
there is a net decrease in Partnership Minimum Gain during any Partnership
taxable period, each Partner shall be allocated items of Partnership income and
gain for such period (and, if necessary, subsequent periods) in the manner and
amounts provided in Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-2(f)(6), 1.704-2(g)(2)
and 1.704-2(j)(2)(i), or any successor provision. For purposes of this Section
6.1(d), each Partner’s Adjusted Capital Account balance shall be determined, and
the allocation of income or gain required hereunder shall be effected, prior to
the application of any other allocations pursuant to this Section 6.1(d) with
respect to such taxable period (other than an allocation pursuant to Sections
6.1(d)(vi) and 6.1(d)(vii)). This Section 6.1(d)(i) is intended to comply with
the Partnership Minimum Gain chargeback requirement in Treasury Regulation
Section 1.704-2(f) and shall be interpreted consistently therewith.
(ii) Chargeback of Partner Nonrecourse
Debt Minimum Gain. Notwithstanding the other provisions of this Section
6.1 (other than Section 6.1(d)(i)), except as provided in Treasury Regulation
Section 1.704-2(i)(4), if there is a net decrease in Partner Nonrecourse Debt
Minimum Gain during any Partnership taxable period, any Partner with a share of
Partner Nonrecourse Debt Minimum Gain at the beginning of such taxable period
shall be allocated items of Partnership income and gain for such period (and, if
necessary, subsequent periods) in the manner and amounts provided in Treasury
Regulation Sections 1.704-2(i)(4) and 1.704-2(j)(2)(ii), or any successor
provisions. For purposes of this Section 6.1(d), each Partner’s Adjusted Capital
Account balance shall be determined, and the allocation of income or gain
required hereunder shall be effected, prior to the application of any other
allocations pursuant to this Section 6.1(d), other than Section 6.1(d)(i) and
other than an allocation pursuant to Sections 6.1(d)(vi) and 6.1(d)(vii), with
respect to such taxable period. This Section 6.1(d)(ii) is intended to comply
with the chargeback of items of income and gain requirement in Treasury
Regulation Section 1.704-2(i)(4) and shall be interpreted consistently
therewith.
(iii) Priority
Allocations.
(A) If the
amount of cash or the Net Agreed Value of any property distributed (except cash
or property distributed pursuant to Section 12.4) to any Unitholder with respect
to its Limited Partner Units for a taxable year is greater (on a per Unit basis)
than the amount of cash or the Net Agreed Value of property distributed to the
other Unitholders with respect to their Limited Partner Units (on a per Unit
basis), then (1) each Unitholder receiving such greater cash or property
distribution shall be allocated gross income in an amount equal to the product
of (aa) the amount by which the distribution (on a per Limited Partner Unit
basis) to such Unitholder exceeds the distribution (on a per Limited Partner
Unit basis) to the Unitholders receiving the smallest distribution and (bb) the
number of Limited Partner Units owned by the Unitholder receiving the greater
distribution; and (2) the General Partner shall be allocated gross income in an
aggregate amount equal to the product obtained by multiplying (aa) the quotient
determined by dividing (x) the General Partner’s Percentage Interest at the time
in which the greater cash or property distribution occurs by (y) the sum of 100
less the General Partner’s Percentage Interest at the time in which the greater
cash or property distribution occurs times (bb) the sum of the amounts allocated
in clause (1) above; provided
however, that prior to the Conversion Date, this Section 6.1(d)(iii)(A)
shall not apply with respect to any discrepancy between the amount of cash or
the Net Agreed Value of property distributed in respect of the Common Units and
Subordinated Units on the one hand and the Class B Units on the other
hand.
(B) After the
application of Section 6.1(d)(iii)(A), all or any portion of the remaining items
of Partnership gross income or gain for the taxable period, if any, shall be
allocated (1) to the holders of Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata,
until the aggregate amount of such items allocated to the holders of Incentive
Distribution Rights pursuant to this paragraph 6.1(d)(iii)(B) for the current
taxable year and all previous taxable years is equal to the cumulative amount of
all Incentive Distributions made to the holders of Incentive Distribution Rights
from the Closing Date to a date 60 days after the end of the current taxable
year; and (2) to the General Partner an amount equal to the product of (aa)
an amount equal to the quotient determined by dividing (x) the General Partner’s
Percentage Interest by (y) the sum of 100 less the General Partner’s Percentage
Interest times (bb) the sum of the amounts allocated in clause
(1) above.
(iv) Qualified Income Offset. In
the event any Partner unexpectedly receives any adjustments, allocations or
distributions 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, to the extent required by the Treasury Regulations
promulgated under Section 704(b) of the Code, the deficit balance, if any, in
its Adjusted Capital Account created by such adjustments, allocations or
distributions as quickly as possible unless such deficit balance is otherwise
eliminated pursuant to Section 6.1(d)(i) or (ii).
(v) Gross Income Allocations. In
the event any Partner has a deficit balance in its Capital Account at the end of
any Partnership taxable period in excess of the sum of (A) the amount such
Partner is required to restore pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement and
(B) the amount such Partner is deemed obligated to restore pursuant to Treasury
Regulation Sections 1.704-2(g) and 1.704-2(i)(5), such Partner shall be
specially allocated items of Partnership gross income and gain in the amount of
such excess as quickly as possible; provided, that an allocation
pursuant to this Section 6.1(d)(v) shall be made only if and to the extent that
such Partner would have a deficit balance in its Capital Account as adjusted
after all other allocations provided for in this Section 6.1 have been
tentatively made as if this Section 6.1(d)(v) were not in this
Agreement.
(vi) Nonrecourse Deductions.
Nonrecourse Deductions for any taxable period shall be allocated to the Partners
in accordance with their respective Percentage Interests. If the General Partner
determines that the Partnership’s Nonrecourse Deductions should be allocated in
a different ratio to satisfy the safe harbor requirements of the Treasury
Regulations promulgated under Section 704(b) of the Code, the General Partner is
authorized, upon notice to the other Partners, to revise the prescribed ratio to
the numerically closest ratio that does satisfy such requirements.
(vii) Partner Nonrecourse
Deductions. Partner Nonrecourse Deductions for any taxable period shall
be allocated 100% to the Partner that bears the Economic Risk of Loss with
respect to the Partner Nonrecourse Debt to which such Partner Nonrecourse
Deductions are attributable in accordance with Treasury Regulation Section
1.704-2(i). If more than one Partner bears the Economic Risk of Loss with
respect to a Partner Nonrecourse Debt, such Partner Nonrecourse Deductions
attributable thereto shall be allocated between or among such Partners in
accordance with the ratios in which they share such Economic Risk of
Loss.
(viii) Nonrecourse Liabilities. For
purposes of Treasury Regulation Section 1.752-3(a)(3), the Partners agree that
Nonrecourse Liabilities of the Partnership in excess of the sum of (A) the
amount of Partnership Minimum Gain and (B) the total amount of Nonrecourse
Built-in Gain shall be allocated among the Partners in accordance with their
respective Percentage Interests.
(ix) Code Section 754 Adjustments.
To the extent an adjustment to the adjusted tax basis of any Partnership asset
pursuant to Section 734(b) or 743(b) of the Code is required, pursuant to
Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(m), to be taken into account in
determining Capital Accounts, the amount of such adjustment to the Capital
Accounts shall be treated as an item of gain (if the adjustment increases the
basis of the asset) or loss (if the adjustment decreases such basis), and such
item of gain or loss shall be specially allocated to the Partners in a manner
consistent with the manner in which their Capital Accounts are required to be
adjusted pursuant to such Section of the Treasury Regulations.
(x) Economic Uniformity. At the
election of the General Partner with respect to any taxable period ending upon,
or after, the termination of the Subordination Period, all or a portion of the
remaining items of Partnership gross income or gain for such taxable period,
after taking into account allocations pursuant to Section 6.1(d)(iii), shall be
allocated 100% to each Partner holding Subordinated Units that are Outstanding
as of the termination of the Subordination Period (“Final Subordinated Units”) in
the proportion of the number of Final Subordinated Units held by such Partner to
the total number of Final Subordinated Units then Outstanding, until each such
Partner has been allocated an amount of gross income or gain that increases the
Capital Account maintained with respect to such Final Subordinated Units to an
amount equal to the product of (A) the number of Final Subordinated Units held
by such Partner and (B) the Per Unit Capital Amount for a Common Unit. The
purpose of this allocation is to establish uniformity between the Capital
Accounts underlying Final Subordinated Units and the Capital Accounts underlying
Common Units held by Persons other than the General Partner and its Affiliates
immediately prior to the conversion of such Final Subordinated Units into Common
Units. This allocation method for establishing such economic uniformity will be
available to the General Partner only if the method for allocating the Capital
Account maintained with respect to the Subordinated Units between the
transferred and retained Subordinated Units pursuant to Section 5.5(c)(ii) does
not otherwise provide such economic uniformity to the Final Subordinated
Units.
(xi) Curative
Allocation.
(A) Notwithstanding
any other provision of this Section 6.1, other than the Required Allocations,
the Required Allocations shall be taken into account in making the Agreed
Allocations so that, to the extent possible, the net amount of items of income,
gain, loss and deduction allocated to each Partner pursuant to the Required
Allocations and the Agreed Allocations, together, shall be equal to the net
amount of such items that would have been allocated to each such Partner under
the Agreed Allocations had the Required Allocations and the related Curative
Allocation not otherwise been provided in this Section 6.1. Notwithstanding the
preceding sentence, Required Allocations relating to (1) Nonrecourse Deductions
shall not be taken into account except to the extent that there has been a
decrease in Partnership Minimum Gain and (2) Partner Nonrecourse Deductions
shall not be taken into account except to the extent that there has been a
decrease in Partner Nonrecourse Debt Minimum Gain. Allocations pursuant to this
Section 6.1(d)(xi)(A) shall only be made with respect to Required Allocations to
the extent the General Partner determines that such allocations will otherwise
be inconsistent with the economic agreement among the Partners. Further,
allocations pursuant to this Section 6.1(d)(xi)(A) shall be deferred with
respect to allocations pursuant to clauses (1) and (2) hereof to the extent the
General Partner determines that such allocations are likely to be offset by
subsequent Required Allocations.
(B) The
General Partner shall, with respect to each taxable period, (1) apply the
provisions of Section 6.1(d)(xi)(A) in whatever order is most likely to minimize
the economic distortions that might otherwise result from the Required
Allocations, and (2) divide all allocations pursuant to Section 6.1(d)(xi)(A)
among the Partners in a manner that is likely to minimize such economic
distortions.
(xii) Corrective and Other
Allocations. In the event of any allocation of Additional Book Basis
Derivative Items or any Book-Down Event or any recognition of a Net Termination
Loss, the following rules shall apply:
(A) Except as
provided in Section 6.1(d)(xii)(B), in the case of
any allocation of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items (other than an
allocation of Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss under Section 5.5(d) hereof) with respect to any Partnership
property, the General Partner shall allocate such Additional Book Basis
Derivative Items (1) to (aa) the holders of Incentive Distribution Rights and
(bb) the General Partner in the same manner that the Unrealized Gain or
Unrealized Loss attributable to such property is allocated pursuant to Section 5.5(d)(i) or Section
5.5(d)(ii) and (2) to all Unitholders holding Limited Partner Units, Pro
Rata, to the extent that the Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss attributable to
such property is allocated to any Unitholders holding Limited Partner Units
pursuant to Section 5.5(d)(i) or Section 5.5(d)(ii).
(B) In the
case of any allocation of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items (other than an
allocation of Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss under Section 5.5(d) hereof or
an allocation of Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss pursuant to
Section 6.1(c) hereof) as a result of a sale or other taxable disposition of any
Partnership asset that is an Adjusted Property (“Disposed of Adjusted
Property”), the General Partner shall allocate (1) additional items of income
and gain (aa) away from the holders of Incentive Distribution Rights and General
Partner Units and (bb) to the Unitholders holding Limited Partner Units, or (2)
additional items of deduction and loss (aa) away from the Unitholders and (bb)
to the holders of Incentive Distribution Rights and General Partner Units, to
the extent that the Additional Book Basis Derivative Items allocated to the
Unitholders exceed their Share of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items with
respect to such Disposed of Adjusted Property. For this purpose, the Unitholders
holding Limited Partner Units shall be treated as being allocated Additional
Book Basis Derivative Items to the extent that such Additional Book Basis
Derivative Items have reduced the amount of income that would otherwise have
been allocated to the Unitholders holding Limited Partner Units under this
Agreement (e.g., Additional Book Basis Derivative Items taken into account in
computing cost of goods sold would reduce the amount of book income otherwise
available for allocation among the Partners). Any allocation made pursuant to
this Section 6.1(d)(xii)(B) shall be made after all
of the other Agreed Allocations have been made as if this Section 6.1(d)(xii) were not in this Agreement and, to
the extent necessary, shall require the reallocation of items that have been
allocated pursuant to such other Agreed Allocations.
(C) In the
case of any negative adjustments to the Capital Accounts of the Partners
resulting from a Book-Down Event or from the recognition of a Net Termination
Loss, such negative adjustment (1) shall first be allocated, to the extent of
the Aggregate Remaining Net Positive Adjustments, in such a manner, as
determined by the General Partner, that to the extent possible the aggregate
Capital Accounts of the Partners will equal the amount that would have been the
Capital Account balance of the Partners if no prior Book-Up Events had occurred,
and (2) any negative adjustment in excess of the Aggregate Remaining Net
Positive Adjustments shall be allocated pursuant to Section 6.1(b)(i) hereof.
(D) In making
the allocations required under this Section
6.1(d)(xii), the General Partner may apply whatever conventions or other
methodology it determines will satisfy the purpose of this Section 6.1(d)(xii).
Section
6.2
|
Allocations
for Tax Purposes.
|
(a) Except as
otherwise provided herein, for federal income tax purposes, each item of income,
gain, loss and deduction shall be allocated among the Partners in the same
manner as its correlative item of “book” income, gain, loss or deduction is
allocated pursuant to Section 6.1.
(b) In an
attempt to eliminate Book-Tax Disparities attributable to a Contributed Property
or Adjusted Property, items of income, gain, loss, depreciation, amortization
and cost recovery deductions shall be allocated for federal income tax purposes
among the Partners as follows:
(i) (A) In
the case of a Contributed Property, such items attributable thereto shall be
allocated among the Partners in the manner provided under Section 704(c) of the
Code that takes into account the variation between the Agreed Value of such
property and its adjusted basis at the time of contribution; and (B) any item of
Residual Gain or Residual Loss attributable to a Contributed Property shall be
allocated among the Partners in the same manner as its correlative item of
“book” gain or loss is allocated pursuant to Section 6.1.
(ii) (A) In
the case of an Adjusted Property, such items shall (1) first, be allocated among
the Partners in a manner consistent with the principles of Section 704(c) of the
Code to take into account the Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss attributable to
such property and the allocations thereof pursuant to Section 5.5(d)(i) or
5.5(d)(ii), and (2) second, in the event such property was originally a
Contributed Property, be allocated among the Partners in a manner consistent
with Section 6.2(b)(i)(A); and (B) any item of Residual Gain or Residual Loss
attributable to an Adjusted Property shall be allocated among the Partners in
the same manner as its correlative item of “book” gain or loss is allocated
pursuant to Section 6.1.
(iii) The
General Partner shall apply the principles of Treasury Regulation Section
1.704-3(d) to eliminate Book-Tax Disparities, except as otherwise determined by
the General Partner with respect to goodwill, if any.
(c) For the
proper administration of the Partnership and for the preservation of uniformity
of the Limited Partner Interests (or any class or classes thereof), the General
Partner shall (i) adopt such conventions as it deems appropriate in determining
the amount of depreciation, amortization and cost recovery deductions; (ii) make
special allocations for federal income tax purposes of income (including gross
income) or deductions; and (iii) amend the provisions of this Agreement as
appropriate (x) to reflect the proposal or promulgation of Treasury Regulations
under Section 704(b) or Section 704(c) of the Code or (y) otherwise to preserve
or achieve uniformity of the Limited Partner Interests (or any class or classes
thereof). The General Partner may adopt such conventions, make such allocations
and make such amendments to this Agreement as provided in this Section 6.2(c)
only if such conventions, allocations or amendments would not have a material
adverse effect on the Partners, the holders of any class or classes of Limited
Partner Interests issued and Outstanding or the Partnership, and if such
allocations are consistent with the principles of Section 704 of the
Code.
(d) The
General Partner may determine to depreciate or amortize the portion of an
adjustment under Section 743(b) of the Code attributable to unrealized
appreciation in any Adjusted Property (to the extent of the unamortized Book-Tax
Disparity) using a predetermined rate derived from the depreciation or
amortization method and useful life applied to the Partnership’s common basis of
such property, despite any inconsistency of such approach with Treasury
Regulation Section 1.167(c)-l(a)(6) or any successor regulations thereto. If the
General Partner determines that such reporting position cannot reasonably be
taken, the General Partner may adopt depreciation and amortization conventions
under which all purchasers acquiring Limited Partner Interests in the same month
would receive depreciation and amortization deductions, based upon the same
applicable rate as if they had purchased a direct interest in the Partnership’s
property. If the General Partner chooses not to utilize such aggregate method,
the General Partner may use any other depreciation and amortization conventions
to preserve the uniformity of the intrinsic tax characteristics of any Limited
Partner Interests, so long as such conventions would not have a material adverse
effect on the Limited Partners or the Record Holders of any class or classes of
Limited Partner Interests.
(e) Any gain
allocated to the Partners upon the sale or other taxable disposition of any
Partnership asset shall, to the extent possible, after taking into account other
required allocations of gain pursuant to this Section 6.2, be characterized as
Recapture Income in the same proportions and to the same extent as such Partners
(or their predecessors in interest) have been allocated any deductions directly
or indirectly giving rise to the treatment of such gains as Recapture
Income.
(f) All items
of income, gain, loss, deduction and credit recognized by the Partnership for
federal income tax purposes and allocated to the Partners in accordance with the
provisions hereof shall be determined without regard to any election under
Section 754 of the Code that may be made by the Partnership; provided, however, that such
allocations, once made, shall be adjusted (in the manner determined by the
General Partner) to take into account those adjustments permitted or required by
Sections 734 and 743 of the Code.
(g) Each item
of Partnership income, gain, loss and deduction, for federal income tax
purposes, shall be determined on an annual basis and prorated on a monthly basis
and shall be allocated to the Partners as of the opening of the New York Stock
Exchange on the first Business Day of each month; provided, however, such items for the
period beginning on the Closing Date and ending on the last day of the month in
which the Option Closing Date or the expiration of the Over-Allotment Option
occurs shall be allocated to the Partners as of the opening of the New York
Stock Exchange on the first Business Day of the next succeeding month; and
provided, further, that gain or loss on a sale or other disposition of any
assets of the Partnership or any other extraordinary item of income or loss
realized and recognized other than in the ordinary course of business, as
determined by the General Partner, shall be allocated to the Partners as of the
opening of the New York Stock Exchange on the first Business Day of the month in
which such gain or loss is recognized for federal income tax purposes. The
General Partner may revise, alter or otherwise modify such methods of allocation
to the extent permitted or required by Section 706 of the Code and the
regulations or rulings promulgated thereunder.
