$300,000,000 CREDIT AGREEMENT among

EX-10.3 4 dex103.htm CREDIT AGREEMENT DATED AS OF SEPTEMBER 14, 2004 Credit Agreement dated as of September 14, 2004

Exhibit 10.3

 

EXECUTION COPY

 


 

 

$300,000,000

 

CREDIT AGREEMENT

 

among

 

MAGELLAN MIDSTREAM PARTNERS, L.P.,

as Borrower,

 

The Several Lenders from Time to Time Parties Hereto,

 

LEHMAN BROTHERS INC.,

as Arranger,

 

LEHMAN COMMERCIAL PAPER INC.,

as Syndication Agent

 

and

 

LEHMAN COMMERCIAL PAPER INC.,

as Administrative Agent

 

Dated as of September 14, 2004

 



Table of Contents

 

         Page

ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS

   1

SECTION 1.01.

  DEFINED TERMS    1

SECTION 1.02.

  TERMS GENERALLY    15

SECTION 1.03.

  ACCOUNTING TERMS; GAAP    15

ARTICLE II THE CREDITS

   16

SECTION 2.01.

  COMMITMENTS    16

SECTION 2.02.

  PROCEDURE FOR BORROWING    16

SECTION 2.03.

  REPAYMENT OF LOANS    16

SECTION 2.04.

  CONVERSION AND CONTINUATION OPTIONS    16

SECTION 2.05.

  MINIMUM AMOUNT    17

SECTION 2.06.

  REPAYMENT OF LOANS; EVIDENCE OF DEBT    17

SECTION 2.07.

  OPTIONAL PREPAYMENT OF LOANS    17

SECTION 2.08.

  MANDATORY PREPAYMENTS OF LOANS    18

SECTION 2.09.

  FEES    18

SECTION 2.10.

  INTEREST    18

SECTION 2.11.

  ALTERNATE RATE OF INTEREST    19

SECTION 2.12.

  INCREASED COSTS    19

SECTION 2.13.

  BREAK FUNDING PAYMENTS    20

SECTION 2.14.

  TAXES    20

SECTION 2.15.

  PAYMENTS GENERALLY; PRO RATA TREATMENT; SHARING OF SET-OFFS    21

SECTION 2.16.

  MITIGATION OBLIGATIONS; REPLACEMENT OF LENDERS    22

ARTICLE III REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

   23

SECTION 3.01.

  ORGANIZATION; POWERS    23

SECTION 3.02.

  AUTHORIZATION; ENFORCEABILITY    23

SECTION 3.03.

  NO UNDISCLOSED LIABILITIES    23

SECTION 3.04.

  GOVERNMENTAL APPROVALS; NO CONFLICTS    23

SECTION 3.05.

  FINANCIAL CONDITION; NO MATERIAL ADVERSE CHANGE    24

SECTION 3.06.

  PROPERTIES    24

SECTION 3.07.

  LITIGATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS    24

SECTION 3.08.

  COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS AND AGREEMENTS    25

SECTION 3.09.

  INVESTMENT AND HOLDING COMPANY STATUS    25

SECTION 3.10.

  TAXES    25

SECTION 3.11.

  ERISA    25

SECTION 3.12.

  DISCLOSURE    25

SECTION 3.13.

  LABOR MATTERS    26

SECTION 3.14.

  SUBSIDIARIES    26

SECTION 3.15.

  MARGIN STOCK    26

SECTION 3.16.

  LICENSES AND PERMITS    26

SECTION 3.17.

  REPORTABLE TRANSACTION    26

SECTION 3.18.

  LIEN FILINGS    26

SECTION 3.19.

  USE OF PROCEEDS    26


ARTICLE IV CONDITIONS

   27

SECTION 4.01.

  CLOSING DATE    27

ARTICLE V AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

   28

SECTION 5.01.

  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS; RATINGS CHANGE AND OTHER INFORMATION    28

SECTION 5.02.

  NOTICES OF MATERIAL EVENTS    29

SECTION 5.03.

  EXISTENCE; CONDUCT OF BUSINESS    29

SECTION 5.04.

  PAYMENT OF OBLIGATIONS    29

SECTION 5.05.

  MAINTENANCE OF PROPERTIES; INSURANCE    30

SECTION 5.06.

  BOOKS AND RECORDS; INSPECTION RIGHTS    30

SECTION 5.07.

  COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS    30

SECTION 5.08.

  USE OF PROCEEDS    30

SECTION 5.09.

  COMPLIANCE WITH ERISA    30

SECTION 5.10.

  INTENTIONALLY DELETED    30

SECTION 5.11.

  COMPLIANCE WITH ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS; ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTS    30

SECTION 5.12.

  FURTHER ASSURANCES    31

SECTION 5.13.

  TAX SHELTER REGULATIONS    31

ARTICLE VI NEGATIVE COVENANTS

   31

SECTION 6.01.

  INDEBTEDNESS    31

SECTION 6.02.

  LIENS    32

SECTION 6.03.

  FUNDAMENTAL CHANGES    33

SECTION 6.04.

  INVESTMENTS, LOANS, ADVANCES, GUARANTEES AND ACQUISITIONS    33

SECTION 6.05.

  SWAP AGREEMENTS    35

SECTION 6.06.

  RESTRICTED PAYMENTS    35

SECTION 6.07.

  TRANSACTIONS WITH AFFILIATES    35

SECTION 6.08.

  RESTRICTIVE AGREEMENTS    35

SECTION 6.09.

  CONSTITUTIVE DOCUMENTS    36

SECTION 6.10.

  INTENTIONALLY DELETED    36

SECTION 6.11.

  SALES AND LEASEBACKS    36

SECTION 6.12.

  CHANGES IN FISCAL YEAR    36

SECTION 6.13.

  INTENTIONALLY DELETED    36

SECTION 6.14.

  INTENTIONALLY DELETED    36

SECTION 6.15.

  MINIMUM INTEREST COVERAGE RATIO    36

SECTION 6.16.

  MAXIMUM LEVERAGE RATIO    36

ARTICLE VII EVENTS OF DEFAULT

   36

ARTICLE VIII THE AGENTS

   38

SECTION 8.01.

  APPOINTMENT    38

SECTION 8.02.

  DELEGATION OF DUTIES    39

SECTION 8.03.

  EXCULPATORY PROVISIONS    39

SECTION 8.04.

  RELIANCE BY AGENTS    39

SECTION 8.05.

  NOTICE OF DEFAULT    39

SECTION 8.06.

  NON-RELIANCE ON AGENTS AND OTHER LENDERS    40

SECTION 8.07.

  INDEMNIFICATION    40

 

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SECTION 8.08.

   AGENT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY    40

SECTION 8.09.

   SUCCESSOR ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT    40

SECTION 8.10.

   THE ARRANGER AND THE SYNDICATION AGENT    41

ARTICLE IX MISCELLANEOUS

   41

SECTION 9.01.

   NOTICES    41

SECTION 9.02.

   WAIVERS; AMENDMENTS    42

SECTION 9.03.

   EXPENSES; INDEMNITY; DAMAGE WAIVER    42

SECTION 9.04.

   SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS; PARTICIPATIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS    43

SECTION 9.05.

   SURVIVAL    46

SECTION 9.06.

   COUNTERPARTS; INTEGRATION; EFFECTIVENESS    46

SECTION 9.07.

   SEVERABILITY    46

SECTION 9.08.

   RIGHT OF SETOFF    46

SECTION 9.09.

   GOVERNING LAW; JURISDICTION; CONSENT TO SERVICE OF PROCESS    47

SECTION 9.10.

   WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL    47

SECTION 9.11.

