CNX Resources Corporation Equity Incentive Plan, as amended and restated effective January 26, 2018

Capitalized terms shall have the meaning set forth in Section 16 of the Plan.

The purposes of the CNX Resources Corporation Equity Incentive Plan, as amended and restated as set forth herein, are to promote the interests of the Company and its shareholders by (i) attracting and retaining Eligible Directors, executive officers and other key employees of the Company and its Affiliates; (ii) motivating such individuals by means of performance-related incentives to achieve long-range performance goals; and (iii) enabling such individuals to participate in the long-term growth and financial success of the Company.

(a)     Authority of Board. Subject to the terms of the Plan and applicable law, and in addition to other express powers and authorizations conferred on the Board by the Plan, the Board shall have full power and discretionary authority to decide all matters relating to the administration and interpretation of the Plan; provided, however, that ministerial responsibilities of the Plan (e.g., management of day-to-day matters) may be delegated to the Company’s officers, as set forth in Section 2(d) below. The Board’s powers include the authority to: (i) designate Participants; (ii) determine the type or types of Awards to be granted to an eligible Employee; (iii) determine the number of Shares to be covered by, or with respect to which payments, rights, or other matters are to be calculated in connection with, Awards; (iv) determine the terms and conditions of any Award; (v) determine whether, to what extent, and under what circumstances Awards may be settled or exercised in cash, Shares, other securities, other Awards or other property, or canceled, forfeited, or suspended and the method or methods by which Awards may be settled, exercised, canceled, forfeited, or suspended; (vi) determine whether, to what extent, and under what circumstances cash, Shares, other securities, other Awards, other property, and other amounts payable with respect to an Award shall be deferred either automatically or at the election of the holder thereof or of the Board; (vii) interpret and administer the Plan and any instrument or agreement relating to, or Award made under, the Plan; (viii) establish, amend, suspend, or waive such rules and regulations and appoint such agents as it shall deem appropriate for the proper administration of the Plan; (ix) advance the lapse of any waiting period, accelerate any exercise date, waive or modify any restriction applicable to Awards (except those restrictions imposed by law); (x) correct any defect or supply any omission or reconcile any inconsistency in the Plan or in any Award Agreement in the manner and to the extent it shall deem expedient to carry the Plan into effect; (xi) determine whether, and the extent to which, adjustments are required pursuant to Section 3 hereof and authorize the termination, conversion, substitution or succession of Awards upon the occurrence of a transaction or an event of the type described in Section 3(c) below; and (xii) make any other determination and take any other action that the Board deems necessary or desirable for the administration of the Plan. All decisions and determinations of the Board shall be final, conclusive and binding on the Company, the Participant and any and all interested parties.

(b)     Board Discretion Binding. Unless otherwise expressly provided in the Plan, all designations, determinations, interpretations, and other decisions under or with respect to the Plan or any Award shall be within the sole discretion of the Board, may be made at any time and shall be final, conclusive, and binding upon all Persons, including the Company, any Affiliate, any Participant, any holder or beneficiary of any Award, any shareholder and any Employee. All Awards shall be made conditional upon the Participant’s acknowledgement, in writing or by acceptance of the Award, that all decisions and determinations of the Board shall be final and binding on the Participant, his or her beneficiaries and any other person having or claiming an interest under such Award.

(c)     Delegation to Committee. The Board may delegate to the Committee any or all of its authority for the administration of the Plan and may revoke such delegation at any time; provided, however, that the Board shall approve (i) any Awards to the Company’s Eligible Directors and (ii) amendments to the Plan. If authority is delegated to the Committee, all references to the Board in the Plan shall mean and relate to the Committee except as otherwise provided by the Board.

(d)     Delegation to Officer. Except to the extent prohibited by applicable law or regulation, the Board or the Committee may delegate all or any portion of its responsibilities and powers to any person or persons selected by it, and may revoke such delegation at any time. The ministerial responsibilities of the Plan (e.g., management of day-to-day matters) are a function that has been delegated to the Company’s officers as permitted by the terms of the Plan and in compliance with applicable law and regulation. No officer to whom administrative authority has been delegated pursuant to this provision may waive or modify any restriction applicable to an award to such officer under the Plan.

 

(e)     No Liability. No member of the Board or the Committee, or any person to whom the Board or Committee delegates responsibilities and/or duties, shall be liable for any action taken or determination made in good faith with respect to the Plan or any Award granted hereunder.

(a)     Shares Available. Subject to adjustment as set forth in Section 3(c) below, the aggregate number of Shares with respect to which Awards may be granted under the Plan shall be 48,915,944. The aggregate number of Shares available with respect to Awards under the Plan shall be reduced by one (1) Share for each Share to which an Award relates; provided, however, that (i) such aggregate number of Shares available with respect to Awards under the Plan shall be reduced by 1.62 Shares for each Share which relates to a Full-Value Award, (ii) no more than 11,550,400 Shares may be issued with respect to Incentive Stock Options and (iii) any Award (or any portion thereof) settled in cash will not be counted against, or have any effect upon, the number of Shares available for issuance under this Plan. If, after the Effective Date, any Shares covered by an Award granted under the Plan, or to which such an Award relates, are forfeited, or the Award (or portion thereof) otherwise terminates or is canceled without the delivery of Shares, then the Shares covered by such Award, or to which such Award relates, or the number of Shares otherwise counted against the aggregate number of shares with respect to which Awards may be granted (including, for this purpose, any shares of the Company’s common stock relating to Awards that are converted into the securities of another corporation or entity pursuant to Section 3(c) below) (including the 1.62 Shares that relate to Full Value Awards), to the extent of any such forfeiture, termination or cancellation, shall again become Shares with respect to which Awards may be granted; provided, however, that Shares (i) delivered in payment of the exercise price of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right, (ii) not issued upon the settlement of Stock Appreciation Rights, (iii) repurchased by the Company using proceeds from Option exercises or (iv) delivered to or withheld by the Company to pay federal, state or local withholding taxes, shall not become available again for issuance under this Plan.

(b)     Limitations on Awards. No Participant may be granted Stock Options or Stock Appreciation Rights under the Plan for more than 3,465,120 Shares, in the aggregate, in any one calendar year of the Company. The foregoing limitation shall be subject to adjustment as provided in Section 3(c). In addition, prior to the repeal of the qualified performance-based compensation exception under Section 162(m), in any one calendar year of the Company no Participant was permitted to have been granted Qualified Performance-Based Awards: (i) (payable in Shares) for more than 2,310,080 Shares (based on a target Award level on the Grant Date) or (ii) (payable in cash) for more than $15,000,000 (based on a target Award level on the Grant Date).

