TEXAS GAS TRANSMISSION, LLC Purchase Agreement
Exhibit
10.1
TEXAS
GAS TRANSMISSION, LLC
$250,000,000
5.50%
Senior Notes due 2013
March 24,
2008
Credit
Suisse Securities (USA) LLC
X.X.
Xxxxxx Securities Inc.
Wachovia
Capital Markets, LLC
As
Representatives of the Initial Purchasers
c/o X.X.
Xxxxxx Securities Inc.
000 Xxxx
Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx,
Xxx Xxxx 00000
Ladies
and Gentlemen:
Texas Gas
Transmission, LLC, a limited liability company organized under the laws of
Delaware (the “Company”), , proposes to issue and sell to the several parties
named in Schedule I hereto (the “Initial Purchasers”), for whom you (the
“Representatives”) are acting as representatives, $250,000,000 principal amount
of the Company’s 5.50% Senior Notes due 2013 (the “Securities”). The
Securities are to be issued under an indenture (the “Indenture”), to be dated as
of the Closing Date, between the Company and The Bank of New York Trust Company,
N.A., as trustee (the “Trustee”). To the extent there are no
additional parties listed on Schedule I other than you, the term
Representatives as used herein shall mean you as the Initial Purchasers, and the
terms Representatives and Initial Purchasers shall mean either the singular or
plural as the context requires. The use of the neuter in this
Agreement shall include the feminine and masculine wherever
appropriate. Certain terms used herein are defined in Section 21
hereof.
The sale
of the Securities to the Initial Purchasers will be made without registration of
the Securities under the Act in reliance upon exemptions from the registration
requirements of the Act.
In
connection with the sale of the Securities, the Company has prepared a
preliminary offering memorandum, dated March 24, 2008 (as amended or
supplemented at the date thereof, including any and all exhibits thereto, the
“Preliminary Memorandum”), and a final offering memorandum, dated March 24, 2008
(as amended or supplemented at the Execution Time, including any and all
exhibits thereto, the “Final Memorandum”). Each of the Preliminary
Memorandum and the Final Memorandum sets forth certain information concerning
the Company and the Securities. The Company hereby confirms that it
has authorized the use of the Disclosure Package, the Preliminary Memorandum and
the Final Memorandum in connection with the offer and sale of the Securities by
the Initial Purchasers.
1. Representations and
Warranties. The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees
with, each Initial Purchaser as set forth below in this
Section 1.
(a) The
Preliminary Memorandum, at the date thereof, did not contain any untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in
order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading. On the date thereof and on the
Closing Date, the Final Memorandum did not and will not (and any amendment or
supplement thereto, at the date thereof and on the Closing Date, will not)
contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material
fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that the
Company makes no representation or warranty as to the information contained in
or omitted from the Preliminary Memorandum or the Final Memorandum in reliance
upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by
or on behalf of the Initial Purchasers through the Representatives specifically
for inclusion therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such
information furnished by or on behalf of any Initial Purchaser consists of the
information described as such in Section 8(b) hereof.
(b) The
Disclosure Package, as of the Execution Time, did not contain any untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in
order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading. The preceding sentence does not
apply to statements in or omissions from the Disclosure Package based upon and
in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by or on
behalf of the Initial Purchasers through the Representatives specifically for
use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information
furnished by or on behalf of any Initial Purchaser consists of the information
described as such in Section 8(b) hereof.
(c) No order
or decree preventing the use of the Preliminary Memorandum or the Final
Memorandum, nor any order asserting that the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement are subject to the registration requirements of the Act, has been
issued, and no proceeding for that purpose has commenced or is pending or, to
the Company’s knowledge, is contemplated.
(d) Except as
contemplated by this Agreement, none of the Company, its Affiliates, or any
person acting on their behalf has, directly or indirectly, made offers or
sales of any Security, or solicited offers to buy, any Security under
circumstances that would require the registration of the Securities under the
Act.
(e) None of
the Company, its Affiliates, or any person acting on their behalf has: (i)
engaged in any form of general solicitation or general advertising (within the
meaning of Regulation D) in connection with any offer or sale of the
Securities or (ii) engaged in any directed selling efforts (within the meaning
of Regulation S) with respect to the Securities; and each of the Company, its
Affiliates and the persons acting on their behalf has complied with the offering
restrictions requirement of Regulation S.
(f) The
Securities satisfy the eligibility requirements of Rule 144A(d)(3) under
the Act.
(g) Assuming
the completeness and accuracy of the representations and warranties of the
Initial Purchasers and their compliance with their agreements, in each case
contained in Section 4 hereof, no registration under the Act of the Securities
is required for the offer and sale of the Securities to or by the Initial
Purchasers in the manner contemplated herein, in the Disclosure Package and the
Final Memorandum.
(h) The
Company has not paid or agreed to pay to any person any compensation for
soliciting another to purchase any securities of the Company (except as
contemplated in this Agreement).
(i) The
Company has not offered, sold or issued any securities, or securities that are
convertible into other securities, with terms that are substantially similar to
the Securities during the six-month period preceding the date of the Final
Memorandum, including any sales pursuant to Section 4(2) under the Act,
Regulation D or Regulation S. Neither the Company nor any of its
Affiliates, has sold or issued any securities that would be integrated with the
offering of the Securities contemplated by this Agreement pursuant to the Act,
the regulations promulgated thereunder or the interpretations thereof by the
Commission.
(j) Each of
the Preliminary Memorandum and the Final Memorandum, as of its date, and each
amendment or supplement thereto, as of its date, contained or contains the
information specified in, and meets the requirements of, Rule 144A(d)(4) under
the Act.
(k) The
Company has been duly formed and is validly existing and in good standing as a
limited liability company under the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act (the
“Delaware LLC Act”), has the full limited liability company power and authority
necessary to own or hold its properties and assets and to conduct the businesses
in which it is engaged, and is duly registered or qualified to do business and
in good standing as a foreign limited liability company in each jurisdiction
listed opposite its name in Schedule II attached hereto, such jurisdictions
being the only jurisdictions in which its ownership or lease of property or the
conduct of its business requires such qualification, except where the failure to
so register or qualify could not reasonably be expected to have a material
adverse effect on the condition (financial or other), results of operations,
securityholders’ equity, properties, business or prospects of the Company, taken
as a whole, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business (a
“Material Adverse Effect”).
(l) Boardwalk
Pipelines, LP, a Delaware limited partnership (the “Operating Partnership”) owns
a 100% limited liability company interest in the Company; such limited liability
company interest has been duly and validly authorized and issued in accordance
with the limited liability company agreement of the Company (as the same may be
amended and restated on or prior to the Closing Date, the “LLC Agreement”) and
is fully paid (to the extent required under the LLC Agreement) and
non-assessable (except as such non-assessability may be affected by Sections
18-607 and 18-804 of the Delaware LLC Act); and the Operating Partnership owns
such limited liability company interest free and clear of all liens,
encumbrances, security interests, equities, charges or claims (collectively,
“Liens”).
(m) The
Company does not own, directly or indirectly, any equity or short- or long-term
debt securities of any corporation, partnership, limited liability company,
joint venture, association or other entity (other than intercompany advances),
and the Company has no subsidiaries.
(n) On the
Closing Date, the Company will have the requisite limited liability company
power and authority to issue, sell and deliver the Securities, in accordance
with and upon the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, the
Indenture, the LLC Agreement, the Preliminary Memorandum and the
Final Memorandum. On the Closing Date, all corporate, partnership or
limited liability company action, as the case may be, required to be taken by
the Company or any of its Affiliates or members for the authorization, issuance,
sale and delivery of the Securities, the execution and delivery by the Company
of this Agreement, the Indenture and the Securities and the consummation of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the Indenture and the Securities
shall have been validly taken.
(o) The LLC
Agreement has been duly authorized and executed by the Operating
Partnership and is a valid and legally binding agreement of the Operating
Partnership, enforceable against the Operating Partnership in accordance
with its terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be limited by
bankruptcy, insolvency (including, without limitation, all laws relating to
fraudulent transfers), reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting
enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and except as enforcement thereof is
subject to general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is
considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).
(p) This
Agreement has been duly and validly authorized, executed and delivered by the
Company.
(q) Each
Indenture has been duly authorized by the Company and, when duly executed and
delivered by the Company and the Trustee, will constitute a valid and binding
agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its
terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy,
insolvency (including, without limitation, all laws relating to fraudulent
transfers), reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting enforcement of
creditors’ rights generally and except as enforcement thereof is subject to
general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is considered in
a proceeding in equity or at law). While the parties hereto
acknowledge that the Indenture will not be qualified under the Trust Indenture
Act, on the Closing Date, the Indenture will conform in all material respects to
the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act and the rules and regulations of the
Commission applicable to an indenture that is qualified thereunder.