   HEADINGS    47

SECTION 9.12.

   CONFIDENTIALITY    48

SECTION 9.13.

   INTEREST RATE LIMITATION    48

SECTION 9.14.

   USA PATRIOT ACT    48

SECTION 9.15.

   SEPARATENESS    48

SECTION 9.16.

   RESTRICTED SUBSIDIARIES    49

SECTION 9.17.

   NO PERSONAL LIABILITY OF DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES AND UNITHOLDERS    49

 

SCHEDULES:

 

Schedule 2.01 — Commitments

Schedule 3.03 — Disclosed Matters

Schedule 3.14 — Subsidiaries

Schedule 3.18 — Lien Jurisdictions

Schedule 6.01 — Existing Indebtedness

Schedule 6.02 — Existing Liens

Schedule 6.08 — Existing Restrictions

 

EXHIBITS:

 

Exhibit A — Form of Assignment and Assumption

Exhibit B — Form of Opinion of Borrower’s Counsel

Exhibit C — Form of Opinion of In-House Counsel

Exhibit D — Form of Borrowing Notice

 

ANNEX

 

Annex 1 — Certain Adjustments to Consolidated EBITDA

 

iii


CREDIT AGREEMENT, dated as of September 14, 2004, among Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the “Borrower”), the several banks and other financial institutions or entities from time to time parties to this Agreement (the “Lenders”), LEHMAN BROTHERS INC., as exclusive advisor, sole lead arranger and sole bookrunner (in such capacity, the “Arranger”), LEHMAN COMMERCIAL PAPER INC., as syndication agent (in such capacity, the “Syndication Agent”), and LEHMAN COMMERCIAL PAPER INC., as administrative agent (in such capacity, the “Administrative Agent”).

 

W I T N E S S E T H:

 

WHEREAS, the Borrower has requested that the Lenders provide it credit facilities in order to finance the Acquisition (as hereinafter defined); and

 

WHEREAS, the Lenders are willing to make such credit facilities available upon and subject to the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the agreements hereinafter set forth, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:

 

ARTICLE I

 

Definitions

 

SECTION 1.01. Defined Terms. As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings specified below:

 

ABR Loan” means Loans the interest rate applicable to which is determined by reference to the Alternate Base Rate.

 

Acquisition” means the acquisition of selected refined products pipelines and terminal assets owned by Equilon Enterprises LLC d/b/a Shell Oil Products US, a Delaware limited liability company, and its wholly owned subsidiary, Shell Pipeline LP, a Delaware limited partnership, on terms and subject to conditions set forth in the Acquisition Agreement, as amended.

 

Acquisition Agreement” means the Purchase and Sale Agreement, dated as of June 23, 2004, by and between the Borrower, Shell Pipeline LP, a Delaware limited partnership, and Equilon Enterprises LLC d/b/a Shell Oil Products US, a Delaware limited liability company.

 

Adjusted LIBO Rate” means, with respect to each day during each Interest Period, an interest rate per annum determined for such day in accordance with the following formula (rounded upward to the nearest 1/100th of 1%):

 

                            LIBO Rate                            

1.00 - Eurocurrency Reserve Requirements

 

Administrative Agent” has the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

 

Administrative Questionnaire” means an Administrative Questionnaire in a form supplied by the Administrative Agent.


Affiliate” means, with respect to a specified Person, another Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, Controls or is Controlled by or is under common Control with the Person specified.

 

Agents” is the collective reference to the Syndication Agent and the Administrative Agent.

 

Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

 

Alternate Base Rate” for any day, a rate per annum (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/16 of 1%) equal to the greater of (a) the Prime Rate in effect on such day and (b) the Federal Funds Effective Rate in effect on such day plus ½ of 1%. For purposes hereof: “Prime Rate” shall mean the prime lending rate as set forth on the British Banking Association Telerate Page 5 (or such other comparable publicly available page as may, in the reasonable opinion of the Administrative Agent after notice to the Borrower, replace such page for the purpose of displaying such rate if such rate no longer appears on the British Bankers Association Telerate page 5), as in effect from time to time. The Prime Rate is a reference rate and does not necessarily represent the lowest or best rate actually available. Any change in the Alternate Base Rate due to a change in the Prime Rate or the Federal Funds Effective Rate shall be effective from and including the effective date of such change in the Prime Rate or the Federal Funds Effective Rate, respectively.

 

Applicable Percentage” means, as to any Lender at any time, the percentage which such Lender’s Commitment then constitutes of the aggregate Commitments of all Lenders (or, at any time after the Closing Date, the percentage which the aggregate principal amount of such Lender’s Loans then outstanding constitutes of the aggregate principal amount of all Loans then outstanding).

 

Applicable Rate” means, for any day, with respect to any ABR Loan or Eurodollar Loan, as the case may be, the applicable rate per annum set forth below under the caption “ABR Spread” or “Eurodollar Spread”, as the case may be, based upon the ratings by Moody’s and S&P, respectively, applicable on such date to the Index Debt:

 

Index Debt Ratings:


  

ABR

Spread


    Eurodollar
Spread


 

Category 1

BBB+/Baa1

   0.00 %   .625 %

Category 2

BBB/Baa2

   0.00 %   .75 %

Category 3

BBB-/Baa3

   0.00 %   1.00 %

Category 4

BB+/Ba1

   0.00 %   1.25 %

Category 5

BB/Ba2

   0.00 %   1.50 %

 

For purposes of the foregoing, (i) if either Moody’s or S&P shall not have in effect a rating for the Index Debt (other than by reason of the circumstances referred to in the last sentence of this definition), then such rating agency shall be deemed to have established a rating in Category 5; (ii) if the ratings established or deemed to have been established by Moody’s and S&P for the Index Debt shall fall within different Categories, the Applicable Rate shall be based on the higher of the two ratings (unless one of the ratings is two or more Categories lower than the other, in which case the Applicable Rate shall be determined by reference to the Category next below that of the higher of the two ratings); and (iii) if

 

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the ratings established or deemed to have been established by Moody’s and S&P for the Index Debt shall be changed (other than as a result of a change in the rating system of Moody’s or S&P), such change shall be effective as of the date on which it is first announced by the applicable rating agency, irrespective of when notice of such change shall have been furnished by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders pursuant to Section 5.01 or otherwise. Each change in the Applicable Rate shall apply during the period commencing on the effective date of such change and ending on the date immediately preceding the effective date of the next such change. If the rating system of Moody’s or S&P shall change, or if either such rating agency shall cease to be in the business of rating corporate debt obligations, the Borrower and the Lenders shall negotiate in good faith to amend this definition to reflect such changed rating system or the unavailability of ratings from such rating agency and, pending the effectiveness of any such amendment, the Applicable Rate shall be determined by reference to the rating most recently in effect prior to such change or cessation.

 

Assignment and Assumption” means an assignment and assumption entered into by a Lender and an assignee (with the consent of any party whose consent is required by Section 9.04(c)), and accepted by the Administrative Agent, in the form of Exhibit A or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.

 

Arranger” has the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

 

Available Cash” has the meaning set forth in the Partnership Agreement.

 

Board” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States of America.

 

Borrower” has the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

 

Borrowing Notice” means, with respect to the request for borrowing of Loans hereunder, a notice from the Borrower substantially in the form of, and containing the information prescribed by, Exhibit D, delivered to the Administrative Agent.

 

Business Day” means any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in New York City are authorized or required by Law to remain closed; provided that, when used in connection with a Eurodollar Loan, the term “Business Day” shall also exclude any day on which banks are not open for dealings in dollar deposits in the London interbank market.