(h) Allocations
that would otherwise be made to a Limited Partner under the provisions of this
Article VI shall instead be made to the beneficial owner of Limited Partner
Interests held by a nominee in any case in which the nominee has furnished the
identity of such owner to the Partnership in accordance with Section 6031(c) of
the Code or any other method determined by the General Partner.
Section
6.3
|
Requirement
and Characterization of Distributions; Distributions to Record
Holders.
|
(a) Within 60
days following the end of each Quarter commencing with the Quarter ending on
December 31, 2005, an amount equal to 100% of Available Cash with respect to
such Quarter shall, subject to Section 17-607 of the Delaware Act, be
distributed in accordance with this Article VI by the Partnership to the
Partners as of the Record Date selected by the General Partner. All amounts of
Available Cash distributed by the Partnership on any date from any source shall
be deemed to be Operating Surplus until the sum of all amounts of Available Cash
theretofore distributed by the Partnership to the Partners pursuant to Section
6.4 equals the Operating Surplus from the Closing Date through the close of the
immediately preceding Quarter. Any remaining amounts of Available Cash
distributed by the Partnership on such date shall, except as otherwise provided
in Section 6.5, be deemed to be “Capital Surplus.” All distributions required to
be made under this Agreement shall be made subject to Section 17-607 of the
Delaware Act.
(b) Notwithstanding
Section 6.3(a), in the event of the dissolution and liquidation of the
Partnership, all receipts received during or after the Quarter in which the
Liquidation Date occurs, other than from borrowings described in (a)(ii) of the
definition of Available Cash, shall be applied and distributed solely in
accordance with, and subject to the terms and conditions of, Section
12.4.
(c) The
General Partner may treat taxes paid by the Partnership on behalf of, or amounts
withheld with respect to, all or less than all of the Partners, as a
distribution of Available Cash to such Partners.
(d) Each
distribution in respect of a Partnership Interest shall be paid by the
Partnership, directly or through the Transfer Agent or through any other Person
or agent, only to the Record Holder of such Partnership Interest as of the
Record Date set for such distribution. Such payment shall constitute full
payment and satisfaction of the Partnership’s liability in respect of such
payment, regardless of any claim of any Person who may have an interest in such
payment by reason of an assignment or otherwise.
Section
6.4
|
Distributions
of Available Cash from Operating
Surplus.
|
(a) During the Subordination Period and
Prior to the Conversion of all Class B Units. Available Cash
with respect to any Quarter within the Subordination Period and prior to the
Conversion of all Class B Units that is deemed to be Operating Surplus pursuant
to the provisions of Section 6.3 or 6.5 shall, subject to Section 17-607 of the
Delaware Act, be distributed as follows, except as otherwise required by Section
5.6 in respect of other Partnership Securities issued pursuant
thereto:
(i) First,
(x) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest and (y) to
all Unitholders holding Common Units or Class B Units, their Pro Rata share of a
percentage equal to 100% less the General Partner’s Percentage Interest, until
there has been distributed in respect of each Common Unit and Class B Unit then
Outstanding an amount equal to the Class B Unit Quarterly Distribution for such
Quarter;
(ii) Second,
(x) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest and (y) to
all Unitholders holding Common Units, their Pro Rata share of a percentage equal
to 100% less the General Partner’s Percentage Interest, until there has been
distributed in respect of each Common Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to
the excess of the Minimum Quarterly Distribution over the Class B Unit Quarterly
Distribution for such Quarter;
(iii) Third,
(x) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest and (y) to
all Unitholders holding Common Units or Class B Units, their Pro Rata share of a
percentage equal to 100% less the General Partner’s Percentage Interest, until
there has been distributed in respect of each Class B Unit and Common Unit then
Outstanding an amount equal to the Cumulative Class B Unit Arrearage existing
with respect to such Quarter;
(iv) Fourth,
(x) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest and (y) to
all Unitholders holding Common Units, their Pro Rata share of a percentage equal
to 100% less the General Partner’s Percentage Interest, until there has been
distributed in respect of each Common Unit then Outstanding (including
distributions pursuant to clause (iii) above) an amount equal to the Cumulative
Common Unit Arrearage existing with respect to such Quarter;
(v) Fifth,
(x) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest and (y) to
all Unitholders holding Subordinated Units, their Pro Rata share of a percentage
equal to 100% less the General Partner’s Percentage Interest, until there has
been distributed in respect of each Subordinated Unit then Outstanding an amount
equal to the Minimum Quarterly Distribution for such Quarter;
(vi) Sixth, to
all Unitholders holding Common Units and Subordinated Units, in accordance with
their respective Percentage Interests, until there has been distributed in
respect of each Common Unit and Subordinated Unit then Outstanding an amount
equal to the excess of the First Target Distribution over the Minimum Quarterly
Distribution for such Quarter;
(vii) Seventh,
(A) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest; (B) 13%
to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata; and (C) to all
Unitholders holding Common Units and Subordinated Units, their Pro Rata share of
a percentage equal to 100% less the sum of the percentages applicable to
subclauses (A) and (B) of this clause (vii) until there has been distributed in
respect of each Common Unit and Subordinated Unit then Outstanding an amount
equal to the excess of the Second Target Distribution over the First Target
Distribution for such Quarter;
(viii) Eighth,
(A) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest, (B) 23%
to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata; and (C) to all
Unitholders holding Common Units and Subordinated Units, their Pro Rata share of
a percentage equal to 100% less the sum of the percentages applicable to
subclauses (A) and (B) of this subclause (viii), until there has been
distributed in respect of each Common Unit and Subordinated Unit then
Outstanding an amount equal to the excess of the Third Target Distribution over
the Second Target Distribution for such Quarter; and
(ix) Thereafter,
(A) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest; (B) 48%
to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata; and (C) to all
Unitholders holding Common Units and Subordinated Units, their Pro Rata share of
a percentage equal to 100% less the sum of the percentages applicable to
subclauses (A) and (B) of this clause (ix);
provided, however, if the
Class B Unit Quarterly Distribution, the Minimum Quarterly Distribution, the
First Target Distribution, the Second Target Distribution and the Third Target
Distribution have been reduced to zero pursuant to the second sentence of
Section 6.6(a), the distribution of Available Cash that is deemed to be
Operating Surplus with respect to any Quarter will be made solely in accordance
with Section 6.4(a)(ix); provided, further, that
Available Cash with respect to any Quarter ending on or prior to June 30, 2008
that is deemed to be Operating Surplus pursuant to the provisions of Section 6.3
or 6.5 shall be distributed pursuant to the provisions of Section
6.4(b).
(b) During the Subordination Period and
After the Conversion of all Class B Units. Available Cash with
respect to any Quarter within the Subordination Period and after the Conversion
of all Class B Units (or for Quarters ending on or prior to June 30, 2008) that
is deemed to be Operating Surplus pursuant to the provisions of Section 6.3 or
6.5 shall, subject to Section 17-607 of the Delaware Act, be distributed as
follows, except as otherwise required by Section 5.6 in respect of other
Partnership Securities issued pursuant thereto:
(i) First,
(x) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest and (y) to
all Unitholders holding Common Units, their Pro Rata share of a percentage equal
to 100% less the General Partner’s Percentage Interest, until there has been
distributed in respect of each Common Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to
the Minimum Quarterly Distribution for such Quarter;
(ii) Second,
(x) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest and (y) to
all Unitholders holding Common Units, their Pro Rata share of a percentage equal
to 100% less the General Partner’s Percentage Interest, until there has been
distributed in respect of each Common Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to
the Cumulative Common Unit Arrearage existing with respect to such
Quarter;
(iii) Third,
(x) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest and (y) to
all Unitholders holding Subordinated Units, their Pro Rata share of a percentage
equal to 100% less the General Partner’s Percentage Interest, until there has
been distributed in respect of each Subordinated Unit then Outstanding an amount
equal to the Minimum Quarterly Distribution for such Quarter;
(iv) Fourth,
to all Unitholders, Pro Rata, until there has been distributed in respect of
each Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to the excess of the First Target
Distribution over the Minimum Quarterly Distribution for such
Quarter;
(v) Fifth,
(A) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest; (B) 13%
to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata; and (C) to all
Unitholders holding Limited Partner Units, their Pro Rata share of a percentage
equal to 100% less the sum of the percentages applicable to subclauses (A) and
(B) of this clause (v) until there has been distributed in respect of each Unit
then Outstanding an amount equal to the excess of the Second Target Distribution
over the First Target Distribution for such Quarter;
(vi) Sixth,
(A) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest, (B) 23%
to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata; and (C) to all
Unitholders holding Limited Partner Units, their Pro Rata share of a percentage
equal to 100% less the sum of the percentages applicable to subclauses (A) and
(B) of this subclause (vi), until there has been distributed in respect of each
Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to the excess of the Third Target
Distribution over the Second Target Distribution for such Quarter;
and
(vii) Thereafter,
(A) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest; (B) 48%
to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata; and (C) to all
Unitholders holding Limited Partner Units, their Pro Rata share of a percentage
equal to 100% less the sum of the percentages applicable to subclauses (A) and
(B) of this clause (vii);
provided, however, if the
Minimum Quarterly Distribution, the First Target Distribution, the Second Target
Distribution and the Third Target Distribution have been reduced to zero
pursuant to the second sentence of Section 6.6(a), the distribution of Available
Cash that is deemed to be Operating Surplus with respect to any Quarter will be
made solely in accordance with Section 6.4(b)(vii).
(c) After the Subordination Period and
Prior to the Conversion of all Class B Units. Available Cash with respect
to any Quarter after the Subordination Period and prior to the conversion or
exchange of all Class B Units that is deemed to be Operating Surplus pursuant to
the provisions of Section 6.3 or 6.5, subject to Section 17-607 of the Delaware
Act, shall be distributed as follows, except as otherwise required by Section
5.6 in respect of other Partnership Securities issued pursuant
thereto:
(i) First, to
all Unitholders, Pro Rata, until there has been distributed in respect of each
Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to the Class B Unit Quarterly Distribution
for such Quarter;
(ii) Second,
(x) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest and (y) to
all Unitholders holding Common Units, their Pro Rata share of a percentage equal
to 100% less the General Partner’s Percentage Interest, until there has been
distributed in respect of each Common Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to
the excess of the Minimum Quarterly Distribution over the Class B Unit Quarterly
Distribution for such Quarter;
(iii) Third,
(x) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest and (y) to
all Unitholders holding Common Units, their Pro Rata share of a percentage equal
to 100% less the General Partner’s Percentage Interest, until there has been
distributed in respect of each Common Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to
the excess of the First Target Distribution over the Minimum Quarterly
Distribution for such Quarter;
(iv) Fourth,
(A) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest; (B) 13%
to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata; and (C) to all
Unitholders holding Common Units, their Pro Rata share of a percentage equal to
100% less the sum of the percentages applicable to subclauses (A) and (B) of
this clause (iii), until there has been distributed in respect of each Common
Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to the excess of the Second Target
Distribution over the First Target Distribution for such Quarter;
(v) Fifth,
(A) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest; (B) 23%
to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata; and (C) to all
Unitholders holding Common Units, their Pro Rata share of a percentage equal to
100% less the sum of the percentages applicable to subclause (A) and (B) of this
clause (iv), until there has been distributed in respect of each Common Unit
then Outstanding an amount equal to the excess of the Third Target Distribution
over the Second Target Distribution for such Quarter; and
(vi) Thereafter,
(A) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest; (B) 48%
to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata; and (C) to all
Unitholders holding Common Units, their Pro Rata share of a percentage equal to
100% less the sum of the percentages applicable to subclauses (A) and (B) of
this clause (v);
provided, however, if the
Class B Unit Quarterly Distribution, the First Target Distribution, the Second
Target Distribution and the Third Target Distribution have been reduced to zero
pursuant to the second sentence of Section 6.6(a), the distribution of Available
Cash that is deemed to be Operating Surplus with respect to any Quarter will be
made solely in accordance with Section 6.4(c)(vi).
(d) After the Subordination Period and
the Conversion of all Class B Units. Available Cash with respect to any
Quarter after the Subordination Period and the Conversion of all Class B Units
that is deemed to be Operating Surplus pursuant to the provisions of Section 6.3
or 6.5, subject to Section 17-607 of the Delaware Act, shall be distributed as
follows, except as otherwise required by Section 5.6(b) in respect of other
Partnership Securities issued pursuant thereto:
(i) First,
100% to all Unitholders, Pro Rata, until there has been distributed in respect
of each Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to the Minimum Quarterly
Distribution for such Quarter;
(ii) Second,
100% to all Unitholders, Pro Rata, until there has been distributed in respect
of each Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to the excess of the First Target
Distribution over the Minimum Quarterly Distribution for such
Quarter;
(iii) Third,
(A) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest; (B) 13%
to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata; and (C) to all
Unitholders holding Limited Partner Units, their Pro Rata share of a percentage
equal to 100% less the sum of the percentages applicable to subclauses (A) and
(B) of this clause (iii), until there has been distributed in respect of each
Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to the excess of the Second Target
Distribution over the First Target Distribution for such Quarter;
(iv) Fourth,
(A) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest; (B) 23%
to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata; and (C) to all
Unitholders holding Limited Partner Units, their Pro Rata share of a percentage
equal to 100% less the sum of the percentages applicable to subclause (A) and
(B) of this clause (iv), until there has been distributed in respect of each
Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to the excess of the Third Target
Distribution over the Second Target Distribution for such Quarter;
and
(v) Thereafter,
(A) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest; (B) 48%
to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata; and (C) to all
Unitholders holding Limited Partner Units, their Pro Rata share of a percentage
equal to 100% less the sum of the percentages applicable to subclauses (A) and
(B) of this clause (v);
provided, however, if the
Minimum Quarterly Distribution, the First Target Distribution, the Second Target
Distribution and the Third Target Distribution have been reduced to zero
pursuant to the second sentence of Section 6.6(a), the distribution of Available
Cash that is deemed to be Operating Surplus with respect to any Quarter will be
made solely in accordance with Section 6.4(d)(v).
Section
6.5
|
Distributions
of Available Cash from Capital
Surplus.
|
Available
Cash that is deemed to be Capital Surplus pursuant to the provisions of Section
6.3(a) shall, subject to Section 17-607 of the Delaware Act, be distributed,
unless the provisions of Section 6.3 require otherwise, as follows: (A) to the
General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest; (B) to all
Unitholders holding Class B Units, their Pro Rata share of a percentage equal to
(x) 100% less the General Partner’s Percentage Interest, multiplied by (y) a
fraction, the numerator of which is the aggregate Unrecovered Initial Unit Price
for all Class B Units and the denominator of which is the aggregate Unrecovered
Initial Unit Price for all Limited Partner Units and (C) to all Unitholders
holding Common Units and Subordinated Units, their Pro Rata share of a
percentage equal to 100% less the sum of the percentages applicable to
subclauses (A) and (B) of this sentence, until a hypothetical holder of a Common
Unit acquired on the Closing Date has received with respect to such Common Unit,
during the period since the Closing Date through such date, distributions of
Available Cash that are deemed to be Capital Surplus in an aggregate amount
equal to the Initial Unit Price. Available Cash that is deemed to be
Capital Surplus shall then be distributed as follows:
(a) First,
(i) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest and (ii)
to all Unitholders holding Common Units or Class B Units, their Pro Rata share
of a percentage equal to 100% less the General Partner’s Percentage Interest,
until there has been distributed in respect of each Class B Unit and Common Unit
then Outstanding an amount equal to the Cumulative Class B Unit
Arrearage;
(b) Second,
(i) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest and (ii)
to all Unitholders holding Common Units, their Pro Rata share of a percentage
equal to 100% less the General Partner’s Percentage Interest, until there has
been distributed in respect of each Common Unit then Outstanding (including
distributions pursuant to clause (a) above) an amount equal to the Cumulative
Common Unit Arrearage; and
(c) Thereafter,
all Available Cash shall be distributed as if it were Operating Surplus and
shall be distributed in accordance with Section 6.4.
Section
6.6
|
Adjustment
of Minimum Quarterly Distribution and Target Distribution
Levels.
|
(a) The Class
B Unit Quarterly Distribution, Minimum Quarterly Distribution, First Target
Distribution, Second Target Distribution, Third Target Distribution, Common Unit
Arrearages, Cumulative Common Unit Arrearages, Class B Unit Arrearages and
Cumulative Class B Unit Arrearages shall be proportionately adjusted in the
event of any distribution, combination or subdivision (whether effected by a
distribution payable in Units or otherwise) of Units or other Partnership
Securities in accordance with Section 5.9. In the event of a
distribution of Available Cash that is deemed to be from Capital Surplus, the
then applicable Class B Unit Quarterly Distribution, Minimum
Quarterly Distribution, First Target Distribution, Second Target Distribution
and Third Target Distribution, shall be adjusted proportionately downward to
equal the product obtained by multiplying the otherwise applicable Class B Unit
Quarterly Distribution, Minimum Quarterly Distribution, First Target
Distribution, Second Target Distribution and Third Target Distribution, as the
case may be, by a fraction of which the numerator is the Unrecovered Initial
Unit Price of the Common Units immediately after giving effect to such
distribution and of which the denominator is the Unrecovered Initial Unit Price
of the Common Units immediately prior to giving effect to such
distribution.
(b) The
Minimum Quarterly Distribution, First Target Distribution, Second Target
Distribution and Third Target Distribution, shall also be subject to adjustment
pursuant to Section 6.9.
Section
6.7
|
Special
Provisions Relating to the Holders of Subordinated
Units.
|
(a) Except
with respect to the right to vote on or approve matters requiring the vote or
approval of a percentage of the holders of Outstanding Common Units and the
right to participate in allocations of income, gain, loss and deduction and
distributions made with respect to Common Units, the holder of a Subordinated
Unit shall have all of the rights and obligations of a Unitholder holding Common
Units hereunder; provided, however, that immediately
upon the conversion of Subordinated Units into Common Units pursuant to Section
5.7, the Unitholder holding a Subordinated Unit shall possess all of the rights
and obligations of a Unitholder holding Common Units hereunder, including the
right to vote as a Common Unitholder and the right to participate in allocations
of income, gain, loss and deduction and distributions made with respect to
Common Units; provided,
however, that such
converted Subordinated Units shall remain subject to the provisions of Sections
5.5(c)(ii), 6.1(d)(x) and 6.7(c).
(b) A
Unitholder shall not be permitted to transfer a Subordinated Unit or a
Subordinated Unit that has converted into a Common Unit pursuant to Section 5.7
(other than a transfer to an Affiliate) if the remaining balance in the
transferring Unitholder’s Capital Account with respect to the retained
Subordinated Units or Retained Converted Subordinated Units would be negative
after giving effect to the allocation under Section 5.5(c)(ii)(B).