(r) The
Securities have been duly authorized and, on the Closing Date, will have been
duly executed by the Company and, when authenticated, issued and delivered in
the manner provided for in the Indenture and delivered against payment of the
purchase price therefor as provided in this Agreement, will constitute valid and
binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in
accordance with their terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be limited by
bankruptcy, insolvency (including, without limitation, all laws relating to
fraudulent transfers), reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting
enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and except as enforcement thereof is
subject to general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is
considered in a proceeding in equity or at law), and will be in the form
contemplated by, and entitled to the benefits of, the Indenture.
(s) The
Securities and the Indenture will conform in all material respects to the
respective statements relating thereto contained in the Preliminary Memorandum
and the Final Memorandum.
(t) None of
the offering, issuance and sale by the Company of the Securities and the
application of the proceeds therefrom as described under the caption “Use of
Proceeds” in each of the Preliminary Memorandum and the Final Memorandum, the
execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, the Indenture and the
Securities by the Company , or the consummation of the transactions contemplated
by this Agreement and the Indenture (i) constitutes or will constitute a
violation of the certificate or agreement of limited partnership, certificate of
formation, the limited liability company agreement or other organizational
documents of the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, any of its Affiliates,
(ii) constitutes or will constitute a breach or violation of or a default under
(or an event that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a
breach or violation of or default under), any indenture, mortgage, deed of
trust, guarantee, loan agreement, lease or other agreement or instrument to
which the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge , any of its Affiliates is a
party, by which any of them is bound or to which any of their respective
properties or assets is subject, (iii) violates or will violate any statute,
law, ordinance, regulation, order, judgment, decree or injunction of any court
or governmental agency or body to which the Company or, to the Company’s
knowledge, any of its Affiliates or any of their respective properties or assets
may be subject or (iv) will result in the creation or imposition of any Lien
upon any property or assets of the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge , any
of its Affiliates, which conflicts, breaches, violations, defaults or Liens, in
the case of clauses (ii), (iii) or (iv), would, individually or in the
aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
(u) Except
for such consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations or qualifications as
may be required under applicable state securities laws in connection with the
purchase and sale of the Securities by the Initial Purchasers, no consent,
approval, authorization or order of, or filing or registration with, any court
or governmental agency or body to which the Company or any of its properties or
assets is subject is required for the execution, delivery and performance of
this Agreement, the Indenture and the Securities by the Company, the
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the
Indenture and the application of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities as
described under the caption “Use of Proceeds” in each of the Preliminary
Memorandum and the Final Memorandum.
(v) At
December 31, 2007, the Company would have had, on the as adjusted basis
indicated in each of the Disclosure Package and the Final Memorandum, a
capitalization as set forth therein. The historical financial
statements (including the related notes and supporting schedules) included in
the Preliminary Memorandum and the Final Memorandum present fairly in all
material respects the financial position, results of operations and cash flows
of the Company on the basis stated therein at the respective dates or for the
respective periods to which they apply, and have been prepared in accordance
with generally accepted accounting principles consistently applied throughout
the periods involved. The summary historical information set forth in
the Preliminary Memorandum and the Final Memorandum under the caption “Summary
Historical Financial and Operating Data” is accurately presented in all material
respects and prepared on a basis consistent with the audited and unaudited
historical consolidated financial statements from which it has been
derived.
(w) Deloitte
& Touche LLP, who have certified certain financial statements of the
Company, whose report appears in each of the Preliminary Memorandum and the
Final Memorandum and who have delivered the initial letter referred to in
Section 6(e) hereof, are independent certified public accountants with respect
to the Company under Rule 101 of the AICPA’s Code of Professional Conduct and
its interpretations and rulings and were such during the periods covered by the
financial statements on which they reported.
(x) The
statistical and market-related data included in each of the Preliminary
Memorandum and the Final Memorandum are based on or derived from sources that
the Company believes to be reliable and accurate in all material
respects.
(y) The
Company has good and indefeasible title to all real property and good title to
all personal property contemplated as owned by it in each of the Preliminary
Memorandum and the Final Memorandum, in each case free and clear of all Liens
and other defects, except as described in the Disclosure Package or that would
not materially affect the value of such property and would not materially
interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property as
described in each of the Preliminary Memorandum and the Final
Memorandum. With respect to title to pipeline rights-of-way, the
Company has not received any actual notice or claim from any owner of land upon
which any pipeline that is owned by the Company is located that the Company does
not have sufficient title to enable it to use and occupy the pipeline
rights-of-way as they have been used and occupied in the past and are proposed
to be used and occupied in the future as described in each of the Preliminary
Memorandum and the Final Memorandum, except where such failure to have
sufficient title would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in
the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect. All assets held under lease or
license by the Company are held under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases
or licenses, with such exceptions as would not reasonably be expected to have,
individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect or materially
interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such assets as they have
been used in the past and are proposed to be used in the future as described in
each of the Preliminary Memorandum and the Final Memorandum.
(z) The
Company carries or is covered by insurance from insurers of recognized financial
responsibility in such amounts and covering such risks as is reasonably adequate
for the conduct of its business and the value of its properties and as is
customary for companies engaged in similar businesses in similar
industries. All policies of insurance of the Company are in full
force and effect, except as would not reasonably be expected to have,
individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect; the Company is in
compliance with the terms of such policies in all material respects; and the
Company has not received notice from any insurer or agent of such insurer that
any material capital improvements or other expenditures are required or
necessary to be made in order to continue such insurance.
(aa) The
Company owns or possesses adequate rights to use all material patents, patent
applications, trademarks, service marks, trade names, trademark registrations,
service xxxx registrations, copyrights, licenses and know-how (including trade
secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential
information, systems or procedures) necessary for the conduct of its business,
and the Company does not have any reason to believe that the conduct of its
business will conflict in any material respect with, and the Company has not
received any notice or claim of conflict with, any such rights of any other
person or party.
(bb) Except as
described in the Disclosure Package, there are no legal or governmental
proceedings pending to which the Company is a party or to which any property or
asset of the Company is subject that could reasonably be expected to have,
individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect or a material
adverse effect on the performance of this Agreement, the Indenture and the
Securities or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement and the Indenture, and to the Company’s knowledge, no such proceedings
are threatened or contemplated by governmental authorities or
others. There are no legal or governmental proceedings pending that
would be required by the Act to be described in the Preliminary Memorandum and
the Final Memorandum, if the Preliminary Memorandum and the Final Memorandum
were prospectuses included in a registration statement on Form S-1 filed with
the Commission, that are not so described.
(cc) The
statements set forth in each of the Preliminary Memorandum and the Final
Memorandum under the caption “Description of the Notes,” insofar as they purport
to constitute a summary of the terms of the Indenture and the Securities or a
summary of certain provisions of documents referred to therein, and under the
caption “Certain United States Federal Tax Consequences,” insofar as they
purport to summarize the laws referred to therein, are accurate summaries in all
material respects
(dd) Except as
described in the Disclosure Package, no labor disturbance by the employees of
the Company (and to the extent that they perform services on behalf of the
Company, employees of any of its Affiliates) exists or, to the Company’s
knowledge , is imminent or threatened that could reasonably be expected to have
a Material Adverse Effect.
(ee) Since the
date as of which information is given in the Preliminary Memorandum, except as
otherwise stated in the Disclosure Package, (i) the Company has not sustained
any loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other
calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, any labor dispute or any court or
governmental action, order or decree, and (ii) there has not been any adverse
change in the members’ equity or short- or long-term debt of the Company or any
adverse change, or any development involving a prospective adverse change, in or
affecting the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations,
securityholders’ equity, properties, management, business or prospects of the
Company, in each case except as could not reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect or as set forth or contemplated in the Disclosure
Package.
(ff) The
Company has filed all tax returns required to be filed through the date hereof,
which returns are complete and correct in all material respects, and has paid
all taxes shown to be due pursuant to such returns, other than those that (i) if
not paid, could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or
(ii) are being contested in good faith and for which adequate reserves have been
established in accordance with generally accepted accounting
principles.
(gg) Since the
date as of which information is given in the Preliminary Memorandum, except as
otherwise stated in the Disclosure Package, the Company has not (i) issued or
granted any securities, (ii) incurred any liability or obligation, direct or
contingent, other than liabilities and obligations that were incurred in the
ordinary course of business, (iii) entered into any transaction not in the
ordinary course of business or (iv) declared or paid any dividend or
distribution on its equity interests.
(hh) The
Company (i) makes and keeps accurate books and records and (ii) maintains a
system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable
assurance that (A) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s
general or specific authorizations, (B) transactions are recorded as necessary
to permit preparation of the Company’s financial statements in conformity with
accounting principles generally accepted in the United States and to maintain
accountability for its assets, (C) access to the Company’s assets is permitted
only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization and (D)
the recorded accountability for the Company’s assets is compared with existing
assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to
any differences. The Company’s internal controls over financial
reporting are effective and the Company is not aware of any material weakness in
its internal control over financial reporting.