 

Capital Lease Obligations” of any Person means the obligations of such Person to pay rent or other amounts under any lease of (or other arrangement conveying the right to use) real or personal property, or a combination thereof, which obligations are required to be classified and accounted for as capital leases on a balance sheet of such Person under GAAP, and the amount of such obligations shall be the capitalized amount thereof determined in accordance with GAAP.

 

Capital Stock” means any and all shares, interests, participations or other equivalents (however designated) of capital stock of a corporation, any and all equivalent ownership interests in a Person (other than a corporation) and any and all warrants, rights or options to purchase any of the foregoing.

 

Change in Control” means the occurrence of any of the following events: (a) the acquisition of greater than 50% of the voting or economic interests in the General Partner by any Person unless such Person has a consolidated net worth of greater than $500,000,000; (b) the General Partner shall cease to own and control, of record and beneficially, directly, 100% of the general partner interests

 

3


in the Borrower or to be the sole managing general partner of the Borrower; or (c) any “person” or “group” (as such terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) under the Exchange Act), excluding Magellan Midstream Holdings, L.P. and its Affiliates, shall become, or obtain rights (whether by means or warrants, options or otherwise) to become, the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rules 13(d)-3 and 13(d)-5 under the Exchange Act) directly or indirectly, of a number of Units that would entitle such person or group entitled to vote Units representing, in the aggregate, more than 20% of the total number of Outstanding Units at any annual meeting of the unitholders of the Borrower or otherwise in the election of directors of the General Partner.

 

Change in Law” means (a) the adoption of any law, rule or regulation after the date of this Agreement, (b) any change in any law, rule or regulation or in the interpretation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority after the date of this Agreement or (c) compliance by any Lender (or, for purposes of Section 2.12(b), by any lending office of such Lender or by such Lender’s holding company, if any) with any request, guideline or directive (whether or not having the force of law) of any Governmental Authority made or issued after the date of this Agreement.

 

Closing Date” means the date on which the conditions specified in Section 4.01 are satisfied (or waived in accordance with Section 9.02), which date shall occur on or prior to November 15, 2004.

 

Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.

 

Commitment” means, as to any Lender, the obligation of such Lender to make a Loan to the Borrower hereunder in a principal amount not to exceed the amount set forth under the heading “Commitment” opposite such Lender’s name on Schedule 2.01, or, as the case may be, in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender became a party hereto, as the same may be changed from time to time pursuant to the terms hereof. The original aggregate amount of the Commitments is $300,000,000.

 

Common Units” means the common units representing limited partner interests in the Borrower.

 

Consolidated EBITDA” means, with respect to the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries for any period, Consolidated Net Income for such period plus, without duplication and to the extent reflected as a charge in the statement of such Consolidated Net Income for such period, the sum of (a) income tax expense, (b) interest expense, amortization or write-off of debt discount and debt issuance costs and commissions, discounts and other fees and charges associated with Indebtedness (including the Indebtedness hereunder), (c) depreciation and amortization expense, (d) amortization of intangibles and organization costs, (e) any extraordinary non-cash expenses or losses and (f) any extraordinary, unusual or non-recurring cash income or gains to the extent not included in Consolidated Net Income, and minus, (i) to the extent included in the statement of such Consolidated Net Income for such period, any extraordinary, unusual or non-recurring non-cash income or gains (including, whether or not otherwise includable as a separate item in the statement of such Consolidated Net Income for such period, gains on the sales of assets outside of the ordinary course of business) and (ii) any cash payments made during such period in respect of items described in clause (e) above subsequent to the fiscal quarter in which the relevant non-cash expenses or losses were reflected as a charge in the statement of Consolidated Net Income, all as determined on a consolidated basis. For purposes of calculating Consolidated EBITDA for any each quarter commencing on or after June 17, 2003, adjustments shall be made to income and expenses as set forth on Annex 1 hereto. Upon the consummation of any acquisition by any Person of the assets or Equity Interests of any other Person, or the Disposition by such Person of any of its assets or the Disposition of its Equity Interests of any other Person, in each case to the extent such acquisition or

 

4


Disposition involves consideration having a value equal to or greater than $10,000,000, the Consolidated EBITDA of such Person shall be adjusted on a pro forma basis to include, in the case of an acquisition, or exclude, in the case of a Disposition, the historical financial results attributable to such Equity Interests or assets; such adjustment to be made in a manner consistent with the regulations and practices of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (whether or not applicable).

 

Consolidated Indebtedness” means the consolidated Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries.

 

Consolidated Interest Expense” means, for any period, the sum of aggregate interest expense and capitalized interest of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries determined on a consolidated basis for such period.

 

Consolidated Net Income” means for any period, the consolidated net income (or loss) of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, as applicable, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP; provided that there shall be excluded (a) the income (or deficit) of any Person accrued prior to the date it becomes a Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower, or is merged into or consolidated with the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, as applicable, (b) the income (or deficit) of any Person (other than a Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower, as applicable) in which the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, as applicable, has an ownership interest, except to the extent that any such income is actually received by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, as applicable, in the form of dividends or similar distributions, and (c) the undistributed earnings of any Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower, to the extent that the declaration or payment of dividends or similar distributions by such Restricted Subsidiary is not at the time permitted by the terms of any Contractual Obligation (other than under any Note Purchase Document (as defined in the Note Purchase Agreement) or any Loan Document) or by any Law applicable to such Restricted Subsidiary.

 

Contractual Obligation” means as to any Person, any provision of any security issued by such Person or of any material agreement, instrument or other undertaking to which such Person is a party or by which it or any of its property is bound.

 

Control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of a Person, whether through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract or otherwise. “Controlling” and “Controlled” have meanings correlative thereto.

 

Control Investment Affiliate” means, as to any Person, any other Person that (a) directly or indirectly, is in control of, is controlled by, or is under common control with, such Person and (b) is organized by such Person primarily for the purpose of making equity or debt investments in one or more companies. For purposes of this definition, “control” of a Person means the power, directly or indirectly, to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person, whether by contract or otherwise.

 

Default” means any event or condition which constitutes an Event of Default or which upon notice, lapse of time or both would, unless cured or waived, become an Event of Default.

 

Disclosed Matters” means the actions, suits and proceedings and the environmental matters disclosed in Schedule 3.03 or previously disclosed in the Borrower’s filings with the SEC.

 

Dispose” means with respect to any property, to sell, lease, engage in a sale and leaseback with respect thereto, assign, convey, transfer or otherwise dispose thereof. The term “Disposition” shall have a correlative meaning.

 

5


dollars” or “$” refers to lawful money of the United States of America.

 

EDGAR”: the Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval computer system for the receipt, acceptance, review and dissemination of documents submitted to the SEC in electronic format.

 

Environmental Laws” means all applicable laws, rules, regulations, codes, ordinances, orders, decrees, judgments, injunctions, or legally enforceable directives issued, promulgated or entered into by any Governmental Authority, relating in any way to the environment, preservation or reclamation of natural resources, the management or release of any Hazardous Material or to health (with respect to exposure to Hazardous Materials) and safety matters.

 

Environmental Liability” means any liability (including any liability for damages, costs of environmental remediation, fines, penalties or indemnities), of the Borrower or any Subsidiary resulting from or based upon (a) violation of any Environmental Law, (b) the generation, use, handling, transportation, storage, treatment or disposal of any Hazardous Materials, (c) exposure to any Hazardous Materials, (d) the release of any Hazardous Materials into the environment or (e) any contract or other written agreement pursuant to which liability is assumed by or imposed against Borrower or any Subsidiary with respect to any of the foregoing.