(c) A
Unitholder holding a Subordinated Unit that has converted into a Common Unit
pursuant to Section 5.7 shall not be issued a Common Unit Certificate pursuant
to Section 4.1, and shall not be permitted to transfer its converted
Subordinated Units to a Person that is not an Affiliate of the holder until such
time as the General Partner determines, based on advice of counsel, that a
converted Subordinated Unit should have, as a substantive matter, like intrinsic
economic and federal income tax characteristics, in all material respects, to
the intrinsic economic and federal income tax characteristics of an Initial
Common Unit. In connection with the condition imposed by this Section 6.7(c),
the General Partner may take whatever steps are required to provide economic
uniformity to the converted Subordinated Units in preparation for a transfer of
such converted Subordinated Units, including the application of Sections
5.5(c)(ii), 6.1(d)(x) and 6.7(b); provided, however, that no such steps
may be taken that would have a material adverse effect on the Unitholders
holding Common Units represented by Common Unit Certificates.
Section
6.8
|
Special
Provisions Relating to the Holders of Incentive Distribution
Rights.
|
Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary set forth in this Agreement, the holders of the
Incentive Distribution Rights (a) shall (i) possess the rights and obligations
provided in this Agreement with respect to a Limited Partner pursuant to
Articles III and VII and (ii) have a Capital Account as a Partner pursuant to
Section 5.5 and all other provisions related thereto and (b) shall not (i) be
entitled to vote on any matters requiring the approval or vote of the holders of
Outstanding Units, except as provided by law, (ii) be entitled to any
distributions other than as provided in Sections 6.4 and 12.4 or (iii) be
allocated items of income, gain, loss or deduction other than as specified in
this Article VI.
Section
6.9
|
Entity-Level
Taxation.
|
If
legislation is enacted or the interpretation of existing language is modified by
a court of competent jurisdiction so that a Group Member is treated as an
association taxable as a corporation or is otherwise subject to an entity-level
tax for federal, state or local income tax purposes, then the General Partner
shall estimate for each Quarter the Partnership Group’s aggregate liability (the
“Estimated Incremental Quarterly Tax Amount”) for all such income taxes that are
payable by reason of any such new legislation or interpretation; provided that
any difference between such estimate and the actual tax liability for such
Quarter that is owed by reason of any such new legislation or interpretation
shall be taken into account in determining the Estimated Incremental Quarterly
Tax Amount with respect to each Quarter in which any such difference can be
determined. For each such Quarter, the Minimum Quarterly
Distribution, First Target Distribution, Second Target Distribution and Third
Target Distribution, shall be the product obtained by multiplying (a) the
amounts therefor that are set out herein prior to the application of this
Section 6.9 times (b) the quotient obtained by dividing (i) Available Cash with
respect to such Quarter by (ii) the sum of Available Cash with respect to such
Quarter and the Estimated Incremental Quarterly Tax Amount for such Quarter, as
determined by the General Partner. For purposes of the foregoing,
Available Cash with respect to a Quarter will be deemed reduced by the Estimated
Incremental Quarterly Tax Amount for that Quarter.
ARTICLE
VII
MANAGEMENT
AND OPERATION OF BUSINESS
Section
7.1
|
Management.
|
(a) The
General Partner shall conduct, direct and manage all activities of the
Partnership. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement, all
management powers over the business and affairs of the Partnership shall be
exclusively vested in the General Partner, and no Limited Partner or Assignee
shall have any management power over the business and affairs of the
Partnership. In addition to the powers now or hereafter granted a general
partner of a limited partnership under applicable law or that are granted to the
General Partner under any other provision of this Agreement, the General
Partner, subject to Section 7.3, shall have full power and authority to do all
things and on such terms as it determines to be necessary or appropriate to
conduct the business of the Partnership, to exercise all powers set forth in
Section 2.5 and to effectuate the purposes set forth in Section 2.4, including
the following:
(i) the
making of any expenditures, the lending or borrowing of money, the assumption or
guarantee of, or other contracting for, indebtedness and other liabilities, the
issuance of evidences of indebtedness, including indebtedness that is
convertible into Partnership Securities, and the incurring of any other
obligations;
(ii) the
making of tax, regulatory and other filings, or rendering of periodic or other
reports to governmental or other agencies having jurisdiction over the business
or assets of the Partnership;
(iii) the
acquisition, disposition, mortgage, pledge, encumbrance, hypothecation or
exchange of any or all of the assets of the Partnership or the merger or other
combination of the Partnership with or into another Person (the matters
described in this clause (iii) being subject, however, to any prior approval
that may be required by Section 7.3 and Article XIV);
(iv) the use
of the assets of the Partnership (including cash on hand) for any purpose
consistent with the terms of this Agreement, including the financing of the
conduct of the operations of the Partnership Group; subject to Section 7.6(a),
the lending of funds to other Persons (including other Group Members); the
repayment or guarantee of obligations of any Group Member; and the making of
capital contributions to any Group Member;
(v) the
negotiation, execution and performance of any contracts, conveyances or other
instruments (including instruments that limit the liability of the Partnership
under contractual arrangements to all or particular assets of the Partnership,
with the other party to the contract to have no recourse against the General
Partner or its assets other than its interest in the Partnership, even if same
results in the terms of the transaction being less favorable to the Partnership
than would otherwise be the case);
(vi) the
distribution of Partnership cash;
(vii) the
selection and dismissal of employees (including employees having titles such as
“president,” “vice president,” “secretary” and “treasurer”) and agents, outside
attorneys, accountants, consultants and contractors and the determination of
their compensation and other terms of employment or hiring;
(viii) the
maintenance of insurance for the benefit of the Partnership Group, the Partners
and Indemnitees;
(ix) the
formation of, or acquisition of an interest in, and the contribution of property
and the making of loans to, any further limited or general partnerships, joint
ventures, corporations, limited liability companies or other relationships
(including the acquisition of interests in, and the contributions of property
to, any Group Member from time to time) subject to the restrictions set forth in
Section 2.4;
(x) the
control of any matters affecting the rights and obligations of the Partnership,
including the bringing and defending of actions at law or in equity and
otherwise engaging in the conduct of litigation, arbitration or mediation and
the incurring of legal expense and the settlement of claims and
litigation;
(xi) the
indemnification of any Person against liabilities and contingencies to the
extent permitted by law;
(xii) the
entering into of listing agreements with any National Securities Exchange and
the delisting of some or all of the Limited Partner Interests from, or
requesting that trading be suspended on, any such exchange (subject to any prior
approval that may be required under Section 4.8);
(xiii) the
purchase, sale or other acquisition or disposition of Partnership Securities, or
the issuance of options, rights, warrants and appreciation rights relating to
Partnership Securities;
(xiv) the
undertaking of any action in connection with the Partnership’s participation in
any Group Member; and
(xv) the
entering into of agreements with any of its Affiliates to render services to a
Group Member or to itself in the discharge of its duties as General Partner of
the Partnership.
(b) Notwithstanding
any other provision of this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, the Delaware
Act or any applicable law, rule or regulation, each of the Partners and the
Assignees and each other Person who may acquire an interest in Partnership
Securities hereby (i) approves, ratifies and confirms the execution, delivery
and performance by the parties thereto of this Agreement and the Group Member
Agreement of each other Group Member, the Underwriting Agreement, the
Contribution Agreement and the other agreements described in or filed as
exhibits to the Registration Statement that are related to the transactions
contemplated by the Registration Statement; (ii) agrees that the General Partner
(on its own or through any officer of the Partnership) is authorized to execute,
deliver and perform the agreements referred to in clause (i) of this sentence
and the other agreements, acts, transactions and matters described in or
contemplated by the Registration Statement on behalf of the Partnership without
any further act, approval or vote of the Partners or the Assignees or the other
Persons who may acquire an interest in Partnership Securities; and (iii) agrees
that the execution, delivery or performance by the General Partner, any Group
Member or any Affiliate of any of them of this Agreement or any agreement
authorized or permitted under this Agreement (including the exercise by the
General Partner or any Affiliate of the General Partner of the rights accorded
pursuant to Article XV) shall not constitute a breach by the General Partner of
any duty that the General Partner may owe the Partnership or the Limited
Partners or any other Persons under this Agreement (or any other agreements) or
of any duty stated or implied by law or equity.
Section
7.2
|
Certificate
of Limited Partnership.
|
The
General Partner has caused the Certificate of Limited Partnership to be filed
with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware as required by the Delaware
Act. The General Partner shall use all reasonable efforts to cause to be filed
such other certificates or documents that the General Partner determines to be
necessary or appropriate for the formation, continuation, qualification and
operation of a limited partnership (or a partnership in which the limited
partners have limited liability) in the State of Delaware or any other state in
which the Partnership may elect to do business or own property. To the extent
the General Partner determines such action to be necessary or appropriate, the
General Partner shall file amendments to and restatements of the Certificate of
Limited Partnership and do all things to maintain the Partnership as a limited
partnership (or a partnership or other entity in which the limited partners have
limited liability) under the laws of the State of Delaware or of any other state
in which the Partnership may elect to do business or own property. Subject to
the terms of Section 3.4(a), the General Partner shall not be required, before
or after filing, to deliver or mail a copy of the Certificate of Limited
Partnership, any qualification document or any amendment thereto to any Limited
Partner.
Section
7.3
|
Restrictions
on the General Partner’s Authority.
|
(a) Except as
otherwise provided in this Agreement, the General Partner may not, without
written approval of the specific act by holders of all of the Outstanding
Limited Partner Interests or by other written instrument executed and delivered
by holders of all of the Outstanding Limited Partner Interests subsequent to the
date of this Agreement, take any action in contravention of this
Agreement.
(b) Except as
provided in Articles XII and XIV, the General Partner may not sell, exchange or
otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of the assets of the Partnership
Group, taken as a whole, in a single transaction or a series of related
transactions (including by way of merger, consolidation, other combination or
sale of ownership interests of the Partnership’s Subsidiaries) without the
approval of holders of a Unit Majority; provided, however, that this provision
shall not preclude or limit the General Partner’s ability to mortgage, pledge,
hypothecate or grant a security interest in all or substantially all of the
assets of the Partnership Group and shall not apply to any forced sale of any or
all of the assets of the Partnership Group pursuant to the foreclosure of, or
other realization upon, any such encumbrance. Without the approval of holders of
a Unit Majority, the General Partner shall not, on behalf of the Partnership,
except as permitted under Sections 4.6, 11.1 and 11.2, elect or cause the
Partnership to elect a successor general partner of the
Partnership.
Section
7.4
|
Reimbursement
of the General Partner.
|
(a) Except as
provided in this Section 7.4 and elsewhere in this Agreement, the General
Partner shall not be compensated for its services as a general partner or
managing member of any Group Member.
(b) The
General Partner shall be reimbursed on a monthly basis, or such other basis as
the General Partner may determine, for (i) all direct and indirect expenses it
incurs or payments it makes on behalf of the Partnership Group (including
salary, bonus, incentive compensation and other amounts paid to any Person,
including Affiliates of the General Partner to perform services for the
Partnership Group or for the General Partner in the discharge of its duties to
the Partnership Group and including overhead allocated to the Partnership by
Affiliates of the General Partner consistent with then-applicable accounting and
allocation methodologies generally permitted by FERC for rate-making purposes
(or in the absence of then-applicable methodologies permitted by FERC,
consistent with the most-recently applicable methodologies) and past business
practices), and (ii) all other expenses allocable to the Partnership Group or
otherwise incurred by the General Partner in connection with operating the
Partnership Group’s business (including expenses allocated to the General
Partner by its Affiliates). The General Partner shall determine the expenses
that are allocable to the Partnership Group. Reimbursements pursuant to this
Section 7.4 shall be in addition to any reimbursement to the General Partner as
a result of indemnification pursuant to Section 7.7. The allocation
of overhead to the Partnership by Affiliates of the General Partner consistent
with then-applicable accounting and allocation methodologies generally permitted
by FERC for rate-making purposes (or in the absence of then-applicable
methodologies permitted by FERC, consistent with the most-recently applicable
methodologies) and past business practices shall be deemed to be fair and
reasonable to the Partnership.
(c) The
General Partner, without the approval of the Limited Partners (who shall have no
right to vote in respect thereof), may propose and adopt on behalf of the
Partnership employee benefit plans, employee programs and employee practices
(including plans, programs and practices involving the issuance of Partnership
Securities or options to purchase or rights, warrants or appreciation rights
relating to Partnership Securities), or cause the Partnership to issue
Partnership Securities in connection with, or pursuant to, any employee benefit
plan, employee program or employee practice maintained or sponsored by the
General Partner or any of its Affiliates, in each case for the benefit of
employees of the General Partner or its Affiliates, or any Group Member or its
Affiliates, or any of them, in respect of services performed, directly or
indirectly, for the benefit of the Partnership Group. The Partnership agrees to
issue and sell to the General Partner or any of its Affiliates any Partnership
Securities that the General Partner or such Affiliates are obligated to provide
to any employees pursuant to any such employee benefit plans, employee programs
or employee practices. Expenses incurred by the General Partner in connection
with any such plans, programs and practices (including the net cost to the
General Partner or such Affiliates of Partnership Securities purchased by the
General Partner or such Affiliates from the Partnership to fulfill options or
awards under such plans, programs and practices) shall be reimbursed in
accordance with Section 7.4(b). Any and all obligations of the General Partner
under any employee benefit plans, employee programs or employee practices
adopted by the General Partner as permitted by this Section 7.4(c) shall
constitute obligations of the General Partner hereunder and shall be assumed by
any successor General Partner approved pursuant to Section 11.1 or 11.2 or the
transferee of or successor to all of the General Partner’s General Partner
Interest pursuant to Section 4.6.
Section
7.5
|
Outside
Activities.
|
(a) After the
Closing Date, the General Partner, for so long as it is the General Partner of
the Partnership (i) agrees that its sole business will be to act as a general
partner or managing member, as the case may be, of the Partnership and any other
partnership or limited liability company of which the Partnership is, directly
or indirectly, a partner or member and to undertake activities that are
ancillary or related thereto (including being a limited partner in the
Partnership) and (ii) shall not engage in any business or activity or incur any
debts or liabilities except in connection with or incidental to (A) its
performance as general partner or managing member, if any, of one or more Group
Members or as described in or contemplated by the Registration Statement or (B)
the acquiring, owning or disposing of debt or equity securities in any Group
Member.
(b) Each
Indemnitee (other than the General Partner) shall have the right to engage in
businesses of every type and description and other activities for profit and to
engage in and possess an interest in other business ventures of any and every
type or description, whether in businesses engaged in or anticipated to be
engaged in by any Group Member, independently or with others, including business
interests and activities in direct competition with the business and activities
of any Group Member, and none of the same shall constitute a breach of this
Agreement or any duty expressed or implied by law to any Group Member or any
Partner or Assignee. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement,
(i) the engaging in competitive activities by any Indemnitees (other than the
General Partner) in accordance with the provisions of this Section 7.5 is hereby
approved by the Partnership and all Partners, (ii) it shall be deemed not to be
breach of any fiduciary duty or any other obligation of any type whatsoever of
the General Partner or of any Indemnitee for the Indemnitees (other than the
General Partner) to engage in such business interests and activities in
preference to or to the exclusion of the Partnership.
(c) Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the doctrine of corporate
opportunity, or any analogous doctrine, shall not apply to an Indemnitee
(including the General Partner). No Indemnitee (including the General Partner)
who acquires knowledge of a potential transaction, agreement, arrangement or
other matter that may be an opportunity for the Partnership shall have any duty
to communicate or offer such opportunity to the Partnership, and such Indemnitee
(including the General Partner) shall not be liable to the Partnership, to any
Limited Partner or any other Person for breach of any fiduciary or other duty by
reason of the fact that such Indemnitee (including the General Partner) pursues
or acquires for itself, directs such opportunity to another Person or does not
communicate such opportunity or information to the Partnership.
(d) The
General Partner and each of its Affiliates may acquire Units or other
Partnership Securities in addition to those acquired on the Closing Date and,
except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, shall be entitled to exercise,
at their option, all rights relating to all Units or other Partnership
Securities acquired by them. The term “Affiliates” when used in this
Section 7.5(d) with respect to the General Partner shall not include any Group
Member.
Section
7.6
|
Loans
from the General Partner; Loans or Contributions from the Partnership or
Group Members.
|
(a) The
General Partner or any of its Affiliates may lend to any Group Member, and any
Group Member may borrow from the General Partner or any of its Affiliates, funds
needed or desired by the Group Member for such periods of time and in such
amounts as the General Partner may determine; provided, however, that in any such
case the lending party may not charge the borrowing party interest at a rate
greater than the rate that would be charged the borrowing party or impose terms
less favorable to the borrowing party than would be charged or imposed on the
borrowing party by unrelated lenders on comparable loans made on an arm’s-length
basis (without reference to the lending party’s financial abilities or
guarantees), all as determined by the General Partner. The borrowing party shall
reimburse the lending party for any costs (other than any additional interest
costs) incurred by the lending party in connection with the borrowing of such
funds. For purposes of this Section 7.6(a) and Section 7.6(b), the term “Group
Member” shall include any Affiliate of a Group Member that is controlled by the
Group Member.
(b) The
Partnership may lend or contribute to any Group Member, and any Group Member may
borrow from the Partnership, funds on terms and conditions determined by the
General Partner. No Group Member may lend funds to the General
Partner or any of its Affiliates (other than another Group Member).
(c) No
borrowing by any Group Member or the approval thereof by the General Partner
shall be deemed to constitute a breach of any duty, expressed or implied, of the
General Partner or its Affiliates to the Partnership or the Limited Partners by
reason of the fact that the purpose or effect of such borrowing is directly or
indirectly to (i) enable distributions to the General Partner or its Affiliates
(including in their capacities as Limited Partners) to exceed the General
Partner’s Percentage Interest of the total amount distributed to all partners or
(ii) hasten the expiration of the Subordination Period or the conversion of any
Subordinated Units into Common Units.
Section
7.7
|
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; 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 7.7, 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; provided, further, no
indemnification pursuant to this Section 7.7 shall be available to the General
Partner or its Affiliates (other than a Group Member) with respect to its or
their obligations incurred pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement or the
Contribution Agreement (other than obligations incurred by the General Partner
on behalf of the Partnership). Any indemnification pursuant to this Section 7.7
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 7.7(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 7.7.
(c) The
indemnification provided by this Section 7.7 shall be in addition to any other
rights to which an Indemnitee may be entitled under any agreement, pursuant to
any vote of the holders of Outstanding Limited Partner Interests, 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 (including any capacity under
the Underwriting Agreement), 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) The
Partnership may purchase and maintain (or reimburse the General Partner or its
Affiliates for the cost of) insurance, on behalf of the General Partner, its
Affiliates and such other Persons as the General Partner shall determine,
against any liability that may be asserted against, or expense that may be
incurred by, such Person in connection with the Partnership’s activities or such
Person’s activities on behalf of the Partnership, regardless of whether the
Partnership would have the power to indemnify such Person against such liability
under the provisions of this Agreement.
