AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER Among ORION ETHANOL, INC. (“Parent”), OEI ACQUISITION SUB, INC. (“Merger Sub”) And GREENHUNTER ENERGY INC. (“GreenHunter”) May 30, 2007
AGREEMENT
AND
PLAN
OF MERGER
Among
ORION
ETHANOL, INC. (“Parent”),
OEI
ACQUISITION SUB, INC. (“Merger Sub”)
And
GREENHUNTER
ENERGY INC. (“GreenHunter”)
May
30, 2007
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
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Page
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ARTICLE
1 DEFINITIONS
|
1
|
|
1.1
|
Defined
Terms
|
1
|
1.2
|
References
and Titles
|
9
|
ARTICLE
2 THE
MERGER
|
10
|
|
2.1
|
The
Merger
|
10
|
2.2
|
Effect
of the Merger
|
10
|
2.3
|
Governing
Instruments, Directors and Officers of the Surviving
Corporation
|
10
|
2.4
|
Effect
on Securities
|
11
|
2.5
|
Exchange
of Certificates
|
13
|
2.6
|
Closing
|
17
|
2.7
|
Effective
Time of the Merger
|
17
|
2.8
|
Taking
of Necessary Action; Further Action
|
17
|
2.9
|
Plan
of Reorganization
|
17
|
2.10
|
Required
Withholding
|
17
|
ARTICLE
3 REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF GREENHUNTER
|
17
|
|
3.1
|
Organization
|
17
|
3.2
|
Other
Equity Interests
|
18
|
3.3
|
Authority
and Enforceability
|
18
|
3.4
|
No
Violations
|
18
|
3.5
|
Consents
and Approvals
|
19
|
3.6
|
Financial
Statements
|
19
|
3.7
|
Capital
Structure
|
19
|
3.8
|
No
Undisclosed Liabilities
|
21
|
3.9
|
Absence
of Certain Changes or Events
|
21
|
3.10
|
Compliance
with Laws, Material Agreements and Permits
|
23
|
3.11
|
Governmental
Regulation
|
24
|
3.12
|
Litigation
|
24
|
3.13
|
No
Restrictions
|
24
|
3.14
|
Tax
Audits and Settlements
|
24
|
3.15
|
Taxes
|
24
|
-i-
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
(continued)
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Page
|
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3.16
|
Employee
Benefit Plans
|
26
|
3.17
|
Employment
Contracts and Benefits
|
27
|
3.18
|
Labor
Matters
|
27
|
3.19
|
Accounts
Receivable
|
28
|
3.20
|
Insurance
|
28
|
3.21
|
Intellectual
Property
|
28
|
3.22
|
Environmental
Matters
|
29
|
3.23
|
Books
and Records
|
30
|
3.24
|
Brokers
|
30
|
3.25
|
Vote
Required
|
30
|
3.26
|
State
Takeover Laws
|
30
|
2.27
|
Non-Competition
Agreements
|
30
|
2.28
|
SEC
Filings
|
31
|
3.29
|
Fairness
Opinion
|
31
|
3.30
|
Voting
Agreement
|
31
|
3.31
|
Reorganization
|
31
|
3.32
|
Disclosure
|
31
|
ARTICLE
4 REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF PARENT AND MERGER SUB
|
31
|
|
4.1
|
Organization
|
31
|
4.2
|
Other
Equity Interests
|
31
|
4.3
|
Authority
and Enforceability
|
32
|
4.4
|
No
Violations
|
32
|
4.5
|
Consents
and Approvals
|
32
|
4.6
|
SEC
Documents
|
33
|
4.7
|
Financial
Statements
|
33
|
4.8
|
Capital
Structure
|
34
|
4.9
|
No
Undisclosed Liabilities
|
35
|
4.10
|
Absence
of Certain Changes or Events
|
35
|
4.11
|
Compliance
with Laws, Material Agreements and Permits
|
37
|
4.12
|
Governmental
Regulation
|
38
|
4.13
|
Litigation
|
38
|
-ii-
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
(continued)
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Page
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4.14
|
Interim
Operations of Merger Sub
|
38
|
4.15
|
No
Restrictions
|
38
|
4.16
|
Tax
Audits and Settlements
|
38
|
4.17
|
Taxes
|
39
|
4.18
|
Employee
Benefit Plans
|
40
|
4.19
|
Employment
Contracts and Benefits
|
43
|
4.20
|
Labor
Matters
|
43
|
4.21
|
Accounts
Receivable
|
43
|
4.22
|
Insurance
|
43
|
4.23
|
Intellectual
Property
|
44
|
4.24
|
Environmental
Matters
|
44
|
4.25
|
Books
and Records
|
45
|
4.26
|
Brokers
|
46
|
4.27
|
Vote
Required
|
46
|
4.28
|
State
Takeover Laws
|
46
|
4.29
|
Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx
|
46
|
4.30
|
Related
Party Transactions
|
46
|
4.31
|
Certain
Business Practices
|
46
|
4.32
|
Voting
Agreement
|
47
|
4.33
|
Reorganization
|
47
|
4.34
|
Disclosure
|
47
|
ARTICLE
5 COVENANTS
|
47
|
|
5.1
|
Conduct
of Business by Parent Pending Closing
|
47
|
5.2
|
Conduct
of Business by GreenHunter Pending Closing
|
50
|
5.3
|
Access
to Assets, Personnel and Information.
|
54
|
5.4
|
No
Solicitation.
|
57
|
5.5
|
GreenHunter
Stockholders Meeting
|
58
|
5.6
|
Parent
Stockholders Meeting
|
58
|
5.7
|
Registration
Statement and Proxy Statement/Prospectus
|
59
|
5.8
|
OTCBB
Notification
|
60
|
5.9
|
Additional
Arrangements
|
61
|
5.10
|
Agreements
of Affiliates
|
61
|
-iii-
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
(continued)
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Page
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5.11
|
Public
Announcements
|
61
|
5.12
|
Notification
of Certain Matters
|
62
|
5.13
|
Payment
of Expenses
|
61
|
5.14
|
Indemnification
and Insurance
|
62
|
5.15
|
Parent
Board of Directors
|
63
|
5.16
|
Registration
Statements Relating to GreenHunter Warrants
|
64
|
5.17
|
Voting
Agreement of Certain Stockholders of GreenHunter
|
64
|
5.18
|
Parent
Officers
|
65
|
5.19
|
Surviving
Corporation’s Directors and Officers
|
65
|
5.20
|
Waiver
of Events of Default Under Note Held by Investment Hunter
LLC
|
65
|
5.21
|
Assignment
of Power Purchase Agreement
|
65
|
5.22
|
Waiver
and Consent of GreenHunter Preferred Stock
|
66
|
5.23
|
Amendment
to Parent Convertible Senior Notes
|
65
|
ARTICLE
6 CONDITIONS
|
66
|
|
6.1
|
Conditions
to Each Party’s Obligation to Effect the Merger
|
66
|
6.2
|
Conditions
to Obligations of Parent and Merger Sub
|
67
|
6.3
|
Conditions
to Obligation of GreenHunter
|
68
|
ARTICLE
7 TERMINATION
|
69
|
|
7.1
|
Termination
Rights
|
69
|
7.2
|
Effect
of Termination
|
70
|
ARTICLE
8 MISCELLANEOUS
|
70
|
|
8.1
|
Nonsurvival
of Representations and Warranties
|
70
|
8.2
|
Amendment
|
71
|
8.3
|
Notices
|
71
|
8.4
|
Counterparts
|
72
|
8.5
|
Severability
|
73
|
8.6
|
Entire
Agreement; No Third Party Beneficiaries
|
73
|
8.7
|
Applicable
Law
|
72
|
8.8
|
No
Remedy in Certain Circumstances
|
72
|
8.9
|
Assignment
|
73
|
8.10
|
Waivers
|
73
|
8.11
|
Confidentiality
Agreement
|
74
|
8.12
|
Incorporation
|
74
|
-iv-
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
(continued)
EXHIBITS
Exhibit
A
- Form of Certificate of Designation
Exhibit
B
- Investment Hunter
LLC
Voting Agreement
Exhibit
C
- SNB
Associates, LLC Voting Agreement
Exhibit
5.10 - Form
of
Affiliate Agreement
GREENHUNTER
DISCLOSURE SCHEDULES
3.2
|
Other
Equity Interests
|
3.8
|
No
Undisclosed Liabilities
|
3.9
|
Absence
of Certain Changes or Events
|
3.13
|
No
Restrictions
|
3.15
|
Taxes
|
3.16
|
Employee
Benefit Plans
|
3.17
|
Employment
Contracts and Benefits
|
3.20
|
Insurance
|
3.22
|
Environmental
Matters
|
3.27
|
Non-Competition
Agreements
|
5.2(c)
|
Conduct
of Business by GreenHunter Pending Closing
|
5.2(d)
|
Conduct
of Business by GreenHunter Pending
Closing
|
PARENT
DISCLOSURE SCHEDULES
Other
Equity Interests
|
|
4.8
|
Capital
Structure
|
4.9
|
No
Undisclosed Liabilities
|
4.10
|
Absence
of Certain Changes or Events
|
4.13
|
Litigation
|
4.15
|
No
Restrictions
|
4.16
|
Tax
Audits and Settlements
|
4.17
|
Taxes
|
4.18
|
Employee
Benefit Plans
|
4.19
|
Employment
Contracts and Benefits
|
4.21
|
Accounts
Receivable
|
4.22
|
Insurance
|
4.24
|
Environmental
Matters
|
Certain
Business Practices
|
|
5.1
|
Conduct
of Business by Parent Pending
Closing
|
-v-
AGREEMENT
AND PLAN OF MERGER
This
Agreement and Plan of Merger (this “Agreement”)
is
made and entered into as of the 30th day of May, 2007, by and among
Orion Ethanol, Inc., a Nevada corporation (“Parent”);
OEI
Acquisition Sub, Inc., a Delaware Corporation
(“Merger
Sub”);
and
GreenHunter Energy Inc., a Delaware corporation (“GreenHunter”).
Recitals
A. The
board
of directors of each of Parent and GreenHunter has determined that it is
in the
best interests of its respective stockholders to approve the strategic alliance
of Parent and GreenHunter by means of the merger of Merger Sub with and into
GreenHunter upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this
Agreement.
B. For
federal income tax purposes, it is intended that such merger qualify as a
“reorganization” within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986, as amended.
C. Parent,
Merger Sub and GreenHunter (the “Parties”)
desire
to make certain representations, warranties, covenants and agreements in
connection with such merger and also to prescribe various conditions to such
merger.
NOW,
THEREFORE, for and in consideration of the recitals and the mutual covenants
and
agreements set forth in this Agreement, the Parties agree as
follows:
ARTICLE
1
DEFINITIONS
1.1 Defined
Terms.
As used
in this Agreement, each of the following terms has the meaning set forth
below:
“Affiliate”
means,
with respect to any Person, each other Person that directly or indirectly
(through one or more intermediaries or otherwise) controls, is controlled
by, or
is under common control with such Person. The term “control”
(including the terms “controlled
by”
and
“under
common control with”)
means
the possession, directly or indirectly, of the actual power to direct or
cause
the direction of the management policies of a Person, whether through the
ownership of stock, by contract, credit arrangement or otherwise.
“Agreement”
means
this Agreement and Plan of Merger, as amended, supplemented or modified from
time to time.
“Alternative
Proposal”
has
the
meaning specified in Section 5.4(b).
“Approved
GreenHunter Budgets”
has
the
meaning specified in Section 5.2(h)(2).
“Approved
Parent Budgets”
has
the
meaning specified in Section 5.2(h)(1).
-1-
“Capital
Expenditures”
means
costs and expenses associated with the acquisition, development or redevelopment
of any fixed or capital assets of the GreenHunter Companies or Parent Companies,
as applicable, which pursuant to GAAP are required to be
capitalized.
“Capital
Project”
means
any project, transaction, agreement, arrangement or series of transactions,
agreements or arrangements to which a Person is a party involving a Capital
Expenditure.
“CERCLA”
means
the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act
of
1980, as amended, and any regulations promulgated thereunder.
“CERCLIS”
means
the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Information
System List.
“Certificate
of Merger”
means
the certificate of merger, prepared and executed in accordance with the
applicable provisions of the DGCL, filed with the Secretary of State of Delaware
to effect the Merger in Delaware.
“Claim”
has
the
meaning specified in Section 5.14(b).
“Closing”
means
the closing of the Merger and the consummation of the other transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.
“Closing
Date”
means
the date on which the Closing occurs, which date shall be the first business
day
following the day on which both the GreenHunter Meeting and the Parent Meeting
have been held (or such later date as is agreed upon by the Parties)
and all
conditions to Closing set forth in Article 6 have been satisfied or properly
waived by the applicable Party(ies).
“Code”
means
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
“Confidentiality
Agreement”
means
the letter agreement dated March 6, 2007, between GreenHunter and Parent
relating to GreenHunter’s furnishing of information to Parent and Parent’s
furnishing of information to GreenHunter in connection with Parent’s and
GreenHunter’s evaluation of the possibility of the Merger.
“Conversion
Number”
means
2.09925.
“DGCL”
means
the Delaware General Corporation Law.
“Defensible
Title”
means
such right, title and interest that is (a) evidenced by an instrument or
instruments filed of record in accordance with the conveyance and recording
laws
of the applicable jurisdiction to the extent necessary to prevail against
competing claims of bona fide purchasers for value without notice, and (b)
subject to Permitted Encumbrances, free and clear of all Liens, claims,
infringements, burdens and other defects.
“Direct
Capital Engagement Letter” has
the
meaning specified in Section 5.2(j).
-2-
“Disclosure
Schedule”
means,
as applicable, the GreenHunter
Disclosure Schedule
or the
Parent
Disclosure Schedule.
“Dissenting
Stockholder”
means
a
holder of GreenHunter Common Stock or GreenHunter Preferred Stock who has
validly perfected appraisal rights under Section 262 of the DGCL.
“ERISA”
means
the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended.
“Effective
Time”
has
the
meaning specified in Section 2.7.
“Environmental
Law”
means
any federal, state, local or foreign statute, code, ordinance, rule, regulation,
policy, guideline, permit, consent, approval, license, judgment, order, writ,
decree, common law, injunction or other authorization (collectively,
“Laws”)
in
effect on the date hereof or at a previous time applicable to the operations
of
the GreenHunter Companies or the Parent Companies, as applicable: (a) relating
to emissions, discharges, releases or threatened releases of Hazardous Materials
into the environment, including into ambient air, soil, sediments, land surface
or subsurface, buildings or facilities, surface water, groundwater,
publicly-owned treatment works, septic systems or land; (b) relating to the
generation, treatment, storage, disposal, use, handling, manufacturing,
recycling, transportation or shipment of Hazardous Materials; (c) relating
to
occupational health and safety; or (d) otherwise relating to the pollution
of
the environment, solid waste handling, treatment or disposal, reclamation
or
remediation activities, or protection of environmentally sensitive
areas.
“Exchange
Agent”
means
Securities Transfer Corporation, the transfer agent for shares of Parent
Common
Stock.
“Exchange
Act”
means
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
“Exchange
Fund”
has
the
meaning specified in Section 2.5(a).
“FIRPTA
Certificate” has
the
meaning specified in Section 2.5(b).
“GAAP”
means
generally accepted accounting principles, as recognized by the U.S. Financial
Accounting Standards Board (or any generally recognized successor).
“Governmental
Action”
means
any authorization, application, approval, consent, exemption, filing, license,
notice, registration, permit or other requirement of, to or with any
Governmental Authority.
“Governmental
Authority”
means
any national, state, county, parish or municipal government, domestic or
foreign, any agency, board, bureau, commission court, department or other
instrumentality of any such government, or any arbitrator in any case that
has
jurisdiction over any of the GreenHunter Companies or the Parent Companies
or
any of their respective properties or assets.
“GreenHunter”
has
the
meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph hereof.
-3-
“GreenHunter
Capital Stock” means
GreenHunter Common Stock and GreenHunter Preferred Stock.
“GreenHunter
Certificate”
means
a
certificate representing shares of GreenHunter Capital Stock.
“GreenHunter
Common Stock”
means
the common stock, par value $.001 per share, of GreenHunter.
“GreenHunter
Companies”
means
GreenHunter and each of the GreenHunter Subsidiaries.
“GreenHunter
Disclosure Schedule”
means
the GreenHunter
Disclosure Schedule
attached
hereto and any documents listed on such GreenHunter
Disclosure Schedule
or
expressly incorporated therein by reference.
“GreenHunter
Financial Statements”
means
the audited consolidated financial statements of GreenHunter and its
subsidiaries (including the related notes) for the year ended December 31,
2006,
as well as unaudited consolidated financial statements of GreenHunter and
the
GreenHunter Subsidiaries (including related notes) for the quarter ended
March
31, 2007.
“GreenHunter
Material Agreement(s)”
means
(a) any agreement, contract, commitment or understanding, written or oral,
granting any Person registration, purchase or sale rights with respect to
any
security of any GreenHunter Company, (b) any agreement, contract, commitment
or
understanding, written or oral, granting any Person a right of indemnification
and/or contribution by any GreenHunter Company, (c) any voting agreement
relating to any security of any GreenHunter Company, and/or (d) any other
written or oral agreement, contract, commitment or understanding to which
any of
the GreenHunter Companies is a party, by which any of the GreenHunter Companies
is directly or indirectly bound, or to which any asset of any of the GreenHunter
Companies may be subject, outside the ordinary course of business of any
of the
GreenHunter Companies, in each case as amended and supplemented.
“GreenHunter
Meeting”
means
the meeting of the stockholders of GreenHunter called for the purpose of
voting
on the GreenHunter Proposal or any adjournment thereof.
“GreenHunter
Permits”
has
the
meaning specified in Section 3.10.
“GreenHunter
Preferred Stock”
means
the preferred stock, par value $.001 per share, of GreenHunter.
“GreenHunter
Preferred Stockholder Waiver and Consent”
has
the
meaning specified in Section 5.22.
“GreenHunter
Proposal”
means
the proposal to approve this Agreement, the Merger and actions related thereto
as contemplated herein, which proposal is to be presented to the stockholders
of
GreenHunter and Parent in the Proxy Statement/Prospectus.
-4-
“GreenHunter
Representative”
means
any director, officer, employee, agent, advisor (including legal, accounting
and
financial advisors) or other representative of any of the GreenHunter
Companies.
“GreenHunter
Stock Option”
means
an option (issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time)
to
acquire shares of GreenHunter Common Stock granted pursuant to the GreenHunter
Stock Option Plan.
“GreenHunter
Subsidiary(ies)”
means
those entities identified as wholly owned subsidiaries of GreenHunter on
the
GreenHunter
Disclosure Schedule.
“GreenHunter
Warrant”
means
a
common stock purchase warrant (issued and outstanding on the date hereof
and at
the Effective Time) representing the right to purchase shares of GreenHunter
Common Stock.
“HSR
Act”
means
the Xxxx-Xxxxx-Xxxxxx Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as
amended.
“Hazardous
Material”
means
(a) any “hazardous substance,” as defined by CERCLA; (b) any “hazardous waste”
or “solid waste,” in either case as defined by RCRA; (c) any solid, hazardous,
dangerous or toxic chemical, material, waste or substance, within the meaning
of
and regulated by any Environmental Law; (d) any radioactive material, excluding
any naturally occurring radioactive material, and any source, special or
byproduct material as defined in 42 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.; (e) any
asbestos-containing materials in any form or condition; (f) any polychlorinated
biphenyls in any form or condition; or (g) petroleum, petroleum hydrocarbons,
petroleum products or any fraction or byproducts thereof.
“Indemnified
Parties”
has
the
meaning specified in Section 5.14(b).
“Independent
Investors”
has
the
meaning specified in Section 5.17.
“Investment
Hunter Waiver”
has
the
meaning specified in Section 5.20.
“Lien”
means
any lien, mortgage, security interest, pledge, deposit, production payment,
restriction, burden, encumbrance, rights of a vendor under any title retention
or conditional sale agreement, or lease or other arrangement substantially
equivalent thereto.
“Lock
Up Waiver”
has
the
meaning specified in Section 5.22(c).
“Market
Price”
means
the average (rounded to the second decimal place) of the per share closing
sales
prices of the Parent Common Stock on the OTC
Bulletin Board
(as
reported by an authoritative source) over the 20 trading days ending on the
fourth trading day preceding the Closing Date.
“Material
Adverse Effect”
means:
(a) when used with respect to GreenHunter, a result or consequence that would
reasonably be expected to materially adversely affect the condition (financial
or otherwise), results of operations or business of the GreenHunter Companies
(taken as a whole) or the aggregate value of their assets, except for results
or
consequences attributable to the effects of, or changes in, general economic
or
capital markets conditions or effects and changes that generally affect the
renewable energy industry, such as commodity prices; and (b) when used with
respect to Parent, a result or consequence that would reasonably be expected
to
materially adversely affect the condition (financial or otherwise), results
of
operations or business of the Parent Companies (taken as a whole) or the
aggregate value of their assets, except for results or consequences attributable
to the effects of, or changes in, general economic or capital markets conditions
or effects and changes that generally affect the ethanol industry, such as
commodity prices.
-5-
“Materially
Adverse Provision”
has
the
meaning specified in Section 5.2(j).
“Merger”
has
the
meaning specified in Section 2.1.
“Merger
Sub”
means
OEI
Acquisition Sub, Inc., a Delaware corporation
and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Parent.
“Merger
Sub Common Stock”
means
the common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of Merger Sub.
“NGCL”
means
the General Corporation Law of Nevada.
“Parent”
has
the
meaning specified in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement.
“Parent
Benefit Program or Agreement”
has
the
meaning specified in Section 4.18(a).
“Parent
Bank Credit Agreements”
means
(a) the Gateway Ethanol, LLC senior debt payable to Xxxxxxxxx Funding, (b)
Gateway Ethanol, LLC Tax Increment Financing payable to Xxxxxxxxx funding,
(c)
Gateway Ethanol, LLC subordinated debt payable to Lurgi, PSI, (d) Gateway
Ethanol, LLC Working Capital agreement funded through Noble Americas and
(e) the
senior convertible debt of Orion Ethanol, Inc.
“Parent
Certificate”
means
a
certificate representing shares of Parent Common Stock.
“Parent
Certificate of Designation” means
that certain certificate of designation, substantially in the form attached
hereto as Exhibit
A,
which
shall be adopted by Parent and designate the number, rights, preferences
and
privileges of Parent Preferred Stock, known as “2007 Series A 8% Convertible
Preferred Stock”, pursuant to Section 2.4(c)(v).
“Parent
Charter Amendment”
means
the amendment of the Articles of Incorporation of Parent to increase the
number
of shares of Parent Common Stock from 100,000,000 to 200,000,000, as
contemplated by the Parent Proposal and this Agreement.
“Parent
Common Stock”
means
the common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of Parent.
“Parent
Companies”
means
Parent and each of the Parent Subsidiaries.
-6-
“Parent
Convertible Senior Notes”
means
the $12,430,000 aggregate principal amount of convertible senior notes issued
by
the Parent on November 3, 2006.
“Parent
Disclosure Schedule”
means
the Parent
Disclosure Schedule
attached
hereto and any documents listed on such Parent
Disclosure Schedule
or
expressly incorporated therein by reference.
“Parent
Employee Benefit Plans”
has
the
meaning specified in Section 4.18(a).
“Parent
ERISA Affiliate”
has
the
meaning specified in Section 4.18(a).
“Parent
Financial Statements”
means
the audited and unaudited consolidated financial statements of Parent and
its
subsidiaries (including the related notes) included (or incorporated by
reference) in Parent’s Annual Report on Form 10-KSB for the year ended December
31, 2006, as filed with the SEC, as well as the unaudited consolidated financial
statements of Parent and its subsidiaries (including the related notes) included
in Parent’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-QSB for the quarter ended March 31,
2007, as filed with the SEC.
“Parent
Material Agreement(s)”
means
(a) the Parent Bank Credit Agreements, (b) any hedging agreement to which
any of
the Parent Companies is a party or by which any of its assets is bound, (c)
any
agreement, contract, commitment or understanding, written or oral, granting
any
Person registration, purchase or sale rights with respect to any security
of any
Parent Company, (d) any agreement, contract, commitment or understanding,
written or oral, granting any Person a right of indemnification and/or
contribution by any Parent Company, (e) any voting agreement relating to
any
security of any Parent Company, and/or (f) any other written or oral agreement,
contract, commitment or understanding to which any of the Parent Companies
is a
party, by which any of the Parent Companies is directly or indirectly bound,
or
to which any asset of any of the Parent Companies may be subject, outside
the
ordinary course of business of the Parent Companies, in each case as amended
or
supplemented.
“Parent
Meeting”
means
the meeting of the stockholders of Parent called for the purpose of voting
on
the Parent Proposal, or any adjournment thereof.
“Parent
Permits”
has
the
meaning specified in Section 4.11.
“Parent
Plan”
has
the
meaning specified in Section 4.18(a).
“Parent
Preferred Stock”
means
the preferred stock, par value $.001 per share, of Parent.
“Parent
Proposal” means
the
proposal to amend the Articles of Incorporation of Parent in order to permit
Parent to issue shares of Parent Common Stock and Parent Preferred Stock
pursuant to this Agreement, which proposal is to be presented to the
stockholders of Parent pursuant to the Proxy Statement/Prospectus.
“Parent
Representative”
means
any director, officer, employee, agent, advisor (including legal, accounting
and
financial advisors) or other representative of Parent or its
subsidiaries.
-7-
“Parent
SEC Documents”
has
the
meaning specified in Section 4.6.
“Parent
Subsidiary(ies)”
means
those entities identified as wholly owned subsidiaries of Parent on the
Parent
Disclosure Schedule.
“Parties”
has
the
meaning specified in the Recitals to this Agreement.