 

Equity Interests” means shares of capital stock, partnership interests, membership interests in a limited liability company, beneficial interests in a trust or other equity ownership interests in a Person, and any warrants, options or other rights entitling the holder thereof to purchase or acquire any such equity interest.

 

ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time.

 

ERISA Affiliate” means any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) that, together with the Borrower, is treated as a single employer under Section 414(b) or (c) of the Code or, solely for purposes of Section 302 of ERISA and Section 412 of the Code, is treated as a single employer under Section 414 of the Code.

 

ERISA Event” means (a) any “reportable event”, as defined in Section 4043 of ERISA or the regulations issued thereunder with respect to a Plan (other than an event for which the 30 day notice period is waived); (b) the existence with respect to any Plan of an “accumulated funding deficiency” (as defined in Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA), whether or not waived; (c) the filing pursuant to Section 412(d) of the Code or Section 303(d) of ERISA of an application for a waiver of the minimum funding standard with respect to any Plan; (d) the incurrence by the Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates of any liability under Title IV of ERISA with respect to the termination of any Plan; (e) the receipt by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from the PBGC or a plan administrator of any notice relating to an intention to terminate any Plan or Plans or to appoint a trustee to administer any Plan; (f) the incurrence by the Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates of any liability with respect to the withdrawal or partial withdrawal from any Plan or Multiemployer Plan; or (g) the receipt by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of any notice, or the receipt by any Multiemployer Plan from the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of any notice, concerning the imposition of Withdrawal Liability or a determination that a Multiemployer Plan is, or is expected to be, insolvent or in reorganization, within the meaning of Title IV of ERISA.

 

Eurocurrency Reserve Requirements” means, for any day, the aggregate (without duplication) of the maximum rates (expressed as a decimal fraction) of reserve requirements in effect on

 

6


such day (including, without limitation, basic, supplemental, marginal and emergency reserves) under any regulations of the Board or other Governmental Authority having jurisdiction with respect thereto dealing with reserve requirements prescribed for eurocurrency funding (currently referred to as “Eurocurrency Liabilities” in Regulation D of the Board) maintained by a member bank of the Federal Reserve System.

 

Eurodollar Loans” means Loans the interest rate applicable to which is determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate.

 

Event of Default” has the meaning assigned to such term in Article VII.

 

Excluded Taxes” means, with respect to the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any other recipient of any payment to be made by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower hereunder, (a) income or franchise taxes imposed on (or measured by) its net income by the United States of America, or by the jurisdiction under the laws of which such recipient is organized or in which its principal office is located or, in the case of any Lender, in which its applicable lending office is located, (b) any branch profits taxes imposed by the United States of America or any similar tax imposed by any other jurisdiction in which the Borrower is located and (c) in the case of a Foreign Lender (other than an assignee pursuant to a request by the Borrower under Section 2.16(b)), any withholding tax that is imposed on amounts payable to such Foreign Lender at the time such Foreign Lender becomes a party to this Agreement (or designates a new lending office) or is attributable to such Foreign Lender’s failure to comply with Section 2.14(e), except to the extent that such Foreign Lender (or its assignor, if any) was entitled, at the time of designation of a new lending office (or assignment), to receive additional amounts from the Borrower with respect to such withholding tax pursuant to Section 2.14(a).

 

Existing Credit Agreement” means the Credit Agreement, dated as of May 25, 2004 among the Borrower, as borrower, the several lenders from time to time party thereto, J.P. Morgan Securities and Lehman Brothers Inc., as Joint Bookrunners and Lead Arrangers, and JPMorgan Chase Bank, as Administrative Agent, as amended by Amendment No. 1, dated as of September 9, 2004.

 

Federal Funds Effective Rate”: for any day, the weighted average of the rates on overnight federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System arranged by federal funds brokers, as published on the next succeeding Business Day by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, or, if such rate is not so published for any day that is a Business Day, the average of the quotations for the day of such transactions received by the Administrative Agent from three federal funds brokers of recognized standing selected by it.

 

Financial Officer” means the chief financial officer, principal accounting officer, treasurer or controller of the Borrower.

 

Foreign Lender” means any Lender that is organized under the laws of a jurisdiction other than that in which the Borrower is located. For purposes of this definition, the United States of America, each State thereof and the District of Columbia shall be deemed to constitute a single jurisdiction.

 

Funding Office” means the office specified from time to time by the Administrative Agent as its funding office by notice to the Borrower and the Lenders.

 

GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America, as in effect from time to time.

 

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General Partner” means Magellan GP, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and the general partner of the Borrower.

 

Governmental Approval” means (a) any authorization, consent, approval, license, waiver, ruling, permit, tariff, rate, certification, exemption, filing, variance, claim, order, judgment, decree, sanction or publication of, by or with; (b) any notice to; (c) any declaration of or with; or (d) any registration by or with, or any other action or deemed action by or on behalf of, any Governmental Authority.

 

Governmental Authority” means the government of the United States of America, any other nation or any political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government.

 

Guarantee” of or by any Person (the “guarantor”) means any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of the guarantor guaranteeing or having the economic effect of guaranteeing any Indebtedness or other obligation of any other Person (the “primary obligor”) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, and including any obligation of the guarantor, direct or indirect, (a) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness or other obligation or to purchase (or to advance or supply funds for the purchase of) any security for the payment thereof, (b) to purchase or lease property, securities or services for the purpose of assuring the owner of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment thereof, (c) to maintain working capital, equity capital or any other financial statement condition or liquidity of the primary obligor so as to enable the primary obligor to pay such Indebtedness or other obligation or (d) as an account party in respect of any letter of credit or letter of guaranty issued to support such Indebtedness or obligation; provided that the term Guarantee shall not include endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business.

 

Hazardous Materials” means all explosive or radioactive substances or wastes and all hazardous or toxic substances, wastes or other pollutants, including petroleum or petroleum distillates, asbestos or asbestos containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls, radon gas and all other substances or wastes of any nature regulated pursuant to any applicable Environmental Law.

 

Indebtedness” of any Person means, without duplication, (a) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money, (b) all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or similar instruments, (c) all obligations of such Person under conditional sale or other title retention agreements relating to property acquired by such Person, (d) all obligations of such Person in respect of the deferred purchase price of property or services (excluding current accounts payable incurred in the ordinary course of business), (e) all Indebtedness of others secured by (or for which the holder of such Indebtedness has an existing right, contingent or otherwise, to be secured by) any Lien on property owned or acquired by such Person, whether or not the Indebtedness secured thereby has been assumed, (f) all Guarantees by such Person of Indebtedness of others, (g) all Capital Lease Obligations of such Person, (h) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person as an account party in respect of letters of credit and letters of guaranty and (i) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person in respect of bankers’ acceptances; provided, however, that in no event shall “Indebtedness” include any contingent reimbursement obligation arising under any letter of credit issued under the Existing Credit Agreement to the extent such reimbursement obligation has been cash collateralized. The Indebtedness of any Person shall include the Indebtedness of any other entity (including any partnership in which such Person is a general partner) to the extent such Person is liable therefor as a result of such Person’s ownership interest in or other relationship with such entity, except to the extent the terms of such Indebtedness provide that such Person is not liable therefor.

 

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Indemnified Taxes” means Taxes other than Excluded Taxes.

 

Independent Directors” means individuals who are not officers, directors, employees or agents of the General Partner or any Affiliate thereof and who otherwise meet the independence and experience requirements set forth most recently by any National Securities Exchange on which any Units or other Partnership Securities are listed or quoted.

 

Index Debt” means senior, unsecured, long-term indebtedness for borrowed money of the Borrower that is not guaranteed by any other Person or subject to any other credit enhancement.

