ASSET PURCHASE AGREEMENT by and among U.S. ENERGY BIOGAS CORP., the subsidiaries of U.S. ENERGY BIOGAS CORP. set forth on the signature pages hereto and SILVER POINT FINANCE, LLC January 23, 2009
Exhibit
B
Execution
Version
by
and among
U.S.
ENERGY BIOGAS CORP.,
the
subsidiaries of U.S. ENERGY BIOGAS CORP.
set
forth on the signature pages hereto
and
SILVER
POINT FINANCE, LLC
January
23, 2009
Table of
Contents
ARTICLE
I PURCHASE AND SALE OF ASSETS
|
1
|
|
1.1
|
Acquired
Assets
|
1
|
1.2
|
Assigned
Contracts
|
4
|
1.3
|
Excluded
Assets
|
5
|
1.4
|
Assumed
Liabilities
|
6
|
1.5
|
Excluded
Liabilities
|
7
|
1.6
|
Cure
Costs; Verification of Costs and Expenses
|
8
|
1.7
|
Release
Consideration
|
9
|
ARTICLE
II CLOSING
|
9
|
|
2.1
|
Closing
|
9
|
2.2
|
Deliveries
at the Closing.
|
9
|
ARTICLE
III REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF SELLERS
|
11
|
|
3.1
|
Corporate
Status
|
11
|
3.2
|
Power
and Authority
|
12
|
3.3
|
Enforceability
|
12
|
3.4
|
Capitalization
and Subsidiaries
|
12
|
3.5
|
Good
Title Conveyed; Sufficiency of Assets
|
13
|
3.6
|
Records
|
13
|
3.7
|
No
Violation
|
13
|
3.8
|
Government
Regulation
|
14
|
3.9
|
Governmental
Consents
|
14
|
3.10
|
Changes
Since May 31, 2007
|
14
|
3.11
|
Financial
Statements
|
16
|
3.12
|
Projections
|
16
|
3.13
|
Liabilities.
|
17
|
3.14
|
Projects
|
17
|
3.15
|
Project
Documents
|
18
|
3.16
|
Adverse
Proceedings
|
19
|
3.17
|
Affiliate
Transactions
|
19
|
3.18
|
Environmental
Matters
|
19
|
3.19
|
Real
Estate
|
21
|
3.20
|
Compliance
with Laws
|
23
|
3.21
|
Credit
Support Obligations
|
24
|
3.22
|
Labor
and Employment Matters
|
24
|
3.23
|
Employee
Benefit Plans
|
26
|
3.24
|
Taxes
|
28
|
3.25
|
Insurance
|
30
|
3.26
|
Permits
|
30
|
3.27
|
Utility
Service Available
|
31
|
3.28
|
Lines
of Business
|
31
|
3.29
|
Marketing
of Production
|
31
|
3.30
|
Intellectual
Property
|
31
|
3.31
|
Contracts
|
32
|
3.32
|
Gasco
Acquisitions
|
33
|
3.33
|
Accuracy
of Information Furnished
|
34
|
i
3.34
|
No
Commissions
|
34
|
3.35
|
Assets
|
34
|
3.36
|
Inventory
|
35
|
3.37
|
Accounts
Receivable
|
35
|
3.38
|
Propriety
of Past Payments
|
35
|
3.39
|
Equipment
Held by Other Persons
|
36
|
ARTICLE
IV REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF PURCHASER
|
36
|
|
4.1
|
Corporate
Status
|
36
|
4.2
|
Corporate
Power and Authority
|
36
|
4.3
|
Enforceability
|
36
|
4.4
|
No
Violation
|
36
|
4.5
|
No
Commissions
|
37
|
4.6
|
Financial
Resources
|
37
|
ARTICLE
V CONDUCT OF BUSINESS PENDING THE CLOSING
|
37
|
|
5.1
|
Conduct
of Business by the Company Pending the Closing
|
37
|
ARTICLE
VI ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS
|
39
|
|
6.1
|
Compliance
with Covenants
|
39
|
6.2
|
Efforts
and Actions to Cause Closing to Occur
|
39
|
6.3
|
Access
to Information
|
41
|
6.4
|
Bankruptcy
Court Approval.
|
41
|
6.5
|
Bankruptcy
Filings
|
42
|
6.6
|
Break-Up
Fee
|
42
|
6.7
|
Notification
of Certain Matters
|
42
|
6.8
|
Supplemental
Disclosure
|
43
|
6.9
|
Tax
Matters
|
43
|
6.10
|
[Reserved]
|
45
|
6.11
|
Change
of Control and Prepayment Obligations
|
45
|
6.12
|
Publicity
|
46
|
6.13
|
Employee
Matters
|
46
|
6.14
|
Further
Assurances
|
46
|
6.15
|
Environmental
Matters
|
47
|
6.16
|
Termination
of Intercompany Agreements
|
47
|
ARTICLE
VII CONDITIONS TO THE OBLIGATIONS OF PURCHASER
|
48
|
|
7.1
|
Accuracy
of Representations and Warranties; Compliance with
Obligations
|
48
|
7.2
|
No
Order or Injunction
|
48
|
7.3
|
Government
Authorizations
|
48
|
7.4
|
Final
Order
|
48
|
7.5
|
No
Material Adverse Change
|
48
|
7.6
|
Corporate
Certificate
|
48
|
7.7
|
Consents
Obtained
|
49
|
7.8
|
No
Adverse Litigation
|
49
|
7.9
|
Sale
Order
|
49
|
7.10
|
[Reserved]
|
49
|
7.11
|
Employment
Agreements
|
49
|
7.12
|
Permits
|
49
|
ii
7.13
|
ISRA
|
49
|
7.14
|
Release
and Conveyance
|
49
|
7.15
|
2007
Financial Statements
|
50
|
7.16
|
Termination
of Intercompany Agreements
|
50
|
ARTICLE
VIII CONDITIONS TO THE OBLIGATIONS OF SELLERS
|
50
|
|
8.1
|
Accuracy
of Representations and Warranties; Compliance with
Obligations
|
50
|
8.2
|
Government
Authorizations
|
50
|
8.3
|
Final
Order
|
50
|
8.4
|
No
Order or Injunction
|
50
|
8.5
|
Release
|
50
|
ARTICLE
IX DEFINITIONS
|
50
|
|
9.1
|
Defined
Terms
|
50
|
9.2
|
Other
Definitional Provisions.
|
61
|
ARTICLE
X TERMINATION, AMENDMENT AND WAIVER
|
61
|
|
10.1
|
Termination
Events
|
61
|
10.2
|
Effect
of Termination
|
63
|
ARTICLE
XI GENERAL PROVISIONS
|
63
|
|
11.1
|
Notices
|
63
|
11.2
|
Entire
Agreement
|
64
|
11.3
|
Expenses
|
64
|
11.4
|
Amendment;
Waiver
|
64
|
11.5
|
Binding
Effect; Assignment
|
64
|
11.6
|
Counterparts
|
65
|
11.7
|
Interpretation
|
65
|
11.8
|
Governing
Law; Interpretation
|
65
|
11.9
|
Severability
|
65
|
11.10
|
Jurisdiction.
|
65
|
11.11
|
Arm’s-Length
Negotiations
|
66
|
11.12
|
Survival
of Obligations
|
66
|
iii
Exhibits:
|
|
Exhibit
A
|
Allocation
of Consideration
|
Exhibit
B-1
|
Seller
Release
|
Exhibit
B-2
|
Purchaser
Release
|
Exhibit
C
|
Sale
Order
|
Exhibit
D
|
[Reserved]
|
Exhibit
E
|
Form
of Assignment of Leases
|
Exhibit
F
|
[Reserved]
|
Exhibit
G
|
[Reserved]
|
Exhibit
H
|
Form
of Assumption Agreement
|
Exhibit
I
|
Bidding
Procedures
|
Exhibit
J
|
Bidding
Procedures Order
|
Exhibit
K
|
Form
of Xxxx of Sale and Assignment
Agreement
|
Schedules:
|
|
Schedule
A
|
Transferred
Subs
|
Schedule
1.1(b)(ii)
|
Accounts
Receivable
|
Schedule
1.1(b)(iii)
|
Inventory
|
Schedule
1.1(b)(iv)
|
Tangible
Personal Property
|
Schedule
1.1(b)(v)
|
Intellectual
Property
|
Schedule
1.1(b)(vi)
|
Computer
Software and IT Systems
|
Schedule
1.1(b)(ix)(1)
|
Project
Documents
|
Schedule
1.1(i)(ix)(2)
|
Customer
Contracts
|
Schedule
1.1(i)(ix)(3)
|
Supplier
Contracts
|
Schedule
1.1(i)(ix)(4)
|
Leases
|
Schedule
1.1(ix)(5)
|
Tangible
Personal Property Leases
|
Schedule
1.1(b)(x)
|
Permits
|
Schedule
1.1(b)(xiii)
|
Bank
Accounts and Lockbox Arrangements
|
Schedule
1.1(b)(xv)
|
Employee
Benefit Plans
|
Schedule
1.1(b)(xvii)
|
Other
Acquired Assets
|
Schedule
1.3(a)
|
Excluded
Contracts
|
Schedule
1.3(i)
|
Other
Excluded Assets
|
Schedule
1.5
|
Other
Excluded Liabilities
|
Schedule
3.1
|
Corporate
Status
|
Schedule
3.4
|
Capitalization
|
Schedule
3.7
|
No
Violation
|
Schedule
3.8(a)
|
Small
Power Production Facilities
|
Schedule
3.10
|
Changes
|
Schedule
3.13(b)
|
Liabilities
- Indebtedness
|
Schedule
3.13(c)
|
Liabilities
- Depositories
|
Schedule
3.14(a)
|
Projects
– Project Owners
|
Schedule
3.14(b)
|
Projects
– Exceptions
|
iv
Schedule
3.15
|
Project
Documents
|
Schedule
3.17
|
Affiliate
Transactions
|
Schedule
3.18
|
Environmental
Matters
|
Schedule
3.19
|
Real
Estate
|
Schedule
3.21
|
Credit
Support Obligations
|
Schedule
3.22
|
Labor
and Employment
|
Schedule
3.23
|
Employee
Benefit Plans
|
Schedule
3.24
|
Taxes
|
Schedule
3.25
|
Insurance
|
Schedule
3.29
|
Marketing
of Production
|
Schedule
3.30
|
Intellectual
Property
|
Schedule
3.31
|
Contracts
|
Schedule
3.32
|
Gasco
Acquisitions
|
Schedule
3.39
|
Equipment
Held by Other Persons
|
Schedule
4.4
|
No
Violation
|
Schedule
6.5(a)
|
Bankruptcy
Filings
|
Schedule
6.13
|
Employee
Matters
|
Schedule
7.15
|
2007
Financial Statements
|
v
This
ASSET PURCHASE AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is
entered into as of January 23, 2009, by and among U.S. Energy Biogas Corp., a
Delaware corporation (the “Company”), the other
undersigned subsidiaries of the Company (each a “Selling Sub” and,
collectively, the “Selling Subs” and,
together with the Company, the “Sellers”) and Silver
Point Finance, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Purchaser”). Certain
capitalized terms used in this Agreement have the meanings assigned to them in
Section
9.1.
RECITALS
WHEREAS,
on January 9, 2008 (the “Petition Date”), U.S.
Energy Systems, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“XXXX”), and its
subsidiaries GBGH, LLC and U.S. Energy Overseas Investments, LLC each filed a
voluntary petition for relief commencing cases (the “Bankruptcy Cases”)
under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code, 11 U.S.C. § § 101-1330 (the “Bankruptcy Code”) in
the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York (the
“Bankruptcy
Court”);
WHEREAS,
the Company, along with the Selling Subs, intends to file voluntary petitions
(the “Petitions”) for
relief commencing cases (the “New Bankruptcy
Cases”) under the Bankruptcy Code in the Bankruptcy Court, which such New
Bankruptcy Cases shall be jointly administered with the Bankruptcy
Cases;
WHEREAS,
Purchaser or one or more of its permitted designees desires to purchase and
acquire, and the Sellers desire to sell, convey, assign and transfer, or cause
to be sold, conveyed, assigned and transferred, to the Purchaser or its
permitted designees, the Acquired Assets, free and clear of any and all Liens of
whatsoever kind and nature (except Permitted Liens), and the Purchaser or one or
more of its permitted designees is willing to assume and the Sellers desire to
assign and delegate to the Purchaser or its permitted designees the Assumed
Liabilities, solely as provided herein, and subject to the terms and conditions
set forth herein, and in accordance with an Order of the Bankruptcy Court
pursuant to Sections 105, 363 and 365 of the Bankruptcy Code;
WHEREAS,
Purchaser or one or more of its permitted designees desires to purchase and
acquire, and the respective Sellers desire to sell, convey, assign and transfer,
or cause to be sold, conveyed, assigned and transferred, to the Purchaser or one
or more of its permitted designees, all of the equity interests owned by Sellers
(the “Interests”) in the
subsidiaries of the Company set forth on Schedule A (each a “Transferred Sub” and
collectively, the “Transferred Subs”),
free and clear of any and all Liens of whatsoever kind and nature, in the manner
and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein and in accordance with
Sections 105, 363 and 365 of the Bankruptcy Code;
WHEREAS,
the Sellers are engaged in the business of developing and operating, and owning
subsidiaries that develop and operate, landfill gas-to-energy projects in the
United States (the “Business”);
and
WHEREAS,
Purchaser, as administrative agent, collateral agent, syndication agent, lead
arranger and lender under the Credit and Guaranty Agreement, dated as of August
7, 2006 (as amended, the “USEO Credit
Agreement”), by and among U.S. Energy Overseas Investments LLC, XXXX and
Purchaser, will assume the Indebtedness under the USEO Credit Agreement at
Closing, which such Indebtedness is guaranteed by the Company.
NOW,
THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual representations,
warranties, covenants and undertakings contained herein, and for other good and
valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby
acknowledged, and intending to be legally bound hereby, the parties hereto agree
as follows:
ARTICLE I
PURCHASE
AND SALE OF ASSETS
1.1 Acquired
Assets. On the terms and subject to the conditions set
forth in this Agreement and pursuant to Sections 105, 363 and 365 of the
Bankruptcy Code, at the
Closing, each of the
Sellers hereby agrees, to sell, assign, transfer, convey, and
deliver, or cause to be sold, assigned, transferred, conveyed and delivered to
the Purchaser (or
one or more of its permitted designees), free and clear of all
Liens except Permitted
Liens, and the Purchaser (or one or more of its permitted designees) shall purchase and accept from each of
the Sellers:
(a) all right, title and interest of the
Sellers in and to the Interests. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary,
equity interests in the Excluded Subs shall not be included in the
Interests;
(b) all respective rights, title and interests of each of the
Sellers in and to all rights, properties and assets of the Sellers other than
the Excluded Assets, including without limitation, those assets that are listed
or described below, whether tangible or intangible, as the same shall exist on the Closing Date,
free and clear of all Liens except Permitted Liens (collectively, the “Acquired
Assets”). Without limiting the foregoing, the Acquired
Assets shall include all of
Sellers’ right, title and interest in and to the
following:
(i) all cash, certificates of deposit, bank
deposits, negotiable instruments, marketable securities and other cash
equivalents, together with all accrued but unpaid interest
thereon;
(ii) all accounts receivable, whether
reflected in the balance sheet or otherwise, including, without limitation, those
accounts receivable identified on Schedule
1.1(b)(ii);
1
(iii) all of the inventories, whether
reflected in the balance sheet or otherwise, including, without limitation, those inventories identified on
Schedule
1.1(b)(iii);
(iv) all equipment, machinery, computers,
furniture, furnishings, fixtures, tools, office supplies and all other tangible
personal property owned by the Sellers, including, without limitation, those
items identified on Schedule
1.1(b)(iv);
(v) all Intellectual Property, whether registered or unregistered, and
the applications and registrations therefore, all goodwill associated therewith,
and all rights to pursue past, present and future enforcement or infringement
thereof, including,
without limitation, the
Intellectual Property identified on Schedule
1.1(b)(v);
(vi) all rights in computer software programs
and information technology systems, including, without limitation, those
identified on Schedule
1.1(b)(vi);
(vii) [Reserved]
(viii) [Reserved]
(ix) the Assigned Contracts and all rights
and incidents of interest to the Assigned Contracts pursuant to Section
1.2 hereof, which may
include:
(1) all Project Documents and other
agreements, contracts or arrangements associated with the Projects to which any Seller is a party that
are Assigned Contracts and listed or described on Schedule
1.1(b)(ix)(1), including, without limitation:
(A) all landfill gas rights agreements;
(B) all site lease
agreements;
(C) all gas purchase
agreements;
(D) all power purchase
agreements;
(E) all operation and maintenance
agreements; and
(F) all agreements relating to the purchase and sale of renewable
energy credits;
2
(2) all other agreements, contracts or arrangements between any
Seller and a customer (the
“Customer
Contracts”) that are Assigned Contracts and listed
or described on Schedule
1.1(b)(ix)(2);
(3) all other agreements, contracts or arrangements between any
Seller and a vendor or other third party providing goods or services (the
“Supplier
Contracts”) that are Assigned Contracts and listed
or described on Schedule
1.1(b)(ix)(3);
(4) all Leases with respect to
the Leased Real Property
that are Assigned
Contracts and listed or
described on Schedule
1.1(b)(ix)(4);
(5) all leases related to tangible
personal property,
including, without limitation, equipment leases, including, without limitation,
those that are Assigned Contracts and listed or described on Schedule
1.1(b)(ix)(5); and
(6) all other Contracts of the
Sellers;
(x) all permits, including,
without limitation, the
permits listed or described on Schedule
1.1(b)(x);
(xi) all books and records that are used or
have arisen from the Sellers’ conduct of the Business, including, without limitation, the
Project Documents that are
books and records;
(xii) all payments, credits, claims for refunds, prepaid
rent, deposits (including
security deposits and utility deposits), advances, deferred charges and other prepaid expenses;
(xiii) all bank accounts and lockbox
arrangements, including, without limitation, those items listed or described on
Schedule
1.1(b)(xiii);
(xiv) all avoidance actions and similar rights
and causes of action, including causes of action under Sections 544 through 553
of the Bankruptcy Code against the Purchaser or any of its Affiliates,
directors, officers,
representatives, employees or agents;
(xv) all Employee Benefit Plans of the
Company listed or described on Schedule
1.1(b)(xv);
(xvi) any intercompany payables, liabilities and obligations
(of any nature or kind, and whether based in common law or statute or arising under
written contract or otherwise, known or unknown, fixed or contingent, accrued or
unaccrued, liquidated or unliquidated, real or potential) to any Seller, as to which any Acquired
Company is an obligor or is otherwise responsible or liable; and
3
(xvii) all other rights, properties or assets of
the Sellers, including, without limitation, those that are listed or described
on Schedule
1.1(b)(xvii).
1.2 Assigned
Contracts.
(a) Designated
Contracts. Twenty (20) days prior to the Sale Hearing, Purchaser shall use reasonable efforts to deliver to
the Company a preliminary list, prepared in good
faith, identifying from among the contracts and arrangements identified or
described in Section
1.1: (i) the executory contracts and
unexpired leases it wishes
the Sellers to assume and assign to the Purchaser (or its permitted designees)
at Closing, if any, and
(ii) the contracts or leases entered into subsequent to the commencement of the New Bankruptcy Cases it wishes to
have the Sellers assign to
the Purchaser (or its
permitted designees) at
Closing, if any. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Purchaser shall have
until five (5) Business Days prior to the Sale Hearing
to designate, from among the contracts and arrangements identified or
described in Section
1.1, and upon any such
designation, Sellers shall provide all relevant non-debtor parties with
immediate and appropriate written notice of (i) the executory contracts and
unexpired leases it wishes the Sellers to assume and assign to the Purchaser (or its permitted designees)
at Closing, if any, and
(ii) the contracts or leases entered into subsequent to the commencement of the
New Bankruptcy Cases it wishes to have the Sellers assign to the Purchaser
(or its permitted
designees) at
Closing, if any (the final
such date being referred to as the “Contract
Designation Date”). In all cases, appropriate
additions and deletions to or from the applicable Schedules shall be made
immediately to reflect such elections by the Purchaser as and when made.