Notwithstanding anything in this Plan to the contrary and subject to adjustment pursuant to Section 3(c) hereof, no Eligible Director may be granted, in any one fiscal year of the Company, Awards specifically awarded under this Plan with an aggregate maximum value, calculated as of their respective Grant Dates, of more than $500,000.

The number of Shares subject to any Awards that are converted or substituted in the event of a corporate transaction or event involving the Company of the type described in Section 3(c) shall be disregarded for purposes of the limitations set forth in this Section 3(b).

(c)     Adjustments. In the event a dividend or other distribution (whether in the form of cash, Shares, other securities, or other property), recapitalization, stock split, reverse stock split, reorganization, merger, consolidation, split-up, spin-off, combination, repurchase, or exchange of Shares or other securities of the Company, issuance of warrants or other rights to purchase Shares or other securities of the Company, or other similar corporate transaction or event affects the Shares such that an adjustment is determined by the Board to be necessary in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under the Plan, then the Board shall, in an equitable manner, adjust any or all of (A) the number of Shares or other securities of the Company (or number and kind of other securities or property) with respect to which Awards may be granted, (B) the maximum number of Shares subject to an Award granted to a Participant pursuant to Section 3(b) of the Plan, (C) the number of Shares or other securities of the Company (or number and kind of other securities or property) subject to outstanding Awards, (D) the grant or exercise price with respect to any Award, and (E) any applicable performance goals with respect to Awards; provided, in each case, that (A) with respect to Awards of Incentive Stock Options, no such adjustment shall be authorized to the extent that such authority would cause the Plan to violate Section 422(b)(1) of the Code, as from time to time amended, unless the Board determines otherwise, (B) with respect to any Award, no such adjustment shall be authorized to the extent that such authority would be inconsistent with the ability of the Plan to meet the requirements of Section 162(m), unless otherwise determined by the Board, (C) with respect to any Award subject to Section 409A of the Code, no such adjustment shall be authorized to the extent that such authority would cause the Plan to fail to comply with, or qualify for, an exception to Section 409A of the Code, and (D) any fractional shares resulting from such adjustment shall be eliminated.

In the event of a corporate transaction or event involving the Company of the type described in this Section 3(c), the Board may, in its sole discretion, provide that outstanding Awards will be assumed by another entity or otherwise equitably converted or substituted into the securities of such entity in connection with such transaction or event.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event of a transaction in which the Company is not the surviving entity, or any other transaction in which the shareholders of the Company exchange their Shares in the Company for stock or equity securities of another company, or in the event of complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company, or in the case of a tender offer accepted by the Board, all outstanding Awards shall thereupon terminate, provided that the Board may, prior to the effective date of any such transaction, either (i) make all outstanding Awards immediately exercisable or vested or (ii) arrange to have the surviving entity grant to the Participants replacement awards (including cash) on terms which the Board shall determine to be fair and reasonable. The Board, in its sole discretion and to the extent not inconsistent with Section 14(r) hereof, may determine that, in the event of a transaction in which the Company is not the surviving entity, each outstanding Award shall terminate within a specified number of days after notice to the Participant, and such Participant shall receive, with respect to each such Award, cash or other property, including securities of any entity acquiring the Company, in an amount equal to the fair market value of such Award (if any) as determined by the Board in its sole discretion. In addition, for each Option or Stock Appreciation Right with an exercise price or base price, as the case may be, greater than the consideration offered in connection with any such transaction or event or Change in Control, the Board may, in its sole discretion, elect to cancel such Option or Stock Appreciation Right without any payment to the person holding such Option or Stock Appreciation Right.

(d)     Substitute Awards. Any Shares underlying Substitute Awards shall not, unless required by law, be counted against the Shares available for Awards under the Plan.

(e)     Sources of Shares Deliverable under Awards. Shares to be issued under the Plan may be made available from authorized and unissued Shares or of treasury Shares. During the term of the Plan, the Company will, at all times, reserve and keep available the number of Shares of Stock that shall be sufficient to satisfy the requirements of the Plan.

Any Employee, including any officer or employee-director of the Company, or any Affiliate, who is not a member of the Committee, shall be eligible to be designated a Participant. Eligible Directors shall be eligible for Awards as described in Section 10.

(a)     Grant. Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Board shall have sole and complete authority to determine the Participants to whom Options shall be granted (provided that Incentive Stock Options may only be granted to employees of the Company or a parent or subsidiary of the Company within the meaning of Code Sections 424 (e) and (f), respectively), the number of Shares to be covered by each Option, the Option price and the conditions and limitations applicable to the exercise of the Option; provided that the standard, initial vesting schedule for Options will provide for vesting of such Awards in one or more increments, over a service period of no less than three years (not including special vesting terms set forth in the Award Agreement) provided, however, that this limitation shall not: (i) apply to Options granted to Eligible Directors, (ii) adversely affect a Participant’s rights under another plan or agreement, (iii) apply to Substitute Awards or any other Awards granted in exchange for the surrender of, or substitution of, another company’s awards to its employees and directors, or (iv) apply to Options to purchase up to 404,264 Shares. The Board shall have the authority to grant Incentive Stock Options, or to grant Non-Qualified Stock Options, or to grant both types of Options. In the case of Incentive Stock Options, the terms and conditions of such grants shall be subject to such rules as may be prescribed by Section 422 of the Code, as from time to time amended, and any regulations implementing such statute. If an Option that is intended to be an Incentive Stock Option fails to meet the requirements thereof, the Option shall automatically be treated as a Non-Qualified Stock Option to the extent of such failure.

(b)     Exercise Price. The Board in its sole discretion shall establish the exercise price at the time each Option is granted. The exercise price of an Option may not be less than the Fair Market Value on the Grant Date (or 110% of the Fair Market Value in the case of an Incentive Stock Option granted to a 10% Shareholder), except in the case of Substitute Awards.

(c)     Exercise. Each Option shall be exercisable at such times and subject to such terms and conditions as the Board may, in its sole discretion, specify in the applicable Award Agreement or thereafter. The Board may impose such conditions with respect to the exercise of Options, including without limitation, any relating to the application of federal or state securities laws, as it may deem necessary or advisable. Notwithstanding the foregoing, an Option shall not be exercisable after the expiration of ten years from the Grant Date (or five years in the case of an Incentive Stock Option granted to a 10% Shareholder).

(d)     Payment. No Shares shall be delivered pursuant to any exercise of an Option until payment in full of the Option price is received by the Company. Such payment may be made in cash or its equivalent, by exchanging, actually or constructively, Shares owned by the Participant (for any minimum period set forth in the Award Agreement or as may otherwise be required by the Board and which are not the subject of any pledge or other security interest), by another means approved by the Board, or by a combination of the foregoing, provided that the combined value of all cash and cash equivalents and the Fair Market Value of any such Shares so tendered to the Company as of the date of such tender is at least equal to such Option price. A Participant may elect to pay all or any portion of the aggregate exercise price by having Shares with a Fair Market Value on the date of exercise equal to the aggregate exercise price withheld by the Company or sold by a broker-dealer.

