LIMITED PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT OF STECKMAN RIDGE, LP A Delaware Limited Partnership March 2, 2007
OF
XXXXXXXX
RIDGE, LP
A
Delaware Limited Partnership
March
2, 2007
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Page
|
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ARTICLE
1
|
DEFINITIONS
|
1
|
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1.01
|
Definitions
|
1
|
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1.02
|
Interpretation
|
7
|
|
ARTICLE
2
|
ORGANIZATION
|
7
|
|
2.01
|
Formation
|
7
|
|
2.02
|
Name
|
7
|
|
2.03
|
Registered
Office; Registered Agent; Principal Office in the United States;
Other
Offices
|
7
|
|
2.04
|
Purposes
|
7
|
|
2.05
|
Foreign
Qualification
|
8
|
|
2.06
|
PSA
|
8
|
|
2.07
|
Term
|
8
|
|
ARTICLE
3
|
PARTNERSHIP;
DISPOSITIONS OF INTERESTS
|
8
|
|
3.01
|
Initial
Partners
|
8
|
|
3.02
|
Representations,
Warranties and Covenants
|
8
|
|
3.03
|
Dispositions
and Encumbrances of LP Interests
|
9
|
|
3.04
|
Creation
of Additional Partnership Interests
|
10
|
|
3.05
|
Access
to Information
|
10
|
|
3.06
|
Confidential
Information
|
10
|
|
3.07
|
Liability
to Third Parties
|
12
|
|
3.08
|
Use
of Partners’ Names and Trademarks
|
12
|
|
ARTICLE
4
|
CAPITAL
CONTRIBUTIONS
|
12
|
|
4.01
|
Capital
Contributions
|
12
|
|
4.02
|
Loans
|
12
|
|
4.03
|
No
Other Contribution Obligations
|
13
|
|
4.04
|
Return
of Contributions
|
13
|
|
4.05
|
Capital
Accounts
|
13
|
|
4.06
|
Failure
to Make a Capital Contribution
|
14
|
|
ARTICLE
5
|
DISTRIBUTIONS
AND ALLOCATIONS
|
15
|
|
5.01
|
Distributions
|
15
|
|
5.02
|
Distributions
on Dissolution and Winding Up
|
16
|
|
5.03
|
Withholding
|
16
|
|
5.04
|
Allocations
|
16
|
|
5.05
|
Special
Allocations
|
16
|
|
5.06
|
Curative
Allocations
|
17
|
|
5.07
|
Varying
Interests
|
17
|
|
ARTICLE
6
|
MANAGEMENT
|
18
|
|
6.01
|
Generally
|
18
|
|
6.02
|
Officers
|
18
|
|
6.03
|
Operations
and Management Agreement
|
18
|
|
6.04
|
Conflicts
of Interest
|
18
|
|
6.05
|
Indemnification
for Breach of Agreement
|
19
|
|
6.06
|
General
Regulatory Matters
|
19
|
|
6.07
|
Disclaimer
of Duties
|
19
|
i
ARTICLE
7
|
TAXES
|
19
|
|
7.01
|
Tax
Returns
|
19
|
|
7.02
|
Tax
Elections
|
19
|
|
7.03
|
Tax
Matters Partner
|
19
|
|
ARTICLE
8
|
BOOKS,
RECORDS, REPORTS, AND BANK ACCOUNTS
|
20
|
|
8.01
|
Maintenance
of Books; Reports
|
20
|
|
8.02
|
Bank
Accounts
|
21
|
|
ARTICLE
9
|
WITHDRAWAL
|
21
|
|
9.01
|
No
Right of Withdrawal
|
21
|
|
9.02
|
Deemed
Withdrawal
|
21
|
|
9.03
|
Effect
of Withdrawal
|
21
|
|
ARTICLE
10
|
DISPUTE
RESOLUTION
|
22
|
|
10.01
|
Disputes
|
22
|
|
10.02
|
Negotiation
to Resolve Disputes
|
22
|
|
10.03
|
Selection
of Arbitrator
|
22
|
|
10.04
|
Conduct
of Arbitration
|
23
|
|
10.05
|
Consolidation
|
23
|
|
ARTICLE
11
|
DISSOLUTION,
WINDING UP AND TERMINATION
|
23
|
|
11.01
|
Dissolution
|
23
|
|
11.02
|
Winding
Up and Termination
|
24
|
|
11.03
|
Deficit
Capital Accounts
|
25
|
|
11.04
|
Certificate
of Cancellation
|
25
|
|
ARTICLE
12
|
GENERAL
PROVISIONS
|
25
|
|
12.01
|
Offset
|
25
|
|
12.02
|
Notices
|
25
|
|
12.03
|
Entire
Agreement; Superseding Effect
|
25
|
|
12.04
|
Effect
of Waiver or Consent
|
25
|
|
12.05
|
Amendment
or Restatement
|
25
|
|
12.06
|
Binding
Effect
|
25
|
|
12.07
|
Governing
Law; Severability
|
26
|
|
12.08
|
Further
Assurances
|
26
|
|
12.09
|
Waiver
of Certain Rights
|
26
|
|
12.10
|
Counterparts
|
26
|
EXHIBITS:
A
-
Partners
B
-
Initial Facilities
C
-
Non-Competition Area
D
-
O&M Agreement
ii
OF
XXXXXXXX
RIDGE, LP
A
Delaware Limited Partnership
This
LIMITED PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT OF XXXXXXXX RIDGE, LP (this “Agreement”), dated as
of March 2, 2007, is adopted, executed and agreed to, for good and valuable
consideration, by XXXXXXXX RIDGE GP, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company
(the “General Partner”), as the initial general partner and SPECTRA ENERGY
TRANSMISSION RESOURCE, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Spectra”),
and NJR XXXXXXXX RIDGE STORAGE COMPANY, a Delaware corporation (“NJR”), as the
initial limited partners. Capitalized terms used in this Agreement and not
defined elsewhere have the meanings given to them in Article 1
below.
RECITALS
The
Persons executing this Agreement as of the date of this Agreement are becoming
partners of the Partnership and desire to enter into a written agreement
pursuant to the Act governing the affairs of the Partnership and the conduct
of
its business. This Agreement is intended to bind all Partners from time to
time
and the Partnership.
NOW
THEREFORE, for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency
of
which are hereby acknowledged, the Partners agree as follows:
ARTICLE
1
DEFINITIONS
1.01 Definitions.
(a) Certain
Definitions. As
used
in this Agreement, the following terms have the respective meanings set forth
below or set forth in the Sections referred to below:
AAA
-
Section
10.02(c).
Act
-
the
Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act.
Additional
Contribution
-
Section 4.06(a)(ii).
Additional
Contribution Partner
-
Section 4.06(a)(ii).
Adjusted
Capital Account Deficit
- with
respect to any Partner, the deficit balance, if any, in such Partner’s Capital
Account as of the end of the relevant Fiscal Year after giving effect to
the
following adjustments: (a) credit to such Capital Account any amounts that
such
Partner is obligated to restore pursuant to the penultimate sentences of
Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-2(g)(1) and 1.704-2(i)(5) and (b) debit
to
such Capital Account such Partner’s share of the items described in Treasury
Regulation Sections 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(4), (5) and (6). This definition
of
Adjusted Capital Account Deficit is intended to comply with the provisions
of
Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d) and shall be interpreted
consistently therewith.
Affiliate
-
with
respect to any Person, (a) each entity that such Person Controls; (b) each
Person that Controls such Person, including, in the case of a Partner, the
Partner’s Parent; and (c) each entity that is under common Control with the
Person, including, in the case of a Partner, each entity that is Controlled
by
the Partner’s Parent; provided, with respect to any Partner, an Affiliate shall
include (y) a limited partnership or a Person Controlled by a limited
partnership if a general partner of the limited partnership is Controlled
by the
Partner’s Parent, or (z) a limited liability company or a Person controlled by a
limited liability company if the managing partner of the limited liability
company is Controlled by such Partner’s Parent; provided further, for purposes
of this Agreement the Partnership and its subsidiaries (if any) shall not
be an
Affiliate of any Partner.
1
Affiliate’s
Outside Activities -
Section
6.04(b).
Agreement
-
introductory paragraph.
Arbitration
Notice
-
Section 10.02(c).
Arbitrator
-
Section
10.03(b).
Assignee
-
any
Person that acquires a Partnership Interest or any portion of a Partnership
Interest through a Disposition; provided, however, that an Assignee shall
have
no right to be admitted to the Partnership as a Partner except with the prior
written approval of the General Partner. The Assignee of a liquidated or
wound
up Partner is the shareholder, partner, partner or other equity owner or
owners
of the liquidated or wound up Partner to which that Partner’s Partnership
Interest is assigned by the Person conducting the liquidation or winding
up of
that Partner. The Assignee of a Bankrupt Partner is (a) the Person or Persons
(if any) to whom such Bankrupt Partner’s Partnership Interest is assigned by
order of the bankruptcy court or other Governmental Authority having
jurisdiction over such Bankruptcy, or (b) in the event of a general assignment
for the benefit of creditors, the creditor to which such Partnership Interest
is
assigned.
Authorizations
-
licenses, certificates, permits, orders, approvals, determinations and
authorizations from Governmental Authorities having valid
jurisdiction.
Available
Cash -
with
respect to any Quarter ending prior to the liquidation and winding up of
the
Partnership, the excess, if any and without duplication, of:
(a) the
sum
of all cash and cash equivalents of the Partnership on hand at the end of
that
Quarter, over
(b) the
amount of any cash reserves that are necessary or appropriate in the Sole
Discretion of the General Partner to (i) provide for the proper conduct of
the
business of the Partnership (including reserves for future maintenance capital
expenditures and for anticipated future credit needs of the Partnership)
subsequent to that Quarter or (ii) comply with applicable Law or any loan
agreement, security agreement, mortgage, debt instrument or other agreement
or
obligation to which the Partnership is a party or by which it is bound or
its
assets are subject; provided, however, that distributions made by the
Partnership or cash reserves established, increased or reduced after the
end of
that Quarter but on or before the date of determination of Available Cash
with
respect to that Quarter shall be deemed to have been made, established,
increased or reduced, for purposes of determining Available Cash, within
that
Quarter if the General Partner so determines.
Notwithstanding
the foregoing, “Available Cash” with respect to the Quarter in which a
liquidation or winding up of the Partnership occurs and any subsequent Quarter
shall be deemed to equal zero.
Bankruptcy
or Bankrupt
- with
respect to any Person, (a) that Person (i) makes a general assignment for
the
benefit of creditors; (ii) files a voluntary bankruptcy petition; (iii) becomes
the subject of an order for relief or is declared insolvent in any federal
or
state bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings; (iv) files a petition or answer
seeking for that Person a reorganization, arrangement, composition,
readjustment, liquidation, dissolution or similar relief under any Law; (v)
files an answer or other pleading admitting or failing to contest the material
allegations of a petition filed against that Person in a proceeding of the
type
described in subclauses (i) through (iv) of this clause (a); or (vi) seeks,
consents to or acquiesces in the appointment of a trustee, receiver or
liquidator of that Person or of all or any substantial part of that Person’s
properties; or (b) against that Person, a proceeding seeking reorganization,
arrangement, composition, readjustment, liquidation, dissolution or similar
relief under any Law has been commenced and 120 Days have expired without
dismissal thereof or with respect to which, without that Person’s consent or
acquiescence, a trustee, receiver or liquidator of that Person or of all
or any
substantial part of that Person’s properties has been appointed and 90 Days have
expired without the appointment’s having been vacated or stayed, or 90 Days have
expired after the date of expiration of a stay, if the appointment has not
previously been vacated.
2
Breaching
Partner
- a
Partner (a) that (i) has committed a failure or breach of the type described
in
the definition of “Default,” (ii) has received a notice of the type described in
the definition of “Default,” and (iii) has not cured the failure or breach, but
as to which the applicable cure period set forth in the definition of “Default”
has not yet expired or (b) that is, or any Affiliate of which is, a “Breaching
Partner” as defined in the GP LLC Agreement.
Business
Day
- any
day other than a Saturday, a Sunday, or a U.S. federal holiday.
Capital
Account
- the
account maintained by the Partnership for each Partner in accordance with
this
Agreement and to be maintained by the Partnership for each Partner from and
after the Effective Date in accordance with Section 4.05.
Capital
Call
-
Section 4.01(a).
Capital
Contribution
- with
respect to any Partner, the amount of money and the net agreed value of any
property (other than money) contributed to the Partnership by the Partner.
Any
reference in this Agreement to the Capital Contribution of a Partner shall
include a Capital Contribution of its predecessors in interest.
Certificate
-
Section
2.01.