(b) Undisclosed
Contracts. If
prior to or following the Closing, any party hereto becomes aware of any executory contract or unexpired
lease related to the Acquired Assets that has not been disclosed in
writing or that was not made available, in each case, to the Purchaser prior to the
date hereof (each, an “Undisclosed
Contract”), the discovering party shall
reasonably promptly notify the other party in writing of such Undisclosed
Contract, and the Purchaser may elect, no later than the later of (i) ten (10) Business Days after such
notice and (ii) the Contract Designation Date, to receive (for itself or for one of its permitted
designees) an assignment of
the applicable Sellers’ rights in such Undisclosed Contract;
provided that the Bankruptcy Court authorizes the assumption by the
Sellers (for contracts entered prior to the commencement of the New Bankruptcy
Cases, whether or not amended after the commencement of the New Bankruptcy
Cases) and/or the assignment to the Purchaser or its permitted designee of such Undisclosed
Contract. If any Undisclosed Contract is entered into after the entry
of the Sale Order, the Sellers shall promptly notify the Purchaser thereof;
provided, however, that nothing herein shall permit a
Seller to enter into an contract or lease in violation of Section
5.1.
(c) Certain
Consents. In the
case of Assigned Contracts (i) that cannot be transferred or assigned
effectively without the consent of third parties, which consent has not been
obtained prior to the Closing (after giving effect to the Sale Order and
4
the Bankruptcy Code), Sellers shall,
subject to any approval of the Bankruptcy Court that may be required, reasonably
cooperate with the Purchaser, at the sole cost and expense of the Purchaser, in
endeavoring to obtain such consent and, if any such consent is
not obtained, Sellers
shall, during the thirty (30) day period following Closing, and
subject to any approval of the Bankruptcy Court that may be required, cooperate
with the Purchaser in all reasonable respects and at the Purchaser’s sole cost and expense, to provide to
the Purchaser or its
permitted designee the
benefits thereof in some other manner, or (ii) that are otherwise not
transferable or assignable (after giving effect to the Sale Order and the
Bankruptcy Code),
Sellers shall, during the
thirty (30) day period
following Closing, and subject to any approval of the Bankruptcy Court that may
be required, reasonably cooperate with the Purchaser, at the sole cost and
expense of the Purchaser, to provide to the Purchaser or its permitted designee the benefits thereof in some other
manner (including the exercise of the rights of Sellers thereunder); provided,
however, that nothing in this Section
1.2(c) shall require the
Purchaser to reimburse Sellers for any attorneys’ fees and expenses incurred by Sellers
in complying with their obligations under this Section
1.2(c).
(d) Excluded
Contracts. Purchaser acknowledges and
agrees that if it elects to exclude any Contracts from being assigned pursuant
to this Section
1.2, Purchaser shall be responsible for
any Contract rejection
damage claim under Section 502 of the Bankruptcy Code (“Rejection
Costs”).
1.3 Excluded
Assets. Notwithstanding anything
contained in this Agreement to the contrary, the following rights,
properties and assets
(collectively, the “Excluded Assets”) of the Sellers will not be included in the Acquired
Assets:
(a) any Contract to which any of the Sellers is a
party that is not an
Assigned Contract, including, without limitation, any Contract listed
or described on
Schedule
1.3(a) (the “Excluded
Contracts”);
(b) all avoidance actions and similar rights
and causes of action, including causes of action under Sections 544 through 553
inclusive, of the Bankruptcy Code, except as provided by Section
1.1(b)(xiv);
(c) any inventory transferred or used in the
ordinary course of business prior to the Closing;
(d) any accounts receivable that have been
satisfied or discharged
prior to the Closing;
(e) any arrangements or agreements between
the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries, on the one
hand, and XXXX or any of
its Affiliates (other than the Company and its Subsidiaries) or any of their
respective officers, members, managers, directors, stockholders, parents, other
interest holders or employees, on the other hand;
(f) all intercompany payables, liabilities and obligations
(of any nature or kind, and whether based in common law or statute or arising
under written contract or otherwise, known or unknown, fixed or contingent,
accrued or unaccrued, liquidated or unliquidated, real or potential) owed to any
Seller, as to which any Seller or an Affiliate thereof (other than an Acquired Company)
is an obligor or is
otherwise responsible or liable;
5
(g) [Reserved]
(h) [Reserved]; and
(i) the rights, properties and assets
identified on Schedule
1.3(i).
1.4 Assumed
Liabilities. On
the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement, at the
Closing the Purchaser or
its permitted designee shall assume from the Sellers and
thereafter pay, perform or otherwise discharge in accordance with their
respective terms and subject to the respective
conditions thereof,
only the following
liabilities (collectively, the “Assumed Liabilities”) and no others:
(a) all liabilities of the Sellers as reflected on the face of, or reserved against in, the most recent
balance sheet included in
the Financial Statements, and all trade payables and other operating liabilities
incurred by the Sellers in the ordinary course of the Business consistent with
past practice since the date of the most recent balance sheet
included in the Financial Statements and existing as of the
Closing;
(b) all liabilities of Sellers arising and attributable to the period from and
after the Closing Date with
respect to the Acquired Assets, including, without limitation, the Assigned
Contracts, following the
Closing;
(c) the Cure Costs and the Rejection Costs;
(d) the outstanding USEB
Indebtedness, which amount
currently is $83,800,000, but is subject to adjustment prior to Closing in accordance with the
terms of the USEB
Indebtedness;
(e) the NPI Indebtedness, but solely to
the extent of an amount
fixed at $5,800,000 (it
being acknowledged and agreed that the fixing of the amount of the NPI
Indebtedness at such amount is solely for purposes of calculating such
Assumed Liability
and shall not constitute
any admission or otherwise bind or prejudice Purchaser with respect to the
calculation of the amount of the NPI Indebtedness for any other purpose,
including without limitation for the purpose of determining the distribution of or Purchaser’s entitlement to the purchase price paid
for the Business by a Qualified Bidder other than the Purchaser in accordance
with the Bidding Procedures);
(f) all or a portion of the outstanding USEO Indebtedness as Purchaser may
designate to Seller at or
prior to Closing in an amount not less than $500,000;
(g) all liabilities related to the Employee
Benefit Plans of the Company listed or described on Schedule
1.1(b)(xv);
(h) reasonable, documented administrative
expenses of the Sellers
under Section 503(b)(1) of the Bankruptcy Code in the New Bankruptcy Cases,
regardless
6
of whether incurred prior to or after
the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreements
(collectively, the "USEB
Administrative Expenses");
and reasonable, documented
administrative expenses of XXXX and Sellers under Section 503(b)(1) of the
Bankruptcy Code in the XXXX Bankruptcy Case (collectively, the "XXXX
Administrative Expenses";
together with the Sellers' administrative expenses, the "Administrative
Expenses"), provided that
in no event shall the Administrative Expenses assumed and payable by Purchaser
hereunder exceed $4.3 million in the aggregate;
and
(i) [Reserved]
(j) all liabilities related to the employment or
termination of employment of any Transferred Employee arising
after the Closing
Date.
1.5 Excluded
Liabilities. The
Purchaser shall not assume or agree to pay, satisfy, perform or otherwise
discharge any claims, liabilities, indebtedness, obligations or expenses other
than the Assumed Liabilities (the “Excluded
Liabilities”). Without limiting the generality of the
foregoing, the Purchaser does not assume or agree to pay, satisfy, perform or
otherwise discharge any of the following claims, liabilities, indebtedness,
obligations or expenses and the Purchaser shall have no liability for or
obligation in respect of:
(a) the Sellers’ professional fees and expenses for its
advisers, including without limitation, advisers retained pursuant to an order
of the Bankruptcy Court
except to the extent
otherwise provided for in this Agreement;
(b) obligations, liabilities or amounts
payable to any security holder of any Seller;
(c) general unsecured claims or any other
liability not expressly
assumed under this Agreement;
(d) all liabilities of the Sellers for Taxes relating or attributable to taxable
periods ending on or before the Closing Date (“Pre-Closing
Periods”) and, with respect to any period that
begins on or before and that ends after the Closing Date (a “Straddle
Period”), the portion of such Straddle Period deemed to end on
and include the Closing Date;
(e) any environmental liabilities of
Sellers, including without limitation, any liabilities
involving:
(i) any violation of or alleged violation,
or non-compliance with, Environmental Laws or permits, licenses or
authorizations issued pursuant to applicable Environmental Laws prior to the
Closing Date, with respect to the ownership, lease, maintenance, construction,
modification or operation of the Acquired Assets, except where, as a
result of the transfer of a permit to
Purchaser, Purchaser is obligated to assume such liabilities as a condition of
said transfer as a matter of applicable Environmental Law;
7
(ii) loss of life, injury to persons or
property, natural resource damages, or investigation or remediation obligations,
arising from the discharge or release of Hazardous Substances prior to the
Closing Date, at or migrating or emitted or discharged from the Acquired Assets
or from the properties at which the Acquired Assets are located; provided, that this exclusion shall
not apply to any investigation or remediation that may be required after the
Closing Date in connection with the sale of the assets owned by Lafayette Energy
Partners, L.P. if the current transaction triggers
an obligation to comply with
ISRA;
(iii) loss of life, injury to persons or
property, natural resource damages, or investigation or remediation obligations,
arising from the storage, transportation, treatment, disposal, discharge
recycling or release, at any off-site location, or arising from the
arrangement for such activities, prior to the Closing Date, of Hazardous
Substances generated in connection with the ownership or operation of the Acquired
Assets;
(iv) without limiting the foregoing, any
liabilities arising from
the allegation by the State of Illinois asserting that Upper Rock Energy
Partners LLC violated applicable Environmental Law by installing a generating
unit at the Upper Rock County Landfill without a permit;
and
(v) without limiting the foregoing,
any fines, penalties or
other costs that may be imposed due to any failure (whether by Sellers or
predecessor owners or operators) to comply with ISRA with respect to prior
transactions involving the assets currently owned by Lafayette Energy Partners, L.P.;
(f) any liability relating to any
Section 29 tax credit indemnification
obligations;
(g) any liability relating to any Excluded
Asset; and
(h) any liability listed or described on Schedule
1.5.
1.6 Cure
Costs;
Verification of Costs and Expenses. Sellers
shall assume and assign all Assigned Contracts to the Purchaser or its permitted
designees as of the Closing Date pursuant to Section 365 of the Bankruptcy Code
and the Sale Order. In connection with such assignment and
assumption, Purchaser shall cure all monetary defaults under such Assigned
Contracts to the extent required by Section 365(b) of the Bankruptcy Code (such
amounts, the “Cure
Costs”). Sellers shall be responsible for the verification of
all Cure Costs including all administrative responsibilities associated
therewith, and shall use their reasonable efforts to establish the proper cure
amount, if any, for each Assigned Contract, including taking all reasonable
actions with respect to the filing and prosecution of any pleadings and
proceedings in the Bankruptcy Court and the service and delivery of any related
notices or pleadings. Sellers shall be responsible for the
verification of all Rejection Costs, if any, including all administrative
8
responsibilities
associated therewith, and shall use their reasonable efforts to establish the
proper amount of any Rejection Costs for each Contract excluded pursuant to
Section 1.2(d),
including taking all reasonable actions with respect to the filing and
prosecution of any pleadings and proceedings in the Bankruptcy Court and the
service and delivery of any related notices or pleadings. Sellers
shall be responsible for the verification of all Administrative Expenses,
including all administrative responsibilities associated therewith, and shall
provide reasonable documentation of all Administrative Expenses at Purchaser’s
request.
1.7 Release
Consideration. At
the Closing and subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement,
in consideration of (i) the release provided by XXXX and other consideration
provided by XXXX under this Agreement, (ii) the sale, transfer and conveyance of
XXXX’x interest in ZFC Royalty Partners and (iii) the assignment of all right,
title and interest of XXXX in its Pollution Legal Liability Policy, effective as
of March 1, 2005, by and between XXXX and AIG Environmental (and any predecessor
policy relating thereto), the Purchaser shall, in addition to the assumption of
the Assumed Liabilities, pay directly to XXXX $100,000 (the “Release
Consideration”). The Release Consideration shall be payable at
the Closing by wire transfer of immediately available funds made to the account
of XXXX designated in writing by XXXX to Purchaser at least two Business Days
prior to the Closing Date.
ARTICLE II
CLOSING
2.1 Closing. Subject
to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the closing of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement (the “Closing”) shall take
place at the offices of Hunton & Xxxxxxxx LLP, 000 Xxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx,
Xxx Xxxx, at 10 a.m. local time on the second (2nd)
Business Day after the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions set forth in
Articles VII and VIII hereof or such other place and time as the parties may
otherwise agree, and the date of the Closing is referred to herein as the “Closing
Date”).
2.2 Deliveries
at the Closing.
(a) Deliveries by
Sellers. At or prior to the Closing,
the Sellers shall deliver or cause to be delivered
to Purchaser the following:
(i) the documents required to be delivered
by the Sellers pursuant to Articles VI and
VII;
(ii) a release by XXXX and the Sellers in substantially the form attached
hereto as Exhibit
B-1, releasing all claims of any nature against
Purchaser and any of its Subsidiaries and Affiliates for acts, omissions or occurrences which
have occurred, existed or arisen at or before the Closing (the “Seller
Release”);
9
(iii) a certified copy of the Sale Order in
substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit
C;
(iv) copies of all of the books and records relating to the
Sellers;
(v) affidavits from each Seller, signed
under penalties of perjury, in form and substance as required under Treasury
Regulations Section 1.1445-2(b), that such Seller is not a foreign
person;
(vi) the Xxxx of Sale and Assignment
Agreements duly executed by the Sellers
transferring the Acquired
Assets to the Purchaser or
its designees;
(vii) the Assumption Agreements duly executed by the Sellers
and the Purchaser or its designees
evidencing the assignment
and assumption by
the Purchaser or its designees of the Assumed
Liabilities;
(viii) duly executed assignments or instruments with respect
to any Intellectual Property included in the Acquired Assets for which an
assignment or instrument is required to assign, transfer and convey such assets
to, or perfect title to
such assets in,
Purchaser;
(ix) duly executed assignments of the Leases
included in the Acquired Assets, substantially in the form of Exhibit
E hereto (the “Lease
Assignments”);
(x)
[Reserved];
(xi) [Reserved];
(xii) duly executed documents of transfer and conveyance, in form reasonably satisfactory to
Purchaser, as Purchaser may reasonably request in order for Purchaser or its designees
to assume the USEB Indebtedness, the USEO Indebtedness and the NPI Indebtedness, each as contemplated
hereunder;
(xiii) duly executed instruments or other
evidence sufficient to transfer to the Purchaser the unencumbered legal and
beneficial ownership of the Interests and all books and records of the
Acquired Companies (including minute books);
(xiv) resignations from each director of each
Acquired Company (except as
to such directors as to which Purchaser notifies Sellers that no such
resignation is required);
and
(xv) such other bills of sale, deeds,
endorsements, assignments, Transfer Tax returns and other good and sufficient
instruments
10
of conveyance and transfer, in form
reasonably satisfactory to Purchaser, as Purchaser may reasonably request to
vest in Purchaser or its
permitted designees all the
right, title and interest
of Sellers in, to or under any or all of the Acquired Assets.
(b) Deliveries by
Purchaser to Seller. At or prior to the Closing,
Purchaser shall deliver or cause to be delivered to Sellers the following:
(i)
payment of the Release
Consideration;
(ii)
the documents required to be
delivered by Purchaser pursuant to Articles VI and VIII;
(iii) the Assumption Agreements, duly executed by Purchaser or its designees;
(iv) duly executed documents of transfer and
conveyance, in form reasonably satisfactory to Purchaser, as Purchaser may
reasonably request in order for Purchaser or its designees to assume the USEB
Indebtedness, the USEO Indebtedness and the NPI Indebtedness, each as
contemplated hereunder; and
(v) a release by Purchaser and its Subsidiaries in substantially the form attached
hereto as Exhibit
B-2 (the “Purchaser Release”);
(vi) the Lease Assignments, duly executed by
Purchaser;
(vii) such other assignments and other good and
sufficient instruments of assumption and transfer, in form reasonably satisfactory to Sellers, as
Sellers may reasonably request to transfer and assign the Assumed Liabilities to
Purchaser or its permitted
designees.
ARTICLE III
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF SELLERS
As
a material inducement to Purchaser to enter into this Agreement and to
consummate the transactions contemplated hereby, each of the Sellers jointly and
severally makes the following representations and warranties to Purchaser as of
the date of this Agreement (or if made as of a specific date, as of such date)
and as of the Closing Date.
3.1 Corporate
Status. Each
of the Company, the Sellers and the Acquired Companies (a) is duly organized,
validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of
organization as identified in Schedule 3.1(a), (b)
has all requisite power and authority to own and operate its properties, to
carry on its business as now conducted
11
and
as proposed to be conducted, and (c) is qualified to do business and in good
standing in every jurisdiction where its assets are located and wherever
necessary to carry out its business and operations, except where the failure to
be so qualified would not be reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse
Effect. Except as identified on Schedule 3.1(b) there
is no pending or, to any Sellers’ Knowledge, threatened proceeding for the
dissolution, liquidation, insolvency or rehabilitation of any Seller or any
Acquired Company.
3.2 Power and
Authority. Each
Seller has the corporate power and authority to enter into this Agreement, to
perform its respective obligations hereunder and to consummate the transactions
contemplated hereby. Each Seller has taken all requisite corporate
action necessary to authorize the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the
performance of its respective obligations hereunder, and the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby.
3.3 Enforceability. This
Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by each Seller and, upon entry of
the Sale Order (assuming due and valid authorization, execution and delivery by
Purchaser), constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of each such
Seller, enforceable against each such Seller in accordance with its terms,
except as the same may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting the enforcement of
creditors rights generally and general equitable principles regardless of
whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding at law or in
equity.
3.4 Capitalization and
Subsidiaries. Schedule 3.4 sets
forth a true, complete and correct list as of the Closing Date, both before and
after giving effect to the transactions contemplated hereby, of the name of the
Company and each of its Subsidiaries and indicates (i) the ownership of such
entity (by each holder and type and percentage of interest), (ii) the type of
entity of each of them, and (iii) the number and class of authorized and issued
capital stock or other ownership interest of such Subsidiary. Except
as set forth on Schedule 3.4, as of
the Closing Date, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has any equity
investments in any other corporation or entity. All of the issued and
outstanding shares of capital stock or other ownership interests of each
Acquired Company: (i) have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully
paid and nonassessable, (ii) were issued in compliance with all applicable state
and United States federal securities laws and (iii) were not issued in violation
of any preemptive rights or rights of first refusal or similar
rights. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.4, no
preemptive rights or rights of first refusal or similar rights exist with
respect to any shares of capital stock or other ownership interest of any
Acquired Company and no such rights arise by virtue of or in connection with the
transactions contemplated hereby; there are no outstanding or authorized rights,
options, warrants, convertible securities, subscription rights, conversion
rights, exchange rights or other agreements or commitments of any kind that
could require any Acquired Company to issue or sell any shares of its capital
stock or other ownership interest (or securities convertible into or
exchangeable for shares of its capital stock or other ownership interest); there
are no outstanding stock appreciation, phantom stock, profit participation or
other similar rights with respect to any Acquired Company; there are no proxies,
voting rights or other agreements or
12
understandings
with respect to the voting or transfer of the capital stock or other ownership
interest of any Acquired Company; and no Acquired Company is obligated to redeem
or otherwise acquire any of its outstanding shares of capital stock or other
ownership interest.
3.5 Good Title
Conveyed;
Sufficiency of
Assets. Immediately
prior to Closing, Sellers will have, and, upon delivery to Purchaser on the
Closing Date of the instruments of transfer contemplated by Section 2.2(a), and
subject to the terms of the Sale Order, Sellers will thereby transfer to
Purchaser or its permitted designees good title to, or, in the case of property
leased or licensed by Sellers, a valid leasehold interest in, all of the
Acquired Assets, free and clear of all Liens. The Acquired Assets and
Interests are sufficient to permit the Purchaser or its permitted designees to
operate the Business from and after the Closing Date in substantially the same
manner as the Business is currently being operated by Sellers. The
stock powers, endorsements, assignments and other instruments to be executed and
delivered by Sellers to Purchaser at the Closing will be valid and binding
obligations of Sellers, enforceable in accordance with their respective terms,
and will effectively vest in Purchaser good, valid and marketable title to the
Interests pursuant to and as contemplated by this Agreement free and clear of
all Liens derived through Sellers.
3.6 Records. The
copies of the certificate or articles of incorporation, bylaws or other
organizational or governing documents and other documents and agreements of
Sellers and the Acquired Companies that were provided to Purchaser are true,
accurate, and complete and reflect all amendments made through the date of this
Agreement. To Sellers’ Knowledge, all accounts, books, ledgers and
official and other records of the Sellers and the Acquired Companies are
accurate and complete, and there are no material inaccuracies or discrepancies
contained therein.