(e) For
purposes of this Section 7.7, 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 7.7(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 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.
(f) In no
event may an Indemnitee subject the Limited Partners to personal liability by
reason of the indemnification provisions set forth in this
Agreement.
(g) An
Indemnitee shall not be denied indemnification in whole or in part under this
Section 7.7 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.
(h) The
provisions of this Section 7.7 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.
(i) No
amendment, modification or repeal of this Section 7.7 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 7.7 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.
Section
7.8
|
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 Partners, the
Assignees or any other Persons who have acquired interests in the Partnership
Securities, 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) Subject
to its obligations and duties as General Partner set forth in Section 7.1(a),
the General Partner 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 shall not be
responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any such agent
appointed by the General Partner in good faith.
(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 7.8 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 7.8 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.
Section
7.9
|
Resolution
of Conflicts of Interest; Standards of Conduct and Modification of
Duties.
|
(a) Unless
otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement or any Group Member Agreement,
whenever a potential conflict of interest exists or arises between the General
Partner or any of its Affiliates, on the one hand, and the Partnership, any
Group Member, any Partner or any Assignee, on the other, any resolution or
course of action by the General Partner or its Affiliates 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, of any Group Member Agreement,
of any agreement contemplated herein or therein, or of any duty stated or
implied by law or equity, if the resolution or course of action in respect of
such conflict of interest is (i) approved by Special Approval, (ii) approved by
the vote of a majority of the Common Units (excluding Common Units owned by the
General Partner and its Affiliates), (iii) on terms no less favorable to the
Partnership than those generally being provided to or available from unrelated
third parties or (iv) fair and reasonable to the Partnership, taking into
account the totality of the relationships between the parties involved
(including other transactions that may be particularly favorable or advantageous
to the Partnership). The General Partner shall be authorized but not required in
connection with its resolution of such conflict of interest to seek Special
Approval of such resolution, and the General Partner may also adopt a resolution
or course of action that has not received Special Approval. If
Special Approval is not sought and the Board of Directors of the General Partner
determines that the resolution or course of action taken with respect to a
conflict of interest satisfies either of the standards set forth in clauses
(iii) or (iv) above, then it shall be presumed that, in making its decision, the
Board of Directors acted in good faith, and in any proceeding brought by any
Limited Partner or Assignee or by or on behalf of such Limited Partner or
Assignee or any other Limited Partner or Assignee or the Partnership challenging
such approval, the Person bringing or prosecuting such proceeding shall have the
burden of overcoming such presumption. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary
in this Agreement or any duty otherwise existing at law or equity, the existence
of the conflicts of interest described in the Registration Statement are hereby
approved by all Partners and shall not constitute a breach of this Agreement.
(b) Whenever
the General Partner makes a determination or takes or declines to take any other
action, or any of its Affiliates causes it to do so, in its capacity as the
general partner of the Partnership as opposed to in its individual capacity,
whether under this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement or any other agreement
contemplated hereby or otherwise, then, unless another express standard is
provided for in this Agreement, the General Partner, or such Affiliates causing
it to do so, 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 Group Member 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.
(c) Whenever
the General Partner makes a determination or takes or declines to take any other
action, or any of its Affiliates causes it to do so, in its individual capacity
as opposed to in its capacity as the general partner of the Partnership, whether
under this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement or any other agreement
contemplated hereby or otherwise, then the General Partner, or such Affiliates
causing it to do so, are entitled to make such determination or to take or
decline to take such other action free of any fiduciary duty or obligation
whatsoever to the Partnership, any Limited Partner or Assignee, and the General
Partner, or such Affiliates causing it to do so, shall not be required to act in
good faith or pursuant to any other standard imposed by this Agreement, any
Group Member Agreement, any other agreement contemplated hereby or under the
Delaware Act or any other law, rule or regulation or at equity. By
way of illustration and not of limitation, whenever the phrase, “at the option
of the General Partner,” or some variation of that phrase, is used in this
Agreement, it indicates that the General Partner is acting in its individual
capacity. For the avoidance of doubt, whenever the General Partner
votes or transfers its Units, General Partner Units or Incentive Distribution
Rights, to the extent permitted under this Agreement, or refrains from voting or
transferring its Units, General Partner Units or Incentive Distribution Rights,
as appropriate, it shall be acting in its individual capacity. The
General Partner’s organizational documents may provide that determinations to
take or decline to take any action in its individual, rather than
representative, capacity may or shall be determined by its members, if the
General Partner is a limited liability company, stockholders, if the General
Partner is a corporation, or the members or stockholders of the General
Partner’s general partner, if the General Partner is a limited
partnership.
(d) Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the General Partner and its
Affiliates shall have no duty or obligation, express or implied, to (i) sell or
otherwise dispose of any asset of the Partnership Group other than in the
ordinary course of business or (ii) permit any Group Member to use any
facilities or assets of the General Partner and its Affiliates, except as may be
provided in contracts entered into from time to time specifically dealing with
such use. Any determination by the General Partner or any of its
Affiliates to enter into such contracts shall be at its option.
(e) Except as
expressly set forth in this Agreement, neither the General Partner nor any other
Indemnitee shall have any duties or liabilities, including fiduciary duties, to
the Partnership or any Limited Partner or Assignee and the provisions of this
Agreement, to the extent that they restrict, eliminate or otherwise modify the
duties and liabilities, including fiduciary duties, of the General Partner or
any other Indemnitee otherwise existing at law or in equity, are agreed by the
Partners to replace such other duties and liabilities of the General Partner or
such other Indemnitee.
(f) The
Unitholders hereby authorize the General Partner, on behalf of the Partnership
as a partner or member of a Group Member, to approve actions by the general
partner or managing member of such Group Member similar to those actions
permitted to be taken by the General Partner pursuant to this Section
7.9.
Section
7.10
|
Other
Matters Concerning the General
Partner.
|
(a) The
General Partner may rely and shall be protected in acting or refraining from
acting upon any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report,
notice, request, consent, order, bond, debenture or other paper or document
believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper
party or parties.
(b) The
General Partner may consult with legal counsel, accountants, appraisers,
management consultants, investment bankers and other consultants and advisers
selected by it, and any act taken or omitted to be taken in reliance upon the
advice or opinion (including an Opinion of Counsel) of such Persons as to
matters that the General Partner reasonably believes to be within such Person’s
professional or expert competence shall be conclusively presumed to have been
done or omitted in good faith and in accordance with such advice or
opinion.
(c) The
General Partner shall have the right, in respect of any of its powers or
obligations hereunder, to act through any of its duly authorized officers, a
duly appointed attorney or attorneys-in-fact or the duly authorized officers of
the Partnership.
Section
7.11
|
Purchase
or Sale of Partnership Securities.
|
The
General Partner may cause the Partnership to purchase or otherwise acquire
Partnership Securities; provided that, except as
permitted pursuant to Section 4.10, the General Partner may not cause any Group
Member to purchase Subordinated Units during the Subordination Period. As long
as Partnership Securities are held by any Group Member, such Partnership
Securities shall not be considered Outstanding for any purpose, except as
otherwise provided herein. The General Partner or any Affiliate of the General
Partner may also purchase or otherwise acquire and sell or otherwise dispose of
Partnership Securities for its own account, subject to the provisions of
Articles IV and X.
Section
7.12
|
Registration
Rights of the General Partner and its
Affiliates.
|
(a) If (i)
the General Partner or any Affiliate of the General Partner (including for
purposes of this Section 7.12, any Person that is an Affiliate of the General
Partner at the date hereof notwithstanding that it may later cease to be an
Affiliate of the General Partner) holds Partnership Securities that it desires
to sell and (ii) Rule 144 of the Securities Act (or any successor rule or
regulation to Rule 144) or another exemption from registration is not available
to enable such holder of Partnership Securities (the “Holder”) to dispose of the
number of Partnership Securities it desires to sell at the time it desires to do
so without registration under the Securities Act, then at the option and upon
the request of the Holder, the Partnership shall file with the Commission as
promptly as practicable after receiving such request, and use all commercially
reasonable efforts to cause to become effective and remain effective for a
period of not less than six months following its effective date or such shorter
period as shall terminate when all Partnership Securities covered by such
registration statement have been sold, a registration statement under the
Securities Act registering the offering and sale of the number of Partnership
Securities specified by the Holder; provided, however, that the Partnership
shall not be required to effect more than three registrations pursuant to
Sections 7.12(a) and 7.12(b); and provided further, however, that if the
Conflicts Committee determines in good faith that the requested registration
would be materially detrimental to the Partnership and its Partners because such
registration would (x) materially interfere with a significant acquisition,
reorganization or other similar transaction involving the Partnership, (y)
require premature disclosure of material information that the Partnership has a
bona fide business purpose for preserving as confidential or (z) render the
Partnership unable to comply with requirements under applicable securities laws,
then the Partnership shall have the right to postpone such requested
registration for a period of not more than six months after receipt of the
Holder’s request, such right pursuant to this Section 7.12(a) or Section 7.12(b)
not to be utilized more than once in any twelve-month period. Except
as provided in the preceding sentence, the Partnership shall be deemed not to
have used all commercially reasonable efforts to keep the registration statement
effective during the applicable period if it voluntarily takes any action that
would result in Holders of Partnership Securities covered thereby not being able
to offer and sell such Partnership Securities at any time during such period,
unless such action is required by applicable law. In connection with
any registration pursuant to the immediately preceding sentence, the Partnership
shall (i) promptly prepare and file (A) such documents as may be necessary to
register or qualify the securities subject to such registration under the
securities laws of such states as the Holder shall reasonably request; provided, however, that no such
qualification shall be required in any jurisdiction where, as a result thereof,
the Partnership would become subject to general service of process or to
taxation or qualification to do business as a foreign corporation or partnership
doing business in such jurisdiction solely as a result of such registration, and
(B) such documents as may be necessary to apply for listing or to list the
Partnership Securities subject to such registration on such National Securities
Exchange as the Holder shall reasonably request, and (ii) do any and all other
acts and things that may be necessary or appropriate to enable the Holder to
consummate a public sale of such Partnership Securities in such states. Except
as set forth in Section 7.12(d), all costs and expenses of any such registration
and offering (other than the underwriting discounts and commissions) shall be
paid by the Partnership, without reimbursement by the Holder.
(b) If any
Holder holds Partnership Securities that it desires to sell and Rule 144 of the
Securities Act (or any successor rule or regulation to Rule 144) or another
exemption from registration is not available to enable such Holder to dispose of
the number of Partnership Securities it desires to sell at the time it desires
to do so without registration under the Securities Act, then at the option and
upon the request of the Holder, the Partnership shall file with the Commission
as promptly as practicable after receiving such request, and use all
commercially reasonable efforts to cause to become effective and remain
effective for a period of not less than six months following its effective date
or such shorter period as shall terminate when all Partnership Securities
covered by such shelf registration statement have been sold, a “shelf”
registration statement covering the Partnership Securities specified by the
Holder on an appropriate form under Rule 415 under the Securities Act, or any
similar rule that may be adopted by the Commission; provided, however, that the
Partnership shall not be required to effect more than three registrations
pursuant to Section 7.12(a) and this Section 7.12(b); and provided further,
however, that if the Conflicts Committee determines in good faith that any
offering under, or the use of any prospectus forming a part of, the shelf
registration statement would be materially detrimental to the Partnership and
its Partners because such offering or use would (x) materially interfere with a
significant acquisition, reorganization or other similar transaction involving
the Partnership, (y) require premature disclosure of material information that
the Partnership has a bona fide business purpose for preserving as confidential
or (z) render the Partnership unable to comply with requirements under
applicable securities laws, then the Partnership shall have the right to suspend
such offering or use for a period of not more than six months after receipt of
the Holder’s request, such right pursuant to Section 7.12(a) or this Section
7.12(b) not to be utilized more than once in any twelve-month
period. Except as provided in the preceding sentence, the Partnership
shall be deemed not to have used all commercially reasonable efforts to keep the
shelf registration statement effective during the applicable period if it
voluntarily takes any action that would result in Holders of Partnership
Securities covered thereby not being able to offer and sell such Partnership
Securities at any time during such period, unless such action is required by
applicable law. In connection with any shelf registration pursuant to
this Section 7.12(b), the Partnership shall (i) promptly prepare and file (A)
such documents as may be necessary to register or qualify the securities subject
to such shelf registration under the securities laws of such states as the
Holder shall reasonably request; provided, however, that no such qualification
shall be required in any jurisdiction where, as a result thereof, the
Partnership would become subject to general service of process or to taxation or
qualification to do business as a foreign corporation or partnership doing
business in such jurisdiction solely as a result of such shelf registration, and
(B) such documents as may be necessary to apply for listing or to list the
Partnership Securities subject to such shelf registration on such National
Securities Exchange as the Holder shall reasonably request, and (ii) do any and
all other acts and things that may be necessary or appropriate to enable the
Holder to consummate a public sale of such Partnership Securities in such
states. Except as set forth in Section 7.12(d), all costs and
expenses of any such shelf registration and offering (other than the
underwriting discounts and commissions) shall be paid by the Partnership,
without reimbursement by the Holder.
(c) If the
Partnership shall at any time propose to file a registration statement under the
Securities Act for an offering of equity securities of the Partnership for cash
(other than an offering relating solely to an employee benefit plan), the
Partnership shall use all commercially reasonable efforts to include such number
or amount of securities held by any Holder in such registration statement as the
Holder shall request; provided, that the Partnership is not required to make any
effort or take any action to so include the securities of the Holder once the
registration statement becomes or is declared effective by the
Commission, including any registration statement providing for the offering from
time to time of securities pursuant to Rule 415 of the Securities Act. If the
proposed offering pursuant to this Section 7.12(c) shall be an underwritten
offering, then, in the event that the managing underwriter or managing
underwriters of such offering advise the Partnership and the Holder in writing
that in their opinion the inclusion of all or some of the Holder’s Partnership
Securities would adversely and materially affect the success of the offering,
the Partnership shall include in such offering only that number or amount, if
any, of securities held by the Holder that, in the opinion of the managing
underwriter or managing underwriters, will not so adversely and materially
affect the offering. Except as set forth in Section 7.12(d), all costs and
expenses of any such registration and offering (other than the underwriting
discounts and commissions) shall be paid by the Partnership, without
reimbursement by the Holder.
(d) If
underwriters are engaged in connection with any registration referred to in this
Section 7.12, the Partnership shall provide indemnification, representations,
covenants, opinions and other assurance to the underwriters in form and
substance reasonably satisfactory to such underwriters. Further, in addition to
and not in limitation of the Partnership’s obligation under Section 7.7, the
Partnership shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, indemnify and hold
harmless the Holder, its officers, directors and each Person who controls the
Holder (within the meaning of the Securities Act) and any agent thereof
(collectively, “Indemnified Persons”) 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
Indemnified Person may be involved, or is threatened to be involved, as a party
or otherwise, under the Securities Act or otherwise (hereinafter referred to in
this Section 7.12(d) as a “claim” and in the plural as “claims”) based upon,
arising out of or resulting from any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of any material fact contained in any registration statement under
which any Partnership Securities were registered under the Securities Act or any
state securities or Blue Sky laws, in any preliminary prospectus (if used prior
to the effective date of such registration statement), or in any summary or
final prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto (if used during the
period the Partnership is required to keep the registration statement current),
or arising out of, based upon or resulting from the omission or alleged omission
to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
make the statements made therein not misleading; provided, however, that the Partnership
shall not be liable to any Indemnified Person to the extent that any such claim
arises out of, is based upon or results from an untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in such registration
statement, such preliminary, summary or final prospectus or such amendment or
supplement, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information
furnished to the Partnership by or on behalf of such Indemnified Person
specifically for use in the preparation thereof.
(e) The
provisions of Sections 7.12(a), 7.12(b) and 7.12(c) shall continue to be
applicable with respect to the General Partner (and any of the General Partner’s
Affiliates) after it ceases to be a general partner of the Partnership, during a
period of two years subsequent to the effective date of such cessation and for
so long thereafter as is required for the Holder to sell all of the Partnership
Securities with respect to which it has requested during such two-year period
inclusion in a registration statement otherwise filed or that a registration
statement be filed; provided, however, that the Partnership
shall not be required to file successive registration statements covering the
same Partnership Securities for which registration was demanded during such
two-year period. The provisions of Section 7.12(d) shall continue in effect
thereafter.
(f) The
rights to cause the Partnership to register Partnership Securities pursuant to
this Section 7.12 may be assigned (but only with all related obligations) by a
Holder to a transferee or assignee of such Partnership Securities, provided (i)
the Partnership is, within a reasonable time after such transfer, furnished with
written notice of the name and address of such transferee or assignee and the
Partnership Securities with respect to which such registration rights are being
assigned; and (ii) such transferee or assignee agrees in writing to be bound by
and subject to the terms set forth in this Section 7.12.
(g) Any
request to register Partnership Securities pursuant to this Section 7.12 shall
(i) specify the Partnership Securities intended to be offered and sold by the
Person making the request, (ii) express such Person’s present intent to offer
such Partnership Securities for distribution, (iii) describe the nature or
method of the proposed offer and sale of Partnership Securities, and (iv)
contain the undertaking of such Person to provide all such information and
materials and take all action as may be required in order to permit the
Partnership to comply with all applicable requirements in connection with the
registration of such Partnership Securities.
Section
7.13
|
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 and any officer
of the General Partner authorized by the General Partner to act on behalf of and
in the name of the Partnership 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 authorized contracts on behalf of the Partnership, and such Person
shall be entitled to deal with the General Partner or any such officer 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 that
may be available against such Person to contest, negate or disaffirm any action
of the General Partner or any such officer in connection with any such dealing.
In no event shall any Person dealing with the General Partner or any such
officer 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 any such officer 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 (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.
ARTICLE
VIII
BOOKS,
RECORDS, ACCOUNTING AND REPORTS
Section
8.1
|
Records
and Accounting.
|
The
General Partner shall keep or cause to be kept at the principal office of the
Partnership appropriate books and records with respect to the Partnership’s
business, including all books and records necessary to provide to the Limited
Partners any information required to be provided pursuant to Section 3.4(a). Any
books and records maintained by or on behalf of the Partnership in the regular
course of its business, including the record of the Record Holders and Assignees
of Units or other Partnership Securities, books of account and records of
Partnership proceedings, may be kept on, or be in the form of, computer disks,
hard drives, punch cards, magnetic tape, photographs, micrographics or any other
information storage device; provided, that the books and
records so maintained 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 an accrual basis in accordance with U.S.
GAAP.
Section
8.2
|
Fiscal
Year.
|
The
fiscal year of the Partnership shall be a fiscal year ending December
31.