Claim
-
any and
all judgments, claims, causes of action, demands, lawsuits, suits, proceedings,
Governmental investigations or audits, losses, assessments, fines, penalties,
administrative orders, obligations, costs, expenses, liabilities and damages
(whether actual, consequential or punitive), including interest, penalties,
reasonable attorney’s fees, disbursements and costs of investigations,
deficiencies, levies, duties, imposts, remediation and cleanup costs, and
natural resources damages.
Code
-
the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
Confidential
Information -
information and data (including all copies) that is furnished or submitted
by
any of the Partners, their Affiliates, or the Operator, whether oral, written,
or electronic, to the other Partners, their Affiliates, or the Operator in
connection with the Facilities and the resulting information and data obtained
from those studies, including market evaluations, market proposals, service
designs and pricing, pipeline system design and routing, cost estimating,
rate
studies, identification of permits, strategic plans, legal documents,
environmental studies and requirements, public and governmental relations
planning, identification of regulatory issues and development of related
strategies, legal analysis and documentation, financial planning, gas reserves
and deliverability data, studies of the natural gas supplies for the Facilities,
and other studies and activities to determine the potential viability of
the
Facilities and their design characteristics, and identification of key issues.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term “Confidential Information” shall not
include any information that:
(a) is
in the
public domain at the time of its disclosure or thereafter, other than as
a
result of a disclosure directly or indirectly by a Partner or its Affiliates
or
the Operator in contravention of this Agreement;
(b) as
to any
Partner or its Affiliates or the Operator, was in the possession of such
Partner
or its Affiliates or Operator prior to the execution of any confidentiality
agreements related to the Facilities or this Agreement; or
(c) has
been
independently acquired or developed by a Partner or its Affiliates or Operator
without violating any of the obligations of that Partner or its Affiliates
or
Operator under any applicable agreement.
Contributing
Partner
-
Section 4.06(a).
3
Control
- the
possession, directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, of
the
following:
(a) (i)
in
the case of a corporation, 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities
thereof; (ii) in the case of a limited liability company, general partnership
or
venture, the right to 25% or more of the distributions therefrom (including
liquidating distributions); (iii) in the case of a trust or estate, including
a
business trust, 50% or more of the beneficial interest therein; and (iv)
in the
case of any other entity, 50% or more of the economic or beneficial interest
therein; provided, however, in the case of a limited partnership, “Control”
shall mean possession, directly or indirectly through one or more
intermediaries, of (A) in the case where the general partner of the limited
partnership is a corporation, ownership of 50% or more of the outstanding
voting
securities of the corporate general partner, (B) in the case where the general
partner of the limited partnership is a partnership, limited liability company
or other entity (other than a corporation or limited partnership), the right
to
25% or more of the distributions from the general partner entity, and (C)
in the
case where the general partner of the limited partnership is a limited
partnership, Control of the general partner of the general partner in the
manner
described under clause (A) or (B), in each case, notwithstanding that the
Person
with respect to which Control is being determined does not possess, directly
or
indirectly through one or more subsidiaries, the right to receive at least
25%
of the distributions from such limited partnership; and
(b) in
the
case of any entity, the power or authority, through ownership of voting
securities, by contract or otherwise, to exercise predominant control over
the
management of the entity.
Day
-
a
calendar day; provided, however, that, if any period of Days referred to
in this
Agreement shall end on a Day that is not a Business Day, then the expiration
of
that period shall be automatically extended until the end of the first
succeeding Business Day.
Default
- with
respect to any Partner,
(a) the
failure of that Partner to contribute, on or before the 10th Day after the
date
required, all or any portion of a Capital Contribution that Partner is required
to make as provided in this Agreement or
(b) the
failure of a Partner to comply in any material respect with any of its other
agreements, covenants or obligations under this Agreement, or the failure
of any
representation or warranty made by a Partner in this Agreement to have been
true
and correct in all material respects at the time it was made, in each case
if
the breach is not cured by the applicable Partner on or before the 30th Day
after its receiving notice of such breach from any other Partner (or, if
such
breach is not capable of being cured within such 30-Day period, if such Partner
fails to promptly commence substantial efforts to cure such breach or to
prosecute such curative efforts to completion with continuity and diligence).
The General Partner may, but shall have no obligation to, extend the foregoing
10-Day and 30-Day periods.
Default
Rate
- a rate
per annum equal to the lesser of (a) a varying rate per annum equal to the
sum
of (i) the prime rate as published in The Wall Street Journal, with adjustments
in that varying rate to be made on the same date as any change in that rate
is
so published, plus (ii) 2% per annum, and (b) the maximum rate permitted
by
Law.
Dispose,
Disposing or Disposition
- with
respect to any asset (including an LP Interest or any portion of an LP
Interest), a sale, assignment, transfer, conveyance, gift, exchange or other
disposition of such asset, whether such disposition be voluntary, involuntary
or
by operation of Law, including the following: (a) in the case of an asset
owned
by a natural person, a transfer of such asset upon the death of its owner,
whether by will, intestate succession or otherwise; (b) in the case of an
asset
owned by an entity, (i) a merger or consolidation of such entity (other than
where such entity is the survivor thereof), (ii) a conversion of such entity
into another type of entity, or (iii) a distribution of such asset, including
in
connection with the dissolution, liquidation, winding up or termination of
such
entity (unless, in the case of dissolution, such entity’s business is continued
without the commencement of liquidation or winding up); and (c) a disposition
in
connection with, or in lieu of, a foreclosure of an Encumbrance; but such
terms
shall not include the creation of an Encumbrance.
Disposing
Partner
-
Section 3.03(a).
4
Dispute
-
Section 10.01.
Dispute
Notice
-
Section 10.02.
Disputing
Partner
-
Section 10.01.
Dissolution
Event
-
Section 11.01.
Effective
Date
- the
date the Partnership is formed as provided in Section 2.01.
Encumber,
Encumbering or Encumbrance
- the
creation of a security interest, lien, pledge, mortgage or other encumbrance,
whether such encumbrance be voluntary, involuntary or by operation of
Law.
Facilities
- (a)
the Initial Facilities and (b) any additions to or expansion of existing
Facilities that are approved by the General Partner.
FERC
- the
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission or any Governmental Authority succeeding
to
the powers of such commission.
Governmental
Authority (or
Governmental)
- a
federal, state, local or foreign governmental authority; a state, province,
commonwealth, territory or district thereof; a county or parish; a city,
town,
township, village or other municipality; a district, xxxx or other subdivision
of any of the foregoing; any executive, legislative or other governing body
of
any of the foregoing; any agency, authority, board, department, system, service,
office, commission, committee, council or other administrative body of any
of
the foregoing; including the FERC, any court or other judicial body; and
any
officer, official or other representative of any of the foregoing.
GP
LLC Agreement
- the
Limited Liability Company Agreement of the General Partner, dated as of March
2,
2007, as amended from time to time.
including
-
including, without limitation.
Initial
Facilities
- means
the gas storage facility and related equipment and other infrastructure
described on Exhibit B.
Law
- any
applicable constitutional provision, statute, act, code (including the Code),
law, regulation, rule, ordinance, order, decree, ruling, proclamation,
resolution, judgment, decision, declaration or interpretative or advisory
opinion or letter of a Governmental Authority having valid
jurisdiction.
Limited
Partner
- any
Person executing this Agreement as of the date of this Agreement as a limited
partner or subsequently admitted to the Partnership as a limited partner
as
provided in this Agreement, but such term does not include any Person that
has
ceased to be a limited partner in the Partnership.
LP
Interest
- the
Partnership Interest of a Limited Partner in its capacity as such.
Non-Contributing
Partner
-
Section 4.06(a).
Nonrecourse
Debt
- the
meaning set forth in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(b)(3).
Nonrecourse
Deductions
- the
meaning, and the amount thereof shall be, as set forth in Treasury Regulation
Sections 1.704-2(b) and 1.704-2(c).
O&M
Agreement
-
Section 6.03.
Officer
-
any
Person designated as an officer of the Partnership as provided in Section
6.02,
but that term does not include any Person who has ceased to be an officer
of the
Partnership.
5
Operator
-
Spectra Energy Transmission Services, LLC, a Delaware limited liability
company.
Parent
- the
Person that Controls a Limited Partner and that is not itself Controlled
by any
other Person.
Partner
- the
General Partner or any Limited Partner.
Partnership
-
Xxxxxxxx Ridge, LP, a Delaware limited partnership.
Partnership
Interest
- with
respect to any Partner, (a) that Partner’s status as a Partner; (b) that
Partner’s share of the income, gain, loss, deduction and credits of, and the
right to receive distributions from, the Partnership; (c) any Priority Interest
to which that Partner is entitled pursuant to Section 4.06(b); (d) all other
rights, benefits and privileges enjoyed by that Partner (under the Act, this
Agreement or otherwise) in its capacity as a Partner; and (e) all obligations,
duties and liabilities imposed on that Partner (under the Act, this Agreement
or
otherwise) in its capacity as a Partner, including any obligations to make
Capital Contributions.
Partnership
Minimum Gain
-
“partnership minimum gain” set forth in Treasury Regulation Sections
1.704-2(b)(2) and 1.704-2(d).
Partner
Minimum Gain
-
“partner nonrecourse debt minimum gain” as determined under Treasury Regulation
Section 1.704-2(i)(2).
Partner
Nonrecourse Debt
-
“partner nonrecourse debt” as set forth in Treasury Regulation Section
1.704-2(b)(4).
Partner
Nonrecourse Deductions
-
“partner nonrecourse deductions,” and the amount thereof shall be, as set forth
in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(i).
Person
- the
meaning assigned that term in Section 17-101(14) of the Act and also includes
a
Governmental Authority and any other entity.
Priority
Interest
- the
special distribution rights under Section 4.06(b) received by each Additional
Contribution Partner, which rights include the right to receive the return
described in Section 4.06(b)(i) and which form part of the Additional
Contribution Partner’s Partnership Interest.
Priority
Interest Sharing Ratio
-
Section 4.06(b)(i).
PSA
-
the
Purchase and Sale Agreement dated as of February 9, 2007, between Pennsylvania
General Energy Company, L.L.C. and Spectra Energy Transmission,
LLC.
Quarter
-
unless
the context requires otherwise, a fiscal quarter of the
Partnership.
Regulatory
Allocations
-
Section 5.06.
Securities
Act
- the
Securities Act of 1933.
Sharing
Ratio
-
subject in each case to adjustments in accordance with this Agreement or
in
connection with Dispositions of Partnership Interests, (a) in the case of
a
Partner executing this Agreement as of the date of this Agreement or a Person
acquiring that Partner’s Partnership Interest, the percentage specified for that
Partner as its Sharing Ratio on Exhibit A, and (b) in the case of Partnership
Interests issued under Section 3.04, the Sharing Ratio established in Section
3.04; provided, however, that the total of all Sharing Ratios shall always
equal
100%.
Sole
Discretion
- (a) in
the applicable Person’s sole and absolute discretion (b) with or without cause,
(c) subject to such conditions as it may deem appropriate, and (d) without
taking into account the interests of, and without incurring liability to,
the
Partnership, any Partner, or any Officer or employee of the
Partnership.
6
Storage
Agreement
- any
agreement of the Partnership to store natural gas or to perform other services
under applicable tariffs for other Persons at any of the
Facilities.
Tax
Matters Partner
-
Section 7.03(a).
Term
-
Section
2.07.
Treasury
Regulations
- the
regulations (including temporary regulations) promulgated by the United States
Department of the Treasury pursuant to and in respect of provisions of the
Code.
All references herein to sections of the Treasury Regulations shall include
any
corresponding provision or provisions of succeeding, similar or substitute,
temporary or final Treasury Regulations.
Withdraw,
Withdrawing or Withdrawal
- the
withdrawal, resignation or retirement of a Partner from the Partnership as
a
partner. Such terms shall not include any Dispositions of Partnership Interest
(which are governed by Sections 3.03(a) and (b)), even though the Partner
making
a Disposition may cease to be a Partner as a result of the
Disposition.
Withdrawn
Partner
-
Section 9.03.
(b) Other
Terms.
Terms
defined elsewhere in this Agreement have the meanings so given
them.
1.02 Interpretation.
Unless
the context requires otherwise: (a) the gender (or lack of gender) of all
words
used in this Agreement includes the masculine, feminine and neuter; (b)
references to Articles and Sections refer to Articles and Sections of this
Agreement; (c) references to Exhibits refer to the Exhibits attached to this
Agreement, each of which is made a part hereof for all purposes; (d) references
to Laws refer to such Laws as they may be amended from time to time, and
references to particular provisions of a Law include any corresponding
provisions of any succeeding Law; and (e) references to money refer to legal
currency of the United States of America.
ARTICLE
2
ORGANIZATION
2.01 Formation.
The
General Partner shall form the Partnership as a Delaware limited partnership
by
the filing of a Certificate of Limited Partnership (the “Certificate”) promptly
following the execution and delivery of this Agreement.