3.7 No
Violation. Upon
entry of the Sale Order, the execution, delivery and performance by Sellers and
the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement do not and
will not (i) violate any provision of any law or any governmental rule or
regulation applicable to any Seller or any Acquired Company, any of the
organizational documents of any Seller or any Acquired Company, or any order,
judgment or decree of any Governmental Authority binding on any Seller or any
Acquired Company, (ii) conflict with, result in a breach of or constitute (with
due notice or lapse of time or both) a default under any Material Contract of
any Seller or any Acquired Company or give rise to any right of termination,
cancellation, modification, amendment, suspension, revocation or acceleration of
remedies or rights pursuant to any Material Contract of any Seller or any
Acquired Company, (iii) result in or require the creation or imposition of any
Lien upon any of the Interests, the Acquired Assets or the Business, (iv) result
in any default, noncompliance, suspension, revocation, impairment, forfeiture or
nonrenewal of any permit, license, authorization or approval applicable to the
Business, the Acquired Assets or any Acquired Company or (v) require any
approval of stockholders, members or partners of any Seller or any Acquired
Company or any approval or consent of, or notice to, any Person under any
Material Contract of any Seller or any Acquired Company.
13
3.8 Government
Regulation.
(a) The Company is a “holding company” as defined under the Public Utility
Holding Company Act of 2005 solely by reason of owning indirect interests in “qualifying small power production
facilities” as defined in the Public Utility
Regulatory Policies Act of 1978. All facilities purporting to be
qualifying small power production facilities in which the Company owns an indirect interest are listed in Schedule
3.8(a) and are in material compliance with the regulations of the
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission relevant to maintaining status as a
qualifying small power production facility; provided, however, that any
non-compliance that may
threaten qualifying facility status would be material.
(b) None of the Company, any of its
Subsidiaries or any entity in which the Company owns or controls any voting
securities is: (i) a “public utility” as defined in the Federal Power Act,
except to the extent that
such public utility is the owner of a “qualifying small power production
facility” as defined in the
Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 having a power production
capacity of 20MW or less and is entitled to the exemptions provided in 18 C.F.R. §§ 292.601(c) and 292.602(b) and
(c), or (ii) regulated as a “public utility”, “electric utility”, “gas utility” or similar designation under the laws
of any state.
(c) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a
“registered investment company” or a company “controlled” by a “registered investment
company” or a “principal underwriter” of a “registered investment
company” as such terms are defined in the
Investment Company Act of 1940.
3.9 Governmental
Consents. Upon
entry of the Sale Order and subject to any necessary approvals required under
the HSR Act or other applicable Competition Law, the execution, delivery and
performance by Sellers of this Agreement and the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby do not and will not require any registration
with, consent or approval of, or notice to, or other action to, with or by, any
Governmental Authority.
3.10 Changes
Since May
31,
2007. Since
May 31, 2007, except as expressly contemplated by the terms of this Agreement or
as set forth on Schedule 3.10,
neither the Sellers nor any Acquired Company has:
(a) suffered any change, event, occurrence, development
or circumstance which individually or in the aggregate, has had, or could
reasonably be expected to have, a Material Adverse
Effect;
(b) issued, sold, pledged, disposed of,
encumbered, or authorized the issuance, sale, pledge, disposition, grant or
encumbrance of, any shares of its capital stock of any class, or any options,
warrants, convertible securities or other rights of any kind to acquire any
shares of such capital stock or any other ownership
interest;
(c) declared, set aside, made, or paid any
dividend or other distribution payable in cash, stock, property or otherwise, on
or with respect to its capital
14
stock or other securities or reclassified,
combined, split, subdivided or redeemed, purchased or otherwise acquired,
directly or indirectly, any of its capital stock or other
securities;
(d) sold, leased, licensed or transferred
any of its properties or assets other than in the ordinary course of
business consistent with past practice;
(e) granted, acquired, disposed of,
abandoned or failed to maintain any rights in
Intellectual Property owned
by or licensed to it other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past
practices;
(f) (i) acquired (including,
without limitation, for cash or shares of capital stock, by merger,
consolidation or acquisition of stock or assets) any interest in any
corporation, partnership or other business organization or division thereof or any assets, or
made any investment either by purchase of stock or securities, contributions of
capital or property transfer or, except in the ordinary course of business
consistent with past practice, purchased any property or assets of any other Person, (ii) made or
obligated itself to make capital expenditures out of the ordinary course
of business consistent with past practice, (iii)
other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, incurred
any obligations or
liabilities including, without limitation, Indebtedness, (iv) issued any debt
securities or assumed, guaranteed or endorsed or otherwise as an accommodation
become responsible for, the obligations of any Person, or made any loans or
advances, (v) modified, terminated or entered into any
Contract other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past
practice, or (vi) imposed any security interest or other Lien on any of its
assets other than in the
ordinary course of business consistent with past practice;
(g) suffered any theft, damage, destruction
or casualty loss, whether
or not covered by insurance, in excess of $50,000 in the aggregate;
(h) waived, canceled, compromised or
released any rights other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past
practice;
(i) except for annual salary increases and
annual performance based cash bonus plans adopted in the ordinary course of
business consistent with past practice, increased the compensation payable or to
become payable to its employees, officers or directors or
granted any bonus, severance or termination pay to, or entered into any bonus,
employment, change of control or severance agreement with, any of its managers,
officers, directors
or employees, or
established, adopted, entered into or amended or taken any action
to create or accelerate any rights or benefits with
respect to any collective bargaining, bonus, profit sharing trust, compensation,
stock option, restricted stock pension, retirement, deferred compensation,
employment, termination,
severance or other plan, agreement, trust, fund, policy or arrangement for the
benefit of any managers,
officers, directors or
employees;
(j) made any loans to any of its officers,
directors, employees, Affiliates, agents or consultants or made any change in its existing
borrowing or lending arrangements for or on behalf of any of such persons, whether pursuant to an employee
benefit plan or otherwise;
15
(k) conducted any operations or adopt any
policies other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past
practice;
(l) entered into, or amended in any material respect the
terms of, any collective
bargaining agreement or other labor-related agreement or
arrangement;
(m) unless required by law, made or changed
any election in respect of
Taxes except in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice,
amended any Tax Return previously filed, adopted or changed any accounting
method in respect of Taxes, entered into any closing agreement, settled or
compromised any claim or assessment in respect of Taxes, or
consented to any extension or waiver of the limitation period applicable to any
claim or assessment in respect of Taxes;
(n) taken any action with respect to
accounting policies or procedures or made any adjustment to its books and records other than in
the ordinary course of business and in a manner consistent with past
practices;
(o) paid, discharged or satisfied any
existing claims, liabilities or obligations (absolute, accrued, asserted or
unasserted, contingent or
otherwise), other than the payment, discharge or satisfaction in the ordinary
course of business of due and payable liabilities reflected or reserved against
in its financial statements, as appropriate, or liabilities incurred after the
date thereof in the ordinary course of business and
consistent with past practice;
(p) delayed paying any account payable
beyond the date on which nonpayment would interfere with project
operations except to the
extent being contested in good faith;
(q) entered into any transaction with XXXX or any Affiliates;
(r) made or pledged any charitable
contributions in excess of $5,000; or
(s) agreed, in writing or otherwise, to do
or authorized any of the foregoing.
3.11 Financial
Statements. The
Company has delivered to Purchaser a true and complete copy of the Financial
Statements. The Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance
with GAAP, consistently applied (except as disclosed in the footnotes thereto),
and fairly present, in all material respects, the financial position of the
Company and its Subsidiaries as of the dates thereof and their results of
operations and cash flows for the periods then ended, subject, in the case of
unaudited statements, to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of
notes thereto.
3.12 Projections. The
Projections of the Company and its Subsidiaries for the period of Fiscal Year
2008 through and including Fiscal Year 2028, including monthly projections for
each month during the Fiscal Year in which the Closing Date
00
xxxxx
xxxxx, (xxx “Projections”) are
based on good faith estimates and assumptions made by the management of the
Company believed to be reasonable and attainable.
3.13 Liabilities.
(a) To Sellers’ Knowledge, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has any liabilities or obligations, whether
accrued, absolute, contingent or otherwise, except:
(i) to the extent reflected on its Financial
Statements and not heretofore paid or discharged;
(ii) liabilities incurred in the ordinary
course of business consistent with past practice since the date of its
Financial Statements which, individually and in the aggregate, are of the same
character and nature as the obligations, duties and liabilities set forth on its
Financial Statements; and
(iii) liabilities incurred in the ordinary course of business prior to
December 31, 2007 which, in accordance with GAAP
consistently applied, were not required to be recorded thereon and which, in the
aggregate, are not material.
(b) Except as described therein, Part A of
Schedule
3.13(b) sets forth a complete and correct list
of all existing
Indebtedness of the
Company and its Subsidiaries as of the date hereof and as of the
Closing Date, to the extent
material, there has been no change in the amounts, interest rates, sinking
funds, installment payments
or maturities of the Indebtedness of such Persons. Except as
described in Part B of such
Schedule, neither the
Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries is in default and no waiver of default is currently in effect, in
the payment of any principal or interest on any Indebtedness of the Company or its Subsidiaries and no event or
condition exists with respect to any Indebtedness of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that would
permit (or that with notice or the lapse of time, or both, would permit) one or more Persons to cause such
Indebtedness to become due and payable before its stated maturity or before its
regularly scheduled dates of payment.
(c) Schedule
3.13(c) lists the account numbers and names of
each bank, broker or other depository institution at which the Company and any of its Subsidiaries maintains a depository account, and the
names of all persons authorized to withdraw funds from each such
account.
(d) Neither Sellers nor any Acquired Company
is a party to any sale and
leaseback
transaction.
3.14 Projects.
(a) Schedule
3.14(a) is a true and complete list of all of
the Company’s Projects and their respective Project
Owners. To Sellers’ Knowledge, the
17
descriptions of the Projects set forth
in Schedule
3.14(a) and all information regarding the Project furnished to
the Purchaser by or on behalf of the Sellers are true and accurate in all material
respects, contain no materially misleading information and do not omit any
information the omission of which would be materially misleading; provided this representation
excludes any projections, forward-looking statements or predictions of future
events.
(b) To Sellers’ Knowledge, except as set forth on Schedule
3.14(b), each of the Projects has received all
inspections and certifications currently required by any Governmental Authority
and to the extent material,
there are no physical defects or performance deficiencies in the Projects, other
than ordinary wear and tear consistent with similar assets of a similar
age.
3.15 Project
Documents.
(a) Each Project Document to which
the Company or a Subsidiary is a party (together
with the other Project Documents for the applicable Project) is set forth on Schedule
3.15 and constitutes the entire agreement of the
respective parties thereto with respect to the subject matter
thereof and no respective party thereto shall be bound except in accordance
therewith.
(b) Each Project Document to which
the Company or a Subsidiary is a party is in full
force and effect and constitutes the valid contract of the parties thereto, enforceable against the parties thereto in accordance with its terms, except as
enforcement may be limited by Debtor Relief Laws or by equitable principles
relating to or limiting creditors’ rights generally, and, as applicable, the Company and each of its Subsidiaries and, to the
Sellers’ Knowledge, each of the other parties
thereto has executed such Project Document with full power, authority and
capacity to contract. Neither the Company nor a Subsidiary has assigned any of its
right, title or interest in
or under such Project Document except in accordance with the USEB Credit Documents.
(c) The rights of the Company or a Subsidiary that is party to each
Project Document, as stated therein, are effective and are not, nor, to Sellers’ Knowledge, are they claimed to be, subject to any claims or any defenses,
counterclaims or setoffs against the Company or an applicable Subsidiary, to the
extent material. To Sellers’ Knowledge, the obligations of each party, other than the Company or its Subsidiaries, party to each
Project Document, as stated therein, are effective and are not subject to any
claims or any defenses, counterclaims or setoffs against such
Person. No event or force majeure under such Project Document has
occurred and is continuing that could reasonably be
expected to result in the termination of such Project Document or to cause a
Material Adverse Effect.
(d) The copies of the Project Documents
furnished to Purchaser by the Sellers are true, complete and
correct. None of the Project Documents have been
modified or amended since their delivery to the Purchaser or made the
subject of waiver or
consent by the
Company or a Subsidiary, except by a written
instrument, a copy of which has been furnished to the
Purchaser.
18
(e) To Sellers’ Knowledge, the Company and each of its
Subsidiaries have rights sufficient to safely own, use,
maintain and operate the applicable Project in accordance with Prudent
Engineering and Operating Practices for the remaining useful life of such
Project or the expiration
of the Project Documents.
3.16 Adverse
Proceedings. There
are no Adverse Proceedings that relate to the transactions contemplated
hereby. Except for Adverse Proceedings that are immaterial,
individually or in the aggregate, to the Company and its Subsidiaries, there are
no Adverse Proceedings. Neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries (a) is in violation of any applicable laws (including Environmental
Laws) that, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to
have a Material Adverse Effect, or (b) is subject to or in default with respect
to any final judgments, writs, injunctions, decrees, rules or regulations of any
court or any federal, state, municipal or other governmental department,
commission, board, bureau, agency or instrumentality, domestic or foreign, that,
individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect.
3.17 Affiliate
Transactions. Except
as set forth on Schedule 3.17 and
pursuant to other agreements and arrangements provided for or required
hereunder, (i) there are no existing or proposed agreements, arrangements,
understandings, or transactions (other than reasonable and customary fees paid
to directors and compensation arrangements for officers and other employees
entered into in the ordinary course of business) between the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries, on the one hand, and XXXX or any of its Affiliates (other than
the Company and its Subsidiaries) or any of their respective officers, members,
managers, directors, stockholders, parents, other interest holders or employees,
on the other hand, (ii) none of the foregoing Persons have any direct or
indirect ownership, partnership, or voting interest in the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries, and (iii) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has any
liability or obligation, whether accrued, absolute, contingent or otherwise, for
any of the foregoing Persons.
3.18 Environmental
Matters. Except
as set forth on Schedule
3.18:
(a) The Company and its Subsidiaries have been and are
in material compliance with all applicable Environmental
Laws;
(b) Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries
has obtained all permits, licenses and other authorizations which are required
under the Environmental Laws for the operation of their respective
businesses and the ownership, use and operation of each location owned, operated
or leased by the Company and its Subsidiaries. All such permits,
licenses and authorizations are in effect, no appeal or any other
action is pending to revoke any such permit,
license or authorization, and each of the Company and its Subsidiaries are in
full compliance with all terms and conditions of all such permits, licenses and
authorizations. To the extent required by applicable Environmental Laws, each of the Company and
its Subsidiaries has filed all applications necessary to renew or obtain any
necessary permits, licenses, or authorizations in a timely fashion so as to
allow the Company and its Subsidiaries to continue to operate their businesses in compliance with
applicable
19
Environmental Laws and
Sellers do not expect such new or renewed
licenses, permits or other authorizations to include any terms or conditions
that will have a material impact on the Company or its Subsidiaries. Without limiting the
foregoing, all permits, licenses and authorizations issued to the Company and
its Subsidiaries pursuant to applicable Environmental Laws, and all pending
applications for new or renewed permits, licenses and authorizations, are set
forth on Schedule
3.18. Sellers represent that they have provided or made available to Purchaser
copies of all such permits, license, authorizations and pending
applications;
(c) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries nor
any of their respective facilities or operations is subject to
any outstanding order, judgment, decree or settlement agreement with any Person
relating to any Environmental Law or is subject to any Environmental
Claim;
(d) There have been no releases, spills or
discharges of Hazardous
Substances on or underneath any real property that is currently or formerly
owned, leased or operated by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that
could result in an Environmental Claim against the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries;
(e) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has
disposed of or arranged for the treatment, storage or disposal of Hazardous
Substances at any facility as could result in an Environmental Claim against
the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries;
(f) No employee of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries,
in the course of his or her employment with the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries, or employee of a third party contractor, has been exposed to any
Hazardous Substance in a manner that could result in an Environmental Claim against the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries;
(g) In connection with the sale of any real
property, Subsidiaries or other assets or businesses, the
Company and its Subsidiaries have not entered into any agreement requiring the
Company or its Subsidiaries
to provide indemnification to any other person with respect to environmental
matters or to retain liabilities with respect to environmental
matters;
(h) To the Sellers’ Knowledge, neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries will be required to expend monies, within the next five
years, for capital
improvements in order to
get into compliance or maintain compliance with applicable Environmental Laws;
(i) There are no facts, circumstances or
events that are reasonably likely to form the basis of a material liability against the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries pursuant to Environmental Law or with respect to
Hazardous Substances; and
(j) The Company has provided or made available to
Purchaser all material environmental reports, studies, assessments, audits, analyses or communications
relating to Environmental Claims, relating to the Company or its Subsidiaries, that are in
the possession, custody, or reasonable control of the Company or its
Subsidiaries.
20
(k) Except for the facility owned and
operated by Lafayette
Energy Partners, L.P., neither Sellers nor any Acquired Company owns or operates any facilities that, as a result of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement, will be subject to any “transaction-triggered” Environmental Laws such as ISRA.
3.19 Real
Estate.
(a) Schedule
3.19(a)(i) lists as of the date of this Agreement,
all real
property owned in fee by
the Company and each of its Subsidiaries (together with all easements, rights of
way, servitudes, leases, permits, licenses, options and other real property rights
appurtenant thereto and all Improvements on the land owned
in fee, the “Owned Real
Property”) and Schedule
3.19(a)(ii) lists all real property (whether by
virtue of direct lease, ground lease or sublease) leased by the Company and each of its Subsidiaries as
lessee (the “Leased Real
Property” and together with the Owned Real
Property, the “Real
Property”). The Real Property constitutes all of
the land, buildings and structure used by the Company and each of its
Subsidiaries in the conduct
of the
Business.
(b) With respect to the Real
Property:
(i) there are no (i) pending or, to
Sellers’ Knowledge, threatened condemnation proceedings
relating to such Real Property or (ii) pending or, to Sellers’ Knowledge, threatened litigation, claims, actions, suits,
proceedings, investigations or administrative actions relating to such Real
Property except to the extent set forth in Schedule
3.19(b)(i);
(ii) there are no leases, subleases, licenses
or agreements, written or oral to which the Company or any Subsidiary is party, granting to any
party or parties (other than the Company or any Subsidiary) the right of use or
occupancy (other than, in the case of leases, the
Lessor) of any portion of any Real Property except to the extent set forth in Schedule
3.19(b)(ii);
(iii) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received written notice of any, and
to the Sellers’ Knowledge there is no, proposed or pending
proceeding to change or redefine the zoning classification of all or
any portion of such Real
Property;
(iv) no portion of such Real Property has
suffered any damage by fire or other casualty loss which has not heretofore been
completely repaired and restored to its original condition (ordinary wear and
tear excepted), except as
would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to
materially interfere with the Company’s use of such Real Property; and
(v) the Company has delivered to Purchaser
complete and accurate copies of all of the following materials relating to such Real Property, to the
extent in the Company’s or any Subsidiary’s possession:
21
all Leases (including any amendments,
modifications or supplements thereto); title insurance policies; deeds;
encumbrance and easement documents and other documents and agreements affecting title to or
for operation of such Real Property; surveys; as-built construction plans; warranties;
appraisals; structural inspection, soils, environmental assessment and similar
reports, and leases, subleases, licenses or agreements (including any amendments or
modifications thereto) granting to any other party the right of use or occupancy
of any portion of such Real Property.
(c) With respect to the Owned Real
Property:
(i) Schedule
3.19(c)(i) identifies the property address,
the approximate lot size
and the record owner of such Owned Real Property;
(ii) the Company or the applicable Subsidiary
has good and marketable fee
simple title to such Owned
Real Property, free and
clear of all Liens other than Permitted Liens and Liens listed or described in Schedule
3.19(c)(ii);
(iii) the material Improvements located on such Owned Real
Property are located entirely within the boundary lines of such Owned Real
Property or on permanent easements on adjoining land benefiting such Owned
Real Property and may
lawfully be used under applicable zoning and land use laws (either as of right,
by special permit or variance, or as a grandfathered use) for their current use;
and such Owned Real Property is not located within any flood plain or
subject to any similar type restriction for
which any permits or licenses, if any, necessary to the use thereof have not
been obtained;
(iv) there are no outstanding options or
rights of first refusal to purchase such Owned Real Property, or any portion
thereof or interest therein
except to the extent set forth on Schedule
3.19(c)(iv); and
(v) such Owned Real Property is assessed by
local property assessors as a tax parcel or parcels separate from all other tax
parcels.