 

(e)     Extension of Exercise Period. If the exercise of an Option is prevented by Section 14(d), the Option shall remain exercisable until thirty days after the date that such exercise first would no longer be prevented by such provision, but in any event no later than the expiration date of such Option.

(a)     Grant. Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Board shall have sole and complete authority to determine the Participants to whom Stock Appreciation Rights shall be granted, the number of Shares to be covered by each Stock Appreciation Right Award, the grant price thereof and the conditions and limitations applicable to the exercise thereof. Stock Appreciation Rights may be granted in tandem with another Award, in addition to another Award, or freestanding and unrelated to another Award. Stock Appreciation Rights granted in tandem with or in addition to an Award may be granted either at the same time as the Award or, except in the case of Incentive Stock Options, at a later time. Stock Appreciation Rights shall not be exercisable earlier than one (1) year after the Grant Date (not including special vesting terms set forth in the Award Agreement), and shall have a grant price no less that the Fair Market Value of Shares covered by the right on the Grant Date (except with respect to a Substitute Award).

(b)     Exercise and Payment. A Stock Appreciation Right shall entitle the Participant to receive an amount equal to the excess of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of exercise of such Stock Appreciation Right over the grant price thereof. The Board shall determine whether a Stock Appreciation Right shall be settled in cash, Shares or a combination of cash and Shares.

(c)     Other Terms and Conditions. Subject to the terms of the Plan and any applicable Award Agreement, the Board shall determine, at or after the grant of a Stock Appreciation Right, the term (up to a maximum of ten years from the Grant Date), methods of exercise, methods and form of settlement, and any other terms and conditions of any Stock Appreciation Right. Any such determination by the Board may be changed by the Board from time to time and may govern the exercise of Stock Appreciation Rights granted or exercised prior to such determination, as well as Stock Appreciation Rights granted or exercised thereafter. The Board may impose such conditions or restrictions on the exercise of any Stock Appreciation Right as it shall deem appropriate.

(d)     Extension of Exercise Period. If the exercise of a Stock Appreciation Right is prevented by Section 14(d), the Stock Appreciation Right shall remain exercisable until thirty days after the date that such exercise first would no longer be prevented by such provision, but in any event no later than the expiration date of such Stock Appreciation Right.

(a)     Grant. Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Board shall have sole and complete authority to determine the Participants to whom Shares of Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units shall be granted, the number of Shares of Restricted Stock and/or the number of Restricted Stock Units to be granted to each Participant, the duration of the period during which, and the conditions under which, the Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units may be forfeited to the Company, and the other terms and conditions of such Awards. The standard, initial vesting schedule applicable to Restricted Stock and/or Restricted Stock Units shall provide for vesting of such Award, in one or more increments, over a service period of no less than three years or, in the case of Performance Awards, a performance period of no less than one year (in each case, not including special vesting terms set forth in the Award Agreement); provided however, this limitation shall not: (i) apply to Awards granted to Eligible Directors, (ii) adversely affect a Participant’s rights under another plan or agreement, (iii) apply to Substitute Awards or any other Awards granted in exchange for the surrender of, or substitution of, another company’s awards to its employees and directors, or (iv) apply to up to 404,264 Shares relating to Restricted Stock and/or Restricted Stock Unit Awards granted pursuant to this Section 7.

(b)     Transfer Restrictions. Shares of Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units may not be sold, assigned, transferred, pledged or otherwise encumbered, except, in the case of Shares of Restricted Stock, as provided in the Plan or the applicable Award Agreements. Certificates issued in respect of Shares of Restricted Stock shall be registered in the name of the Participant and deposited by such Participant, together with a stock power endorsed in blank, with the Company. Upon the lapse of the restrictions applicable to such Shares of Restricted Stock, the Company shall deliver such certificates to the Participant or the Participant’s legal representative.

(c)     Payment. Each Restricted Stock Unit shall have a value equal to the Fair Market Value of a Share on the settlement or payment date of such Award. Restricted Stock Units shall be paid in cash, Shares, other securities or other property, as determined in the sole discretion of the Board, upon the lapse of the restrictions applicable thereto, or otherwise in accordance with the applicable Award Agreement.

 

(d)     Dividends and Distributions. Dividends and other distributions paid on or in respect of any Shares of Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units may be paid directly to the Participant, or may be reinvested in additional Shares of Restricted Stock or in additional Restricted Stock Units, as determined by the Board in its sole discretion.

(e)     Section 83(b) Election. If a Participant makes an election pursuant to Section 83(b) of the Code with respect to a Restricted Stock Award, the Participant shall file, within 30 days following the date of grant, a copy of such election with the Company and the Internal Revenue Service in accordance with the regulations under Section 83 of the Code. The Committee may provide in the applicable Award Agreement that the Restricted Stock Award is conditioned upon the Participant’s making or refraining from making an election with respect to the Award under Section 83(b) of the Code.

(a)    Grant. Subject to the limitations set forth in Section 3, the Board shall have sole and complete authority to determine the eligible individuals who shall receive a “Performance Award,” which shall consist of a right that is (i) denominated and/or payable in cash, Shares or any other form of Award issuable under this Plan (or any combination thereof), (ii) valued, as determined by the Board, in accordance with the achievement of such performance goals during such performance periods as the Board shall establish, and (iii) payable at such time and in such form as the Board shall determine. Unless otherwise determined by the Board, any such Performance Award shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement containing the terms of such Award, including, but not limited to, the performance criteria and such terms and conditions as may be determined from time to time by the Board, in each case, not inconsistent with this Plan. In relation to any Performance Award, the performance period may consist of one or more calendar years or other fiscal period of at least one (1) year in length for which performance is being measured.