2.02 Name.
The
name of the Partnership is “Xxxxxxxx Ridge, LP” and all Partnership business
must be conducted in that name or such other names that comply with Law as
the
General Partner may select.
2.03 Registered
Office; Registered Agent; Principal Office in the United States; Other
Offices.
The
registered office of the Partnership required by the Act to be maintained
in the
State of Delaware shall be the office of the initial registered agent named
in
the Certificate or such other office (which need not be a place of business
of
the Partnership) as the General Partner may designate in the manner provided
by
Law. The registered agent of the Partnership in the State of Delaware shall
be
the initial registered agent named in the Certificate or such other Person
or
Persons as the General Partner may designate in the manner provided by Law.
The
principal office of the Partnership in the United States shall be at such
place
as the General Partner may designate, which need not be in the State of
Delaware, and the Partnership shall maintain records there or such other
place
as the General Partner shall designate and shall keep the street address
of such
principal office at the registered office of the Partnership in the State
of
Delaware. The Partnership may have such other offices as the General Partner
may
designate.
2.04 Purposes.
The
purposes of the Partnership are to plan, design, construct, acquire, own,
maintain and operate the Facilities, to market the services of the Facilities,
to engage in the storage of natural gas through the Facilities, and to engage
in
any activities directly or indirectly relating to the
foregoing.
7
2.05 Foreign
Qualification.
Prior to
the Partnership’s conducting business in any jurisdiction other than Delaware,
the General Partner shall cause the Partnership to comply, to the extent
procedures are available and those matters are reasonably within the control
of
the General Partner, with all requirements necessary to qualify the Partnership
as a foreign limited partnership in that jurisdiction. At the request of
the
General Partner, each Partner shall execute, acknowledge, swear to and deliver
all certificates and other instruments conforming with this Agreement that
are
necessary or appropriate to qualify, continue and terminate the Partnership
as a
foreign limited partnership in all such jurisdictions in which the Partnership
may conduct business.
2.06 PSA.
Immediately following the formation of the Partnership, the Partners, pro
rata
to their Sharing Ratios, shall contribute to the Partnership, and the General
Partner shall cause the Partnership to accept and assume, all of the rights
and
obligations set forth for Spectra Energy Transmission, LLC under the
PSA.
2.07 Term.
The
period of existence of the Partnership (the “Term”) commenced with the
acceptance for filing of the Certificate by the Secretary of State of the
State
of Delaware and shall end at such time as a certificate of cancellation is
filed
with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware in accordance with Section
11.04.
ARTICLE
3
PARTNERSHIP;
DISPOSITIONS OF INTERESTS
3.01 Initial
Partners.
As of
the formation of the Partnership, the General Partner is admitted to the
Partnership as the general partner and Spectra and NJR are admitted to the
Partnership as limited partners.
3.02 Representations,
Warranties and Covenants.
Each
Limited Partner hereby represents, warrants and covenants to the Partnership
and
each other Partner that the following statements are true and correct as
of the
Effective Date and shall be true and correct at all times that such Limited
Partner is a Partner:
(a) that
Limited Partner is duly incorporated, organized or formed (as applicable),
validly existing, and (if applicable) in good standing under the Law of the
jurisdiction of its incorporation, organization or formation; if required
by
applicable Law, that Limited Partner is duly qualified and in good standing
in
the jurisdiction of its principal place of business, if different from its
jurisdiction of incorporation, organization or formation; and that Limited
Partner has full power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement
and
to perform its obligations hereunder, and all necessary actions by the board
of
directors, shareholders, managers, partners, partners, trustees, beneficiaries,
or other applicable Persons necessary for the due authorization, execution,
delivery and performance of this Agreement by that Limited Partner have been
duly taken;
(b) that
Limited Partner has duly executed and delivered this Agreement and the other
documents contemplated herein, and they constitute the legal, valid and binding
obligation of that Limited Partner enforceable against it in accordance with
their terms (except as may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency or similar
Laws
of general application and by the effect of general principles of equity,
regardless of whether considered at law or in equity);
(c) that
Limited Partner’s authorization, execution, delivery, and performance of this
Agreement does not and will not (i) conflict with, or result in a breach,
default or violation of, (A) the organizational documents of that Limited
Partner, (B) any contract or agreement to which that Limited Partner is a
party
or is otherwise subject, or (C) any Law, order, judgment, decree, writ,
injunction or arbitral award to which that Limited Partner is subject; or
(ii)
require any consent, approval or authorization from, filing or registration
with, or notice to, any Governmental Authority or other Person, unless such
requirement has already been satisfied;
(d) that
Limited Partner’s Parent is the Person identified as such on Exhibit
A;
(e) that
Limited Partner is acquiring its LP Interest solely for investment for its
own
account and not for distribution or sale to others in connection with any
distribution or public offering;
8
(f) that
Limited Partner understands that there will not be any public market for
the LP
Interests and that it must bear the economic risk of an investment in the
Partnership for an indefinite period of time because (i) its LP Interest
has not
been registered under the Securities Act or any applicable state securities
laws
and (ii) it may Dispose or Encumber, in whole or in part, its LP Interest
only
in accordance with this Agreement and then only if its LP Interest is
subsequently registered in accordance with the provisions of the Securities
Act
and applicable state securities laws, unless registration is not
required;
(g) that
Limited Partner understands that the Partnership is not obligated to register
the LP Interests for resale under the Securities Act or any applicable state
securities laws;
(h) that
Limited Partner is a “qualified institutional buyer” within the meaning of rule
144A of the Securities and Exchange Commission or an “accredited investor”
within the meaning of Regulation D of the Securities and Exchange Commission
and
is able to bear the economic risk of such an investment in the Partnership
for
an indefinite period of time, and it has no need for liquidity of this
investment and it could bear a complete loss of this investment; if it is
either
a “qualified purchaser” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940
or is an entity formed and is being utilized primarily for the purpose of
making
an investment in the Partnership, each of the shareholders, partners, partners
or other holders of equity or beneficial interests in that Partner is such
a
qualified purchaser; and
(i) that
Limited Partner has the knowledge and sophistication to evaluate the risks
of
investing in the Partnership; it has conducted its own investigation and
due
diligence into the Partnership and is satisfied that its investment in the
Partnership is appropriate; it understands and agrees that none of the other
Partners or their Affiliates, or the Partnership, has made nor will make
any
representation or warranty with respect to the worthiness, terms, value,
or any
other aspect of the Partnership or the LP Interests, and it explicitly disclaims
any warranty, express or implied, with respect to such matters; and it
specifically acknowledges, represents, and warrants that it is not relying
on
any other Partner or its Affiliates (i) for its investigation or due diligence
concerning, or evaluation of, the Partnership or any related transaction
or (ii)
with respect to tax and other economic considerations involved in an investment
in the Partnership.
3.03 Dispositions
and Encumbrances of LP Interests.
(a) A
Limited
Partner (the “Disposing Partner”) may Dispose of or Encumber all or any portion
of its LP Interest only (i) to an Affiliate of the Partner making the
Disposition or (ii) with the written consent of the General Partner. Any
attempted Disposition or Encumbrance of an LP Interest, other than in strict
accordance with this Section 3.03, shall be, and is hereby declared, null
and
void ab initio. The rights and obligations constituting an
(b) LP
Interest may not be separated, divided or split from the other attributes
of an
LP Interest except with the prior written approval of the General Partner
and as
contemplated by the express provisions of this Agreement.
LP
Interests may be diluted as provided in the GP LLC Agreement.
(c) Each
Limited Partner agrees that it will include its LP Interest in any sale when
required under Section 3.03(b)(iv) of the GP LLC Agreement.
(d) No
Disposition of a Partnership Interest shall effect a release of the Disposing
Partner from any liabilities to the Partnership or the other Partners arising
from events occurring prior to the Disposition.
(e) The
Partners agree that a breach of the provisions of this Section 3.03 may cause
irreparable injury to the Partnership and to the other Partners for which
monetary damages (or other remedy at law) are inadequate in view of (i) the
complexities and uncertainties in measuring the actual damages that would
be
sustained by reason of the failure of a Limited Partner to comply with such
provision and (ii) the uniqueness of the Partnership business and the
relationship among the Partners. Accordingly, the Limited Partners agree
that
the provisions of this Section 3.03 may be enforced by specific performance
in
accordance with Section 10.04(b).
9
(f) Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary in this Agreement, a direct or indirect Disposition
of
a Partnership Interest shall be made only with the consent of all Partners
if
the Disposition would (a) cause a termination of the Partnership under Section
708 of the Code or (b) adversely affect the tax consequences of the Partnership
or any Partner.
3.04 Creation
of Additional Partnership Interests.
Additional Partnership Interests may be created and issued to existing Partners
or to other Persons, and such other Persons may be admitted to the Partnership
as Partners, only with the consent of the General Partner, on such terms
and
conditions as the General Partner may determine at the time of admission.
The
terms of admission or issuance must specify the applicable Sharing Ratios
and
may provide for the creation of different classes or groups of Partners having
different rights, powers and duties. Any such admission is effective only
after
the new Partner has executed and delivered to the General Partner an instrument
containing the notice address of the new Partner, the Assignee’s ratification of
this Agreement and agreement to be bound by it, and its confirmation that
the
representations and warranties in Section 3.02 are true and correct with
respect
to it. The provisions of this Section 3.04 shall not apply to Dispositions
of
Partnership Interests or admissions of Assignees in connection therewith,
such
matters being governed by Section 3.03.
3.05 Access
to Information.
Each
Partner shall be entitled to receive any information that it may request
concerning the Partnership; provided, however, that this Section 3.05 shall
not
obligate the Partnership, the General Partner, or Operator to create any
information that does not already exist at the time of such request (other
than
to convert existing information from one medium to another, such as providing
a
printout of information that is stored in a computer database). Each Partner
shall also have the right, upon reasonable notice, and at all reasonable
times
during usual business hours to inspect the properties of the Partnership
and to
audit, examine and make copies of the books of account and other records
of the
Partnership. This right may be exercised through any agent or employee of
a
Partner designated in writing by it or by an independent public accountant,
engineer, attorney or other consultant so designated. The Partner making
the
request shall bear all costs and expenses incurred in any inspection,
examination or audit made on that Partner’s behalf. The Partners agree to
cooperate reasonably, and to cause their respective independent public
accountants, engineers, attorneys or other consultants to cooperate reasonably,
in connection with any such request. Confidential Information obtained under
this Section 3.05 shall be subject to the provisions of Section
3.06.
3.06 Confidential
Information.
(a) Except
as
permitted by Section 3.06(b), (i) each Partner shall, and shall cause its
Affiliates to, keep confidential all Confidential Information and shall not
disclose any Confidential Information to any Person, including any of its
Affiliates, and (ii) each Partner shall use the Confidential Information
only in
connection with the Facilities and the Partnership.
(b) Notwithstanding
Section 3.06(a), but subject to the other provisions of this Section 3.06,
a
Partner or, where applicable, its Affiliates, may make the following disclosures
and uses of Confidential Information:
(i) disclosures
to another Partner, the Operator or any other Person retained by the Partnership
or the General Partner in connection with the Partnership;
(ii) disclosures
and uses that are approved by the General Partner;
(iii) disclosures
that may be required from time to time to obtain requisite Authorizations
or
financing for the Facilities, if the disclosures are approved by the General
Partner;
(iv) disclosures
to an Affiliate of that Partner, including the directors, officers, employees,
agents and advisors of that Affiliate, provided the Partner shall cause that
Affiliate to abide by the terms of this Section 3.06, and special care shall
be
taken to restrict such disclosures in any case where that Affiliate is or
may
become a customer under a Storage Agreement or an “Marketing Affiliate” (as
defined in the FERC’s Standards of Conduct for Transmission Providers, 18 C.F.R.