“Permitted
Encumbrances”
means:
(a) Liens for Taxes, assessments or other governmental charges or levies
if the
same shall not at the particular time in question be due and delinquent or
(if
foreclosure, distraint, sale or other similar proceedings shall not have
been
commenced or, if commenced, shall have been stayed) are being contested in
good
faith by appropriate proceedings, provided that appropriate and adequate
reserves with respect thereto have been established and maintained in accordance
with GAAP; (b) Liens of carriers, warehousemen, mechanics, laborers,
materialmen, landlords, vendors, workmen and operators arising by operation
of
law in the ordinary course of business or by a written agreement existing
as of
the date hereof and necessary or incident to the renewable energy business
and
ethanol business of the GreenHunter Companies and the Parent Companies,
respectively, and related facilities and assets for sums not yet due or being
contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings, if any of the GreenHunter
Companies or the Parent Companies, as applicable, shall have set aside on
its
books such reserves (segregated to the extent required by sound accounting
practices) as may be required by or consistent with GAAP and, whether reserves
are set aside or not, are listed on the applicable Disclosure
Schedule,
to the
extent that such are in existence as of the date hereof; (c) Liens incurred
in
the ordinary course of business in connection with workers’ compensation,
unemployment insurance and other social security legislation (other than
ERISA)
which would not and will not, individually or in the aggregate, result in
a
Material Adverse Effect on the GreenHunter Companies or the Parent Companies,
as
applicable; (d) Liens incurred in the ordinary course of business to secure
the
performance of bids, tenders, trade contracts, leases, statutory obligations,
surety and appeal bonds, performance and repayment bonds and other obligations
of a like nature which would not and will not, individually or in the aggregate,
result in a Material Adverse Effect on the GreenHunter Companies or the Parent
Companies, as applicable; (e) Liens, easements, rights-of-way, restrictions,
servitudes, permits, conditions, covenants, exceptions, reservations and
other
similar encumbrances incurred in the ordinary course of business or existing
on-property and not materially impairing the value of the assets of any of
the
GreenHunter Companies or any of the Parent Companies, as applicable, or
interfering with the ordinary conduct of the business of any of the GreenHunter
Companies or any of the Parent Companies, as applicable, or rights to any
of
their assets; (f) all rights to consent by, required notices to, filings
with,
or other actions by Governmental Authorities to the extent customarily obtained
subsequent to closing; (g) any defects, irregularities or deficiencies in
title
to easements, rights-of-way or other surface use agreements that do not
materially adversely affect the value of any asset of any of the GreenHunter
Companies or any of the Parent Companies, as applicable, by an amount in
excess
of $25,000, individually, or $75,000
in the aggregate; (h) as applicable to the Parent Companies, Liens arising
under
or created pursuant to the Parent Bank Credit Agreements;
(i)
Liens described on the applicable Disclosure
Schedule;
and (j)
defects in title assumed or waived in the ordinary course of business which
would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse
Effect
on the GreenHunter Companies or the Parent Companies, as
applicable.
-8-
“Person”
means
any natural person, corporation, company, limited or general partnership,
joint
stock company, joint venture, association, limited liability company, trust,
bank, trust company, land trust, business trust or other entity or organization,
whether or not a Governmental Authority.
“Proxy
Statement/Prospectus”
means
a
joint proxy statement in definitive form relating to the GreenHunter Meeting
and
the Parent Meeting, which proxy statement will be included in the prospectus
contained in the Registration Statement.
“Registration
Statement”
means
the Registration Statement on Form S-4 to be filed by Parent in connection
with
the issuance of Parent Common Stock pursuant to the Merger.
“SEC”
means
the Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Securities
Act”
means
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
“SoCal
Consent”
has
the
meaning specified in Section 5.21.
“Superior
Proposal”
has
the
meaning specified in Section 5.4(d).
“Surviving
Corporation”
has
the
meaning specified in Section 2.2.
“Tax
Returns”
has
the
meaning specified in Section 3.15(a).
“Taxes”
means
all taxes of any kind, levies or other like assessments, customs, duties,
imposts, charges or fees, including income, gross receipts, ad valorem, value
added, excise, real or personal property, asset, sales, use, federal royalty,
license, payroll, transaction, capital, net worth and franchise taxes, estimated
taxes, withholding, employment, social security, workers’ compensation, utility,
severance, production, unemployment compensation, occupation, premium, windfall
profits, transfer and gains taxes and other governmental taxes imposed or
payable to the United States or any state, local or foreign governmental
subdivision or agency thereof, and in each instance such term shall include
any
interest, penalties or additions to tax attributable to any such tax, including
penalties for the failure to file any Tax Return or report, and shall also
include all transferee, successor, joint and several, contractual or other
liability (including liability arising by operation of law or pursuant to
Treasury Regulation Section 1.1502-6 (or any similar foreign, state or local
provision)) in respect of any of the items described above.
“Third-Party
Consent”
means
the consent or approval of any Person other than any of the GreenHunter
Companies, any of the Parent Companies or any Governmental
Authority.
“West
LB Engagement Letter”
has
the
meaning specified in Section 5.2(j).
1.2 References
and Titles.
All
references in this Agreement to Exhibits, Schedules, Articles, Sections,
subsections and other subdivisions refer to the corresponding Exhibits,
Schedules, Articles, Sections, subsections and other subdivisions of or to
this
Agreement unless expressly provided otherwise. Titles appearing at the beginning
of any Articles, Sections, subsections or other subdivisions of this Agreement
are for convenience only, do not constitute any part of this Agreement, and
shall be disregarded in construing the language hereof. The words “this
Agreement,”
“herein,”
“hereby,”
“hereunder”
and
“hereof,”
and
words of similar import, refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any
particular subdivision unless expressly so limited. The words “this
Article,”
“this
Section”
and
“this
subsection,”
and
words of similar import, refer only to the Article, Section or subsection
hereof
in which such words occur. The word “or” is not exclusive, and the word
“including”
(in
its
various forms) means including without limitation. Pronouns in masculine,
feminine or neuter genders shall be construed to state and include any other
gender, and words, terms and titles (including terms defined herein) in the
singular form shall be construed to include the plural and vice versa, unless
the context otherwise requires.
-9-
As
used
in the representations and warranties contained in this Agreement, the phrase
“to
the knowledge”
of
the
representing Party shall mean that responsible officers of such Party,
individually or collectively, either (a) know that the matter being represented
and warranted is true and accurate or (b) have no reason, after reasonable
inquiry, to believe that the matter being represented and warranted is not
true
and accurate.
ARTICLE
2
THE
MERGER
2.1 The
Merger.
Subject
to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, at the Effective
Time,
Merger Sub shall be merged with and into GreenHunter in accordance with the
provisions of this Agreement. Such merger is referred to herein as the
“Merger.”
2.2 Effect
of the Merger.
Upon
the effectiveness of the Merger, the separate existence of Merger Sub shall
cease and GreenHunter, as the surviving corporation in the Merger (the
“Surviving
Corporation”),
shall
continue its corporate existence under the laws of the State of Delaware,
as the
wholly-owned subsidiary of Parent. The Merger shall have the effects specified
in this Agreement and the DGCL
2.3 Governing
Instruments, Directors and Officers of the Surviving
Corporation.
(a) The
certificate
of incorporation of GreenHunter, as in effect immediately prior to the Effective
Time, shall be the certificate of incorporation of the Surviving Corporation
until duly amended in accordance with its terms
and
applicable law.
(b) The
bylaws of GreenHunter, as in effect immediately prior to the Effective Time,
shall be the bylaws of the Surviving Corporation until duly amended in
accordance with their terms and applicable law.
(c) The
directors and officers of Merger Sub immediately prior to the Effective Time
shall be the directors and officers, respectively, of the Surviving Corporation
from the Effective Time until their respective successors have been duly
elected
or appointed in accordance with the certificate of incorporation and by-laws
of
the Surviving Corporation and applicable law, and as required by this
Agreement.
-10-
2.4 Effect
on Securities.
(a) Conversion
of Merger Sub Stock.
At the
Effective Time, by virtue of the Merger and without any action on the part
of
any holder thereof, each share of Merger Sub Common Stock outstanding
immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be converted into and exchangeable
for one share of common stock of the Surviving Corporation and each certificate
evidencing ownership of any such shares shall continue to evidence ownership
of
the same number of shares of the capital stock of the Surviving
Corporation.
(b) Parent
Capital Stock.
At the
Effective Time, each share of Parent capital stock then issued and outstanding
shall remain issued, outstanding and unchanged.
(c) GreenHunter
Securities.
(i) Conversion
of GreenHunter Common Stock.
At the
Effective Time, by virtue of the Merger and without any action on the part
of
any holder thereof (but subject to the provisions of Section 2.5(e)), each
share
of GreenHunter Common Stock that is issued and outstanding immediately prior
to
the Effective Time (other than shares of GreenHunter Common Stock held by
Dissenting Stockholders) shall be converted into the right to receive shares
of
validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable Parent Common Stock, with each
such
share of GreenHunter Common Stock being converted into that number of shares
of
Parent Common Stock equal to the Conversion Number. Each share of GreenHunter
Common Stock, when so converted, shall automatically be cancelled and retired,
shall cease to exist and shall no longer be outstanding; and the holder of
any
certificate representing any such shares shall cease to have any rights with
respect thereto, except the right to receive the shares of Parent Common
Stock
to be issued in exchange therefor (along with any cash in lieu of fractional
shares of Parent Common Stock as provided in Section 2.5(e) and/any unpaid
dividends and distributions with respect to such shares of Parent Common
Stock
as provided in Section 2.5(c)), without interest, upon the surrender of such
certificate in accordance with Section 2.5.
(ii) GreenHunter
Treasury Stock.
At the
Effective Time, by virtue of the Merger, all shares of GreenHunter Capital
Stock
that are issued and held as treasury stock shall be cancelled and retired
and
shall cease to exist, and no shares of Parent Common Stock or other
consideration shall be paid or payable in exchange therefor.
(iii) GreenHunter
Stock Options.
The
Parties acknowledge that each GreenHunter Stock Option shall be or become
fully
vested prior to the Effective Time. If this Agreement is terminated, all
GreenHunter Stock Options that were otherwise unvested shall return to their
original status. At the Effective Time, by virtue of the Merger and without
any
action on the part of the holder thereof, each GreenHunter Stock Option shall
be
assumed by Parent as options to purchase Parent Common Stock under a new
or
existing stock option plan of Parent and shall be exercisable on the same
terms
and conditions as apply immediately prior to the Effective Time, except that
each GreenHunter Stock Option shall be exercisable for that number of shares
of
Parent Common Stock into which the number of shares of GreenHunter Common
Stock
subject to such GreenHunter Stock Option immediately prior to the Effective
Time
would be converted under Section 2.4(c)(i), and the exercise price shall
be
adjusted to be proportionally equivalent to the exercise price under each
respective GreenHunter Stock Option.
-11-
(iv) GreenHunter
Warrants.
All
GreenHunter Warrants shall remain outstanding following the Effective Time.
At
the Effective Time, by virtue of the Merger and without any action on the
part
of GreenHunter or any holder thereof, each GreenHunter Warrant shall be assumed
by Parent and shall be exercisable on the same terms and conditions as apply
immediately prior to the Effective Time, except that each GreenHunter Warrant
shall be exercisable for that number of shares of Parent Common Stock into
which
the number of shares of GreenHunter Common Stock subject to such GreenHunter
Warrant immediately prior to the Effective Time would be converted under
Section
2.4(c)(i), and the exercise price shall be adjusted to be proportionally
equivalent to the exercise price under each respective GreenHunter Warrant.
(v) GreenHunter
Preferred Stock.
Parent
shall take all necessary and appropriate corporate actions to amend Parent’s
Articles of Incorporation to designate a new series of preferred stock of
Parent
(“Parent
Preferred Stock”)
known
as “2007 Series A 8% Convertible Preferred Stock” with rights, preferences and
privileges that are substantially identical to the rights, preferences and
privileges of the holders of GreenHunter Preferred Stock, except that the
number
of shares of Parent Common Stock into which each share of Parent Preferred
Stock
is convertible immediately after the Effective Time shall be equal to the
number
of shares of GreenHunter Common Stock into which a share of GreenHunter
Preferred Stock was convertible immediately prior to the Effective Time
multiplied by the Conversion Number. At the Effective Time, by virtue of
the
Merger and without any action on the part of any holder thereof (but subject
to
the provisions of Section 2.5(e)), each share of GreenHunter Preferred Stock
that is issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time (other
than shares of GreenHunter Preferred Shares held by Dissenting Stockholders)
shall be converted into the right to receive one share of validly issued,
fully
paid and nonassessable Parent Preferred Stock. Each share of GreenHunter
Preferred Stock, when so converted, shall automatically be cancelled and
retired, shall cease to exist and shall no longer be outstanding; and the
holder
of any certificate representing any such shares shall cease to have any rights
with respect thereto, except the right to receive the shares of Parent Preferred
Stock to be issued in exchange therefor (along with any cash in lieu of
fractional shares of Parent Preferred Stock as provided in Section 2.5(e)),
without interest, upon the surrender of such certificate in accordance with
Section 2.5.
(vi) The
Investment Hunter Note.
At the
Effective Time, by virtue of the Merger and without any action on the part
of
GreenHunter or any holder thereof, that
certain note dated January 1, 2007 made by GreenHunter in favor of Investment
Hunter, LLC (the “Investment
Hunter Note”)
shall
be assumed by Parent on the same terms and conditions as apply immediately
prior
to the Effective Time, except that the number of shares of Parent Common
Stock
into which the Investment Hunter Note is convertible immediately after the
Effective Time shall
be
equal to the number of shares of GreenHunter Common Stock into which a share
of
GreenHunter Common Stock was convertible immediately prior to the Effective
Time
multiplied by the Conversion Number.
-12-
(vii) Shares
of Dissenting Stockholders.
Any
issued and outstanding shares of GreenHunter Common Stock or GreenHunter
Preferred Stock held by a Dissenting Stockholder shall be converted into
the
right to receive such consideration as may be determined to be due to such
Dissenting Stockholder pursuant to the DGCL; provided, however, shares of
GreenHunter Common Stock or GreenHunter Preferred Stock outstanding at the
Effective Time and held by a Dissenting Stockholder who shall, after the
Effective Time, withdraw his demand for appraisal or lose his right of appraisal
as provided in the DGCL, shall be deemed to be converted, as of the Effective
Time, into the right to receive the shares of Parent Common Stock or Parent
Preferred Stock, as the case may be, and the cash payment in lieu of fractional
shares as provided in Section 2.5(e) (without interest) specified in Section
2.4(c)(i) in accordance with the procedures specified in Section 2.5(c).
GreenHunter shall give Parent (A) prompt notice of any written demands for
appraisal, withdrawals of demands for appraisal and any other instruments
served
pursuant to the DGCL received by GreenHunter, and (B) the opportunity to
direct
all negotiations and proceedings with respect to demands for appraisal under
the
DGCL. GreenHunter will not voluntarily make any payment with respect to any
demands for appraisal and will not, except with the prior written consent
of
Parent, settle or offer to settle any such demands.
2.5 Exchange
of Certificates.
(a) Exchange
Fund.
Immediately after the Effective Time, Parent shall deposit with the Exchange
Agent (a) cash that may be issued in lieu of fractional shares, and (b) for
the
benefit of the holders of shares of GreenHunter Common Stock and GreenHunter
Preferred Stock, and for exchange in accordance with this Agreement,
certificates representing the shares of Parent Common Stock and Parent Preferred
Stock to be issued, in exchange for shares of GreenHunter Common Stock and
GreenHunter Preferred Stock pursuant to Section 2.4(c)(i) and Section 2.4(c)(v),
respectively. Such cash in lieu of fractional shares and shares of Parent
Common
Stock and Parent Preferred Stock, together with any dividends or distributions
with respect thereto (as provided in Section 2.5(c)), are referred to herein
as
the “Exchange
Fund.”
The
Exchange Agent, pursuant to irrevocable instructions consistent with the
terms
of this Agreement, shall deliver the Parent Common Stock and Parent Preferred
Stock to be issued pursuant to Sections 2.4(c)(i) and 2.4(c)(v), respectively,
out of the Exchange Fund, and the Exchange Fund shall not be used for any
other
purpose whatsoever. The Exchange Agent shall not be entitled to vote or exercise
any rights of ownership with respect to the Parent Common Stock or Parent
Preferred Stock held by it from time to time hereunder, except that it shall
receive and hold all dividends or other distributions paid or distributed
with
respect thereto for the account of Persons entitled thereto.
-13-
(b) Exchange
Procedures.
(i) As
soon
as reasonably practicable after the Effective Time, Parent shall cause the
Exchange Agent to mail to each holder of record of a GreenHunter Certificate
that, immediately prior to the Effective Time, represented shares of GreenHunter
Common Stock or GreenHunter Preferred Stock, which was converted into the
right
to receive Parent Common Stock or Parent Preferred Stock pursuant to Sections
2.4(c)(i) and 2.4(c)(v), respectively, (a) a letter of transmittal to be
used to
effect the exchange of such GreenHunter Certificate for a Parent Certificate
(and cash in lieu of fractional shares), along with instructions for using
such
letter of transmittal to effect such exchange, and (b) a certificate in
customary form stating that such holder is not a “foreign person” within the
meaning of Code Section 1445 (the “FIRPTA
Certificate”).
The
letter of transmittal (or the instructions thereto) shall specify that delivery
of any GreenHunter Certificate shall be effected, and risk of loss and title
thereto shall pass, only upon delivery of such GreenHunter Certificate to
the
Exchange Agent and shall be in such form and have such other provisions as
Parent may reasonably specify.
(ii) Upon
surrender to the Exchange Agent of a GreenHunter Certificate for cancellation,
together with a duly completed and executed letter of transmittal and any
other
required documents (including, in the case of any Person constituting an
“affiliate” of GreenHunter for purposes of Rule 145(c) and (d) under the
Securities Act, a written agreement from such Person as described in Section
5.10, if not theretofore delivered to Parent): (A) the holder of such
GreenHunter Certificate shall be entitled to receive in exchange therefor
a
Parent Certificate representing the number of whole shares of Parent Common
Stock and/or Parent Preferred Stock, as the case may be, that such holder
has
the right to receive pursuant to Section 2.4(c)(i) and/or Section 2.4(c)(v),
respectively, any cash in lieu of fractional shares of Parent Common Stock
as
provided in Section 2.5(e), and any unpaid dividends and distributions that
such
holder has the right to receive pursuant to Section 2.5(c) (in each case,
after
giving effect to any required withholding of taxes); and (B) the GreenHunter
Certificate so surrendered shall forthwith be cancelled. No interest shall
be
paid or accrued on the cash in lieu of fractional shares and unpaid dividends
and distributions, if any, payable to holders of GreenHunter
Certificates.
(iii) In
the
event of a transfer of ownership of GreenHunter Common Stock or GreenHunter
Preferred Stock that is not registered in the transfer records of GreenHunter,
a
Parent Certificate representing the appropriate number of shares of Parent
Common Stock or Parent Preferred Stock, as the case may be, (along with any
cash
in lieu of fractional shares and any unpaid dividends and distributions that
such holder has the right to receive) may be issued or paid to a transferee
if
the GreenHunter Certificate representing such shares of GreenHunter Common
Stock
or GreenHunter Preferred Stock is presented to the Exchange Agent accompanied
by
all documents required to evidence and effect such transfer, including such
signature guarantees as Parent or the Exchange Agent may request, and to
evidence that any applicable stock transfer taxes have been paid.
-14-
(iv) Until
surrendered as contemplated by this Section 2.5(b), each GreenHunter Certificate
shall be deemed at any time after the Effective Time to represent only the
right
to receive upon such surrender a Parent Certificate representing shares of
Parent Common Stock or Parent Preferred Stock as provided in Sections 2.4(c)(i)
and 2.4(c)(v), respectively (along with any cash in lieu of fractional shares
and any unpaid dividends and distributions).
(c) Distributions
With Respect to Unexchanged Shares.
No
dividends or other distributions with respect to Parent Common Stock or Parent
Preferred Stock declared or made after the Effective Time with a record date
after the Effective Time shall be paid to the holder of any unsurrendered
GreenHunter Certificate. Subject to the effect of applicable laws: (i) at
the
time of the surrender of a GreenHunter Certificate for exchange in accordance
with the provisions of this Section 2.5, there shall be paid to the surrendering
holder, without interest, the amount of dividends or other distributions
(having
a record date after the Effective Time but on or prior to surrender and a
payment date on or prior to surrender) theretofore paid with respect to the
number of whole shares of Parent Common Stock or Parent Preferred Stock that
such holder is entitled to receive (less the amount of any withholding taxes
that may be required to be withheld with respect thereto); and (ii) at the
appropriate payment date, and, without duplicating any payment made under
clause
(i) above, there shall be paid to the surrendering holder, without interest,
the
amount of dividends or other distributions (having a record date after the
Effective Time but on or prior to surrender and a payment date subsequent
to
surrender) payable with respect to the number of whole shares of Parent Common
Stock or Parent Preferred Stock that such holder receives (less the amount
of
any withholding taxes that may be required to be withheld with respect
thereto).
(d) No
Further Ownership Rights in GreenHunter Capital Stock.
All
shares of Parent Capital Stock issued upon the surrender for exchange of
shares
of GreenHunter Capital Stock in accordance with the terms hereof (including
any
cash paid pursuant to Section 2.5(c) or (e)) shall be deemed to have been
issued
in full satisfaction of all rights pertaining to such shares of GreenHunter
Capital Stock. After the Effective Time, there shall be no further registration
of transfers on the Surviving Corporation’s stock transfer books of the shares
of GreenHunter Capital Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to the
Effective Time. If, after the Effective Time, a GreenHunter Certificate is
presented to the Surviving Corporation for any reason, it shall be cancelled
and
exchanged as provided in this Section 2.5.
(e) Treatment
of Fractional Shares.
No
Parent Certificates or scrip representing fractional shares of Parent Common
Stock or Parent Preferred Stock shall be issued in the Merger and, except
as
provided in this Section 2.5(e), no dividend or other distribution, stock
split
or interest shall relate to any such fractional share, and such fractional
share
shall not entitle the owner thereof to vote or to any other rights of a
stockholder of Parent. In lieu of any fractional share of Parent Common Stock
to
which a holder of GreenHunter Common Stock would otherwise be entitled, such
holder, upon surrender of a GreenHunter Certificate as described in this
Section
2.5, shall be paid an amount in cash (without interest) determined by
multiplying (i) the Market Price by (ii) the fraction of a share of Parent
Common Stock to which such holder would otherwise be entitled, in which case
Parent shall make available to the Exchange Agent, without regard to any
other
cash being provided to the Exchange Agent, the amount of cash necessary to
make
such payments. The parties acknowledge that payment of the cash consideration
in
lieu of issuing fractional shares was not separately bargained for consideration
but merely represents a mechanical rounding for purposes of simplifying the
corporate and accounting complexities which would otherwise be caused to
Parent
by the issuance of fractional shares.
-15-
(f) Termination
of Exchange Fund.
Any
portion of the Exchange Fund and cash held by the Exchange Agent in accordance
with the terms of this Section 2.5 that remains unclaimed by the former
stockholders of GreenHunter for a period of one year following the Effective
Time shall be delivered to Parent, upon demand. Thereafter, any former
stockholders of GreenHunter who have not theretofore complied with the
provisions of this Section 2.5 shall look only to Parent for payment of their
claim for Parent Common Stock and Parent Preferred Stock, any cash in lieu
of
fractional shares of Parent Common Stock and Parent Preferred Stock and any
dividends or distributions with respect to Parent Common Stock and Parent
Preferred Stock (all without interest).
(g) No
Liability.
Neither
Parent, GreenHunter, the Surviving Corporation, the Exchange Agent nor any
other
Person shall be liable to any former holder of shares of GreenHunter Capital
Stock for any amount properly delivered to any public official pursuant to
any
applicable abandoned property, escheat or similar law. Any amounts remaining
unclaimed by former holders of GreenHunter Capital Stock for a period of
three
years following the Effective Time (or such earlier date immediately prior
to
the time at which such amounts would otherwise escheat to or become property
of
any governmental entity) shall, to the extent permitted by applicable law,
become the property of Parent, free and clear of any claims or interest of
any
such holders or their successors, assigns or personal representatives previously
entitled thereto.
(h) Lost,
Stolen, or Destroyed GreenHunter Certificates.
If any
GreenHunter Certificate shall have been lost, stolen or destroyed, upon the
making of an affidavit of that fact by the Person claiming such GreenHunter
Certificate to be lost, stolen or destroyed, and, if required by Parent or
the
Exchange Agent, the posting by such Person of a bond, in such reasonable
amount
as Parent or the Exchange Agent may direct, as indemnity against any claims
that
may be made against it with respect to such GreenHunter Certificate, the
Exchange Agent shall issue in exchange for such lost, stolen or destroyed
GreenHunter Certificate the shares of Parent Common Stock (along with any
cash
in lieu of fractional shares pursuant to Section 2.5(e) and any unpaid dividends
and distributions pursuant to Section 2.5(c)) deliverable with respect thereto
pursuant to this Agreement.
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2.6 Closing.
The
Closing shall take place on the Closing Date at such time and place as is
agreed
upon by Parent and GreenHunter.
2.7 Effective
Time of the Merger.
The
Merger shall become effective immediately when the Certificate of Merger
is
accepted for filing by the Secretary of State of Delaware, or at such time
thereafter as is provided in the Certificate of Merger (the “Effective
Time”).
As
soon as practicable after the Closing, the Certificate of Merger shall be
filed,
and the Effective Time shall occur, on the Closing Date; provided, however,
that
the Certificate of Merger may be filed prior to the Closing Date or prior
to the
Closing so long as it provides for an effective time that occurs on the Closing
Date immediately after the Closing. Prior to the Effective Time and effective
as
of the Effective Time, Parent will also file the Parent Charter Amendment
and
the Parent Certificate of Designation with the Secretary of State of
Nevada.