(ii) Since the
date of the Company’s most recent balance sheet reviewed or audited by Deloitte
& Touche LLP, (i) the Company has not been advised of (A) any significant
deficiencies in the design or operation of internal controls that are reasonably
likely to adversely affect the ability of the Company to record, process,
summarize and report financial data, or any material weaknesses in internal
controls (whether or not remediated) and (B) any fraud, whether or not material,
that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the
internal controls of the Company, and (ii) since that date, there have been no
changes in internal controls that have materially affected, or are reasonably
likely to materially affect, internal controls, including any corrective actions
with regard to significant deficiencies and material weaknesses.
(jj) There is
no relationship, direct or indirect, between or among the Company, on the one
hand, and the directors, officers, securityholders, customers or suppliers of
the Company, on the other hand, that would be required by the Act to be
described in the Preliminary Memorandum and the Final Memorandum, if the
Preliminary Memorandum and the Final Memorandum were prospectuses included in a
registration statement on Form S-1 filed with the Commission, that is not so
described.
(kk) The
Company (i) is not in violation of its certificate of formation, the LLC
Agreement or other organizational documents, (ii) is not in breach of or default
under any term, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed
of trust, loan agreement, guarantee, lease or other agreement or instrument to
which it is a party, by which it is bound or to which any of its properties or
assets is subject (and no event has occurred that, with notice or lapse of time
or both, would constitute such a breach or default), (iii) is not in violation
of any statute, law, ordinance, rule, regulation, order, judgment, decree or
injunction of any court or governmental agency or body to which it or its
property or assets may be subject and (iv) has not failed to obtain any license,
permit, certificate, franchise or other governmental authorization or permit
necessary to the ownership of its property or to the conduct of its business,
except, in the case of clauses (ii) or (iv), as could not reasonably be expected
to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(ll) Except as
described in the Disclosure Package, the Company (i) is in compliance with any
and all applicable federal, state and local laws, regulations, ordinances,
rules, orders, judgments, decrees or other legal requirements relating to the
protection of human health and safety, the environment or natural resources or
imposing liability or standards of conduct concerning any Hazardous Materials
(as defined below) (“Environmental Laws”), (ii) has received, and as necessary
maintained, all permits required of it under applicable Environmental Laws to
conduct its business, (iii) is in compliance with all terms and conditions of
any such permits and (iv) does not have any liability in connection with the
release into the environment of any Hazardous Material, except where such
noncompliance with Environmental Laws, failure to receive and maintain required
permits, failure to comply with the terms and conditions of such permits or
liability in connection with such releases could not, individually or in the
aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect. The term “Hazardous Material” means (1) any “hazardous
substance” as defined in the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation
and Liability Act of 1980, as amended (“CERCLA”), (2) any “hazardous waste” as
defined in the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, as amended, (3) petroleum
or any petroleum product, (4) any polychlorinated biphenyl and (5) any
pollutant, contaminant or hazardous, dangerous or toxic chemical, material,
waste or substance regulated under or within the meaning of any other
Environmental Law. The Company has not been named as a “potentially
responsible party” under CERCLA or any other similar Environmental Law, except
with respect to any matters that, individually or in the aggregate, could not
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Except as
described in the Disclosure Package, the Company (A) is not a party to any
proceeding under Environmental Laws in which a governmental authority is also a
party, other than proceedings regarding which it is believed that no monetary
penalties in excess of $100,000 will be imposed, (B) has not received notice of
any potential liability for the disposal or release of any Hazardous Material,
except where such liability could not reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect, and (C) does not anticipate any material capital expenditures
relating to Environmental Laws.
(mm) The
Company is in compliance in all material respects with all presently applicable
provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended,
including the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (“ERISA”); no
“reportable event” (as defined in ERISA) has occurred with respect to any
“pension plan” (as defined in ERISA) for which the Company would have any
liability; the Company has not incurred nor does it expect to incur liability
under (i) Title IV of ERISA with respect to the termination of, or withdrawal
from, any “pension plan” or (ii) Sections 412 or 4971 of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986, as amended, including the regulations and published
interpretations thereunder (the “Code”); and each “pension plan” that is
intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code and for which the
Company would have any liability is so qualified and nothing has occurred,
whether by action or by failure to act, that would cause the loss of such
qualification.
(nn) The
Company has, or on the Closing Date will have, such permits, consents, licenses,
franchises, certificates and other approvals or authorizations of governmental
or regulatory authorities (“Permits”) as are necessary to own or lease its
properties and to conduct its business in the manner described in each of the
Preliminary Memorandum and the Final Memorandum, except as disclosed in or
specifically contemplated by the Disclosure Package or except for any failure to
have any such Permit that could not reasonably be expected to have, individually
or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect. Except as described
in the Disclosure Package, the Company has fulfilled and performed all of its
material obligations with respect to all such Permits, and no event has occurred
that would prevent any such Permit from being renewed or reissued, that allows,
or after notice or lapse of time would allow, revocation or termination of any
such Permit or that would result in any other impairment of the rights of the
holder of any such Permit, except for any such non-renewal, revocation,
termination or impairment that could not reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect.
(oo) The
Company is not, and as of the Closing Date and after giving effect to the
application of the net proceeds of the offering as described under the caption
“Use of Proceeds” in the Disclosure Package and the Final Memorandum, the
Company will not be, an “investment company” as defined in the Investment
Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”).
(pp) Neither
the Company nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any of its Affiliates, has
distributed, and prior to the later to occur of the Closing Date and completion
of the distribution of the Securities, neither the Company nor, to the Company’s
knowledge, any of its affiliates, will distribute, any offering material in
connection with the offering and sale of the Securities other than the
Disclosure Package and the Final Memorandum.
(qq) Neither the Company nor, to the
Company’s knowledge, any of its affiliates has taken, nor will either of the
Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, any of its affiliates take, directly or
indirectly, any action that has constituted, that was designed to cause or
result in, or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in, the
stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to
facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.
(rr) Except
for this Agreement, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between
the Company and any person that would give rise to a valid claim against the
Company or any Initial Purchaser for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or
other like payment in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities
contemplated by this Agreement.
(ss) Except as disclosed in the Preliminary
Memorandum and the Final Memorandum, the Company (i) does not have any material
lending or other relationship with any Initial Purchaser or affiliate of any
Initial Purchaser and (ii) does not intend to use any of the proceeds from the
sale of the Securities hereunder to repay any outstanding debt owed to any
affiliate of any Initial Purchaser.
Any
certificate signed by or on behalf of the Company and delivered to the
Representatives or counsel for the Initial Purchasers in connection with the
offering of the Securities shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the
Company, as to matters covered thereby, to each Initial Purchaser.
2. Purchase and
Sale. Subject to the terms and conditions and in reliance upon
the representations and warranties herein set forth, the Company agrees to sell
to each Initial Purchaser, and each Initial Purchaser agrees, severally and not
jointly, to purchase from the Company at a purchase price of 99.019% of the
principal amount thereof, plus accrued interest, if any, from March 27, 2008 to the Closing
Date, the principal amount of the Securities set forth opposite such Initial
Purchaser’s name in Schedule I hereto.
3. Delivery and
Payment. Delivery of and payment for the Securities shall be
made at 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on March 27, 2008,
or at such time on such later date not more than three Business Days after the
foregoing date as the Representatives shall designate, which date and time may
be postponed by agreement between the Representatives and the Company or as
provided in Section 9 hereof (such date and time of delivery and payment
for the Securities being herein called the “Closing Date”). Delivery
of the Securities shall be made to the Representatives for the respective
accounts of the several Initial Purchasers against payment by the several
Initial Purchasers through the Representatives of the purchase price thereof to
or upon the order of the Company by wire transfer payable in same-day funds to
the account specified by the Company. Delivery of the Securities
shall be made through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company unless the
Representatives shall otherwise instruct.
4. Offering, Representations
and Warranties by Initial Purchasers.
(a) Each
Initial Purchaser acknowledges that the Securities have not been and will not be
registered under the Act and may not be offered or sold within the United States
or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons (as defined in Regulation
S) except pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the
registration requirements of the Act.