Part 358, Section 358.3(k));
10
(v) disclosures
to the Parent of that Partner, including the directors, officers, employees,
agents and advisors of that Parent, but that Parent shall be subject to the
terms of this Section 3.06;
(vi) disclosures
to a Person that is not a Partner or an Affiliate of a Partner, if that Person
has been retained by a Partner or an Affiliate of a Partner to provide services
in connection with the Partnership and has agreed to abide by the terms of
this
Section 3.06;
(vii) disclosures
to a bona-fide potential direct or indirect purchaser of that Partner’s
Partnership Interest, if that potential purchaser has agreed to abide by
the
terms of this Section 3.06;
(viii) disclosures
required, with respect to a Partner or an Affiliate of a Partner, pursuant
to
(A) the Securities Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder,
(B)
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations
promulgated thereunder, (C) any state securities Laws or (D) any national
securities exchange or automated quotation system; and
(ix) disclosures
that a Partner is legally compelled to make by deposition, interrogatory,
request for documents, subpoena, civil investigative demand, order of a court
of
competent jurisdiction or similar process or otherwise by Law; provided,
however, that, prior to any such disclosure, such Partner shall, to the extent
legally permissible:
(A) provide
the General Partner with prompt notice of such requirements so that one or
more
of the Partners may seek a protective order or other appropriate remedy or
waive
compliance with the terms of this Section 3.06(b)(ix);
(B) consult
with the General Partner on the advisability of taking steps to resist or
narrow
such disclosure; and
(C) cooperate
with the General Partner and with the other Partners in any attempt one or
more
of them may make to obtain a protective order or other appropriate remedy
or
assurance that confidential treatment will be afforded the Confidential
Information; and in the event such protective order or other remedy is not
obtained, or the other Partners waive compliance with the provisions of this
Agreement, that Partner agrees (I) to furnish only that portion of the
Confidential Information that, in the opinion of the Partner’s counsel, the
Partner is legally required to disclose, and (II) to exercise all reasonable
efforts to obtain assurance that confidential treatment will be accorded
the
Confidential Information.
(c) Each
Partner shall take, and shall cause its Affiliates to take, such precautionary
measures as may be required to ensure (and such Partner shall be responsible
for) compliance with this Section 3.06 by any of its Affiliates, and its
and
their directors, officers, employees and agents, and other Persons to which
it
may disclose Confidential Information in accordance with this Section
3.06.
(d) Promptly
after its Withdrawal, a Withdrawn Partner shall destroy (and provide a
certificate of destruction to the Partnership with respect to), or return
to the
Partnership, all Confidential Information in its possession. Notwithstanding
the
immediately preceding sentence, but subject to the other provisions of this
Section 3.06, a Withdrawn Partner may retain for a stated period, but not
disclose to any other Person, Confidential Information for the limited purposes
of (i) explaining that Partner’s corporate decisions with respect to the
Facilities or (ii) preparing such Partner’s tax returns and defending audits,
investigations and proceedings relating thereto; provided, however, that
the
Withdrawn Partner must notify the General Partner in advance of such retention
and specify in such notice the stated period of such retention.
(e) The
Partners agree that no adequate remedy at law exists for a breach or threatened
breach of any of the provisions of this Section 3.06, the continuation of
which
unremedied will cause the Partnership and the other Partners to suffer
irreparable harm. Accordingly, the Partners agree that the Partnership and
the
other Partners shall be entitled, in addition to other remedies that may
be
available to them, to immediate injunctive relief from any breach of any
of the
provisions of this Section 3.06 and to specific performance of their rights
hereunder, as well as to any other remedies available at law or in equity,
pursuant to Section 10.04.
11
(f) The
obligations of the Partners under this Section 3.06 (including the obligations
of any Withdrawn Partners) shall continue to bind any Person that has ceased
to
be a Partner and shall terminate on the second anniversary of the end of
the
Term.
3.07 Liability
to Third Parties.
No
Limited Partner or Affiliate of a Partner shall be liable for the debts,
obligations or liabilities of the Partnership.
3.08
Use
of Partners’ Names and Trademarks.
The
Partnership, the Partners and their Affiliates shall not use the name or
trademark of any Partner or its Affiliates in connection with public
announcements regarding the Partnership, or marketing or financing activities
of
the Partnership, without the prior consent of such Partners or Affiliate,
which
shall not be unreasonably withheld.
ARTICLE
4
CAPITAL
CONTRIBUTIONS
4.01 Capital
Contributions.
(a) On
the
formation of the Partnership, each Partner will make a Capital Contribution
(i)
in cash equal to its Sharing Ratio times $104,000,000 and (ii) of the interest
in the PSA described in Section 2.06. After that time, except as otherwise
provided in the following provisions of this Section 4.01 or 4.02, the General
Partner may issue or cause to be issued a notice to each Partner for the
making
of Capital Contributions at such times and in such amounts as the General
Partner shall determine (a “Capital Call”); provided, however, that the
aggregate of the Capital Contributions under Section 4.01(a)(i) plus all
Capital
Calls and all loans under Section 4.02 may not exceed $250,000,000. All amounts
timely received by the Partnership under this Section 4.01 shall be credited
to
the respective Partner’s Capital Account as of the specified date. Each Partner
is entitled to a credit to its Capital Account equal to its Sharing Ratio
times
$5,000,000 on account of its contribution under Section
4.01(a)(ii).
(b) Each
Capital Call shall contain the following information:
(i) The
total
amount of Capital Contributions required from all Partners;
(ii) The
amount of Capital Contribution required from the Partner to which the notice
is
addressed, which amount must equal that Partner’s Sharing Ratio of the total
Capital Call;
(iii) The
purpose for which the funds are to be applied in such reasonable detail as
the
General Partner shall direct; and
(iv) The
date
on which payments of the Capital Contribution shall be made (which date shall
not be sooner than the 30th Day following the date the Capital Call is given,
unless a sooner date is approved by the General Partner) and the method of
payment, provided that the date and the method shall be the same for each
of the
Partners.
(c) Each
Partner agrees that it shall make payments of its respective Capital
Contributions in accordance with Capital Calls issued as provided in Section
4.01(a).
4.02 Loans.
(a) Rather
than making a Capital Call under Section 4.01, the General Partner by notice
may
require the Limited Partners to lend funds to the Partnership at such times,
in
such amounts and under such terms and conditions as the General Partner shall
determine; provided, however, that (i) the General Partner shall not call
for
loans rather than Capital Contributions to the extent doing so would breach
any
financing or other agreement of the Partnership and (ii) the aggregate of
the
cash Capital Contributions under Section 4.01(a)(i) plus all Capital Calls
12
and
all
loans under this Section 4.02 may not exceed $250,000,000. All amounts received
from a Limited Partner after the date specified in Section 4.02(b)(iv) by
the
Partnership under this Section 4.02 shall be accompanied by interest on such
overdue amounts (and the default shall not be cured unless such interest
is also
received by the Partnership), which interest shall be payable to the Partnership
and shall accrue from and after such specified date at the Default Rate.
Any
such interest paid shall be credited to the respective Capital Accounts of
all
the Limited Partners, on a pro rata basis in accordance with their respective
Sharing Ratios as of the date such payment is made to the Partnership, but
shall
not be considered part of the principal of the loan.
(b) Each
notice issued under Section 4.02(a) shall contain the following
information:
(i) The
total
amount of loans required from the Limited Partners;
(ii) The
amount of the loan required from the Limited Partner to which the notice
is
addressed, which amount must equal (A) that Limited Partner’s Sharing Ratio of
the total amount of loans requested divided by (B) the sum of the Sharing
Ratios
of all Limited Partners;
(iii) The
purpose for which the funds are to be applied in such reasonable detail as
the
General Partner shall direct;
(iv) The
date
on which the loans to the Partnership shall be made (which date shall not
be
sooner than the 30th Day following the date the request is given, unless
a
sooner date is approved by the General Partner) and the method of payment,
provided that the date and the method shall be the same for each of the Limited
Partners; and
(v) All
terms
concerning the repayment of or otherwise relating to the loans, provided
that
the terms shall be the same for each of the Limited Partners.
(c) Each
Limited Partner agrees that it shall make its respective loans in accordance
with requests issued as provided in Section 4.02(a).
4.03 No
Other Contribution Obligations.
No
Partner shall be required or permitted to make any Capital Contributions
or
loans to the Partnership except as provided in this Article 4.
4.04 Return
of Contributions.
Except
as expressly provided in this Agreement, a Partner is not entitled to the
return
of any part of its Capital Contributions or to be paid interest in respect
of
either its Capital Account or its Capital Contributions. An unrepaid Capital
Contribution is not a liability of the Partnership or of any Partner. A Partner
is not required to contribute or to lend any cash or property to the Partnership
to enable the Partnership to return any Partner’s Capital
Contributions.
4.05 Capital
Accounts.
(a) Each
Partner’s Capital Account shall be increased by (i) the amount of money
contributed by that Partner to the Partnership, (ii) the fair market value
of
property contributed by that Partners to the Partnership (net of liabilities
secured by such contributed property that the Partnership is considered to
assume or take subject to under Section 752 of the Code), and (iii) allocations
to that Partner of Partnership income and gain (or items thereof), including
income and gain exempt from tax and income and gain described in Treasury
Regulation § 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(g), but excluding income and gain described in
Treasury Regulation § 1.704-1(b)(4)(i), and shall be decreased by (iv) the
amount of money distributed to that Partner by the Partnership, (v) the fair
market value of property distributed to that Partner by the Partnership (net
of
liabilities secured by such distributed property that such Partner is considered
to assume or take subject to under Section 752 of the Code), (vi) allocations
to
that Partner of expenditures of the Partnership described (or treated as
described) in Section 705(a)(2)(B) of the Code, and (vii) allocations of
Partnership loss and deduction (or items thereof), including loss and deduction
described in
13
Treasury
Regulation § 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(g), but excluding items described in (vi) above
and loss or deduction described in Treasury Regulation § 1.704-1(b)(4)(i) or
1.704-1(b)(4)(iii). The Partners’ Capital Accounts shall also be maintained and
adjusted as permitted by the provisions of Treasury Regulation §
1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(f) and as required by the other provisions of Treasury
Regulation §§ 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv) and 1.704-1(b)(4), including adjustments to
reflect the allocations to the Partners of depreciation, depletion,
amortization, and gain or loss as computed for book purposes rather than
the
allocation of the corresponding items as computed for tax purposes, as required
by Treasury Regulation § 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(g). Thus, the Partners’ Capital
Accounts shall be increased or decreased to reflect a revaluation of the
Partnership’s property on its books based on the fair market value of the
Partnership’s property on the date of adjustment (as determined pursuant to
Section 4.05(b)), immediately prior to (A) the contribution of money or other
property to the Partnership by a new or existing Partner as consideration
for a
Partnership Interest or an increased Sharing Ratio (including any contribution
under Section 4.06(c)), (B) the distribution of money or other property by
the
Partnership to a Partner as consideration for a Partnership Interest, or
(C) the
liquidation of the Partnership. A Partner who has more than one Partnership
Interest shall have a single Capital Account that reflects all such Partnership
Interests, regardless of the class of Partnership Interests owned by such
Partner and regardless of the time or manner in which such Partnership Interests
were acquired. Upon the Disposition of all or a portion of a Partnership
Interest, the Capital Account of the Disposing Partner that is attributable
to
that Partnership Interest shall carry over to the Assignee in accordance
with
the provisions of Treasury Regulation § 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(l). The Capital
Accounts shall not be deemed to be, nor have the same meaning as, the capital
account of the Partnership under the Natural Gas Act.
(b) Whenever
the fair market value of the Partnership’s property is required to be determined
pursuant to the third and fourth sentences of Section 4.05(a), the General
Partner shall establish the fair market value in a notice to the Limited
Partners.
4.06 Failure
to Make a Capital Contribution.
(a) General.
If any
Limited Partner fails to make a Capital Contribution when required in a Capital
Call under Section 4.01 of this Agreement, or a loan when required under
Section
4.02 of this Agreement (each such Partner being a “Non-Contributing Partner”),
then, provided the failure has not been cured, the Limited Partners that
have
contributed their Capital Contributions and that are not, and none of whose
Affiliates are, Non-Contributing Partners under the GP LLC Agreement (each,
a
“Contributing Partner”) may (without limitation as to other remedies that may be
available) at any time after the 10th Day after the date the Capital
Contribution was due elect to:
(i) treat
the
Non-Contributing Partner’s failure to contribute as a Default by giving notice
to the Non-Contributing Partner, in which event the provisions of this Agreement
regarding the commission of a Default by a Partner shall apply; or
(ii) pay
the
portion of the Capital Contribution owed and unpaid by the Non-Contributing
Partner (the “Additional Contribution”), in which event the Contributing
Partners that elect to fund the Non-Contributing Partners’ share (the
“Additional Contribution Partners”) may treat the contribution as one of: (A) a
Capital Contribution resulting in the Additional Contribution Partners receiving
a Priority Interest under Section 4.06(b), or (B) a permanent capital
contribution that results in an adjustment of Partnership Interests under
Section 4.06(c), as determined by the Additional Contribution Partners as
set
forth below.
No
Contributing Partner shall be obligated to elect either (i) or (ii) above.
The
decision of the Contributing Partners to elect (i) or (ii) above shall be
made
by the determination of the Contributing Partners holding the majority of
the
Sharing Ratios of all Contributing Partners. The decision of the Additional
Contribution Partners to elect (ii)(A) or (ii)(B) above shall be made by
the
determination of the Additional Contribution Partners holding the majority
of
the Sharing Ratios of all Additional Contribution Partners. If the election
has
not been made on or before the 30th Day after the date the funds were paid
by
the Non-Contributing Partner(s), payment of the Additional Contribution shall
be
treated as a Priority Interest under Section 4.06(a)(ii)(A).