(b)     Terms and Conditions. Qualified Performance-Based Awards granted prior to the repeal of the exception for performance-based compensation under Section 162(m) were required to be conditioned upon the achievement of pre-established, objective goals relating to one or more of the following performance measures, as determined in writing by the Board and subject to such modifications as specified by the Board: cash flow; cash flow from operations; earnings (including earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization or some variation thereof); earnings per share, diluted or basic; earnings per share from continuing operations; internal rate of return; net asset turnover; inventory turnover; capital expenditures; debt; debt reduction; working capital; return on investment; return on sales; net or gross sales; market share; share price; equity ratios; economic value added; cost of capital; assets or change in assets; expenses; expense reduction levels; productivity; delivery performance; safety record and/or performance; environmental record and/or performance; mine closures; stock price; interest-sensitivity gap levels; return on equity or capital employed; total or relative increases to shareholder return; return on capital; return on assets or net assets; revenue; income or net income; operating income or net operating income; operating profit or net operating profit; gross margin, operating margin or profit margin; amount of oil and gas reserves; oil and gas reserve additions; oil and gas reserve replacement ratios and similar measures; finding and development costs (including costs of finding oil and gas reserves); daily natural gas and/or oil production; volumes metrics (including volumes sold, volumes produced, volumes transported and similar measures); drilling and well metrics (including number of gross or net wells drilled, number of horizontal wells drilled, cost per well and similar measures); operating efficiency metrics; charge-offs; non-performing assets; asset sale targets; asset quality levels; value of assets; employee retention/attrition rates; investments; regulatory compliance; satisfactory internal or external audits; improvement of financial ratings; value creation; achievement of balance sheet or income statement objectives; and completion of acquisitions, business expansion, product diversification and other non-financial operating and management performance objectives. To the extent consistent with Section 162(m), the Board may determine that certain adjustments shall apply, in whole or in part, in such manner as determined by the Board, to include or exclude the effect of any of the following events that occur during a performance period including the following: the impairment of tangible or intangible assets; asset write-downs; litigation or claim judgments or settlements; acquisitions or divestitures; gains/losses on the sale of assets; foreign exchange gains and/or losses; expenses related to stock offerings and stock repurchases; the effect of changes in tax law, accounting principles or other such laws or provisions affecting reported results; business combinations, reorganizations and/or restructuring programs, including, but not limited to, reductions in force and early retirement incentives; currency fluctuations; and any unusual, infrequent or non-recurring items, including, but not limited to, such items described in management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations or the financial statements and notes thereto appearing in the Company’s annual report to shareholders for the applicable year. Performance measures may be determined either individually, alternatively or in any combination, applied to either the Company as a whole or to a business unit or subsidiary entity thereof, either individually, alternatively or in any combination, and measured over a period of time including any portion of a year, annually or cumulatively over a period of years, on an absolute basis or relative to a pre-established target, to previous years’ results or to a designated comparison group, in each case as specified by the Board. For the avoidance of doubt, the Board may approve Performance Awards other than Qualified Performance-Based Awards that are based on the performance measures set forth in this Section 8(b).

(c)     Additional Restrictions. The Board, in its sole discretion, may also establish such additional restrictions or conditions that must be satisfied as conditions precedent to the payment of all or a portion of any Performance Awards. Such additional restrictions or conditions need not be performance-based and may include, among other things, the receipt by a Participant of a specified annual performance rating, the continued employment by the Participant and/or the achievement of specified performance goals by the Company, business unit or Participant. Furthermore, and notwithstanding any provision of this Plan to the contrary, the Board, in its sole discretion, may retain the discretion to increase or reduce the amount of any Performance Award to a Participant if it concludes that such increase or reduction is necessary or appropriate based upon: (i) an evaluation of such Participant’s performance; (ii) comparisons with compensation received by other similarly situated individuals working within the Company’s industry or peer group; (iii) the Company’s financial results and conditions; or (iv) such other factors or conditions that the Board deems relevant; provided, however, the Board shall not use its discretionary authority to increase any Award to the extent prohibited under Section 162(m).

(d)     Payment of Performance Awards. Performance Awards may be paid in a lump sum or in installments following the close of the performance period or, in accordance with procedures established by the Board, on a deferred basis.

The Board shall have authority to grant to Participants Other Stock-Based Awards, which shall consist of any right that is (i) not an Award described in Sections 5 through 8 above and (ii) an Award of Shares or an Award denominated or payable in, valued in whole or in part by reference to, or otherwise based on or related to, Shares (including, without limitation, securities convertible into Shares), as deemed by the Board to be consistent with the purposes of the Plan. Subject to the terms of the Plan and any applicable Award Agreement, the Board shall determine the terms and conditions of any such Other Stock-Based Award.

Except as otherwise determined by the Board in its sole discretion, Eligible Directors shall receive Awards in accordance with this Section. Except as otherwise provided in this Section, Awards to Eligible Directors shall be subject to the remaining provisions of the Plan.

(a)     Terms of Grants. The exercise price per Share of each Option granted to an Eligible Director shall be the Fair Market Value of a Share on the Grant Date. Options shall vest ratably and become exercisable in one-third increments on each anniversary of the Grant Date.  Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, Options shall expire ten (10) years from the Grant Date. Unvested Options shall immediately vest and become exercisable if an individual ceases to be a director on account of death, disability or retirement at normal retirement age for directors, and shall remain exercisable until the normal expiration of the Option. Upon termination as a director for any other reason other than Cause, unvested Options shall be forfeited and vested Options shall remain exercisable for three months following the termination date. Upon termination as a Director for Cause, all Options (whether or not vested) shall be forfeited as of the termination date.

(b)     Deferred Stock Unit Grants. The Board may grant Deferred Stock Units to Eligible Directors in lieu of all or any portion of the annual retainer or meeting fees otherwise payable to the Eligible Directors. Each Deferred Stock Unit shall entitle the Eligible Director to receive one Share or an amount of cash equal to the Fair Market Value of a Share on the payment date, on terms and conditions established by the Board. The Board may also permit Eligible Directors to elect to receive Deferred Stock Units in lieu of all or any portion of the annual retainer or meeting fees otherwise payable to the Eligible Director in cash, or to defer receipt of Shares or cash to be paid pursuant to Deferred Stock Units, in accordance with a deferred compensation policies established by the Company.

(c) Other Awards. The Board in its sole discretion may grant other types of Awards to Eligible Directors other than those specifically described in this Section 10.

 

The Board shall have the full power and authority to determine the terms and conditions that shall apply to any Award upon a termination of employment/service, including a termination by the Company or an Affiliate of the Company without Cause, by a Participant voluntarily, or by reason of death, Disability or Retirement.

To the extent not inconsistent with Section 14(r) hereof, in the event that the Company engages in a transaction constituting a Change in Control, the Board shall have complete authority and discretion, but not the obligation, to accelerate the vesting of outstanding Awards and the termination of restrictions on Shares. In addition, the Board may, if deemed appropriate, in its discretion, in connection with a Change in Control, (i) provide for an equivalent award or Substitute Award in respect of securities of the surviving entity of such transaction; (ii) upon advance notice to the affected Participants, cancel any outstanding Options or Stock Appreciation Rights and pay to the holders thereof, in cash, stock or other property (including the property, if any, payable in such a transaction) (or any combination thereof), an amount equal to the excess of the fair market value of the Shares covered by the Award, based on the price per Share received or to be received by other shareholders of the Company in such a transaction or such other value as determined by the Board (the “Transaction Fair Market Value”), over the exercise price of the Award, or (iii) make provision for a cash payment or payment of other property (including the property, if any, payable in such transaction) to the holder of any other outstanding Award in settlement of such Award; provided that, in the case of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right with an exercise price that equals or exceeds the Transaction Fair Market Value, the Board may cancel such Options or Stock Appreciation Right without payment or consideration therefor. Any such action taken shall be performed in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Code and treasury regulations issued thereunder so as not to affect the status of (A) any Award intended to qualify as an Incentive Stock Option under Section 422 of the Code, unless the Board determines otherwise, (B) any Qualified Performance-Based Award, unless the Board determines otherwise, or (C) any Award intended to comply with, or qualify for an exception to, Section 409A of the Code. Any such action taken by the Board will be final, conclusive and binding for all purposes of this Plan.