(b) Each
Initial Purchaser, severally and not jointly, represents and warrants to and
agrees with the Company that:
(i) it has
not offered or sold, and will not offer or sell, any Securities as part of
their distribution at any time except:
(A) within
the United States to persons, or to, or for the account of benefit of, U.S.
persons, in each case whom it reasonably believes to be “qualified institutional
buyers” (as defined in Rule 144A under the Act) or
(B) to
persons other than U.S. persons outside the United States in accordance with
Rule 903 of Regulation S;
(ii) neither
it nor any person acting on its behalf has made or will make offers or sales of
the Securities in the United States by means of any form of general solicitation
or general advertising (within the meaning of Regulation D) in the United
States;
(iii) in
connection with each sale pursuant to Section 4(b)(i)(A), it has taken or
will take reasonable steps to ensure that the purchaser of such Securities is
aware that such sale may be made in reliance on Rule 144A;
(iv) neither
it, nor any of its Affiliates nor any person acting on its or their behalf, has
engaged or will engage in any directed selling efforts (within the meaning of
Regulation S) with respect to the Securities;
(v) it is an
“accredited investor” (as defined in Rule 501(a) of Regulation D);
(vi) without
the prior written consent of the Company, it has not given and will not give to
any prospective purchaser of the Securities any written information concerning
the offering of the Securities (“Written Information”) other than materials
contained in the Disclosure Package, the Final Memorandum or any other offering
materials prepared by or with the prior written consent of the Company; provided
that the prior written consent of the Company shall be deemed to have been given
in respect of (x) preliminary and final term sheets relating to the offer and
sale of the Securities containing customary terms and (y) material relating to
the offer and sale of the Securities prepared by the Initial Purchasers that
does not contain information provided by or on behalf of the Company
specifically for use in such material; and
(vii) at or
prior to the confirmation of any sale of Securities pursuant to Regulation S, it
will have sent to each distributor, dealer or person receiving a selling
concession, fee or other remuneration that purchases Securities from it or
through it during the distribution compliance period (as defined in Regulation
S) a confirmation or notice to substantially the following effect:
“The
Securities covered hereby have not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act
of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), and may not be offered or sold within the
United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons (i) as part
of their distribution at any time or (ii) otherwise until 40 days after the
later of the commencement of the offering and the date of closing of the
offering, except in either case in accordance with Regulation S or Rule 144A
under the Act. Terms used in this paragraph have the meanings given to them by
Regulation S.”
(viii) it has
only communicated or caused to be communicated and will only communicate or
cause to be communicated any invitation or inducement to engage in investment
activity (within the meaning of Section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets
Xxx 0000 (the “FSMA”)) received by it in connection with the issue or sale of
any Securities, in circumstances in which Section 21(1) of the FSMA does not
apply to the Company;
(ix) it has
complied and will comply with all applicable provisions of the FMSA with respect
to anything done by it in relation to the Securities in, from and otherwise
involving the United Kingdom; and
(x) in
relation to each Member State of the European Economic Area which has
implemented the Prospectus Directive (each, a “Relevant Member State”), it has
not made and will not make an offer to the public of any Securities which are
the subject of the offering contemplated by this Agreement in that Relevant
Member State, except that it may make an offer to the public in that Relevant
Member State of any Securities at any time under the following exemptions under
the Prospectus Directive, if they have been implemented in that Relevant Member
State:
(A)
|
to
legal entities which are authorized or regulated to operate in the
financial markets or, if not so authorized or regulated, whose corporate
purpose is solely to invest in
securities;
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(B)
|
to
any legal entity which has two or more of (i) an average of at least 250
employees during the last financial year, (ii) a total balance sheet of
more than €43,000,000 and (iii) an annual turnover of more than
€50,000,000, as shown in its last annual or consolidated
accounts;
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(C)
|
to
fewer than 100 natural or legal persons (other than qualified investors as
defined in the Prospectus Directive) subject to obtaining the prior
written consent of the Representatives for any such offer;
or
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(D)
|
in
any other circumstances falling within Article 3(2) of the Prospectus
Directive;
|
provided
that no such offer of Securities shall result in a requirement for the
publication by the Company or any Initial Purchaser
of a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Directive.
For the
purposes of this provision, the expression an “offer to the public” in relation
to any Securities in any Relevant Member State means the communication in any
form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and
the Securities to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase
any Securities, as the same may be varied in that Member State by any measure
implementing the Prospectus Directive in that Member State and the expression
“Prospectus Directive” means Directive 2003/71/EC and includes any relevant
implementing measure in each Relevant Member State.
5. Agreements. The
Company agrees with each Initial Purchaser that:
(a) The
Company will furnish to each Initial Purchaser and to counsel for the Initial
Purchasers, without charge, during the period referred to in Section 5(d) below, as many copies of
the Disclosure Package, the Final Memorandum, each amendment or supplement
thereto, and the materials contained therein as they may reasonably
request.
(b) The
Company will prepare a final term sheet, containing solely a description of
final terms of the Securities and the offering thereof, in the form approved by
you and attached as Schedule III hereto.
(c) The
Company will not amend or supplement the Disclosure Package or the Final
Memorandum without the prior written consent of the
Representatives.
(d) If at any
time prior to the completion of the sale of the Securities by the Initial
Purchasers (as determined by the Representatives), any event occurs as a result
of which the Disclosure Package or the Final Memorandum, as then amended or
supplemented, would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in
the light of the circumstances under which they were made or the circumstances
then prevailing, not misleading, or if it should be necessary to amend or
supplement the Disclosure Package or the Final Memorandum to comply with
applicable law, the Company will promptly (i) notify the Representatives of any
such event; (ii) subject to the requirements of Section 5(c), prepare an
amendment or supplement that will correct such statement or omission or effect
such compliance; and (iii) supply any supplemented or amended Disclosure Package
or Final Memorandum to the several Initial Purchasers and counsel for the
Initial Purchasers without charge in such quantities as they may reasonably
request.
(e) Without
the prior written consent of the Representatives, the Company has not given and
will not give to any prospective purchaser of the Securities any Written
Information other than materials contained in the Disclosure Package, the Final
Memorandum or any other offering materials prepared by or with the prior written
consent of the Representatives.
(f) The
Company will arrange, if necessary, for the qualification of the Securities for
sale by the Initial Purchasers under the laws of such jurisdictions as the
Representatives may reasonably designate (including Japan and certain provinces
of Canada) and will maintain such qualifications in effect so long as reasonably
required for the sale of the Securities; provided that in no
event shall the Company be obligated to qualify to do business in any
jurisdiction where it is not now so qualified or to take any action that would
subject it to service of process in suits in any jurisdiction where it is not
now so subject. The Company will promptly advise the Representatives
of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension
of the qualification of the Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or the
initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose.
(g) During
the period of two years following the Closing Date, the Company will not, and
will not permit any of its Affiliates to, resell any Securities that have been
acquired by any of them.
(h) None of
the Company, its Affiliates, or any person acting on their behalf will, directly
or indirectly, make offers or sales of any security, or solicit offers to buy
any security, under circumstances that would require the registration of the
Securities under the Act.
(i) None of
the Company, its Affiliates, or any person acting on their behalf will engage in
any directed selling efforts (within the meaning of Regulation S) with respect
to the Securities.
(j) None of
the Company, its Affiliates, or any person acting on their behalf will engage in
any form of general solicitation or general advertising (within the meaning of
Regulation D) in connection with any offer or sale of the Securities in the
United States.
(k) For so
long as any of the Securities are outstanding and are “restricted securities”
within the meaning of Rule 144(a)(3) under the Act, the Company, during any period in
which it is not subject to and in compliance with Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Exchange Act or it is not exempt from such reporting requirements pursuant to
and in compliance with Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Exchange Act, will provide to
each holder of such restricted securities and to each prospective purchaser (as
designated by such holder) of such restricted securities, upon the request of
such holder or prospective purchaser, any information required to be provided by
Rule 144A(d)(4) under the Act. This covenant is intended to be for
the benefit of the holders, and the prospective purchasers designated by such
holders, from time to time of such restricted securities.
(l) The
Company will cooperate with the Representatives and use their commercially
reasonable efforts to permit the Securities to be eligible for clearance and
settlement through The Depository Trust Company.
(m) Each of
the Securities will bear, to the extent applicable, the legend contained in
“Notice to Investors” in the Preliminary Memorandum and the Final Memorandum for
the time period and upon the other terms stated therein.
(n) The
Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action that has constituted,
or that is designed to or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result
in, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, the stabilization or manipulation of
the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the
Securities.
(o) The
Company will, for a period of twelve months following the Execution Time,
furnish to the Representatives (i) all reports or other communications
(financial or other) generally made available to the unitholders of Boardwalk
Pipelines Partners, LP, and deliver such reports and communications to the
Representatives as soon as they are available, unless such documents are
furnished to or filed with the Commission or any securities exchange on which
any class of securities of the Company is listed and generally made available to
the public, and (ii) such additional information concerning the business
and financial condition of the Company as the Representatives may from time to
time reasonably request.
(p) The
Company will comply with all applicable securities and other laws, rules and
regulations, and use its best efforts to cause the Company’s directors and
officers, in their capacities as such, to comply with such laws, rules and
regulations.
(q) The
Company agrees to pay the costs and expenses relating to the following
matters: (i) the issuance of the Securities and the fees of the
Trustee; (ii) the preparation, printing or reproduction of the Disclosure
Package, the Final Memorandum, each amendment or supplement thereto, and the
materials contained therein; (iii) the printing (or reproduction) and delivery
(including postage, air freight charges and charges for counting and packaging)
of such copies of the Disclosure Package, the Final Memorandum, each amendment
or supplement thereto, and the materials contained therein, as may, in each
case, be reasonably requested for use in connection with the offering and sale
of the Securities; (iv) the authentication, issuance and delivery of the
Securities; (v) any stamp or transfer taxes in connection with the original
issuance and sale of the Securities; (vi) the preparation and delivery of any
blue sky memorandum; (vii) any registration or qualification of the Securities
for offer and sale under the securities or blue sky laws of the several states,
Japan, the provinces of Canada and any other jurisdictions specified pursuant to
Section 5(f) (including filing fees and the reasonable fees and expenses of
counsel for the Initial Purchasers relating to such registration and
qualification); (viii) the transportation and other expenses incurred by or on
behalf of Company representatives in connection with presentations to
prospective purchasers of the Securities; (ix) the fees and expenses of the
Company’s accountants and the fees and expenses of counsel (including local and
special counsel) for the Company; and (x) all other costs and expenses incident
to the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder; provided that, except
as provided in this Section 5 and in Section 7 hereof, the Initial Purchasers
shall pay their own costs and expenses, including the costs and expenses of
their counsel, any transfer taxes on the Securities that they may sell and the
expenses of advertising any offering of the Securities made by the Initial
Purchasers.