2.8 Taking
of Necessary Action; Further Action.
Each of
Parent, Merger Sub and GreenHunter shall use all reasonable efforts to take
all
such actions as may be necessary or appropriate in order to effectuate the
Merger under the DGCL as promptly as commercially practicable. If, at any
time
after the Effective Time, any further action is necessary or desirable to
carry
out the purposes of this Agreement and to vest the Surviving Corporation
with
full right, title and possession to all assets, property, rights, privileges,
powers and franchises of either of Merger Sub or GreenHunter, the officers
and
directors of the Surviving Corporation are fully authorized, in the name
of the
Surviving Corporation or otherwise to take, and shall take, all such lawful
and
necessary action.
2.9 Plan
of Reorganization.
This
Agreement constitutes a “plan of reorganization”, within the meaning of Treasury
Regulation section 1.368-2(g).
2.10 Required
Withholding.
Parent,
Merger Sub and the Exchange Agent shall be entitled to deduct and withhold
from
any consideration to be paid or delivered herein such amounts as they may
be
required to deduct and withhold from such payment under any applicable Laws,
and
shall deduct and withhold an amount equal to the amounts specified under
Code
section 1445 if a person does not duly execute and deliver the FIRPTA
Certificate, which FIRPTA Certificate shall set forth all of the information
required by, and otherwise be executed in accordance with, Treasury Regulation
sections 1.1445-2(b)(2). If Parent, Merger Sub or the Exchange Agent, as
the
case may be, so deducts or withholds any such amounts, such amounts shall
be
treated for all purposes as having been paid to the Person in respect of
whom
Parent, Merger Sub or Exchange Agent, as the case may be, made such deduction
and withholding
ARTICLE
3
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF GREENHUNTER
GreenHunter
hereby represents and warrants to Parent and Merger Sub as follows:
3.1 Organization.
Each of
the GreenHunter Companies: (a) is a corporation or limited liability company,
duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its
state of incorporation; (b) has the requisite power and authority to own,
lease
and operate its properties and to conduct its business as it is presently
being
conducted; and (c) is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation
or
limited liability company and is in good standing, in each jurisdiction where
the character of the properties owned or leased by it or the nature of its
activities makes such qualification necessary (except where any failure to
be so
qualified as a foreign corporation or limited liability company or to be
in good
standing would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse
Effect on GreenHunter). Accurate and complete copies of the certificate of
incorporation, bylaws, minute books and/or other organizational documents
of
each of the GreenHunter Companies have heretofore been delivered to Parent.
GreenHunter has no corporate or other subsidiaries other than the GreenHunter
Subsidiaries.
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3.2 Other
Equity Interests.
None of
the GreenHunter Companies owns any equity interest in any general or limited
partnership, corporation, limited liability company or joint venture other
than
the GreenHunter Companies and as set forth on the GreenHunter
Disclosure Schedule,
and
that do not entail any material liabilities.
3.3 Authority
and Enforceability.
GreenHunter has the requisite corporate power and authority to enter into
and
deliver this Agreement and (with respect to consummation of the Merger, subject
to the valid approval of the GreenHunter Proposal by the stockholders of
GreenHunter) to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby. The execution
and delivery of this Agreement and (with respect to consummation of the Merger,
subject to the valid approval of the GreenHunter Proposal by the stockholders
of
GreenHunter) the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby have
been
duly and validly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part
of
GreenHunter, including approval by the board of directors of GreenHunter,
and no
other corporate proceedings on the part of GreenHunter are necessary to
authorize the execution or delivery of this Agreement or (with respect to
consummation of the Merger, subject to the valid approval of the GreenHunter
Proposal by the stockholders of GreenHunter) to consummate the transactions
contemplated hereby. This Agreement has been duly and validly executed and
delivered by GreenHunter and (with respect to consummation of the Merger,
subject to the valid approval of the GreenHunter Proposal by the stockholders
of
GreenHunter and assuming that this Agreement constitutes a valid and binding
obligation of Parent and Merger Sub) constitutes a valid and binding obligation
of GreenHunter, enforceable against GreenHunter in accordance with its
terms.
3.4 No
Violations.
The
execution and delivery of this Agreement do not, and the consummation of
the
transactions contemplated hereby and compliance by GreenHunter with the
provisions hereof will not, conflict with, result in any violation of or
default
(with or without notice or lapse of time or both) under, give rise to a right
of
termination, cancellation or acceleration of any obligation or to the loss
of a
material benefit under, or result in the creation of any Lien on any of the
properties or assets of any of the GreenHunter Companies under, any provision
of
(a) the certificate or articles of incorporation, bylaws or any other
organizational documents of any of the GreenHunter Companies, (b) any loan
or
credit agreement, note, bond, mortgage, indenture, lease, permit, concession,
franchise, license or other agreement or instrument applicable to any of
the
GreenHunter Companies, or (c) assuming the consents, approvals, authorizations,
permits, filings and notifications referred to in Section 3.5 are duly and
timely obtained or made, any judgment, order, decree, statute, law, ordinance,
rule or regulation applicable to any of the GreenHunter Companies or any
of
their respective properties or assets, other than in the case of clause (b)
or
(c) above, any such conflict, violation, default, right, loss or Lien that,
individually or in the aggregate, would not have a Material Adverse Effect
on
GreenHunter.
-18-
3.5 Consents
and Approvals.
No
consent, approval, order or authorization of, registration, declaration or
filing with, or permit from, any Governmental Authority is required by or
with
respect to any of the GreenHunter Companies in connection with the execution
and
delivery of this Agreement by GreenHunter or the consummation by GreenHunter
of
the transactions contemplated hereby, except for the following: (a) any such
consent, approval, order, authorization, registration, declaration, filing
or
permit which the failure to obtain or make would not, individually or in
the
aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect on GreenHunter; (b) the filing
of the
Certificate of Merger with the Secretary of State of Delaware pursuant to
applicable provisions of the DGCL; (c) the filing of a pre-merger notification
report by GreenHunter as may be required under the HSR Act and the expiration
or
termination of the applicable waiting period; (d) the filing with the SEC
of the
Proxy Statement/Prospectus and such reports under Section 13(a) of the Exchange
Act and such other compliance with the Exchange Act and the Securities Act
and
the rules and regulations of the SEC thereunder as may be required in connection
with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby and the obtaining
from the SEC of such orders as may be so required; (e) such filings and
approvals as may be required by any applicable state securities, “blue sky” or
takeover laws or Environmental Laws; and (f) such filings and approvals as
may
be required by any foreign pre-merger notification, securities, corporate
or
other law, rule or regulation. Except as set forth on the GreenHunter
Disclosure Schedule,
no
Third-Party Consent is required by or with respect to any of the GreenHunter
Companies in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement
or the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, except for (x) any
such
Third-Party Consent which the failure to obtain would not, individually or
in
the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect on GreenHunter and (y) the
valid
approval of the GreenHunter Proposal by the stockholders of
GreenHunter.
3.6 Financial
Statements.
The
GreenHunter Financial Statements, which are being delivered to Parent hereunder,
were prepared in accordance with GAAP applied on a consistent basis during
the
periods involved (except as may be indicated in the notes thereto) and fairly
present, in accordance with applicable requirements of GAAP, the consolidated
financial position of GreenHunter and its subsidiaries as of their respective
dates and the consolidated results of operations and the consolidated cash
flows
of GreenHunter and its subsidiaries for the periods presented
therein.
3.7 Capital
Structure.
(a) The
authorized capital stock of GreenHunter consists of 90,000,000 shares of
GreenHunter Common Stock and 10,000,000 shares of GreenHunter Preferred
Stock.
(b) As
of the
date hereof, there were (i) 17,750,000 issued and outstanding shares of
GreenHunter Common Stock, (ii) 12,500 issued and outstanding shares of
GreenHunter Preferred Stock, (iii) GreenHunter Stock Options relating to
3,500,000 shares of GreenHunter Common Stock that have been, or prior to
the
Effective Time will be, issued, and (iii) GreenHunter Warrants relating to
2,000,000 shares of GreenHunter Common Stock that were issued and outstanding.
As of the date hereof, no shares of GreenHunter Common Stock or GreenHunter
Preferred Stock were held by GreenHunter as treasury stock. As of the date
hereof, 72,250,000
shares
of GreenHunter Common Stock and 9,987,500 shares of GreenHunter Preferred
Stock
are authorized but unissued.
-19-
(c) Except
as
set forth in Section 3.7(b) and the convertible promissory note dated January
1,
2007 made by GreenHunter in favor of Investment Hunter, LLC, there are
outstanding (i) no shares of capital stock or other voting securities of
GreenHunter, (ii) no securities of GreenHunter or any other Person convertible
into or exchangeable or exercisable for shares of capital stock or other
voting
securities of GreenHunter, and (iii) no subscriptions, options, warrants,
calls,
rights (including preemptive rights), commitments, understandings or agreements
to which GreenHunter is a party or by which it is bound obligating GreenHunter
to issue, deliver, sell, purchase, redeem or acquire shares of capital stock
or
other voting securities of GreenHunter (or securities convertible into or
exchangeable or exercisable for shares of capital stock or other voting
securities of GreenHunter) or obligating GreenHunter to grant, extend or
enter
into any such subscription, option, warrant, call, right, commitment,
understanding or agreement.
(d) All
outstanding shares of GreenHunter capital stock are validly issued, fully
paid
and nonassessable and not subject to any preemptive right.
(e) All
outstanding shares of capital stock and other voting securities of each of
the
corporate GreenHunter Subsidiaries are (i) validly issued, fully paid and
nonassessable and not subject to any preemptive right, and (ii) owned solely
by
the GreenHunter Companies, free and clear of all Liens, claims and options
of
any nature (except for Permitted Encumbrances). There are outstanding (y)
no
securities of any GreenHunter Subsidiary or any other Person convertible
into or
exchangeable or exercisable for shares of capital stock, other voting securities
or other equity interests of such GreenHunter Subsidiary, and (z) no
subscriptions, options, warrants, calls, rights (including preemptive rights),
commitments, understandings or agreements to which any GreenHunter Subsidiary
is
a party or by which it is bound obligating such GreenHunter Subsidiary to
issue,
deliver, sell, purchase, redeem or acquire shares of capital stock, other
voting
securities or other equity interests of such GreenHunter Subsidiary (or
securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for shares of
capital
stock, other voting securities or other equity interests of such GreenHunter
Subsidiary) or obligating any GreenHunter Subsidiary to grant, extend or
enter
into any such subscription, option, warrant, call, right, commitment,
understanding or agreement.
(f) Except
as
set forth in the GreenHunter
Disclosure Schedule,
there
is no stockholder agreement, voting trust or other agreement or understanding
to
which GreenHunter is a party or by which it is bound relating to the voting
of
any shares of the capital stock of any of the GreenHunter Companies, or any
agreement obligating GreenHunter or any GreenHunter Subsidiary to file a
registration statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to
register any shares of capital stock of GreenHunter or any of the GreenHunter
Companies.
(g) As
of the
date hereof, no dividends have cumulated and/or are payable, or will be payable
and/or cumulated in respect of shares of capital stock of GreenHunter or
any of
the GreenHunter Subsidiaries except for dividends payable on shares of
GreenHunter Preferred Stock.
-20-
3.8 No
Undisclosed Liabilities.
There
are no liabilities of any of the GreenHunter Companies of any kind whatsoever,
whether accrued, contingent, absolute, determined, determinable or otherwise,
that are reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect on GreenHunter,
other than (a) liabilities adequately provided for in the GreenHunter Financial
Statements, (b) liabilities incurred in the ordinary course of business
subsequent to December 31, 2006, (c) liabilities under this Agreement, and
(d)
liabilities and off-balance sheet arrangements set forth on the GreenHunter
Disclosure Schedule.
3.9 Absence
of Certain Changes or Events.
Except
as set forth in the GreenHunter
Disclosure Schedule
or as
specifically contemplated by this Agreement, since December 31, 2006, none
of
the GreenHunter Companies has done any of the following:
(a) Discharged
or satisfied any Lien or paid any obligation or liability, absolute or
contingent, other than current liabilities incurred and paid in the ordinary
course of business and consistent with past practices;
(b) Paid
or
declared any dividends or distributions, purchased, redeemed, acquired or
retired any indebtedness, stock or other securities from its stockholders
or
other securityholders, made any loans or advances or guaranteed any loans
or
advances to any Person (other than loans, advances or guaranties made in
the
ordinary course of business and consistent with past practices), or otherwise
incurred or suffered to exist any liabilities (other than current liabilities
incurred in the ordinary course of business and consistent with past
practices);
(c) Except
for Permitted Encumbrances, suffered or permitted any Lien to arise or be
granted or created against or upon any of its assets;
(d) Canceled,
waived or released any rights or claims against, or indebtedness owed by,
third
parties;
(e) Amended
its certificate of incorporation, bylaws or other organizational
documents;
(f) Made
or
permitted any amendment, supplement, modification or termination of, or any
acceleration under, any GreenHunter Material Agreement;
(g) Sold,
leased, transferred, assigned or otherwise disposed of (i) any asset of
GreenHunter that, individually or in the aggregate, had a value of $100,000
or
more (and, in each case where a sale, lease, transfer, assignment or other
disposition was made, it was made for fair consideration in the ordinary
course
of business);
(h) Made
any
investment in or contribution, payment, advance or loan to any Person (other
than investments, contributions, payments or advances, or commitments with
respect thereto, less than $100,000 in the aggregate, made in the ordinary
course of business and consistent with past practices);
-21-
(i) Paid,
loaned or advanced (other than the payment, advance or reimbursement of expenses
in the ordinary course of business) any amounts to, or sold, transferred
or
leased any of its assets to, or entered into any other transaction with,
any of
its Affiliates other than the GreenHunter Companies;
(j) Made
a
material change in any of the accounting principles followed by it or the
method
of applying such principles, except for any such change required by reason
of a
concurrent change in GAAP, or as required by the Public Company Accounting
Oversight Board, by Regulation S-X under the Exchange Act, or interpretations
of
GAAP as announced by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (as agreed
to by
the Company’s independent auditor).
(k) Entered
into any material transaction (other than this Agreement) except in the ordinary
course of business and consistent with past practices;
(l) Increased
benefits or benefit plan costs or changed bonus, insurance, pension,
compensation or other benefit plan or arrangement or granted any bonus or
increase in wages, salary or other compensation or made any other change
in
employment terms to any officer, director or employee of any of the GreenHunter
Companies (except in the ordinary course of business);
(m) Issued
any note, bond or other debt security or created, incurred, assumed, or
guaranteed any indebtedness for borrowed money or capitalized lease obligation
involving more than $100,000 in the aggregate;
(n) Delayed
or postponed the payment of accounts payable or other liabilities (except
in the
ordinary course of business);
(o) Canceled,
compromised, waived or released any right or claim (or series of related
rights
and claims) involving more than $100,000 in the aggregate (except in the
ordinary course of business);
(p) Issued,
sold, or otherwise disposed of any of its capital stock or other equity interest
or granted any option, warrant, or other right to purchase or obtain (including
upon conversion, exchange, or exercise) any of its capital stock or other
equity
interest;
(q) Made
any
loan to, or entered into any other transaction with, any of its directors,
officers or employees (except in the ordinary course of business and not
involving more than $50,000 in the aggregate);
(r) Made
or
pledged to make any charitable or other capital contribution outside the
ordinary course of business;
(s) Made
or
committed to make capital expenditures in excess of $500,000 in the
aggregate;
-22-
(t) Prepared
or filed any Tax Return that is inconsistent with past practice, and in addition
(i) no position has been taken, election made or revoked, or method adopted
that
is inconsistent with positions taken, elections made or revoked, or methods
used
in preparing or filing similar Tax Returns in prior periods, (ii) no Tax
sharing
agreement or arrangement, Tax indemnity contract or similar contract or
arrangement has been entered into, amended or modified, and no payments under
any Tax sharing agreement or arrangement, Tax indemnity contract or similar
contract have been made that are outside the ordinary course of business,
inconsistent with past practice or inconsistent with the terms thereof, (iii)
none of the GreenHunter Companies have made any change to any of their
respective methods of accounting or methods of reporting income or deductions
for Tax purposes from those employed in the preparation of their respective
Tax
Returns most recently filed prior to January 1, 2007; (iv) there has been
no
settlement or compromise of any claim, action, suit, litigation, proceeding,
arbitration, investigation, audit or controversy relating to Taxes; and (v)
there has been no agreement, whether oral or written, by any of the GreenHunter
Companies to do any of the foregoing;
(u) Entered
into an agreement with any third party pursuant to which GreenHunter became
obligated or will become obligated to file a registration statement with
the
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to register any shares of capital
stock
of GreenHunter or any GreenHunter Subsidiary.
(v) Otherwise
been involved in any other material occurrence, event, incident, action,
failure
to act, or transaction involving any of the GreenHunter Companies (except
in the
ordinary course of business);
(w) Agreed,
whether in writing or otherwise, to do any of the foregoing; or
(x) Suffered
any Material Adverse Effect (other than changes or trends, including changes
or
trends in commodity prices, or changes in applicable laws (including laws
relating to Taxes) or government subsidies or programs, in each case generally
prevalent in or affecting the renewable energy industry).
3.10 Compliance
with Laws, Material Agreements and Permits.
None of
the GreenHunter Companies is in violation of, or in default under, and no
event
has occurred that (with notice or the lapse of time or both) would constitute
a
violation of or default under: (a) its certificate of incorporation, bylaws
or
other organizational documents, (b) any applicable law, rule, regulation,
ordinance, order, writ, decree or judgment of any Governmental Authority,
or (c)
any GreenHunter Material Agreement, except (in the case of clause (b) or
(c)
above) for any violation or default that would not, individually or in the
aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect on GreenHunter. Each of the
GreenHunter Companies has obtained and holds all permits, licenses, variances,
exemptions, orders, franchises, approvals and authorizations of all Governmental
Authorities necessary for the lawful conduct of its business and the lawful
ownership, use and operation of its assets (“GreenHunter
Permits”),
except for GreenHunter Permits which the failure to obtain or hold would
not,
individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect on GreenHunter.
None of the GreenHunter Permits will be adversely affected by the consummation
of the transactions contemplated under this Agreement or requires any filing
or
consent in connection therewith. Each of the GreenHunter Companies is in
compliance with the terms of its GreenHunter Permits, except where the failure
to comply would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse
Effect on GreenHunter. No investigation or review by any Governmental Authority
with respect to any of the GreenHunter Companies is pending or, to the knowledge
of GreenHunter, threatened, other than those the outcome of which would not,
individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect on GreenHunter.
To the knowledge of GreenHunter, no other party to any GreenHunter Material
Agreement is in material breach of the terms, provisions or conditions of
such
GreenHunter Material Agreement.
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3.11 Governmental
Regulation.
No
GreenHunter Company is subject to regulation under the Federal Power Act,
the
Interstate Commerce Act, the Investment Company Act of 1940 or any state
public
utilities laws.
3.12 Litigation.
No
litigation, arbitration, investigation or other proceeding is pending or,
to the
knowledge of GreenHunter, threatened against any of the GreenHunter Companies
or
their respective assets which, if adversely determined, could reasonably
be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on GreenHunter; and (b) no
GreenHunter Company is subject to any outstanding injunction, judgment, order,
decree or ruling. There is no litigation, proceeding or investigation pending
or, to the knowledge of GreenHunter, threatened against or affecting any
of the
GreenHunter Companies that questions the validity or enforceability of this
Agreement or any other document, instrument or agreement to be executed and
delivered by GreenHunter in connection with the transactions contemplated
hereby.
3.13 No
Restrictions.
Other
than as set forth on the GreenHunter
Disclosure Schedule,
none of
the GreenHunter Companies is a party to: (a) any agreement, indenture or
other
instrument that contains restrictions with respect to the payment of dividends
or other distributions with respect to its capital; (b) any financial
arrangement with respect to or creating any indebtedness to any Person (other
than indebtedness (i) reflected in the GreenHunter Financial Statements or
(ii)
incurred in the ordinary course of business since December 31, 2006), unless
such indebtedness would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in
a
Material Adverse Effect on the GreenHunter Companies; (c) any agreement,
contract or commitment relating to the making of any advance to, or investment
in, any Person (other than advances in the ordinary course of business);
(d) any
guaranty or other contingent liability with respect to any indebtedness or
obligation of any Person (other than (i) guaranties undertaken in the ordinary
course of business and (ii) the endorsement of negotiable instruments for
collection in the ordinary course of business); or (e) any agreement, contract
or commitment limiting in any respect its ability to compete with any Person
or
otherwise conduct business of any line or nature.
3.14 Tax
Audits and Settlements.
None of
the GreenHunter Companies is a party or subject to any unresolved or incomplete
Tax audit or settlement.
3.15 Taxes.
(a) Each
of
the GreenHunter Companies and each affiliated, combined or unitary group
of
which any such entity is or was a member has (i) timely filed all federal,
state, local and foreign returns, declarations, reports, estimates, information
returns and statements (including any related or supporting information or
schedule or other attachment thereto) (“Tax
Returns”)
required to be filed by, or on behalf of, it with respect to any Taxes, and
all
such Tax Returns are true, correct and complete in all material respects,
(ii)
timely paid all Taxes that are due and payable (except for Taxes that are
being
contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which sufficient
reserves have been established in accordance with GAAP) and for which any
of the
GreenHunter Companies may be liable, (iii) complied with all applicable laws,
rules and regulations relating to the payment and withholding of Taxes, and
(iv)
timely withheld from employee wages and paid over to the proper Governmental
Authorities all amounts required to be so withheld and paid over, except
where
the failure to file, pay, comply with or withhold would not individually
or in
the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect on any of the GreenHunter
Companies.
-24-
(b) Except
as
set forth in the GreenHunter
Disclosure Schedule:
(i) no
audits or other administrative or court proceedings are presently pending
or
threatened with regard to any federal, state, local or foreign income or
franchise Taxes or any other material Taxes for which any of the GreenHunter
Companies may be liable; (ii) there are no pending requests for Tax rulings
from
any Governmental Authority, no outstanding subpoenas or requests for information
by any Governmental Authority with respect to any Taxes, no proposed
reassessments by any Governmental Authority of any property owned or leased,
and
no agreements in effect to extend the time to file any Tax Return or the
period
of limitations for the assessment or collection of any Taxes for which any
of
the GreenHunter Companies may be liable; and (iii) neither the IRS nor any
other
Tax authority has asserted any claim against any of the GreenHunter Companies
for Taxes or is threatening to assert any claims against any of the GreenHunter
Companies for Taxes.
(c) Except
as
set forth in the GreenHunter
Disclosure Schedule:
(i)
there are no Liens on any of the assets of the GreenHunter Companies for
unpaid
Taxes, other than Liens for Taxes not yet due and payable; (ii) no GreenHunter
Company has any liability under Treasury Regulation § 1.1502-6 or any analogous
state, local or foreign law by reason of having been a member of any
consolidated, combined or unitary group, other than the affiliated group
of
which GreenHunter is currently the common parent corporation; and (iii) no
GreenHunter Company is or has been a party to any Tax sharing agreement or
arrangement between related corporations.
(d) The
amount of liability for unpaid Taxes of the GreenHunter Companies does not,
as
of March 31, 2007, in the aggregate, materially exceed the amount of the
liability accruals for Taxes (excluding any reserve for deferred Taxes
established to reflect timing differences between book and Tax income) reflected
on the GreenHunter Financial Statements and does not currently exceed the
amount
of such accruals as adjusted for operations and transactions in the ordinary
course of business of the GreenHunter Companies on or before the Closing
Date.
(e) GreenHunter
has delivered to Parent true and complete copies of all income or franchise
Tax
Returns, and made available to Parent true and complete copies of all other
Tax
Returns, filed by or on behalf of the GreenHunter Companies with respect
to any
Taxes, and has delivered to Parent all Tax audit reports, work papers,
statements of deficiencies, and closing or other agreements with respect
thereto, in each case with respect to any Tax period ending at any time during
calendar year 2006.
-25-
(f) The
books
and records of each of the GreenHunter Companies contain accurate and complete
information with respect to: (i) all material Tax elections in effect with
respect to the GreenHunter Companies; (ii) the current Tax basis of the assets
of the GreenHunter Companies; (iii) any excess loss accounts of the GreenHunter
Companies; (iv) the current and accumulated earnings and profits of the
GreenHunter Companies; (v) the net operating losses and net capital losses
of
the GreenHunter Companies, the years that such net operating and net capital
losses expire, and any restrictions to which such net operating and net capital
losses are subject under any provision of the Code or consolidated return
regulations; (vi) Tax credit carryovers of the GreenHunter Companies; and
(vii)
any overall foreign losses to the GreenHunter Companies under Section 904(f)
of
the Code.
(g) No
claim
has been made by a Tax authority in a jurisdiction where any of the GreenHunter
Companies does not file Tax Returns that any of the GreenHunter Companies
is or
may be subject to Taxation by that jurisdiction.
(h) None
of
the GreenHunter Companies will be required to include any item of income
in,
exclude any item of deduction from, or otherwise adjust, taxable income for
any
Tax period ending after the Closing Date as a result of any : (i) change
in
method of accounting for a Tax period (or portion thereof) ending on or prior
to
the Closing Date; (ii) agreement with a Tax authority relating to Taxes executed
on or prior to the Closing Date; (iii) installment sale or open transaction
disposition or intercompany transaction made on or prior to the Closing Date;
(iv) completed contract method of accounting or other method of accounting
applicable to long-term contracts (or any comparable provisions of state,
local
or foreign law); (v) prepaid amount received on or prior to the Closing Date;
(vi) adjustment pursuant to Code section 481 (or comparable provision of
state
or local Law); or (vii) other Tax positions, elections or methods taken,
made,
or used by any of the GreenHunter Companies having the effect of either
deferring taxable income to Tax periods or portions thereof ending after
the
Closing Date or accelerating deductions to Tax periods or portions thereof
ending on or prior to the Closing Date.