 

Interest Coverage Ratio” means, at any date, the ratio of (a) Consolidated EBITDA to (b) Consolidated Interest Expense, in each case for the period of four consecutive fiscal quarters most recently ended on or prior to such date for which financial information is available.

 

Interest Payment Date” means (a) as to any ABR Loan, the last day of each March, June, September and December, (b) as to any Eurodollar Loan having an Interest Period of three months or shorter, the last day of such Interest Period, (c) as to any Eurodollar Loan having an Interest Period longer than three months, each day that is three months, or a whole multiple thereof, after the first day of such Interest Period and the last day of such Interest Period and (d) as to any Loan, the date of any repayment made in respect thereof.

 

Interest Period” means as to any Eurodollar Loan, (a) initially the period commencing on the borrowing or conversion date, as the case may be, with respect to such Eurodollar Loan and ending one, two, three or six months thereafter, as selected by the Borrower in its notice of borrowing or notice of conversion, as the case may be, given with respect thereto; and (b) thereafter, each period commencing on the last day of the next preceding Interest Period applicable to such Eurodollar Loan and ending one, two, three or six months thereafter, as selected by the Borrower by irrevocable notice to the Administrative Agent not less than three Business Days prior to the last day of the then current Interest Period with respect thereto; provided that, all of the foregoing provisions related to Interest Periods are subject to the following:

 

(1) if any Interest Period would otherwise end on a day that is not a Business Day, such Interest Period shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless the result of such extension would be to carry such Interest Period into another calendar month in which event such Interest Period shall end on the immediately preceding Business Day;

 

(2) any Interest Period that would otherwise extend beyond the date final payment is due on the Loans shall end on such due date; and

 

(3) any Interest Period that begins on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period.

 

Law” means all laws, statutes, treaties, ordinances, codes, acts, rules, regulations, Government Approvals and Orders of all Governmental Authorities, whether now or hereafter in effect.

 

Lehman Entity” means any of Lehman Commercial Paper Inc. or any of its affiliates.

 

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Lenders” means the Persons listed on Schedule 2.01 and any other Person that shall have become a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption, other than any such Person that ceases to be a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption.

 

Leverage Ratio” means, at any date, the ratio of (a) Consolidated Indebtedness at such date to (b) Consolidated EBITDA for the four consecutive fiscal quarters most recently ended on or prior to such date for which financial information is available.

 

LIBO Rate” means, with respect to each day during each Interest Period, the rate per annum determined on the basis of the rate for deposits in Dollars for a period equal to such Interest Period commencing on the first day of such Interest Period appearing on Page 3750 of the Telerate screen as of 11:00 A.M., London time, two Business Days prior to the beginning of such Interest Period. In the event that such rate does not appear on Page 3750 of the Telerate screen (or otherwise on such screen), the “LIBO Rate” for purposes of this definition shall be determined by reference to such other comparable publicly available service for displaying eurodollar rates as may be selected by the Administrative Agent.

 

Lien” means, with respect to any asset, (a) any mortgage, deed of trust, lien, pledge, hypothecation, encumbrance, charge or security interest in, on or of such asset, (b) the interest of a vendor or a lessor under any conditional sale agreement, capital lease or title retention agreement (or any financing lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing) relating to such asset and (c) in the case of securities, any purchase option, call or similar right of a third party with respect to such securities.

 

Loan Documents” means this Agreement, any promissory notes executed in connection herewith, and any other agreements and documents executed and delivered in connection with this Agreement.

 

Loans” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.01.

 

Magellan Pipeline” means Magellan Pipeline Company, LLC or, after conversion of such Person to a limited partnership form, Magellan Pipeline Company, L.P., in each case a Subsidiary.

 

Material Adverse Effect” means a material adverse effect on (a) the Acquisition, (b) the business, assets, operations or condition, financial or otherwise, of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole, (c) the ability of the Borrower to perform any of its obligations under this Agreement or (d) the validity or enforceability of this Agreement.

 

Material Indebtedness” means Indebtedness (other than the Loans) and obligations in respect of one or more Swap Agreements, of any one or more of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in an aggregate principal amount exceeding $25,000,000. For purposes of determining Material Indebtedness, the “principal amount” of the obligations of the Borrower or any Subsidiary in respect of any Swap Agreement at any time shall be the maximum aggregate amount (giving effect to any netting agreements) that the Borrower or such Subsidiary would be required to pay if such Swap Agreement were terminated at such time.

 

Maturity Date” means the date which is 364 days after the Closing Date.

 

Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.

 

Multiemployer Plan” means a multiemployer plan as defined in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA.

 

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Net Cash Proceeds” means, in connection with any issuance or sale of equity securities or debt securities or instruments or the incurrence of loans, the cash proceeds received from such issuance or incurrence, net of attorney’s fees, investment banking fees, accountants’ fees, underwriting discounts and commissions and other customary fees and expenses actually incurred in connection therewith.

 

Note Purchase Agreement” means the Amended and Restated Note Purchase Agreement, dated as of May 25, 2004, among Magellan Pipeline, the Borrower, the General Partner and the Purchasers listed therein, as amended by the Amendment and Consent, dated as of August 30, 2004.

 

Other Taxes” means any and all present or future stamp or documentary taxes or any other excise or property taxes, charges or similar levies arising from any payment made hereunder or from the execution, delivery or enforcement of, or otherwise with respect to, this Agreement.

 

Outstanding Units” has the meaning set forth in the Partnership Agreement

 

Participant” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.04(b).

 

Partnership Agreement” means the Third Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of the Borrower, dated as of April 22, 2004, as amended through the date hereof.

 

Payment Office” means the office specified from time to time by the Administrative Agent as its payment office to the Borrower and the Lenders.

 

PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation referred to and defined in ERISA and any successor entity performing similar functions.

 

Permitted Encumbrances” means:

 

(a) Liens imposed by law for taxes that are not yet due or are being contested in compliance with Section 5.04;

 

(b) carriers’, warehousemen’s, mechanics’, materialmen’s, repairmen’s and other like Liens imposed by law, arising in the ordinary course of business and securing obligations that are not overdue by more than 30 days or are being contested in compliance with Section 5.04;

 

(c) pledges and deposits made in the ordinary course of business in compliance with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance and other social security laws or regulations;

 

(d) deposits to secure the performance of bids, trade contracts, leases, statutory obligations, surety and appeal bonds, performance bonds and other obligations of a like nature, in each case in the ordinary course of business;

 

(e) judgment liens in respect of judgments that do not constitute an Event of Default under clause (k) of Article VII;

 

(f) easements, zoning restrictions, rights-of-way and similar encumbrances on real property imposed by law or arising in the ordinary course of business that do not secure any monetary obligations and do not materially detract from the value of the affected property or interfere with the ordinary conduct of business of the Borrower or any Subsidiary;

 

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(g) Liens securing obligations (other than obligations representing Indebtedness for borrowed money) under operating, reciprocal easement or similar agreements entered into in the ordinary course of business of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries;

 

(h) licenses of patents, trademarks and other intellectual property rights granted by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business and not interfering in any material respect with the ordinary conduct of the business of the Borrower or such Subsidiary;

 

(i) the lien reserved in leases for rent and for compliance with the terms of the lease in the case of leasehold estates;

 

(j) any Lien in favor of any Governmental Authority to secure partial, progress, advance or other payments pursuant to any contract or statute, or any Lien securing industrial development, pollution control or similar revenue bonds; and

 

(k) any easements, exceptions or reservations in any property or assets granted or reserved for the purpose of pipelines, roads, the removal of oil, gas, coal or other minerals, and other like purposes, or for the joint or common use of real property, facilities and equipment which are incidental to, and do not materially interfere with, the ordinary conduct of the Borrower’s and/or its Subsidiaries’ business.