6. Conditions to the
Obligations of the Initial Purchasers. The obligations of the
Initial Purchasers to purchase the Securities shall be subject to the accuracy
of the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein at the
Execution Time and on the Closing Date, to the accuracy of the statements of the
Company made in any certificates pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the
performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder and to the following
additional conditions:
(a) The
Company shall have requested and caused Xxxxxx & Xxxxxx L.L.P., counsel for
the Company, to furnish to the Representatives its opinion, dated the Closing
Date and addressed to the Representatives, to the effect that:
(i) Assuming
the accuracy of the representations and warranties and compliance with the
agreements contained herein (without regard to the representation found in
Section 1(g)), no registration under the Act of the Securities is required for
the sale and delivery of the Securities by the Company to the Initial Purchasers
or the offer and sale by the Initial Purchasers of the Securities solely in the
manner contemplated herein, in the Disclosure Package and in the Final
Memorandum and no qualification of an indenture under the Trust Indenture Act is
required; provided, however, that such
counsel expresses no opinion as to any subsequent resale of any
Security;
(ii) The
Company has been duly formed and is validly existing and in good standing as a
limited liability company under the Delaware LLC Act, has the full limited
liability company power and authority necessary to own or hold its properties
and assets and to conduct the businesses in which it is engaged, and is duly
registered or qualified to do business and is in good standing as a foreign
limited liability company in each jurisdiction listed opposite its name in
Schedule II hereto;
(iii) The
Operating Partnership owns a 100% limited liability company interest in the
Company; such limited liability company interest has been duly and validly
authorized and issued in accordance with the LLC Agreement and is fully paid (to
the extent required under the LLC Agreement) and non-assessable (except as such
non-assessability may be affected by Sections 18-607 and 18-804 of the Delaware
LLC Act); and the Operating Partnership owns such limited liability company
interest free and clear of all Liens (except restrictions on transferability
contained in the LLC Agreement, as described in the Preliminary Memorandum or
created or arising under the Delaware LLC Act) (i) in respect of which a
financing statement under the Uniform Commercial Code of the State of Delaware
naming the Operating Partnership as debtor is on file with the Secretary of
State of the State of Delaware or (ii) otherwise known to such counsel, without
independent investigation, other than those created by or arising under the
Delaware LLC Act or the LLC Agreement;
(iv) The
Purchase Agreement has been duly and validly authorized, executed and delivered
by the Company;
(v) Each
Indenture has been duly and validly authorized, executed and delivered by the
Company and (assuming the due authorization, execution and delivery thereof by
the Trustee) constitutes a valid and binding agreement of the Company,
enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as the
enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency (including, without
limitation, all laws relating to fraudulent transfers), reorganization,
moratorium or similar laws affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally
and except as enforcement thereof is subject to general principles of equity
(regardless of whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding in equity or at
law) and an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing;
(vi) The
Securities have been duly and validly authorized by the Company and, assuming
that the Securities have been duly authenticated by the Trustee in the manner
described in its certificate delivered to you today (which fact such counsel
need not determine by an inspection of the Securities) and have been delivered
against payment of the purchase price therefor as provided in the Purchase
Agreement, have been duly executed, issued and delivered by the Company and
constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the
Company in accordance with their terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be
limited by bankruptcy, insolvency (including, without limitation, all laws
relating to fraudulent transfers), reorganization, moratorium or similar laws
affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and except as enforcement
thereof is subject to general principles of equity (regardless of whether
enforcement is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) and an implied
covenant of good faith and fair dealing, and will be in the form contemplated
by, and entitled to the benefits of, the Indenture;
(vii) None of
the offering, issuance and sale by the Company of the Securities, the execution,
delivery and performance of the Purchase Agreement, the Indenture and the
Securities by the Company , or the consummation of the transactions contemplated
thereby (i) constitutes or will constitute a violation of
the certificate of formation, the LLC Agreement or other
organizational documents of the Company, (ii) constitutes or will constitute a
breach or violation of or a default under (or an event that, with notice or
lapse of time or both, would constitute such a breach or violation of or default
under), any agreement filed as an exhibit to Boardwalk Pipeline Partners, LP’s
Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007 or any subsequent reports filed
by Boardwalk Pipeline Partners, LP under the Exchange Act or (iii) violates or
will violate any applicable law of the United States of America or the State of
New York or the Delaware LLC Act, excluding in the case of clauses (ii) and
(iii) any such breaches, violations and defaults that would not have a Material
Adverse Effect;
(viii) No
Governmental Approval is required for the execution, delivery and performance of
the Purchase Agreement, the Indenture and the Securities by the Company, the
consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby and the application of the
proceeds from the sale of the Securities as described under the caption “Use of
Proceeds” in each of the Preliminary Memorandum and the Final Memorandum, except
for such Governmental Approvals (i) as have been obtained or made or (ii) would
not have a Material Adverse Effect if not obtained or made;
(ix) The
statements set forth in each of the Preliminary Memorandum and the Final
Memorandum under the caption “Description of the Notes,” insofar as they purport
to constitute a summary of the terms of the Indenture and the Securities or a
summary of certain provisions of documents referred to therein, and under the
caption “Certain United States Federal Tax Consequences,” insofar as they
purport to summarize the laws referred to therein, are accurate summaries in all
material respects, subject to the qualifications and assumptions therein; and
the Securities and the Indenture conform in all material respects to the
descriptions thereof contained in the Preliminary Memorandum and the Final
Memorandum under the caption “Description of the Notes;” and
(x) The
Company is not, and after giving effect to the application of the net proceeds
from the offering as described under the caption “Use of Proceeds” in each of
the Preliminary Memorandum and the Final Memorandum, the Company will not be, an
“investment company” as defined in the Investment Company Act.
In
rendering such opinion, such counsel may state that its opinion is limited to
matters governed by the federal laws of the United States of America, the laws
of the State of New York and the Delaware LLC Act. Such counsel need
not express any opinion with respect to the title of the Company to any of its
respective real or personal property, and need not express any opinion with
respect to state or local taxes or tax statutes to which the Company may be
subject.
In
addition, such counsel shall state that it has participated in conferences with
officers and other representatives of the Company, representatives of the
independent registered public accounting firm of the Company and representatives
of the Initial Purchasers, at which the contents of the Disclosure Package and
the Final Memorandum and related matters were discussed, and although such
counsel did not independently investigate or verify the information set forth in
the Disclosure Package and the Final Memorandum, and such counsel is not passing
upon and does not assume any responsibility for, the accuracy, completeness or
fairness of the statements contained in the Disclosure Package and the Final
Memorandum (except to the extent specified in paragraph (x) above), based on the
foregoing (relying as to factual matters in respect of the determination of
materiality to the extent such counsel deems reasonable and appropriate upon the
statements of fact made by officers and other representatives of the Company),
no facts have come to such counsel’s attention that have led such counsel to
believe that:
(A) the
Final Memorandum, as of its date and as of the Closing Date, contained or
contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state
any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the
light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;
or
(B) the
Disclosure Package, as of the Execution Time, contained any untrue statement of
a material fact or omitted to state any material fact necessary in order to make
the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading;
except
that in each case such counsel need express no opinion with respect to the
financial statements and notes and schedules thereto or other related financial,
accounting and statistical data contained in or omitted from the Disclosure
Package or the Final Memorandum or any further amendment or supplement
thereto.
“Applicable
Law” means those laws, rules and regulations that, in such counsel’s experience,
are normally applicable to transactions of the type contemplated by the Purchase
Agreement, the Indenture and the Securities without such counsel’s having made
any special investigation as to the applicability of any specific law, rule or
regulation, and that are not the subject of a specific opinion herein referring
expressly to a particular law or laws; provided however, that such references do
not include any municipal or other local laws, rules or regulations, any
antifraud, environmental, labor, tax, state securities or Blue Sky, insurance or
antitrust laws, rules or regulations, the Natural Gas Act, as amended, the rules
and regulations promulgated thereunder by the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission, and the rules and regulations of the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc.
“Governmental
Approval” means any consent, approval, license, authorization or validation of,
or filing, recording or registration with, any executive, legislative, judicial,
administrative or regulatory authority of the State of New York, the State of
Delaware or the United States of America, pursuant to (a) applicable laws of the
State of New York, (b) applicable laws of the United States of
America or (c) the Delaware LLC Act.