(i) For
U.S.
federal income Tax and all applicable state income Tax purposes, Wind Hunter,
LLC is currently disregarded as an entity separate from its owner, and at
all
times since its inception has been classified for all such purposes as a
partnership or disregarded as an entity separate from its owner; and none
of
Wind Haven, LLC, GreenHunter or any owner of a membership interest in Wind
Haven, LLC has made any election, taken any action or filed or furnished
any Tax
Return on a basis that is inconsistent with the foregoing.
3.16 Employee
Benefit Plans.
(a) Other
than as set forth on the GreenHunter
Disclosure Schedule,
neither
GreenHunter nor any of the GreenHunter Companies nor any trade or business
of
any of the GreenHunter Companies, whether or not incorporated, that would
be
considered an ERISA Affiliate under Section 414(b), (c), (m) or (o) of the
Code
or Section 4001(b)(l) of ERISA has: (i) an “employee benefit plan,” as such term
is defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA; or (ii) a personnel
policy,
stock option plan, bonus plan or arrangement, incentive award plan or
arrangement, vacation policy, severance pay plan, policy, program or agreement,
deferred compensation agreement or arrangement, executive compensation or
supplemental income arrangement, retiree benefit plan or arrangement, fringe
benefit program or practice (whether or not taxable), employee loan, consulting
agreement, employment agreement and each other employee benefit plan, agreement,
arrangement, program, practice or understanding.
-26-
(b) No
employee is currently on a leave of absence due to sickness or disability
and no
claim is pending or expected to be made by an employee, former employee or
independent contractor for workers’ compensation benefits.
(c) Neither
the execution nor delivery of this Agreement nor the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby will result in any payment becoming due
to any
employee or group of employees of any of the GreenHunter Companies.
3.17 Employment
Contracts and Benefits.
None of
the GreenHunter Companies is subject to or obligated under any consulting,
employment, severance, termination or similar arrangement, any employee benefit,
incentive or deferred compensation plan with respect to any Person, or any
bonus, profit sharing, pension, stock option, stock purchase or similar plan
or
other arrangement or other fringe benefit plan entered into or maintained
for
the benefit of employees of any of the GreenHunter Companies or any other
Person; and no employee of any of the GreenHunter Companies or any other
Person
owns, or has any right granted by any of the GreenHunter Companies to acquire,
any interest in any of the assets or business of any of the GreenHunter
Companies.
3.18 Labor
Matters.
(a) No
employees of any of the GreenHunter Companies are represented by any labor
organization. No labor organization or group of employees of any of the
GreenHunter Companies has made a demand for recognition or certification
as a
union or other labor organization, and there are no representation or
certification proceedings or petitions seeking a representation or certification
proceeding presently pending or threatened in writing to be brought or filed
with the National Labor Relations Board or any other labor relations tribunal
or
authority. To GreenHunter’s knowledge, there are no organizing activities
involving any of the GreenHunter Companies pending with any labor organization
or group of employees of any of the GreenHunter Companies.
(b) Each
of
the GreenHunter Companies is in compliance with all laws, rules, regulations
and
orders relating to the employment of labor, including all such laws, rules,
regulations and orders relating to wages, hours, collective bargaining,
discrimination, civil rights, safety and health, workers’ compensation and the
collection and payment of income Tax withholding, Social Security Taxes,
Medicare Taxes and similar Taxes, except where the failure to comply would
not,
individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect on
GreenHunter.
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3.19 Accounts
Receivable.
All of
the accounts, notes and loans receivable that have been recorded on the books
of
the GreenHunter Companies are bona fide and represent accounts, notes and
loans
receivable validly due for goods sold or services rendered and are reasonably
expected to be collected in full within 90 days after the applicable invoice
or
note maturity date (other than such accounts, notes and loans receivable
that,
individually or in the aggregate, do not have a book value as of the date
hereof
in excess of $100,000). Except for Permitted Encumbrances, all of such accounts,
notes and loans receivable are free and clear of any and all Liens and other
adverse claims and charges, and none of such accounts, notes or loans receivable
is subject to any offset or claim of offset. None of the obligors on such
accounts, notes or loans receivable has given notice to any of the GreenHunter
Companies that it will or may refuse to pay the full amount or any portion
thereof.
3.20 Insurance.
Each of
the GreenHunter Companies maintains, and through the Closing Date will maintain,
insurance with reputable insurers (or pursuant to prudent self-insurance
programs described in the GreenHunter
Disclosure Schedule)
in such
amounts and covering such risks as are in accordance with normal industry
practice for companies engaged in businesses similar to those of the GreenHunter
Companies and owning properties in the same general area in which the
GreenHunter Companies conduct their businesses. GreenHunter and each of the
GreenHunter Companies may terminate each of its insurance policies or binders
at
or after the Closing and will incur no penalties or other material costs
in
doing so. None of such insurance coverage was obtained through the use of
false
or misleading information or the failure to provide the insurer with all
information requested in order to evaluate the liabilities and risks insured.
There is no material default with respect to any provision contained in any
such
policy or binder, and none of the GreenHunter Companies has failed to give
any
notice or present any claim under any such policy or binder in due and timely
fashion. There are no billed but unpaid premiums past due under any such
policy
or binder. There are no outstanding claims under any such policies or binders
and, to the knowledge of GreenHunter, there has not occurred any event that
might reasonably form the basis of any claim against or relating to any of
the
GreenHunter Companies that is not covered by any of such policies or binders.
No
notice of cancellation or non-renewal of any such policies or binders has
been
received. There are no performance bonds outstanding with respect to any
of the
GreenHunter Companies.
3.21 Intellectual
Property.
There
are no material trademarks, trade names, patents, service marks, brand names,
computer programs, databases, industrial designs, copyrights or other intangible
property that are necessary for the operation, or continued operation, of
the
business of any of the GreenHunter Companies or for the ownership and operation,
or continued ownership and operation, of any of their assets, for which the
GreenHunter Companies do not hold valid and continuing authority in connection
with the use thereof. The businesses of the GreenHunter Companies, as presently
conducted, do not conflict with, infringe or violate any intellectual property
rights of any other Person, except where any such conflict, infringement
or
violation could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect
on
GreenHunter.
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3.22 Environmental
Matters.
Except
as set forth in the GreenHunter
Disclosure Schedule:
(a) Each
of
the GreenHunter Companies has conducted its business and operated its assets,
and is conducting its business and operating its assets, in compliance with
all
Environmental Laws, other than any noncompliance that (i) is typical in the
ordinary course of the renewable energy business, and (ii) would not be
reasonably expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect on
GreenHunter;
(b) To
the
knowledge of GreenHunter, none of the GreenHunter Companies has been notified
by
any Governmental Authority or other third party that any of the operations
or
assets of any of the GreenHunter Companies is the subject of any investigation
or inquiry by any Governmental Authority or other third party evaluating
whether
any remedial action is needed to respond to a release or threatened release
of
any Hazardous Material or to the improper storage or disposal (including
storage
or disposal at offsite locations) of any Hazardous Material;
(c) None
of
the GreenHunter Companies and, to the knowledge of GreenHunter, no other
Person
has filed any notice under any federal, state or local law indicating that
(i)
any of the GreenHunter Companies is responsible for the improper release
into
the environment, or the improper storage or disposal, of any Hazardous Material,
or (ii) any Hazardous Material is improperly stored or disposed of upon any
property of any of the GreenHunter Companies;
(d) None
of
the GreenHunter Companies has any liability in excess of $100,000 in the
aggregate in connection with (i) the release or threatened release into the
environment at, beneath or on any property now or previously owned, leased
or
operated by any of the GreenHunter Companies, (ii) any obligations under
or
violations of Environmental Laws, or (iii) the use, release, storage or disposal
of any Hazardous Material;
(e) None
of
the GreenHunter Companies has received any claim, complaint, notice, inquiry
or
request for information involving any matter which remains unresolved with
respect to any alleged violation of any Environmental Law or regarding potential
liability under any Environmental Law relating to operations or conditions
of
any facilities or property (including off-site storage or disposal of any
Hazardous Material from such facilities or property) currently or formerly
owned, leased or operated by any of the GreenHunter Companies;
(f) No
property now or previously owned, leased or operated by any of the GreenHunter
Companies is listed on the National Priorities List pursuant to CERCLA or
on the
CERCLIS or on any other federal or state list as sites requiring investigation
or cleanup;
(g) To
the
knowledge of GreenHunter, none of the GreenHunter Companies is transporting,
has
transported, or is arranging or has arranged for the transportation of any
Hazardous Material to any location which is listed on the National Priorities
List pursuant to CERCLA, on the CERCLIS, or on any similar federal or state
list
or which is the subject of federal, state or local enforcement actions or
other
investigations that may lead to claims in excess of $100,000 against any
of the
GreenHunter Companies for removal or remedial work, contribution for removal
or
remedial work, damage to natural resources or personal injury, including
claims
under CERCLA;
-29-
(h) None
of
the GreenHunter Companies owns or operates any underground storage tanks
or
solid waste storage, treatment and/or disposal facilities;
(i) To
the
knowledge of GreenHunter, no asbestos, asbestos containing materials or
polychlorinated biphenyls are present on or at any property or facility owned,
leased or operated by any of the GreenHunter Companies;
(j) None
of
the GreenHunter Companies is operating, or required to be operating, any
of its
properties or facilities under any compliance or consent order, decree or
agreement issued or entered into under, or pertaining to matters regulated
by,
any Environmental Law; and
(k) To
the
knowledge of GreenHunter, GreenHunter has provided or made available to Parent
copies of all environmental audits, assessments and evaluations of any of
the
GreenHunter Companies or any of their properties or assets.
3.23 Books
and Records.
All
books, records and files of the GreenHunter Companies: (a) have been prepared,
assembled and maintained in accordance with usual and customary policies
and
procedures, and (b) fairly and accurately reflect the ownership, use, enjoyment
and operation by the GreenHunter Companies of their respective
assets.
3.24 Brokers.
No
broker, finder, investment banker or other Person is or will be, in connection
with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, entitled to any brokerage,
finder’s or other fee or compensation based on any arrangement or agreement made
by or on behalf of GreenHunter and for which Parent, Merger Sub or any of
the
Parent Companies will have any obligation or liability.
3.25 Vote
Required.
The
affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of
GreenHunter Common Stock and GreenHunter Preferred Stock (voting on an as
if
converted basis) is the only vote of the holders of any class or series of
GreenHunter capital stock or other voting securities necessary to approve
this
Agreement, the Merger and the transactions contemplated hereby.
3.26 State
Takeover Laws.
GreenHunter has taken all necessary action to exempt the Merger from any
applicable moratorium, fair price, business combination, control share and
other
anti- takeover laws under the DGCL.
3.27 Non-Competition
Agreements.
Except
as set forth in the GreenHunter
Disclosure Schedule,
neither
GreenHunter nor the GreenHunter Companies is party to any agreement (written
or
oral) in the nature of a non-compete or exclusivity agreement or that otherwise
limits or restricts the ability of the Parent, or would after the Closing
limit
or restrict the ability of the Parent, to compete or otherwise conduct its
business in any manner or place.
-30-
3.28 SEC
Filings.
Neither
GreenHunter nor any of the GreenHunter Companies has been required or is
currently required to make any annual, periodic or other filings with the
SEC
under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations
promulgated thereunder.
3.29 Fairness
Opinion.
GreenHunter has received from Southwest Securities, Inc., GreenHunter’s
investment banker and financial advisor, a preliminary oral opinion that
the
Merger and the consideration to be received by holders of GreenHunter Common
Stock and GreenHunter Preferred Stock in connection with the Merger is fair
to
such stockholders, from a financial point of view.
3.30 Voting
Agreement.
Simultaneously with the execution and delivery of this Agreement, Parent,
Merger
Sub, GreenHunter and Investment Hunter, LLC are executing and delivering
a
Voting Agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit
B
to this
Agreement.
3.31 Reorganization.
None of
Greenhunter or any of its Affiliates has taken, agreed to take, or will take
any
action that could reasonably be expected to pose a material risk to the status
of the Merger as a "reorganization"
within the meaning of Code section 368(a). None of Greenhunter or any of
its
Affiliates is aware of any agreement, plan or other circumstance that
is
reasonably likely to
prevent
the Merger from constituting a "reorganization" within the meaning of Code
section 368(a).
3.32 Disclosure.
No
representation or warranty of GreenHunter set forth in this Agreement contains
any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact
necessary in order to make the statements contained herein not
misleading.
ARTICLE
4
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF PARENT AND MERGER SUB
Parent
and Merger Sub hereby jointly and severally represent and warrant to GreenHunter
as follows:
4.1 Organization.
Each of
Parent and Merger Sub: (a) is a corporation, duly organized, validly existing
and in good standing under the laws of its state of incorporation, (b) has
the
requisite power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and
to
conduct its business as it is presently being conducted, and (c) is duly
qualified to do business as a foreign corporation, and is in good standing,
in
each jurisdiction where the character of the properties owned or leased by
it or
the nature of its activities makes such qualification necessary (except where
any failure to be so qualified as a foreign corporation or to be in good
standing would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse
Effect on Parent). Copies of the articles of incorporation and bylaws of
each of
Parent and Merger Sub have heretofore been delivered to GreenHunter, and
such
copies are accurate and complete as of the date hereof. Parent has no corporate
or other subsidiaries other than the Parent Subsidiaries.
4.2 Other
Equity Interests.
None of
the Parent Companies owns any equity interest in any general or limited
partnership, corporation, limited liability company or joint venture other
than
as set forth on the Parent
Disclosure Schedule
(other
than joint operating and other ownership arrangements and tax partnerships
entered into in the ordinary course of business that, individually or in
the
aggregate, are not material to the operations or business of the Parent
Companies, taken as a whole), and that do not entail material
liabilities.
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4.3 Authority
and Enforceability.
Each of
Parent and Merger Sub has the requisite corporate power and authority to
enter
into and deliver this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated
hereby. The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the consummation
of the
transactions contemplated hereby have been duly and validly authorized by
all
necessary corporate action on the part of Parent and Merger Sub, including
approval by the board of directors of Parent and the board of directors and
the
sole stockholder of Merger Sub, and other than the approval of the GreenHunter
Proposal by the stockholders of Parent, no other corporate proceedings on
the
part of Parent or Merger Sub are necessary to authorize the execution or
delivery of this Agreement or to consummate the transactions contemplated
hereby. This Agreement has been duly and validly executed and delivered by
Parent and Merger Sub and, assuming that this Agreement constitutes a valid
and
binding obligation of GreenHunter, constitutes a valid and binding obligation
of
each of Parent and Merger Sub enforceable against each of them in accordance
with its terms.
4.4 No
Violations.
The
execution and delivery of this Agreement do not, and the consummation of
the
transactions contemplated hereby and compliance by Parent and Merger Sub
with
the provisions hereof will not, conflict with, result in any violation of
or
default (with or without notice or lapse of time or both) under, give rise
to a
right of termination, cancellation or acceleration of any obligation or to
the
loss of a material benefit under, or result in the creation of any Lien on
any
of the properties or assets of any of the Parent Companies under, any provision
of (a) (assuming the approval of the GreenHunter Proposal by the stockholders
of
Parent and the filing of the Parent Charter Amendment and the Parent Certificate
of Designation with the Secretary of State of Nevada pursuant to the NGCL)
the
certificate or articles of incorporation, bylaws or any other organizational
documents of any of the Parent Companies, (b) any loan or credit agreement,
note, bond, mortgage, indenture, lease, permit, concession, franchise, license
or other agreement or instrument applicable to any of the Parent Companies
(other than any such conflict, violation, default, right, loss or Lien that
may
arise under the Parent Bank Credit Agreement), or (c) assuming the consents,
approvals, authorizations, permits, filings and notifications referred to
in
Section 4.5 are duly and timely obtained or made, any judgment, order, decree,
statute, law, ordinance, rule or regulation applicable to any of the Parent
Companies or any of their respective properties or assets, other than, in
the
case of clause (b) or (c), above, any such conflict, violation, default,
right,
loss or Lien that, individually or in the aggregate, would not have a Material
Adverse Effect on Parent.
4.5 Consents
and Approvals.
No
consent, approval, order or authorization of, registration, declaration or
filing with, or permit from, any Governmental Authority is required by or
with
respect to Parent or Merger Sub in connection with the execution and delivery
of
this Agreement by Parent and Merger Sub or the consummation by Parent and
Merger
Sub of the transactions contemplated hereby, except for the following: (a)
any
such consent, approval, order, authorization, registration, declaration,
filing
or permit which the failure to obtain or make would not, individually or
in the
aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect on Parent; (b) the filing of the
Certificate of Merger with the Secretary of State of Delaware pursuant to
applicable provisions of the DGCL and the filing of the Parent Charter Amendment
and the Parent Certificate of Designation with the Secretary of State of
Nevada
pursuant to applicable provisions of the NGCL;
(c) the
filing of a pre-merger notification report by Parent as may be required under
the HSR Act and the expiration or termination of the applicable waiting period;
(d) the filing with the SEC of the Registration Statement and the filing
with
the SEC of the Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus under Section 14(a) of the
Exchange Act, and the rules and regulations of the SEC thereunder, and such
reports under Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act and such other compliance
with
the Exchange Act and the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of
the SEC
thereunder as may be required in connection with this Agreement and the
transactions contemplated hereby and the obtaining from the SEC of such orders
as may be so required; (e) any
required filing with, or notice to, the Over-the-Counter Bulletin Board system
maintained by the NASD relating to the shares of Parent Common Stock to be
issued pursuant to the Merger and the obtaining of such approvals, if necessary,
thereof;
(f)
such filings and approvals as may be required by any applicable state
securities, “blue sky” or takeover laws or Environmental Laws; and (g) such
filings and approvals as may be required by any foreign pre-merger notification,
securities, corporate or other law, rule or regulation. No Third-Party Consent
is required by or with respect to Parent, Merger Sub or any Parent Subsidiary
in
connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the consummation
of the transactions contemplated hereby, except for (x) any such Third-Party
Consent which the failure to obtain would not, individually or in the aggregate,
have a Material Adverse Effect on Parent, (y) the valid approval of the
GreenHunter Proposal (including the issuance of the Parent Common Stock in
the
Merger) by the stockholders of Parent, and (z) any consent, approval or waiver
required by the terms of the Parent Bank Credit Agreement.
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4.6 SEC
Documents.
Parent
has made available to GreenHunter a true and complete copy of each report,
schedule, registration statement and definitive proxy statement filed by
Parent
with the SEC since January 1, 2006, and prior to the date of this Agreement
and
any amendments thereto (the “Parent
SEC Documents”),
which
are all the documents (other than preliminary material) that Parent was required
to file with the SEC since January 1, 2006. As of their respective dates,
the
Parent SEC Documents (as amended) complied in all material respects with
the
requirements of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, as the case may be,
and
the rules and regulations of the SEC thereunder applicable to such Parent
SEC
Documents, and none of the Parent SEC Documents (as amended) contained any
untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light
of
the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
4.7 Financial
Statements.
The
Parent Financial Statements were prepared in accordance with GAAP applied
on a
consistent basis during the periods involved (except as may be indicated
in the
notes thereto or, in the case of unaudited statements, as permitted by Rule
10-01 of Regulation S-X of the SEC) and fairly present, in accordance with
applicable requirements of GAAP (in the case of the unaudited statements,
subject to normal, recurring adjustments), the consolidated financial position
of Parent and its subsidiaries as of their respective dates and the consolidated
results of operations and the consolidated cash flows of Parent and its
subsidiaries for the periods presented therein.
4.8 Capital
Structure.
(a) As
of the
date hereof, the authorized capital
stock of Parent consists of 100,000,000 shares of Parent Common Stock and
10,000,000 shares of Parent
Preferred Stock. As of the date hereof, the authorized capital stock of Merger
Sub consists of 1,000 shares of Merger Sub Common Stock.
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(b) As
of
the
date
hereof, there are 32,661,025
shares
of Parent Common Stock and no
shares
of Parent Preferred Stock currently issued and outstanding. 15,000,000 shares
of
Parent Common Stock are reserved for issuance in connection with stock options,
restricted stock awards and other equity-based awards which may be granted
under
Parent’s 2006 Equity Incentive Plan and there are no currently outstanding
options to purchase shares or awards of Parent Common Stock under such equity
incentive plan and no currently exercisable warrants to purchase shares of
Parent Common Stock as of the date hereof. As of the date hereof,
67,338,975
shares
of Parent Common Stock and no shares of Parent Preferred Stock are authorized
but unissued.
(c) Except
as
set forth in Section 4.8(b) or in the Parent
Disclosure Schedule,
there
are outstanding (i) no shares of capital stock or other voting securities
of
Parent, (ii) no securities of Parent or any other Person convertible into
or
exchangeable or exercisable for shares of capital stock or other voting
securities of Parent, and (iii) no subscriptions, options, warrants, calls,
rights (including preemptive rights, commitments, understandings or agreements
to which Parent is a party or by which it is bound) obligating Parent to
issue,
deliver, sell, purchase, redeem or acquire shares of capital stock or other
voting securities of Parent (or securities convertible into or exchangeable
or
exercisable for shares of capital stock or other voting securities of Parent)
or
obligating Parent to grant, extend or enter into any such subscription, option,
warrant, call, right, commitment, understanding or agreement.
(d) All
outstanding shares of Parent capital stock are, and, assuming the approval
of
the Parent Proposal by the stockholders of Parent and the filing of the Parent
Charter Amendment and the Parent Certificate of Designation with the Secretary
of State of Nevada under the NGCL, (when issued) the shares of Parent Common
Stock and Parent Preferred Stock to be issued pursuant to the Merger and
upon
exercise of the GreenHunter Stock Options and GreenHunter Warrants or in
exchange for the GreenHunter Preferred Stock, as the case may be, will be
validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and not subject to any preemptive
right.
(e) 1,000
shares of Merger Sub Common Stock are issued and outstanding, all of which
are
owned by Parent. All outstanding shares of capital stock and other voting
securities of Merger Sub and of each of the other corporate Parent Subsidiaries
are (i) validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and not subject to any
preemptive right, and (ii) owned by the Parent Companies, free and clear
of all
Liens, claims and options of any nature (except Permitted Encumbrances).
There
are outstanding (y) no securities of any Parent Subsidiary or any other Person
convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for shares of capital stock,
other voting securities or other equity interests of such Parent Subsidiary,
and
(z) no subscriptions, options, warrants, calls, rights (including preemptive
rights), commitments, understandings or agreements to which any Parent
Subsidiary is a party or by which it is bound obligating such Parent Subsidiary
to issue, deliver, sell, purchase, redeem or acquire shares of capital stock,
other voting securities or other equity interests of such Parent Subsidiary
(or
securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for shares of
capital
stock, other voting securities or other equity interests of such Parent
Subsidiary) or obligating any Parent Subsidiary to grant, extend or enter
into
any such subscription, option, warrant, call, right, commitment, understanding
or agreement.
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(f) Except
as
set forth in the Parent
Disclosure Schedule,
there
is no stockholder agreement, voting trust or other agreement or understanding
to
which Parent is a party or by which it is bound relating to the voting of
any
shares of the capital stock of any of the Parent Companies.
4.9 No
Undisclosed Liabilities.
There
are no liabilities of any of the Parent Companies of any kind whatsoever,
whether accrued, contingent, absolute, determined, determinable or otherwise,
that are reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect on Parent, other
than (a) liabilities adequately provided for in the Parent Financial Statements,
(b) liabilities incurred in the ordinary course of business subsequent to
March
31, 2007, (c) liabilities under this Agreement, and (d) liabilities set forth
on
the Parent
Disclosure Schedule.
4.10 Absence
of Certain Changes or Events.