(b) Priority
Interest.
If the
Additional Contribution Partners elect to treat the payment of Additional
Contribution as a contribution for which the Additional Contribution Partners
receive a Priority Interest, then the following shall apply:
14
(i) Each
Additional Contribution Partner shall receive a Priority Interest in the
distributions from the Partnership that would otherwise be due and payable
to
the Non-Contributing Partner(s). The Priority Interest received by each
Additional Contribution Partner shall be in the proportion that the amount
of
the Additional Contribution paid by that Additional Contribution Partner
bears
to the amount of the Additional Contributions made by all Additional
Contribution Partners (each Additional Contribution Partner’s percentage share
of the Priority Interests shall be its “Priority Interest Sharing Ratio”). All
distributions from the Partnership that would otherwise be due and payable
to
the Non-Contributing Partner(s) instead shall be paid to the Additional
Contribution Partners in accordance with their respective Priority Interest
Sharing Ratio and no distribution shall be made from the Partnership to any
Non-Contributing Partner until all Priority Interests have terminated. The
Priority Interest shall terminate with respect to an Additional Contribution
Partner when that Additional Contribution Partner has received either through
the distributions it receives under its Priority Interest or through payment(s)
to it by the Non-Contributing Partner(s) (which payment(s) may be made by
the
Non-Contributing Partner(s) at any time) of an amount equal to the Additional
Contribution made by such Partner, plus a return thereon of fourteen percent
(14%) per annum (compounded monthly on the outstanding balance). For the
purpose
of making this calculation, all amounts received by an Additional Contribution
Partner shall be deemed to be applied first against a return on, and then
to the
amount of, the Additional Contribution. For purposes of maintaining Capital
Accounts, any amount paid by a Non-Contributing Partner to a Contributing
Partner to reduce and/or terminate a Priority Interest shall be treated as
though such amount were contributed by the Non-Contributing Partner to the
Partnership and thereafter distributed by the Partnership to the Contributing
Partner with respect to its Priority Interest.
(ii) The
Priority Interests shall not alter the Sharing Ratios, nor shall the Priority
Interests alter any distributions to the Contributing Partners (in their
capacity as Contributing Partners, as opposed to their capacity as Additional
Contribution Partners) in accordance with their respective Sharing Ratios.
Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement to the contrary, a Partner
may
not dispose of all or a portion of its Priority Interest except to a Person
to
which it Disposes all or the applicable pro rata portion of its Partnership
Interest after compliance with the requirements of this Agreement for the
Disposition.
(iii) No
Partner that is a Non-Contributing Partner may Dispose of its Partnership
Interest unless, at the closing of such Disposition, either the Non-Contributing
Partner or the proposed Assignee pays the amount necessary to terminate the
Priority Interest arising from such Non-Contributing Partner’s failure to
contribute. No Assignee shall be admitted to the Partnership as a Partner
until
compliance with this Section 4.06(b)(iii) has occurred.
(c) Permanent
Contribution.
Subject
to Section 4.06(a), if the Additional Contribution Partners elect under Section
4.06(a) to have the Additional Contribution treated as a permanent capital
contribution, then each Additional Contribution Partner that funds a portion
of
the Additional Contribution shall have its capital account increased accordingly
and the Partners’ Partnership Interests and Sharing Ratios will be automatically
adjusted to equal each Partner’s total Capital Contributions when expressed as a
percentage of all Partners’ Capital Contributions.
(d) Further
Assurance.
In
connection with this Section 4.06, each Partner shall execute and deliver
any
additional documents and instruments and perform any additional acts that
may be
necessary or appropriate to effectuate and perform the provisions of this
Section 4.06.
ARTICLE
5
DISTRIBUTIONS
AND ALLOCATIONS
5.01 Distributions.
On or
before the 30th Day following the end of each Quarter, the General Partner
shall
review and determine the amount of Available Cash with respect to that Quarter,
and shall direct that the Partnership distribute an amount equal to 100%
of
Available Cash with respect to that Quarter. That amount shall, subject to
Section 17-607 of the Act, be distributed in accordance with this Article
5 to
the Partners (other than a Breaching Partner) in proportion to their respective
Sharing Ratios (at the time the distributions are made).
15
5.02 Distributions
on Dissolution and Winding Up.
Upon the
winding up of the Partnership, after adjusting the Capital Accounts for all
distributions made under Section 5.01 and all allocations under Article 5,
all
available proceeds distributable to the Partners as determined under Section
11.02 shall be distributed to all of the Partners (other than a Breaching
Partner) pro rata in accordance with the Partners’ positive Capital Account
balances.
5.03 Withholding.
The
Partnership is authorized to withhold from distributions to a Partner and
to pay
over to a federal, state, local or non-United States government, any amounts
required to be withheld pursuant to the Code, or any provisions of any other
federal, state, local or non-United States law. Any amounts so withheld shall
be
treated as having been distributed to the applicable Partner for all purposes
of
this Agreement and shall be offset against the current or next amounts otherwise
distributable to the applicable Partner.
5.04 Allocations.
(a) After
giving effect to the special allocations set forth in Sections 5.05 and 5.06,
for purposes of maintaining the Capital Accounts pursuant to Section 4.05
and
for income tax purposes, except as provided in Section 5.03(b) and (c), each
item of income, gain, loss, deduction and credit of the Partnership shall
be
allocated to the Partners in accordance with their respective Sharing
Ratios.
(b) With
respect to each period during which a Priority Interest is outstanding, each
Additional Contribution Partner shall be allocated items of income and gain
in
an amount equal to the return that accrues with respect to that Additional
Contribution Partner’s Additional Contribution pursuant to Section 4.06(b)(i),
and items of income and gain that would otherwise be allocable to the
Non-Contributing Partner(s) shall be correspondingly reduced.
(c) For
income tax purposes, income, gain, loss, and deduction with respect to property
contributed to the Partnership by a Partner or revalued pursuant to Treasury
Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(f) shall be allocated among the Partners
in
a manner that takes into account the variation between the adjusted tax basis
of
such property and its book value, as required by Section 704(c) of the Code
and
Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(4)(i). These allocations shall be
made in
such manner and utilizing such permissible tax elections as are determined
by
the Tax Matters Partner.
5.05 Special
Allocations.
The
following special allocations shall be made in the following order:
(a) Partnership
Minimum Gain Chargeback.
Except
as otherwise provided in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(f), notwithstanding
any other provision of this Article 5, if there is a net decrease in Partnership
Minimum Gain during any fiscal year, each Partner shall be specially allocated
items of Partnership income and gain for such fiscal year (and, if necessary,
subsequent fiscal years) in an amount equal to such Partner’s share of the net
decrease in Partnership Minimum Gain, determined in accordance with Treasury
Regulation Section 1.704-2(g). Allocations pursuant to the previous sentence
shall be made in proportion to the respective amounts required to be allocated
to each Partner pursuant thereto. The items to be so allocated shall be
determined in accordance with Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-2(f)(6)
and
1.704-2(j)(2). This Section 5.05(a) is intended to comply with the partnership
minimum gain chargeback requirement in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(f)
and shall be interpreted and applied consistently therewith.
(b) Partner
Minimum Gain Chargeback.
Except
as otherwise provided in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(i)(4),
notwithstanding any other provision of this Article 5, if there is a net
decrease in Partner Minimum Gain attributable to a Partner Nonrecourse Debt
during any fiscal year, any Partner with a share of that Partner Minimum
Gain
attributable to such a Partner Nonrecourse Debt (as determined under Treasury
Regulation Section 1.704-2(i)(5)) as of the beginning of the year shall be
allocated items of Partnership income and gain for such fiscal year (and,
if
necessary, subsequent fiscal years) in an amount equal to such Partner’s share
of the net decrease in Partner Minimum Gain, determined in accordance with
Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(i)(4). Allocations pursuant to the previous
sentence shall be made in proportion to the respective amounts required to
be
16
allocated
to each Partner pursuant thereto. The items to be so allocated shall be
determined in accordance with Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-2(f)(6)
and
1.704-2(j)(2). This Section 5.05(b) is intended to comply with the partner
minimum gain chargeback requirements in the Treasury Regulations and shall
be
interpreted and applied consistently therewith.
(c) Qualified
Income Offset.
In the
event any Partner unexpectedly receives any adjustments, allocations, or
distributions described in Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(4),
(5), or (6), items of Partnership income and gain shall be specially allocated
to such Partner in an amount and manner sufficient to eliminate, to the extent
required by the Treasury Regulations, the Adjusted Capital Account Deficit
as
quickly as possible; provided, however, that an allocation pursuant to this
Section 5.05(c) shall be made only if and to the extent that such Partner
would
have an Adjusted Capital Account Deficit after all other allocations provided
in
this Article 5 have been tentatively made as if this Section 5.05(c) were
not in
this Agreement. This Section 5.05(c) is intended to comply with the qualified
income offset provision in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)
and
shall be interpreted and applied consistently therewith.
(d) Gross
Income Allocation.
In the
event any Partner has a deficit Capital Account at the end of any fiscal
year
that is in excess of the amount that such Partner is deemed to be obligated
to
restore pursuant to the penultimate sentences of Treasury Regulation Sections
1.704-2(g)(1) and 1.704-2(i)(5), each such Partner shall be specially allocated
items of Partnership income and gain in an amount and manner sufficient to
eliminate such deficit as quickly as possible; provided, however, that an
allocation pursuant to this Section 5.05(d) shall be made only if and to
the
extent that such Partner would have a deficit Capital Account in excess of
such
sum after all other allocations provided in this Article 5 have been tentatively
made as if Section 5.05(c) and this Section 5.05(d) were not in this
Agreement.
(e) Nonrecourse
Deductions.
Nonrecourse Deductions for any fiscal year shall be specially allocated to
the
Partners in the manner determined by the Tax Matters Partner and each Partner’s
share of excess Nonrecourse Debt shall be in the same manner.
(f) Partner
Nonrecourse Deductions.
Partner
Nonrecourse Deductions for any fiscal year shall be specially allocated to
the
Partner who bears the economic risk of loss with respect to the Partner
Nonrecourse Debt to which such Partner Nonrecourse Deductions are attributable
in accordance with Treasury Regulation Section 1.752-2. If more than one
Partner
bears the economic risk of loss for a Partner Nonrecourse Debt, any Partner
Nonrecourse Deductions attributable to that Partner Nonrecourse Debt shall
be
allocated among the Partners according to the ratio in which they bear the
economic risk of loss.
5.06 Curative
Allocations.
The
allocations set forth in Section 5.05 (the “Regulatory Allocations”) are
intended to comply with certain requirements of the Treasury Regulations.
It is
the intent of the Partners that, to the extent possible, all Regulatory
Allocations shall be offset either with other Regulatory Allocations or with
special allocations of other items of Partnership income, gain, loss or
deduction pursuant to this Section 5.06. Therefore, notwithstanding any other
provision of this Agreement, the Regulatory Allocations shall be taken into
account in allocating items of Partnership income, gain, loss and deduction
among the Partners so that, to the extent possible, the net amount of such
allocations of other items and the Regulatory Allocations to each Partner
shall
be equal to the net amount that would have been allocated to each such Partner
pursuant to Section 5.01 if the Regulatory Allocations had not
occurred.
5.07 Varying
Interests.
All
items of income, gain, loss, deduction or credit shall be allocated, and
all
distributions shall be made, to the Persons shown on the records of the
Partnership to have been Partners as of the last calendar day of the period
for
which the allocation or distribution is to be made. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, if during any taxable year there is a change in any Partner’s Sharing
Ratio, the Partners agree that their allocable shares of items for the taxable
year shall be determined on any method determined by the General Partner
to be
permissible under Code Section 706 and the related Treasury Regulations to
take
account of the Partners’ varying Sharing Ratios.
17
ARTICLE
6
MANAGEMENT
6.01 Generally.
The
management of the Partnership is fully vested in the General Partner. The
General Partner has full power and authority to cause the Partnership to
take
any action, enter into any contract, borrow money, or do any thing else the
General Partner determines, subject to the other provisions of this
Agreement.
6.02 Officers.
The
General Partner may designate one or more Persons to be Officers of the
Partnership. Any Officers so designated shall have such titles and, subject
to
the other provisions of this Agreement, have such authority and perform such
duties as the General Partner may delegate to them and shall serve at the
pleasure of the General Partner and report to the General Partner.
6.03 Operations
and Management Agreement.
Promptly
after the Partnership’s formation, the General Partner shall cause the
Partnership to enter into an Operations and Management Agreement with the
Operator on substantially similar terms to those on Exhibit C or such other
terms as it may find acceptable (the “O&M Agreement”). Until the O&M
Agreement is executed, the Operator may perform services, and shall be entitled
to compensation, on the terms set forth on Exhibit D to this
Agreement.