Section
8.3
|
Reports.
|
(a) As soon
as practicable, but in no event later than 120 days after the close of each
fiscal year of the Partnership, the General Partner shall cause to be mailed or
made available, by any reasonable means (including posting on the Partnership’s
website), to each Record Holder of a Unit as of a date selected by the General
Partner, an annual report containing financial statements of the Partnership for
such fiscal year of the Partnership, presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP,
including a balance sheet and statements of operations, Partnership equity and
cash flows, such statements to be audited by a firm of independent public
accountants selected by the General Partner.
(b) As soon
as practicable, but in no event later than 90 days after the close of each
Quarter except the last Quarter of each fiscal year, the General Partner shall
cause to be mailed or made available, by any reasonable means (including posting
on the Partnership’s website), to each Record Holder of a Unit, as of a date
selected by the General Partner, a report containing unaudited financial
statements of the Partnership and such other information as may be required by
applicable law, regulation or rule of any National Securities Exchange on which
the Units are listed or admitted to trading, or as the General Partner
determines to be necessary or appropriate.
ARTICLE
IX
TAX
MATTERS
Section
9.1
|
Tax
Returns and Information.
|
The
Partnership shall timely file all returns of the Partnership that are required
for federal, state and local income tax purposes on the basis of the accrual
method and the taxable year or years that it is required by law to adopt, from
time to time, as determined in good faith by the General Partner. The
tax information reasonably required by Record Holders for federal and state
income tax reporting purposes with respect to a taxable year shall be furnished
to them within 90 days of the close of the calendar year in which the
Partnership’s taxable year ends. The classification, realization and recognition
of income, gain, losses and deductions and other items shall be on the accrual
method of accounting for federal income tax purposes.
Section
9.2
|
Tax
Elections.
|
(a) The
Partnership shall make the election under Section 754 of the Code in accordance
with applicable regulations thereunder, subject to the reservation of the right
to seek to revoke any such election upon the General Partner’s determination
that such revocation is in the best interests of the Limited Partners.
Notwithstanding any other provision herein contained, for the purposes of
computing the adjustments under Section 743(b) of the Code, the General Partner
shall be authorized (but not required) to adopt a convention whereby the price
paid by a transferee of a Limited Partner Interest will be deemed to be the
lowest quoted closing price of the Limited Partner Interests on any National
Securities Exchange on which such Limited Partner Interests are listed or
admitted to trading during the calendar month in which such transfer is deemed
to occur pursuant to Section 6.2(g) without regard to the actual price paid by
such transferee.
(b) Except as
otherwise provided herein, the General Partner shall determine whether the
Partnership should make any other elections permitted by the Code.
Section
9.3
|
Tax
Controversies.
|
Subject
to the provisions hereof, the General Partner is designated as the Tax Matters
Partner (as defined in 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 Partner agrees to
cooperate with the General Partner and to do or refrain from doing any or all
things reasonably required by the General Partner to conduct such
proceedings.
Section
9.4
|
Withholding.
|
Notwithstanding
any other provision of this Agreement, the General Partner is authorized to take
any action that may be required to cause the Partnership and other Group Members
to comply with any withholding requirements established under the Code or any
other federal, state or local law including pursuant to Sections 1441, 1442,
1445 and 1446 of the Code. To the extent that the Partnership is required or
elects to withhold and pay over to any taxing authority any amount resulting
from the allocation or distribution of income to any Partner or Assignee
(including by reason of Section 1446 of the Code), the General Partner may treat
the amount withheld as a distribution of cash pursuant to Section 6.3 in the
amount of such withholding from such Partner.
ARTICLE
X
ADMISSION
OF PARTNERS
Section
10.1
|
Admission
of Initial Limited Partners.
|
Upon the
issuance by the Partnership of Common Units, Subordinated Units and Incentive
Distribution Rights to the General Partner, Boardwalk Pipelines Holding Corp.
and the Underwriters as described in Sections 5.2 and 5.3 in connection with the
Initial Offering, the General Partner shall admit such parties to the
Partnership as Initial Limited Partners in respect of the Common Units,
Subordinated Units or Incentive Distribution Rights issued to them.
Section
10.2
|
Admission
of Substituted Limited Partners.
|
By
transfer of a Limited Partner Interest in accordance with Article IV, the
transferor shall be deemed to have given the transferee the right to seek
admission as a Substituted Limited Partner subject to the conditions of, and in
the manner permitted under, this Agreement. A transferor of a Certificate
representing a Limited Partner Interest shall, however, only have the authority
to convey to a purchaser or other transferee who does not execute and deliver a
Transfer Application (a) the right to negotiate such Certificate to a purchaser
or other transferee and (b) the right to transfer the right to request admission
as a Substituted Limited Partner to such purchaser or other transferee in
respect of the transferred Limited Partner Interests. No transferor of a Limited
Partnership Interest or other Person shall have any obligation or responsibility
to provide a Transfer Application or Tax Certification to a transferee or assist
or participate in any way with respect to the completion or delivery
thereof. Each transferee of a Limited Partner Interest (including any
nominee holder or an agent acquiring such Limited Partner Interest for the
account of another Person) who executes and delivers a properly completed
Transfer Application, containing a Taxation Certification, shall, by virtue of
such execution and delivery, be an Assignee. Such Assignee shall
automatically be admitted to the Partnership as a Substituted Limited Partner
with respect to the Limited Partner Interests so transferred to such Person at
such time as such transfer is recorded in the books and records of the
Partnership, and until so recorded, such transferee shall be an
Assignee. The General Partner shall periodically, but no less
frequently than on the first Business Day of each calendar quarter, cause any
unrecorded transfers of Limited Partner Interests with respect to which a
properly completed, duly executed Transfer Application has been received to be
recorded in the books and records of the Partnership. An Assignee
shall have an interest in the Partnership equivalent to that of a Limited
Partner with respect to allocations and distributions, including liquidating
distributions, of the Partnership. With respect to voting rights
attributable to Limited Partner Interests that are held by Assignees, the
General Partner shall be deemed to be the Limited Partner with respect thereto
and shall, in exercising the voting rights in respect of such Limited Partner
Interests on any matter, vote such Limited Partner Interests at the written
direction of the Assignee who is the Record Holder of such Limited Partner
Interests. If no such written direction is received, such Limited Partner
Interests will not be voted. An Assignee shall have no other rights of a Limited
Partner.
Section
10.3
|
Admission
of Successor General Partner.
|
A
successor General Partner approved pursuant to Section 11.1 or 11.2 or the
transferee of or successor to all of the General Partner Interest pursuant to
Section 4.6 who is proposed to be admitted as a successor General Partner shall
be admitted to the Partnership as the General Partner, effective immediately
prior to the withdrawal or removal of the predecessor or transferring General
Partner, pursuant to Section 11.1 or 11.2 or the transfer of the General Partner
Interest pursuant to Section 4.6, provided, however, that no such successor
shall be admitted to the Partnership until compliance with the terms of Section
4.6 has occurred and such successor has executed and delivered such other
documents or instruments as may be required to effect such admission. Any such
successor shall, subject to the terms hereof, carry on the business of the
members of the Partnership Group without dissolution.
Section
10.4
|
Admission
of Additional Limited Partners.
|
(a) A Person
(other than the General Partner, an Initial Limited Partner or a Substituted
Limited Partner) who makes a Capital Contribution to the Partnership in
accordance with this Agreement shall be admitted to the Partnership as an
Additional Limited Partner only upon furnishing to the General
Partner:
(i) evidence
of acceptance in form satisfactory to the General Partner of all of the terms
and conditions of this Agreement, including the power of attorney granted in
Section 2.6,
(ii) a
properly completed Taxation Certification; and
(iii) such
other documents or instruments as may be required by the General Partner to
effect such Person’s admission as an Additional Limited Partner.
(b) Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary in this Section 10.4, no Person shall be admitted as an
Additional Limited Partner without the consent of the General Partner. The
admission of any Person as an Additional Limited Partner shall become effective
on the date upon which the name of such Person is recorded as such in the books
and records of the Partnership, following the consent of the General Partner to
such admission.
Section
10.5
|
Amendment
of Agreement and Certificate of Limited
Partnership.
|
To effect
the admission to the Partnership of any Partner, the General Partner shall take
all steps necessary or appropriate under the Delaware Act to amend the records
of the Partnership to reflect such admission and, if necessary, to prepare as
soon as practicable an amendment to this Agreement and, if required by law, the
General Partner shall prepare and file an amendment to the Certificate of
Limited Partnership, and the General Partner may for this purpose, among others,
exercise the power of attorney granted pursuant to Section 2.6.
ARTICLE
XI
WITHDRAWAL
OR REMOVAL OF PARTNERS
Section
11.1
|
Withdrawal
of the General Partner.
|
(a) The
General Partner shall be deemed to have withdrawn from the Partnership upon the
occurrence of any one of the following events (each such event herein referred
to as an “Event of Withdrawal”);
(i) The
General Partner voluntarily withdraws from the Partnership by giving written
notice to the other Partners;
(ii) The
General Partner transfers all of its rights as General Partner pursuant to
Section 4.6;
(iii) The
General Partner is removed pursuant to Section 11.2;
(iv) The
General Partner (A) makes a general assignment for the benefit of creditors; (B)
files a voluntary bankruptcy petition for relief under Chapter 7 of the United
States Bankruptcy Code; (C) files a petition or answer seeking for itself a
liquidation, dissolution or similar relief (but not a reorganization) under any
law; (D) files an answer or other pleading admitting or failing to contest the
material allegations of a petition filed against the General Partner in a
proceeding of the type described in clauses (A)-(C) of this Section 11.1(a)(iv);
or (E) seeks, consents to or acquiesces in the appointment of a trustee (but not
a debtor-in-possession), receiver or liquidator of the General Partner or of all
or any substantial part of its properties;
(v) A final
and non-appealable order of relief under Chapter 7 of the United States
Bankruptcy Code is entered by a court with appropriate jurisdiction pursuant to
a voluntary or involuntary petition by or against the General Partner;
or
(vi) (A) in
the event the General Partner is a corporation, a certificate of dissolution or
its equivalent is filed for the General Partner, or 90 days expire after the
date of notice to the General Partner of revocation of its charter without a
reinstatement of its charter, under the laws of its state of incorporation; (B)
in the event the General Partner is a partnership or a limited liability
company, the dissolution and commencement of winding up of the General Partner;
(C) in the event the General Partner is acting in such capacity by virtue of
being a trustee of a trust, the termination of the trust; (D) in the event the
General Partner is a natural person, his death or adjudication of incompetency;
and (E) otherwise in the event of the termination of the General
Partner.
If an
Event of Withdrawal specified in Section 11.1(a)(iv), (v) or (vi)(A), (B), (C)
or (E) occurs, the withdrawing General Partner shall give notice to the Limited
Partners within 30 days after such occurrence. The Partners hereby agree that
only the Events of Withdrawal described in this Section 11.1 shall result in the
withdrawal of the General Partner from the Partnership.
(b) Withdrawal
of the General Partner from the Partnership upon the occurrence of an Event of
Withdrawal shall not constitute a breach of this Agreement under the following
circumstances: (i) at any time during the period beginning on the Closing Date
and ending at 12:00 midnight, Central Time, on September 30, 2015, the General
Partner voluntarily withdraws by giving at least 90 days’ advance notice of its
intention to withdraw to the Limited Partners; provided, that prior to the
effective date of such withdrawal, the withdrawal is approved by Unitholders
holding at least a majority of the Outstanding Common Units (excluding Common
Units held by the General Partner and its Affiliates) and the General Partner
delivers to the Partnership an Opinion of Counsel (“Withdrawal Opinion of
Counsel”) that such withdrawal (following the selection of the successor General
Partner) would not result in the loss of the limited liability of any Limited
Partner or any Group Member or cause any Group Member to be treated as an
association taxable as a corporation or otherwise to be taxed as an entity for
federal income tax purposes (to the extent not already so treated or taxed);
(ii) at any time after 12:00 midnight, Central Time, on September 30, 2015, the
General Partner voluntarily withdraws by giving at least 90 days’ advance notice
to the Unitholders, such withdrawal to take effect on the date specified in such
notice; (iii) at any time that the General Partner ceases to be the General
Partner pursuant to Section 11.1(a)(ii) or is removed pursuant to Section 11.2;
or (iv) notwithstanding clause (i) of this sentence, at any time that the
General Partner voluntarily withdraws by giving at least 90 days’ advance notice
of its intention to withdraw to the Limited Partners, such withdrawal to take
effect on the date specified in the notice, if at the time such notice is given
one Person and its Affiliates (other than the General Partner and its
Affiliates) own beneficially or of record or control at least 50% of the
Outstanding Units. The withdrawal of the General Partner from the
Partnership upon the occurrence of an Event of Withdrawal shall also constitute
the withdrawal of the General Partner as general partner or managing member, if
any, to the extent applicable, of the other Group Members. If the
General Partner gives a notice of withdrawal pursuant to Section 11.1(a)(i), the
holders of a Unit Majority, may, prior to the effective date of such withdrawal,
elect a successor General Partner. The Person so elected as successor
General Partner shall automatically become the successor general partner or
managing member, to the extent applicable, of the other Group Members of which
the General Partner is a general partner or a managing member. If,
prior to the effective date of the General Partner’s withdrawal, a successor is
not selected by the Unitholders as provided herein or the Partnership does not
receive a Withdrawal Opinion of Counsel, the Partnership shall be dissolved in
accordance with Section 12.1. Any successor General Partner elected in
accordance with the terms of this Section 11.1 shall be subject to the
provisions of Section 10.3.
Section
11.2
|
Removal
of the General Partner.
|
The
General Partner may be removed if such removal is approved by the Unitholders
holding at least 66 2/3% of the Outstanding Units (including Units held by the
General Partner and its Affiliates) voting as a single class. Any such action by
such holders for removal of the General Partner must also provide for the
election of a successor General Partner by the Unitholders holding a majority of
the outstanding Common Units voting as a class and a majority of the outstanding
Subordinated Units voting as a class (including Units held by the General
Partner and its Affiliates). Such removal shall be effective immediately
following the admission of a successor General Partner pursuant to Section 10.3.
The removal of the General Partner shall also automatically constitute the
removal of the General Partner as general partner or managing member, to the
extent applicable, of the other Group Members of which the General Partner is a
general partner or a managing member. If a Person is elected as a successor
General Partner in accordance with the terms of this Section 11.2, such Person
shall, upon admission pursuant to Section 10.3, automatically become a successor
general partner or managing member, to the extent applicable, of the other Group
Members of which the General Partner is a general partner or a managing member.
The right of the holders of Outstanding Units to remove the General Partner
shall not exist or be exercised unless the Partnership has received an opinion
opining as to the matters covered by a Withdrawal Opinion of Counsel. Any
successor General Partner elected in accordance with the terms of this Section
11.2 shall be subject to the provisions of Section 10.3.
Section
11.3
|
Interest
of Departing General Partner and Successor General
Partner.
|
(a) In the
event of (i) withdrawal of the General Partner under circumstances where such
withdrawal does not violate this Agreement or (ii) removal of the General
Partner by the holders of Outstanding Units under circumstances where Cause does
not exist, if the successor General Partner is elected in accordance with the
terms of Section 11.1 or 11.2, the Departing General Partner shall have the
option, exercisable prior to the effective date of the departure of such
Departing General Partner, to require its successor to purchase its General
Partner Interest and its general partner interest (or equivalent interest), if
any, in the other Group Members and all of the Incentive Distribution Rights
(collectively, the “Combined Interest”) in exchange for an amount in cash equal
to the fair market value of such Combined Interest, such amount to be determined
and payable as of the effective date of its departure. If the General Partner is
removed by the Unitholders under circumstances where Cause exists or if the
General Partner withdraws under circumstances where such withdrawal violates
this Agreement, and if a successor General Partner is elected in accordance with
the terms of Section 11.1 or 11.2 (or if the business of the Partnership is
continued pursuant to Section 12.2 and the successor General Partner is not
the former General Partner), such successor shall have the option, exercisable
prior to the effective date of the departure of such Departing General Partner
(or, in the event the business of the Partnership is continued, prior to the
date the business of the Partnership is continued), to purchase the Combined
Interest for such fair market value of such Combined Interest of the Departing
General Partner. In either event, the Departing General Partner shall be
entitled to receive all reimbursements due such Departing General Partner
pursuant to Section 7.4, including any employee-related liabilities (including
severance liabilities), incurred in connection with the termination of any
employees employed by the Departing General Partner or its Affiliates (other
than any Group Member) for the benefit of the Partnership or the other Group
Members.
For
purposes of this Section 11.3(a), the fair market value of the Departing General
Partner’s Combined Interest shall be determined by agreement between the
Departing General Partner and its successor or, failing agreement within 30 days
after the effective date of such Departing General Partner’s departure, by an
independent investment banking firm or other independent expert selected by the
Departing General Partner and its successor, which, in turn, may rely on other
experts, and the determination of which shall be conclusive as to such matter.
If such parties cannot agree upon one independent investment banking firm or
other independent expert within 45 days after the effective date of such
departure, then the Departing General Partner shall designate an independent
investment banking firm or other independent expert, the Departing General
Partner’s successor shall designate an independent investment banking firm or
other independent expert, and such firms or experts shall mutually select a
third independent investment banking firm or independent expert, which third
independent investment banking firm or other independent expert shall determine
the fair market value of the Combined Interest of the Departing General Partner.
In making its determination, such third independent investment banking firm or
other independent expert may consider the then current trading price of Units on
any National Securities Exchange on which Units are then listed or admitted to
trading, the value of the Partnership’s assets, the rights and obligations of
the Departing General Partner and other factors it may deem
relevant.
(b) If the
Combined Interest is not purchased in the manner set forth in Section 11.3(a),
the Departing General Partner (or its transferee) shall become a Limited Partner
and its Combined Interest shall be converted into Common Units pursuant to a
valuation made by an investment banking firm or other independent expert
selected pursuant to Section 11.3(a), without reduction in such Partnership
Interest (but subject to proportionate dilution by reason of the admission of
its successor). Any successor General Partner shall indemnify the Departing
General Partner (or its transferee) as to all debts and liabilities of the
Partnership arising on or after the date on which the Departing General Partner
(or its transferee) becomes a Limited Partner. For purposes of this Agreement,
conversion of the Combined Interest of the Departing General Partner to Common
Units will be characterized as if the Departing General Partner (or its
transferee) contributed its Combined Interest to the Partnership in exchange for
the newly issued Common Units.