 

provided that the term “Permitted Encumbrances” shall not include any Lien securing Indebtedness except as otherwise permitted above.

 

Permitted Investments” means:

 

(a) direct obligations of, or obligations the principal of and interest on which are unconditionally guaranteed by, the United States of America (or by any agency thereof to the extent such obligations are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States of America), in each case maturing within one year from the date of acquisition thereof;

 

(b) investments in commercial paper, asset-backed securities, auction rate securities or similar securities maturing or resetting within 270 days from the date of acquisition thereof and having, at such date of acquisition, a credit rating of at least A-2 or AA from S&P or P-2 or Aa2 from Moody’s;

 

(c) investments in certificates of deposit, banker’s acceptances and time deposits maturing within 180 days from the date of acquisition thereof issued or guaranteed by or placed with, and money market deposit accounts issued or offered by, any domestic office of any commercial bank organized under the laws of the United States of America or any State thereof which has a combined capital and surplus and undivided profits of not less than $500,000,000;

 

(d) fully collateralized repurchase agreements with a term of not more than 30 days for securities described in clause (a) above and entered into with a financial institution satisfying the criteria described in clause (c) above;

 

(e) money market funds that (i) comply with the criteria set forth in Securities and Exchange Commission Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, (ii) are rated AAA by S&P and Aaa by Moody’s and (iii) have portfolio assets of at least $5,000,000,000;

 

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(f) securities with maturities of six months or less from the date of acquisition backed by standby letters of credit issued by any Lender or any commercial bank satisfying the requirements of clause (b) of this definition; and

 

(g) shares of money market mutual or similar funds which invest exclusively in assets satisfying the requirements of clauses (a) through (f) of this definition, except that with respect to the maturities of the assets included in such funds the requirements of clauses (a) through (f) shall not be applied to the individual assets included in such funds but to the weighted-average maturity of all assets included in such funds.

 

Permitted Joint Venture” means any Person (other than a Subsidiary) in which the Borrower, directly or through Subsidiaries, holds equity interests representing less than 100%, of the total outstanding equity interests of such Person.

 

Person” means any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership, Governmental Authority or other entity.

 

Plan” means any employee pension benefit plan (other than a Multiemployer Plan) subject to the provisions of Title IV of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, and in respect of which the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate is (or, if such plan were terminated, would under Section 4069 of ERISA be deemed to be) an “employer” as defined in Section 3(5) of ERISA.

 

Register” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.04(d).

 

Regulation D” means Regulation D of the Board, as the same is from time to time in effect, and all official rulings and interpretations thereunder or thereof.

 

Regulation T” means Regulation T of the Board, as the same is from time to time in effect, and all official rulings and interpretations thereunder or thereof.

 

Regulation U” means Regulation U of the Board, as the same is from time to time in effect, and all official rulings and interpretations thereunder or thereof.

 

Regulation X” means Regulation X of the Board, as the same is from time to time in effect, and all official rulings and interpretations thereunder or thereof.

 

Related Fund” means, with respect to any Lender, any fund that (a) invests in commercial loans and (b) is managed or advised by the same investment advisor as such Lender, by such Lender or an Affiliate of such Lender.

 

Related Parties” means, with respect to any specified Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the respective directors, officers, employees, agents and advisors of such Person and such Person’s Affiliates.

 

Required Lenders” means, at any time, the holders of more than 50% of (a) until the Closing Date, the Commitments, and (b) thereafter, the aggregate unpaid principal amount of the Loans then outstanding.

 

Response” means (a) “response” as such term is defined in CERCLA, 42 U.S.C. §9601(25), and (b) all other actions required by any Governmental Authority or voluntarily undertaken to: (i) clean up, remove, treat, abate, or in any other way address any Hazardous Material in the environment; (ii) prevent the release of any Hazardous Material; or (iii) perform studies and investigations in connection with clause (i) or (ii) above.

 

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Restricted Payment” means any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property) with respect to any Equity Interests in the Borrower or any Subsidiary, or any payment (whether in cash, securities or other property), including any sinking fund or similar deposit, on account of the purchase, redemption, retirement, acquisition, cancellation or termination of any such Equity Interests in the Borrower or any option, warrant or other right to acquire any such Equity Interests in the Borrower.

 

Restricted Subsidiary” means each of (a) (i) Magellan GP, Inc., a Delaware corporation, (ii) Magellan OLP, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, (iii) Magellan Pipeline, (iv) Magellan NGL, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, (v) Magellan Ammonia Pipeline, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, (vi) Magellan Terminals Holdings, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, (vii) Magellan Pipelines Holdings, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, and (viii) Magellan Asset Services, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, and (b) any other Subsidiary of the Borrower designated by the Borrower as a Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to Section 9.16.

 

S&P” means Standard & Poor’s.

 

SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission (or successors thereto or an analogous Governmental Authority).

 

Services Agreement” means the New Services Agreement, dated as of June 17, 2003, among the General Partner, the Borrower, Magellan Pipeline, Magellan Terminals Holding, L.P. and Magellan Midstream Holdings, L.P. as in effect as of the date hereof without giving any effect to any subsequent amendment, supplement or other modification thereto or termination thereof not approved of by the Required Lenders if such amendment, supplement or other modification thereto or termination thereof would reasonably be expected to adversely affect the Lenders.

 

Subordinated Units” means the subordinated units representing limited partner interests in the Borrower.

 

subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person (the “parent”) at any date, any corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association or other entity the accounts of which would be consolidated with those of the parent in the parent’s consolidated financial statements if such financial statements were prepared in accordance with GAAP as of such date, as well as any other corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association or other entity (a) of which securities or other ownership interests representing more than 50% of the equity or more than 50% of the ordinary voting power or, in the case of a partnership, more than 50% of the general partnership interests are, as of such date, owned, controlled or held, or (b) that is, as of such date, otherwise Controlled, by the parent or one or more subsidiaries of the parent or by the parent and one or more subsidiaries of the parent.

 

Subsidiary” means any subsidiary of the Borrower.

 

Swap Agreement” means any agreement with respect to any swap, forward, future or derivative transaction or option or similar agreement involving, or settled by reference to, one or more rates, currencies, commodities, equity or debt instruments or securities, or economic, financial or pricing indices or measures of economic, financial or pricing risk or value or any similar transaction or any combination of these transactions; provided that no phantom stock or similar plan providing for payments only on account of services provided by current or former directors, officers, employees or consultants of the Borrower or the Subsidiaries shall be a Swap Agreement.

 

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Taxes” means any and all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, duties, deductions, charges or withholdings imposed by any Governmental Authority.

 

Transactions” means the execution, delivery and performance by the Borrower of this Agreement, the borrowing of Loans, the use of the proceeds thereof and the consummation of the Acquisition.

 

Type” refers to whether the rate of interest on any Loan is determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate or the Alternate Base Rate.

 

Units” has the meaning set forth in the Partnership Agreement

 

Unrestricted Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary other than a Restricted Subsidiary.

 

Withdrawal Liability” means liability to a Multiemployer Plan as a result of a complete or partial withdrawal from such Multiemployer Plan, as such terms are defined in Part I of Subtitle E of Title IV of ERISA.