(a)     Amendments to the Plan and Award Agreements. Except to the extent prohibited by applicable law and unless otherwise expressly provided in an Award Agreement or in the Plan, the Board may amend, alter, suspend, discontinue, cancel or terminate the Plan or an Award Agreement or any portion thereof at any time; provided, however, that no such amendment, alteration, suspension, discontinuation, cancellation or termination shall: (i) be made without shareholder approval if such approval is necessary to comply with any applicable law, tax or regulatory requirement, or listing requirement of the New York Stock Exchange or any other national exchange on which the Shares are listed, for which or with which the Board deems it necessary or desirable to qualify or comply; or (ii) be made without the consent of the affected Participant, if such action would adversely affect any material rights of such Participant under any outstanding Award. Notwithstanding the foregoing or any provision of the Plan or an Award Agreement to the contrary, the Board may at any time (without the consent of any Participant) modify, amend or terminate any or all of the provisions of this Plan or an Award Agreement to the extent necessary to: (i) conform the provisions of the Plan and/or Award with Section 162(m), Section 409A or any other provision of the Code or other applicable law, the regulations issued thereunder or an exception thereto, regardless of whether such modification, amendment or termination of the Plan and/or Award shall adversely affect the rights of a Participant; and (ii) to enable the Plan to achieve its stated purposes in any jurisdiction outside the United States in a tax-efficient manner and in compliance with local rules and regulations.

(b)     Adjustment of Awards upon the Occurrence of Certain Unusual or Nonrecurring Events. The Board is authorized to make adjustments in the terms and conditions of, and the criteria included in, Awards in recognition of unusual or nonrecurring events (including, without limitation, the events described in Section 3(c) hereof) affecting the Company, any Affiliate, or the financial statements of the Company or any Affiliate, or of changes in applicable laws, regulations, or accounting principles, whenever the Board determines that such adjustments are appropriate in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under the Plan; provided that no such adjustment shall be authorized to the extent that such authority would be inconsistent with the Plan’s meeting the requirements of Section 409A or to the extent the adjustment would not be permitted under Section 162(m).

(c)     Cancellation. Any provision of this Plan or any Award Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, the Board may cause any Award granted hereunder to be canceled in consideration of a cash payment or alternative Award made to the holder of such canceled Award equal in value to the Fair Market Value of such canceled Award except to the extent that such payment would violate the requirements of Section 409A of the Code. Notwithstanding the foregoing and any other provision of this Plan, except for adjustment provided in Section 3(c) or in connection with a corporate transaction involving the Company (including, without limitation, any stock dividend, distribution (whether in the form of cash, other Company securities, or other property), stock split, extraordinary cash dividend, recapitalization, Change in Control, reorganization, merger, consolidation, split-up, spin-off, combination, repurchase or exchange of Shares or other Company securities, or similar transaction(s)), the terms of outstanding Options or Stock Appreciation Rights may not be (i) amended to reduce the exercise price of such outstanding Options or Stock Appreciation Rights or (ii) cancelled in exchange for cash, other Awards or Options or Stock Appreciation Rights with an exercise price that is less than the exercise price of the original Options or Stock Appreciation Rights without obtaining shareholder approval.

(a)     Dividend Equivalents. In the sole and complete discretion of the Board, an Award may provide the Participant with dividends or dividend equivalents, payable in cash, Shares, other securities or other property on a current or deferred basis.

(b)     Nontransferability. Except to the extent provided in an Award Agreement, no Award shall be assigned, alienated, pledged, attached, sold or otherwise transferred or encumbered by a Participant, except by will or the laws of descent and distribution.

(c)     No Rights to Awards. No Employee, Participant or other Person shall have any claim to be granted any Award, and there is no obligation for uniformity of treatment of Employees, Eligible Directors, consultants, Participants, or holders or beneficiaries of Awards under the Plan. The terms and conditions of Awards need not be the same with respect to each recipient.

(d)     Share Certificates and Legal Restrictions. All certificates for Shares or other securities of the Company or any Affiliate delivered under the Plan pursuant to any Award or the exercise thereof shall be subject to such stop transfer orders and other restrictions as the Board may deem advisable under the Plan or the rules, regulations, and other requirements of the SEC, the listing standards of the New York Stock Exchange or any stock exchange upon which such Shares or other securities are then listed, and any applicable federal or state laws, and the Board may cause a legend or legends to be put on any such certificates to make appropriate reference to such restrictions.

(e)     Withholding. A Participant may be required to pay to the Company or any Affiliate and the Company or any Affiliate shall have the right and is hereby authorized to withhold from any Award, from any payment due or transfer made under any Award or under the Plan or from any compensation or other amount owing to a Participant an amount (in cash, Shares, other securities, other Awards or other property) sufficient to cover any federal, state, local or foreign income taxes or such other applicable taxes required by law in respect of an Award, its exercise, or any payment or transfer under an Award or under the Plan and to take such other action as may be necessary in the opinion of the Company to satisfy all obligations for the payment of such taxes. The Company may, in its discretion, permit a Participant (or any beneficiary or other Person entitled to act) to elect to pay a portion or all of the amount such taxes in such manner as the Committee shall deem to be appropriate, including, but not limited to, authorizing the Company to withhold, or agreeing to surrender to the Company, Shares owned by such Participant or a portion of such forms of payment that would otherwise be distributed pursuant to an Award.

Notwithstanding the foregoing or any provisions of the Plan to the contrary, any broker-assisted cashless exercise shall comply with the requirements of Financial Accounting Standards Board, Accounting Standards Codification, Topic 718 and any withholding satisfied through a net-settlement shall be limited to the minimum statutory withholding requirements or as otherwise determined in the discretion of the Board.

(f)     Award Agreements. Unless otherwise determined by the Board, each Award hereunder shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement that shall be delivered to the Participant and shall specify the terms and conditions of the Award and any rules applicable thereto.