(c) If a
successor General Partner is elected in accordance with the terms of Section
11.1 or 11.2 (or if the business of the Partnership is continued pursuant to
Section 12.2 and the successor General Partner is not the former General
Partner) and the option described in Section 11.3(a) is not exercised by the
party entitled to do so, the successor General Partner shall, at the effective
date of its admission to the Partnership, contribute to the Partnership cash in
the amount equal to the product of the Percentage Interest of the Departing
General Partner and the Net Agreed Value of the Partnership’s assets on such
date. In such event, such successor General Partner shall, subject to the
following sentence, be entitled to its Percentage Interest of all Partnership
allocations and distributions to which the Departing General Partner was
entitled. In addition, the successor General Partner shall cause this Agreement
to be amended to reflect that, from and after the date of such successor General
Partner’s admission, the successor General Partner’s interest in all Partnership
distributions and allocations shall be its Percentage Interest.
Section
11.4
|
Termination
of Subordination Period, Conversion of Subordinated Units and
Extinguishment of Cumulative Common Unit
Arrearages.
|
Notwithstanding
any provision of this Agreement, if the General Partner is removed as general
partner of the Partnership under circumstances where Cause does not exist and no
Units held by the General Partner and its Affiliates are voted in favor of such
removal, (i) the Subordination Period will end and all Outstanding Subordinated
Units will immediately and automatically convert into Common Units on a
one-for-one basis, (ii) all Cumulative Common Unit Arrearages on the Common
Units will be extinguished and (iii) the General Partner will have the right to
convert its General Partner Interest and its Incentive Distribution Rights into
Common Units or to receive cash in exchange therefor, as provided in Section
11.3.
Section
11.5
|
Withdrawal
of Limited Partners.
|
No
Limited Partner shall have any right to withdraw from the Partnership; provided, however, that when
a transferee of a Limited Partner’s Limited Partner Interest becomes a Record
Holder of the Limited Partner Interest so transferred, such transferring Limited
Partner shall cease to be a Limited Partner with respect to the Limited Partner
Interest so transferred.
ARTICLE
XII
DISSOLUTION
AND LIQUIDATION
Section
12.1
|
Dissolution.
|
The
Partnership shall not be dissolved by the admission of Substituted Limited
Partners or Additional Limited Partners or by the admission of a successor
General Partner in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. Upon the removal
or withdrawal of the General Partner, if a successor General Partner is elected
pursuant to Section 11.1 or 11.2, the Partnership shall not be dissolved and
such successor General Partner shall continue the business of the Partnership.
The Partnership shall dissolve, and (subject to Section 12.2) its affairs shall
be wound up, upon:
(a) an Event
of Withdrawal of the General Partner as provided in Section 11.1(a) (other than
Section 11.1(a)(ii)), unless a successor is elected and an Opinion of Counsel is
received as provided in Section 11.1(b) or 11.2 and such successor is admitted
to the Partnership pursuant to Section 10.3;
(b) an
election to dissolve the Partnership by the General Partner that is approved by
the holders of a Unit Majority;
(c) the entry
of a decree of judicial dissolution of the Partnership pursuant to the
provisions of the Delaware Act; or
(d) at any
time there are no Limited Partners, unless the Partnership is continued without
dissolution in accordance with the Delaware Act.
Section
12.2
|
Continuation
of the Business of the Partnership After
Dissolution.
|
Upon (a)
dissolution of the Partnership following an Event of Withdrawal caused by the
withdrawal or removal of the General Partner as provided in Section 11.1(a)(i)
or (iii) and the failure of the Partners to select a successor to such Departing
General Partner pursuant to Section 11.1 or 11.2, then within 90 days
thereafter, or (b) dissolution of the Partnership upon an event constituting an
Event of Withdrawal as defined in Section 11.1(a)(iv), (v) or (vi), then, to the
maximum extent permitted by law, within 180 days thereafter, the holders of a
Unit Majority may elect to continue the business of the Partnership on the same
terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement by appointing as a successor
General Partner a Person approved by the holders of a Unit Majority. Unless such
an election is made within the applicable time period as set forth above, the
Partnership shall conduct only activities necessary to wind up its affairs. If
such an election is so made, then:
(i) the
Partnership shall continue without dissolution unless earlier dissolved in
accordance with this Article XII;
(ii) if the
successor General Partner is not the former General Partner, then the interest
of the former General Partner shall be treated in the manner provided in Section
11.3; and
(iii) the
successor General Partner shall be admitted to the Partnership as General
Partner, effective as of the Event of Withdrawal, by agreeing in writing to be
bound by this Agreement; provided, that the right of
the holders of a Unit Majority to approve a successor General Partner 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 (x) the
exercise of the right would not result in the loss of limited liability of any
Limited Partner and (y) neither the Partnership nor any Group Member would be
treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise be taxable as an
entity for federal income tax purposes upon the exercise of such right to
continue (to the extent not already so treated or taxed).
Section
12.3
|
Liquidator.
|
Upon
dissolution of the Partnership, unless the business of the Partnership is
continued pursuant to Section 12.2, the General Partner shall select one or more
Persons to act as Liquidator. The Liquidator (if other than the General Partner)
shall be entitled to receive such compensation for its services as may be
approved by holders of at least a majority of the Outstanding Common Units and
Subordinated Units voting as a single class. The Liquidator (if other than the
General Partner) shall agree not to resign at any time without 15 days’ prior
notice and may be removed at any time, with or without cause, by notice of
removal approved by holders of at least a majority of the Outstanding Common
Units and Subordinated Units voting as a single class. Upon dissolution, removal
or resignation of the Liquidator, a successor and substitute Liquidator (who
shall have and succeed to all rights, powers and duties of the original
Liquidator) shall within 30 days thereafter be approved by holders of at least a
majority of the Outstanding Common Units and Subordinated Units voting as a
single class. The right to approve a successor or substitute Liquidator in the
manner provided herein shall be deemed to refer also to any such successor or
substitute Liquidator approved in the manner herein provided. Except as
expressly provided in this Article XII, the Liquidator approved in the manner
provided herein shall have and may exercise, without further authorization or
consent 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 limitation on sale set forth in Section 7.3) necessary or
appropriate to carry out the duties and functions of the Liquidator hereunder
for and during the period of time required to complete the winding up and
liquidation of the Partnership as provided for herein.
Section
12.4
|
Liquidation.
|
The
Liquidator shall proceed to dispose of the assets of the Partnership, discharge
its liabilities, and otherwise wind up its affairs in such manner and over such
period as determined by the Liquidator, subject to Section 17-804 of the
Delaware Act and the following:
(a) The
assets may be disposed of by public or private sale or by distribution in kind
to one or more Partners on such terms as the Liquidator and such Partner or
Partners may agree. If any property is distributed in kind, the Partner
receiving the property shall be deemed for purposes of Section 12.4(c) to have
received cash equal to its fair market value; and contemporaneously therewith,
appropriate cash distributions must be made to the other Partners. The
Liquidator may defer liquidation or distribution of the Partnership’s assets for
a reasonable time if it determines that an immediate sale or distribution of all
or some of the Partnership’s assets would be impractical or would cause undue
loss to the Partners. The Liquidator may distribute the Partnership’s assets, in
whole or in part, in kind if it determines that a sale would be impractical or
would cause undue loss to the Partners.
(b) Liabilities
of the Partnership include amounts owed to the Liquidator as compensation for
serving in such capacity (subject to the terms of Section 12.3) and amounts to
Partners otherwise than in respect of their distribution rights under Article
VI. With respect to any liability that is contingent, conditional or unmatured
or is otherwise not yet due and payable, the Liquidator shall either settle such
claim for such amount as it thinks appropriate or establish a reserve of cash or
other assets to provide for its payment. When paid, any unused portion of the
reserve shall be distributed as additional liquidation proceeds.
(c) All
property and all cash in excess of that required to discharge liabilities as
provided in Section 12.4(b) shall be distributed to the Partners in accordance
with, and to the extent of, the positive balances in their respective Capital
Accounts, as determined after taking into account all Capital Account
adjustments (other than those made by reason of distributions pursuant to this
Section 12.4(c)) for the taxable year of the Partnership during which the
liquidation of the Partnership occurs (with such date of occurrence being
determined pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(g)), and
such distribution shall be made by the end of such taxable year (or, if later,
within 90 days after said date of such occurrence).
Section
12.5
|
Cancellation
of Certificate of Limited
Partnership.
|
Upon the
completion of the distribution of Partnership cash and property as provided in
Section 12.4 in connection with the liquidation of the Partnership, the
Certificate of Limited Partnership and all qualifications of the Partnership as
a foreign limited partnership in jurisdictions other than the State of Delaware
shall be canceled and such other actions as may be necessary to terminate the
Partnership shall be taken.
Section
12.6
|
Return
of Contributions.
|
The
General Partner shall not be personally liable for, and shall have no obligation
to contribute or loan any monies or property to the Partnership to enable it to
effectuate, the return of the Capital Contributions of the Limited Partners or
Unitholders, or any portion thereof, it being expressly understood that any such
return shall be made solely from Partnership assets.
Section
12.7
|
Waiver
of Partition.
|
To the
maximum extent permitted by law, each Partner hereby waives any right to
partition of the Partnership property.
Section
12.8
|
Capital
Account Restoration.
|
No
Limited Partner shall have any obligation to restore any negative balance in its
Capital Account upon liquidation of the Partnership. The General Partner shall
be obligated to restore any negative balance in its Capital Account upon
liquidation of its interest in the Partnership by the end of the taxable year of
the Partnership during which such liquidation occurs, or, if later, within 90
days after the date of such liquidation.
ARTICLE
XIII
AMENDMENT
OF PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT; MEETINGS; RECORD DATE
Section
13.1
|
Amendments
to be Adopted Solely by the General
Partner.
|
Each
Partner agrees that the General Partner, without the approval of any Partner or
Assignee, may amend any provision of this Agreement and 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, the location of the principal place of business
of the Partnership, the registered agent of the Partnership or the registered
office of the Partnership;
(b) admission,
substitution, withdrawal or removal of Partners in accordance with this
Agreement;
(c) a change
that the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate to 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 to ensure that the Group Members will not be treated as
associations taxable as corporations or otherwise taxed as entities for federal
income tax purposes;
(d) a change
that the General Partner determines, (i) does not adversely affect the Limited
Partners (including any particular class of Partnership Interests as compared to
other classes of Partnership Interests) in any material respect, (ii) to be
necessary or appropriate to (A) satisfy any requirements, conditions or
guidelines contained in any opinion, directive, order, ruling or regulation of
any federal or state agency or judicial authority or contained in any federal or
state statute (including the Delaware Act) or (B) facilitate the trading of the
Units (including the division of any class or classes of Outstanding Units into
different classes to facilitate uniformity of tax consequences within such
classes of Units) or comply with any rule, regulation, guideline or requirement
of any National Securities Exchange on which the Units are or will be listed or
admitted to trading, (iii) to be necessary or appropriate in connection with
action taken by the General Partner pursuant to Section 5.9 or (iv) is required
to effect the intent expressed in the Registration Statement or the intent of
the provisions of this Agreement or is otherwise contemplated by this
Agreement;
(e) a change
in the fiscal year or taxable year of the Partnership and any other changes that
the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate as a result of a
change in the fiscal year or taxable year of the Partnership including, if the
General Partner shall so determine, a change in the definition of “Quarter” and
the dates on which distributions are to be made by the Partnership;
(f) an
amendment that is necessary, in the Opinion of Counsel, to prevent the
Partnership, or the General Partner or its directors, officers, trustees or
agents 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, regardless of whether such are
substantially similar to plan asset regulations currently applied or proposed by
the United States Department of Labor;
(g) an
amendment that the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate in
connection with the authorization of issuance of any class or series of
Partnership Securities pursuant to Section 5.6;
(h) any
amendment expressly permitted in this Agreement to be made by the General
Partner acting alone;
(i) an
amendment effected, necessitated or contemplated by a Merger Agreement approved
in accordance with Section 14.3;
(j) an
amendment that the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate to
reflect and account for the formation by the Partnership of, or investment by
the Partnership in, any corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited
liability company or other entity, in connection with the conduct by the
Partnership of activities permitted by the terms of Section 2.4;
(k) a merger
or conveyance pursuant to Section 14.3(d); or
(l) any other
amendments substantially similar to the foregoing.
Section
13.2
|
Amendment
Procedures.
|
Except as
provided in Sections 13.1 and 13.3, all amendments to this Agreement shall be
made in accordance with the following requirements. Amendments to this Agreement
may be proposed only by the General Partner; provided, however, that the General
Partner shall have no duty or obligation to propose any amendment to this
Agreement and may decline to do so free of any fiduciary duty or obligation
whatsoever to the Partnership, any Limited Partner or Assignee and, in declining
to propose an amendment, to the fullest extent permitted by law shall not be
required to act in good faith or pursuant to any other standard imposed by this
Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, any other agreement contemplated hereby
or under the Delaware Act or any other law, rule or regulation or at equity. A
proposed amendment shall be effective upon its approval by the General Partner
and the holders of a Unit Majority, unless a greater or different percentage is
required under this Agreement or by Delaware law. Each proposed amendment that
requires the approval of the holders of a specified percentage of Outstanding
Units shall be set forth in a writing that contains the text of the proposed
amendment. If such an amendment is proposed, the General Partner shall seek the
written approval of the requisite percentage of Outstanding Units or call a
meeting of the Unitholders to consider and vote on such proposed amendment. The
General Partner shall notify all Record Holders upon final adoption of any such
proposed amendments.
Section
13.3
|
Amendment
Requirements.
|
(a) Notwithstanding
the provisions of Sections 13.1 and 13.2, no provision of this Agreement that
establishes a percentage of Outstanding Units (including Units deemed owned by
the General Partner) required to take any action shall be amended, altered,
changed, repealed or rescinded in any respect that would have the effect of
reducing such voting percentage unless such amendment is approved by the written
consent or the affirmative vote of holders of Outstanding Units whose aggregate
Outstanding Units constitute not less than the voting requirement sought to be
reduced.
(b) Notwithstanding
the provisions of Sections 13.1 and 13.2, no amendment to this Agreement may (i)
enlarge the obligations of any Limited Partner without its consent, unless such
shall be deemed to have occurred as a result of an amendment approved pursuant
to Section 13.3(c) or (ii) enlarge the obligations of, restrict in any way any
action by or rights of, or reduce in any way the amounts distributable,
reimbursable or otherwise payable to, the General Partner or any of its
Affiliates without its consent, which consent may be given or withheld at its
option.
(c) Except as
provided in Section 14.3, and without limitation of the General Partner’s
authority to adopt amendments to this Agreement without the approval of any
Partners or Assignees as contemplated in Section 13.1, any amendment that would
have a material adverse effect on the rights or preferences of any class of
Partnership Interests in relation to other classes of Partnership Interests must
be approved by the holders of not less than a majority of the Outstanding
Partnership Interests of the class affected.
(d) Notwithstanding
any other provision of this Agreement, except for amendments pursuant to Section
13.1 and except as otherwise provided by Section 14.3(b), no amendments shall
become effective without the approval of the holders of at least 90% of the
Outstanding Units voting as a single class unless the Partnership obtains an
Opinion of Counsel to the effect that such amendment will not affect the limited
liability of any Limited Partner under applicable law.
(e) Except as
provided in Section 13.1, this Section 13.3 shall only be amended with the
approval of the holders of at least 90% of the Outstanding Units.
Section
13.4
|
Special
Meetings.
|
All acts
of Limited Partners to be taken pursuant to this Agreement shall be taken in the
manner provided in this Article XIII. Special meetings of the Limited Partners
may be called by the General Partner or by Limited Partners owning 20% or more
of the Outstanding Units of the class or classes for which a meeting is
proposed. Limited Partners shall call a special meeting by delivering to the
General Partner one or more requests in writing stating that the signing Limited
Partners wish to call a special meeting and indicating the general or specific
purposes for which the special meeting is to be called. Within 60 days after
receipt of such a call from Limited Partners or within such greater time as may
be reasonably necessary for the Partnership to comply with any statutes, rules,
regulations, listing agreements or similar requirements governing the holding of
a meeting or the solicitation of proxies for use at such a meeting, the General
Partner shall send a notice of the meeting to the Limited Partners either
directly or indirectly through the Transfer Agent. A meeting shall be held at a
time and place determined by the General Partner on a date not less than 10 days
nor more than 60 days after the mailing of notice of the meeting. Limited
Partners shall not vote on matters that would cause the Limited Partners to be
deemed to be taking part in the management and control of the business and
affairs of the Partnership so as to jeopardize the Limited Partners’ limited
liability under the Delaware Act or the law of any other state in which the
Partnership is qualified to do business.
Section
13.5
|
Notice
of a Meeting.
|
Notice of
a meeting called pursuant to Section 13.4 shall be given to the Record Holders
of the class or classes of Units for which a meeting is proposed in writing by
mail or other means of written communication in accordance with Section 16.1.
The notice shall be deemed to have been given at the time when deposited in the
mail or sent by other means of written communication.
Section
13.6
|
Record
Date.
|
For
purposes of determining the Limited Partners entitled to notice of or to vote at
a meeting of the Limited Partners or to give approvals without a meeting as
provided in Section 13.11 the General Partner may set a Record Date, which shall
not be less than 10 nor more than 60 days before (a) the date of the meeting
(unless such requirement conflicts with any rule, regulation, guideline or
requirement of any National Securities Exchange on which the Units are listed or
admitted to trading, in which case the rule, regulation, guideline or
requirement of such National Securities Exchange shall govern) or (b) in the
event that approvals are sought without a meeting, the date by which Limited
Partners are requested in writing by the General Partner to give such
approvals. If the General Partner does not set a Record Date, then
(a) the Record Date for determining the Limited Partners entitled to notice of
or to vote at a meeting of the Limited Partners shall be the close of business
on the day next preceding the day on which notice is given, and (b) the Record
Date for determining the Limited Partners entitled to give approvals without a
meeting shall be the date the first written approval is deposited with the
Partnership in care of the General Partner in accordance with Section
13.11.
Section
13.7
|
Adjournment.
|
When a
meeting is adjourned to another time or place, notice need not be given of the
adjourned meeting and a new Record Date need not be fixed, if the time and place
thereof are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken, unless
such adjournment shall be for more than 45 days. At the adjourned meeting, the
Partnership may transact any business which might have been transacted at the
original meeting. If the adjournment is for more than 45 days or if a new Record
Date is fixed for the adjourned meeting, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall
be given in accordance with this Article XIII.
Section
13.8
|
Waiver
of Notice; Approval of Meeting; Approval of
Minutes.
|
The
transactions of any meeting of Limited Partners, however called and noticed, and
whenever held, shall be as valid as if it had occurred at a meeting duly held
after regular call and notice, if a quorum is present either in person or by
proxy. Attendance of a Limited Partner at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of
notice of the meeting, except when the Limited Partner attends the meeting for
the express purpose of objecting, at the beginning of the meeting, to the
transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or
convened; and except that attendance at a meeting is not a waiver of any right
to disapprove the consideration of matters required to be included in the notice
of the meeting, but not so included, if the disapproval is expressly made at the
meeting.