Except
as set forth in the Parent
Disclosure Schedule
or as
specifically contemplated by this Agreement, since March 31, 2007, none of
the
Parent Companies has done any of the following:
(a) Discharged
or satisfied any Lien or paid any obligation or liability, absolute or
contingent, other than current liabilities incurred and paid in the ordinary
course of business and consistent with past practices;
(b) Paid
or
declared any dividends or distributions, purchased, redeemed, acquired or
retired any indebtedness, stock or other securities from its stockholders
or
other securityholders, made any loans or advances or guaranteed any loans
or
advances to any Person (other than loans, advances or guaranties made in
the
ordinary course of business and consistent with past practices), or otherwise
incurred or suffered to exist any liabilities (other than current liabilities
incurred in the ordinary course of business and consistent with past
practices);
(c) Except
for Permitted Encumbrances, suffered or permitted any Lien to arise or be
granted or created against or upon any of its assets;
(d) Canceled,
waived or released any rights or claims against, or indebtedness owed by,
third
parties;
(e) Amended
its certificate or articles of incorporation, bylaws or other organizational
documents;
(f) Made
or
permitted any amendment, supplement, modification or termination of, or any
acceleration under, any Parent Material Agreement;
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(g) Sold,
leased, transferred, assigned or otherwise disposed of (i) any asset of Parent
that, individually or in the aggregate, had a value of $500,000 or more,
or (ii)
any other assets that, individually or in the aggregate, had a value at the
time
of such lease, transfer, assignment or disposition of $500,000 or more (and,
in
each case where a sale, lease, transfer, assignment or other disposition
was
made, it was made for fair consideration in the ordinary course of business);
(h) Made
any
investment in or contribution, payment, advance or loan to any Person (other
than investments, contributions, payments or advances, or commitments with
respect thereto, less than $250,000 in the aggregate, made in the ordinary
course of business and consistent with past practices);
(i) Paid,
loaned or advanced (other than the payment, advance or reimbursement of expenses
in the ordinary course of business) any amounts to, or sold, transferred
or
leased any of its assets to, or entered into any other transaction with,
any of
its Affiliates other than the Parent Companies;
(j) Made
any
material change in any of the accounting principles followed by it or the
method
of applying such principles, except for any such change required by reason
of a
concurrent change in GAAP, or as required by the Public Company Accounting
Oversight Board, by Regulation S-X under the Exchange Act, or interpretations
of
GAAP as announced by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (as agreed
to by
the Company’s independent auditor);
(k) Entered
into any material transaction (other than this Agreement) except in the ordinary
course of business and consistent with past practices;
(l) Increased
benefits or benefit plan costs or changed bonus, insurance, pension,
compensation or other benefit plan or arrangement or granted any bonus or
increase in wages, salary or other compensation or made any other change
in
employment terms to any officer, director or employee of any of the Parent
Companies (except in the ordinary course of business);
(m) Issued
any note, bond or other debt security or created, incurred, assumed or
guaranteed any indebtedness for borrowed money or capitalized lease obligation
involving more than $500,000 in the aggregate (other than pursuant to the
Parent
Bank Credit Agreement);
(n) Delayed
or postponed the payment of accounts payable or other liabilities (except
in the
ordinary course of business);
(o) Canceled,
compromised, waived or released any right or claim (or series of related
rights
and claims) involving more than $250,000 in the aggregate (except in the
ordinary course of business);
(p) Issued,
sold, or otherwise disposed of any of its capital stock or other equity interest
or granted any option, warrant, or other right to purchase or obtain (including
upon conversion, exchange, or exercise) any of its capital stock or other
equity
interest;
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(q) Made
any
loan to, or entered into any other transaction with, any of its directors,
officers or employees (except in the ordinary course of business and not
involving more than $50,000 in the aggregate);
(r) Made
or
pledged to make any charitable or other capital contribution outside the
ordinary course of business;
(s) Made
or
committed to make capital expenditures in excess of $500,000 in the
aggregate;
(t) Made
any
change in any material Tax election or the manner Taxes are
reported;
(u) Otherwise
been involved in any other material occurrence, event, incident, action,
failure
to act, or transaction involving any of the Parent Companies (except in the
ordinary course of business);
(v) Agreed,
whether in writing or otherwise, to do any of the foregoing; or
(w) Suffered
any Material Adverse Effect (other than changes or trends, including changes
or
trends in commodity prices, or changes
in applicable laws (including laws relating to Taxes) or government subsidies
or
programs, in each case
generally prevalent in or affecting the renewable energy industry).
4.11 Compliance
with Laws, Material Agreements and Permits.
None of
the Parent Companies is in violation of, or in default under, and no event
has
occurred that (with notice or the lapse of time or both) would constitute
a
violation of or default under: (a) its certificate or articles of incorporation,
bylaws or other organizational documents, (b) any applicable law, rule,
regulation, ordinance, order, writ, decree or judgment of any Governmental
Authority, or (c) any Parent Material Agreement, except (in the case of clause
(b) or (c) above) for any violation or default that would not, individually
or
in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect on Parent. Each of the Parent
Companies has obtained and holds all permits, licenses, variances, exemptions,
orders, franchises, approvals and authorizations of all Governmental Authorities
necessary for the lawful conduct of its business and the lawful ownership,
use
and operation of its assets (“Parent
Permits”),
except for Parent Permits which the failure to obtain or hold would not,
individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect on Parent.
None
of the Parent Permits will be adversely affected by the consummation of the
transactions contemplated under this Agreement or requires any filing or
consent
in connection therewith. Each of the Parent Companies is in compliance with
the
terms of its Parent Permits, except where the failure to comply would not,
individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect on Parent.
No
investigation or review by any Governmental Authority with respect to any
of the
Parent Companies is pending or, to the knowledge of Parent, threatened, other
than those the outcome of which would not, individually or in the aggregate,
have a Material Adverse Effect on Parent. To the knowledge of Parent, no
other
party to any Parent Material Agreement is in material breach of the terms,
provisions or conditions of such Parent Material Agreement.
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4.12 Governmental
Regulation.
No
Parent Company is subject to regulation under the Federal Power Act, the
Interstate Commerce Act, the Investment Company Act of 1940 or any state
public
utilities laws.
4.13 Litigation.
Except
as set forth in the Parent
Disclosure Schedule:
(a) no
litigation, arbitration, investigation or other proceeding is pending or,
to the
knowledge of Parent, threatened against any of the Parent Companies or their
respective assets which, if adversely determined, could reasonably be expected
to have a Material Adverse Effect on Parent; and (b) no Parent Company is
subject to any outstanding injunction, judgment, order, decree or ruling.
There
is no litigation, proceeding or investigation pending or, to the knowledge
of
Parent, threatened against or affecting any of the Parent Companies that
questions the validity or enforceability of this Agreement or any other
document, instrument or agreement to be executed and delivered by Parent
in
connection with the transactions contemplated hereby.
4.14 Interim
Operations of Merger Sub. Merger
Sub was formed solely for the purpose of engaging in the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement and has not engaged in any business or activity
(or conducted any operations) of any kind, entered into any agreement or
arrangement with any person or entity, or incurred, directly or indirectly,
any
liabilities or obligations, except in connection with its incorporation,
the
negotiation of this Agreement, the Merger and the transactions contemplated
hereby.
4.15 No
Restrictions.
Except
as set forth in the Parent
Disclosure Schedule,
none of
the Parent Companies is a party to: (a) any agreement, indenture or other
instrument that contains restrictions with respect to the payment of dividends
or other distributions with respect to its capital, other than the Parent
Bank
Credit Agreement and antidilution adjustments under the Parent Warrants;
(b) any
financial arrangement with respect to or creating any indebtedness to any
Person
(other than indebtedness (i) reflected in the Parent Financial Statements,
(ii)
under the Parent Bank Credit Agreement, or (iii) incurred in the ordinary
course
of business since December 31, 2006) unless such indebtedness would not,
individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect on
the
Parent Companies; (c) any agreement, contract or commitment relating to the
making of any advance to, or investment in, any Person (other than restrictions
under the Parent Bank Credit Agreement and advances in the ordinary course
of
business); (d) any guaranty or other contingent liability with respect to
any
indebtedness or obligation of any Person (other than (i) guaranties pursuant
to
the Parent Bank Credit Agreement, (ii) guaranties undertaken in the ordinary
course of business, and (iii) the endorsement of negotiable instruments for
collection in the ordinary course of business); or (e) any agreement, contract
or commitment limiting in any respect its ability to compete with any Person
or
otherwise conduct business of any line or nature.
4.16 Tax
Audits and Settlements.
Except
as set forth in the Parent
Disclosure Schedule,
none of
the Parent Companies is a party or subject to any unresolved or incomplete
Tax
audit or settlement.
4.17 Taxes.
(a) Each
of
the Parent Companies and each affiliated, combined or unitary group of which
any
such entity is or was a member has: (i) timely filed all Tax Returns required
to
be filed by, or on behalf of, it with respect to any Taxes, and such Tax
Returns
are true, correct and complete in all material respects, (ii) timely paid
all
Taxes that are due and payable (except for Taxes that are being contested
in
good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which sufficient reserves have
been established in accordance with GAAP) and for which any of the Parent
Companies may be liable, (iii) complied with all applicable laws, rules and
regulations relating to the payment and withholding of Taxes, and (iv) timely
withheld from employee wages and paid over to the proper Governmental
Authorities all amounts required to be so withheld and paid over, except
where
the failure to file, pay, comply with or withhold would not, individually
or in
the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect on any of the Parent
Companies.
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(b) Except
as
set forth in the Parent
Disclosure Schedule:
(i) no
audits or other administrative or court proceedings are presently pending
or
threatened with regard to any federal, state, local or foreign income or
franchise Taxes or any other material Taxes for which any of the Parent
Companies may be liable; (ii) there are no pending requests for Tax rulings
from
any Governmental Authority, no outstanding subpoenas or requests for information
by any Governmental Authority with respect to any Taxes, no proposed
reassessments by any Governmental Authority of any property owned or leased,
and
no agreements in effect to extend the time to file any Tax Return or the
period
of limitations for the assessment or collection of any Taxes for which any
of
the Parent Companies may be liable; and (iii) neither the IRS nor any other
Tax
authority has asserted any claim against any of the Parent Companies for
Taxes
or is threatening to assert any claims against any of the Parent Companies
for
Taxes.
(c) Except
as
set forth in the Parent
Disclosure Schedule:
(i)
there are no Liens on any of the assets of the Parent Companies for unpaid
Taxes, other than Liens for Taxes not yet due and payable; (ii) no Parent
Company has any liability under Treasury Regulation § 1.1502-6 or any analogous
state, local or foreign law by reason of having been a member of any
consolidated, combined or unitary group, other than the affiliated group
of
which Parent is currently the common parent corporation; and (iii) no Parent
Company is or has been a party to any Tax sharing agreement or arrangement
between related corporations.
(d) The
amount of liability for unpaid Taxes of the Parent Companies does not, as
of
March 31, 2007, in the aggregate, materially exceed the amount of the liability
accruals for Taxes (excluding any reserve for deferred Taxes established
to
reflect timing differences between book and Tax income) reflected on the
Parent
Financial Statements and does not currently exceed the amount of such accruals
as adjusted for operations and transactions in the ordinary course of business
of the Parent Companies on or before the Closing Date.
(e) Parent
has delivered to GreenHunter true complete copies of all income or franchise
Tax
Returns, and made available to GreenHunter true and complete copies of all
other
Tax Returns filed by, or on behalf of, the Parent Companies with respect
to any
Taxes and has delivered to GreenHunter all Tax audit reports, work papers,
statements of deficiencies, and closing or other agreements with respect
thereto, in each case with respect to any Tax period ending at any time during
calendar year 2006.
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(f)
The
books and records of each of the Parent Companies contain accurate and complete
information with respect to: (i) all material Tax elections in effect with
respect to the Parent Companies; (ii) the current Tax basis of the assets
of the
Parent Companies; (iii) any excess loss accounts of the Parent Companies;
(iv)
the current and accumulated earnings and profits of the Parent Companies;
(v)
the net operating losses and net capital losses of the Parent Companies,
the
years that such net operating and net capital losses expire, and any
restrictions to which such net operating and net capital losses are subject
under any provision of the Code or consolidated return regulations; (vi)
Tax
credit carryovers of the Parent Companies; and (vii) any overall foreign
losses
to the Parent Companies under Section 904(f) of the Code.
(g) No
claim
has been made by a Tax authority in a jurisdiction where any of the Parent
Companies does not file Tax Returns that any of the Parent Companies is or
may
be subject to Taxation by that jurisdiction.
(h) None
of
the Parent Companies will be required to include any item of income in, exclude
any item of deduction from, or otherwise adjust, taxable income for any Tax
period ending after the Closing Date as a result of any : (i) change in method
of accounting for a Tax period (or portion thereof) ending on or prior to
the
Closing Date; (ii) agreement with a Tax authority relating to Taxes executed
on
or prior to the Closing Date; (iii) installment sale or open transaction
disposition or intercompany transaction made on or prior to the Closing Date;
(iv) completed contract method of accounting or other method of accounting
applicable to long-term contracts (or any comparable provisions of state,
local
or foreign law); (v) prepaid amount received on or prior to the Closing Date;
(vi) adjustment pursuant to Code section 481 (or comparable provision of
state
or local Law); or (vii) other Tax positions, elections or methods taken,
made,
or used by any of the Parent Companies having the effect of either deferring
taxable income to Tax periods or portions thereof ending after the Closing
Date
or accelerating deductions to Tax periods or portions thereof ending on or
prior
to the Closing Date.
4.18 Employee
Benefit Plans.
(a) The
Parent
Disclosure Schedule
sets
forth a complete and accurate list of each of the following which is or has
been
sponsored, maintained or contributed to by Parent or any trade or business,
whether or not incorporated (a “Parent
ERISA Affiliate”),
that
together with Parent would be considered affiliated with Parent or any Parent
ERISA Affiliate under Section 414(b), (c), (m) or (o) of the Code or Section
4001(b)(l) of ERISA for the benefit of any person who, as of the Closing,
is a
current or former employee or subcontractor of Parent: (i) each “employee
benefit plan,” as such term is defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA (each, a
“Parent
Plan”);
and
(ii) each personnel policy, stock option plan, bonus plan or arrangement,
incentive award plan or arrangement, vacation policy, severance pay plan,
policy, program or agreement, deferred compensation agreement or arrangement,
executive compensation or supplemental income arrangement, retiree benefit
plan
or arrangement, fringe benefit program or practice (whether or not taxable),
employee loan, consulting agreement, employment agreement and each other
employee benefit plan, agreement, arrangement, program, practice or
understanding which is not described in clause (i) above (each, a “Parent
Benefit Program or Agreement”)
(the
Parent Plans and Parent Benefit Programs or Agreements are sometimes
collectively referred to in this Agreement as the “Parent
Employee Benefit Plans”).
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(b) True,
correct and complete copies of each of the Parent Plans and related trusts,
if
applicable, including all amendments thereto, have been furnished or made
available to GreenHunter. There has also been furnished or made available
to
GreenHunter, with respect to each Parent Plan required to file such report
and
description, the report on Form 5500 for the past three years, to the extent
applicable, and the most recent summary plan description and summaries of
material modifications thereto. True, correct and complete copies or
descriptions of all Parent Benefit Programs or Agreements have also been
furnished or made available to GreenHunter.
(c) Except
as
otherwise set forth on the Parent
Disclosure Schedule:
(i)
none of Parent, any Parent ERISA Affiliate or any entity that, at any time
during the past six years, was required to be treated as a single employer
together with Parent or a Parent ERISA Affiliate pursuant to Section 414
of the
Code contributes to or has an obligation to contribute to, nor has at any
time
contributed to or had an obligation to contribute to, a multiemployer plan
within the meaning of Section 3(37) of ERISA or any other plan subject to
Title
IV of ERISA; (ii) each of Parent and the Parent ERISA Affiliates has performed
all material obligations, whether arising by operation of law or by contract,
including ERISA and the Code, required to be performed by it in connection
with
the Parent Employee Benefit Plans, and, to the knowledge of Parent, there
have
been no defaults or violations by any other party to the Parent Employee
Benefit
Plans; (iii) all reports, returns, notices, disclosures and other documents
relating to the Parent Plans required to be filed with or furnished to
governmental entities, plan participants or plan beneficiaries have been
timely
filed or furnished in accordance with applicable law, and each Parent Employee
Benefit Plan has been administered in substantial compliance with its governing
written documents; (iv) each of the Parent Plans to the extent applicable
is
intended to be qualified under Section 401 of the Code and Parent is not
aware
of any circumstances which would adversely affect such qualified status;
(v)
there are no actions, suits or claims pending (other than routine claims
for
benefits) or, to the knowledge of Parent, contemplated or threatened against,
or
with respect to, any of the Parent Employee Benefit Plans or their assets;
(vi)
Parent is not aware of any circumstances which would adversely affect the
tax
exempt status of each trust, under Section 501 of the Code, maintained in
connection with each Parent Plan, which is qualified under Section 401 of
the
Code; (vii) all contributions required to be made to the Parent Employee
Benefit
Plans have been made timely; (viii) no Parent Employee Benefit Plan is subject
to Title IV of ERISA nor the funding rules of Section 302 of ERISA or Section
412 of the Code, and there has been no termination or partial termination
of any
Parent Plan within the meaning of Section 41l(d)(3) of the Code; (ix) no
act,
omission or transaction has occurred which could result in imposition on
Parent
or any Parent ERISA Affiliate of (A) material breach of fiduciary duty liability
damages under Section 409 of ERISA, (B) a material civil penalty assessed
pursuant to subsections (c), (i) or (l) of Section 502 of ERISA or (C) a
material tax imposed pursuant to Chapter 43 of Subtitle D of the Code; (x)
to
the knowledge of Parent, there is no matter pending with respect to any of
the
Parent Plans before the IRS, the Department of Labor or the PBGC; (xi) each
of
the Parent Employee Benefit Plans complies in all material respects with
the
applicable provisions of the Code and ERISA; (xii) each Parent Employee Benefit
Plan may be unilaterally amended or terminated in its entirety without any
liability or other obligation; (xiii) Parent and the Parent ERISA Affiliates
have no material liabilities or other obligations, whether actual or contingent,
under any Parent Employee Benefit Plan for post-employment benefits of any
nature; and (xiv) neither Parent has nor Parent has knowledge of any of the
Parent ERISA Affiliates or any present or former director, officer, employee
or
other agent of Parent or any of the Parent ERISA Affiliates made any written
or
oral representations or promises to any present or former director, officer,
employee or other agent concerning his or her terms, conditions or benefits
of
employment, including the tenure of any such employment or the conditions
under
which such employment may be terminated by Parent, any of the Parent ERISA
Affiliates or Merger Sub which will be binding upon or enforceable against
Parent or Merger Sub after the Effective Time.
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(d) Except
as
otherwise set forth on the Parent
Disclosure Schedule,
no
employee is currently on a leave of absence due to sickness or disability
and no
claim is pending or expected to be made by an employee, former employee or
independent contractor for workers’ compensation benefits.
(e) Except
as
set forth in the Parent
Disclosure Schedule:
(i)
with respect to the Parent Employee Benefit Plans, there exists no condition
or
set of circumstances in connection with any of the Parent Companies that
could
be expected to result in liability reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse
Effect on Parent under ERISA, the Code or any other applicable law; and (ii)
with respect to the Parent Employee Benefit Plans, individually and in the
aggregate, there are no unfunded benefit obligations which have not been
accounted for by reserves, or otherwise properly footnoted in accordance
with
GAAP, on the financial statements of the Parent Companies, which obligations
are
reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect on Parent.
(f) Except
as
set forth in the Parent
Disclosure Schedule,
neither
the execution nor delivery of this Agreement nor the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby will result in any payment becoming due
to any
employee or group of employees of any of the Parent Companies.
(g) Except
as
set forth in the Parent
Disclosure Schedule,
no
amounts payable or that could become payable under any Parent Employee Benefit
Plan as a result of the consummation of the transactions contemplated by
this
Agreement will fail to be deductible for Federal income tax purposes by virtue
of either Section 280G or 162(m) of the Code.
4.19 Employment
Contracts and Benefits.
Except
as set forth in the Parent
Disclosure Schedule
or
otherwise provided for in any Parent Employee Benefit Plan: (a) none of the
Parent Companies is subject to or obligated under any consulting, employment,
severance, termination or similar arrangement, any employee benefit, incentive
or deferred compensation plan with respect to any Person, or any bonus, profit
sharing, pension, stock option, stock purchase or similar plan or other
arrangement or other fringe benefit plan entered into or maintained for the
benefit of employees of any of the Parent Companies or any other Person;
and (b)
no employee of any of the Parent Companies or any other Person owns, or has
any
right granted by any of the Parent Companies to acquire, any interest in
any of
the assets or business of any of the Parent Companies.
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4.20 Labor
Matters
(a) No
employees of any of the Parent Companies are represented by any labor
organization. No labor organization or group of employees of any of the Parent
Companies has made a demand for recognition or certification as a union or
other
labor organization, and there are no representation or certification proceedings
or petitions seeking a representation or certification proceeding presently
pending or threatened in writing to be brought or filed with the National
Labor
Relations Board or any other labor relations tribunal or authority. To Parent’s
knowledge, there are no organizing activities involving any of the Parent
Companies pending with any labor organization or group of employees of any
of
the Parent Companies.
(b) Each
of
the Parent Companies is in compliance with all laws, rules, regulations and
orders relating to the employment of labor, including all such laws, rules,
regulations and orders relating to wages, hours, collective bargaining,
discrimination, civil rights, safety and health, workers’ compensation and the
collection and payment of income Tax withholding, Social Security Taxes,
Medicare Taxes and similar Taxes, except where the failure to comply would
not,
individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect on
Parent.
4.21 Accounts
Receivable.
Except
as set forth in the Parent
Disclosure Schedule:
(a) all
of the accounts, notes and loans receivable that have been recorded on the
books
of the Parent Companies are bona fide and represent accounts, notes and loans
receivable validly due for goods sold or services rendered and are reasonably
expected to be collected in full within 90 days after the applicable invoice
or
note maturity date (other than such accounts, notes and loans receivable
that,
individually or in the aggregate, do not have a book value as of the date
hereof
in excess of $100,000); (b) except for Permitted Encumbrances, all of such
accounts, notes and loans receivable are free and clear of any and all Liens
and
other adverse claims and charges, and none of such accounts, notes or loans
receivable is subject to any offset or claim of offset; and (c) none of the
obligors on such accounts, notes or loans receivable has given notice to
any of
the Parent Companies that it will or may refuse to pay the full amount or
any
portion thereof.
4.22 Insurance.
Each of
the Parent Companies maintains, and through the Closing Date will maintain,
insurance with reputable insurers (or pursuant to prudent self-insurance
programs described in the Parent
Disclosure Schedule)
in such
amounts and covering such risks as are in accordance with normal industry
practice for companies engaged in businesses similar to those of the Parent
Companies and owning properties in the same general area in which the Parent
Companies conduct their businesses. Each of the Parent Companies may terminate
each of its insurance policies or binders at or after the Closing and will
incur
no penalties or other material costs in doing so. None of such insurance
coverage was obtained through the use of false or misleading information
or the
failure to provide the insurer with all information requested in order to
evaluate the liabilities and risks insured. There is no material default
with
respect to any provision contained in any such policy or binder, and none
of the
Parent Companies has failed to give any notice or present any claim under
any
such policy or binder in due and timely fashion. There are no billed but
unpaid
premiums past due under any such policy or binder. Except as set forth in
the
Parent
Disclosure Schedule:
(a)
there are no outstanding claims under any such policies or binders and, to
the
knowledge of Parent, there has not occurred any event that might reasonably
form
the basis of any claim against or relating to any of the Parent Companies
that
is not covered by any of such policies or binders; (b) no notice of cancellation
or non-renewal of any such policies or binders has been received; and (c)
there
are no performance bonds outstanding with respect to any of the Parent
Companies.
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4.23 Intellectual
Property.
There
are no material trademarks, trade names, patents, service marks, brand names,
computer programs, databases, industrial designs, copyrights or other intangible
property that are necessary for the operation, or continued operation, of
the
business of any of the Parent Companies, or for the ownership and operation,
or
continued ownership and operation, of any of their assets, for which the
Parent
Companies do not hold valid and continuing authority in connection with the
use
thereof. The businesses of the Parent Companies, as presently conducted,
do not
conflict with, infringe or violate any intellectual property rights of any
other
Person, except where any such conflict, infringement or violation could not
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on Parent.
4.24 Environmental
Matters.
Except
as set forth in the Parent
Disclosure Schedule:
(a) Each
of
the Parent Companies has conducted its business and operated its assets,
and is
conducting its business and operating its assets, in compliance with all
Environmental Laws, other than any noncompliance that (i) is typical in the
ordinary course of the renewable energy business, and (ii) would not be
reasonably expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect on
Parent;
(b) To
the
knowledge of Parent, none of the Parent Companies has been notified by any
Governmental Authority or other third party that any of the operations or
assets
of any of the Parent Companies is the subject of any investigation or inquiry
by
any Governmental Authority or other third party evaluating whether any remedial
action is needed to respond to a release or threatened release of any Hazardous
Material or to the improper storage or disposal (including storage or disposal
at offsite locations) of any Hazardous Material;
(c) None
of
the Parent Companies and, to the knowledge of Parent, no other Person has
filed
any notice under any federal, state or local law indicating that (i) any
of the
Parent Companies is responsible for the improper release into the environment,
or the improper storage or disposal, of any Hazardous Material; or (ii) any
Hazardous Material is improperly stored or disposed of upon any property
of any
of the Parent Companies;
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(d) None
of
the Parent Companies has any liability in excess of $500,000 in the aggregate
in
connection with (i) the release or threatened release into the environment
at,
beneath or on any property now or previously owned, leased or operated by
any of
the Parent Companies, (ii) any obligations under or violations of Environmental
Laws, or (iii) the use, release, storage or disposal of any Hazardous
Material;
(e) None
of
the Parent Companies has received any claim, complaint, notice, inquiry or
request for information involving any matter which remains unresolved with
respect to any alleged violation of any Environmental Law or regarding potential
liability under any Environmental Law relating to operations or conditions
of
any facilities or property (including off-site storage or disposal of any
Hazardous Material from such facilities or property) currently or formerly
owned, leased or operated by any of the Parent Companies;
(f) No
property now or previously owned, leased or operated by any of the Parent
Companies is listed on the National Priorities List pursuant to CERCLA or
on the
CERCLIS or on any other federal or state list as sites requiring investigation
or cleanup;
(g) To
the
knowledge of Parent, none of the Parent Companies is transporting, has
transported, or is arranging or has arranged for the transportation of any
Hazardous Material to any location which is listed on the National Priorities
List pursuant to CERCLA, on the CERCLIS, or on any similar federal or state
list
or which is the subject of federal, state or local enforcement actions or
other
investigations that may lead to claims in excess of $100,000 against any
of the
Parent Companies for removal or remedial work, contribution for removal or
remedial work, damage to natural resources or personal injury, including
claims
under CERCLA;
(h) None
of
the Parent Companies owns or operates any underground storage tanks or solid
waste storage, treatment and/or disposal facilities;
(i) To
the
knowledge of Parent, no asbestos, asbestos containing materials or
polychlorinated biphenyls are present on or at any property or facility owned,
leased or operated by any of the Parent Companies, other than gas processing
plants and associated gathering systems;
(j) None
of
the Parent Companies is operating, or required to be operating, any of its
properties or facilities under any compliance or consent order, decree or
agreement issued or entered into under, or pertaining to matters regulated
by,
any Environmental Law; and
(k) To
the
knowledge of Parent, Parent has provided or made available to GreenHunter
copies
of all environmental audits, assessments and evaluations of any of the Parent
Companies or any of their properties or assets.