(g)     No Limit on Other Compensation Arrangements. Nothing contained in the Plan shall prevent the Company or any Affiliate from adopting or continuing in effect other compensation arrangements, which may, but need not, provide for the grant of Options, Restricted Stock, Shares and other types of Awards provided for hereunder (subject to shareholder approval if such approval is required), and such arrangements may be either generally applicable or applicable only in specific cases.

(h)     No Right to Employment. The grant of an Award shall not be construed as giving a Participant the right to be retained in the employ of the Company or any Affiliate. Further, the Company or an Affiliate may at any time dismiss a Participant from employment, free from any liability or any claim under the Plan, unless otherwise expressly provided in the Plan or in any Award Agreement.

(i)     No Rights as Shareholder. Subject to the provisions of the applicable Award, no Participant or holder or beneficiary of any Award shall have any rights as a shareholder with respect to any Shares to be distributed under the Plan until he or she has become the holder of such Shares. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in connection with each grant of Restricted Stock hereunder, the applicable Award shall specify if and to what extent the Participant shall not be entitled to the rights of a shareholder in respect of such Restricted Stock.

 

(j)     Governing Law. The validity, construction, and effect of the Plan and any rules and regulations relating to the Plan and any Award Agreement shall be determined in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware without giving effect to the conflict of law principles thereof.

(k)     Severability. If any provision of the Plan or any Award is or becomes or is deemed to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable in any jurisdiction or as to any Person or Award, or would disqualify the Plan or any Award under any law deemed applicable by the Board, such provision shall be construed or deemed amended to conform to the applicable laws, or if it cannot be construed or deemed amended without, in the determination of the Board, materially altering the intent of the Plan or the Award, such provision shall be stricken as to such jurisdiction, Person or Award and the remainder of the Plan and any such Award shall remain in full force and effect.

(l)     Other Laws. The Board may refuse to issue or transfer any Shares or other consideration under an Award if, acting in its sole discretion, it determines that the issuance or transfer of such Shares or such other consideration might violate any applicable law or regulation or entitle the Company to recover the same under Section 16(b), and any payment tendered to the Company by a Participant, other holder or beneficiary in connection with the exercise of such Award shall be promptly refunded to the relevant Participant, holder, or beneficiary. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, no Award granted hereunder shall be construed as an offer to sell securities of the Company, and no such offer shall be outstanding, unless and until the Board in its sole discretion has determined that any such offer, if made, would be in compliance with all applicable requirements of the U.S. federal securities laws and any other laws to which such offer, if made, would be subject.

(m)     No Trust or Fund Created. Neither the Plan nor any Award shall create or be construed to create a trust or separate fund of any kind or a fiduciary relationship between the Company or any Affiliate and a Participant or any other Person. To the extent that any Person acquires a right to receive payments from the Company or any Affiliate pursuant to an Award, such right shall be no greater than the right of any unsecured general creditor of the Company or any Affiliate.

(n)     No Fractional Shares. No fractional Shares shall be issued or delivered pursuant to the Plan or any Award, and the Board shall determine whether cash, other securities, or other property shall be paid or transferred in lieu of any fractional Shares or whether such fractional Shares or any rights thereto shall be canceled, terminated, or otherwise eliminated.

(o)     Headings. Headings are given to the Sections and subsections of the Plan solely as a convenience to facilitate reference. Such headings shall not be deemed in any way material or relevant to the construction or interpretation of the Plan or any provision thereof.

(p)     Parachute Payments. The Board may provide in an Award Agreement that no amounts shall be paid or considered paid to the extent that any such payments would be nondeductible by the Company under Code Section 280G.

(q)     Section 162(m). Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan or Award Agreement to the contrary if an Award under this Plan is intended to qualify as performance-based compensation under Section 162(m) and the regulations issued thereunder and a provision of this Plan or an Award Agreement would prevent such Award from so qualifying, such provision shall be administered, interpreted and construed to carry out such intention (or disregarded to the extent such provision cannot be so administered, interpreted or construed). In no event shall any member of the Board, the Committee or the Company (or its employees, officers or directors) have any liability to any Participant (or any other Person) due to the failure of an Award to satisfy the requirements of Section 162(m).

(r)     Section 409A. Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan or an Award Agreement to the contrary, if any Award or benefit provided under this Plan is subject to the provisions of Section 409A, the provisions of the Plan and any applicable Award Agreement shall be administered, interpreted and construed in a manner necessary to comply with Section 409A or an exception thereto (or disregarded to the extent such provision cannot be so administered, interpreted or construed). The following provisions shall apply, as applicable:

(i)     If a Participant is a Specified Employee and a payment subject to Section 409A (and not excepted therefrom) to the Participant is due upon Separation from Service, such payment shall be delayed for a period of six (6) months after the date the Participant Separates from Service (or, if earlier, the death of the Participant). Any payment that would otherwise have been due or owing during such six-month period will be paid immediately following the end of the six-month period in the month following the month containing the 6-month anniversary of the date of termination unless another compliant date is specified in the applicable agreement.

(ii)     For purposes of Section 409A, and to the extent applicable to any Award or benefit under the Plan, it is intended that distribution events qualify as permissible distribution events for purposes of Section 409A and shall be interpreted and construed accordingly. With respect to payments subject to Section 409A, the Company reserves the right to accelerate and/or defer any payment to the extent permitted and consistent with Section 409A. Whether a Participant has Separated from Service or employment will be determined based on all of the facts and circumstances and, to the extent applicable to any Award or benefit, in accordance with the guidance issued under Section 409A. For this purpose, a Participant will be presumed to have experienced a Separation from Service when the level of bona fide services performed permanently decreases to a level less than twenty percent (20%) of the average level of bona fide services performed during the immediately preceding thirty-six (36) month period or such other applicable period as provided by Section 409A.

(iii)     The Board, in its discretion, may specify the conditions under which the payment of all or any portion of any Award may be deferred until a later date. Deferrals shall be for such periods or until the occurrence of such events, and upon such terms and conditions, as the Board shall determine in its discretion, in accordance with the provisions of Section 409A, the regulations and other binding guidance promulgated thereunder; provided, however, that no deferral shall be permitted with respect to Options, Stock Appreciation Rights and other stock rights subject to Section 409A. An election shall be made by filing an election with the Company (on a form provided by the Company) on or prior to December 31st of the calendar year immediately preceding the beginning of the calendar year (or other applicable service period) to which such election relates (or at such other date as may be specified by the Board to the extent consistent with Section 409A) and shall be irrevocable for such applicable calendar year (or other applicable service period). To the extent authorized, a Participant who first becomes eligible to participate in the Plan may file an election (“Initial Election”) at any time prior to the 30-day period following the date on which the Participant initially becomes eligible to participate in the Plan (or at such other date as may be specified by the Board to the extent consistent with Section 409A). Any such Initial Election shall only apply to compensation earned and payable for services rendered after the effective date of the Election.