6.04 Conflicts
of Interest.
(a) Until
the
end of the Term, the Partners shall not, and shall cause their Affiliates
not
to, develop, construct, own, acquire or operate natural gas storage facilities
or oil or gas exploration or production within the area identified in Exhibit
C
to this Agreement. The provisions of this Section 6.04(a) shall continue
to bind
a Withdrawn Partner and its Affiliates until the third anniversary of such
Withdrawal, but not thereafter. The Partners agree that the provisions of
this
Section 6.04(a) are necessary (A) to further the purposes, business and
activities of the Partnership, and (B) to protect confidential and proprietary
information regarding the Partnership, to which the Partners will have access
pursuant to this Agreement. The Partners agree that no adequate remedy at
law
exists for a breach or threatened breach of any of the provisions of this
Section 6.04(a), the continuation of which unremedied will cause the Partnership
and the other Partners to suffer irreparable harm. Accordingly, the Partners
agree that the Partnership and the other Partners shall be entitled, in addition
to other remedies that may be available to them, to immediate injunctive
relief
from any breach of any of the provisions of this Section 6.04(a) and to specific
performance of their rights hereunder, as well as to any other remedies
available at law or in equity, pursuant to Section 10.04.
(b) Subject
to Sections 6.04(a), a Partner or an Affiliate of a Partner may engage in
and
possess interests in other business ventures of any and every type and
description, independently or with others, including ones in competition
with
the Partnership and specifically including natural gas storage and oil and
gas
exploration and production, with no obligation to offer to the Partnership,
any
other Partner or any Affiliate of another Partner the right to participate
therein. Subject to Sections 6.04(a), the Partnership may transact business
with
any Partner or Affiliate of a Partner, provided the terms of those transactions
are approved by the General Partner or expressly contemplated by this Agreement
or the O&M Agreement. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the
Partners recognize and agree that their respective Affiliates currently,
or in
the future may, engage in various activities involving natural gas and
electricity marketing and trading (including futures, options, swaps, exchanges
of future positions for physical deliveries and commodity trading), gathering,
processing, storage, transportation and distribution, electric generation,
development and ownership, as well as other commercial activities related
to
natural gas and that these and other activities by Partners’ Affiliates may be
based on natural gas that is stored in the Facilities or otherwise made possible
or more profitable by reason of the Partnership’s activities (herein referred to
as “Affiliate’s Outside Activities”). Subject to Sections 6.04(a), (i) no
Affiliate of a Partner shall be restricted in its right to conduct, individually
or jointly with others, for its own account any Affiliate’s Outside Activities,
and (ii) no Partner or its Affiliates shall have any duty or obligation,
express
or implied, fiduciary or otherwise, to account to, or to share the results
or
profits of such Affiliate’s Outside Activities with, the Partnership, any other
Partner or any Affiliate of any other Partner, by reason of such Affiliate’s
Outside Activities. The provisions of this Section 6.04(b) constitute an
agreement to modify or eliminate fiduciary duties pursuant to the provisions
of
Section 17-1101 of the Act.
18
6.05 Indemnification
for Breach of Agreement. Each
Partner shall indemnify, protect, defend, release and hold harmless each
other
Partner, its Affiliates, and its and their respective directors, officers,
trustees, employees and agents from and against any Claims asserted by or
on
behalf of any Person (including another Partner) that result from a breach
by
the indemnifying Partner of this Agreement; provided, however, that this
Section
6.05 shall not (a) apply to any Claim or other matter for which a Partner
has no
liability or duty, or is indemnified or released, pursuant to Section 6.04
or
pursuant to the terms of any Storage Agreements or (b) hold the indemnified
Person harmless from special, consequential or exemplary damages, except
in the
case where the indemnified Person is legally obligated to pay such damages
to
another Person.
6.06 General
Regulatory Matters.
Each
Partner shall:
(a) cooperate
fully with the Partnership, the General Partner and the Operator in securing
appropriate Authorizations for the development, construction and operation
of
the Facilities, including supporting all applications to the FERC, and in
connection with any reports prescribed by any other Governmental Authority
having jurisdiction over the Partnership;
(b) join
in
any eminent domain takings by the Partnership, to the extent, if any, required
by Law;
(c) devote
such efforts as shall be reasonable and necessary to develop and promote
the
Facilities for the benefit of the Partnership, taking into account the Partner’s
Sharing Ratio, resources and expertise; and
(d) cooperate
fully with the Partnership, the General Partner and the Operator to ensure
compliance with FERC Standards of Conduct, if applicable.
6.07 Disclaimer
Of Duties.
WITH
RESPECT TO ANY ACTION, CONSENT OR APPROVAL, EACH PARTNER, INCLUDING THE GENERAL
PARTNER AND THE “REPRESENTATIVES” (AS DEFINED IN THE GP LLC AGREEMENT), MAY TAKE
OR NOT TAKE THE ACTION, OR GRANT OR WITHHOLD CONSENT OR APPROVAL, IN ITS
SOLE
DISCRETION. THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION 6.07 SHALL APPLY NOTWITH-STANDING
THE
NEGLIGENCE, GROSS NEGLIGENCE, WILLFUL MISCONDUCT, STRICT LIABILITY OR OTHER
FAULT OR RESPONSIBILITY OF ANY PARTNER AND THE “REPRESENTATIVES” (AS DEFINED IN
THE GP LLC AGREEMENT).
ARTICLE
7
TAXES
7.01 Tax
Returns.
In
accordance with the O&M Agreement, the Operator is to prepare and timely
file (on behalf of the Partnership) all federal, state and local tax returns
required to be filed by the Partnership. Each Partner shall furnish to the
Operator all pertinent information in its possession relating to the
Partnership’s operations that is necessary to enable the Partnership’s tax
returns to be timely prepared and filed. The Partnership shall bear the costs
of
the preparation and filing of its returns.
7.02 Tax
Elections.
The
Partnership shall make the following elections on the appropriate tax
returns:
(a) to
adopt
as the Partnership’s fiscal year the calendar year;
(b) to
adopt
the accrual method of accounting;
(c) if
a
distribution of the Partnership’s property as described in Code Section 734
occurs or upon a transfer of a Partnership Interest as described in Code
Section
743 occurs, on request by notice from any Partner, to elect, pursuant to
Code
Section 754, to adjust the basis of the Partnership’s properties;
(d) to
elect
to amortize the organizational expenses of the Partnership ratably over a
period
of 60 months as permitted by Section 709(b) of the Code;
19
(e) to
elect
to depreciate or amortize the assets of the Partnership using the most rapid
means available; and
(f) any
other
election the General Partner may deem appropriate.
Neither
the Partnership nor any Partner shall make an election for the Partnership
to be
excluded from the application of the provisions of subchapter K of chapter
1 of
subtitle A of the Code or any similar provisions of applicable state law
and no
provision of this Agreement shall be construed to sanction or approve such
an
election.
7.03 Tax
Matters Partner.
(a) The
General Partner shall serve as the “tax matters partner” of the Partnership
pursuant to Section 6231(a)(7) of the Code (the “Tax Matters Partner”). The Tax
Matters Partner shall take such action as may be necessary to cause to the
extent possible each other Partner to become a “notice partner” within the
meaning of Section 6223 of the Code. The Tax Matters Partner shall inform
each
other Partner of all significant matters that may come to its attention in
its
capacity as Tax Matters Partner by giving notice thereof on or before the
fifth
Business Day after becoming aware thereof and, within that time, shall forward
to each other Partner copies of all significant written communications it
may
receive in that capacity.
(b) The
Tax
Matters Partner shall provide any Partner, upon request, access to accounting
and tax information and schedules as shall be necessary for the preparation
by
such Partner of its income tax returns and such Partner’s tax information
reporting requirements.
(c) Any
cost
or expense incurred by the Tax Matters Partner in connection with its duties,
including the preparation for or pursuance of administrative or judicial
proceedings, shall be paid by the Partnership.
(d) The
Tax
Matters Partner shall not bind any Partner to a settlement agreement without
obtaining the consent of such Partner. Any Partner that enters into a settlement
agreement with respect to any Partnership item (as described in Code Section
6231(a)(3)) shall notify the other Partners of the settlement agreement and
its
terms on or before the 90th Day after the date of the settlement.
(e) No
Partner shall file a request pursuant to Code Section 6227 for an administrative
adjustment of Partnership items for any taxable year without first notifying
the
other Partners. If the General Partner consents to the requested adjustment,
the
Tax Matters Partner shall file the request for the administrative adjustment
on
behalf of the Partners. If such consent is not obtained on or before the
30th
Day after such notice, or within the period required to timely file the request
for administrative adjustment, if shorter, any Partner, including the Tax
Matters Partner, may file a request for administrative adjustment on its
own
behalf. Any Partner intending to file a petition under Code Sections 6226,
6228
or other Code Section with respect to any item involving the Partnership
shall
notify the other Partners of such intention and the nature of the contemplated
proceeding. In the case where the Tax Matters Partner is the Partner intending
to file such petition on behalf of the Partnership, such notice shall be
given
within a reasonable period of time to allow the other Partners to participate
in
the choosing of the forum in which such petition will be filed.
(f) If
any
Partner intends to file a notice of inconsistent treatment under Code Section
6222(b), that Partner shall give reasonable notice under the circumstances
to
the other Partners of its intent and the manner in which the Partner’s intended
treatment of an item is (or may be) inconsistent with the treatment of that
item
by the other Partners.
ARTICLE
8
BOOKS,
RECORDS, REPORTS, AND BANK ACCOUNTS
8.01 Maintenance
of Books; Reports.
The
Partners acknowledge that the O&M Agreement will include provisions for the
maintenance of the Partnership’s books and records and the preparation of
various reports.
20
8.02 Bank
Accounts.
Funds of
the Partnership shall be deposited in such banks or other depositories as
shall
be designated from time to time by the General Partner. All withdrawals from
any
such depository shall be made only as authorized by the General Partner and
shall be made only by check, wire transfer, debit memorandum or other written
instruction.
ARTICLE
9
WITHDRAWAL
9.01 No
Right of Withdrawal.
A
Partner has no power or right voluntarily to Withdraw from the
Partnership.
9.02 Deemed
Withdrawal.
A
Limited Partner is deemed to have Withdrawn from the Partnership upon the
occurrence of any of the following events:
(a) there
occurs an event that makes it unlawful for the Limited Partner to continue
to be
a Partner;
(b) the
Limited Partner becomes Bankrupt;
(c) the
Limited Partner commences liquidation or winding up;
(d) notice
from the General Partner if the Limited Partner commits a Default and the
Default has not been cured; or
(e) the
Limited Partner and/or any of its Affiliates has withdrawn as a Partner of
the
General Partner under the GP LLC Agreement.
9.03 Effect
of Withdrawal.
A
Limited Partner that is deemed to have Withdrawn under Section 9.02 (a
“Withdrawn Partner”), must comply with the following requirements in connection
with its Withdrawal:
(a) The
Withdrawn Partner ceases to be a Partner immediately upon the occurrence
of the
applicable Withdrawal event.
(b) The
Withdrawn Partner shall not be entitled to receive any distributions from
the
Partnership except as set forth in Section 9.03(e), and it shall not be entitled
to exercise any consent rights or to receive any further information (or
access
to information) from the Partnership. The Sharing Ratio of that Partner shall
not be taken into account in calculating the Sharing Ratios of the Partners
for
any purposes. This Section 9.03(b) shall also apply to a Breaching Partner;
but
if a Breaching Partner cures its breach during the applicable cure period,
then
any distributions that were withheld from that Partner shall be paid to it,
without interest.
(c) The
Withdrawn Partner must pay to the Partnership all amounts it owes to the
Partnership.
(d) The
Withdrawn Partner shall remain obligated for all liabilities it may have
under
this Agreement or otherwise with respect to the Partnership that accrue prior
to
the Withdrawal.
(e) From
the
date of the Withdrawal to the date of the payment, the former Capital Account
balance of the Withdrawn Partner shall be recorded as a contingent obligation
of
the Partnership, and not as a Capital Account, until payment is made. The
rights
of a Withdrawn Partner under this Section 9.03(e) shall (i) be subordinate
to
the rights of any other creditor of the Partnership, (ii) not include any
right
on the part of the Withdrawn Partner to receive any interest (except as may
otherwise be provided in the evidence of any indebtedness of the Partnership
owed to such Withdrawn Partner) or other amounts with respect thereto; (iii)
not
require the Partnership to make any distribution (the Withdrawing Partner’s
rights under this Section 9.03(e) being limited to receiving such portion
of
distributions as the General Partner may, in its Sole Discretion, decide
to
cause the Partnership to make); (iv) not
21
require
any Partner to make a Capital Contribution or a loan to permit the Partnership
to make a distribution or otherwise to pay the Withdrawing Partner; and (v)
be
treated as a liability of the Partnership for purposes of Section 11.02.