4.25 Books
and Records.
All
books, records and files of the Parent Companies: (a) have been prepared,
assembled and maintained in accordance with the usual and customary policies
and
procedures, and (b) fairly and accurately reflect the ownership, use, enjoyment
and operation by the Parent Companies of their respective assets.
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4.26 Brokers.
No
broker, finder, investment banker or other Person is or will be, in connection
with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, entitled to any brokerage,
finder’s or other fee or compensation based on any arrangement or agreement made
by or on behalf of Parent or Merger Sub and for which GreenHunter or any
of the
GreenHunter Companies will have any obligation or liability.
4.27 Vote
Required.
The
affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of
Parent Common Stock with respect to the Parent Proposal is the only vote
of the
holders of any class or series of Parent capital stock or other voting
securities necessary to approve this Agreement, the Merger (including the
issuance of the Parent Common Stock) and the transactions contemplated
hereby.
4.28 State
Takeover Laws.
Parent
has taken all necessary action to exempt the Merger from any applicable
moratorium, fair price, business combination, control share and other
anti-takeover laws under the NGCL.
4.29 Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx.
(a)
Parent has established and maintained disclosure controls and procedures
(as
defined in Rule 13a-15(e) promulgated under the Exchange Act) sufficient
to
ensure that all material information that is required to be disclosed by
Parent
in reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded,
processed, summarized and reported within the time period specified in the
rules
and forms of the SEC, and that all such information is accumulated and
communicated to Parent’s management as appropriate to allow timely decisions
regarding required disclosure.
(b)
Parent has established and maintained internal controls over financial reporting
(as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) promulgated under the Exchange Act) to provide
reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and
the
preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with
United States GAAP. To Parent’s knowledge (i) there are no significant
deficiencies or material weaknesses in the design or operation of Parent’s
internal controls over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to
adversely affect in any material respect Parent’s ability to record, process,
summarize and report financial information and (ii) there is no fraud, whether
or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a
significant role in Parent’s internal controls over financial
reporting.
4.30 Related
Party Transactions.
There
are no contracts by any Parent Company with, or for the benefit of, any officer
or director of a Parent Company or, to Parent’s knowledge, any Affiliate of any
of them except as set forth on the Parent
Disclosure Schedule.
4.31 Certain
Business Practices.
No
Parent Company nor, to Parent’s knowledge, any director, officer, agent or
employee of any Parent Company has, in the course of his or her duties on
behalf
of Parent Company (i) used any funds for unlawful contributions, gifts,
entertainment or other expenses relating to political activity or for the
business of any Parent Company, (ii) made any bribe or kickback, illegal
political contribution, unlawful payment from corporate funds to foreign
or
domestic government officials or employees or to foreign or domestic political
parties or campaigns or violated any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices
Act of 1977 or (iii) made any other unlawful payment.
-46-
4.32
Voting
Agreement.
Simultaneously with the execution and delivery of this Agreement, Parent,
Merger
Sub, GreenHunter and SNB Associates, LLC, are executing and delivering a
Voting
Agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit
C
to this
Agreement.
4.33
Reorganization.
None
of Parent
or any of its Affiliates has taken, agreed to take, or will take any action
that
could reasonably be expected to pose a material risk to the status of the
Merger
as a "reorganization" within the meaning of Code section 368(a).
4.34
Disclosure.
No
representation or warranty of Parent or Merger Sub set forth in this Agreement
contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material
fact necessary in order to make the statements contained herein not
misleading.
ARTICLE
5
COVENANTS
5.1 Conduct
of Business by Parent Pending Closing.
Parent
covenants and agrees with GreenHunter that, from the date of this Agreement
until the Effective Time, each of the Parent Companies will conduct its business
only in the ordinary and usual course consistent with past practices.
Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, Parent covenants and agrees with
GreenHunter that, except as specifically contemplated in this Agreement,
from
the date of this Agreement until the Effective Time, without the prior written
consent of GreenHunter, except as set forth on the Parent
Disclosure Schedule:
(a) None
of
the Parent Companies will (i) amend its certificate or articles of
incorporation, bylaws or other organizational documents; (ii) split, combine
or
reclassify any of its outstanding capital stock; (iii) declare, set aside
or pay
any dividends or other distributions (whether payable in cash, property or
securities) with respect to its capital stock; (iv) issue, sell or agree
to
issue or sell any securities or other equity interests, including its capital
stock, any rights, options or warrants to acquire its capital stock, or
securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for its capital
stock
(other than shares of Parent Common Stock issued pursuant to the exercise
of any
Parent Warrant outstanding on the date of this Agreement), other than an
equity
financing of up to $7.5 million on terms that are approved by the Board of
Directors of Parent and at a price per share that is not less 70% of
the
average historic trading price of Parent Common Stock during the 45 day period
prior to such financing; (v) purchase, cancel, retire, redeem or otherwise
acquire any of its outstanding capital stock or other securities or other
equity
interests; (vi) merge or consolidate with, or transfer all or substantially
all
of its assets to, any other Person; (vii) liquidate, wind-up or dissolve
(or
suffer any liquidation or dissolution); or (viii) enter into any contract,
agreement, commitment or arrangement with respect to any of the
foregoing.
(b) None
of
the Parent Companies will (i) acquire any corporation, partnership or other
business entity or any interest therein having an acquisition price in excess
of
$7.5 million, individually or in the aggregate; (ii) sell, lease or sublease,
transfer or otherwise dispose of or mortgage, pledge or otherwise encumber
any
asset having a value in excess of $7.5 million, individually or in the
aggregate; (iii) sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of or mortgage, pledge
or
otherwise encumber any securities of any other Person (including any capital
stock or other securities or equity interest in any Parent Subsidiary); (iv)
organize or form any subsidiary, or make any material loans, advances or
capital
contributions to, or investments in, any Person (other than loans or advances
in
the ordinary course of business) in an aggregate amount in excess of $500,000,
individually or in the aggregate; (v) enter into any Parent Material Agreement
or any other agreement not terminable by any of the Parent Companies upon
notice
of 30 days or less and without penalty or other obligation; or (vii) enter
into
any contract, agreement, commitment or arrangement with respect to any of
the
foregoing.
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(c) None
of
the Parent Companies will (i) incur any indebtedness for borrowed money other
than under trade credit vendor lines not exceeding $7.5 million individually
or
in the aggregate; (ii) incur any other obligation or liability (other than
liabilities incurred in the ordinary course of business); (iii) assume, endorse
(other than endorsements of negotiable instruments in the ordinary course
of
business), guarantee or otherwise become liable or responsible (whether
directly, contingently or otherwise) for the liabilities or obligations of
any
other Person in an amount in excess of $500,000 individually or in the
aggregate; or (iv) enter into any contract, agreement, commitment or arrangement
with respect to any of the foregoing.
(d) None
of
the Parent Companies will (i) enter into, or otherwise become liable or
obligated under or pursuant to: (1) any employee benefit, pension or other
plan
(whether or not subject to ERISA), (2) any other stock option, stock purchase,
incentive or deferred compensation plan or arrangement or other fringe benefit
plan, except pursuant to any Parent Employee Benefit Plan or any other plan,
agreement or arrangement described in the Parent
Disclosure Schedule,
or (3)
any consulting, employment, severance, termination or similar agreement with
any
Person, or amend or extend any such plan, arrangement or agreement; (ii)
except
for payments made pursuant to any Parent Employee Benefit Plan or any other
plan, agreement or arrangement described in the Parent
Disclosure Schedule,
grant,
or otherwise become liable for or obligated to pay, any severance or termination
payment, bonus or increase in compensation or benefits (other than payments,
bonuses or increases that are mandated by the terms of agreements existing
as of
the date hereof or that are paid in the ordinary course of business, consistent
with past practices, and not individually or in the aggregate material in
amount) to, or forgive any indebtedness of, any employee or consultant of
any of
the Parent Companies; or (iii) enter into any contract, agreement, commitment
or
arrangement to do any of the foregoing.
(e) None
of
the Parent Companies will create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Lien
on
any of its assets, except for Permitted Encumbrances.
(f) The
Parent Companies will (i) keep and maintain accurate books, records and
accounts; (ii) maintain in full force and effect the policies or binders
of
insurance described in Section 4.22; (iii) pay all Taxes, assessments and
other
governmental charges imposed upon any of their assets or with respect to
their
franchises, business, income or assets before any penalty or interest accrues
thereon; (iv) pay all material claims (including claims for labor, services,
materials and supplies) that have become due and payable and which by law
have
or may become a Lien upon any of their assets prior to the time when any
penalty
or fine shall be incurred with respect thereto or any such Lien shall be
imposed
thereon; and (v) comply in all material respects with the requirements of
all
applicable laws, rules, regulations and orders of any Governmental Authority,
obtain or take all Governmental Actions necessary in the operation of their
businesses, and comply with and enforce the provisions of all Parent Material
Agreements, including paying when due all rentals, royalties, expenses and
other
liabilities relating to their businesses or assets; provided, however, that
the
Parent Companies may contest the imposition of any such Taxes, assessments
and
other governmental charges, any such claim, or the requirements of any
applicable law, rule, regulation or order or any Parent Material Agreement
if
done so in good faith by appropriate proceedings and if adequate reserves
are
established in accordance with GAAP.
-48-
(g) The
Parent Companies will at all times preserve and keep in full force and effect
their corporate existence and rights and franchises material to their
performance under this Agreement, except where the failure to do so would
not
have a Material Adverse Effect on Parent.
(h) None
of
the Parent Companies will:
(i) engage
in
any practice, take any action or permit by inaction any of the representations
and warranties contained in Article 4 to become untrue, except as specifically
permitted under other provisions of this Section 5.1(h);
(ii) approve
or implement budgets for general and administrative expenses of the Parent
Companies (including salary, bonuses, general operating and overhead expenses)
or budgets for Capital Expenditures of the Parent Companies, or incur expenses
or disburse funds for any of such purposes except pursuant to the budgets
which
have been
disclosed to GreenHunter or revisions to such budgets which are approved
by
GreenHunter, such approval not to be unreasonably withheld (any budgets which
have been disclosed to GreenHunter or modifications thereto which are
approved as required herein are referred to as “Approved
Parent Budgets”);
(iii) except
to
the extent already included in an Approved Parent Budget, enter into any
agreements or other arrangements with respect to, or make any payments, incur
any expenses or disburse any funds for any Capital Project, the completion
or
full capitalization of which can reasonably be expected to require the Parent
Companies to expend, in the aggregate, in excess of $2.5 million;
(iv) make
any
Capital Expenditure or general and administrative expense payment which exceeds
by more than 20 percent the amount set forth in the appropriate line item
for
such expenditure in an Approved Parent Budget.
(i)
None
of Parent or any of its Affiliates will take, cause or permit to be taken
any
action that could reasonably be expected to pose a material risk to the status
of the Merger as a "reorganization" within the meaning of Code section
368(a).
5.2 Conduct
of Business by GreenHunter Pending Closing.
GreenHunter covenants and agrees with Parent and Merger Sub that, from the
date
of this Agreement until the Effective Time, each of the GreenHunter Companies
will conduct its business only in the ordinary and usual course consistent
with
past practices. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, GreenHunter covenants
and agrees with Parent and Merger Sub that, except as specifically contemplated
in this Agreement, from the date of this Agreement until the Effective Time,
without the prior written consent of Parent, except as set forth on the
GreenHunter
Disclosure Schedule:
-49-
(a) None
of
the GreenHunter Companies will: (i) amend its certificate of incorporation
or
bylaws; (ii) split, combine or reclassify any of its outstanding capital
stock;
(iii) declare, set aside or pay any dividends or other distributions (whether
payable in cash, property or securities) with respect to its capital stock;
(iv)
issue, sell or agree to issue or sell any securities or other equity interests,
including its capital stock, any rights, options or warrants to acquire its
capital stock, or securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable
for
its capital stock (other than shares of GreenHunter Common Stock issued pursuant
to the exercise of any GreenHunter Stock Option outstanding on the date hereof);
(v) purchase, cancel, retire, redeem or otherwise acquire any of its outstanding
capital stock or other securities or other equity interests; (vi) merge or
consolidate with, or transfer all or substantially all of its assets to,
any
other Person; (vii) liquidate, wind-up or dissolve (or suffer any liquidation
or
dissolution); or (viii) enter into any contract, agreement, commitment or
arrangement with respect to any of the foregoing.
(b) None
of
the GreenHunter Companies will (i) acquire any corporation, partnership or
other
business entity or any interest therein having an acquisition price in excess
of
$7.5 million individually or in the aggregate; (ii) sell, lease or sublease,
transfer or otherwise dispose of or mortgage, pledge or otherwise encumber
any
asset of GreenHunter that has a value in excess of $7.5 million, individually
or
in the aggregate; (iii) sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of or mortgage,
pledge or otherwise encumber any securities of any other Person (including
any
capital stock or other securities or equity interest in any GreenHunter
Subsidiary); (iv) organize or form any subsidiary make any material loans,
advances or capital contributions to, or investments in, any Person (other
than
loans or advances in the ordinary course of business) in excess of $500,000
individually or in the aggregate, except that GreenHunter may capitalize
Hunter
Resources LLC, a newly formed, jointly-owned Delaware limited liability company
with up to an $80,000 capital contribution in exchange for not less than
an 80%
ownership interest therein, and upon such capitalization, Hunter Resources
LLC
may thereafter pursue such activities and incur such liabilities and obligations
as it would in the ordinary course of business); (vi) enter into any GreenHunter
Material Agreement or any other agreement not terminable by any of the
GreenHunter Companies upon notice of 30 days or less and without penalty
or
other obligation; or (vii) enter into any contract, agreement, commitment
or
arrangement with respect to any of the foregoing.
(c) Other
than as described in the GreenHunter
Disclosure Schedule,
none of
the GreenHunter Companies will (i) incur any indebtedness for borrowed money
other than under trade credit vendor lines not exceeding $7.5 million
individually or in the aggregate; (ii) incur any other obligation or liability
(other than liabilities incurred in the ordinary course of business); (iii)
assume, endorse (other than endorsements of negotiable instruments in the
ordinary course of business), guarantee or otherwise become liable or
responsible (whether directly, contingently or otherwise) for the liabilities
or
obligations of any other Person in an amount in excess of $500,000 million
individually or in the aggregate; or (iv) enter into any contract, agreement,
commitment or arrangement with respect to any of the foregoing.
-50-
(d) None
of
the GreenHunter Companies will (i) enter into, or otherwise become liable
or
obligated under or pursuant to: (1) any employee benefit, pension or other
plan
(whether or not subject to ERISA), (2) any other stock option, stock purchase,
incentive or deferred compensation plan or arrangement or other fringe benefit
plan, or (3) any consulting, employment, severance, termination or similar
agreement with any Person, or amend or extend any such plan, arrangement
or
agreement; (ii) except for payments made pursuant to any GreenHunter Employee
Benefit Plan or any other plan, agreement or arrangement described in the
GreenHunter
Disclosure Schedule,
grant,
or otherwise become liable for or obligated to pay, any severance or termination
payment, bonus or increase in compensation or benefits (other than payments,
bonuses or increases that are mandated by the terms of agreements existing
as of
the date hereof or that are paid in the ordinary course of business, consistent
with past practices, and not individually or in the aggregate material in
amount) to, or forgive any indebtedness of, any employee or consultant of
any of
the GreenHunter Companies; or (iii) enter into any contract, agreement,
commitment or arrangement to do any of the foregoing.
(e) None
of
the GreenHunter Companies will create, incur, assume or permit to exist any
Lien
on any of its assets, except for Permitted Encumbrances.
(f) The
GreenHunter Companies will (i) keep and maintain accurate books, records
and
accounts; (ii) maintain in full force and effect the policies or binders
of
insurance described in Section 3.20; (iii) pay all Taxes, assessments and
other
governmental charges imposed upon any of their assets or with respect to
their
franchises, business, income or assets before any penalty or interest accrues
thereon; (iv) pay all material claims (including claims for labor, services,
materials and supplies) that have become due and payable and which by law
have
or may become a Lien upon any of their assets prior to the time when any
penalty
or fine shall be incurred with respect thereto or any such Lien shall be
imposed
thereon; and (v) comply in all material respects with the requirements of
all
applicable laws, rules, regulations and orders of any Governmental Authority,
obtain or take all Governmental Actions necessary in the operation of their
businesses, and comply with and enforce the provisions of all GreenHunter
Material Agreements, including paying when due all rentals, royalties, expenses
and other liabilities relating to their businesses or assets; provided, however,
that the GreenHunter Companies may contest the imposition of any such Taxes,
assessments and other governmental charges, any such claim, or the requirements
of any applicable law, rule, regulation or order or any GreenHunter Material
Agreement if done so in good faith by appropriate proceedings and if adequate
reserves are established in accordance with GAAP.
(g) The
GreenHunter Companies will at all times preserve and keep in full force and
effect their corporate existence and rights and franchises material to their
performance under this Agreement, except where the failure to do so would
not
have a Material Adverse Effect on GreenHunter.
-51-
(h) None
of
the GreenHunter Companies will:
(i) engage
in
any practice, take any action or permit by inaction any of the representations
and warranties contained in Article 3 to become untrue, except as specifically
permitted under other provisions of this Section 5.2(h);
(ii) approve
or implement budgets for general and administrative expenses of the GreenHunter
Companies (including salary, bonuses, general operating and overhead expenses)
or budgets for Capital Expenditures of the GreenHunter Companies, or incur
expenses or disburse funds for any of such purposes except pursuant to the
budgets which have been
disclosed to Parent or revisions to such budgets which are approved by Parent,
such approval not to be unreasonably withheld (any budgets which have been
disclosed to Parent or modifications thereto which are approved
as
required herein are referred to as “Approved
GreenHunter Budgets”);
(iii) except
to
the extent already included in an Approved GreenHunter Budget, enter into
any
agreements or other arrangements with respect to, or make any payments, incur
any expenses or disburse any funds for any Capital Project, the completion
or
full capitalization of which can reasonably be expected to require the
GreenHunter Companies to expend, in the aggregate, in excess of $2.5 million;
or
(iv) make
any
Capital Expenditure or general and administrative expense payment which exceeds
by more than 20 percent the amount set forth in the appropriate line item
for
such expenditure in an Approved GreenHunter Budget.
(i) None
of
the GreenHunter Companies will, without the prior written consent of Parent,
commence construction of wind-powered generation facilities on any of the
properties covered by the following agreements, provided, however, that
GreenHunter shall be able to purchase wind turbines for the eventual development
of the wind-powered generation facilities so long as the total costs associated
with the purchases of such turbines do not, in the aggregate, exceed $20
million:
(i) Windpark
Easement Agreement - Glacier County, Montana, dated February 1,
2006;
(ii) Windpark
Easement Agreement - Glacier County, Montana (different from above), dated
February 1, 2006;
(iii) Amended
and Restated Wind Facilities Lease & Easement - Valley County, Montana,,
dated June 25, 2004;
(iv) Wind
Facilities Lease & Easement - Jefferson County, Montana, dated November 1,
2005; and
-52-
(v) Wind
Facilities Lease & Easement - Xxxxxxxxx County, New Mexico, dated June 19,
2005.
(j) Notwithstanding
the foregoing, and regardless of the inclusion of any disclosures on the
GreenHunter
Disclosure Schedules,
GreenHunter covenants and agrees with Parent and Merger Sub that GreenHunter
and
any of the GreenHunter Companies may, without the prior written consent of
Parent, execute or enter into any definitive transaction documents in respect
of
anticipated transactions contemplated by (1) that certain Engagement Letter
dated April 23, 2007 between GreenHunter and West LB AG concerning the
arranging of up to $150 million in Senior Secured Debt Facilities for
GreenHunter (the “West
LB Engagement Letter”)
and
(2) that certain Engagement Letter dated May 3, 2007 between GreenHunter,
Adageo
Capital Markets and Direct Capital Securities, Inc. pursuant to
which GreenHunter proposes to offer up to $57 million of 10%
Convertible Debentures through Direct Capital Securities, Inc. (the
“Direct
Capital Engagement Letter”),
only
so long as none of the terms and provisions contained in the definitive
transaction documents giving effect to the transactions contemplated by the
West
LB Engagement Letter and the Direct Capital Engagement Letter differ from
the
terms of the West LB Engagement Letter and the Direct Capital Engagement
Letter,
and are materially less favorable, in the aggregate, to GreenHunter than
those
contained in the West LB Engagement Letter or the Direct Capital Engagement
Letter (“Materially
Adverse Provision”).
At
all times during the negotiation and preparation of the definitive transaction
documents relating to the West LB Engagement Letter and the Direct Capital
Engagement Letter, GreenHunter shall keep regularly Parent apprised of the
status of such transactions and shall promptly provide to Parent copies of
the
most recent drafts of the relevant transaction documents. If any of the
definitive transaction documents relating to the West LB Engagement Letter
or
the Direct Capital Engagement Letter contain any provision that, in the
reasonable judgment of Parent, constitutes a Materially Adverse Provision,
Parent shall have two (2) business days from after its receipt of the applicable
definitive transaction document to notify GreenHunter of Parent’s objection to
such Materially Adverse Provision, and Parent and GreenHunter shall use their
best efforts to promptly agree upon a mutually satisfactory modification
of such
Material Adverse Provision. If Parent fails to provide such objection within
two
(2) business days, Parent shall be deemed to have consented to the Materially
Adverse Provision.
(k) None
of
Greenhunter or any of its Affiliates will take, cause or permit to be taken
any
action that could reasonably be expected to pose a material risk to the status
of the Merger as a "reorganization"
within the meaning of Code section 368(a).
5.3 Access
to Assets, Personnel and Information.
(a) From
the
date hereof until the Effective Time,
subject to compliance with applicable laws, Parent shall: (i) afford to
GreenHunter
and the
GreenHunter Representatives, at GreenHunter’s sole risk and expense, reasonable
access to any of the assets, books and records, contracts, employees,
representatives, agents and facilities of the Parent Companies; and (ii)
upon
request, furnish promptly to GreenHunter (at GreenHunter’s expense) a copy of
any file, book, record, contract, permit, correspondence, or other written
information, document or data concerning any of the Parent Companies (or
any of
their respective assets) that is within the possession or control of any
of the
Parent Companies.
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(b) From
the
date hereof until the Effective Time,
subject to compliance with applicable laws, GreenHunter shall: (i) afford
to
Parent
and the
Parent Representatives, at Parent’s sole risk and expense, reasonable access to
any of the assets, books and records, contracts, employees, representatives,
agents and facilities of the GreenHunter Companies; and (ii) upon request,
furnish promptly to Parent (at Parent’s expense) a copy of any file, book,
record, contract, permit, correspondence, or other written information, document
or data concerning any of the GreenHunter Companies (or any of their respective
assets) that is within the possession or control of any of the GreenHunter
Companies.
(c) GreenHunter
and the GreenHunter Representatives shall, at GreenHunter’s sole risk and
expense, have the right to make an environmental and physical assessment
of the
assets of the Parent Companies and, in connection therewith, shall have the
right to enter and inspect such assets and all buildings and improvements
thereon, and generally conduct such non-invasive tests, examinations,
investigations and studies as GreenHunter deems necessary, desirable or
appropriate for the preparation of engineering or other reports relating
to such
assets, their condition and the presence of Hazardous Materials and compliance
with Environmental Laws. Parent shall be provided not less than 24 hours
prior
notice of such activities, and Parent Representatives shall have the right
to
witness all such tests and investigations. GreenHunter shall (and shall cause
the GreenHunter Representatives to) keep any data or information acquired
by any
such examinations and the results of any analyses of such data and information
strictly confidential and will not (and will cause the GreenHunter
Representatives not to) disclose any of such data, information or results
to any
Person unless otherwise required by law or regulation and then only after
written notice to Parent of the determination of the need for disclosure.
GreenHunter shall provide Parent a copy of any environmental report or
assessment prepared on behalf of GreenHunter with respect to any of the Parent
Companies or any of their properties or assets. GreenHunter shall indemnify,
defend and hold the Parent Companies and the Parent Representatives harmless
from and against any and all claims to the extent arising out of or as a
result
of the activities of GreenHunter and the GreenHunter Representatives on the
assets of the Parent Companies in connection with conducting such environmental
and physical assessment, except to the extent of and limited by the negligence
or willful misconduct of any of the Parent Companies or any Parent
Representative.
(d) Parent
and the Parent Representatives shall, at Parent’s sole risk and expense, have
the right to make an environmental and physical assessment of the assets
of the
GreenHunter Companies and, in connection therewith, shall have the right
to
enter and inspect such assets and all buildings and improvements thereon,
and
generally conduct such non-invasive tests, examinations, investigations and
studies as Parent deems necessary, desirable or appropriate for the preparation
of engineering or other reports relating to such assets, their condition
and the
presence of Hazardous Materials and compliance with Environmental Laws.
GreenHunter shall be provided not less than 24 hours prior notice of such
activities, and GreenHunter Representatives shall have the right to witness
all
such tests and investigations. Parent shall (and shall cause the Parent
Representatives to) keep any data or information acquired by any such
examinations and the results of any analyses of such data and information
strictly confidential and will not (and will cause the Parent Representatives
not to) disclose any of such data, information or results to any Person unless
otherwise required by law or regulation and then only after written notice
to
GreenHunter of the determination of the need for disclosure. Parent shall
provide GreenHunter a copy of any environmental report or assessment prepared
on
behalf of Parent with respect to any of the GreenHunter Companies or any
of
their properties or assets. Parent shall indemnify, defend and hold the
GreenHunter Companies and the GreenHunter Representatives harmless from and
against any and all claims to the extent arising out of or as a result of
the
activities of Parent and the Parent Representatives on the assets of the
GreenHunter Companies in connection with conducting such environmental and
physical assessment, except to the extent of and limited by the negligence
or
willful misconduct of any of the GreenHunter Companies or any GreenHunter
Representative.