(iv)     The grant of Non-Qualified Stock Options, Stock Appreciation Rights and other stock rights subject to Section 409A shall be granted under terms and conditions consistent with Treas. Reg. § 1.409A-1(b)(5) such that any such Award does not constitute a deferral of compensation under Section 409A. Accordingly, any such Award may be granted to Employees and Eligible Directors of the Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates in which the Company has a controlling interest. In determining whether the Company has a controlling interest, the rules of Treas. Reg. § 1.414(c)-2(b)(2)(i) shall apply; provided that the language “at least 50 percent” shall be used instead of “at least 80 percent” in each place it appears; provided, further, where legitimate business reasons exist (within the meaning of Treas. Reg. § 1.409A-1(b)(5)(iii)(E)(i)), the language “at least 20 percent” shall be used instead of “at least 80 percent” in each place it appears. The rules of Treas. Reg. §§ 1.414(c)-3 and 1.414(c)-4 shall apply for purposes of determining ownership interests.

(s)     Disclaimer. Although it is the intent of the Company that this Plan and Awards hereunder, to the extent the Committee deems appropriate and to the extent applicable, comply with Rule 16b-3, 409A and 422 of the Code: (a) none of the Company, the Board or the Committee warrants that any Award under the Plan will qualify for favorable tax treatment under any provision of the federal, state, local or non-United States law; and (b) in no event shall any member of the Board or the Committee or the Company (or its employees, officers or directors) have any liability to any Participant (or any other Person) due to the failure of an Award to satisfy the requirements of Rule 16b-3, 409A or 422 of the Code or for any tax, interest, or penalties the Participant might owe as a result of the grant, holding, vesting, exercise, or payment of any Award under the Plan.

(t)     Clawback. Notwithstanding any other provisions in this Plan, any Award which is subject to recovery under any law, government regulation, stock exchange listing requirement, or Company policy, shall be subject to such deductions, recoupment and clawback as may be required to be made pursuant to such law, government regulation, stock exchange listing requirement or Company policy, as may be in effect from time to time, and which may operate to create additional rights for the Company with respect to Awards and recovery of amounts relating thereto. By accepting Awards under the Plan, Participants agree and acknowledge that they are obligated to cooperate with, and provide any and all assistance necessary to, the Company to recover or recoup any Award or amounts paid under the Plan subject to clawback pursuant to such law, government regulation, stock exchange listing requirement or Company policy. Such cooperation and assistance shall include, but is not limited to, executing, completing and submitting any documentation necessary to recover or recoup any Award or amounts paid under the Plan from a Participant’s accounts, or pending or future compensation or Awards.

(u)     Sub-Plans. The Board may from time to time establish sub-plans under this Plan, including, but not limited to, for purposes of satisfying securities, tax or other laws of various jurisdictions in which the Company intends to grant Awards. Any sub-plans shall contain such limitations and other terms and conditions as the Board determines are necessary or desirable. All sub-plans shall be deemed a part of this Plan, but, if applicable, each sub-plan shall apply only to the Participants in the jurisdiction for which the sub-plan was designed.

 

15. TERM OF THE PLAN.

(a)     Effective Date. The amendment and restatement of this Plan shall be effective on May 11, 2016 and further amended on January 26, 2018 (the “Effective Date”). Notwithstanding the foregoing or anything else contained herein to the contrary, all remuneration payable under the terms of this Plan pursuant to written binding contracts in effect on November 2, 2017 shall be governed by the terms and conditions of this Plan in effect immediately prior to this amendment and restatement and, as a result, and, for the avoidance of doubt, none of the changes made pursuant to this amendment and restatement of this Plan shall result in the material modification of the remuneration payable under such contracts.

(b)     Expiration Date. No Awards may be granted under the Plan after the day immediately preceding the tenth anniversary of May 11, 2016. Unless otherwise expressly provided in the Plan or in an applicable Award Agreement, any Award granted hereunder may, and the authority of the Board or the Committee to amend, alter, adjust, suspend, discontinue, or terminate any such Award or to waive any conditions or rights under any such Award shall, continue after the authority for grant of new Awards hereunder has been exhausted.

As used in the Plan, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:

“10% Shareholder” means an Employee who, as of the date on which an Incentive Stock Option is granted to such Employee, owns more than ten percent (10%) of the total combined voting power of all classes of Shares then issued by the Company or any of its subsidiaries.

“Affiliate” shall mean (i) any entity that, directly or indirectly, is controlled by the Company, (ii) any entity in which the Company has a significant equity interest and (iii) an Affiliate of the Company as defined in Rule 12b-2 promulgated under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, in either case as determined by the Committee.

“Annual Meeting” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 15(a).

“Award” shall mean any Option, Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted Stock Award, Restricted Stock Unit, Performance Award, Other Stock-Based Award or other Award permitted under the Plan.

“Award Agreement” shall mean any written agreement, contract, or other instrument or document evidencing any Award, which shall not become effective until executed or acknowledged by a Participant.

“Board” shall mean the Board of Directors of the Company.

“Cause” shall mean, unless otherwise defined in the applicable Award Agreement, a determination by the Committee that a Participant has: (1) committed an act of embezzlement, fraud, dishonesty or breach of fiduciary duty to the Company; (2) deliberately and repeatedly violated the rules of the Company or the valid instructions of the Board or an authorized officer of the Company; (3) made any unauthorized disclosure of any of the material secrets or confidential information of the Company; or (4) engaged in any conduct that could reasonably be expected to result in material loss, damage or injury to the Company.

“Change in Control” shall mean, unless otherwise defined in the applicable Award Agreement, the earliest to occur of: (1) any one “person” as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act (other than (A) the Company, (B) any trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company, and (C) any corporation owned, directly or indirectly, by the shareholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of Shares), or more than one “person” acting as a “group,” is or becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) of Shares that, together with the Shares held by such “person” or “group,” possess more than 50% of the total fair market value or total voting power of the Shares and other stock of the Company; (2) a majority of members of the Board is replaced during any 12 month period by directors whose appointment or election is not endorsed by a majority of the members of the Board prior to the date of the appointment or election; or (3) the sale of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets (which shall be determined in the sole discretion of the Committee); provided, however, that, in addition to the foregoing, such event must also qualify as a “Change in Control” event within the meaning of Treas. Reg. Section 1.409A-3(i)(5)(i) with respect to the Company. For the avoidance of doubt, references within this definition of “Change in Control” to the “Company” are solely to CNX Resources Corporation, such that a sale of a subsidiary of CNX Resources Corporation shall not constitute a “Change in Control” under the Plan unless otherwise determined in the sole discretion of the Committee.

“Code” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.