Subject
to the foregoing, payment to the Withdrawn Partner of its Capital Account
balance shall be made upon the earliest of: (A) such time as the General
Partner
determines in its Sole Discretion to make such payment, (B) the later of
(I) two
years from the date of Withdrawal, and (II) ten years from the date that
the
Initial Facilities are placed into commercial operation, and (C) the dissolution
of the Partnership. Except as set forth in this Section 9.03(e), a Withdrawn
Partner shall not be entitled to receive any return of its Capital Contributions
or other payment from the Partnership in respect of its Partnership
Interest.
(f) The
Sharing Ratio of the Withdrawn Partner shall be allocated among the remaining
Partners in the proportion that each Partner’s Sharing Ratio bears to the total
Sharing Ratio of all remaining Partners, or in such other proportion as the
Partners may unanimously agree.
ARTICLE
10
DISPUTE
RESOLUTION
10.01 Disputes.
This
Article 10 shall apply to any dispute arising under or related to this Agreement
(whether arising in contract, tort or otherwise, and whether arising at law
or
in equity), including (a) any dispute regarding the construction,
interpretation, performance, validity or enforceability of any provision
of this
Agreement or whether any Person is in compliance with, or breach of, any
provisions of this Agreement, and (b) the applicability of this Article 10
to a
particular dispute. Any matter that is expressly stated herein to be
determinable by arbitration may be so determined pursuant to this Article
10 and
if approval, consent, determination or other decision must, under the terms
of
this Agreement, be made (or withheld) in accordance with a standard other
than
Sole Discretion (such as a reasonableness standard), then the issue of whether
such standard has been satisfied may be a dispute to which this Article 10
applies. Any dispute to which this Article 10 applies is referred to herein
as a
“Dispute.” With respect to a particular Dispute, each Partner that is a party to
such Dispute is referred to herein as a “Disputing Partner.” The provisions of
this Article 10 shall be the exclusive method of resolving
Disputes.
10.02 Negotiation
to Resolve Disputes.
If a
Dispute arises, any Disputing Partner may initiate the dispute resolution
procedure under this Article 10 by notifying the other Disputing Partners
(a
“Dispute Notice”), after which the Disputing Partners shall attempt to resolve
such Dispute through the following procedure:
(a) first,
within 7 Days after receipt of the Dispute Notice, the Representatives of
the
Disputing Partners shall meet (whether by phone or in person) in a good faith
attempt to resolve the Dispute;
(b) second,
if the Dispute is still unresolved, then after the 20th Day following the
commencement of the negotiations described in Section 10.02(a) but in no
event
later than the 30th Day after receipt of the Dispute Notice, the chief executive
officer (or his designee) of the Parent of each Disputing Partner shall meet
(whether by phone or in person) in a good faith attempt to resolve the Dispute;
and
(c) third,
if
the Dispute is still unresolved, then after the 10th Day following the
commencement of the negotiations described in Section 10.02(b), any Disputing
Party may submit the Dispute for resolution under the Federal Arbitration
Act by
binding arbitration following the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American
Arbitration Association (or, if that Association has ceased to exist, its
principal successor) (the “AAA”) then in effect, including its evidentiary and
procedural rules (excluding rules governing the payment of arbitration,
administrative or other fees or expenses to the Arbitrator(s) or the AAA),
to
the extent that such rules do not conflict with the terms of this Agreement,
by
notifying the other Disputing Partners (an “Arbitration Notice”) within the
applicable limitation period provided by law.
10.03 Selection
of Arbitrator.
(a) For
any
case in which any claim, or combination of claims, is less than or equal
to
$2,000,000, the arbitration shall be heard by a sole Arbitrator. Any case
in
which any claim, or combination of claims, exceeds $2,000,000 will be subject
to
the AAA’s Large, Complex Case Procedures and decided by the majority of a panel
of three neutral Arbitrators. The Arbitrator(s) shall be selected in accordance
with this Section 10.03.
22
(b) For
arbitrations conducted by a single Arbitrator, the Disputing Partner that
submits a Dispute to arbitration shall designate a proposed neutral sole
Arbitrator in its Arbitration Notice. If any other Disputing Partner objects
to
a proposed sole Arbitrator, it may, on or before the tenth Day following
delivery of the Arbitration Notice, notify all of the other Disputing Partners
of its objection. All of the Disputing Partners shall attempt to agree upon
a
mutually acceptable sole Arbitrator. If they have not done so, then after
the
20th Day following delivery of the notice described in the immediately preceding
sentence, any Disputing Partner may request the AAA to designate the sole
Arbitrator. For arbitrations conducted by a panel of three Arbitrators, the
Disputing Partner initiating arbitration shall nominate one Arbitrator at
the
time it initiates arbitration. The other Disputing Partner(s) shall collectively
nominate one Arbitrator on or before the 10th Day after receiving the
Arbitration Notice. The two Arbitrators shall appoint a third, neutral
Arbitrator. All arbitrators shall be competent and experienced in matters
involving the gas storage business in the United States, with at least ten
years
of legal, engineering, or business experience in the gas industry, and shall
be
impartial and independent of the Partners (and the other arbitrators, in
the
case of arbitrations conducted by a panel of three arbitrators, except for
prior
arbitrations) (each an “Arbitrator”). Each Disputing Partner shall pay for the
expenses incurred by the Arbitrator it appoints, if applicable, and the costs
of
the sole Arbitrator or the third Arbitrator shall be divided equally among
the
Disputing Partners. If any Arbitrator so chosen shall die, resign or otherwise
fail or becomes unable to serve as Arbitrator, a replacement Arbitrator shall
be
chosen in accordance with this Section 10.03.
10.04 Conduct
of Arbitration.
The
Arbitrator(s) shall expeditiously (and, if possible, on or before the 90th
Day
after the Arbitrator(s)’s selection) hear and decide all matters concerning the
Dispute. Any arbitration hearing shall be held in Wilmington, Delaware. Except
as expressly provided to the contrary in this Agreement, the Arbitrator(s)
shall
have the power (a) to gather such materials, information, testimony and evidence
as it deems relevant to the dispute before it (and each Partner will provide
such materials, information, testimony and evidence requested by the
Arbitrator(s), except to the extent any information so requested is proprietary,
subject to a third-party confidentiality restriction or to an attorney-client
or
other privilege) and (b) to grant injunctive relief and enforce specific
performance. If they deem necessary, the Arbitrator(s) may propose to the
Disputing Partners that one or more other experts be retained to assist it
in
resolving the Dispute. The retention of such other experts shall require
the
unanimous consent of the Disputing Partners, which shall not be unreasonably
withheld. Each Disputing Partner, the Arbitrator(s) and any proposed expert
shall disclose to the other Disputing Partners any business, personal or
other
relationship or affiliation that may exist or may have existed between the
Disputing Partner (or the Arbitrator(s)) and the proposed expert; and any
Disputing Partner may disapprove of the proposed expert on the basis of that
relationship or affiliation. The decision of the Arbitrator(s) (which shall
be
rendered in writing) shall be final, nonappealable and binding upon the
Disputing Partners and may be enforced in any court of competent jurisdiction;
provided, however, that the Partners agree that the Arbitrator(s) and any
court
enforcing the award of the Arbitrator(s) shall not have the right or authority
to award punitive, special, consequential, indirect, exemplary or similar
damages to any Disputing Partner. The responsibility for paying the costs
and
expenses of the arbitration, including compensation to any experts retained
by
the Arbitrator(s), shall be divided equally among the Disputing Partners.
Each
Disputing Partner shall be responsible for the fees and expenses of its
respective counsel, consultants and witnesses, unless the Arbitrator(s)
determines that compelling reasons exist for allocating all or a portion
of
those costs and expenses to one or more other Disputing Partners.
10.05 Consolidation.
While
any matter is before the Arbitrator under this Article 10, if any of the
Disputing Partners party to the arbitration, or, if applicable, their Affiliates
desire to bring a matter before an arbitrator under the GP LLC Agreement,
the
matter shall be consolidated with the matter under this Agreement if, but
only
if, the Disputing Partners under this Agreement and the Persons bringing
the
matter before an arbitrator under the GP LLC Agreement are the same Persons
or
Affiliates of those Persons.
ARTILCE
11
DISSOLUTION,
WINDING UP AND TERMINATION
11.01 Dissolution.
The
Partnership shall dissolve and its affairs shall be wound up on the first
to
occur of the following events (each a “Dissolution Event”):
23
(a) notice
from the General Partner to the Limited Partners dissolving the Partnership;
(b) entry
of
a decree of judicial dissolution of the Partnership under Section 17-802
of the
Act;
(c) the
Disposition or abandonment of all or substantially all of the Partnership’s
business and assets; or
(d) an
event
that makes it unlawful for the business of the Partnership to be carried
on.
11.02 Winding
Up and Termination.
(a) On
the
occurrence of a Dissolution Event, the Operator shall serve as liquidator
under
the supervision of the General Partner. The liquidator shall proceed diligently
to wind up the affairs of the Partnership and make final distributions as
provided herein and in the Act. The costs of winding up shall be borne as
a
Partnership expense. Until final distribution, the liquidator shall continue
to
operate the Partnership properties with all of the power and authority of
the
Partners. The steps to be accomplished by the liquidator are as
follows:
(i) as
promptly as possible after dissolution and again after final winding up,
the
liquidator shall cause a proper accounting to be made by a recognized firm
of
certified public accountants of the Partnership’s assets, liabilities and
operations through the last calendar day of the month in which the dissolution
occurs or the final winding up is completed, as applicable;
(ii) the
liquidator shall discharge from Partnership funds all of the indebtedness
of the
Partnership and other debts, liabilities and obligations of the Partnership
(including all expenses incurred in winding up and any loans described in
Section 4.02) or otherwise make adequate provision for payment and discharge
thereof (including the establishment of a cash escrow fund for contingent
liabilities in such amount and for such term as the liquidator may reasonably
determine); and
(iii) all
remaining assets of the Partnership shall be distributed to the Partners
as
follows:
(A) the
liquidator may sell any or all Partnership property, including to Partners,
and
any resulting gain or loss from each sale shall be computed and allocated
to the
Capital Accounts of the Partners in accordance with the provisions of Article
5;
(B) with
respect to all Partnership property that has not been sold, the fair market
value of that property shall be determined and the Capital Accounts of the
Partners shall be adjusted to reflect the manner in which the unrealized
income,
gain, loss and deduction inherent in property that has not been reflected
in the
Capital Accounts previously would be allocated among the Partners if there
were
a taxable disposition of that property for the fair market value of that
property on the date of distribution; and
(C) Partnership
property (including cash) shall be distributed among the Partners in accordance
with Section 5.02; and those distributions shall be made by the end of the
taxable year of the Partnership during which the liquidation of the Partnership
occurs (or, if later, the 90th Day after the date of the
liquidation).
(b) The
distribution of cash or property to a Partner in accordance with the provisions
of this Section 11.02 constitutes a complete return to the Partner of its
Capital Contributions and a complete distribution to the Partner of its
Partnership Interest and all the Partner’s property and constitutes a compromise
to which all Partners have consented pursuant to Section 17-502(b) of the
Act.
To the extent that a Partner returns funds to the Partnership, it has no
claim
against any other Partner for those funds.
(c) No
dissolution or termination of the Partnership shall relieve a Partner from
any
obligation to the extent such obligation has accrued as of the date of such
dissolution or termination. Upon such termination, any books and records
of the
Partnership that there is a reasonable basis for believing will ever be needed
again shall be furnished to the liquidator, which shall keep such books and
records (subject to review by any Person that was a
24
Partner
at the time of dissolution) for a period at least three years. At such time
as
the liquidator no longer agrees to keep such books and records, it shall
offer
the Persons who were Partners at the time of dissolution the opportunity
to take
over such custody, shall deliver such books and records to such Persons if
they
elect to take over such custody and may destroy such books and records if
they
do not so elect. Any such custody by such Persons shall be on such terms
as they
may agree upon among themselves.
11.03 Deficit
Capital Accounts.
No
Partner will be required to pay to the Partnership, to any other Partner
or to
any third party any deficit balance that may exist from time to time in another
Partner’s Capital Account.
11.04 Certificate
of Cancellation.
On
completion of the distribution of Partnership assets as provided herein,
the
Partners (or such other Person or Persons as the Act may require or permit)
shall file a certificate of cancellation with the Secretary of State of the
State of Delaware, cancel any other filings made pursuant to Section 2.05,
and
take such other actions as may be necessary to terminate the existence of
the
Partnership. Upon the filing of such certificate of cancellation, the existence
of the Partnership shall terminate (and the Term shall end), except as may
be
otherwise provided by the Act or other applicable Law.