(d) With respect to the Leased Real
Property:
(i)
Schedule
3.19(d)(i) lists each lease, ground lease or
sublease of the Leased Real Property to which Company or a Subsidiary is party
(each, a “Lease”) and lists the term of such Lease, the
parties to such Lease, including the Company or the applicable Subsidiary that is lessee thereunder,
the street address of the applicable Leased Real Property, any extension and
expansion options, and the rent payable thereunder;
22
(ii)
the Company or the applicable
Subsidiary has title to each Lease and a good and valid leasehold interest in the Leased Real Property (subject to
the terms of the applicable Lease governing its interests therein), in each case
free and clear of all Liens other than Permitted Liens and Liens listed or described in
Schedule
3.19(d)(ii);
(iii) Schedule
3.19(d)(iii) lists all consents required to be
obtained from any landlord with respect to the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement and no other third party consents
are required by any of the Leases to consummate transactions contemplated by this
Agreement;
(iv) each Lease is the legal, valid, binding,
and enforceable obligation of the Company or the applicable Subsidiary that is
lessee thereunder, and, to Sellers’ Knowledge is in full force and effect and the
binding obligation of the other parties thereto and will continue
to be the legal, valid, binding, and enforceable obligation of the Company or
the applicable Subsidiary following the consummation of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement;
(v) neither the Company nor any
Subsidiary has received any
written notice that it is in default under any Lease, nor to Sellers’ Knowledge is the Company nor any Subsidiary or any
other party to such Lease in default under any such Lease, and no event has
occurred, which, after the giving of notice, with lapse of time, or
otherwise, would constitute a default by the Company or any Subsidiary or, to
Sellers’ Knowledge, any other party under such
Lease;
(vi) there are no material disputes, oral agreements or forbearance
programs in effect as to
any Lease;
(vii) neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has assigned, subleased,
transferred, conveyed, mortgaged, deeded in trust or encumbered any interest in
the leasehold or subleasehold created by such Lease except as set forth in
Schedule
3.19(d)(vii) or as contemplated by the USEB Credit
Documents;
(viii) there are no outstanding options or
rights of any party to terminate such Lease prior to the expiration of the term
thereof except to the extent set forth on Schedule
3.19(d)(vii)(i); and
(ix) all Improvements are located entirely within the
boundary lines of such Leased Real Property or on permanent easements on
adjoining land benefiting
such Leased Real Property and may lawfully be used under applicable
zoning and land use laws for their current use.
3.20 Compliance
with Laws. To
Sellers’ Knowledge, the Sellers, the Acquired Companies and their respective
Affiliates are in material compliance with their
23
organizational
documents and all applicable statutes, regulations and orders of, and all
applicable restrictions imposed by, all Governmental Authorities, in respect of
the conduct of its business and the ownership of its property, except such non
compliance that, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be
expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
3.21 Credit
Support Obligations. Schedule 3.21 sets
forth each Contract that obligates the Company or its Subsidiaries to directly
or indirectly provide financial support of any kind, collateral on behalf of,
guarantees in respect of or otherwise make any capital contribution to or in
respect of any Subsidiary of the Company (whether or not any such obligation is
contingent upon any other event, fact or occurrence and whether or not any such
obligation is subject to the giving of notice or the passage of time, or both)
(“Credit Support
Obligations”). Each Credit Support Obligation that requires
the issuance of a letter of credit or posting of a surety bond or cash
collateral upon the occurrence of another event, fact or occurrence is so noted
on Schedule
3.21. There is no current obligation to make payment under or
in respect of any such Credit Support Obligation, and no payments have been made
by the Company or its Affiliates under any such Credit Support Obligation during
the past five years. To Sellers’ Knowledge, no event or condition
currently exists that, solely with the passage of time, the giving of notice, or
both, would create a current or future obligation to make any payment under any
such Credit Support Obligation, and neither the Company nor its Subsidiaries has
received any written notice of such events or conditions.
3.22 Labor and
Employment Matters. Except
as set forth on Schedule
3.22:
(a) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to or bound
by any collective
bargaining agreement, work rule or practice, or any other labor-related
agreement or arrangement with any labor union or labor organization; there are
no collective bargaining agreements, work rules or practices, or any other
labor-related agreements or arrangements that
pertain to any employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, including,
without limitation, any agreement or arrangement respecting employee benefits;
and no employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries are represented by any labor organization
with respect to their employment with the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries. No labor union, labor organization or group of
employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has prior to the date of
this Agreement organized or attempted to organize any
employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries into one or more collective
bargaining units.
(b) There is not now, and there has not been
during the three-year period preceding the date of this Agreement, any
actual or threatened labor
dispute, labor arbitration, grievance, strike, lockout, work slow down or work
stoppage which has affected, which affects, or which may affect the businesses
of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or which may interfere with their continued operations. To
Sellers’ Knowledge, neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries, nor any employee, agent or representative thereof, has committed any material unfair labor
practice as defined in the National Labor Relations Act, as amended, or similar applicable law, and there
is no pending or threatened unfair labor
24
practice charge or complaint against the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries by or with the National Labor Relations Board
or any other Governmental Authority.
(c) The Company and its Subsidiaries are in
material compliance with all applicable laws
respecting employment and employment practices, including, without limitation,
all laws respecting terms and conditions of employment, health and safety, wages
and hours (including classification of workers for overtime
pay), child labor, immigration, employment discrimination, disability rights or
benefits, equal opportunity, plant closures and layoffs, affirmative action,
workers’ compensation, labor relations, employee
leave issues and
unemployment insurance.
(d) The Company and its Subsidiaries are and
have been in compliance with all notice and other requirements under the
WARN Act and neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries have any liabilities under the WARN Act. During the six-month period prior to the date
hereof: (i) neither the
Company nor any of its Subsidiaries have effectuated a “plant closing” (as defined in the WARN Act) affecting
any site of employment or one or more facilities or operating units within any
site of employment or
facility of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (ii) there has not occurred
a “mass layoff” (as defined in the WARN Act) affecting
any site of employment or facility of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries,
(iii) neither the Company
nor any of its Subsidiaries have been affected by any transaction or engaged in
layoffs or employment terminations sufficient in number to trigger application
of any similar state, provincial, local or foreign law or regulation and (iv)
neither the Company’s nor any of its
Subsidiaries’ employees have suffered an “employment loss” (as defined in the WARN
Act).
(e) Neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries is or has been: (i) a “contractor” or “subcontractor” (as defined by Executive Order 11246),
(ii) required to comply
with Executive Order 11246 or (iii) required to maintain an affirmative action
plan.
(f) Neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries (i) is
a joint employer with any
entity, agency, organization or third party service
provider; or (ii) has any
liabilities with respect to any employee or independent contractor leased by, or
who provides services to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries through, another
employer or service provider.
(g) The Company and its Subsidiaries are not
delinquent in payments to
any employees or former employees for any services or amounts required to be
reimbursed or otherwise paid.
(h) The Company and its Subsidiaries have
not received (i) notice of any complaints, grievances or arbitrations arising
out of any collective
bargaining agreement, (ii) notice of any charge or complaint with respect to or
relating to them pending before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission,
Occupational Health and Safety Administration or any other Governmental
Authority responsible for the prevention of
unlawful employment practices, (iii) notice of the intent of any Governmental
Authority responsible for the enforcement of labor, employment, wages and hours
of work, child labor, immigration, or occupational safety and health laws to conduct an investigation
with respect
25
to or relating to them or notice that
such investigation is in progress, or (iv) notice of any Adverse Proceeding
pending or threatened in any forum by or on behalf of any present or former
employee of such entities, any applicant for employment
or classes of the foregoing alleging breach of any express or implied contract
of employment, any applicable law governing employment or the termination
thereof or other discriminatory, wrongful or tortuous conduct in connection with the employment
relationship.
(i) To Sellers’ Knowledge, no employee of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries is in any respect in violation of any term of any employment
agreement, nondisclosure agreement, common law nondisclosure obligation, fiduciary duty, noncompetition
agreement, restrictive covenant or other obligation to a former employer of any
such employee relating (i) to the right of any such employee to be employed by
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or (ii) to the knowledge or use of trade secrets or
proprietary information.
(j) Schedule
3.22(j) identifies by job title all of the
employees employed by the Company and its Subsidiaries as of the date hereof. To Sellers’ Knowledge, no current employee of the
Company or any of its
Subsidiaries with an annual compensation of $100,000.00 or more intends to
terminate his or her employment.
(k) The execution of this Agreement and the
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement will not result
in any breach or other
violation of any collective bargaining agreement, employment agreement,
consulting agreement or any other labor-related agreement to which the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or is bound.
3.23 Employee
Benefit Plans.
(a) Schedule
3.23 contains a true and complete list of
each deferred compensation and each incentive compensation, equity compensation
plan, “welfare” plan, fund or program (within the
meaning of section 3(1) of ERISA); “pension” plan, fund or program (within the
meaning of section 3(2) of
ERISA); each employment, consulting, termination, severance or change in control
agreement; and each other employee benefit plan, fund, program, agreement or
arrangement, in each case, that is sponsored, maintained or contributed to or
required to be contributed to by
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or by any trade or business, whether or
not incorporated, that together with the Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries
would be deemed a
“single employer” within the meaning of
section 4001(b) of ERISA
(an “ERISA
Affiliate”), or to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or an ERISA Affiliate of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries is party,
whether written or oral, for the benefit of any current or former employee, director
or consultant of the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any ERISA Affiliate (the “Employee
Benefit Plans”).
(b) With respect to each Employee Benefit
Plan, the Company has delivered to Purchaser true and
complete copies of the Employee Benefit Plan and any amendments thereto, any
related trust or other funding vehicle, any annual reports or summaries required
under ERISA or the Code, any contracts relating to any Employee
26
Benefit Plan and the most recent
determination letter received from the Internal Revenue Service with respect to
each Employee Benefit Plan intended to qualify under Section 401 of the
Code.
(c) At no time has the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any ERISA Affiliate ever maintained,
established, sponsored, participated in or contributed to any Employee Benefit
Plan that is subject to Title IV of ERISA.
(d) At no time has the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any ERISA Affiliate ever
contributed to or been
required to contribute to any “multiemployer pension plan,” as such term is defined in Section
3(37) of ERISA.
(e) There has been no non-exempt “prohibited transaction,” as such term is defined in Section 406
of ERISA and Section 4975
of the Code, with respect to any Employee Benefit Plan. Each Employee
Benefit Plan has been operated and administered in all material respects in
accordance with its terms and applicable law, including but not limited to ERISA
and the Code, and each Employee Benefit Plan intended to be
“qualified” within the meaning of section 401(a) of
the Code has received a
favorable determination from the IRS to the effect that such plan is so qualified and the trusts
maintained thereunder are exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of the Code, and no
event has occurred which would reasonably be expected to result in the
loss of such qualified
status. Each Employee Benefit Plan may be amended, terminated or otherwise
discontinued after the Closing Date in accordance with its terms, and without material liability to
Purchaser, other than for
benefits accrued and vested thereunder at the time of such
termination. All contributions and premiums which
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any ERISA Affiliate are
required to pay under the
terms of each of the Employee Benefit Plans
have, to the extent due, been paid in full or properly recorded on the financial
statements or records of
the applicable Company, Subsidiary of the Company or ERISA Affiliate.
(f) No Employee Benefit Plan provides medical,
surgical, hospitalization, death or similar benefits (whether or not insured)
for current or former employees, directors or consultants of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any ERISA Affiliate for periods
extending beyond their
retirement or other termination of service, other than (A) coverage mandated by
applicable law, (B) death benefits under any “pension plan,” or (C) benefits the full cost of which
is borne by the current or former employee, director or consultant (or his
beneficiary).
(g) [Reserved]
(h) Except as otherwise disclosed on
Schedule 3.23(h), the
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement will not, either
alone or in combination with another event, (A) entitle any current or
former employee, director
or consultant of the
Company or any of its
Subsidiaries or any ERISA
Affiliate to severance pay, unemployment compensation or any other payment,
except as expressly provided in this Agreement, or (B) accelerate the time of
payment or vesting,
increase the amount of compensation due or otherwise enhance any benefit to such
employee, director or consultant.
27
(i) There are no pending, threatened or
anticipated claims by or on behalf of any Employee Benefit Plan, by any employee
or beneficiary covered
under any such Employee Benefit Plan, or otherwise involving any such Employee
Benefit Plan (other than routine claims for benefits).
(j) No Employee Benefit Plan has been
established or maintained outside of the United States for the benefit of any current or former employee,
director or consultant of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any ERISA
Affiliate residing outside the United States.
(k) None of the Company, any of its Subsidiaries nor any ERISA Affiliate has, prior to
the Closing Date and in any
material respect, violated any of the health care continuation requirements of
the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, as amended, or the
Health Insurance Portability Accountability Act of 1996, as amended, or any
similar provision of state law applicable
to their employees.
3.24 Taxes. Except
as set forth on Schedule 3.24
hereto:
(a) Each Tax Group Member has (i) timely filed all Tax Returns
required to be filed by it and all such Tax Returns are true, correct
and complete in all
material respects, and (ii)
paid in full all Taxes due or, to Sellers’ Knowledge, claimed to be due by any Governmental
Authority.
(b) No waiver, extension or comparable
consent given by a Tax
Group Member regarding the
application of the statute
of limitations with respect to any Taxes or Tax Return is outstanding, nor has
any request for any such waiver or consent been made; no Tax Group Member is currently the beneficiary of any
extension of time within which to file any Tax Return;
(c) No Tax Group Member has granted to any person any power of
attorney that is currently in force with respect to any Tax
matter;
(d) XXXX has established in the Financial Statements
(i) reserves that are adequate for the payment of any Taxes of a Tax Group Member not yet due and payable, and (ii)
reserves as would be required under Interpretation No. 48 of the Financial
Accounting Standards Board as if such pronouncement were in effect as of the
date of such Financial Statements; since the date of the Financial Statements, no Tax Group Member has incurred any liability for Taxes
other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past
practice;
(e) No deficiency for Taxes has been
proposed, asserted or assessed by a taxing authority against a Tax Group Member which has not been resolved and paid in
full; there are no audits, actions, suits, proceedings, investigations, claims
or administrative proceedings (“Audits”) relating to Taxes or any Tax Returns
of a Tax Group
Member now pending,
proposed or threatened by a taxing authority;
(f) All amounts required to be collected or
withheld by or on behalf of a Tax Group Member with respect to Taxes have been duly
collected or withheld and any such amounts that are required to be remitted to
any Governmental Authority
have been duly and timely remitted;
28
(g) No Governmental Authority in any
jurisdiction where a Tax
Group Member does not file
a Tax Return has made a written claim that the Company or such Subsidiary is
required to file a Tax Return for such jurisdiction;
(h) No Tax Group Member (i) is a party to, is bound by, or has
any obligation under, any Tax sharing agreement, Tax indemnification agreement
or similar contract or arrangement, whether written or unwritten (collectively,
“Tax Sharing
Agreements”) or (ii) has any potential liability or
obligation to any person as a result of, or pursuant to, any such Tax Sharing
Agreement;
(i) No Tax Group Member (i) is or has ever been a member of any
consolidated, combined, affiliated or similar group of corporations for Tax purposes (other than
consolidated, combined, affiliated or similar group of which XXXX or the Company is the common parent (the “Seller Tax
Group”)) or (ii) has any liability for Taxes
of any Person under Treasury Regulations Section 1.1502-6 (or any similar provision of state,
local or foreign law) or as a transferee or successor, by contract or
otherwise;
(j) None of the assets of any of the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries is required to be treated for Tax purposes as being
owned by any other
person;
(k) The United States federal income Tax
Returns of the Seller Tax Group have been examined by the Internal Revenue
Service (or the applicable statute of limitations for the assessment of Taxes
for such Tax Return has expired) only for such taxable periods set forth on Schedule
3.24(k);
(l) No Tax Group Member has entered into or participated in (i)
any reportable transaction within the meaning of Treasury Regulations Section
1.6011-4(b) or (ii) any confidential corporate tax shelter within the
meaning of Section 6111(d)
of the Code and Treasury Regulations Section 301.6111-2, as in effect prior to
the enactment of the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004;
(m) There are no Liens for Taxes upon any
assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, except for Liens for Taxes not yet due or
payable;
(n) None of the Acquired
Companies is or will be
required to include an item of income, or exclude an item of deduction, for any
period after the Closing Date as a result of (i) an installment sale transaction occurring on or before the Closing
Date governed by Section 453 of the Code (or any similar provision of state,
local or foreign law), (ii) a transaction occurring on or
before the Closing Date reported as an open transaction for U.S. federal income
tax purposes (or any
similar provision of state, local or foreign law), (iii) prepaid amounts received on or
prior to the Closing Date, (iv) a change in method of accounting
or similar adjustment under Section 481(a) of the Code (or any similar provision
of state, local or foreign
law) that the Company or any of its Subsidiaries agreed to, requested, or was
required to make on or before the Closing Date, or (v) an agreement entered into
with any Governmental Authority with respect to Taxes on or prior to
the Closing Date;
29
(o) [Reserved]
(p) Sellers have made available to Purchaser for
inspection (i) complete and correct copies of the U.S. federal income Tax
Returns and all other material Tax Returns of the Company, each of its
Subsidiaries, and the
Seller Group to the extent such Tax Returns
reasonable relate to the Taxes of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries for all
taxable periods for which the applicable statute of limitations has not yet
expired and (ii) complete and correct copies of all private letter rulings, revenue agent reports,
information document requests, notices of proposed deficiencies, deficiency
notices, protests, petitions, closing agreements, settlement agreements, pending
ruling requests, and any similar documents, submitted by, received by or agreed to by or on behalf of
a Tax Group
Member for all taxable
periods for which the statute of limitations has not yet expired;
and
(q) Neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries is or has been a “United States real property holding
corporation” within the meaning of Section 897(c)(2)
of the Code during the applicable period specified in Section 897(c)(1)(A)(ii)
of the Code.
(r) Each of the Acquired Companies is and at
all times has been a Pass-Through Acquired Company.
(s) No Acquired Company has any liability or obligation with
respect to Section 29 tax credits.
3.25 Insurance. Schedule 3.25 sets
forth a list of all insurance maintained by or on behalf of the Company and each
of its Subsidiaries as of the Closing Date and the Company and each of its
Subsidiaries are adequately insured in such amounts, with such deductibles and
covering such risks and otherwise on terms and conditions as are customarily
carried or maintained by Persons of established reputation of similar size and
engaged in similar businesses. As of the Closing Date, all premiums
in respect of such insurance have been paid. Schedule 3.25 sets
forth a list of all insurance claims made by the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries subsequent to January 1, 2007 and any amounts paid in respect of
such claims.
3.26 Permits. The
Company and each of its Subsidiaries has, and is in material compliance with,
all permits, licenses, authorizations, approvals, entitlements and
accreditations (“Permits”) required
for such Person lawfully to own, lease, manage or operate, or to acquire, each
business currently owned, leased, managed or operated, or to be acquired, by
such Person, which, if not obtained or complied with, could not reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and each such Permit is held by one
of the Acquired Companies. No condition exists or event has occurred
which, in itself or with the giving of notice or lapse of time or both, would
result in the suspension, revocation, impairment, forfeiture or non-renewal of
any such Permit, and there is no claim that any thereof is not in full force and
effect, except, to the extent any such condition, event or claim could not be
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
30
3.27 Utility
Service Available. Electricity
and other utility services and all roadway access and fuel, transmission and
power connection services required for the construction (as applicable),
operation and maintenance of the Projects for their intended purposes are
available on the Project Land.
3.28 Lines of
Business. Each
of the Project Owners is engaged solely in the ownership, operation and
maintenance of its Project. Zapco Energy Tactics Corp. is engaged
solely in the operation and maintenance of certain of the Projects pursuant to
certain of the Project Documents. The Company is engaged solely in
the businesses of alternative energy, cogeneration, power marketing and
landfill-related products and services. Illinois Electrical
Generation Partners, L.P. is engaged solely in the business of indirectly
owning, operating and maintaining certain of the Illinois Projects and Illinois
Electrical Generation Partners II, L.P. is engaged solely in the business of
indirectly owning, operating and maintaining certain of the Illinois Projects,
and in owning the limited partnership interest in Master Gasco,
L.P. Each of the other Subsidiaries of the Company is engaged solely
in the direct and indirect ownership of the Project Owners and other alternative
energy-related businesses.
3.29 Marketing of
Production. Except
for contracts listed and in effect on the date hereof on Schedule 3.29, and
thereafter disclosed in writing to Purchaser and approved by Purchaser (with
respect to all of which contracts the Company represents that it or a Subsidiary
is receiving a price for all production sold thereunder which is computed
substantially in accordance with the terms of the relevant contract and are not
having deliveries curtailed substantially below the subject property’s delivery
capacity), no material agreements exist that are not cancelable on sixty (60)
days notice or less without penalty or detriment for the sale of production from
any of the Company’s or any of its Subsidiaries’ Hydrocarbons (including,
without limitation, calls on or other rights to purchase, production, whether or
not the same are currently being exercised) that (i) pertain to the sale of
production at a fixed price and (ii) have a maturity or expiry date of longer
than six (6) months from the date hereof. Except as set forth in
Schedule 3.29,
none of the Gas Properties of the Company are subject to any contractual or
other arrangement whereby payment for production therefrom is to be deferred for
a substantial period of time after the month in which such production is
delivered (i.e., in the case of oil, not in excess of sixty (60) days, and in
the case of gas, not in excess of ninety (90) days).