Section
13.9
|
Quorum
and Voting.
|
The
holders of a majority of the Outstanding Units of the class or classes for which
a meeting has been called (including Outstanding Units deemed owned by the
General Partner) represented in person or by proxy shall constitute a quorum at
a meeting of Limited Partners of such class or classes unless any such action by
the Limited Partners requires approval by holders of a greater percentage of
such Units, in which case the quorum shall be such greater percentage. 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 holding
Outstanding Units that in the aggregate represent a majority of the Outstanding
Units entitled to vote and be present in person or by proxy at such meeting
shall be deemed to 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
holding Outstanding Units that in the aggregate represent at least such greater
or different percentage shall be required. The Limited Partners present at a
duly called or held meeting at which a quorum is present may continue to
transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal of enough
Limited Partners to leave less than a quorum, if any action taken (other than
adjournment) is approved by the required percentage of Outstanding Units
specified in this Agreement (including Outstanding Units deemed owned by the
General Partner). In the absence of a quorum any meeting of Limited Partners may
be adjourned from time to time by the affirmative vote of holders of at least a
majority of the Outstanding Units entitled to vote at such meeting (including
Outstanding Units deemed owned by the General Partner) represented either in
person or by proxy, but no other business may be transacted, except as provided
in Section 13.7.
Section
13.10
|
Conduct
of a Meeting.
|
The
General Partner shall have full power and authority concerning the manner of
conducting any meeting of the Limited Partners or solicitation of approvals in
writing, including the determination of Persons entitled to vote, the existence
of a quorum, the satisfaction of the requirements of Section 13.4, 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 a Person to serve as
chairman of any meeting and shall further designate a Person to take the minutes
of any meeting. All minutes shall be kept with the records of the Partnership
maintained by the General Partner. The General Partner may make such other
regulations consistent with applicable law and this Agreement as it may deem
advisable concerning the conduct of any meeting of the Limited Partners or
solicitation of approvals in writing, including regulations in regard to the
appointment of proxies, the appointment and duties of inspectors of votes and
approvals, the submission and examination of proxies and other evidence of the
right to vote, and the revocation of approvals in writing.
Section
13.11
|
Action
Without a Meeting.
|
If
authorized by the General Partner, any action that may be taken at a meeting of
the Limited Partners may be taken without a meeting if an approval in writing
setting forth the action so taken is signed by Limited Partners owning not less
than the minimum percentage of the Outstanding Units (including Units deemed
owned by the General Partner) that would be necessary to authorize or take such
action at a meeting at which all the Limited Partners were present and voted
(unless such provision conflicts with any rule, regulation, guideline or
requirement of any National Securities Exchange on which the Units are listed or
admitted to trading, in which case the rule, regulation, guideline or
requirement of such National Securities Exchange shall govern). Prompt notice of
the taking of action without a meeting shall be given to the Limited Partners
who have not approved in writing. The General Partner may specify that any
written ballot submitted to Limited Partners for the purpose of taking any
action without a meeting shall be returned to the Partnership within the time
period, which shall be not less than 20 days, specified by the General Partner.
If a ballot returned to the Partnership does not vote all of the Units held by
the Limited Partners, the Partnership shall be deemed to have failed to receive
a ballot for the Units that were not voted. If approval of 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 written 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 approvals
are deposited with the Partnership and (c) an Opinion of Counsel is delivered to
the General Partner to the effect that the exercise of such right and the action
proposed to be taken with respect to any particular matter (i) will not cause
the Limited Partners to be deemed to be taking part in the management and
control of the business and affairs of the Partnership so as to jeopardize the
Limited Partners’ limited liability, and (ii) is otherwise permissible under the
state statutes then governing the rights, duties and liabilities of the
Partnership and the Partners.
Section
13.12
|
Right
to Vote and Related Matters.
|
(a) Only
those Record Holders of the Units on the Record Date set pursuant to Section
13.6 (and also subject to the limitations contained in the definition of
“Outstanding”) shall be entitled to notice of, and to vote at, a meeting of
Limited Partners or to act with respect to matters as to which the holders of
the Outstanding Units have the right to vote or to act. All references in this
Agreement to votes of, or other acts that may be taken by, the Outstanding Units
shall be deemed to be references to the votes or acts of the Record Holders of
such Outstanding Units.
(b) With
respect to Units that are held for a Person’s account by another Person (such as
a broker, dealer, bank, trust company or clearing corporation, or an agent of
any of the foregoing), in whose name such Units are registered, such other
Person shall, in exercising the voting rights in respect of such Units on any
matter, and unless the arrangement between such Persons provides otherwise, vote
such Units in favor of, and at the direction of, the Person who is the
beneficial owner, and the Partnership shall be entitled to assume it is so
acting without further inquiry. The provisions of this Section 13.12(b) (as well
as all other provisions of this Agreement) are subject to the provisions of
Section 4.3.
ARTICLE
XIV
MERGER
Section
14.1
|
Authority.
|
The
Partnership may merge or consolidate with or into one or more corporations,
limited liability companies, statutory trusts or associations, real estate
investment trusts, common law trusts or unincorporated businesses, including a
partnership (whether general or limited (including a limited liability
partnership)), formed under the laws of the State of Delaware or any other state
of the United States of America, pursuant to a written agreement of merger or
consolidation (“Merger
Agreement”) in accordance with this Article XIV.
Section
14.2
|
Procedure
for Merger or Consolidation.
|
Merger or
consolidation of the Partnership pursuant to this Article XIV requires the prior
consent of the General Partner; provided, however, that, to
the fullest extent permitted by law, the General Partner shall have no duty or
obligation to consent to any merger or consolidation of the Partnership and may
decline to do so free of any fiduciary duty or obligation whatsoever to the
Partnership, any Limited Partner or Assignee and, in declining to consent to a
merger or consolidation, shall not be required to act in good faith or pursuant
to any other standard imposed by this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, any
other agreement contemplated hereby or under the Delaware Act or any other law,
rule or regulation or at equity. If the General Partner shall determine to
consent to the merger or consolidation, the General Partner shall approve the
Merger Agreement, which shall set forth:
(a) the names
and jurisdictions of formation or organization of each of the business entities
proposing to merge or consolidate;
(b) the name
and jurisdiction of formation or organization of the business entity that is to
survive the proposed merger or consolidation (the “Surviving Business
Entity”);
(c) the terms
and conditions of the proposed merger or consolidation;
(d) the
manner and basis of exchanging or converting the equity securities of each
constituent business entity for, or into, cash, property or interests, rights,
securities or obligations of the Surviving Business Entity; and (i) if any
general or limited partner interests, securities or rights of any constituent
business entity are not to be exchanged or converted solely for, or into, cash,
property or interests, rights, securities or obligations of the Surviving
Business Entity, the cash, property or general or limited partner interests,
rights, securities or obligations of any general or limited partnership,
corporation, trust, limited liability company, unincorporated business or other
entity (other than the Surviving Business Entity) which the holders of such
interests, securities or rights are to receive in exchange for, or upon
conversion of their interests, securities or rights, and (ii) in the case of
securities represented by certificates, upon the surrender of such certificates,
which cash, property or interests, rights, securities or obligations of the
Surviving Business Entity or any general or limited partnership, corporation,
trust, limited liability company, unincorporated business or other entity (other
than the Surviving Business Entity), or evidences thereof, are to be
delivered;
(e) a
statement of any changes in the constituent documents or the adoption of new
constituent documents (the articles or certificate of incorporation, articles of
trust, declaration of trust, certificate or agreement of limited partnership or
other similar charter or governing document) of the Surviving Business Entity to
be effected by such merger or consolidation;
(f) the
effective time of the merger, which may be the date of the filing of the
certificate of merger pursuant to Section 14.4 or a later date specified in or
determinable in accordance with the Merger Agreement (provided, that if the
effective time of the merger is to be later than the date of the filing of such
certificate of merger, the effective time shall be fixed at a date or time
certain at or prior to the time of the filing of such certificate of merger and
stated therein); and
(g) such
other provisions with respect to the proposed merger or consolidation that the
General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate.
Section
14.3
|
Approval
by Limited Partners of Merger or
Consolidation.
|
(a) Except as
provided in Sections 14.3(d) and 14.3(e), the General Partner, upon its approval
of the Merger Agreement, shall direct that the Merger Agreement be submitted to
a vote of Limited Partners, whether at a special meeting or by written consent,
in either case in accordance with the requirements of Article XIII. A copy or a
summary of the Merger Agreement shall be included in or enclosed with the notice
of a special meeting or the written consent.
(b) Except as
provided in Sections 14.3(d) and 14.3(e), the Merger Agreement shall be approved
upon receiving the affirmative vote or consent of the holders of a Unit
Majority.
(c) Except as
provided in Sections 14.3(d) and 14.3(e), after such approval by vote or consent
of the Limited Partners, and at any time prior to the filing of the certificate
of merger pursuant to Section 14.4, the merger or consolidation may be abandoned
pursuant to provisions therefor, if any, set forth in the Merger
Agreement.
(d) Notwithstanding
anything else contained in this Article XIV or in this Agreement, the General
Partner is permitted, without Limited Partner approval, to convert the
Partnership or any Group Member into a new limited liability entity, to merge
the Partnership or any Group Member into, or convey all of the Partnership’s
assets to, another limited liability entity which shall be newly formed and
shall have no assets, liabilities or operations at the time of such conversion,
merger or conveyance other than those it receives from the Partnership or other
Group Member if (i) the General Partner has received an Opinion of Counsel that
the conversion, merger or conveyance, as the case may be, would not result in
the loss of the limited liability of any Limited Partner or cause the
Partnership to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or
otherwise to be taxed as an entity for federal income tax purposes (to the
extent not previously treated as such), (ii) the sole purpose of such
conversion, merger or conveyance is to effect a mere change in the legal form of
the Partnership into another limited liability entity and (iii) the governing
instruments of the new entity provide the Limited Partners and the General
Partner with the same rights and obligations as are herein
contained.
(e) Additionally,
notwithstanding anything else contained in this Article XIV or in this
Agreement, the General Partner is permitted, without Limited Partner approval,
to merge or consolidate the Partnership with or into another entity if (A) the
General Partner has received an Opinion of Counsel that the merger or
consolidation, as the case may be, would not result in the loss of the limited
liability of any Limited Partner or cause the Partnership to be treated as an
association taxable as a corporation or otherwise to be taxed as an entity for
federal income tax purposes (to the extent not previously treated as such), (B)
the merger or consolidation would not result in an amendment to the Partnership
Agreement, other than any amendments that could be adopted pursuant to Section
13.1, (C) the Partnership is the Surviving Business Entity in such merger or
consolidation, (D) each Unit outstanding immediately prior to the effective date
of the merger or consolidation is to be an identical Unit of the Partnership
after the effective date of the merger or consolidation, and (E) the number of
Partnership Securities to be issued by the Partnership in such merger or
consolidation do not exceed 20% of the Partnership Securities Outstanding
immediately prior to the effective date of such merger or
consolidation.
Section
14.4
|
Certificate
of Merger.
|
Upon the
required approval by the General Partner and the Unitholders of a Merger
Agreement, a certificate of merger shall be executed and filed with the
Secretary of State of the State of Delaware in conformity with the requirements
of the Delaware Act.
Section
14.5
|
Amendment
of Partnership Agreement.
|
Pursuant
to Section 17-211(g) of the Delaware Act, an agreement of merger or
consolidation approved in accordance with this Article XIV may (a) effect any
amendment to this Agreement or (b) effect the adoption of a new partnership
agreement for the Partnership if it is the Surviving Business
Entity. Any such amendment or adoption made pursuant to this Section
14.5 shall be effective at the effective time or date of the merger or
consolidation.
Section
14.6
|
Effect
of Merger.
|
(a) At the
effective time of the certificate of merger:
(i) all of
the rights, privileges and powers of each of the business entities that has
merged or consolidated, and all property, real, personal and mixed, and all
debts due to any of those business entities and all other things and causes of
action belonging to each of those business entities, shall be vested in the
Surviving Business Entity and after the merger or consolidation shall be the
property of the Surviving Business Entity to the extent they were of each
constituent business entity;
(ii) the title
to any real property vested by deed or otherwise in any of those constituent
business entities shall not revert and is not in any way impaired because of the
merger or consolidation;
(iii) all
rights of creditors and all liens on or security interests in property of any of
those constituent business entities shall be preserved unimpaired;
and
(iv) all
debts, liabilities and duties of those constituent business entities shall
attach to the Surviving Business Entity and may be enforced against it to the
same extent as if the debts, liabilities and duties had been incurred or
contracted by it.
(b) A merger
or consolidation effected pursuant to this Article shall not be deemed to result
in a transfer or assignment of assets or liabilities from one entity to
another.
ARTICLE
XV
RIGHT TO
ACQUIRE LIMITED PARTNER INTERESTS
Section
15.1
|
Right
to Acquire Limited Partner
Interests.
|
(a) Notwithstanding
any other provision of this Agreement, if at any time the General Partner and
its Affiliates hold more than 80% of the total Limited Partner Interests of any
class then Outstanding, the General Partner shall then have the right, which
right it may assign and transfer in whole or in part to the Partnership or any
Affiliate of the General Partner, exercisable at its option, to purchase all,
but not less than all, of such Limited Partner Interests of such class then
Outstanding held by Persons other than the General Partner and its Affiliates,
at the greater of (x) the Current Market Price as of the date three days prior
to the date that the notice described in Section 15.1(c) is mailed and (y) the
highest price paid by the General Partner or any of its Affiliates for any such
Limited Partner Interest of such class purchased during the 90-day period
preceding the date that the notice described in Section 15.1(c) is
mailed.
(b) Notwithstanding
any other provision of this Agreement, if at any time: (i) the General Partner
and its Affiliates hold more than 50% of the total Limited Partner Interests of
all classes then Outstanding and (ii) the General Partner receives an Opinion of
Counsel that the Partnership’s status as an association not taxable as a
corporation and not otherwise subject to an entity-level tax for federal, state
or local income tax purposes has or will reasonably likely in the future have a
material adverse effect on the maximum applicable rate that can be charged to
customers by subsidiaries of the Partnership that are regulated interstate
natural gas pipelines, then the General Partner shall then have the right, which
right it may assign and transfer in whole or in part to the Partnership or any
Affiliate of the General Partner, exercisable at its option within 90 days of
receipt of such opinion, to purchase all, but not less than all, of all Limited
Partner Interests then Outstanding held by Persons other than the General
Partner and its Affiliates, at a purchase price for each class of Limited
Partner Interests equal to the average of the daily Closing Prices per Limited
Partner Interest of such class for the 180 consecutive Trading Days immediately
prior to the date three days prior to the date that the notice described in
Section 15.1(c) is mailed.
(c) If the
General Partner, any Affiliate of the General Partner or the Partnership elects
to exercise the right to purchase Limited Partner Interests granted pursuant to
Section 15.1(a) or (b), the General Partner shall deliver to the Transfer Agent
notice of such election to purchase (the “Notice of Election to Purchase”) and
shall cause the Transfer Agent to mail a copy of such Notice of Election to
Purchase to the Record Holders of Limited Partner Interests of such class or
classes (as of a Record Date selected by the General Partner) at least 10, but
not more than 60, days prior to the Purchase Date. Such Notice of Election to
Purchase shall also be published for a period of at least three consecutive days
in at least two daily newspapers of general circulation printed in the English
language and published in the Borough of Manhattan, New York. The Notice of
Election to Purchase shall specify the Purchase Date and the price (determined
in accordance with Section 15.1(a) or 15.1(b), as applicable) at which Limited
Partner Interests will be purchased and state that the General Partner, its
Affiliate or the Partnership, as the case may be, elects to purchase such
Limited Partner Interests, upon surrender of Certificates representing such
Limited Partner Interests in exchange for payment, at such office or offices of
the Transfer Agent as the Transfer Agent may specify, or as may be required by
any National Securities Exchange on which such Limited Partner Interests are
listed. Any such Notice of Election to Purchase mailed to a Record Holder of
Limited Partner Interests at his address as reflected in the records of the
Transfer Agent shall be conclusively presumed to have been given regardless of
whether the owner receives such notice. On or prior to the Purchase Date, the
General Partner, its Affiliate or the Partnership, as the case may be, shall
deposit with the Transfer Agent cash in an amount sufficient to pay the
aggregate purchase price of all of such Limited Partner Interests to be
purchased in accordance with this Section 15.1. If the Notice of Election to
Purchase shall have been duly given as aforesaid at least 10 days prior to the
Purchase Date, and if on or prior to the Purchase Date the deposit described in
the preceding sentence has been made for the benefit of the holders of Limited
Partner Interests subject to purchase as provided herein, then from and after
the Purchase Date, notwithstanding that any Certificate shall not have been
surrendered for purchase, all rights of the holders of such Limited Partner
Interests (including any rights pursuant to Articles IV, V, VI, and XII) shall
thereupon cease, except the right to receive the purchase price (determined in
accordance with Section 15.1(a) or 15.1(b), as applicable) for Limited Partner
Interests therefor, without interest, upon surrender to the Transfer Agent of
the Certificates representing such Limited Partner Interests, and such Limited
Partner Interests shall thereupon be deemed to be transferred to the General
Partner, its Affiliate or the Partnership, as the case may be, on the record
books of the Transfer Agent and the Partnership, and the General Partner or any
Affiliate of the General Partner, or the Partnership, as the case may be, shall
be deemed to be the owner of all such Limited Partner Interests from and after
the Purchase Date and shall have all rights as the owner of such Limited Partner
Interests (including all rights as owner of such Limited Partner Interests
pursuant to Articles IV, V, VI and XII).
(d) At any
time from and after the Purchase Date, a holder of an Outstanding Limited
Partner Interest subject to purchase as provided in this Section 15.1 may
surrender his Certificate evidencing such Limited Partner Interest to the
Transfer Agent in exchange for payment of the amount described in Section
15.1(a) or 15.1(b), as applicable, therefor, without interest
thereon.
ARTICLE
XVI
GENERAL
PROVISIONS
Section
16.1
|
Addresses
and Notices.
|
Any
notice, demand, request, report or proxy materials required or permitted to be
given or made to a Partner or Assignee under this Agreement shall be in writing
and shall be deemed given or made when delivered in person or when sent by first
class United States mail or by other means of written communication to the
Partner or Assignee at the address described below. Any notice, payment or
report to be given or made to a Partner or Assignee hereunder shall be deemed
conclusively to have been given or made, and the obligation to give such notice
or report or to make such payment shall be deemed conclusively to have been
fully satisfied, upon sending of such notice, payment or report to the Record
Holder of such Partnership Securities at his address as shown on the records of
the Transfer Agent or as otherwise shown on the records of the Partnership,
regardless of any claim of any Person who may have an interest in such
Partnership Securities by reason of any assignment or otherwise. An affidavit or
certificate of making of any notice, payment or report in accordance with the
provisions of this Section 16.1 executed by the General Partner, the Transfer
Agent or the mailing organization shall be prima facie evidence of the giving or
making of such notice, payment or report. If any notice, payment or report
addressed to a Record Holder at the address of such Record Holder appearing on
the books and records of the Transfer Agent or the Partnership is returned by
the United States Postal Service marked to indicate that the United States
Postal Service is unable to deliver it, such notice, payment or report and any
subsequent notices, payments and reports shall be deemed to have been duly given
or made without further mailing (until such time as such Record Holder or
another Person notifies the Transfer Agent or the Partnership of a change in his
address) if they are available for the Partner or Assignee at the principal
office of the Partnership for a period of one year from the date of the giving
or making of such notice, payment or report to the other Partners and Assignees.