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(e) From
the
date hereof until the Effective Time, Parent will fully and accurately disclose,
and will cause each Parent Subsidiary to fully and accurately disclose, to
GreenHunter and the GreenHunter Representatives all information that is (i)
reasonably requested by GreenHunter or any of the GreenHunter Representatives,
(ii) known to any of the Parent Companies, and (iii) materially
relevant
to the value, ownership, use, operation, development or transferability of
the
assets of any of the Parent Companies.
(f) From
the
date hereof until the Effective Time, GreenHunter will fully and accurately
disclose, and will cause each GreenHunter Subsidiary to fully and accurately
disclose, to Parent and the Parent Representatives all information that is
(i)
reasonably requested by Parent or any of the Parent Representatives, (ii)
known
to any of the GreenHunter Companies, and (iii) materially
relevant
to the value, ownership, use, operation, development or transferability of
the
assets of any of the GreenHunter Companies.
(g) From
the
date hereof until the Effective Time, each of Parent and GreenHunter shall:
(i)
furnish to the other, promptly upon receipt or filing (as the case may be),
a
copy of each communication between such Party and the SEC after the date
hereof
relating to the Merger, the Registration Statement or the Proxy
Statement/Prospectus, and each report, schedule, registration statement or
other
document filed by such Party with the SEC after the date hereof relating
to the
Merger or the Registration Statement; and (ii) promptly advise the other
of the
substance of any oral communications between such Party and the SEC relating
to
the Merger, the Registration Statement or the Proxy
Statement/Prospectus.
(h) GreenHunter
will (and will cause the GreenHunter Subsidiaries and the GreenHunter
Representatives to) fully cooperate in all reasonable respects with Parent
and
the Parent Representatives in connection with Parent’s examinations, evaluations
and investigations described in this Section 5.3. Parent will (and will cause
the Parent Subsidiaries and the Parent Representatives to) fully cooperate
in
all reasonable respects with GreenHunter and the GreenHunter Representatives
in
connection with GreenHunter’s examinations, evaluations and investigations
described in this Section 5.3.
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(i) GreenHunter
will not (and will cause the GreenHunter Subsidiaries and the GreenHunter
Representatives not to), and Parent will not (and will cause the Parent
Subsidiaries and the Parent Representatives not to), use any information
obtained pursuant to this Section 5.3 for any purpose unrelated to the
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(j) Notwithstanding
anything in this Section 5.3 to the contrary: (i) GreenHunter shall not be
obligated under the terms of this Section 5.3 to disclose to Parent or the
Parent Representatives, or grant Parent or the Parent Representatives access
to,
information that is within the possession or control of any of the GreenHunter
Companies but subject to a valid and binding confidentiality agreement with
a
third party without first obtaining the consent of such third party, and
GreenHunter, to the extent reasonably requested by Parent, will use its
reasonable efforts to obtain any such consent; and (ii) Parent shall not
be
obligated under the terms of this Section 5.3 to disclose to GreenHunter
or the
GreenHunter Representatives, or grant GreenHunter or the GreenHunter
Representatives access to, information that is within the possession or control
of any of the Parent Companies but subject to a valid and binding
confidentiality agreement with a third party without first obtaining the
consent
of such third party, and Parent, to the extent reasonably requested by
GreenHunter, will use its reasonable efforts to obtain any such
consent.
(k) To
facilitate approvals of activities of the Parties that are restricted under
Sections 5.1 and 5.2, Parent Representatives and GreenHunter Representatives
agree to meet on a regular basis to review matters relating to their respective
Capital Projects (including the status of expenditures under Approved Budgets
(such as outstanding authorizations for expenditures), the success of their
Capital Projects to date, proposals to initiate new Capital Projects or
substantially increase commitments to existing Capital Projects), and any
other
matters restricted under Sections 5.1 and 5.2.
5.4 No
Solicitation.
(a) Immediately
following the execution of this Agreement, GreenHunter will (and will cause
each
of the GreenHunter Representatives to) terminate any and all existing
activities, discussions and negotiations with third parties (other than Parent)
with respect to any possible transaction involving the acquisition of the
GreenHunter Common Stock or the merger or other business combination of
GreenHunter with or into any such third party.
(b) GreenHunter
will not (and will cause the GreenHunter Representatives not to) solicit,
initiate or knowingly encourage the submission of, any offer or proposal
to
acquire all or any part of the GreenHunter Capital Stock or all or any material
portion of the assets or business of the GreenHunter Companies (other than
the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement), whether by merger, purchase
of
stock, purchase of assets, tender offer, exchange offer or otherwise.
Notwithstanding the preceding sentence if GreenHunter shall receive any bona
fide written offer to acquire 20% or more of the GreenHunter Capital Stock
or
20% or more of the assets or business of the GreenHunter Companies (other
than
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement), whether by merger, purchase
of
stock, purchase of assets, tender offer, exchange offer or otherwise
(an
“Alternative
Proposal”),
then
GreenHunter and the GreenHunter Representatives may (i) enter into discussions
or negotiations with respect to such Alternative Proposal with the Person
presenting such Alternative Proposal and provide information to such Person
if
the
board
of directors of GreenHunter determines in good faith, that such Alternative
Proposal constitutes or is reasonably likely to constitute a Superior Proposal
and determines in
good
faith, based on the advice of its legal counsel, that such action is required
in
order for the board of directors of GreenHunter to act in a manner consistent
with its fiduciary duties under applicable law, and (ii) to the extent
applicable, take and disclose to its stockholders a position as contemplated
by
Rule 14e-2 promulgated under the Exchange Act and/or make any other disclosure
to its stockholders with regard to an Alternative Proposal, if the board
of
directors of Parent determines in good faith, based on the advice of its
legal
counsel, that such disclosure is required in order for the board of directors
of
GreenHunter to act in a manner consistent with its fiduciary duties under
applicable law.
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(c) GreenHunter
will promptly communicate to Parent the terms and conditions of any Alternative
Proposal that it may receive and will keep Parent informed as to the status
of
any actions, including any discussions, taken pursuant to such Alternative
Proposal.
(d) If
GreenHunter or any GreenHunter Representative receives an Alternative Proposal
and the board of directors of GreenHunter determines in good faith, based
on the
advice of its legal counsel and financial advisor, that the Alternative Proposal
is a Superior
Proposal,
then
the board of directors of GreenHunter may approve and recommend such Superior
Proposal and, in connection therewith, withdraw or modify its approval or
recommendation of this Agreement and the Merger. As used herein, the term
“Superior
Proposal”
means
a bona
fide written Alternative Proposal to acquire, directly or indirectly, 50%
or
more of the voting power of the GreenHunter Capital Stock or substantially
all
of the assets of GreenHunter, which the board of directors of GreenHunter
determines in good faith, after consultation with financial and other advisors
taking into account all relevant financial, legal and other factors, to be
more
favorable to GreenHunter’s stockholders from a financial point of view than the
Merger. In the event that the Board of Directors determines that a Superior
Proposal has been received, Parent shall be given notice thereof prior to
the
acceptance by GreenHunter of the Superior Proposal and shall be given an
opportunity to propose amendments or modifications to the terms of
the
Merger.
(e) Nothing
in this Section 5.4 shall permit GreenHunter to terminate this Agreement
except
as specifically provided in Section 7.1.
5.5 GreenHunter
Stockholders Meeting.
(a)
GreenHunter shall take all action necessary in accordance with applicable
law
and its certificate of incorporation and bylaws to convene a meeting of its
stockholders as promptly as practicable after the date hereof for the purpose
of
voting on the GreenHunter Proposal. Subject to Section 5.4, the board of
directors of GreenHunter shall recommend approval of the GreenHunter Proposal
and shall take all lawful action to solicit such approval, including timely
mailing the Proxy Statement/Prospectus to the stockholders of GreenHunter.
The Board of Directors of GreenHunter shall not (i) subject to its fiduciary
duties and Section 5.4(c)-(e) of this Agreement, withhold, withdraw or modify,
in any manner adverse to the Parent, the approval or recommendation by
GreenHunter’s Board of Directors with respect to the adoption of the Agreement
and consummation of the Merger.
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(b) Notwithstanding
any provisions in Section 5.5(a) above, as a condition to the initial filing
of
the Proxy Statement/Prospectus with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission,
GreenHunter shall have received a written opinion from Southwest Securities,
Inc. (which opinion shall be reasonably acceptable in form and substance
to
GreenHunter), confirming such firm’s preliminary opinion referred to in Section
3.29 to the effect that, as of the date of such opinion and subject to the
terms
and conditions set forth therein, the consideration to be received by the
holders of the GreenHunter Common Stock and GreenHunter Preferred Stock in
connection with the Merger is fair to such stockholders from a financial
point
of view, and such opinion shall not have been withdrawn, revoked or
modified.
5.6 Parent
Shareholders Meeting.
Parent
shall take all action necessary in accordance with applicable law and its
articles of incorporation and bylaws to convene a meeting of its stockholders
as
promptly as practicable after the date hereof for the purpose of voting on
the
Parent Proposal. The Board of Directors of Parent shall recommend approval
of
the Parent Proposal and shall take all lawful action to solicit such approval,
including timely mailing the Proxy Statement/Prospectus to the stockholders
of
Parent.
5.7 Registration
Statement and Proxy Statement/Prospectus.
(a) Parent
and GreenHunter shall cooperate and promptly prepare the Registration Statement
(including the Proxy Statement/Prospectus), and, subject to Parent’s receiving
the required information from GreenHunter, Parent shall file the Registration
Statement (including the Proxy Statement/Prospectus) with the SEC as soon
as
practicable after the date hereof and in any event not later than 45 days
after
the date hereof. Parent shall use all reasonable efforts, and GreenHunter
shall
cooperate with Parent (including furnishing all information concerning
GreenHunter and the holders of GreenHunter Common Stock as may be reasonably
requested by Parent), to have the Registration Statement (including the Proxy
Statement/Prospectus) declared effective under the Securities Act as promptly
as
practicable after such filing. Parent shall use all reasonable efforts, and
GreenHunter shall cooperate with Parent, to obtain all necessary state
securities laws or “blue sky” permits, approvals and registrations in connection
with the issuance of Parent Common Stock pursuant to the Merger.
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(b) Parent
will cause the Registration Statement (including the Proxy
Statement/Prospectus), at the time it becomes effective under the Securities
Act, to comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable
provisions of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations
of the SEC thereunder. GreenHunter will cause the information it provides
for
such purpose to comply as to form in all material respects with such
provisions.
(c) GreenHunter
hereby covenants and agrees with Parent that: (i) the Registration Statement
(at
the time it becomes effective under the Securities Act and at the Effective
Time) will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
state a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading (provided, however, that this clause (i) shall apply
only
to information contained in the Registration Statement that was supplied
by
GreenHunter for inclusion therein); and (ii) the Proxy Statement/Prospectus
(at
the time it is first mailed to stockholders of GreenHunter and shareholders
of
Parent, at the time of the GreenHunter Meeting, meeting of Parent Shareholders
and at the Effective Time) will not contain an untrue statement of a material
fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary
in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under
which they are made, not misleading (provided, however, that this clause
(ii)
shall apply only to information contained in the Proxy Statement/Prospectus
that
was supplied by GreenHunter for inclusion therein). If, at any time prior
to the
Effective Time, any event with respect to GreenHunter, or with respect to
other
information supplied by GreenHunter for inclusion in the Registration Statement,
occurs and such event is required to be described in an amendment to the
Registration Statement, GreenHunter shall promptly notify Parent of such
occurrence and shall cooperate with Parent in the preparation and filing
of such
amendment. If, at any time prior to the Effective Time, any event with respect
to GreenHunter, or with respect to other information supplied by GreenHunter
for
inclusion in the Proxy Statement/Prospectus, occurs and such event is required
to be described in a supplement to the Proxy Statement/Prospectus, GreenHunter
shall promptly notify Parent of such occurrence and shall cooperate with
Parent
in the preparation, filing and dissemination of such supplement.
(d) Parent
hereby covenants and agrees with GreenHunter that: (i) the Registration
Statement (at the time it becomes effective under the Securities Act and
at the
Effective Time) will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or
omit
to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make
the
statements therein not misleading (provided, however, that this clause (i)
shall
not apply to any information contained in the Registration Statement that
was
supplied by GreenHunter for inclusion therein); and (ii) the Proxy
Statement/Prospectus (at the time it is first mailed to stockholders of
GreenHunter, at the time of the GreenHunter Meeting, and at the Effective
Time)
will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state
a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make
the
statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they are made,
not
misleading (provided, however, that this clause (ii) shall not apply to any
information contained in the Proxy Statement/Prospectus that was supplied
by
GreenHunter for inclusion therein). If, at any time prior to the Effective
Time,
any event with respect to Parent, or with respect to other information included
in the Registration Statement, occurs and such event is required to be described
in an amendment to the Registration Statement, such event shall be so described
and such amendment shall be promptly prepared and filed. If, at any time
prior
to the Effective Time, any event with respect to Parent, or with respect
to
other information included in the Proxy Statement/Prospectus, occurs and
such
event is required to be described in a supplement to the Proxy
Statement/Prospectus, Parent shall promptly notify GreenHunter of such
occurrence and shall cooperate with GreenHunter in the preparation, filing
and
dissemination of such supplement.
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(e) Neither
the Registration Statement nor the Proxy Statement/Prospectus nor any amendment
or supplement thereto will be filed or disseminated to the stockholders of
GreenHunter or Parent without the approval of both Parent and GreenHunter.
Parent shall advise GreenHunter, promptly after it receives notice thereof,
of
the time when the Registration Statement has become effective under the
Securities Act, the issuance of any stop order with respect to the Registration
Statement, the suspension of the qualification of the Parent Common Stock
issuable in connection with the Merger for offering or sale in any jurisdiction,
or any comments or requests for additional information by the SEC with respect
to the Registration Statement.
(f) Prior
to the filing of the Form S-4 Registration Statement, each of GreenHunter
and
Parent shall execute and deliver to Xxxxxx Xxxx Xxxxx Raysman & Xxxxxxx a
letter containing representations reasonably requested by Xxxxxx Xxxx Xxxxx
Raysman & Xxxxxxx in connection with the tax opinion to be delivered by
Xxxxxx Xxxx Xxxxx Raysman & Xxxxxxx in connection with the Form S-4
Registration Statement. In rendering such tax opinion, such counsel shall
be
entitled to rely on such representation letters. To the extent requested
by
Parent, GreenHunter shall confirm in writing to the Parent the accuracy
and
completeness as of the Effective Time of the tax representation letter
delivered
by GreenHunter pursuant to the immediately preceding sentence. Parent and
GreenHunter shall use all reasonable efforts prior to the Effective Time
to
cause the Merger to qualify as a "reorganization" under Section 368(a)(1)
of the
Code.
5.8 OTCBB
Notification.
Parent
shall cause the shares of Parent Common Stock to be issued in the Merger
and
upon exercise of the GreenHunter Options and the GreenHunter Warrants, or
upon
conversion of the GreenHunter Preferred Stock, as the case may be, to be
eligible
for trading on the Over-the-Counter Bulletin Board,
subject
to official notice of issuance, prior to the Closing Date.
5.9 Additional
Arrangements.
Subject
to the terms and conditions herein provided, each of GreenHunter and Parent
shall take, or cause to be taken, all action and shall do, or cause to be
done,
all things necessary, appropriate or desirable under any applicable laws
and
regulations (including the HSR Act) or under applicable governing agreements
to
consummate and make effective the transactions contemplated by this Agreement,
including using all commercially reasonable efforts to obtain all necessary
waivers, consents and approvals and effecting all necessary registrations
and
filings.
Without
limiting the generality of the foregoing, each of the Parties shall promptly
file any Notification and Report Forms and related material that may be required
to be filed with the Federal Trade Commission and the Antitrust Division
of the
United States Department of Justice under the HSR Act, and thereafter shall
use
all necessary efforts and take all necessary actions to obtain an early
termination of the applicable waiting period, to make any further filings
or
information submissions pursuant thereto that may be necessary, proper or
advisable, to respond to formal requests for additional information or
documentary material pursuant to 16 C.F.R. 803.20 under the HSR Act and to
avoid, contest and/or overcome any administrative or judicial action or order
that would restrict, prevent or prohibit the consummation of the Merger.
Each
of
GreenHunter and Parent shall take, or cause to be taken, all action or shall
do,
or cause to be done, all things necessary, appropriate or desirable to cause
the
covenants and conditions applicable to the transactions contemplated hereby
to
be performed or satisfied as soon as practicable. In addition, if any
Governmental Authority shall have issued any order, decree, ruling or
injunction, or taken any other action that would have the effect of restraining,
enjoining or otherwise prohibiting or preventing the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby, each of GreenHunter and Parent shall use
its
reasonable efforts to have such order, decree, ruling or injunction or other
action declared ineffective as soon as practicable.
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5.10 Agreements
of Affiliates.
At
least 10 days prior to the Effective Time, GreenHunter shall cause to be
prepared and delivered to Parent a list identifying all Persons who, at the
time
of the GreenHunter Meeting, may be deemed to be “affiliates” of GreenHunter as
that term is used in paragraphs (c) and (d) of Rule 145 under the Securities
Act. GreenHunter shall use its best efforts to cause each Person who is
identified as an affiliate of GreenHunter in such list to execute and deliver
to
Parent, on or prior to the Closing Date, a written agreement, in the form
attached hereto as Exhibit
5.10.
Parent
shall be entitled to place legends as specified in such agreements on the
Parent
Certificates representing any Parent Capital Stock to be issued to such Persons
in the Merger, irrespective of whether or not they sign such
agreements.
5.11 Public
Announcements.
Prior
to the Closing, GreenHunter and Parent will consult with each other before
issuing any press release or otherwise making any public statement with respect
to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and shall not issue any
press
release or make any such public statement prior to obtaining the approval
of the
other party; provided, however, that such approval shall not be required
where
such release or announcement is required by applicable law or automated
quotation system; and provided further, that either GreenHunter or Parent
may
respond to inquiries by the press or others regarding the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement, so long as such responses are consistent
with
such Party’s previously issued press releases.
5.12 Notification
of Certain Matters.
GreenHunter shall give prompt notice to Parent of any of the following: (a)
any
representation or warranty contained in Article 3 being untrue or inaccurate
when made, (b) the occurrence of any event or development that would cause
(or
could reasonably be expected to cause) any representation or warranty contained
in Article 3 to be untrue or inaccurate on the Closing Date, or (c) any failure
of GreenHunter to comply with or satisfy any covenant, condition, or agreement
to be complied with or satisfied by it hereunder. Parent shall give prompt
notice to GreenHunter of any of the following: (x) any representation or
warranty contained in Article 4 being untrue or inaccurate when made, (y)
the
occurrence of any event or development that would cause (or could reasonably
be
expected to cause) any representation or warranty contained in Article 4
to be
untrue or inaccurate on the Closing Date, or (z) any failure of Parent to
comply
with or satisfy any covenant, condition, or agreement to be complied with
or
satisfied by it hereunder.
5.13 Payment
of Expenses.
Each
Party shall pay its own expenses incident to preparing for, entering into
and
carrying out this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions
contemplated hereby, whether or not the Merger shall be consummated, except
that: (a) (i)
the
fee for filing the Registration Statement with the SEC, (ii) the costs and
expenses associated with printing the Proxy Statement/Prospectus and complying
with any applicable state securities or “blue sky” laws and (iii) the costs of
any HSR Act filing shall be equally borne by Parent and GreenHunter; (b)
the
costs and expenses
associated with mailing the Proxy Statement/Prospectus to the stockholders
of
GreenHunter, and soliciting the votes of the stockholders of GreenHunter,
shall
be borne by GreenHunter; and (c) the
costs
and expenses
associated with mailing the Proxy Statement/Prospectus to the stockholders
of
Parent, and soliciting the votes of the stockholders of Parent, shall be
borne
by Parent.
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5.14 Indemnification
and Insurance.
(a) Parent
agrees that all rights to indemnification now existing in favor of any officers,
directors, employees, controlling stockholders or agents of any of the
GreenHunter Companies, as provided in their respective charters or bylaws
(or
similar organizational documents), and any existing indemnification agreements
or arrangements of any of the GreenHunter Companies, shall survive the Merger
and shall continue in full force and effect for a period of not less
than
two years from the Effective Time (or such longer period as may be provided
in
any existing indemnification agreement between any of the GreenHunter Companies,
and any current or former officer or director thereof); provided, that, in
the
event any claim or claims are asserted or made within such two-year
period, all rights to indemnification in respect of any such claim or claims
shall continue until final disposition of any and all such claims.
(b) From
and
after the Effective Time, Parent shall, for a period of two years after the
Effective Time, indemnify, defend and hold harmless each person who is now,
or
has been at any time prior to the date of this Agreement or who becomes prior
to
the Effective Time, an officer, director, employee, controlling stockholder
or
agent of any of the GreenHunter Companies (collectively, the “Indemnified
Parties”)
against all losses, expenses (including attorneys’ fees), claims, damages,
liabilities and amounts that are paid in settlement with the approval of
the
indemnifying party (which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld) of,
or
otherwise in connection with, any threatened or actual claim, action, suit,
proceeding or investigation (a “Claim”),
based
in whole or in part on or arising in whole or in part out of the fact that
the
Indemnified Party (or the person controlled by the Indemnified Party) is
or was
a director, officer, employee, controlling stockholder or agent (including
a
trustee or fiduciary of any GreenHunter Employee Benefit Plan) and pertaining
to
any matter existing or arising out of actions or omissions occurring at or
prior
to the Effective Time (including any Claim arising out of this Agreement
or any
of the transactions contemplated hereby), whether asserted or claimed prior
to,
at or after the Effective Time, in each case to the fullest extent permitted
under Delaware law, and shall pay any expenses, as incurred, in advance of
the
final disposition of any such action or proceeding to each Indemnified Party
to
the fullest extent permitted under Delaware law. In determining whether an
Indemnified Party is entitled to indemnification under this Section 5.14,
if
requested by such Indemnified Party, such determination shall be made by
special, independent counsel selected by Parent and approved by the Indemnified
Party (which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld), and who has not
otherwise performed services for Parent or any of its Affiliates within the
last
three years (other than in connection with such matters). Without limiting
the
foregoing, in the event any such claim, action, suit, proceeding or
investigation is brought against any Indemnified Party(ies) (whether arising
before or after the Effective Time): (i) Parent shall have the right to control
the defense of such matter with Parent’s regularly engaged independent legal
counsel or other counsel selected by Parent and reasonably satisfactory to
the
Indemnified Party(ies), and Parent shall pay all reasonable fees and expenses
of
such counsel; and (ii) the Indemnified Party(ies) will cooperate with Parent,
at
Parent’s expense, in the defense of any such matter. Parent shall not be liable
for any settlement effected without its prior written consent, which consent
shall not unreasonably be withheld. In the event of any Claim, any Indemnified
Party wishing to claim indemnification will promptly notify Parent thereof
(provided, that failure to so notify Parent will not affect the obligations
of
Parent except to the extent that Parent shall have been prejudiced as a result
of such failure) and shall deliver to Parent the undertaking contemplated
by the
applicable provisions of the DGCL, but without any requirement for the posting
of a bond. Without limiting the foregoing, in the event any such Claim is
brought against any of the Indemnified Parties, such Indemnified Party(ies)
may
retain only one law firm (plus one local counsel, if necessary) to represent
them with respect to each such matter unless the use of counsel chosen to
represent the Indemnified Parties would present such counsel with a conflict
of
interest, or the representation of all of the Indemnified Parties by the
same
counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests
between them, in which case such additional counsel as may be required (as
shall
be reasonably determined by the Indemnified Parties and Parent) may be retained
by the Indemnified Parties at the cost and expense of Parent and Parent shall
pay all reasonable fees and expenses of such counsel for such Indemnified
Parties. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing contained in this Section
5.14
shall be deemed to grant any right to any Indemnified Party which is not
permitted to be granted to an officer, director, employee, controlling
stockholder or agent of Parent under Nevada law.
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(c) Prior
to
the Effective Date, GreenHunter shall have obtained so-called “tail” coverage as
it applies to GreenHunter’s existing D/O insurance policy, in commercially
reasonable amounts for companies similarly situated to GreenHunter, covering
GreenHunter’s former directors and officers of GreenHunter against claims
arising against them that result from their service in such capacity to
GreenHunter.
(d) Following
the Merger, if Parent or any of its successors or assigns (i) consolidates
with
or merges into any other Person and shall not be the continuing or surviving
corporation or entity of such consolidation or merger, or (ii) transfers
or
conveys all or substantially all of its properties and assets to any Person
or
Persons, then, and in each such case, proper provision shall be made so that
the
successors and assigns of Parent and any of their successors and assigns,
assume
the obligations of the Parties and Parent set forth in this Section
5.14.
(e) This
Section 5.14 shall survive the consummation of the Merger at the Effective
Time,
is intended to benefit GreenHunter and the Indemnified Parties (each of whom
may
enforce the provisions of this Section 5.14) and shall be binding on the
successors and assigns of Parent.
5.15 Parent
Board of Directors.