3.30 Intellectual
Property.
The Company and
its Subsidiaries own, or have a valid right to use, all trademarks, service
marks, tradenames, domain names, copyrights, patents, hardware, software, trade
secrets, information and know-how and other intellectual property (collectively,
“Intellectual
Property”) necessary to conduct, or used or held for use in, the Business
as currently conducted, a correct and complete list of which, other than as to
any non-proprietary and non-material Intellectual Property, as of the date of
this Agreement, is set forth on Schedule 3.30, and
the conduct of the Business (including the products and services of the Company
and its Subsidiaries) does not
31
infringe
upon, misappropriate or otherwise violate the rights of any other Person, and
the Company’s and its Subsidiaries’ rights thereto are not subject to any
licensing agreement or similar arrangement. There has been no claim
asserted or, to Sellers’ Knowledge, threatened in the past three (3) years
against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries asserting that the conduct of the
Business infringes upon, misappropriates, or otherwise violates the rights of
any other Person. To Sellers’ Knowledge, no Person is infringing,
misappropriating, or otherwise violating any Intellectual Property owned, used,
or held for use by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in the conduct of the
Business, and no such claims have been asserted or threatened against any Person
by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, to Sellers’ Knowledge, any other
Person, in the past three (3) years. The Company and its Subsidiaries
take reasonable measures to protect the confidentiality of material trade
secrets. During the three (3) years prior to the date hereof, (i)
there have been no material security breaches in the Company’s or any
Subsidiary’s information technology systems, and (ii) there have been no
disruptions in the Company’s or any Subsidiary’s information
technology systems that materially adversely affected the Company’s or any
Subsidiary’s business or operations. The Company and its Subsidiaries
have evaluated their disaster recovery and backup needs and have implemented
plans and systems that reasonably address their assessment of
risk. No current or former Affiliate (except the Acquired Companies),
partner, director, stockholder, officer, or employee of the Company or any
Subsidiary will, after giving effect to the transactions contemplated hereby,
own or retain any rights to use any of the Intellectual Property owned, used, or
held for use by the Company or its Subsidiaries in the conduct of the
Business.
3.31 Contracts. Schedule 3.31 sets
forth a list of each Material Contract (as defined below) to which the Company
and its Subsidiaries is a party, true, correct and complete copies of which have
been provided to Purchaser; provided, however, that Schedule 3.31 shall
not contain Project Documents not otherwise required to appear in Schedule
3.31. Schedule 3.31
identifies those Material Contracts that require the Consents of third parties
to the transactions contemplated hereby. The copy of each Material
Contract furnished to Purchaser is a true and complete copy of the document it
purports to represent and reflects all amendments thereto made through the date
of this Agreement. None of the Company and its Subsidiaries has
violated any of the terms or conditions of any Material Contract which would
permit termination or modification of any Material Contract and no claims have
been made or issued for breach or indemnification or notice of default or
termination under any Material Contract. Each of the Material
Contracts constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of each of the
Company and its Subsidiaries that is a party to such Material Contract, each in
accordance with its express terms. No event has occurred which
constitutes, or after notice or the passage of time, or both, would constitute,
a default by the Company or its Subsidiaries under any Material Contract, and,
to Sellers’ Knowledge no such event has occurred which constitutes or would
constitute a default by any other party. None of the Company and its
Subsidiaries is subject to any liability or payment resulting from renegotiation
of amounts paid under any Material Contract. The Company and its
Subsidiaries are not subject to any Contract, decree or injunction that
restricts the continued operation of any business or the expansion thereof to
other geographical areas, customers and suppliers or lines of
business.
32
As used in this Section 3.31, “Material Contracts”
shall mean written or oral (a) loan agreements, indentures, mortgages, pledges,
hypothecations, deeds of trust, conditional sale or title retention agreements,
security agreements, equipment financing obligations or guaranties, or other
sources of contingent liability in respect of any indebtedness or obligations to
any other Person, or letters of intent or commitment letters with respect to
same; (b) contracts obligating the Company and its Subsidiaries to provide or
obtain products or services for a period of one year or more, excluding standard
warranty contracts entered into in the ordinary course of its business without
modification from the preprinted forms used by the Company and its Subsidiaries
in the ordinary course of business, copies of which forms have been supplied to
Purchaser; (c) leases of real property; (d) leases of personal property (other
than those which individually provide for annual payments of less than $10,000
and which do not in the aggregate provide for payments in excess of $100,000);
(e) distribution, agency or franchise or similar agreements, or agreements
providing for an independent contractor’s services, or letters of intent with
respect to same (other than those which individually provide for annual payments
of less than $10,000 and which do not in the aggregate provide for payments in
excess of $100,000); (f) employment agreements, collective bargaining
agreements, management service agreements, consulting agreements,
confidentiality agreements, non-competition agreements and any other agreements
relating to any employee, independent contractor, third party service provider,
officer or director of the Company and its Subsidiaries; (g) any Intellectual
Property license agreement to which any of the Sellers are a party, whether as
licensee or licensor thereunder (other than non-exclusive licenses for the use
of commercially-available software which was acquired for a cost of less than
$5,000) and any “consent to use”, “non-assertion”, or other agreement
restricting any of the Sellers’ ownership or rights to use or register
Intellectual Property or permitting any other Person to use, enforce or register
any Intellectual Property; (h) contracts relating to pending capital
expenditures by the Company and its Subsidiaries; (i) contracts obligating the
Company and its Subsidiaries to purchase parts, accessories, supplies,
equipment, (other than those which individually provide for annual payments of
less than $10,000 and which do not in the aggregate provide for payments in
excess of $100,000); (j) any contracts obligating the Company and its
Subsidiaries to make or receive payments in excess of $25,000, in the aggregate,
over the remaining term of such contract; (k) any contracts, agreements or
arrangements that entitle the Company and its Subsidiaries to rebates, discounts
or incentives for the purchase of parts, accessories, supplies, equipment or
other goods and services; (l) all other Contracts or understandings which are
material to the Company and its Subsidiaries or its businesses, assets or
properties; and (m) all modifications, amendments, supplements, extensions and
consents relating to each of (a) through (l) above.
For
(a) through (k) above, each instance shall be deemed to include all amendments,
modifications, consents and supplements relating thereto.
3.32 Gasco
Acquisitions. Schedule 3.32 sets
forth a true, correct and complete list of each of the Gascos (the “Gascos”). Schedule 3.32
contains the true, correct and complete description of each transaction by which
the Company acquired
33
100%
of the equity interests of the Gascos (the “Gasco Acquisitions”),
including the date, manner of acquisition and consideration paid for each Gasco
Acquisition. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.32, the
Company has no liabilities or obligations arising from any Gasco Acquisition and
the consummation of each Gasco Acquisition did not (i) violate any provision of
any law or any governmental rule or regulation applicable to Seller, the
Company, any of their respective Subsidiaries, any of the organizational
documents of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or any order, judgment or
decree of any Governmental Authority binding on the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries, (ii) conflict with, result in a breach of or constitute (with due
notice or lapse of time or both) a default under any Material Contract of the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries or give rise to any right of termination,
cancellation, modification, amendment, suspension, revocation or acceleration of
remedies or rights pursuant to any Material Contract of Seller, the Company or
any of their respective Subsidiaries, (iii) result in or require the creation or
imposition of any Lien upon any of the properties or assets of the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries, (iv) result in any default, noncompliance, suspension,
revocation, impairment, forfeiture or nonrenewal of any permit, license,
authorization or approval applicable to its operations or any of the properties
of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or (v) require any approval of
stockholders, members or partners of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or
any approval or consent of any Person under any Material Contract
of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
3.33 Accuracy of
Information Furnished. No
representation, statement or information contained in this Agreement (including,
without limitation, the various Schedules attached hereto) or any agreement
executed in connection herewith or in any certificate delivered pursuant hereto
or thereto or made or furnished to Purchaser or its representatives by the
Sellers, contains or shall contain any untrue statement of a material fact or
omits or shall omit any material fact necessary to make the information
contained therein not misleading. Sellers have not failed to disclose
to Purchaser any facts material to the business, results of operations, assets,
liabilities, financial condition or prospects of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries. Sellers have provided Purchaser with true, accurate and
complete copies of all documents listed or described in the various schedules
attached hereto.
3.34 No
Commissions. Neither
the Company nor any other Seller have incurred or will incur any obligation for
a finder’s, broker’s or agent’s fee or commission or similar consideration in
connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, other than those
obligations approved by the Bankruptcy Court.
3.35 Assets. (i)
The assets and Real Property owned, leased or licensed by the Company and its
Subsidiaries include all of the tangible and intangible assets, properties and
rights used in or material to the business and operations of the Company and its
Subsidiaries; (ii) the Company and its Subsidiaries have good and marketable
title to, or a valid leasehold interest in or a valid right to use, all assets,
property and rights used by the Company or any Subsidiary, in each case free and
clear of all Liens other than Permitted Liens; and (iii) all material assets
(including, without limitation, the Real Property) are in good condition and
repair and are useable in the ordinary course of business and none of the assets
require any repair or replacement except for maintenance
34
in
the ordinary course of business. After consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby, the assets and Real Property owned, leased or
licensed by the Company and its then Subsidiaries will have an aggregate fair
market value (net of required site restoration costs) of less than
$250,000.
3.36 Inventory. All
of the inventories of the Company and its Subsidiaries, whether reflected in the
balance sheet or otherwise, consist of a quality and quantity usable and salable
in the ordinary and usual course of business, except for items of obsolete
materials and materials of below-standard quality, all of which items have been
written off or written down on the balance sheet to fair market value or for
which adequate reserves have been provided therein. All inventories
not written off have been priced at the lower of average cost or
market. The quantities of each type of inventory (whether raw
materials, work-in-process, or finished goods) are not excessive, but are
reasonable and warranted in the present circumstances of the Company and its
Subsidiaries. All work in process and finished goods inventory owned by the
Company and its Subsidiaries is free of any Defect or other
deficiency.
3.37 Accounts
Receivable. All
accounts receivable of the Company and its Subsidiaries, whether reflected in
the balance sheet or otherwise, represent sales actually made in the ordinary
course of business, and are current and collectible net of any reserves shown on
the balance sheet. Subject to such reserve, each of the accounts
receivable included in the balance sheet of the Company and its Subsidiaries
either has been collected in full or will be collected in full, without any
set-off, within 60 days after the day on which it became due and
payable.
3.38 Propriety of
Past
Payments. (a) No
unrecorded fund, asset or account of the Company or any Subsidiary has been
established for any purpose, (b) no accumulation or use of corporate funds of
the Company or any Subsidiary has been made without being properly accounted for
in the books and records of the Company and its Subsidiaries, (c) no payment has
been made by or on behalf of the Company or any Subsidiary with the
understanding that any part of such payment is to be used for any purpose other
than that described in the documents supporting such payment and (d) none of
Company and its Subsidiaries, any director, officer, employee or agent of the
Company and its Subsidiaries or any other Person associated with or acting for
or on behalf of the Company and its Subsidiaries has, directly or indirectly,
made any illegal contribution, gift, bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment,
kickback or other payment to any Person, private or public, regardless of form,
whether in money, property or services, (i) to obtain favorable treatment for
the Company or any Subsidiary, in securing business, (ii) to pay for favorable
treatment for business secured for the Company or any Subsidiary, (iii) to
obtain special concessions, or for special concessions already obtained, for or
in respect of the Company or any Subsidiary or (iv) otherwise for the benefit of
the Company or any Subsidiary, in violation of any federal, state, local,
municipal, foreign, international, multinational or other administrative order,
constitution, law, ordinance, principle of common law, regulation, statute, or
treaty (including existing site plan approvals, zoning or subdivision
regulations or urban redevelopment plans relating to Real
Property). Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary nor any current
director, officer, agent, employee of the Company and its Subsidiaries or other
Person acting on behalf of
35
the
Company or any Subsidiary, has accepted or received any unlawful contribution,
payment, gift, kickback, expenditure or other item of value.
3.39 Equipment
Held by Other
Persons. Schedule 3.39 lists
each piece of equipment owned by the Company and its Subsidiaries which is not
in the possession of the Company and its Subsidiaries, if any, together, in each
case, with the name, address and telephone number of each Person who holds such
property and the address of the location of such property except for laptop
computers and personal communication devices in the possession of employees and
other Persons.
ARTICLE IV
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES
OF
PURCHASER
As
a material inducement to the Sellers to enter into this Agreement and to
consummate the transactions contemplated hereby, Purchaser makes the following
representations and warranties to Sellers as of the date of this Agreement (or
if made as of a specific date, as of such date) and as of the Closing
Date:
4.1 Corporate
Status. Purchaser
is a limited liability company duly organized, validly existing and in good
standing under the laws of the State of Delaware.
4.2 Corporate
Power and Authority. Purchaser
has all requisite power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement, to
perform its obligations hereunder and to consummate the transactions
contemplated hereby. Purchaser has taken all action necessary to
authorize the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the performance of its
obligations hereunder and the consummation of the transactions contemplated
hereby.
4.3 Enforceability. This
Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by Purchaser and, assuming due
and valid authorization, execution and delivery by Seller and the Company,
constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of Purchaser, enforceable
against Purchaser in accordance with its terms, except as the same may be
limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or
similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors rights generally and general
equitable principles regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in
a proceeding at law or in equity.
4.4 No
Violation. Except
as set forth on Schedule 4.4, the
execution, delivery and performance by Purchaser and the consummation of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement do not and will not (a) violate any
provision of any law or any governmental rule or regulation applicable to
Purchaser, any of the organizational documents of Purchaser, or any order,
judgment or decree of any court or other agency of government binding on
Purchaser, (b) result in or require the creation or imposition of any Lien upon
any of the properties or assets of Purchaser, or (c) result in any default,
noncompliance, suspension, revocation, impairment, forfeiture or nonrenewal of
any permit, license, authorization or approval applicable to its operations or
any of its properties.
36
4.5 No
Commissions. Purchaser
has not incurred any obligation for any finder’s or broker’s or agent’s fees or
commissions or similar compensation in connection with the transactions
contemplated hereby.
4.6 Financial
Resources. Purchaser
or its permitted designees have cash or credit available, and will have cash
available at the Closing, to enable it to purchase the Acquired Assets and the
Interests on the terms hereof and to undertake the agreements and obligations
contemplated by this Agreement.
ARTICLE V
CONDUCT
OF BUSINESS PENDING THE CLOSING
5.1 Conduct of
Business by the Company Pending the
Closing. The
Sellers covenant and agree that, except as otherwise expressly required or
permitted by the terms of this Agreement or except as expressly approved or
directed by Purchaser between the date of this Agreement and the Closing Date,
the business of the Company and each of its Subsidiaries shall be conducted only
in, and the Company and its Subsidiaries shall not take any action except in,
the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, and the Company
and its Subsidiaries shall not change their operations or
policies. The Company shall use, and shall cause its Subsidiaries to
use, reasonable efforts to preserve intact the Company’s and its Subsidiaries’
business organizations, to keep available the services of their current
officers, employees and consultants, and to preserve their present relationships
with customers, suppliers and other Persons with which they have business
relations. By way of amplification and not limitation, neither the
Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall, except as expressly required or
permitted by the terms of this Agreement between the date of this Agreement and
the Closing, directly or indirectly, do or propose or agree to do any of the
following without the prior written consent or direction of
Purchaser:
(a) amend or otherwise change its Articles
of Incorporation, By-laws or other organizational or governing
documents;
(b) issue, sell, pledge, dispose of,
encumber, or authorize the
issuance, sale, pledge, disposition, grant or encumbrance of, any shares of its
capital stock of any class, or any options, warrants, convertible securities or
other rights of any kind to acquire any shares of such capital stock or any
other ownership interest;
(c) declare, set aside, make or pay any
dividend or other distribution, payable in cash, stock, property or otherwise,
on or with respect to its capital stock or other securities, or reclassify,
combine, split, subdivide or redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire, directly or indirectly,
any of its capital stock or other securities;
(d) sell, lease, license or transfer any of
its properties or assets other than in the ordinary course of business
consistent with past practice;
(e) grant, acquire, dispose of, abandon or fail to maintain any rights
in Intellectual Property;
37
(f)
(i) acquire (including, without
limitation, for cash or shares of stock, by merger, consolidation or acquisition
of stock or assets) any interest in any corporation, partnership or other business organization or
division thereof or any assets, or make any investment either by purchase of
stock or securities, contributions of capital or property transfer or, except in
the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, purchase any property or assets of any
other Person, (1) make or obligate itself to make capital
expenditures in excess of $250,000, (2) other than in the ordinary course
consistent with past practice, incur any obligations or liabilities, including,
without limitation,
Indebtedness, (3) issue any debt securities or assume,
guarantee or endorse or otherwise as an accommodation become responsible for,
the obligations of any Person, or make any loans or advances, (4) modify, terminate, or enter into any
Contract other than as
provided herein or in the ordinary course of business consistent with past
practice, or (5) impose any security interest or other
Lien on any of its Assets or on the Leased Real Property, as applicable;
(g) waive, cancel, compromise or
release any rights other
than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past
practice;
(h) make any payment in respect of its
liabilities other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past
practice;
(i) increase the compensation
payable or to become
payable to its employees, officers or directors or, except as presently bound to
do, grant or pay any bonus, severance or termination pay to, or enter into any
bonus, employment, change of control or severance agreement with, any of its
directors, officers, or employees, or
establish, adopt, enter into or amend or take any action to accelerate
or create any rights or benefits with respect to
any collective bargaining, bonus, profit sharing trust, compensation, stock
option, restricted stock pension, retirement, deferred
compensation, employment, termination, severance or other plan, agreement,
trust, fund, policy or arrangement for the benefit of any directors, officers or
employees;
(j) make any loans to any of its
officers, directors,
employees, Affiliates, agents or consultants or make
any change in its existing borrowing or lending arrangements for or on behalf of
any of such persons, whether pursuant to an Employee Benefit Plan or
otherwise;
(k) create any additional employee benefit
or compensation plans,
policies or arrangements or, except as may be required by law, to modify any
Employee Benefit Plan;
(l) conduct any operations or adopt any
policies other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past
practice;
(m) take any action with respect to accounting
policies or procedures or make any adjustment to its books and records other
than in the ordinary course of business and in a manner consistent with past
practices;
38
(n) enter into, or amend in any material respect the
terms of, any collective bargaining agreement or
other labor-related agreement or arrangement;
(o) pay, discharge or satisfy any existing
claims, liabilities or obligations (absolute, accrued, asserted or unasserted,
contingent or otherwise), other than the payment, discharge or satisfaction in
the ordinary course of business of due and payable liabilities reflected or
reserved against in its financial statements, as appropriate, or liabilities
incurred after the date thereof in the ordinary course of business and consistent with past
practices;
(p) unless required by law, make or change
any election in respect of Taxes except in the ordinary course of business
consistent with past practice, amend any Tax Return previously filed, adopt or
change any accounting
method in respect of Taxes, enter into any closing agreement, settle or
compromise any claim or assessment in respect of Taxes, or consent to any
extension or waiver of the limitation period applicable to any claim or
assessment in respect of Taxes;
(q) delay paying any account payable beyond
the date on which it is due and payable except to the extent being contested in
good faith other than in a
manner consistent with past practices;
(r) enter into any transaction or modify the terms of any existing
transaction with Seller or any of its Affiliates (other than the Company and its
Subsidiaries);
(s) make or pledge any charitable
contributions;
(t) enter into, amend or modify any
agreement or arrangement that may subject the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries to any
liability relating to any Section 29 tax credit indemnification obligations;
or
(u) authorize any of the foregoing actions
or any action which would make any representation or warranty in Article III
untrue or incorrect in any
respect.
ARTICLE VI
ADDITIONAL
AGREEMENTS
6.1 Compliance
with Covenants. The
Sellers shall cause each Acquired Company to comply with all of its covenants
under this Agreement.
6.2 Efforts and
Actions to Cause Closing to Occur.
(a) Prior to the Closing, upon the terms
and subject to the
conditions of this
Agreement, Purchaser and each Seller shall use their respective reasonable efforts to take,
or cause to be taken, all actions, and to do, or cause to be done and cooperate
with each other in order to do, all things necessary, proper or advisable (subject to
any applicable laws) to consummate the Closing and the other transactions
contemplated hereby as promptly as practicable including, but not limited to,
the preparation and filing of all
39
forms, registrations and
notices required to be filed to consummate the
Closing and the other transactions contemplated hereby and the taking of such
actions as are necessary to obtain any requisite approvals, authorizations,
consents, orders, licenses, permits, qualifications, exemptions or waivers by any third party or
Governmental Authority. In addition, no party hereto shall take any
action after the date of this Agreement that could reasonably be expected to
materially delay the obtaining of, or result in not obtaining, any
permission, approval or consent from any
Governmental Authority or other Person required to be obtained prior to
Closing.