Any notice to the Partnership shall be deemed given if received by the General
Partner at the principal office of the Partnership designated pursuant to
Section 2.3. The General Partner may rely and shall be protected in relying on
any notice or other document from a Partner, Assignee or other Person if
believed by it to be genuine.
Section
16.2
|
Further
Action.
|
The
parties shall execute and deliver all documents, provide all information and
take or refrain from taking action as may be necessary or appropriate to achieve
the purposes of this Agreement.
Section
16.3
|
Binding
Effect.
|
This
Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto
and their heirs, executors, administrators, successors, legal representatives
and permitted assigns.
Section
16.4
|
Integration.
|
This
Agreement constitutes the entire agreement among the parties hereto pertaining
to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and
understandings pertaining thereto.
Section
16.5
|
Creditors.
|
None of
the provisions of this Agreement shall be for the benefit of, or shall be
enforceable by, any creditor of the Partnership.
Section
16.6
|
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 waiver of any such
breach of any other covenant, duty, agreement or condition.
Section
16.7
|
Counterparts.
|
This
Agreement may be executed in counterparts, all of which together shall
constitute an agreement binding on all the parties hereto, notwithstanding that
all such parties are not signatories to the original or the same counterpart.
Each party shall become bound by this Agreement immediately upon affixing its
signature hereto or, in the case of a Person acquiring a Unit, upon accepting
the certificate evidencing such Unit or executing and delivering a Transfer
Application as herein described, independently of the signature of any other
party.
Section
16.8
|
Applicable
Law.
|
This
Agreement shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the
State of Delaware, without regard to the principles of conflicts of
law.
Section
16.9
|
Invalidity
of Provisions.
|
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 contained herein shall not be affected thereby.
Section
16.10
|
Consent
of Partners.
|
Each
Partner hereby expressly consents and agrees that, whenever in this Agreement it
is specified that an action may be taken upon the affirmative vote or consent of
less than all of the Partners, such action may be so taken upon the concurrence
of less than all of the Partners and each Partner shall be bound by the results
of such action.
Section
16.11
|
Facsimile
Signatures.
|
The use
of facsimile signatures affixed in the name and on behalf of the transfer agent
and registrar of the Partnership on certificates representing Common Units is
expressly permitted by this Agreement.
Section
16.12
|
Third
Party Beneficiaries.
|
Each
Partner agrees that any Indemnitee, including Loews Corporation and any of its
Subsidiaries, 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.
[REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE
INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK.]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the
parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the date first written
above.
|
GENERAL
PARTNER:
|
|
BOARDWALK
GP, LP
|
|
By: Boardwalk
GP, LLC, its general partner
|
|
By:
|
/s/
|
|
Name:
|
Xxxxx
X. Xxxxxxx
|
|
Title:
|
Chief
Financial Officer
|
|
LIMITED
PARTNERS:
|
All
Limited Partners now and hereafter admitted as Limited Partners of the
Partnership, pursuant to powers of attorney now and hereafter executed in favor
of, and granted and delivered to the General Partner.
|
BOARDWALK
GP, LP
|
|
By: Boardwalk
GP, LLC, its general partner
|
|
By:
|
/s/
|
|
Name:
|
Xxxxx
X. Xxxxxxx
|
|
Title:
|
Chief
Financial Officer
|
Boardwalk
Pipeline Partners, LP
Third
Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership
EXHIBIT
A
to
the Third Amended and Restated
Agreement
of Limited Partnership of
Boardwalk
Pipeline Partners, LP
Certificate
Evidencing Common Units
Representing
Limited Partner Interests in
Boardwalk
Pipeline Partners, LP
No.
__________ __________ Common Units
In
accordance with Section 4.1 of the Third Amended and Restated Agreement of
Limited Partnership of Boardwalk Pipeline Partners, LP, as amended, supplemented
or restated from time to time (the “Partnership Agreement”),
Boardwalk Pipeline Partners, LP, a Delaware limited partnership (the “Partnership”), hereby
certifies that ___________________ (the “Holder”) is the registered
owner of Common Units representing limited partner interests in the Partnership
(the “Common Units”)
transferable on the books of the Partnership, in person or by duly authorized
attorney, upon surrender of this Certificate properly endorsed and accompanied
by a properly executed application for transfer of the Common Units represented
by this Certificate. The rights, preferences and limitations of the
Common Units are set forth in, and this Certificate and the Common Units
represented hereby are issued and shall in all respects be subject to the terms
and provisions of, the Partnership Agreement. Copies of the
Partnership Agreement are on file at, and will be furnished without charge on
delivery of written request to the Partnership at, the principal office of the
Partnership located at 0 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx 0000, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000.
Capitalized terms used herein but not defined shall have the meanings given them
in the Partnership Agreement.
The
Holder, by accepting this Certificate, is deemed to have (i) requested
admission as, and agreed to become, a Limited Partner and to have agreed to
comply with and be bound by and to have executed the Partnership Agreement,
(ii) represented and warranted that the Holder has all right, power and
authority and, if an individual, the capacity necessary to enter into the
Partnership Agreement, (iii) granted the powers of attorney provided for in
the Partnership Agreement and (iv) made the waivers and given the consents
and approvals contained in the Partnership Agreement.
THE
HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY ACKNOWLEDGES FOR THE BENEFIT OF BOARDWALK PIPELINE
PARTNERS, LP THAT THIS SECURITY MAY NOT BE SOLD, OFFERED, RESOLD, PLEDGED OR
OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED IF SUCH TRANSFER WOULD (A) VIOLATE THE THEN APPLICABLE
FEDERAL OR STATE SECURITIES LAWS OR RULES AND REGULATIONS OF THE SECURITIES AND
EXCHANGE COMMISSION, ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION OR ANY OTHER GOVERNMENTAL
AUTHORITY WITH JURISDICTION OVER SUCH TRANSFER, (B) TERMINATE THE EXISTENCE OR
QUALIFICATION OF BOARDWALK PIPELINE PARTNERS, LP UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF
DELAWARE, OR (C) CAUSE BOARDWALK PIPELINE PARTNERS, LP TO BE TREATED AS AN
ASSOCIATION TAXABLE AS A CORPORATION OR OTHERWISE TO BE TAXED AS AN ENTITY FOR
FEDERAL INCOME TAX PURPOSES (TO THE EXTENT NOT ALREADY SO TREATED OR
TAXED). BOARDWALK GP, LP, THE GENERAL PARTNER OF BOARDWALK PIPELINE
PARTNERS, LP, MAY IMPOSE ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS ON THE TRANSFER OF THIS
SECURITY IF IT RECEIVES AN OPINION OF COUNSEL THAT SUCH RESTRICTIONS ARE
NECESSARY TO AVOID A SIGNIFICANT RISK OF BOARDWALK PIPELINE PARTNERS, LP
BECOMING TAXABLE AS A CORPORATION OR OTHERWISE BECOMING TAXABLE AS AN ENTITY FOR
FEDERAL INCOME TAX PURPOSES. THE RESTRICTIONS SET FORTH ABOVE SHALL NOT PRECLUDE
THE SETTLEMENT OF ANY TRANSACTIONS INVOLVING THIS SECURITY ENTERED INTO THROUGH
THE FACILITIES OF ANY NATIONAL SECURITIES EXCHANGE ON WHICH THIS SECURITY IS
LISTED OR ADMITTED TO TRADING.
This
Certificate shall not be valid for any purpose unless it has been countersigned
and registered by the Transfer Agent and Registrar.
|
Dated:_______________
|
Boardwalk
Pipeline Partners, LP
|
|
Countersigned
and Registered by:
|
By:
|
Boardwalk
GP, LP,
|
|
its
General Partner
|
|
By:
|
Boardwalk
GP, LLC,
|
|
its
General Partner
|
By:
|
|
as
Transfer Agent and Registrar
|
Name:
|
By: By:
Authorized
Signature
|
Secretary
|
[Reverse of Certificate]
ABBREVIATIONS
The
following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on the face of this
Certificate, shall be construed as follows according to applicable laws or
regulations:
TEN COM
- as
tenants in
common UNIF
GIFT/TRANSFERS MIN ACT
TEN ENT
- as
tenants by the
entireties __________
Custodian _________
(Cust) (Minor)
JT
TEN -
|
as
joint tenants with right of
|
under
Uniform Gifts/Transfers to CD
|
survivorship
and not as
|
Minors
Act (State)
|
|
tenants
in common
|
Additional
abbreviations, though not in the above list, may also be used.
FOR VALUE
RECEIVED, __________ hereby assigns, conveys, sells and transfers
unto
(Please
print or typewrite
name (Please
insert Social Security or other
and
address of
Assignee) identifying
number of Assignee)
__________
Common Units representing limited partner interests evidenced by this
Certificate, subject to the Partnership Agreement, and does hereby irrevocably
constitute and appoint __________ as its attorney-in-fact with full power of
substitution to transfer the same on the books of Boardwalk Pipeline Partners,
LP
Date:
|
NOTE:
|
The
signature to any endorsement hereon must correspond with the name as
written upon the face of this Certificate in every particular, without
alteration, enlargement or change.
|
THE
SIGNATURE(S) MUST BE GUARANTEED BY AN ELIGIBLE GUARANTOR INSTITUTION
(BANKS, STOCKBROKERS, SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATIONS AND CREDIT UNIONS WITH
MEMBERSHIP IN AN APPROVED SIGNATURE GUARANTEE MEDALLION PROGRAM), PURSUANT
TO S.E.C. RULE 17Ad-15
_____________________________
|
(Signature)
(Signature)
|
No
transfer of the Common Units evidenced hereby will be registered on the books of
the Partnership, unless the Certificate evidencing the Common Units to be
transferred is surrendered for registration or transfer and an Application for
Transfer of Common Units has been properly completed and executed by a
transferee either (a) on the form set forth below or (b) on a separate
application that the Partnership will furnish on request without
charge. A transferor of the Common Units shall have no duty to the
transferee with respect to execution of the Application for Transfer of Common
Units in order for such transferee to obtain registration of the transfer of the
Common Xxxxx.
X-
000000_0.XXX
APPLICATION
FOR TRANSFER OF COMMON UNITS
Transferees
of Common Units must execute and deliver this application to Boardwalk Pipeline Partners, LP, c/o
Boardwalk GP, LP, 0 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx 0000, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000; Attn:
CFO, to be admitted as limited partners to Boardwalk Pipeline Partners,
LP.
The
undersigned (“Assignee”) hereby applies for
transfer to the name of the Assignee of the Common Units evidenced hereby and
hereby certifies to Boardwalk Pipeline Partners, LP (the “Partnership”) that the
Assignee (including to the best of Assignee’s knowledge, any person for whom the
Assignee will hold the Common Units) is an Eligible Holder.1
The
Assignee (a) requests admission as a Substituted Limited Partner and agrees to
comply with and be bound by, and hereby executes, the Third Amended and Restated
Agreement of Limited Partnership of Boardwalk Pipeline Partners, LP, as amended,
supplemented or restated to the date hereof (the “Partnership Agreement”),
(b) represents and warrants that the Assignee has all right, power and
authority and, if an individual, the capacity necessary to enter into the
Partnership Agreement, (c) appoints the General Partner of the Partnership and,
if a Liquidator shall be appointed, the Liquidator of the Partnership as the
Assignee’s attorney-in-fact to execute, swear to, acknowledge and file any
document, including the Partnership Agreement and any amendment thereto and the
Certificate of Limited Partnership of the Partnership and any amendment thereto,
necessary or appropriate for the Assignee’s admission as a Substituted Limited
Partner and as a party to the Partnership Agreement, (d) gives the powers of
attorney provided for in the Partnership Agreement, and (e) makes the waivers
and gives the consents and approvals contained in the Partnership Agreement.
Capitalized terms not defined herein have the meanings assigned to such terms in
the Partnership Agreement. This application constitutes a Taxation
Certification, as defined in the Partnership Agreement.
Date:
Social
Security or other identifying number
|
Signature
of Assignee
|
Purchase
Price including commissions, if any
|
Name
and Address of Assignee
|
Type of
Entity (check one):
¨ Individual ¨ Partnership ¨ Corporation
¨ Trust ¨ Other
(specify)
If not an
Individual (check one):
|
£
|
the
entity is subject to United States federal income taxation on the income
generated by the Partnership;
|
|
£
|
the
entity is not subject to United States federal income taxation, but it is
a pass-through entity and all of its beneficial owners are subject to
United States federal income tax on the income generated by the
Partnership;
|
|
£
|
the
entity is not subject to United States federal income taxation and it is
(a) not a pass-through entity or (b) a pass-through entity, but not all of
its beneficial owners are subject to United States federal income taxation
on the income generated by the Partnership. Important Note – by
checking this box, the Assignee is acknowledging that it is not an
Eligible Holder.
|
Nationality
(check one):
¨ U.S.
Citizen, Resident or Domestic Entity
¨ Foreign
Corporation ¨ Non-resident
Alien
If the
U.S. Citizen, Resident or Domestic Entity box is checked, the following
certification must be completed.
Under
Section 1445(e) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), the Partnership must
withhold tax with respect to certain transfers of property if a holder of an
interest in the Partnership is a foreign person. To inform the
Partnership that no withholding is required with respect to the undersigned
interestholder’s interest in it, the undersigned hereby certifies the following
(or, if applicable, certifies the following on behalf of the
interestholder).
Complete
Either A or B:
A. Individual
Interestholder
|
1.
|
I
am not a non-resident alien for purposes of U.S. income
taxation.
|
|
2.
|
My
U.S. taxpayer identification number (Social Security Number) is
__________.
|
|
3.
|
My
home address is
|
.
|
B. Partnership,
Corporation or Other Interestholder
|
1.
|
________________
is not a foreign corporation, foreign partnership, foreign trust (Name of
Interestholder) or foreign estate (as those terms are defined in the Code
and Treasury Regulations).
|
2. The
interestholder’s U.S. employer identification number is
___________.
|
3.
|
The
interestholder’s office address and place of incorporation (if applicable)
is ___________.
|
The
interestholder agrees to notify the Partnership within sixty (60) days of the
date the interestholder becomes a foreign person.
The
interestholder understands that this certificate may be disclosed to the
Internal Revenue Service by the Partnership and that any false statement
contained herein could be punishable by fine, imprisonment or both.
Under
penalties of perjury, I declare that I have examined this certification and to
the best of my knowledge and belief it is true, correct and complete and, if
applicable, I further declare that I have authority to sign this document on
behalf of:
________________________________
Name of
Interestholder
________________________________
Signature
and Date
________________________________
Title (if
applicable)
Note: If
the Assignee is a broker, dealer, bank, trust company, clearing corporation,
other nominee holder or an agent of any of the foregoing, and is holding for the
account of any other person, this application should be completed by an officer
thereof or, in the case of a broker or dealer, by a registered representative
who is a member of a registered national securities exchange or a member of the
National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., or, in the case of any other
nominee holder, a person performing a similar function. If the
Assignee is a broker, dealer, bank, trust company, clearing corporation, other
nominee owner or an agent of any of the foregoing, the above certification as to
any person for whom the Assignee will hold the Common Units shall be made to the
best of the Assignee’s knowledge.
1 The Term
“Eligible Holder” means (a) an individual or entity subject to United States
federal income taxation on the income generated by the Partnership; or (b) an
entity not subject to United States federal income taxation on the income
generated by the Partnership, so long as all of the entity’s owners are subject
to United States federal income taxation on the income generated by the
Partnership. Schedule I hereto contains a list of various types of investors
that are categorized and identified as either “Eligible Holders” or
“Non-Eligible Holders.”
B-
SCHEDULE
I
Eligible
Holders
The
following are considered Eligible Holders:
·
|
Individuals
(U.S. or non-U.S.)
|
·
|
C
corporations (U.S. or non-U.S.)
|
·
|
Tax
exempt organizations subject to tax on unrelated business taxable income
or “UBTI,” including IRAs, 401(k) plans and Xxxxxx
accounts
|
·
|
S
corporations with shareholders that are individuals, trusts or tax exempt
organizations subject to tax on
UBTI
|
Potentially
Eligible Holders
The
following are considered Eligible Holders, unless the information in parenthesis
applies:
·
|
S
corporations (unless they have ESOP
shareholders*)
|
·
|
Partnerships
(unless its partners include mutual funds, real estate investment trusts
or “REITs,” governmental entities and agencies, S corporations with ESOP
shareholders* or other partnerships with such
partners)
|
·
|
Trusts
(unless beneficiaries are not subject to
tax)
|
Non-Eligible
Holders
The
following are not
considered Eligible Holders:
·
|
Mutual
Funds
|
·
|
REITs
|
·
|
Governmental
entities and agencies
|
·
|
S
corporations with ESOP
shareholders*
|
______________________
* “S
corporations with ESOP shareholders” are S corporations with shareholders that
include employee stock ownership plans.
B-
EXHIBIT
B
Conversion
Notice
The
undersigned record holder of Class B Units of Boardwalk Pipeline Partners, LP
(the “Partnership”) hereby surrenders for conversion pursuant to Section 5.11 of
the Partnership Agreement of the Partnership the Class B Units represented by
the Certificates described below.
Name of
Record Holder:
Title:
Address:
Telephone
Number:
Tax
Identification or Social Security Number:
CERTIFICATES
SURRENDERED
Certificate
Number
|
Number
of Class B Units Represented by Certificate
|
Total
Number of Class B Units
|
(If you
desire to convert less than all Class B Units scheduled above, complete the
blank below with respect to the number of Class B Units to be
converted.)
Number of
Class B Units to be converted:
Note: If
no number of Class B Units is indicated, all Class B Units represented by the
Certificates scheduled above will be converted.
B-
231770_5.DOC
SIGNATURES
This
Conversion Notice must be signed by the record holder(s) exactly as the name(s)
appear on the Certificate(s) representing the Class B Units scheduled above, or
if delivered by a participant in the depositary for the Class B Units, exactly
as such participant’s name appears on the security position listing as the owner
of Class B Units. If signature is by trustees, executors,
administrators, guardians, attorneys-in-fact, officers of corporations or others
acting in a fiduciary or representative capacity, please set forth the full
title. Proper evidence of such person’s authority may be required by
the Partnership.
Dated:
|
|
Signature(s)
of Record Holders:
|
|
|
|
Print
name(s) of Record Holders:
|
|
|
|
Print
title(s) of Signatories:
|
|
B-