 

SECTION 1.02. Terms Generally. The definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined. Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms. The words “include”, “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation”. The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall”. Unless the context requires otherwise (a) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other document herein shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended, supplemented or otherwise modified (subject to any restrictions on such amendments, supplements or modifications set forth herein), (b) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns, (c) the words “herein”, “hereof” and “hereunder”, and words of similar import, shall be construed to refer to this Agreement in its entirety and not to any particular provision hereof, (d) all references herein to Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles and Sections of, and Exhibits and Schedules to, this Agreement and (e) the words “asset” and “property” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all tangible and intangible assets and properties, including cash, securities, accounts and contract rights.

 

SECTION 1.03. Accounting Terms; GAAP. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all terms of an accounting or financial nature shall be construed in accordance with GAAP, as in effect from time to time; provided that, if the Borrower notifies the Administrative Agent that the Borrower requests an amendment to any provision hereof to eliminate the effect of any change occurring after the date hereof in GAAP or in the application thereof on the operation of such provision (or if the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower that the Required Lenders request an amendment to any provision hereof for such purpose), regardless of whether any such notice is given before or after such change in GAAP or in the application thereof, then such provision shall be interpreted on the basis of GAAP as in effect and applied immediately before such change shall have become effective until such notice shall have been withdrawn or such provision amended in a manner satisfactory to the Borrower and the Required Lenders.

 

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ARTICLE II

 

The Credits

 

SECTION 2.01. Commitments. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender agrees to make a loan (each, a “Loan”) to the Borrower on the Closing Date in a principal amount for each Lender not to exceed the amount of the Commitment of such Lender. The Loans may from time to time be Eurodollar Loans or ABR Loans as determined by the Borrower and notified to the Administrative Agent in accordance with Sections 2.02 and 2.04. If the terms and conditions to making any Loan hereunder are not satisfied on or prior to November 15, 2004, the Commitments of each Lender hereunder shall terminate on such date and the Lenders will no longer be obligated to make loans to the Borrower hereunder.

 

SECTION 2.02. Procedure for Borrowing. The Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent a Borrowing Notice (which Borrowing Notice must be received by the Administrative Agent prior to 10:00 A.M., New York City time, one Business Day prior to the anticipated Closing Date in the case of ABR Loans, or three days prior to the anticipated Closing Date, in the case of Eurodollar Loans) requesting that the Lenders make the Loans on the Closing Date. Upon receipt of such Borrowing Notice the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender thereof. Not later than 12:00 Noon, New York City time, on the Closing Date, each Lender shall make available to the Administrative Agent at the Funding Office an amount in immediately available funds equal to the Loan or Loans to be made by such Lender. The Administrative Agent shall make available to the Borrower the aggregate of the amounts made available to the Administrative Agent by the Lenders, in like funds as received by the Administrative Agent.

 

SECTION 2.03. Repayment of Loans. The Loan of each Lender shall mature and, unless earlier accelerated or payable in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, shall be payable in full on the Maturity Date.

 

SECTION 2.04. Conversion and Continuation Options. (a) The Borrower may elect from time to time to convert Eurodollar Loans to ABR Loans by giving the Administrative Agent at least two Business Days’ prior irrevocable notice of such election, provided that any such conversion of Eurodollar Loans may be made only on the last day of an Interest Period with respect thereto. The Borrower may elect from time to time to convert ABR Loans to Eurodollar Loans by giving the Administrative Agent at least three Business Days’ prior irrevocable notice of such election (which notice shall specify the length of the initial Interest Period therefor), provided that no ABR Loan may be converted into a Eurodollar Loan (i) when any Event of Default has occurred and is occurring and the Administrative Agent has, or the Required Lenders have, determined in its or their sole discretion not to permit such conversions or (ii) after the date that is one month prior to the Maturity Date of the Loans. Upon receipt of any such notice the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender thereof.

 

(b) The Borrower may elect to continue any Eurodollar Loan as such upon the expiration of the then current Interest Period with respect thereto by giving irrevocable notice to the Administrative Agent, in accordance with the applicable provisions of the term “Interest Period” set forth in Section 1.01, of the length of the next Interest Period to be applicable to such Loans; provided that no Eurodollar Loan may be continued as such when any Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and the Administrative Agent has, or the Required Lenders have, determined in its or their sole discretion not to permit such continuations; and provided, further, that if the Borrower shall fail to give any required notice as described above in this paragraph or if such continuation is not permitted pursuant to the preceding proviso, such Loans shall be converted automatically to ABR Loans on the last day of such then expiring Interest Period. Upon receipt of any such notice the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender thereof.

 

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SECTION 2.05. Minimum Amount. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, all borrowings, conversions, continuations and optional prepayments of Eurodollar Loans and all selections of Interest Periods shall be in such amounts and be made pursuant to such elections that, after giving effect thereto, the aggregate principal amount of the Eurodollar Loans shall be equal to $1,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof.

 

SECTION 2.06. Repayment of Loans; Evidence of Debt. (a) The Borrower hereby unconditionally promises to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender the then unpaid principal amount of each Loan on the Maturity Date (or on such earlier date on which the Loans shall become due and payable pursuant to Article VII). The Borrower hereby further agrees to pay interest on the unpaid principal amount of the Loans from time to time outstanding from the date hereof until payment in full thereof at the rates per annum, and on the dates, set forth in Section 2.10.

 

(b) Each Lender shall maintain in accordance with its usual practice an account or accounts evidencing the indebtedness of the Borrower to such Lender resulting from each Loan made by such Lender, including the amounts of principal and interest payable and paid to such Lender from time to time hereunder.

 

(c) The Administrative Agent shall maintain accounts in which it shall record (i) the amount of each Loan made hereunder and Type thereof and the Interest Period applicable thereto, (ii) the amount of any principal or interest due and payable or to become due and payable from the Borrower to each Lender hereunder and (iii) the amount of any sum received by the Administrative Agent hereunder for the account of the Lenders and each Lender’s share thereof.

 

(d) The entries made in the accounts maintained pursuant to paragraph (b) or (c) of this Section shall be prima facie evidence of the existence and amounts of the obligations recorded therein; provided that the failure of any Lender or the Administrative Agent to maintain such accounts or any error therein shall not in any manner affect the obligation of the Borrower to repay the Loans in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

 

(e) Any Lender may request that Loans made by it be evidenced by a promissory note. In such event, the Borrower shall prepare, execute and deliver to such Lender a promissory note payable to the order of such Lender (or, if requested by such Lender, to such Lender and its registered assigns) and in a form approved by the Administrative Agent. Thereafter, the Loans evidenced by such promissory note and interest thereon shall at all times (including after assignment pursuant to Section 9.04) be represented by one or more promissory notes in such form payable to the order of the payee named therein (or, if such promissory note is a registered note, to such payee and its registered assigns).

 

SECTION 2.07. Optional Prepayment of Loans. The Borrower may, at any time and from time to time, prepay the Loans, in whole or in part, without premium or penalty (except as otherwise provided herein), upon irrevocable notice delivered to the Administrative Agent at least three Business Days prior thereto in the case of Eurodollar Loans and at least one Business Day prior thereto in the case of ABR Loans, which notice shall specify the date and amount of such prepayment and whether such prepayment is of Eurodollar Loans or ABR Loans; provided that if a Eurodollar Loan is prepaid on any day other than the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto, the Borrower shall also pay any amounts owing pursuant to Section 2.13. Upon receipt of any such notice the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender thereof. If any such notice is given, the amount specified in such notice shall be due and payable on the date specified therein, together with accrued interest to such date on the amount prepaid. Partial prepayments of Loans under this Section 2.07 shall be in an aggregate amount of $1,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof.