ARTICLE
12
GENERAL
PROVISIONS
12.01 Offset.
Whenever
the Partnership is to pay any sum to any Partner, any amounts that Partner
owes
the Partnership may be deducted from that sum before payment.
12.02 Notices.
Except
as expressly set forth to the contrary in this Agreement, all notices, requests
or consents provided for or permitted to be given under this Agreement must
be
in writing and must be delivered to the recipient in person, by courier or
mail
or by facsimile or other electronic transmission. A notice, request or consent
given under this Agreement is effective on receipt by the Partner to receive
it;
provided, however, that a facsimile or other electronic transmission that
is
transmitted after the normal business hours of the recipient shall be deemed
effective on the next Business Day. All notices, requests and consents to
be
sent to a Partner must be sent to or made at the addresses given for that
Partner on Exhibit A or in the instrument described in Section 3.04, or such
other address as that Partner may specify by notice to the other Partners.
Any
notice, request or consent to the Partnership must be given to all of the
Partners. Whenever any notice is required to be given by Law, the Certificate
or
this Agreement, a written waiver thereof, signed by the Person entitled to
notice, whether before or after the time stated therein, shall be deemed
equivalent to the giving of such notice.
12.03 Entire
Agreement; Superseding Effect.
This
Agreement, the GP LLC Agreement, and the O&M Agreement constitute the entire
agreement of the Partners and their Affiliates relating to the Partnership
and
the transactions contemplated hereby and supersede all provisions and concepts
contained in all prior agreements.
12.04 Effect
of Waiver or Consent.
Except
as otherwise provided in this Agreement, a waiver or consent, express or
implied, to or of any breach or default by any Partner in the performance
by
that Partner of its obligations with respect to the Partnership is not a
consent
or waiver to or of any other breach or default in the performance by that
Partner of the same or any other obligations of that Partner with respect
to the
Partnership. Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, failure on the
part
of a Partner to complain of any act of any Partner or to declare any Partner
in
default with respect to the Partnership, irrespective of how long that failure
continues, does not constitute a waiver by that Partner of its rights with
respect to that default until the applicable statute-of-limitations period
has
run.
12.05 Amendment
or Restatement.
This
Agreement or the Certificate may be amended or restated only by a written
instrument executed (or, in the case of the Certificate, approved) by all
Partners.
12.06 Binding
Effect.
Subject
to the restrictions on Dispositions set forth in this Agreement, this Agreement
is binding on and shall inure to the benefit of the Partners and their
respective successors and permitted assigns.
25
12.07 Governing
Law; Severability. THIS
AGREEMENT IS GOVERNED BY AND SHALL BE CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAW
OF
THE STATE OF DELAWARE, EXCLUDING ANY CONFLICT-OF-LAWS RULE OR PRINCIPLE THAT
MIGHT REFER THE GOVERNANCE OR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THIS AGREEMENT TO THE LAW
OF
ANOTHER JURISDICTION. WITHOUT LIMITING THE PROVISIONS OF ARTICLE 10, A PARTNER
MAY BRING AN ACTION ARISING UNDER OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT, IF AT ALL,
ONLY
IN COURTS OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE OR (IF IT HAS JURISDICTION) THE UNITED
STATES
DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF DELAWARE.
In the
event of a direct conflict between the provisions of this Agreement and any
mandatory, non-waivable provision of the Act, such provision of the Act shall
control. If any provision of the Act provides that it may be varied or
superseded in a limited partnership agreement (or otherwise by agreement
of the
partners of a limited partnership), that provision shall be deemed superseded
and waived in its entirety if this Agreement contains a provision addressing
the
same issue or subject matter. If any provision of this Agreement or the
application thereof to any Partner or circumstance is held invalid or
unenforceable to any extent, (a) the remainder of this Agreement and the
application of that provision to other Partners or circumstances is not affected
thereby, and (b) the Partners shall negotiate in good faith to replace that
provision with a new provision that is valid and enforceable and that puts
the
Partners in substantially the same economic, business and legal position
as they
would have been in if the original provision had been valid and
enforceable.
12.08 Further
Assurances.
In
connection with this Agreement and the transactions it contemplates, each
Partner shall execute and deliver any additional documents and instruments
and
perform any additional acts that may be necessary or appropriate to effectuate
and perform the provisions of this Agreement and those transactions; provided,
however, that this Section 12.08 shall not obligate a Partner to furnish
guarantees or other credit supports by such Partnership’s Parent or other
Affiliates.
12.09 Waiver
of Certain Rights.
Each
Partner irrevocably waives any right it may have to maintain any action for
dissolution of the Partnership or for partition of the property of the
Partnership.
12.10 Counterparts.
This
Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts with the same effect
as
if all signing parties had signed the same document. All counterparts shall
be
construed together and constitute the same instrument.
[Remainder
of page intentionally left blank. Signature page follows.]
26
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the Partners have executed this Agreement as of the date
first
set forth above.
PARTNERS:
GENERAL
PARTNER
XXXXXXXX
RIDGE GP, LLC
By:
Spectra Energy Transmission Services, LLC, partner
By: /s/
Xxxx
Xxxxxxxx
Name:
Xxxx
Xxxxxxxx
Title:
Vice
President
By:
NJR
Xxxxxxxx Ridge Storage Company, partner
By: /s/
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Name:
Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxxxx
Title:
Vice
President
LIMITED
PARTNERS:
SPECTRA
ENERGY TRANSMISSION RESOURCE, LLC
By: /s/
Xxxx
Xxxxxxxx
Name:
Xxxx
Xxxxxxxx
Title:
Vice
President
NJR
XXXXXXXX RIDGE STORAGE COMPANY
By: /s/
Xxxxx X.Xxxxxxxx
Name:
Xxxxx
X. Lockwood_
Title:
Senior
Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer
EXHIBIT
A
PARTNERS
Name
and Address
|
Sharing
Ratio
|
Parent
|
Xxxxxxxx
Ridge GP, LLC
0000
Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx,
Xxxxx 00000-0000
Attn:
Xxxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Fax:
(000) 000-0000
With
a copy to:
0000
Xxxxxxx Xxxx
Xxxx,
XX 00000
Attn:
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxxxxx
Fax:
(000) 000-0000
|
1%
|
N/A
|
Spectra
Energy Transmission Resource, LLC
0000
Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx,
Xxxxx 00000-0000
Attn:
Xxxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Fax:
(000) 000-0000
|
49.5%
|
Spectra
Energy Corp
|
NJR
Xxxxxxxx Ridge Storage Company
0000
Xxxxxxx Xxxx
Xxxx,
XX 00000
Attn:
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxxxxx
Fax:
(000) 000-0000
|
49.5%
|
New
Jersey Resources Corporation
|
28
EXHIBIT
B
INITIAL
FACILITIES
A
natural
gas storage facility with an expected working capacity of approximately 10.3
billion cubic feet, located within the area defined on Exhibit C to this
Agreement, which facility will include:
· |
New
xxxxx and the conversion of 5 existing xxxxx to injection and withdrawal
xxxxx
|
· |
A
gathering system comprised of primarily of NPS 6, 8 and 16 pipe.
|
· |
A
station comprised of a driver and compression, dehydration, separator,
heater, cooler, slug catcher, buildings, measurement and regulation.
|
· |
Base
gas
|
29
EXHIBIT
C
NON-COMPETITION
AREA
The
following areas, from the surface to all depths:
· |
The
area inside the xxxxx line on Exhibit F to the
PSA
|
· |
Any
shaded tracts on Exhibit F to the PSA
|
· |
Any
other leases conveyed to the Partnership at the Closing under the
PSA
|
30
EXHIBIT
D
O&M
AGREEMENT
Parties
|
The
Partnership, the General Partner, and the Operator
|
Term
|
Through
the Term of the Partnership subject to early termination as provided
below
|
Summary
of Services
|
· Development
of the Initial Facilities
· Direct
Operation and Maintenance of Facilities
· Gas
Control and Regulatory Services
· Business
Development and Marketing
· Accounting
Services
· FERC
Regulatory Requirements and Filings
|
Development
of the Initial Facilities
|
The
Operator shall manage the development, application and agency/commission
approval process for the construction and operation of the Initial
Facilities
The
Operator may enter into design, construction, equipment procurement,
maintenance, and service agreements in the name of the Partnership
within
such guidelines as the Partnership may establish from time to time
or as
the Partnership otherwise may approve.
|
Direct
Operation and Maintenance Services
|
The
Operator shall manage the day-to-day direct operation and maintenance
of
the Facilities, including managing supplies and consumables; property
and
lease commitments; communications; and insurance.
In
conducting operations and maintenance, the Operator may change
the
physical Facilities; provided, however, the Partnership must approve
any
significant reconfiguration of the Facilities.
The
Operator may enter into design, construction, equipment procurement,
maintenance, and service agreements in the name of the Partnership
within
such guidelines as the Partnership may establish from time to time
or as
the Partnership otherwise may approve.
|
Gas
Control and Regulatory Services
|
The
Operator shall manage the gas control operations of the Facilities
including Gas Control and Gas Management Services; Legal; and Regulatory.
This
will also include managing nominations and allocations; planning
and
scheduling withdrawals and injections as well as managing the FERC
posting
requirements on Operator’s LINK system.
Regulatory strategies and tariff filings will be completed within
such
guidelines as the Partnership may establish from time to time or
as the
Partnership otherwise may approve.
|
Business
Development and Marketing
|
The
Operator shall negotiate and, on behalf of the Partnership, execute
and
deliver Storage Agreements within such guidelines as the Partnership
may
establish from time to time or as the Partnership otherwise may
approve.
The Operator also shall oversee the performance of Storage Agreement
and,
on behalf of the Partnership, exercise the Partnership’s rights under
Storage Agreements.
|
Accounting
Services
|
The
Operator shall prepare the following reports and other materials
for the
Partnership and, where applicable, the General Partner:
· Monthly
balance sheets, income statements, and cash flow statements
· Quarterly
balance sheets, income statements, and cash flow statements
· Annual
balance sheets, income statements, and cash flow statements (NJR
shall coordinate the audit of those statements)
· Federal,
state and local income tax returns as appropriate
· Proposed
capital and operating budgets for the Partnership, to be approved
by the
General Partner as provided in the GP LLC Agreement
The
Operator also shall receive all funds
in
the name of the Partnership,
deposit them in bank or other accounts of the Partnership or the
General
Partner (as applicable), and from those funds pay all amounts the
Partnership or the General Partner (as applicable) owes to third
parties.
|
Fees
for Services; Cost Reimbursement
|
The
Operator shall be paid the following fees for its services:
· The
Partnership shall pay the Operator a fixed monthly fee (for
reimbursement of reasonable overhead costs) plus
reimbursement for particular services or expenses .
Requests for reimbursement shall be supported with appropriate
detail.
· On
behalf of the General Partner the Operator will prepare an analysis
of
fair market value of these services in support of a review of the
fees
every 3 years.
This analysis will be subject to review and comment by NJR. Service
fees
shall be subject to change based on the results of such
analysis.
· NJR
shall have the right to audit Operator’s accounts and records relating to
the Partnership.
The
Operator is not responsible for the fees or expenses of the Partnership’s
or the General Partner’s auditors, legal counsel, engineering or design
firms or other third parties providing services [except to the
extent
explicitly noted above].
|
Partnership
Decisions
|
The
General Partner is authorized to make all decisions on behalf of
the
Partnership under the O&M Agreement.
|
Early
Termination
|
The
Operator on the one hand, and the Partnership and the General Partner
on
the other, may terminate the Agreement:
· If
the other party has failed to make payments of more than $1,000,000
in the
aggregate and those amounts have been outstanding more than 30
days
· If
the other party fails to perform any material obligations and that
failure
remains unremedied more than 30 days after notice from the terminating
party
· Sale
of the Partnership or its assets, or the dissolution of the
Partnership
· Other
standard termination events, such as bankruptcy or insolvency of
the
Operator
|
Nature
of Services
|
The
Operator is performing its services as an independent contractor
and
(other than as specifically authorized) not as an agent of the
Partnership
or the Company. The O&M
Agreement shall obligate the Operator to perform its services in
accordance with budgetary and other guidelines specified by the
Partnership. The Operator
shall operate the Facilities as a reasonable and prudent
operator.
Provided the Operator conducts its activities as just
described
and has otherwise complied with the O&M Agreement,
the Partnership shall indemnify the Operator, its Affiliates, and
their
respective officers, employees, and agents from and against all
liabilities they may incur in connection with or arising out of
the
O&M Agreement. In
the absence of intentional misconduct, the
Operator’s liability is limited to the amount of fees for its
services.
|
Miscellaneous
|
The
O&M Agreement will include confidentiality, conflicts, dispute
resolution and other provisions similar to those in Sections 3.06
and 6.04
and Articles 10 and 12 of the Limited Partnership Agreement of
the
Partnership.
|