(b) The
Company shall have requested and caused Xxxxxxx X. XxXxxxx, General Counsel for
the Company, to furnish to the Representatives his opinion, dated the Closing
Date and addressed to the Representatives, to the effect that:
(i) Except as
described in the Disclosure Package, there are no legal or governmental
proceedings pending to which the Company is a party or to which any property or
asset of the Company is subject that, if determined adversely to the Company,
could reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a
Material Adverse Effect or an adverse effect on the performance of the Purchase
Agreement or the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby, and, to
his knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated by
governmental authorities or others; and to his knowledge, there are no statutes
or pending or threatened legal or governmental proceedings that would be
required by the Act to be described in the Preliminary Memorandum and the Final
Memorandum, if the Preliminary Memorandum and the Final Memorandum were
prospectuses included in a registration statement on Form S-1 filed with the
Commission, that are not so described;
(ii) The
statements made in each of the Preliminary Memorandum and the Final Memorandum
under the captions “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Business—Our natural gas
transportation, gathering and storage operations are subject to FERC rate-making
policies that could have an adverse impact on our ability to establish rates
that would allow us to recover the full cost of operating our pipelines
including a reasonable return and our ability to service our debt,” “Risk
Factors— Risks Related to Our Business—Our natural gas transportation and
storage operations are subject to extensive regulation by FERC in addition to
FERC rules and regulations related to the rates we can charge for our services,”
“Risk Factors— Risks Related to Our Business—We are subject to laws and
regulations relating to the environment which may expose us to significant
costs, liabilities and loss of revenues. Any change in such regulations or their
applications could negatively affect our results of operations,” “Risk Factors—
Risks Related to Our Business—Pipeline safety integrity programs and repairs may
impose significant costs and liabilities on us,” “Risk Factors— Risks Related to
Our Business—We are subject to strict regulations at many of our facilities
regarding employee safety, and failure to comply with these regulations could
adversely affect our financial condition,” and “Business—Regulatory and
Environmental,” insofar as they refer to statements of law or legal conclusions,
fairly summarize the matters referred to therein in all material respects,
subject to the qualifications and assumptions therein; and
(iii) None of
the offering, issuance and sale by the Company of the Securities and the
application of the proceeds therefrom as described under the caption “Use of
Proceeds” in the Preliminary Memorandum and the Final Memorandum, the execution,
delivery and performance of the Purchase Agreement, the Indenture and the
Securities by the Company, or the consummation of the transactions contemplated
thereby violates or will violate the Natural Gas Act, as amended, or the rules
and regulations promulgated thereunder by the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission.
In
addition, he shall state that he has participated in conferences with officers
and other representatives of the Company, representatives of the independent
registered public accounting firm of the Company and representatives of the
Initial Purchasers, at which the contents of the Disclosure Package and Final
Memorandum and related matters were discussed, and although he did not
independently investigate or verify the information set forth in the Disclosure
Package and Final Memorandum, and he is not passing upon and does not assume any
responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements
contained in the Disclosure Package and Final Memorandum (except to the extent
specified in paragraphs (i) and (ii) above), based on the foregoing (relying as
to factual matters in respect of the determination of materiality to the extent
he deems reasonable and appropriate upon the statements of fact made by officers
and other representatives of the Company), no facts have come to his attention
that have led such counsel to believe that:
(A) the
Final Memorandum, as of its date and as of the Closing Date, contained or
contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state
any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of
the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; or
(B) the
Disclosure Package, as of the Execution Time, contained any untrue statement of
a material fact or omitted to state any material fact necessary in order to make
the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading;
except
that in each case he need express no opinion with respect to the financial
statements and notes and schedules thereto or other related financial,
accounting and statistical data contained in or omitted from the Disclosure
Package or the Final Memorandum or any further amendment or supplement
thereto.
(c) The
Representatives shall have received from Xxxxxxx Xxxxx LLP, counsel for the
Initial Purchasers, such opinion or opinions, dated the Closing Date and
addressed to the Representatives, with respect to the issuance and sale of the
Securities, the Indenture, the Disclosure Package, the Final Memorandum (as
amended or supplemented at the Closing Date) and other related matters as the
Representatives may reasonably require, and the Company shall have furnished to
such counsel such documents as they request for the purpose of enabling them to
pass upon such matters.
(d) The
Company shall have furnished to the Representatives a certificate of the
Company, signed by (x) the President of the Company and (y) the principal
financial or accounting officer of the Company, dated the Closing Date, to the
effect that the signers of such certificate have carefully examined the
Disclosure Package and the Final Memorandum, any supplements or amendments
thereto, and this Agreement and that:
(i) the
representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and
correct on and as of the Closing Date with the same effect as if made on the
Closing Date, and the Company has complied with all the agreements and satisfied
all the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or
prior to the Closing Date; and
(ii) since the
date of the most recent financial statements included in the Disclosure
Package and the Final Memorandum (exclusive of any amendment or supplement
thereto), there has been no material adverse change in the condition (financial
or otherwise), prospects, earnings, business or properties of the Company,
whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business,
except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Final
Memorandum (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto).
(e) At the
Execution Time and on the Closing Date, the Company shall have requested and
caused Deloitte & Touche LLP to furnish to the Representatives letters,
dated as of the Execution Time and as of the Closing Date, respectively, in form
and substance satisfactory to the Representatives and confirming that they are
independent certified public accountants with respect to the Company under Rule
101 of the AICPA’s Code of Professional Conduct and its interpretations and
rulings and stating in effect that:
(i) on the
basis of a reading of the latest unaudited financial statements made available
by the Company; carrying out certain specified procedures (but not an
examination in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards) which
would not necessarily reveal matters of significance with respect to the
comments set forth in such letter; a reading of the minutes of the meetings of
the members, board of directors and committees of the board of directors of the
Company; and inquiries of certain officials of the Company who have
responsibility for financial and accounting matters of the Company as to
transactions and events subsequent to December 31, 2007, nothing came to their
attention which caused them to believe that:
(A) any
unaudited financial statements included in the Preliminary Memorandum or the
Final Memorandum do not comply as to form with generally accepted accounting
principles applied on a basis substantially consistent with that of the audited
financial statements included in the Preliminary
Memorandum and the Final Memorandum; or
(B) with
respect to the period subsequent to December 31, 2007, there were, at a
specified date not more than five days prior to the date of the letter, any
changes in the long-term debt of the Company or decreases in net current assets
or total members’ capital of the Company as compared with the amounts shown on
the December 31, 2007 balance sheet included in the Preliminary Memorandum and
the Final Memorandum, or for the period from January 1, 2008 to such specified
date there were any decreases, as compared with the corresponding period in the
preceding year, in
revenues, operating income or net income of the Company, except in all instances
for changes or decreases set forth in such letter, in which case the letter
shall be accompanied by an explanation by the Company as to the significance
thereof unless said explanation is not deemed necessary by the Representatives;
and
(ii) they have
performed certain other specified procedures as a result of which they
determined that certain information of an accounting, financial or statistical
nature (which is limited to accounting, financial or statistical information
derived from the general accounting records of the Company) set forth in the
Preliminary Memorandum and the Final Memorandum, including the information set
forth under the captions “Summary Historical Financial and Operating Data” and
“Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Results of Operation and Financial
Condition” in the Preliminary Memorandum and the Final Memorandum, agrees with
the accounting records of the Company, excluding any questions of legal
interpretation.
(f) Subsequent
to the Execution Time or, if earlier, the date of the most recent financial
statements included in the Disclosure Package (exclusive of any amendment or
supplement thereto) and the Final Memorandum (exclusive of any amendment or
supplement thereto), there shall not have been (i) any change or decrease
specified in the letter or letters referred to in paragraph (e) of this Section
6; or (ii) any adverse change, or any development involving a prospective
adverse change, in or affecting the condition (financial or otherwise),
prospects, earnings, business or properties of the Company, whether or not
arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as set
forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Final Memorandum
(exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto), the effect of which, in any
case referred to in clause (i) or (ii) above, is, in the judgment of the
Representatives, so material and adverse as to make it impracticable or
inadvisable to proceed with the offering or delivery of the Securities as
contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Final Memorandum (exclusive of
any amendment or supplement thereto).
(g) The
Securities shall be eligible for clearance and settlement through The Depository
Trust Company.
(h) Subsequent
to the Execution Time, there shall not have been any downgrading in the rating
of any debt securities of the Company or any of its Affiliates by any
“nationally recognized statistical rating organization” (as defined for purposes
of Rule 436(g) under the Act) or any notice given of any intended or
potential decrease in any such rating or of a possible change in any such rating
that does not indicate the direction of the possible change.
(i) Prior to
the Closing Date, the Company shall have furnished to the Representatives such
further information, certificates and documents as the Representatives may
reasonably request.