(b) Prior to the Closing, each party shall
promptly consult with the other parties hereto with respect to, provide any
necessary information with
respect to, and provide the other parties (or their respective counsel) with
copies of, all filings made by such party with any Governmental Authority or any
other information supplied by such party to a Governmental Authority in
connection with this Agreement and the transactions
contemplated hereby. Each party hereto shall promptly inform the
others of any communication received by such party from any Governmental
Authority regarding any of the transactions contemplated hereby. If
any party hereto or Affiliate thereof receives a request
for additional information or documentary material from any such Governmental
Authority with respect to any of the transactions contemplated hereby, then such
party shall endeavor in good faith to make, or cause to be made, as soon as reasonably practicable
and after consultation with the other parties, an appropriate response in
compliance with such request. To the extent that transfers,
amendments or modifications of permits (including environmental permits) are
required as a result of the execution of
this Agreement or consummation of any of the transactions contemplated hereby,
Sellers shall use their commercially reasonable efforts to effect such transfers, amendments or
modifications.
(c) In addition to and without limiting the agreements of the
parties contained above, as soon as reasonably practicable (and,
in any event, within three (3) Business Days) following conclusion of the
Auction if Purchaser is the Successful Bidder (or earlier if
Purchaser and Sellers agree), the Company and Purchaser shall (i) take promptly all actions
necessary to make the filings, if any, required of them or any of their
Affiliates under the HSR
Act or any other applicable
Competition Law, (ii) comply at the earliest practicable date with any request for additional
information or documentary material received by the Company, Purchaser or any of their Affiliates
from the Federal Trade Commission (the “FTC”) or the Department of Justice (the
“DOJ”) pursuant to the HSR Act or from any
State Attorney General or other Governmental Authority in connection with
antitrust matters, (iii) cooperate with each other in connection with any filing under the HSR
Act or any other
applicable Competition Law
and in connection with resolving any investigation or other inquiry concerning
the transactions contemplated hereby commenced by the FTC, DOJ, any
State Attorney General or any other Governmental Authority, (iv) use all reasonable
commercial efforts to
resolve such objections, if any, as may be asserted with respect to the
transactions contemplated hereby under any antitrust law and (v) advise the
other parties promptly of any material communication received by such party from
the FTC, DOJ,
40
any State Attorney General or any other
Governmental Authority regarding any of the transactions contemplated hereby,
and of any understandings, undertakings or agreements (oral or written) such
party proposes to make or enter into with the FTC, DOJ, any State Attorney General or any other
Governmental Authority in connection with the transactions contemplated
hereby.
(d) Notwithstanding the foregoing or any
other covenant herein contained, in connection with the receipt of any
necessary approvals
under the HSR
Act or any other applicable
Competition Law, the
Sellers shall not divest or hold separate or
otherwise take or commit to take any action that limits Purchaser’s freedom of action with respect
to, or its ability to
retain, the Interests and the Acquired Assets, without Purchaser’s prior written
consent.
(e) Notwithstanding the foregoing or any
other covenant herein contained, nothing in this Agreement shall be deemed to
require Purchaser (i) to divest or hold separate any of the Interests or the Acquired Assets or agree to limit its future
activities, method or place
of doing business, (ii) to
commence any litigation against any entity in order to facilitate the
consummation of any of the transactions contemplated hereby or (iii) to defend
against any litigation
brought by any Governmental Authority seeking to prevent the consummation of, or
impose limitations on, any of the transactions contemplated
hereby.
6.3 Access to
Information. From
the date of this Agreement to the Closing, the Company and its Subsidiaries
shall, and shall cause their directors, officers, employees, auditors, counsel
and agents to, afford Purchaser and Purchaser’s officers, employees, auditors,
counsel and agents reasonable access at all reasonable times to its properties,
offices and other facilities, to its officers and employees and to all books and
records, and shall furnish such persons with all financial, operating and other
data and information on the company and its Subsidiaries as may be
requested. Purchaser shall be entitled to conduct prior to Closing a
due diligence review of the assets, properties, books and records of the Company
and its Subsidiaries. No information provided to or obtained by
Purchaser shall affect any representation or warranty in this
Agreement. The Company shall also provide to Purchaser, as soon as
available, unaudited combined balance sheet and unaudited combined statements of
income and cash flows of the Company and its Subsidiaries on a monthly
basis. The Purchaser shall furnish or cause to be furnished to
Sellers, upon request, as promptly as practicable, such information (including
access to books and records) relating to the Acquired Companies and the Business
as is reasonably requested for the administration of the New Bankruptcy
Cases.
6.4 Bankruptcy
Court Approval.
(a) Sellers and Purchaser acknowledge that this
Agreement and the purchase
of the Acquired Assets are
subject to Bankruptcy Court approval. Sellers and Purchaser acknowledge
that to obtain such
approval, Sellers must demonstrate that they have taken reasonable steps to obtain the
highest or
otherwise best offer
possible for the Acquired
Assets, including, but not
limited to, giving notice of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement to
creditors and certain other interested parties as ordered by the
Bankruptcy Court, and conducting an auction in respect of the Interests and the Acquired Assets (the “Auction”).
41
(b) As soon as reasonably possible after execution of
this Agreement, but in any
event no later than two
(2) Business Days after
execution of this
Agreement,
Sellers shall file the Bidding Procedures and Sale Motion with the Bankruptcy Court,
together with appropriate supporting papers and notices.
(c) Sellers shall use their commercially reasonable efforts to
obtain entry of the Bidding
Procedures Order no later than seven (7) Business Days after filing the Bidding
Procedures and Sale Motion.
(d) In the event an appeal is taken or a
stay pending appeal is requested, with respect to the Bidding Procedures Order
or the Sale Order,
Sellers shall promptly notify Purchaser of such appeal or stay request and
shall promptly provide to Purchaser a copy of the related notice of appeal
or order of stay. Sellers shall also provide Purchaser with written notice of any
motion or application filed
in connection with any appeal from either of such orders.
(e) From and after the Effective Date,
provided that Purchaser is the Successful Bidder at
the Auction and has not
defaulted in any material
respect in the performance
of any of its obligations
under this Agreement,
Sellers shall not take any action that is
intended to result in, or fail to take any action the intent of which failure to
act would result in, the reversal, voiding, modification or staying of the
Bidding Procedures Order or
the Sale Order.
6.5 Bankruptcy
Filings.
(a) Within two (2) days of the execution of this Agreement, the
Sellers set forth on Schedule
6.5(a) shall file voluntary
petitions under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code with the Bankruptcy Court in
respect of the New
Bankruptcy Cases.
(b) From and after the Effective Date,
Sellers shall use their reasonable efforts to provide such prior
notice as may be reasonable under the circumstances before filing any papers in
the Bankruptcy Case or the New Bankruptcy Cases that relate, in whole or in part, to
this Agreement or Purchaser.
6.6 Break-Up
Fee. Notwithstanding
anything in this Agreement to the contrary, commencing on the entry of the
Bidding Procedures Order, the Company agrees to pay Purchaser the Break-Up Fee
specified in accordance with Section 10.2 in the
event this Agreement is terminated.
6.7 Notification
of Certain Matters. Each
of the parties to this Agreement shall give prompt notice to the other parties
of the occurrence or non-occurrence of any event which would likely cause any
representation or warranty made by such party herein to be untrue or inaccurate
or any covenant, condition or agreement contained herein not to be complied with
or satisfied; provided, however, that any
such disclosure shall not in any way be deemed to amend, modify or in any way
affect the representations, warranties and covenants made by any party in or
pursuant to this Agreement.
42
6.8 Supplemental
Disclosure. Sellers
will have the continuing obligation until the Closing Date to promptly
supplement or amend the disclosure schedules to this Agreement with respect to
any matter hereafter arising or discovered that, if existing or known at the
Effective Date, would have been required to be set forth or described in the
disclosure schedules to this Agreement; provided, however, that no
supplement or amendment to such disclosure schedule will have any effect for the
purpose of determining the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Article
VII.
6.9 Tax
Matters.
(a) Tax
Indemnification. Sellers agree to indemnify and hold the Purchaser and any Acquired Company
harmless from and against
all Taxes and related
expenses:
(i) imposed on the Purchaser or any Acquired
Company relating or attributable to any Pre-Closing Period and, with respect to any Straddle
Period, the portion of such Straddle Period deemed to end on and include the
Closing Date;
(ii) imposed on the Purchaser or any Acquired
Company under Treasury Regulations Section 1.1502-6 (and all corresponding
provisions of state, local
or foreign Law) as a result of being a member of any federal, state, local or
foreign consolidated, unitary, combined or similar group for any Pre-Closing
Period or Straddle Period;
(iii) arising out of any breach of or
inaccuracy in any
representation or warranty contained in Section
3.24;
and
(iv) arising out of any breach or failure by
Seller or the Company to perform any of the covenants made by it or agreements
entered into or contained in this Section
6.9 or Section
5.1(p);
and
(v) any payments under any tax indemnification
agreements.
(b) Allocation
of Straddle Period Taxes. For purposes of this
Section 6.9, in order to apportion appropriately
any Taxes relating to a Straddle Period, the parties shall, to the extent
permitted or required under
applicable law, treat the Closing Date as the last day of the taxable year or
period for all Tax purposes. In any case where applicable Law does
not permit the parties
to treat the Closing Date
as the last day of the taxable year or period, the portion of any Taxes that are
allocable to the portion of the Straddle Period ending on the Closing Date shall
be:
(i) in the case of Taxes that are imposed on
a periodic basis, deemed to be the amount of such Taxes for the entire period
multiplied by a fraction
the numerator of which is the number of calendar days in the Straddle Period
ending on (and including) the Closing Date and the denominator of which is the
number of calendar days in the entire relevant Straddle Period;
and
43
(ii) in the case of Taxes not described in clause (i) (such
as Taxes that are either (x) based upon or related to income or receipts, or (y)
imposed in connection with any sale or other transfer or assignment of
property), deemed equal to the amount that would be payable if the taxable year or period ended on the
Closing Date.
(c) Allocation of
Consideration.
(i) [Reserved]
(ii) Purchaser shall prepare and deliver to
the Company an allocation of the consideration paid by the Purchaser for
the assets treated as
acquired hereby for Tax
purposes (the “Allocation
Schedule”). Solely for purposes of
this paragraph, (A) the consideration paid shall include the Assumed
Liabilities, and the liabilities of any Pass-Through Acquired Company, and (B)
the assets acquired hereby shall include the Interests, the Acquired
Assets, and the assets of any Pass-Through Acquired
Company. The
Allocation Schedule shall be reasonable and shall be prepared in accordance with
Section 1060 of the Code and the Treasury Regulations
thereunder.
(iii) The Company shall have 30 days following
receipt by it of the Allocation Schedule during which to reasonably dispute any
item contained in the Allocation Schedule. If the Company fails to
notify Purchaser of any such dispute within such 30-day period, the
Allocation Schedule shall be deemed to
have been accepted by Sellers. If the Company timely notifies
Purchaser of any such reasonable dispute, and the Company and Purchaser cannot
resolve any such dispute within 20 days of receipt by Purchaser of such
notice, such dispute shall be resolved by an
independent accounting firm selected by the Purchaser and the Company (the
“Independent Accounting Firm”); the determination of the Independent
Accounting Firm with respect to such dispute shall be made as promptly
as practicable and shall be
final and binding on both Purchaser and Sellers. One half of the
expenses relating to engagement of the Independent Accounting Firm shall be paid
by Purchaser and the other half of such expenses shall be paid by Parent
Sellers. For purposes of this Section
6.9(c)(iii), a dispute
shall be unreasonable unless it would have a material and adverse impact on the
Sellers’ Tax liability for the taxable year in
which the Closing occurs, and not merely if it would affect any Tax
attribute of any Seller or
any Affiliate of a Seller.
(iv) Purchaser and each Seller shall report
the acquisition pursuant to this Agreement consistent with the Allocation
Schedule (including on IRS Form 8594 and/or IRS Forms 8883), and shall
44
take no position to the contrary thereto in any Tax Return,
or in any proceeding before any Governmental Authority or
otherwise. Neither Purchaser nor any Seller shall take any action to
modify any forms without the written consent of such other party, which consent
shall not be unreasonably be delayed or
withheld.
(d) Assistance
and Cooperation. The Sellers and the Purchaser shall agree to
furnish or cause to be furnished to each other, upon request, as promptly as
practicable, such information (including access to books and records) and assistance relating to
the Company and its Subsidiaries as is reasonably requested for the filing of
any Tax Returns, for the preparation of any Audit and for the prosecution or
defense of any Tax claim. The Sellers and their Affiliates
shall each preserve and keep all books and
records with respect to Taxes and Tax Returns of the Company and its
Subsidiaries in such party’s possession as of the Closing Date, or
as later come into such party’s possession, until the expiration of
the applicable statute of
limitations and shall give reasonable written notice to the other party prior to
transferring, destroying or discarding any such information, returns, books,
records or documents and, if the other party so requests, allow the other party
to take possession of such information,
returns, books, records or documents. The party requesting assistance
hereunder shall reimburse the other for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses
incurred in providing such assistance. Any information obtained under
this Section
6.9(d) shall be kept confidential except (i) as
may be otherwise necessary in connection with the filing of Tax Returns or
claims for refund or in conducting an Audit or other proceeding or (ii) with the
consent of both of the Company and Purchaser.
(e) Transfer
Taxes. To the extent that the obligation to pay
all sales, use, real
property transfer, real property gains, transfer, stamp, registration,
documentary, recording or similar Taxes (“Transfer
Taxes”) is not exempted by the Sale Order,
all Transfer Taxes
incurred in connection with
this Agreement shall be borne solely by the Purchaser. The party required by
applicable law shall file all necessary Tax Returns and other documentation with
respect to all such Transfer Taxes, and, if required by applicable law, the other
parties shall, and shall
cause their Affiliates to
join in the execution of any such Tax Returns and other
documentation.
(f) Survival. Notwithstanding anything to
the contrary contained in this Agreement, Sellers’ indemnification obligations pursuant to
Section
6.9 shall survive the
Closing until ninety (90) days following the expiration of the applicable
statute of limitations (including any extensions thereof) relevant to each
particular item provided that if notice of indemnification under Section
6.9(a) is provided to a
Seller prior to any such expiration date, any obligation to indemnify for any
claim described in such notice shall continue indefinitely until such claim is
finally resolved.
6.10 [Reserved]
6.11 Change
of Control and
Prepayment Obligations. The
Company shall, prior to the Closing, take such steps as are necessary to ensure
that no sums are owed or payable by the Acquired Companies or Purchaser to any
Person due to the execution of this Agreement, the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby or any change of control or assignment by
operation of law affecting the Company or the Acquired Companies.
45
6.12 Publicity. Until the Closing, or the
date the transactions contemplated hereby are terminated or abandoned pursuant to
Article X, none
of the Company, any of its
Subsidiaries, Purchaser or any of their respective Affiliates
shall issue or cause the publication of any press release or other announcement
with respect to this Agreement or the other transactions contemplated hereby
without prior approval of the other party, except as may be required by law or
by any listing agreement with a national securities exchange or trading market,
it being understood and acknowledged that Sellers shall issue a press release with respect to the
execution of this Agreement immediately subsequent to the execution of this
Agreement.
6.13 Employee
Matters.
(a) Within five (5) Business Days of the date that the
Sale Order shall have become a Final Order, the Purchaser shall make offers of employment,
effective as of the Closing Date, to the employees of the Sellers listed on Schedule
6.13(a) who are primarily engaged in the
operation of the Business
and who are not covered by a collective bargaining agreement (the “Transferred
Employees”), on terms and conditions that, with
respect to salary, are reasonably equivalent to those currently offered to each
such employee by the Sellers, and with respect to other matters, are, subject to
any overriding legal and regulatory requirements, substantially similar, in the
aggregate, to those currently offered to such employee by Sellers, which terms
and conditions shall continue for a period of at least six (6) months from the
Closing Date or for such period as the employee is employed by the Purchaser,
whichever period is shorter. For the avoidance of doubt, Purchaser is
not hereby obligated to employ any of the Transferred Employees for any
particular period. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Purchaser shall
not be responsible for any obligations or liabilities of any
Transferred Employees, including, without limitation, any amount of sales commissions, annual
bonus or retention bonus attributable to any period on or prior to the
Closing.
(b) The Purchaser agrees to be obligated by the collective bargaining agreement between
US Energy Biogas-Zapco Energy and the United Service Workers Union, Local 355,
effective November 1, 2006 to October 31, 2009 (the “CBA”) solely with respect to events and
circumstances arising after
the Closing Date; provided, however, that Purchaser shall not assume, and
Sellers shall retain sole responsibility for, any and all obligations or
liabilities arising under the CBA on or prior to the Closing Date. Schedule
6.13(b) lists the employees
of Sellers covered by the CBA.
6.14 Further
Assurances. After
the Closing, Sellers shall, from time to time, at the request of Purchaser, and
without further expense to Purchaser, execute and deliver such other instruments
of conveyance and transfer (including powers of attorney) as Purchaser may
reasonably request, in order to more effectively consummate the transactions
contemplated hereby and to vest in Purchaser good and marketable title (or in
the case of the Leases, valid leasehold interests) to the Interests and the
Acquired Assets (including, without limitation, the Real Property).
46
6.15 Environmental
Matters.
(a) Prior to the
Closing. Prior
to the Closing Date, except as set forth in Section
6.15(b), Sellers shall be responsible for
taking all necessary
actions to comply with the requirements of ISRA with respect to the Lafayette
Energy Partners,
L.P. facility, including
filing all necessary forms and conducting any investigation and remediation as
may be required by NJDEP criteria, procedures and time schedules then in
effect. Purchaser shall use commercially reasonable efforts to
cooperate with Sellers in connection with such compliance, including by
executing any forms necessary to allow the parties to consummate the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement in accordance with ISRA
requirements. Sellers shall provide Purchaser and its representatives
with an opportunity to participate in strategy discussions with respect to
compliance with ISRA and, to the extent that there are any
face-to-face meetings with representatives of the
NJDEP or significant telephone communications with such representatives (other
than with respect to routine matters), Purchaser and its representatives shall
have an opportunity to participate in such meetings and communications. Sellers shall
provide Purchaser with copies of all notices, correspondence, draft reports,
submissions, work plans, and final reports and shall give Purchaser an
opportunity to comment on any submissions Sellers intend to deliver or submit to
the NJDEP, and Sellers shall endeavor to
accept Purchaser’s comments. Without limiting the
foregoing, Sellers shall undertake commercially reasonable efforts to obtain a
no further action letter from the NJDEP prior to the Closing Date or to obtain
approval of a minimal
environmental concern application pursuant to N.J.A.C
7:26B-5.6.
(b) Remediation
Agreement Covenant. Sellers, on behalf of Lafayette Energy
Partners, L.P. shall apply for a Remediation Agreement
in a timely manner in order to close the transaction contemplated by this Agreement
in accordance with ISRA. Lafayette Energy Partners, L.P. shall be designated as the responsible
party with respect to compliance with ISRA pursuant to the Remediation
Agreement. Purchaser shall fully cooperate with Sellers with respect to such
application, including executing, to the extent necessary, the Remediation
Agreement. Unless Lafayette Energy Partners, L.P. can comply with the financial assurance
obligation required by a Remediation Agreement pursuant to a self-guarantee, Purchaser will determine
the mechanism by which Lafayette Energy Partners, L.P. shall satisfy said
obligation. Lafayette Energy Partners, L.P. shall only be obligated to enter into a
Remediation Agreement with the NJDEP if Sellers are not able to obtain a no further action
letter, or approval of a minimal environmental concern application, as described
in Section
6.15(a).
(c) Post-Closing. If Sellers are not able to
obtain a no further action letter from the NJDEP prior to the Closing
Date, Lafayette Energy Partners, L.P. shall be liable for compliance with ISRA
after the Closing Date.
6.16 Termination
of Intercompany Agreements. On
or prior to the Closing Date, the Sellers and their Subsidiaries shall
terminate, or shall cause to be terminated, all of the agreements, contracts or
arrangements between any Seller or Excluded Sub on the one hand and any
Subsidiary of any Seller (other than an Excluded Sub) on the other.