At the
Effective Time, Parent shall take all necessary corporate action and solicit
the
vote of its shareholders, if necessary, to fix the size of the Board of
Directors of Parent at six directors: (a) two of whom shall be selected by
GreenHunter and reasonably acceptable to Parent; (b) one of whom shall be
selected by Parent and reasonably acceptable to GreenHunter; and (c) the
remaining three directors shall be independent directors and shall be selected
and designated by the unanimous agreement of the three directors then serving
pursuant to clause (a) and (b) of this Section 5.15. In addition, one person
selected by the Parent shall serve as an advisory director for a term of
not
less than one year from the Effective Time.
-63-
5.16 Registration
Statements Relating to GreenHunter Warrants and Preferred
Stock.
Within
150 days after the Effective Time, Parent shall file with the SEC a registration
statement, in an appropriate form, with respect to the shares of Parent Common
Stock to be issued upon exercise of the GreenHunter Warrants and GreenHunter
Options and upon conversion of GreenHunter Preferred Shares. Parent shall
use
all reasonable efforts to have such registration statement become effective
and
to maintain the effectiveness of such registration statement (and maintain
the
current status of the related prospectus) for so long as any GreenHunter
Warrants and GreenHunter Options remain outstanding. The provisions of this
Section 5.16 are
intended
to be for the benefit of, and shall be enforceable by, the Parties and each
holder of a GreenHunter Warrant or a GreenHunter Option and their respective
heirs, representatives, successors and assigns. Parent shall assume the
piggyback registration obligations of GreenHunter under the agreements listed
on
Schedule 3.7(f).
5.17 Voting
Agreement of Certain Stockholders of GreenHunter.
GreenHunter shall use its best efforts to cause West Coast Opportunity Fund,
LLC, Centaur Value Fund L.P. and United Centaur Master Fund (collectively,
the
“Independent
Investors”)
to
vote, or to cause to be voted, all shares of GreenHunter Capital Stock that
are
beneficially owned by all such Independent Investors in favor of (or to grant,
or to cause to be granted, consents with respect to such shares of GreenHunter
Capital Stock for), the recommendation of GreenHunter’s Board of Directors as it
relates to the GreenHunter Proposal at the GreenHunter Meeting and every
other
meeting of stockholders of GreenHunter (or any solicitation of consents in
lieu
thereof) at which the GreenHunter Proposal is considered and at every
adjournment or postponement thereof; and (b) to vote, or to cause to be voted,
all shares of GreenHunter Capital Stock that are beneficially owned by all
such
Independent Investors against (or to withhold, or to cause to be withheld,
consents with respect to such shares of GreenHunter Capital Stock for) any
proposal that would compete or interfere with, or that would in any way delay
or
otherwise inhibit the GreenHunter Board as it relates to GreenHunter Proposal
and the timely consummation of, the Merger and the other transactions
contemplated by the GreenHunter Proposal.
5.18 Parent
Officers.
At
the
Effective Time, Parent shall take all necessary corporate action to elect
the
following persons to the respective offices of Parent or Parent Subsidiaries
listed below:
Xxxx
X.
Xxxxx - CEO;
Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxxx - President and COO;
Xxxxxx
X.
Xxxxxxxx - Sr. Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary;
Xxxxx
X.
Xxxxxxx - Vice President and CFO;
Xxx
Xxxxxx - Vice President of Corporate Communications and Business
Development;
Xxxx
Xxxxxx - Vice President of Risk Management;
Xxxx
Xxxx
- Vice President of Finance;
Xxxx
Xxxxxxxx - Vice President and CAO;
Xxxxx
Xxxx - President of Hunter Resources, LLC
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5.19 Surviving
Corporation’s Directors and Officers.
Promptly after the Effective Time, the Surviving Corporation shall take all
necessary corporate action to elect and appoint the directors and officers
of
Parent as set forth in Section 5.18 as the directors and officers of the
Surviving Corporation.
5.20 Waiver
of Events of Default Under Note
Held by Investment Hunter, LLC.
GreenHunter shall use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain from Investment
Hunter, LLC a written waiver of any and all event(s) of default and acceleration
rights which may be exercised by Investment Hunter, LLC under that certain
note
dated January 1, 2007 made by GreenHunter in favor of Investment Hunter,
LLC
(the “Investment
Hunter Waiver”).
5.21 Assignment
of Power Purchase Agreement.
GreenHunter shall use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain from Southern
California Edison for the benefit of Parent a consent to assignment of that
certain Power Purchase Agreement dated December 21, 2006 (the “SoCal
Consent”).
5.22 Waiver
and Consent of GreenHunter Preferred Stock. GreenHunter
shall use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain the following amendments,
waivers and consents with respect the obligations of GreenHunter to West
Coast
Opportunity Fund, LLC, Centaur Value Fund, LP and United Centaur Master Fund
(the “GreenHunter
Preferred Stockholder Waiver and Consent”):
(a) Consent
to the termination or amendment of the covenants and agreements contained
in
Sections 4(f), 4(k) and 4(r) of that certain Securities Purchase Agreement
dated
March 9, 2007 by and among GreenHunter, West Coast Opportunity Fund, LLC,
Centaur Value Fund, LP and United Centaur Master Fund.
(b) An
amendment to Section 2.1(a) of that certain Registration Rights Agreement
dated March 9, 2007 by and between GreenHunter, West Coast Opportunity
Fund, LLC, Centaur
Value Fund, LP and United Centaur Master Fund such that the mandatory
registration provision set forth therein shall obligate Parent, as
successor-in-interest, to GreenHunter to mandatorily register the Registrable
Securities (as defined therein) shares on or before October 31,
2008.
(c) Waiver
of
the lock-up restrictions arising under that certain letter dated March 9,
2007
in respect of shares of GreenHunter Common Stock (the “Lock
Up Waiver”).
5.23 Amendment
of Parent Convertible Senior Notes.
Parent
shall use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain from the holders of a
majority of the aggregate principal amounts evidenced by the Parent Convertible
Senior Notes a fully executed amendment to the Parent Convertible Senior
Notes
providing for mandatory conversion into Parent Common Stock upon the occurrence
of certain events.
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ARTICLE
6
CONDITIONS
6.1 Conditions
to Each Party’s Obligation to Effect the Merger.
The
respective obligations of each Party to effect the Merger shall be subject
to
the satisfaction, at or prior to the Closing Date, of the following conditions,
any or all of which may be waived in whole or in part by the
Party
whose obligation to close the transactions contemplated by this Agreement
is
subject to such condition or conditions:
(a) Stockholder
Approval.
The
GreenHunter Proposal shall have been duly and validly approved and adopted
by a
vote of a majority of the shares of GreenHunter Capital Stock, all as required
by the DGCL and the certificate of incorporation and bylaws of GreenHunter.
(b) Other
Approvals.
Any
applicable waiting period under the HSR Act shall have expired or been
terminated and all filings required to be made prior to the Effective Time
with,
and all consents, approvals, permits and authorizations required to be obtained
prior to the Effective Time from, any Governmental Authority or other person
in
connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby by GreenHunter, Parent
and
Merger Sub shall have been made or obtained (as the case may be), except
where
the failure to obtain such consents, approvals, permits and authorizations
would
not be reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect on Parent
(assuming the Merger has taken place) or to materially adversely affect the
consummation of the Merger.
(c) Securities
Law Matters.
The
Registration Statement shall have been declared effective by the SEC under
the
Securities Act and shall be effective at the Effective Time, and no stop
order
suspending such effectiveness shall have been issued, no action, suit,
proceeding or investigation by the SEC to suspend such effectiveness shall
have
been initiated and be continuing, and all necessary approvals under state
securities laws relating to the issuance or trading of the Parent Common
Stock
to be issued in the Merger shall have been received.
(d) No
Injunctions or Restraints.
No
temporary restraining order, preliminary or permanent injunction or other
order
issued by any court of competent jurisdiction or other legal restraint or
prohibition preventing the consummation of the Merger shall be in effect;
provided, however, that, prior to invoking this condition, each Party shall
have
complied fully with its obligations under Section 5.9 and, in addition, shall
have used all reasonable efforts to have any such decree, ruling, injunction
or
order vacated, except as otherwise contemplated by this Agreement.
(e) Conversion
of Parent Convertible Senior Notes.
Prior
to the Effective Time, the holders of a majority of the aggregate principal
amounts evidenced by the Parent Convertible Senior Notes shall have delivered
a
fully executed amendment to the Parent Convertible Senior Notes to provide
for
mandatory conversion into Parent Common Stock upon the occurrence of certain
events.
-66-
6.2 Conditions
to Obligations of Parent and Merger Sub.
The
obligations of Parent and Merger Sub to effect the Merger are subject to
the
satisfaction of the following conditions, any or all of which may be waived
in
whole or in part by Parent and Merger Sub:
(a) Representations
and Warranties.
The
representations and warranties of GreenHunter set forth in Article 3 shall
be
true and correct in all material respects (provided that any representation
or
warranty contained therein that is qualified by a materiality standard or
a
Material Adverse Effect qualification shall not be further qualified hereby)
as
of the date of this Agreement and (except to the extent such representation
or
warranty speaks as of an earlier date) as of the Closing Date as though made
on
and as of that time, and Parent shall have received a certificate signed
by an
executive officer of GreenHunter to such effect; provided, however, that
the
condition set forth in this Section 6.2(a) shall be deemed to be satisfied
even
if one or more of such representations and warranties are not true and correct,
so long as the failure of such representations and warranties (without giving
effect to the individual materiality thresholds otherwise included as a part
of
such
representations and warranties) to be true and correct (in the aggregate)
does
not result in a Material Adverse Effect with respect to GreenHunter or
Parent.
(b) Performance
of Covenants and Agreements by GreenHunter.
GreenHunter shall have performed in all material respects all covenants and
agreements required to be performed by it under this Agreement at or prior
to
the Closing Date, and Parent shall have received a certificate signed by
an
executive officer of GreenHunter to such effect.
(c) Letters
from GreenHunter Affiliates.
Parent
shall have received from each Person named in the list referred to in Section
5.10 an executed copy of the agreement described in Section 5.10.
(d) No
Material Adverse Change.
From
the date of this Agreement through the Closing, there shall not have occurred
any change in the condition (financial or otherwise), operations or business
of
any of the GreenHunter Companies that would have or would be reasonably likely
to have a Material Adverse Effect on GreenHunter.
(e) Governing
Bodies of GreenHunter Subsidiaries.
GreenHunter shall have taken all necessary and appropriate corporate and
other
action to appoint the members of the Board of Directors of Parent as the
members
of the Board of Directors or other similar governing body of each of Channel
Refining Corporation and Wind Hunter, LLC.
(f) Dissenting
Stockholders.
The
holders of no more than five percent of the GreenHunter Common Stock shall
have
exercised their right to dissent from the Merger under the DGCL.
(g) Consents
Under Agreements.
Parent shall have received the following items, in form and substance reasonably
acceptable to it: (i) the Investment Hunter Waiver; (ii) the SoCal Consent;
(iii) GreenHunter Preferred Stockholder Waiver and Consent; and (iv) the
consent
or approval of each Person whose consent or approval will be required under
any Material Contract to which GreenHunter or any of
its subsidiaries is a party, except for those for which the
failure to obtain such consent or approval would not, individually or in
the
aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect or, after giving effect to the
Merger,
a Material Adverse Effect on Parent.
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6.3 Conditions
to Obligation of GreenHunter.
The
obligation of GreenHunter to effect the Merger is subject to the satisfaction
of
the following conditions, any or all of which may be waived in whole or in
part
by GreenHunter:
(a) Representations
and Warranties.
The
representations and warranties of Parent and Merger Sub set forth in Article
4
shall be true and correct in all material respects (provided that any
representation or warranty contained therein that is qualified by a materiality
standard or a Material Adverse Effect qualification shall not be further
qualified hereby) as of the date of this Agreement and (except to the extent
such representation or warranty speaks as of an earlier date) as of the Closing
Date as though made on and as of that time, and GreenHunter shall have received
a certificate signed by a Responsible Officer of Parent to such effect;
provided, however, that the condition set forth in this Section 6.3(a) shall
be
deemed to be satisfied even if one or more of such representations and
warranties are not true and correct, so long as the failure of such
representations and warranties (without giving effect to the individual
materiality thresholds otherwise included as a part of such representations
and
warranties) to be true and correct (in the aggregate) does not result
in
a
Material Adverse Effect.
(b) Performance
of Covenants and Agreements by Parent and Merger Sub.
Parent
and Merger Sub shall have performed in all material respects all covenants
and
agreements required to be performed by them under this Agreement at or prior
to
the Closing Date, and GreenHunter shall have received a certificate signed
by a
Responsible Officer of Parent to such effect.
(c) Fairness
Opinion.
The
fairness opinion described in Section 5.5(b) shall not have been withdrawn,
revoked or modified.
(d) No
Material Adverse Change.
From
the date of this Agreement through the Closing, there shall not have occurred
any change in the condition (financial or otherwise), operations or business
of
Parent and its subsidiaries that would have or would be reasonably likely
to
have a Material Adverse Effect on Parent.
(e) Delivery
of Transfer Instructions.
Parent
shall have delivered to its authorized transfer agent an irrevocable letter
of
instruction in a form reasonably satisfactory to GreenHunter authorizing
and
directing the transfer to holders of shares of (i) GreenHunter Common Stock
certificates representing those shares of Parent Common Stock to be issued
to
such holders upon surrender of such holders’ certificates representing such
shares of GreenHunter Common Stock and
(ii)
GreenHunter Preferred Stock certificates representing those shares of Parent
Preferred Stock to be issued to such holders upon surrender of such holders’
certificates representing such shares of GreenHunter Preferred Stock.
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ARTICLE
7
TERMINATION
7.1 Termination
Rights.
This
Agreement may be terminated and the Merger may be abandoned at any time prior
to
the Effective Time, whether before or after approval of the GreenHunter Proposal
by the stockholders of GreenHunter and/or Parent, respectively:
(a) By
mutual
written consent of Parent and GreenHunter;
(b) By
either
GreenHunter or Parent if (i) the Merger has not been consummated by December
31,
2007 (provided, however, that the right to terminate this Agreement pursuant
to
this clause (i) shall not be available to any Party whose breach of any
representation or warranty or failure to perform any covenant or agreement
under
this Agreement has been the cause of or resulted in the failure of the Merger
to
occur on or before such date); (ii) any Governmental Authority shall have
issued
an order, decree or ruling or taken any other action permanently restraining,
enjoining or otherwise prohibiting the Merger and such order, decree, ruling
or
other action shall have become final and nonappealable (provided, however,
that
the right to terminate this Agreement pursuant to this clause (ii) shall
not be
available to any Party until such Party has used all reasonable efforts to
remove such injunction, order or decree); (iii) the GreenHunter Proposal
shall
not have been approved by the required vote of the GreenHunter stockholders
at
the GreenHunter Meeting or at any adjournment thereof; or (iv) the Parent
Proposal shall not have been approved by the required vote of the Parent
stockholders at the Parent Meeting or at any adjournment thereof.
(c) By
Parent
if (i) there has been a material breach of the representations and warranties
made by GreenHunter in Article 3 of this Agreement such that the condition
described in Section 6.2(a) is not met (provided, however, that Parent shall
not
be entitled to terminate this Agreement pursuant to this clause (i) unless
Parent has given GreenHunter notice of such breach and GreenHunter has failed
to
cure such breach within 10 days following such notice (but in any event not
later than December 31, 2007), and the condition described in Section 6.2(a),
other than the provision thereof relating to the certificate signed by an
executive officer of GreenHunter, would not be satisfied if the Closing were
to
occur on the day on which Parent gives GreenHunter notice of such termination);
or (ii) GreenHunter has failed to comply in any material respect with any
of its
covenants or agreements contained in this Agreement and such failure has
not
been, or cannot be, cured within 10 days after notice and demand for cure
thereof (but in any event not later than December 31, 2007);
(d) By
GreenHunter if (i) there has been a material breach of the representations
and
warranties made by Parent and Merger Sub in Article 4 of this Agreement such
that the condition described in Section 6.3(a) is not met (provided, however,
that GreenHunter shall not be entitled to terminate this Agreement pursuant
to
this clause (i) unless GreenHunter has given Parent notice of such breach
and
Parent has failed to cure such breach within 10 days following such notice
(but
in any event not later than December 31, 2007), and the condition described
in
Section 6.3(a), other than the provision thereof relating to the certificate
signed by an executive officer of Parent, would not be satisfied if the Closing
were to occur on the day on which GreenHunter gives Parent notice of such
termination); or (ii) Parent or Merger Sub has failed to comply in any material
respect with any of its respective covenants or agreements contained in this
Agreement, and, in either such case, such breach or failure has not been,
or
cannot be, cured within 10 days after notice and a demand for cure thereof
(but
in any event not later than December 31, 2007);
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(e) By
any
Party
if at any time a court or Governmental Agency of competent jurisdiction over
the
Merger has issued a final, non-appealable order disapproving of the Merger
or
otherwise preventing the consummation of the Merger;
(f) By
GreenHunter
if (i) GreenHunter is prepared to enter into a binding definitive agreement
to
effect a Superior Proposal; and (ii) GreenHunter has given Parent at least
three
business days’ prior notice of its intention to terminate this Agreement
pursuant to this Section 7.1(e) (along with a description of all relevant
terms
and conditions of such Superior Proposal), during which period Parent shall
have
the opportunity to propose amendments or modifications to the terms of the
Merger;
and
(g) By
Parent
if the board of directors of GreenHunter shall have failed to recommend adoption
of the GreenHunter Proposal at the time the Proxy Statement/Prospectus is
first
mailed to stockholders of GreenHunter or shall have amended or withdrawn
any
such recommendation and such recommendation is not reinstated in its prior
form
within five business days after such amendment or withdrawal.
7.2 Effect
of Termination.
If this
Agreement is terminated by either GreenHunter or Parent pursuant to the
provisions of Section 7.1, this Agreement shall forthwith become void except
for, and there shall be no further obligation on the part of any Party or
its
respective Affiliates, directors, officers or stockholders except pursuant
to,
the provisions of Sections 5.3(c) (but only to the extent of the confidentiality
and indemnification provisions contained therein), 5.13, Article 8 and the
Confidentiality Agreement (which shall continue pursuant to their terms);
provided, however, that a termination of this Agreement shall not relieve
any
Party from any liability for damages incurred as a result of a breach by
such
Party of its representations, warranties, covenants, agreements or other
obligations hereunder occurring prior to such termination.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, in the case of
the
termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 7.1(f) or 7.1(g), GreenHunter
shall reimburse Parent for all reasonable out of pocket costs incurred by
Parent
in connection with the Merger and the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement.
ARTICLE
8
MISCELLANEOUS
8.1 Nonsurvival
of Representations and Warranties.
None of
the representations or warranties contained in this Agreement or in any
instrument delivered pursuant to this Agreement shall survive the consummation
of the Merger.
-70-
8.2 Amendment.
This
Agreement may be amended by the Parties at any time before or after (a) approval
of the GreenHunter Proposal by the stockholders of GreenHunter or (b) approval
of Parent Proposal by the stockholders of Parent; provided, however, that,
after
any such approval, no amendment shall be made that by law requires further
approval by such stockholders without such further approval. This Agreement
may
not be amended except by a written instrument signed by an authorized
representative of each of the Parties.
8.3 Notices.
Any
notice or other communication required or permitted hereunder shall be in
writing and either delivered personally (effective upon delivery), by facsimile
transmission (effective on the next day after transmission), by recognized
overnight delivery service (effective on the next day after delivery to the
service), or by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid and return
receipt
requested (effective on the third business day after the date of mailing),
at
the following addresses or facsimile transmission numbers (or at such other
address(es) or facsimile transmission number(s) for a Party as shall be
specified by like notice):
To
Parent and/or Merger Sub:
|
000
Xxxxx Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxx,
Xxxxxx 00000
Attention:
Chief Financial Officer
Telephone
(000) 000-0000
Facsimile:
(000) 000-0000
|
with
copies to:
|
Xxxxxx
Xxxx Xxxxx Raysman & Xxxxxxx LLP
000
0xx Xxxxxx
Xxxxx
000
Xxxxxxxxxx,
X.X. 00000
Attn:
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx, Xx. and Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxxx
Telephone:
(000) 000-0000
Facsimile:
(000) 000-0000
|
To
GreenHunter:
|
GreenHunter
Energy Inc.
0000
Xxxx Xxx Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx,
Xxxxx 00000
Attn:
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx, President
Telephone
(000) 000-0000
Facsimile:
(000) 000-0000
|
with
copies to:
|
GreenHunter
Energy Inc.
0000
Xxxx Xxx Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx,
Xxxxx 00000
Attn:
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx, Vice President, General Counsel and
Secretary
Telephone
(000) 000-0000
Facsimile:
(000) 000-0000
and
Fulbright
& Xxxxxxxx L.L.P.
0000
Xxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
Xxxxxx,
Xxxxx 00000
Attn:
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Telephone:
(000) 000-0000
Facsimile:
(000) 000-0000
|
-71-
8.4 Counterparts.
This
Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, all of which shall
be
considered one and the same agreement, and shall become effective when one
or
more counterparts have been signed by each of the Parties and delivered to
the
other Parties, it being understood that all Parties need not sign the same
counterpart.
8.5 Severability.
Any
term or provision of this Agreement that is invalid or unenforceable in any
jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent
of
such invalidity or unenforceability without rendering invalid or unenforceable
the remaining terms and provisions of this Agreement or affecting the validity
or enforceability of any of the terms or provisions of this Agreement in
any
other jurisdiction. If any provision of this Agreement is so broad as to
be
unenforceable, such provision shall be interpreted to be only so broad as
is
enforceable.
8.6 Entire
Agreement; No Third Party Beneficiaries.
This
Agreement (together with the Confidentiality Agreement and the documents
and
instruments delivered by the Parties in connection with this Agreement):
(a)
constitutes .the entire agreement and supersedes all other prior agreements
and
understandings, both written and oral, among the Parties with respect to
the
subject matter hereof; and (b) except as provided in Article 2 and Sections
5.3(c), 5.3(d), 5.14, 5.15 and 5.16, is solely for the benefit of the Parties
and their respective successors, legal representatives and assigns and does
not
confer on any other Person any rights or remedies hereunder.
8.7 Applicable
Law.
This
Agreement shall be governed in all respects, including validity, interpretation
and effect, by the laws of the State of Delaware regardless of the laws that
might otherwise govern under applicable principles of conflicts of laws
thereof.
8.8 No
Remedy in Certain Circumstances.
Each
Party agrees that, should any court or other competent authority hold any
provision of this Agreement or part hereof to be null, void or unenforceable,
or
order any Party to take any action inconsistent herewith or not to take an
action consistent herewith or required hereby, the validity, legality and
enforceability of the remaining provisions and obligations contained or set
forth herein shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby, unless
the
foregoing inconsistent action or the failure to take any action constitutes
a
material breach of this Agreement or makes this Agreement impossible to perform,
in which case this Agreement shall terminate pursuant to Article 7. Except
as
otherwise contemplated by this Agreement, to the extent that a Party took
an
action inconsistent herewith or failed to take action consistent herewith
or
required hereby pursuant to an order or judgment of a court or other competent
Governmental Authority, such Party shall not incur any liability or obligation
unless such Party breached its obligations under Section 5.9 or did not in
good
faith seek to resist or object to the imposition or entering of such order
or
judgment.
-72-
8.9 Assignment.
Neither
this Agreement nor any of the rights, interests or obligations hereunder
shall
be assigned by any of the Parties (whether by operation of law or otherwise)
without the prior written consent of the other Parties. Subject to the preceding
sentence, this Agreement will be binding upon, inure to the benefit of and
be
enforceable by the Parties and their respective successors and
assigns.
8.10 Waivers.
At any
time prior to the Effective Time, the Parties may, to the extent legally
allowed: (a) extend the time for the performance of any of the obligations
or
other acts of the other Parties, (b) waive any inaccuracies in the
representations and warranties contained herein or in any document delivered
pursuant hereto, and (c) waive performance of any of the covenants or
agreements, or satisfaction of any of the conditions, contained herein. Any
agreement on the part of a Party to any such extension or waiver shall be
valid
only if set forth in a written instrument signed by an authorized representative
of such Party. Except as provided in this Agreement, no action taken pursuant
to
this Agreement, including any investigation by or on behalf of any Party,
shall
be deemed to constitute a waiver by the Party taking such action of compliance
with any representations, warranties, covenants or agreements contained in
this
Agreement. The waiver by any Party of a breach of any provision hereof shall
not
operate or be construed as a waiver of any prior or subsequent breach of
the
same or any other provisions hereof.
8.11 Confidentiality
Agreement.
The
Confidentiality Agreement shall remain in full force and effect following
the
execution of this Agreement until terminated as described in Section 7.2,
is
hereby incorporated herein by reference, and shall constitute apart of this
Agreement for all purposes; provided, however, that any standstill provisions
contained therein will, effective as of the Closing, be deemed to have been
waived to the extent necessary for the Parties to consummate the Merger in
accordance with the terms of this Agreement. Any and all information received
by
Parent and GreenHunter pursuant to the terms and provisions of this Agreement
shall be governed by the applicable terms and provisions of the Confidentiality
Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Parent may disclose the Parties’ entry
into this Agreement and include this Agreement in SEC filings as may be required
by applicable law.
8.12 Incorporation.
Exhibits and Schedules referred to herein are attached to and by this reference
incorporated herein for all purposes. Disclosure on one schedule satisfies
the
other schedules as long as it is apparent on its face from such disclosure
that
it applies to the other schedules.
[Signature
Page to Follow]
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IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have caused this Agreement to be executed by
their
duly authorized representatives, on the date first written above.
“GreenHunter”
|
“Parent” | |
GREENHUNTER ENERGY INC. | ORION ETHANOL, INC. | |
By:
|
By: | |
Name:___________________
Title:
___________________
|
Name:___________________
Title:
___________________
|
“Merger Sub” | ||
OEI ACQUISITION SUB, INC. | ||
By: | ||
Name:___________________
Title:
___________________
|
-74-