If any of
the conditions specified in this Section 6 shall not have been fulfilled in
all material respects when and as provided in this Agreement, or if any of the
opinions and certificates mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall
not be in all material respects reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to
the Representatives and counsel for the Initial Purchasers, this Agreement and
all obligations of the Initial Purchasers hereunder may be cancelled at, or at
any time prior to, the Closing Date by the Representatives. Notice of
such cancellation shall be given to the Company in writing or by telephone or
facsimile confirmed in writing.
The
documents required to be delivered by this Section 6 will be delivered at
the office of counsel for the Initial Purchasers, at 000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxx., 00xx Xxxxx,
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000, on the Closing Date.
7. Reimbursement of
Expenses. If the sale of the Securities provided for herein is
not consummated because any condition to the obligations of the Initial
Purchasers set forth in Section 6 hereof is not satisfied or because of any
refusal, inability or failure on the part of the Company to perform any
agreement herein or comply with any provision hereof other than by reason of a
default by any of the Initial Purchasers, the Company will reimburse the Initial
Purchasers severally through X. X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc. on demand for all
out-of-pocket expenses (including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel)
that shall have been incurred by them in connection with the proposed purchase
and sale of the Securities.
8. Indemnification and
Contribution.
(a) The
Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Initial Purchaser, its
Affiliates, directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls such
Initial Purchaser within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of
the Exchange Act, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and
liabilities (including, without limitation, legal fees and other expenses
incurred in connection with any suit, action or proceeding or any claim
asserted, as such fees and expenses are incurred), joint or several, that arise
out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a
material fact contained in the Preliminary Memorandum, the Final Memorandum, any
Issuer Written Information or any other written information used by or on behalf
of the Company in connection with the offer or sale of the Securities (or any
amendment or supplement thereto) or any omission or alleged omission to state
therein a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in
the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, in
each case except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities arise
out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue
statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any
information furnished to the Company in writing by such Initial Purchaser
through the Representatives expressly for use therein.
(b) Each
Initial Purchaser agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold
harmless the Company, its directors and officers and each person, if any, who
controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20
of the Exchange Act to the same extent as the indemnity set forth in paragraph
(a) above, but only with respect to any losses, claims, damages or liabilities
that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or
alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity
with any information furnished to the Company in writing by such Initial
Purchaser through the Representatives expressly for use in the Preliminary
Memorandum, the Final Memorandum, any Issuer Written Information or any other
written information used by or on behalf of the Company in connection with the
offer or sale of the Securities (or any amendment or supplement thereto), it
being understood and agreed that: (i) the last paragraph of the cover
page of the Preliminary Memorandum and the Final Memorandum (regarding delivery
of the Securities) and (ii) (A) the
table of Initial Purchasers (including the principal amount of Securities to be
purchased by such Initial Purchasers) and (B) the 7th and 8th paragraphs
(related to stabilization and syndicate covering transactions), in each case
appearing under the heading “Plan of Distribution” in the Preliminary Memorandum
and the Final Memorandum, constitute the only information furnished in writing
by or on behalf of the Initial Purchasers for inclusion in the Preliminary
Memorandum or the Final Memorandum.
(c) If any
suit, action, proceeding (including any governmental or regulatory
investigation), claim or demand shall be brought or asserted against any person
in respect of which indemnification may be sought pursuant to either paragraph
(a) or (b) above, such person (the “Indemnified Person”) shall promptly notify
the person against whom such indemnification may be sought (the “Indemnifying
Person”) in writing; provided that the
failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any
liability that it may have under this Section 8 except to the extent that it has
been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or
defenses) by such failure; and provided, further, that the
failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any
liability that it may have to an Indemnified Person otherwise than under this
Section 8. If any such proceeding shall be brought or asserted
against an Indemnified Person and it shall have notified the Indemnifying Person
thereof, the Indemnifying Person shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to
the Indemnified Person (who shall not, without the consent of the Indemnified
Person, be counsel to the Indemnifying Person) to represent the Indemnified
Person and any others entitled to indemnification pursuant to this Section 8
that the Indemnifying Person may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the
fees and expenses of such proceeding and shall pay the fees and expenses of such
counsel related to such proceeding, as incurred. In any such
proceeding, any Indemnified Person shall have the right to retain its own
counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of
such Indemnified Person unless (i) the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified
Person shall have mutually agreed to the contrary; (ii) the Indemnifying Person
has failed within a reasonable time to retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to
the Indemnified Person; (iii) the Indemnified Person shall have reasonably
concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it that are different
from or in addition to those available to the Indemnifying Person; or (iv) the
named parties in any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include
both the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person and representation of
both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or
potential differing interests between them. It is understood and
agreed that the Indemnifying Person shall not, in connection with any proceeding
or related proceeding in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and
expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for
all Indemnified Persons, and that all such fees and expenses shall be reimbursed
as they are incurred. Any such separate firm for any Initial
Purchaser, its Affiliates, directors and officers and any control persons of
such Initial Purchaser shall be designated in writing by X.X. Xxxxxx Securities
Inc. and any such separate firm for the Company, its directors and officers and
any control persons of the Company shall be designated in writing by the
Company. No Indemnifying Person shall, without the written consent of the
Indemnified Person, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened
proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Person is or could have been a
party and indemnification could have been sought hereunder by such Indemnified
Person, unless such settlement (x) includes an unconditional release of such
Indemnified Person, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such
Indemnified Person, from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of
such proceeding and (y) does not include any statement as to or any admission of
fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any Indemnified
Person. The Indemnifying Person shall not be liable for any
settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent (such consent
not to be unreasonably withheld), but if settled with the consent of the
Indemnifying Person or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff in any
such proceeding, the Indemnifying Person agrees to indemnify and hold harmless
any indemnified party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such
settlement or judgment.
(d) If the
indemnification provided for in paragraphs (a) and (b) above is unavailable to
an Indemnified Person or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages
or liabilities referred to therein, then each Indemnifying Person under such
paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Person thereunder, shall
contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Person as a result
of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) in such proportion as is
appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one
hand and the Initial Purchasers on the other from the offering of the Securities
or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable
law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative
benefits referred to in clause (i) but also the relative fault of the Company on
the one hand and the Initial Purchasers on the other in connection with the
statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or
liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable
considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the
one hand and the Initial Purchasers on the other shall be deemed to be in the
same respective proportions as the net proceeds (before deducting expenses)
received by the Company from the sale of the Securities and the total discounts
and commissions received by the Initial Purchasers in connection therewith, as
provided in this Agreement, bear to the aggregate offering price of the
Securities. The relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the
Initial Purchasers on the other shall be determined by reference to, among other
things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the
omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information
supplied by the Company or by the Initial Purchasers and the parties' relative
intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent
such statement or omission.
(e) The
Company and the
Initial Purchasers agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution
pursuant to this Section 8 were determined by pro rata allocation (even
if the Initial Purchasers were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any
other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable
considerations referred to in paragraph (d) above. The amount paid or
payable by an Indemnified Person as a result of the losses, claims, damages and
liabilities referred to in paragraph (d) above shall be deemed to include,
subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses incurred
by such Indemnified Person in connection with any such action or
claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 8, in no event
shall an Initial Purchaser be required to contribute any amount in excess of the
amount by which the total discounts and commissions received by such Initial
Purchaser with respect to the offering of the Securities exceeds the amount of
any damages that such Initial Purchaser has otherwise been required to pay by
reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged
omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within
the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from
any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent
misrepresentation. The Initial Purchasers' obligations to contribute
pursuant to this Section 8 are several in proportion to their respective
purchase obligations hereunder and not joint.
(f) The
remedies provided for in this Section 8 are not exclusive and shall not limit
any rights or remedies that may otherwise be available to any Indemnified Person
at law or in equity.
9. Default by an Initial
Purchaser. If any one or more Initial Purchasers shall fail to
purchase and pay for any of the Securities agreed to be purchased by such
Initial Purchaser(s) hereunder and such failure to purchase shall constitute a
default in the performance of its or their obligations under this Agreement, the
remaining Initial Purchaser(s) shall be obligated severally to take up and pay
for (in the respective proportions which the principal amount of Securities set
forth opposite their names in Schedule I hereto bears to the aggregate
principal amount of Securities set forth opposite the names of all the remaining
Initial Purchaser(s)) the Securities which the defaulting Initial Purchaser(s)
agreed but failed to purchase; provided, however, that in the
event that the aggregate principal amount of Securities which the defaulting
Initial Purchaser(s) agreed but failed to purchase shall exceed 10% of the
aggregate principal amount of Securities set forth in Schedule I hereto,
the remaining Initial Purchaser(s) shall have the right to purchase all, but
shall not be under any obligation to purchase any, of the Securities, and if
such nondefaulting Initial Purchaser(s) does or do not purchase all the
Securities, this Agreement will terminate without liability to any nondefaulting
Initial Purchaser(s) or the Company. In the event of a default by any
Initial Purchaser as set forth in this Section 9, the Closing Date shall be
postponed for such period, not exceeding five Business Days, as the
Representatives shall determine in order that the required changes in the Final
Memorandum or in any other documents or arrangements may be
effected. Nothing contained in this Agreement shall relieve any
defaulting Initial Purchaser of its liability, if any, to the Company or any
nondefaulting Initial Purchaser for damages occasioned by its default
hereunder.