47
ARTICLE VII
CONDITIONS
TO THE OBLIGATIONS OF PURCHASER
The
obligations of Purchaser to effect the transactions contemplated hereby shall be
subject to the fulfillment at or prior to the Closing of the following
conditions, any or all of which may be waived in whole or in part by
Purchaser:
7.1
Accuracy of
Representations and
Warranties; Compliance with Obligations. (i)
The representations and warranties of the Sellers contained in Section 3.4 and Section 3.24(s) of
this Agreement shall be true and correct in all respects and (ii) the other
representations and warranties of the Sellers contained in this Agreement shall
be true and correct in all respects (without giving effect to any knowledge,
materiality or Material Adverse Effect exceptions or qualifications contained
therein), except where the failure of such representations and warranties to be
so true and correct, individually or in the aggregate, does not, and would not
be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Sellers
shall have performed or complied in all material respects with all of their
respective obligations required by this Agreement to be performed or complied
with at or prior to the Closing. Sellers shall have delivered to
Purchaser a certificate, dated as of the Closing Date, (which in case of the
Company shall be duly signed by its Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial
Officer) certifying to the foregoing.
7.2 No Order or
Injunction. There
shall not be issued and in effect by or before any court or other governmental
body an order or injunction restraining or prohibiting the transactions
contemplated hereby.
7.3 Government
Authorizations. All
requisite Governmental Authorizations or waiting periods following governmental
filings, including under the HSR Act, shall have been obtained or
expired.
7.4 Final
Order. The
Sale Order shall have become a Final Order.
7.5 No Material
Adverse Change. Between
the date of this Agreement and the Closing Date, there shall not have occurred
any change, event, occurrence, development or circumstance which individually or
in the aggregate, has had, or would reasonably be expected to have, a Material
Adverse Effect.
7.6 Corporate
Certificate. Sellers
shall have delivered to Purchaser (i) copies of the Certificate or Articles of
Incorporation, or other corporate, limited liability company or limited
partnership formation document, of each Seller and each Transferred Sub
certified by the Secretary of State (or other applicable agency) of its state of
organization, no longer than ten (10) days prior to the Closing, (ii) copies of
resolutions adopted by the Boards of Directors (or similar governing body) of
each Seller authorizing the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and
(iii) a Good Standing Certificate with respect to each Seller and each
Transferred Sub issued by the Secretary of State (or other applicable agency)of
its state of organization as of a date not more than two (2) days prior to the
Closing Date, and all of such documents of such entities shall be certified as
of the Closing Date by their respective Secretaries as being true, correct and
complete.
48
7.7 Consents
Obtained. All
consents of any Person necessary to the consummation of the Closing and the
other transactions contemplated hereby with respect to any material loan,
material contract, material lease or other material agreement (including,
without limitation, any material Acquired Contract), shall have been obtained,
and a copy of each such consent shall have been provided to Purchaser at or
prior to the Closing.
7.8 No Adverse
Litigation. There
shall not be pending or threatened any action or proceeding by or before any
court or other governmental body which shall seek to restrain, prohibit,
invalidate or collect material damages arising out of the transactions
hereunder.
7.9 Sale
Order. The
Sale Order shall provide that the USEO Indebtedness and the liens and security
interests granted for the benefit of the USEO Lenders under the USEO Credit
Agreement are valid and perfected and may not be disallowed, avoided,
recharacterized or equitably subordinated.
7.10 [Reserved].
7.11 Employment
Agreements. Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx and Xxxx Xxx Xxxxxxxxxx shall have accepted the
offers of employment from Purchaser on the terms and conditions set forth in
such offers.
7.12 Permits. All
Permits necessary to own and operate any material portion of the Business and
the Acquired Assets have been transferred to or obtained by Purchaser as a
result of the acquisition of the Interests of the Acquired Companies; provided,
that where Purchaser may lawfully operate the Business and the Acquired Assets
as a result of the filing of an application or request to transfer or obtain a
Permit, prior to obtaining such Permit, such filing shall suffice to satisfy
this condition if in Purchaser's reasonable judgment, such Permit will be issued
to Purchaser; provided further, that where applicable law allows Purchaser to
own and operate the Business and the Acquired Assets as of the Closing Date and
submit an application or request to transfer or obtain a Permit after the
Closing Date, this condition shall be satisfied if in Purchaser's reasonable
judgment, such permit, license or other authorization will be issued to
Purchaser.
7.13 ISRA. A
no further action letter or approval of a minimal environmental concern
application has been obtained from the NJDEP or a Remediation Agreement has been
executed by the NJDEP, with respect to the Lafayette Energy Partners, L.P.
facility.
7.14 Release and
Conveyance. XXXX
and Sellers shall have delivered a duly executed Seller Release to Purchaser and
XXXX shall have conveyed its 67.5% limited partnership interest in ZFC Royalty
Trust to Purchaser or its designee.
49
7.15 2007
Financial
Statements. The
Company shall have received audited Financial Statements for the Company and its
Subsidiaries for the year ended December 31, 2007 that are substantially
consistent with the information set forth in Schedule
7.15.
7.16 Termination
of Intercompany Agreements. On
or prior to the Closing Date, Sellers and their Subsidiaries shall have caused
the termination of all agreements, contracts or arrangements between any Seller
or Excluded Sub on the one hand and any Subsidiary of any Seller (other than an
Excluded Sub) on the other.
ARTICLE VIII
CONDITIONS
TO THE OBLIGATIONS OF SELLERS
The
obligations of the Sellers to effect the transactions contemplated hereby shall
be subject to the fulfillment at or prior to the Closing of the following
conditions, any or all of which may be waived in whole or in part by
Sellers.
8.1 Accuracy of
Representations and Warranties;
Compliance with Obligations. The
representations and warranties of Purchaser contained in this Agreement shall be
true and correct in all material respects (except for representations and
warranties that have any materiality qualifiers, which shall be true and correct
as written). Purchaser shall have performed or complied with all of
its obligations required by this Agreement to be performed or complied with at
or prior to the Closing. Purchaser shall have delivered to Sellers a
certificate, dated as of the Closing Date, and signed by an authorized officer,
certifying that such representations and warranties are true and correct in all
material respects (except for representations and warranties with a materiality
or Material Adverse Effect qualifier, which shall be true and correct as
written) and that all such obligations have been performed and complied with in
all material respects.
8.2 Government
Authorizations. All
requisite Governmental Authorizations or waiting periods following governmental
filings, including under the HSR Act, shall have been obtained or
expired.
8.3 Final
Order. The
Sale Order shall have become a Final Order.
8.4 No Order or
Injunction. There
shall not be issued and in effect by or before any court or other governmental
body an order or injunction restraining or prohibiting the transactions
contemplated hereby.
8.5 Release. Purchaser
shall have delivered a duly executed Purchaser Release to Sellers and
XXXX.
ARTICLE IX
DEFINITIONS
9.1 Defined
Terms. As
used herein, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
50
“Acquired Assets” has
the meaning set forth in Section 1.1(b).
“Acquired Companies”
shall mean the Transferred Subs and the Subsidiaries of the Transferred
Subs.
“Administrative
Expenses” shall have the meaning set forth in Section
1.4(h).
“Adverse Proceeding”
means any action, charge, complaint, suit, proceeding (whether administrative,
judicial or otherwise), governmental investigation or arbitration (whether or
not purportedly on behalf of Seller or Company or any of its Subsidiaries) at
law or in equity, or before or by any Governmental Authority, domestic or
foreign (including any Environmental Claims) or other regulatory body or any
arbitrator whether pending or, to the Sellers’ Knowledge, threatened against or
affecting Seller or Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any property of Seller
or Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
“Agreement” has the
meaning set forth in the Preamble.
“Affiliate” shall have
the meaning ascribed to it in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations
under the Exchange Act, as in effect on the date of this Agreement.
“Allocation Schedule”
has the meaning set forth in Section 6.9(c)(ii).
“Assigned Contract”
means a Contract that is assigned to the Purchaser pursuant to the Sale
Order.
“Assumed Liabilities”
has the meaning set forth in Section 1.4.
“Assumption
Agreements” means the Assumption Agreements between the Sellers and
Purchaser and its applicable designees in substantially the form attached hereto
as Exhibit
H.
“Auction” has the
meaning set forth in Section 6.4(a).
“Audit” has the
meaning set forth in Section 3.24(e).
“Bankruptcy Cases” has
the meaning set forth in the Recitals.
“Bankruptcy Court” has
the meaning set forth in the Recitals.
“Bankruptcy Code” has
the meaning set forth in the Recitals.
“Bidding Procedures”
means bid procedures in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit I to be
approved by the Bankruptcy Court pursuant to the Bidding Procedures
Order.
51
“Bidding Procedures
Order” means an Order of the Bankruptcy Court in substantially the form
attached hereto as Exhibit
J.
“Xxxx of Sale and Assignment
Agreements” means the Xxxx of Sale and Assignment Agreements executed by
each of the Sellers in favor of Purchaser and its applicable designees in
substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit
K.
“Break-Up Fee” means
an amount equal to $3.0 million, which shall,
subject to Bankruptcy Court approval, constitute a super priority administrative
expense under Section 503(b)(1) of the Bankruptcy Code and shall be paid as set
forth in Section 10.2.
“Business” has the
meaning set forth in the Recitals.
“Business Day” means
any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a day on which banks are required to
be closed in New York, New York.
“CBA” has the meaning
set forth in Section 6.13(b).
“Closing” has the
meaning set forth in Section 2.1.
“Closing Date” has the
meaning set forth in Section 2.1.
“Code” means the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
“Company” has the
meaning set forth in the Preamble.
“Competition Law”
means any Law, excluding the Federal Power Act, that is designed or intended to
prohibit, restrict or regulate antitrust, monopolization, restraint of trade or
competition.
“Contract” means any
agreement, contract, lease, note, mortgage, indenture, loan agreement, franchise
agreement, covenant, employment agreement, consulting or independent contractor
agreement, license, instrument, purchase and sales order, commitment,
undertaking, obligation, whether written or oral.
“Contract Designation
Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.2(a).
“Credit Support
Obligations” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.21.
“Cure Costs” has the
meaning set forth in Section 1.6.
“Customer Contracts”
has the meaning set forth in Section 1.1(b)(ix)(2).
“Debtor Relief Laws”
means any applicable liquidation, conservatorship, bankruptcy, moratorium,
rearrangement, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting the rights
or remedies of creditors generally, including, without limitation, the
Bankruptcy Code as in effect from time to time.
52
“Defect” means a
defect or impurity of any kind, whether in design, manufacture, processing, or
otherwise, including any dangerous propensity associated with any reasonably
foreseeable use of a Product, or the failure to warn of the existence of any
defect, impurity, or dangerous propensity.
“DOJ” has the meaning
set forth in Section 6.2(c).
“Effective Date” means
the date as of which this Agreement was executed as set forth in the first
sentence of this Agreement.
“Employee Benefit
Plan” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.23(a).
“Environmental Claim”
means any investigation, notice, notice of violation, claim, action, suit,
proceeding, demand, request for information, abatement order or other order or
directive by any Governmental Authority or any other Person arising (i) pursuant
to or in connection with any actual or alleged violation of any Environmental
Law, (ii) in connection with or related to any Hazardous Substance, including
the release, spill, discharge, disposal, arrangement for disposal, transport or
recycling of any Hazardous Substance, or (iii) in connection with any actual or
alleged damage, injury, threat or harm to health, safety, natural resources or
the environment.
“Environmental Laws”
shall mean all foreign, federal, state and local laws, regulations, rules and
ordinances relating to pollution or protection of the environment or human
health and safety, including, without limitation, laws relating to releases or
threatened releases of Hazardous Substances into the indoor or outdoor
environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water,
groundwater, land, surface and subsurface strata) or otherwise relating to the
manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, release,
transport or handling of Hazardous Substances and all laws and regulations with
regard to recordkeeping, notification, disclosure and reporting requirements
respecting Hazardous Substances, and all laws relating to endangered or
threatened species of fish, wildlife and plants and the management or use of
natural resources.
“ERISA” means the
Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended.
“ERISA Affiliate” has
the meaning set forth in Section 3.23(a).
“Exchange Act” means
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
“Excluded Assets” has
the meaning set forth in Section 1.3.
“Excluded Contracts”
has the meaning set forth in Section 1.3(a).
“Excluded Liabilities”
has the meaning set forth in Section 1.5.
“Excluded Subs” means
Biomass Energy Partners II, L.P., Biomass Energy Partners III, L.P., Biomass
Energy Partners V, L.P., Brookhaven Energy Partners
53
LLC,
Xxxxxx Landfill Associates, L.P., Xxxxx County Energy Associates LLC, Xxxxx
County Landfill Gas Associates, L.P., Burlington Energy, Inc., Cape May Energy
Associates, L.P., Cape May Landfill Gas Associates, L.P., Garland Energy
Development LLC, Garland Landfill Gas Associates, L.P., Onondaga Energy
Partners, L.P., Smithtown Energy Partners, L.P., Springfield Energy Associates,
Ltd., Xxxxxx Energy Partners L.P., Zapco Xxxxxx Nanticoke Corp., Zapco Energy
Tactics Corp., ZFC Royalty Trust II, and ZMG Gasco Inc.
“Final Order” means an
action taken or Order issued by the applicable Governmental Authority as to
which: (i) no request for stay of the action or Order is pending, no such stay
is in effect, and, if any deadline for filing any such request is designated by
statute or regulation, it is passed, including any extensions thereof, (ii) no
petition for rehearing or reconsideration of the action or Order, or protest of
any kind, is pending before the Governmental Authority and the time for filing
any such petition or protest is passed, (iii) the Governmental Authority does
not have the action or Order under reconsideration or review on its own motion
and the time for such reconsideration or review has passed, and (iv) the action
or Order is not then under judicial review, there is no notice of appeal or
other application for judicial review pending, and the deadline for filing such
notice of appeal or other application for judicial review has passed, including
any extensions thereof; provided, however, that a
request for a stay, appeal, motion to rehear or reconsider or petition for
certiorari referred to above shall be disregarded for purposes of such clause if
such request for a stay, appeal, motion to rehear or reconsider or petition for
certiorari would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected
to result in more than $500,000 of losses to Purchaser.
“Financial Statements”
means, collectively, (i) the audited combined balance sheet of the Company and
its Subsidiaries as of December 31, 2007 and the audited combined statements of
income and cash flows of the Company and its Subsidiaries for each of the three
years in the period ended December 31, 2007 and (ii) the unaudited combined
balance sheet and unaudited combined statements of income and cash flows of the
Company and its Subsidiaries as of and for the year ended December 31, 2006 and
nine months ended September 30, 2008, including, in each case, any notes
thereto.
“Fiscal Year” means
the fiscal year of Company and its Subsidiaries ending on December 31 of each
calendar year.
“Foreign Plan” means
an Employee Benefit Plan that has been adopted or maintained by the Company,
whether formally or informally, for the benefit of employees, directors or
consultants of any such Company outside of the United States.
“FTC” has the meaning
set forth in Section 6.2(c).
“GAAP” means generally
accepted accounting principles in effect in the United States of America from
time to time.
“Gascos” has the
meaning set forth in Section 3.32.
54
“Gasco Acquisitions”
has the meaning set forth in Section 3.32.
“Gas Properties” means
(a) Hydrocarbon Interests, (b) the Properties now or hereafter pooled or
unitized with Hydrocarbon Interests, (c) all presently existing or future
unitization, pooling agreements and declarations of pooled units and the units
created thereby (including without limitation all units created under orders,
regulations and rules of any Governmental Authority) which may affect all or any
portion of the Hydrocarbon Interests, (d) all operating agreements, contracts
and other agreements, including production sharing contracts and agreements,
which relate to any of the Hydrocarbon Interests or the production, sale,
purchase, exchange or processing of Hydrocarbons from or attributable to such
Hydrocarbon Interests, (e) all Hydrocarbons in and under and which may be
produced and saved or attributable to the Hydrocarbon Interests, including all
oil in tanks, and all rents, issues, profits, proceeds, products, revenues and
other incomes from or attributable to the Hydrocarbon Interests, (f) all
tenements, hereditaments, appurtenances and Properties in any manner
appertaining, belonging, affixed or incidental to the Hydrocarbon Interests, and
(g) all Properties, rights, titles, interests and estates described or referred
to above, including any and all Property, real or personal, now owned or
hereinafter acquired and situated upon, used, held for use or useful in
connection with the operating, working or development of any of such Hydrocarbon
Interests or Property (excluding drilling rigs, automotive equipment, rental
equipment or other personal Property which may be on such premises for the
purpose of drilling a well or for other similar temporary uses) and including
any and all oil xxxxx, gas xxxxx, injection xxxxx or other xxxxx, buildings,
structures, fuel separators, liquid extraction plants, plant compressors, pumps,
pumping units, field gathering systems, tanks and tank batteries, fixtures,
valves, fittings, machinery and parts, engines, boilers, meters, apparatus,
equipment, appliances, tools, implements, cables, wires, towers, casing, tubing
and rods, surface leases, rights-of-way, easements and servitudes together with
all additions, substitutions, replacements, accessions and attachments to any
and all of the foregoing.
“Governmental
Authority” means any federal, state, municipal, national or other
government, governmental department, commission, board, bureau, court, agency or
instrumentality or political subdivision thereof or any entity or officer
exercising executive, legislative, judicial, regulatory or administrative
functions of or pertaining to any government or any court, in each case whether
associated with a state of the United States, the United States, or a foreign
entity or government.
“Governmental
Authorization” means any approval, consent, license, permit, waiver, or
other authorization issued, granted or otherwise made available by or under the
authority of any Governmental Authority.
“Hazardous Substances”
means any chemicals, materials or substances defined as or included in the
definition of “hazardous substances”, “hazardous wastes”, “hazardous materials”,
“hazardous constituents”, restricted hazardous materials”, “extremely hazardous
substances”, “toxic substances”, “contaminants”, “pollutants”, “toxic
pollutants”, or words of similar meaning and regulatory effect under any
applicable Environmental Law including, without limitation, petroleum and
asbestos.
55
“HSR Act” means the
Xxxx-Xxxxx-Xxxxxx Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended, and the
relevant rules and regulations thereunder.
“Hydrocarbon
Interests” means all rights, titles, interests and estates in and to oil
and gas leases, oil, gas and mineral leases, or other liquid or gaseous
hydrocarbon leases, mineral fee interests, overriding royalty and royalty
interests, net profit interests and production payment interests, including any
reserved or residual interests of whatever nature.
“Improvements” means
all buildings, structures, fixtures and other improvements located on the
applicable parcel of land constituting the Real Property.
“Indebtedness” of any
Person means all obligations of such Person (i) for borrowed money, (ii)
evidenced by notes, bonds, debentures or similar instruments, (iii) for the
deferred purchase price of goods or services (other than trade payables or
accruals incurred in the ordinary course of business), (iv) under capital
leases, (v) all liabilities secured by any Lien on any property, (vi) in the
nature of guarantees of the obligations described in clauses (i) through (v)
above of any other Person and (vii) liabilities for income Taxes relating to
periods prior to the Closing.
“Independent Accounting
Firm” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.9(c)(iii).
“Intellectual
Property” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.30.
“Interests” has the
meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.
“ISRA” means the New
Jersey Industrial Site Recovery Act, N.J.S.A. §§ 13:1K-6, et seq. (“ISRA”), and its
implementing regulations.
“Lease” has the
meaning set forth in Section 3.19(d)(i).
“Lease Assignments”
has the meaning set forth in Section 2.2(a)(xi).
“Leased Real Property”
has the meaning set forth in Section 3.19(a).
“Lien“ means (i) any
lien, mortgage, pledge, assignment, security interest, charge or encumbrance of
any kind (including any agreement to give any of the foregoing, any conditional
sale or other title retention agreement, and any lease in the nature thereof)
and any option, trust or other preferential arrangement having the practical
effect of any of the foregoing, and (ii) in the case of securities, any purchase
option, call or similar right of a third party with respect to such
securities.
“Material Adverse
Effect” means any change, event or effect that is materially adverse with
respect to the business, operations, properties, assets, condition (financial or
otherwise) or prospects of Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a
whole.
“Material Contract”
has the meaning set forth in Section 3.31.
56
“New Bankruptcy Cases”
has the meaning set forth in the Recitals.
“NJDEP” means New
Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.
“NPI Agreement” means
that certain Conveyance of Net Profit Interests, dated as of May 31, 2007, by
and between the Company and Purchaser.
“NPI Indebtedness”
means all of the obligations outstanding under the NPI Agreement, including all
amounts due and owing thereunder (at the contractual non-default rate) and all
unpaid fees and expenses related thereto.
“Order” means any
order, injunction, judgment, decree, ruling, writ, assessment or arbitration
award of a Governmental Authority.
“Owned Real Property”
has the meaning set forth in Section 3.19(a).