“Committee” shall mean a committee of the Board designated by the Board to be responsible for the administration of the Plan (though excluding day-to-day administration). To the extent deemed appropriate by the Board, the Committee shall be composed of not less than two individuals who are “non-employee directors” within the meaning of Section 16 and “independent directors” within the meaning of Section 303A of the New York Stock Exchange Listed Company Manual, and, for remuneration that was granted pursuant to a written binding contract that was in effect on November 2, 2017, the Committee must be comprised solely of two or more individuals who are “outside directors” within the meaning of Section 162(m).

 

“Company” shall mean CNX Resources Corporation.

“Deferred Stock Unit” means a right, granted to Eligible Directors in accordance with Section 10, to acquire a Share for no consideration or some other amount determined by the Board.

“Disability” shall mean, unless otherwise defined in the applicable Award Agreement, a Participant’s inability, because of physical or mental incapacity or injury (that has continued for a period of at least 12 consecutive calendar months), to perform for the Company or an Affiliate substantially the same services as he or she performed prior to incurring such incapacity or injury. Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to any Award that is subject to Section 409A (and not excepted therefrom) and payable upon Disability, such term shall mean the Participant is unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months.

“Effective Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 15(a) hereof.

“Eligible Director” means a director who is not an employee of the Company or any of its Affiliates.

“Employee” shall mean an employee or consultant of the Company or of any Affiliate, including any individual who enters into an employment agreement with the Company or an Affiliate which provides for commencement of employment within three months of the date of the agreement.

“Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

“Fair Market Value” shall mean the fair market value of the property or other items being valued, as determined by the Board in its sole discretion. Fair Market Value with respect to the Shares, as of any date, shall mean (i) if the Shares are listed on a securities exchange, the closing sales price per share of the Shares on such exchange or over such system on such date, or in the absence of reported sales on such date, the closing sales price on the immediately preceding date on which sales were reported, (ii) if the Shares are not so listed or traded, the mean between the bid and offered prices of the Shares for such date or (iii) in the event there is no public market for the Shares, the fair market value as determined by the Board in its sole discretion.

“Full-Value Award” means any Award of Shares under this Plan or an Award payable in Shares, other than an Option or a Stock Appreciation Right.

“Grant Date” means, with respect to an Award, date on which the Board makes the determination to grant such Award, or such other date as is determined by the Board. Within a reasonable time thereafter, the Company will deliver an Award Agreement to the Participant.

“Incentive Stock Option” shall mean a right to purchase Shares from the Company that is granted under Section 5 of the Plan and that is intended to meet the requirements of Section 422 of the Code or any successor provision thereto.

“Non-Qualified Stock Option” shall mean a right to purchase Shares from the Company that is granted under Section 5 of the Plan and that is not intended to be an Incentive Stock Option.

“Option” shall mean an Incentive Stock Option or a Non-Qualified Stock Option.

“Other Stock-Based Award” shall mean any right granted under Section 9 of the Plan.

“Participant” shall mean any Employee or Eligible Director who receives an Award under the Plan.

“Performance Award” shall mean any right granted under Section 8 of the Plan.

“Person” shall mean any individual, corporation, partnership, association, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated organization, government or political subdivision thereof or other entity.

“Plan” shall mean this CNX Resources Corporation Equity Incentive Plan, as amended and restated herein.

“Restricted Stock” shall mean any Share granted under Section 7 of the Plan.

“Qualified Performance-Based Award” means any a Performance Award, or a portion of such Award, that was intended to satisfy the requirements for “qualified performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m). (Effective for tax years after 2017, the qualified performance-based compensation exception under Section 162(m) was repealed, and, thereafter, no further Qualified Performance-Based Awards shall be granted under the Plan; provided, however that notwithstanding such repeal, the qualified performance-based compensation exception under Section 162(m) is subject to a transition rule for remuneration that is payable pursuant to a written binding contract that was in effect on November 2, 2017 and is not materially modified thereafter. For the avoidance of doubt, it is the intent of the Company to preserve the qualified performance-based compensation exception that is and/or may be payable under the Plan to the maximum extent permissible by law.)

“Restricted Stock Unit” shall mean any unit granted under Section 7 of the Plan.

“Retirement” shall mean with respect to a Participant other than an Eligible Director retirement of a Participant from the employ or service of the Company or any of its Affiliates in accordance with the terms of the applicable Company retirement plan or, if a Participant is not covered by any such plan, retirement on or after such Participant’s 65th birthday, unless otherwise defined or provided in the applicable Award Agreement.

 

“SEC” shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission or any successor agency thereto, and shall include the staff thereof.

“Section 16” shall mean Section 16 of the Exchange Act and the rules promulgated thereunder and any successor provision thereto as in effect from time to time.

“Section 162(m)” shall mean Section 162(m) of the Code and the rules promulgated thereunder or any successor provision thereto as in effect from time to time.

“Section 409A” shall mean Section 409A of the Code, the regulations and other binding guidance promulgated thereunder.

“Separation from Service” and “Separate from Service” shall mean the Participant’s death, retirement or other termination of employment or service with the Company (including all persons treated as a single employer under Section 414(b) and 414(c) of the Code) that constitutes a “separation from service” (within the meaning of Section 409A). For purposes hereof, the determination of controlled group members shall be made pursuant to the provisions of Section 414(b) and 414(c) of the Code; provided that the language “at least 50 percent” shall be used instead of “at least 80 percent” in each place it appears in Section 1563(a)(1),(2) and (3) of the Code and Treas. Reg. § 1.414(c)-2; provided, further, where legitimate business reasons exist (within the meaning of Treas. Reg. § 1.409A-1(h)(3)), the language “at least 20 percent” shall be used instead of “at least80 percent” in each place it appears. Whether a Participant has Separated from Service will be determined based on all of the facts and circumstances and, to the extent applicable to any Award or benefit, in accordance with the guidance issued under Section 409A. A Participant will be presumed to have experienced a Separation from Service when the level of bona fide services performed permanently decreases to a level less than twenty percent (20%) of the average level of bona fide  services performed during the immediately preceding thirty-six (36) month period or such other applicable period as provided by Section 409A.

“Shares” shall mean shares of the common stock, $.01 par value, of the Company, or such other securities of the Company as may be designated by the Board from time to time.

“Specified Employee” means a key employee (as defined in Section 416(i) of the Code without regard to paragraph (5) thereof) of the Company as determined in accordance with the regulations issued under Code Section 409A and the procedures established by the Company.

“Stock Appreciation Right” shall mean any right granted under Section 6 of the Plan.

“Substitute Awards” shall mean Awards granted in assumption of, or in substitution for, outstanding awards previously granted by a company acquired by the Company or with which the Company combines.

“Transaction Fair Market Value” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 12.