10. Termination. This
Agreement shall be subject to termination in the absolute discretion of the
Representatives, by notice given to the Company prior to delivery of and payment
for the Securities, if at any time prior to such time (i) trading in
securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange
or the Nasdaq Stock Market shall have been suspended or limited or minimum
prices shall have been established on such exchange; (ii) a banking
moratorium shall have been declared either by U.S. federal or New York State
authorities; or
(iii) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities,
declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war or other
calamity or crisis the effect of which on financial markets is such as to make
it, in the judgment of the Representatives, impracticable or inadvisable to
proceed with the offering or delivery of the Securities as contemplated in the
Disclosure Package and the Final Memorandum (exclusive of any amendment or
supplement thereto).
11. Representations and
Indemnities to Survive. The respective agreements,
representations, warranties, indemnities and other statements of the Company or
its officers and of the Initial Purchasers set forth in or made pursuant to this
Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation
made by or on behalf of the Initial Purchasers or the Company or any of the
indemnified persons referred to in Section 8 hereof, and will survive
delivery of and payment for the Securities. The provisions of
Sections 7 and 8 hereof shall survive the termination or cancellation of
this Agreement.
12. Notices. All
communications hereunder will be in writing and effective only on receipt, and,
if sent to the Representatives, will be mailed, delivered or telefaxed to Credit
Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, Eleven Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx,
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000, (fax: 000-000-0000) Attention: LCD-IBD, X.X. Xxxxxx
Securities Inc., 000 Xxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx
Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000 (phone: 000-000-0000, fax: 000-000-0000); Attention: High
Grade Syndicate Desk, and Wachovia Capital Markets, LLC, 000 Xxxxx Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxx, XX 0000, Xxxxxxxxx, XX 00000 (fax: 000-000-0000), Attention: Xxxxxx X.
Xxxxxx, Managing Director; or, if sent to the Company, will be mailed, delivered
or telefaxed to (000)000-0000 and confirmed to it at
the Company’s address set forth in the Final Memorandum, attention of the Chief
Financial Officer.
13. Successors. This
Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto
and their respective successors and the indemnified persons referred to in
Section 8 hereof and their respective successors, and, except as expressly
set forth in Section 5(k) hereof, no other person will have any right or
obligation hereunder.
14. Jurisdiction. The
Company hereby submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the Federal and
state courts in the Borough of Manhattan in The City of New York in any suit or
proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions
contemplated hereby.
15. Integration. This
Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings (whether written or
oral) between the Company and the Initial Purchasers, or any of them, with
respect to the subject matter hereof.
16. Applicable
Law. This Agreement will be governed by and construed in
accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
17. Waiver of Jury
Trial. The Company hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest
extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any
legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the
transactions contemplated hereby.
18. No Fiduciary
Duty. The Company hereby acknowledges that (a) the purchase
and sale of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement is an arm’s-length
commercial transaction between the Company, on the one hand, and the Initial
Purchasers and any Affiliate through which it may be acting, on the other, (b)
the Initial Purchasers are acting as principal and not as an agent or fiduciary
of the Company and (c) the Company’s engagement of the Initial Purchasers in
connection with the
offering and the process leading up to the offering is as independent
contractors and not in any other capacity. Furthermore, the Company agrees that
it is solely responsible for making its own judgments in connection with the
offering (irrespective of whether any of the Initial Purchasers has advised or
is currently advising the Company on related or other matters). The
Company agrees that it will not claim that the Initial Purchasers have rendered
advisory services of any nature or respect, or owe an agency, fiduciary or
similar duty to the Company, in connection with such transaction or the process
leading thereto.
19. Counterparts. This
Agreement may be signed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall
constitute an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the
same agreement.
20. Headings. The
section headings used herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the
construction hereof.
21. Definitions. The
terms that follow, when used in this Agreement, shall have the meanings
indicated.
“Act”
shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations
of the Commission promulgated thereunder.
“Affiliate”
shall have the meaning specified in Rule 501(b) of
Regulation D.
“Agreement”
shall mean this Purchase Agreement.
“Business
Day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a legal holiday or a
day on which banking institutions or trust companies are authorized or obligated
by law to close in The City of New York.
“Code”
shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
“Commission”
shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Disclosure
Package” shall mean (i) the Preliminary Memorandum, as amended or supplemented
at the Execution Time, (ii) the final term sheet prepared pursuant to Section
5(b) hereto and in the form attached as Schedule III hereto and (iii) any Issuer
Written Information.
“Exchange
Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules
and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.
“Execution
Time” shall mean the date and time that this Agreement is executed and delivered
by the parties hereto.
“Investment
Company Act” shall mean the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the
rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.
“Issuer
Written Information” shall mean any writings in addition to the Preliminary
Memorandum that the parties expressly agree in writing to treat as part of the
Disclosure Package.
“NASD”
shall mean the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.
“Regulation D”
shall mean Regulation D under the Act.
“Regulation S”
shall mean Regulation S under the Act.
“Trust
Indenture Act” shall mean the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and the
rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.
[Signature page
follows]
If the
foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign
and return to us the enclosed duplicate hereof, whereupon this letter and your
acceptance shall represent a binding agreement between the Company and the
several Initial Purchasers.
Very truly yours,
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Texas
Gas Transmission, LLC
|
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By:
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/s/
|
|
Name:
|
|
Title:
|
The
foregoing Agreement is hereby
confirmed
and accepted as of the
date
first above written.
|
Credit
Suisse Securities (USA) LLC
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By:
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/s/
|
|
Name:
|
|
Title:
|
|
X.X. Xxxxxx Securities
Inc.
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By:
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/s/
|
|
Name:
|
|
Title:
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Wachovia
Capital Markets, LLC
By: /s/
|
|
Name:
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Title:
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For
themselves and the other several Initial
Purchasers
named in Schedule I to the
foregoing
Agreement.
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Signature
Page to Purchase Agreement
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SCHEDULE I
Initial Purchasers
|
Principal
Amount of Securities to be Purchased
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Credit
Suisse Securities (USA) LLC
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U.S.$83,334,000
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X.X.
Xxxxxx Securities Inc.
|
U.S.$83,333,000
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Wachovia
Capital Markets, LLC
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U.S.$83,333,000
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Total
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U.S.
250,000,000
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Signature
Page to Purchase Agreement
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SCHEDULE
II
JURISDICTIONS
OF QUALIFICATION
Name
of Entity
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Jurisdiction
of
Formation
|
Jurisdictions
of
Qualification
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Texas
Gas Transmission, LLC
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Delaware
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Louisiana,
Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio and
Illinois
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SCHEDULE
III
Pricing
Term Sheet
March 24,
2008
ISSUER:
Texas Gas Transmission, LLC
SECURITY: 5.50%
Senior Notes Due 2013
SIZE: $250,000,000
MATURITY: April
1, 2013
PRICE TO
PUBLIC: 99.619% ($249,047,500)
PAYMENT
DATES: April 1 and October 1
SPREAD TO
BENCHMARK TREASURY: +295 bps
BENCHMARK
TREASURY: 2.75% due Feb. 28, 2013
BENCHMARK
TREASURY YIELD: 2.638%
MAKE-WHOLE
CALL: T+ 50 bps
EXPECTED
SETTLEMENT DATE: March 27, 2008
CUSIP/ISIN: 000000XX0
/ US882440AT71
JOINT
BOOK RUNNING MANAGERS: Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, X.X. Xxxxxx
Securities Inc., Wachovia Capital Markets, LLC
This
communication is intended for the sole use of the person to whom it is provided
by the sender.
These
securities have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, and may only be sold to qualified institutional buyers pursuant to Rule
144A or pursuant to another applicable exemption from registration.
The
information in this term sheet and the attached Capitalization table, as
adjusted for this offering, supplements the preliminary offering memorandum,
dated March 24, 2008 (the “Preliminary Memorandum”) of Texas Gas Transmission,
LLC (the “Company”) and supersedes the information in the Preliminary Memorandum
to the extent inconsistent with the information in the Preliminary
Memorandum. This term sheet and the attached Capitalization table, as
adjusted for this offering, are qualified in their entirety by reference to the
Preliminary Memorandum. Terms used herein but not defined herein
shall have the respective meanings as set forth in the Preliminary
Memorandum.
ANY
DISCLAIMERS OR OTHER NOTICES THAT MAY APPEAR BELOW ARE NOT APPLICABLE TO THIS
COMMUNICATION AND SHOULD BE DISREGARDED. SUCH DISCLAIMERS OR OTHER
NOTICES WERE AUTOMATICALLY GENERATED AS A RESULT OF THIS COMMUNICATION BEING
SENT VIA BLOOMBERG OR ANOTHER EMAIL SYSTEM.
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