“Pass-Through Acquired
Company” means any Acquired Company that is a partnership or a
disregarded entity under Treasury Regulations Section 301.7701-3 for federal
income tax purposes and all similar state, local and foreign Tax
purposes.
“Permit” has the
meaning set forth in Section 3.26.
“Permitted Liens”
means any Lien (i) with respect to Taxes not yet due and payable or which are
being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which
appropriate reserves have been established in accordance with GAAP, (ii)
mechanics’, carriers’, workers’, repairers’, and similar statutory or common law
Liens arising or incurred in the ordinary course of business for amounts which
are not yet delinquent and (iii) Liens reflected in the Financial
Statements.
“Person” means an
individual, partnership, corporation, limited liability company, business trust,
joint stock company, estate, trust, unincorporated association, joint venture,
Governmental Authority or other entity, of whatever nature.
“Petition Date” has
the meaning set forth in the Recitals.
“Petitions” has the
meaning set forth in the Recitals.
“Pre-Closing Periods”
has the meaning set forth in Section 1.5(d).
“Projects” means the
facilities listed on Schedule 3.14(a), the
generators and all related assets.
“Project Documents”
means all material agreements, instruments and documents (and all modifications,
amendments, supplements, extensions and consents relating thereto) now existing
or hereafter entered into relating to the construction, acquisition,
installation, maintenance or operation of, the sale or other disposition of any
product produced or service provided by, the supply of fuel or any other
material product or service to, or the removal of any waste product from, a
Project to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party.
57
“Projections” has the
meaning set forth in Section 3.12.
“Project Land” means
with respect to the Projects, the land on which the Project (including any
transmission facilities owned by any Subsidiary) is located.
“Project Owners” means
the owners of the Projects set forth on Schedule
3.14(a).
“Prudent Engineering and
Operating Practices” means, with respect to each Project, the practices,
methods and acts engaged in or approved by the landfill gas industry or the
electric utility industry, as applicable, that, at a particular time for
electrical generating facilities or landfill gas gathering and production
facilities, as applicable, of similar design and construction as the Project, in
the exercise of reasonable judgment at the time a decision was made, would have
been expected to accomplish the desired result in a timely manner consistent
with law, regulation, reliability, safety, environmental protection and
economy.
“Purchaser” has the
meaning set forth in the Preamble.
“Purchaser Release”
has the meaning set forth in Section 2.2(b)(v).
“Purchaser Termination
Notice” has the meaning set forth in Section 10.1(d).
“Purchaser Transaction
Fees“ means all legal, accounting, tax, consulting and financial advisory
and other fees and expenses (other than Transfer Taxes) incurred, paid, or
payable by Purchaser in connection with the transactions contemplated
hereby.
“Qualified Bidder”
shall have the meaning ascribed to it in the Bidding Procedures.
“Real Property” has
the meaning set forth in Section 3.19(a).
“Rejection Costs” has
the meaning set forth in Section 1.2(d).
“Release
Consideration” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.7.
“Remediation
Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the ISRA
regulations.
“Sale Hearing” means
the hearing conducted by the Bankruptcy Court to approve the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.
58
“Sale Motion” means
the motion, in form and substance reasonably acceptable to Seller and Purchaser,
filed by Sellers pursuant to, inter alia, sections 363 and 365 of the Bankruptcy
Code to obtain the Sale Order.
“Sale Order” means an
Order of the Bankruptcy Court in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit C, pursuant
to, inter alia, sections 363 and 365 of the Bankruptcy Code authorizing and
approving, inter alia, the sale of the Acquired Assets to Purchaser on the terms
and conditions set forth herein.
“SEC” means the
Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Seller” and “Sellers” have the
meanings set forth in the Preamble.
“Sellers’ Knowledge”
means the knowledge of Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx and Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx after due
inquiry.
“Seller Release” has
the meaning set forth in Section 2.2(a)(ii).
“Seller Tax Group” has
the meaning set forth in Section 3.24(i).
“Seller Termination
Notice” has the meaning set forth in Section 10.1(e).
“Seller Transaction
Fees” means all legal, accounting, tax, consulting and financial advisory
and other fees and expenses (other than Transfer Taxes) incurred by the Sellers
in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby.
“Selling Sub” and
“Selling Subs”
have the meanings set forth in the Preamble.
“Straddle Period” has
the meaning set forth in Section 1.5(d).
“Subsidiary” means,
with respect to any Person, any corporation, partnership, limited liability
company, association, joint venture or other business entity of which more than
fifty percent (50%) of the total voting power of shares of stock or other
ownership interests entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any
contingency) to vote in the election of the Person or Persons (whether
directors, managers, trustees or other Persons performing similar functions)
having the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies
thereof is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by that
Person or one or more of the other Subsidiaries of that Person or a combination
thereof; provided, in determining the percentage of ownership interests of any
Person controlled by another Person, no ownership interest in the nature of a
“qualifying share” of the former Person shall be deemed to be
outstanding.
“Successful Bidder”
has the meaning specified in the Bidding Procedures.
“Supplier Contracts”
has the meaning set forth in Section 1.1(b)(ix)(3).
59
“Taxes” means all
taxes, assessments, duties, fees, levies, imposts or other similar charges,
including all federal, state, or foreign income, environmental, franchise,
transfer, sales, gross receipt, use, ad valorem, property, excise, severance,
stamp, payroll, social security, employment, unemployment, withholding, and
estimated taxes, and all additions to tax, penalties, and interest related
thereto.
“Tax Group Member”
means the Company, its Subsidiaries, and any other member of a consolidated,
combined, unitary or similar group of corporations for Tax purposes in which the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries is also a member.
“Tax Return” means any
tax return, filing or information statement required to be filed in connection
with or with respect to any Tax.
“Tax Sharing
Agreement” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.24(h).
“Transfer Taxes” has
the meaning set forth in Section 6.9(e).
“Transferred
Employees” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.13(a).
“Transferred Sub” and
“Transferred
Subs” have the meanings set forth in the recitals to this
Agreement.
“Undisclosed Contract”
has the meaning set forth in Section 1.2(b).
“USEB Administrative
Expenses” shall have the meaning set forth in Section
1.4(h).
“USEB Credit
Documents” means that certain Credit and Guaranty Agreement, dated as of
May 31, 2007, by and among the Company, certain Subsidiaries of the Company,
various lenders party thereto, and Purchaser, as Administrative Agent,
Collateral Agent and Lead Arranger, and all other certificates, documents,
instruments or agreements executed and delivered pursuant thereto.
“USEB Indebtedness”
means all of the Indebtedness outstanding under the USEB Credit Documents,
including all interest due and owing thereunder (at the contractual non-default
rate) and all unpaid fees and expenses related thereto, in each case at the time
of Closing.
“USEO Credit
Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the Recitals.
“USEO Indebtedness”
means all of the Indebtedness outstanding under the USEO Credit Agreement,
including all pre- and post-petition interest due and owing thereunder (at the
contractual default rate) and all unpaid fees and expenses related thereto, in
each case at the time of Closing.
“USEO Lenders” means
the financial institutions from time to time party to the USEO Credit Agreement,
together with their successors and assigns permitted by the USEO Credit
Agreement.
60
“XXXX” has the meaning
set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.
“XXXX Administrative
Expenses” shall have the meaning set forth in Section
1.4(h).
“WARN Act” means the
Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act and any similar foreign, state
or local law relating to plant closings and layoffs.
9.2 Other
Definitional Provisions.
(a) All terms defined in this Agreement
shall have the defined meanings when used in any certificates, reports or other
documents made or delivered pursuant hereto or thereto, unless the context otherwise
requires.
(b) Terms defined in the singular shall have
a comparable meaning when used in the plural, and vice
versa.
(c) All matters of an accounting nature in
connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be determined in
accordance with GAAP applied on a basis consistent with prior periods, where
applicable.
(d) As used herein, the neuter gender shall
also denote the masculine and feminine, and the masculine gender shall also
denote the neuter and
feminine, where the context so permits.
ARTICLE X
TERMINATION,
AMENDMENT AND WAIVER
10.1 Termination
Events. Anything
contained in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, this Agreement may
be terminated at any time prior to the Closing Date:
(a) by mutual written consent of
Sellers and Purchaser;
(b) by Purchaser if (i) Sellers shall not have initiated the New
Bankruptcy Cases within two days of the Effective Date or any New Bankruptcy
Case so initiated shall have been dismissed, and as of the time of such termination the
New Bankruptcy Cases have not been initiated or any New Bankruptcy Case has been
dismissed, (ii)
the Sellers
have not filed the Sale
Motion within five days of the Effective Date, (iii) the Bankruptcy Court has not
entered the Bidding
Procedures Order within nine days of the Effective Date,
(iv) the Auction is not
concluded on or before March 12, 2009, (v) the Bankruptcy Court has not entered
the Sale Order by March 13, 2009, or (vi) the Closing Date has not
occurred on or
before June 30, 2009 (unless the failure to consummate is
due to a material breach by Purchaser);
61
(c) by Purchaser or Sellers if a Governmental Authority issues a
ruling or Order prohibiting the transactions contemplated hereby, which ruling or Order is final and
non-appealable;
(d) by Purchaser in the event of
(i) Sellers failure to comply in all material
respects with their
respective agreements or covenants contained herein or in the Bidding
Procedures Order or the Sale Order, or (ii) any breach by Sellers of any of their respective
representations or warranties contained herein or in the Bidding Procedures
Order or the Sale Order that does, or would reasonably be expected to, have a
Material Adverse Effect, and, in either case, the failure of Sellers to cure such breach within fourteen
(14) days after receipt of the Purchaser Termination Notice; provided, however, that Purchaser (x) is not itself in material breach of
any of its representations, warranties or covenants contained herein or in the
Bidding Procedures Order or
the Sale Order, (y) notifies Sellers in writing (the “Purchaser
Termination Notice”) of its intention to exercise its
rights under this Agreement as a result of the breach, and (z) specifies in such Purchaser
Termination Notice the
representation, warranty or covenant contained herein or in the Bidding
Procedures Order or the Sale Order of which Sellers are allegedly in
breach;
(e) by Sellers in the event of (i) any material breach by Purchaser of any of Purchaser’s agreements contained herein or in the Bidding
Procedures Order or the Sale Order, or (ii) any breach by Purchaser of any
of its representations or warranties contained herein or in the
Bidding Procedures Order or
the Sale Order that does,
or would reasonably be expected to, have a material adverse effect on
Purchaser’s ability to consummate the transactions
contemplated hereby, and, in either case, the failure of the Purchaser to cure such breach within fourteen
(14) days after receipt of
a Seller Termination Notice; provided, however, that the Sellers (x) are not themselves in material breach of any of their
respective representations,
warranties or covenants contained herein or in the Bidding Procedures Order or the Sale
Order, (y) notify Purchaser in writing (the “Seller
Termination Notice”) of their intention to exercise its rights under
this Agreement as a result of the breach, and (z) specify in such Seller Termination Notice the representation,
warranty or covenant contained herein or in the Bidding Procedures Order
or the Sale Order of which
Purchaser is allegedly in
breach;
(f) by Purchaser, if the Sellers consummate another transaction or series of
transactions in which (i) any capital stock or rights, options, warrants,
convertible securities, subscription rights, conversion rights, exchange rights or
other agreements or commitments of any kind that could require the Sellers to issue or sell any shares of
their capital stock (or
securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of
their capital stock) is
issued, sold, transferred
or otherwise disposed of or otherwise transferred or (ii) a material portion of
the Sellers’ assets is sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of;
or
(g) by Purchaser, if the Sellers withdraw or seek authority to withdraw the motion seeking approval of the transactions
contemplated by
this Agreement and
the Bidding
Procedures, or
announce any stand alone
plan of reorganization or liquidation (or supports any such plan filed by any other party that is inconsistent with the
transaction contemplated by
this Agreement and
the Bidding
Procedures).
62
10.2 Effect of
Termination.
(a) In the event of termination of this
Agreement by either party, except as otherwise provided in this Section
10.2, all rights and obligations of the
parties under this
Agreement shall terminate without any liability of any party to any other
party; provided, however, that nothing herein shall relieve any
party from liability for fraud or the intentional breach of this Agreement prior to such
termination or abandonment
of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. The provisions of Sections 6.6, 10.2, 11.8 and 11.10 shall expressly survive the expiration
or termination of this Agreement.
(b) Notwithstanding Section
10.2(a), from and after the entry of the
Bidding Procedures Order,
if this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Sections
10.1(f) or 10.1(g), then Sellers shall pay to Purchaser the Break-Up Fee in full and complete
satisfaction of all of Sellers’ obligations hereunder. The
payment of the Break-Up Fee shall be made by wire transfer of
immediately available funds promptly (but in any event within two (2)
Business Days) following the occurrence of one of
the termination events set forth in this paragraph, and will be granted super
priority administrative
expense status in Sellers’ bankruptcy cases.
ARTICLE XI
GENERAL
PROVISIONS
11.1 Notices. All
notices, requests, demands, claims, and other communications hereunder shall be
in writing and shall be deemed given if delivered by guaranteed overnight
delivery or facsimile transmission if such transmission is confirmed by
delivery, by guaranteed overnight delivery, to the following addresses and
telecopy numbers (or to such other addresses or telecopy numbers which any party
shall designate in writing to the other parties):
(a) if to Purchaser, or to the Company after Closing, to:
Silver
Point Finance, LLC
2
Grxxxxxxx Xxxxx, 0xx
Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxxxxx 00000
Xxtn:
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
Facsimile: (000)
000-0000
with a copy (which shall not constitute
notice to Purchaser or to
the Company), to:
Skadden,
Arps, Slate, Xxxxxxx & Xxxx LLP
333
Xxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxx
0000
Xxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxx 00000
Xxtn:
L. Xxxxx Xxxxx III, Esq.
Facsimile: (000)
000-0000
63
if to Sellers, to:
U.S.
Energy Systems, Inc.
40
Txxxx Xxxx, 0xx
Xxxxx
Xxxx,
Xxxxxxxxxxx 00000
Xxtn:
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx
Facsimile: 000-000-0000
with a copy (which shall not constitute
notice to Sellers), to:
Hunton
& Xxxxxxxx LLP
200
Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx
Xxxx, XX 00000
Xxtn: Xxxxx
X. Xxxxxx, Esq.
Facsimile: (000)
000-0000
11.2 Entire
Agreement. This
Agreement (including the Schedules and Exhibits attached hereto) and other
documents delivered at the Closing pursuant hereto, contains the entire
understanding of the parties in respect of its subject matters and supersedes
all prior agreements and understanding (oral or written) between or among the
parties with respect to such subject matter. The Schedules and
Exhibits constitute a part hereof as though set forth in full
above.
11.3 Expenses. Sellers
shall pay the Seller Transaction Fees. The Purchaser Transaction Fees
shall increase the balance due to Purchaser under the USEB Credit Documents, and
shall constitute an increase in the Assumed Liabilities hereunder.
11.4 Amendment;
Waiver. This
Agreement may not be modified, amended, supplemented, canceled, or discharged,
except by written instrument executed by all parties. No failure to
exercise, and no delay in exercising, any right, power or privilege under this
Agreement shall operate as a waiver, nor shall any single or partial exercise of
any right, power or privilege hereunder preclude the exercise of any other
right, power or privilege. No waiver of any breach of any provision
shall be deemed to be a waiver of any preceding or succeeding breach of the same
or any other provision, nor shall any waiver be implied from any course of
dealing between the parties. No extension of time for performance of
any obligations or other acts hereunder or under any other agreement shall be
deemed to be an extension of the time for performance of any other obligations
or any other acts.
11.5 Binding
Effect; Assignment. The
rights and obligations of this Agreement shall bind and inure to the benefit of
the parties and their respective successors and assigns. Nothing
expressed or implied herein shall be construed to give any other person any
legal or equitable rights hereunder. The rights and obligations of this
Agreement may not be assigned or delegated by Sellers without the prior written
consent of Purchaser. Purchaser may assign its rights and obligations
hereunder to one or more Affiliates of Purchaser and to any financing source for
collateral security purposes.
64
11.6 Counterparts. This
Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be
an original but all of which together shall constitute one and the same
instrument.
11.7 Interpretation. When
a reference is made in this Agreement to an article, section, paragraph, clause,
schedule or exhibit, such reference shall be deemed to be to this Agreement
unless otherwise indicated. The headings contained herein and on the
schedules are for reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the
meaning or interpretation of this Agreement or the
schedules. Whenever, the words “include,” “includes” or “including”
are used in this Agreement they shall be deemed to be followed by the words
“without limitation.” Time shall be of the essence in this
Agreement.
11.8 Governing
Law; Interpretation. This
Agreement shall be construed in accordance with and governed for all purposes by
the internal laws of the State of New York, without regard to choice of law
rules (other than Section 5-1401 of the New York General Obligations
Law).
11.9 Severability. Any term or provision of
this Agreement that is held
by a court of competent jurisdiction or other authority to be invalid, void or
unenforceable in any situation in any jurisdiction shall not affect the validity
or enforceability of the remaining terms and provisions hereof or the validity
or enforceability of the offending term or provision
in any other situation or in any other jurisdiction. If the final
judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction or other authority declares that
any term or provision hereof is invalid, void or unenforceable, the
parties agree that the court making such
determination shall have the power to alter the term or provision, to delete
specific words or phrases, or to replace any invalid, void or unenforceable term
or provision with a term or provision that is valid and enforceable and that comes closest to
expressing the intention of the invalid or unenforceable term or
provision.
11.10 Jurisdiction.
(a) The parties to this Agreement agree that
any suit, action or proceeding arising out of, or with respect to, this
Agreement or any judgment
entered by any court in respect thereof shall be brought in the courts of the
State of New York
or in the U.S. District
Courts located in the State
of New York and Purchaser and the Sellers
hereby irrevocably accept
the exclusive personal
jurisdiction of those courts for the purpose of any suit, action or
proceeding.
(b) In addition, Purchaser and Sellers each hereby irrevocably waives, to the
fullest extent permitted by law, any objection which it or he may now or
hereafter have to the laying of venue of any suit, action or
proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or any judgment entered
by any court in respect thereof brought in the State of New York or the U.S. District Courts located in
the State of New
York, and hereby
further irrevocably waives
any claim that any suit, action or proceedings brought in any such court has
been brought in an inconvenient forum.
65
11.11 Arm’s-Length
Negotiations. Each party herein expressly
represents and warrants to all other parties hereto that (a) before executing this
Agreement, said party has fully informed itself of the terms, contents,
conditions, and effects of this Agreement, (b) said party has relied solely and
completely upon its own judgment in executing this Agreement, (c) said party has had the opportunity to seek and
has obtained the advise of counsel before executing this Agreement, (d) said party has acted voluntarily
and of its own free will in executing this Agreement, (e) said party is not acting under
duress, whether economic or
physical, in executing this Agreement, and (f) this Agreement is the result of
arm’s-length negotiations conducted by and
among the parties and their respective counsel.
11.12 Survival of
Obligations. Except as expressly provided
in Section 10.2(a), all representations and warranties herein
and in any documents or
certificates delivered in connection with this Agreement shall not survive the Closing and shall
terminate upon the occurrence thereof.
66
The
parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed and delivered as
of the day and year first above written.
U.S.
ENERGY BIOGAS CORP.
|
||
By:
|
/s/ Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxxxxxx
|
|
Name: Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxxxxxx
|
||
Title:
President
|
BIOGAS
FINANCIAL CORPORATION
|
||
By:
|
/s/ Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxxxxxx
|
|
Name: Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxxxxxx
|
||
Title:
President
|
POWER
GENERATION (SUFFOLK), INC.
|
||
By:
|
/s/ Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxxxxxx
|
|
Name: Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxxxxxx
|
||
Title:
President
|
RESOURCES
GENERATING SYSTEMS, INC.
|
||
By:
|
/s/ Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxxxxxx
|
|
Name: Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxxxxxx
|
||
Title:
President
|
ZFC
ENERGY, INC.
|
||
By:
|
/s/ Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxxxxxx
|
|
Name: Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxxxxxx
|
||
Title:
President
|
ZMG
INC.
|
||
By:
|
/s/ Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxxxxxx
|
|
Name: Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxxxxxx
|
||
Title:
President
|
OCEANSIDE
ENERGY, INC.
|
||
By:
|
/s/ Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxxxxxx
|
|
Name: Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxxxxxx
|
||
Title:
President
|
SUFFOLK
BIOGAS, INC.
|
||
By:
|
/s/ Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxxxxxx
|
|
Name: Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxxxxxx
|
||
Title:
President
|
USEB
ASSIGNEE, LLC
|
||
By:
|
/s/ Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxxxxxx
|
|
Name: Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxxxxxx
|
||
Title:
President
|
SILVER
POINT FINANCE LLC
|
||
By:
|
/s/ Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxxxx
|
|
Name: Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxxxx
|
||
Title: Authorized
Signatory
|