 

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SECTION 2.08. Mandatory Prepayments of Loans. Unless the Required Lenders shall otherwise agree, if any Capital Stock shall be issued, or Indebtedness incurred by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (excluding any Indebtedness incurred in accordance with Section 6.01(a), Section 6.01(c), Section 6.01(d), Section 6.01(e), Section 6.01 (f) or Section 6.01(i) as in effect on the date of this Agreement or any Indebtedness incurred under the Existing Credit Agreement), then on the date of such issuance or incurrence, the Loans shall be prepaid by an amount equal to the amount of Net Cash Proceeds of such issuance or incurrence.

 

SECTION 2.09. Fees. The Borrower agrees to pay, on the date which is 180 days after the Closing Date, to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender a facility fee in an amount equal to 0.25% of the aggregate unpaid principal amount of the Loans of such Lender outstanding on such 180th day after the Closing Date.

 

SECTION 2.10. Interest. (a) Each ABR Loan shall bear interest for each day on which it is outstanding at a rate per annum equal to the Alternate Base Rate in effect for such day plus the Applicable Rate in effect for such date.

 

(b) Each Eurodollar loan shall bear interest for each day during each Interest Period with respect thereto at a rate per annum equal to the Eurodollar Rate determined for such day plus the Applicable Rate in effect for such day.

 

(c) Intentionally deleted.

 

(d) Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any principal of or interest on any Loan or any fee or other amount payable by the Borrower hereunder is not paid when due, whether at stated maturity, upon acceleration or otherwise, such overdue amount shall bear interest, after as well as before judgment, at a rate per annum equal to (i) in the case of overdue principal of any Loan, 2% plus the rate otherwise applicable to such Loan as provided in the preceding paragraphs of this Section or (ii) in the case of any other amount, 2% plus the rate applicable to ABR Loans as provided in paragraph (a) of this Section.

 

(e) Accrued interest on each Loan shall be payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date for such Loan; provided that (i) interest accrued pursuant to paragraph (d) of this Section shall be payable on demand, (ii) in the event of any repayment or prepayment of any Loan, accrued interest on the principal amount repaid or prepaid shall be payable on the date of such repayment or prepayment and (iii) in the event of any conversion of any Eurodollar Loan prior to the end of the current Interest Period therefor, accrued interest on such Loan shall be payable on the effective date of such conversion.

 

(f) All interest hereunder shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days, except that interest computed by reference to the Alternate Base Rate at times when the Alternate Base Rate is based on the Prime Rate shall be computed on the basis of a year of 365 days (or 366 days in a leap year), and in each case shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day). The applicable Alternate Base Rate, Adjusted LIBO Rate or LIBO Rate shall be determined by the Administrative Agent, and such determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

 

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SECTION 2.11. Alternate Rate of Interest. If prior to the commencement of any Interest Period:

 

(a) the Administrative Agent determines (which determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error) that adequate and reasonable means do not exist for ascertaining the Adjusted LIBO Rate or the LIBO Rate, as applicable, for such Interest Period; or

 

(b) the Administrative Agent is advised by the Required Lenders that the Adjusted LIBO Rate or the LIBO Rate, as applicable, for such Interest Period will not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders (or Lender) of making or maintaining their Loans (or its Loan) during such Interest Period;

 

then the Administrative Agent shall give telecopy or telephonic notice thereof to the Borrower and the Lender as soon as practicable thereafter. If such notice is given (x) any Eurodollar Loans requested to be made on the first day of such Interest Period shall be made as ABR Loans, (y) any Loans that were to have been converted on the first day of such Interest Period to Eurodollar Loans shall be continued as ABR Loans and (z) any outstanding Eurodollar Loans shall be converted, on the last day of the then current Interest Period with respect thereto, to ABR Loans. Until such notice has been withdrawn by the Administrative Agent, no further Eurodollar Loans shall be made or continued as such, nor shall the Borrower have the right to convert Loans to Eurodollar Loans.

 

SECTION 2.12. Increased Costs. (a) If any Change in Law shall:

 

(i) impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, special deposit or similar requirement against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or credit extended by, any Lender (except any such reserve requirement reflected in the Adjusted LIBO Rate); or

 

(ii) impose on any Lender or the London interbank market any other condition affecting this Agreement or Eurodollar Loans made by such Lender or participation therein;

 

and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender of making or maintaining any Eurodollar Loan (or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan) or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender (whether of principal, interest or otherwise), then the Borrower will pay to such Lender such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.

 

(b) If any Lender determines that any Change in Law regarding capital requirements has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lender’s capital or on the capital of such Lender’s holding company, if any, as a consequence of this Agreement or the Loans made by such Lender, to a level below that which such Lender or such Lender’s holding company could have achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into consideration such Lender’s policies and the policies of such Lender’s holding company with respect to capital adequacy), then from time to time the Borrower will pay to such Lender such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or such Lender’s holding company for any such reduction suffered.

 

(c) A certificate of a Lender setting forth the amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender or its holding company, as the case may be, as specified in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section shall be delivered to the Borrower and shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrower shall pay such Lender the amount shown as due on any such certificate within 10 days after receipt thereof.

 

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(d) Failure or delay on the part of any Lender to demand compensation pursuant to this Section shall not constitute a waiver of such Lender’s right to demand such compensation; provided that the Borrower shall not be required to compensate a Lender pursuant to this Section for any increased costs or reductions incurred more than 180 days prior to the date that such Lender notifies the Borrower of the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions and of such Lender’s intention to claim compensation therefor; provided further that, if the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions is retroactive, then the 180-day period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof.

 

SECTION 2.13. Break Funding Payments. In the event of (a) the payment of any principal of any Eurodollar Loan other than on the last day of an Interest Period applicable thereto (including as a result of an Event of Default), (b) the conversion of any Eurodollar Loan other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto, (c) the failure to borrow, convert, continue or prepay any Eurodollar Loan on the date specified in any notice delivered pursuant hereto (regardless of whether such notice may be revoked under Section 2.07 and is revoked in accordance therewith), or (d) the assignment of any Eurodollar Loan other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto as a result of a request by the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.16, then, in any such event, the Borrower shall compensate each Lender for the loss, cost and expense attributable to such event. In the case of a Eurodollar Loan, such loss, cost or expense to any Lender shall be deemed to include an amount determined by such Lender to be the excess, if any, of (i) the amount of interest which would have accrued on the principal amount of such Loan had such event not occurred, at the Adjusted LIBO Rate that would have been applicable to such Loan, for the period from the date of such event to the last day of the then current Interest Period therefor (or, in the case of a failure to borrow, convert or continue, for the period that would have been the Interest Period for such Loan), over (ii) the amount of interest which would accrue on such principal amount for such period at the interest rate which such Lender would bid were it to bid, at the commencement of such period, for dollar deposits of a comparable amount and period from other banks in the eurodollar market. A certificate of any Lender setting forth any amount or amounts that such Lender is entitled to receive pursuant to this Section shall be delivered to the Borrower and shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrower shall pay such Lender the amount shown as due on any such certificate within 10 days after receipt thereof.

 

SECTION 2.14. Taxes. (a) Any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower hereunder shall be made free and clear of and without deduction for any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes; provided that if the Borrower shall be required to deduct any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes from such payments, then (i) the sum payable shall be increased as necessary so that after making all required deductions (including deductions applicable to additional sums payable under this Section) the Administrative Agent or Lender (as the case may be) receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such deductions been made, (ii) the Borrower shall make such deductions and (iii) the Borrower shall pay the full amount deducted to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable Law.

 

(b) In addition, the Borrower shall pay any Other Taxes to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable Law.

 

(c) The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent and each Lender, within 10 days after written demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes paid by the Administrative Agent or such Lender, as the case may be, on or with respect to any payment by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower hereunder (including Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this Section) and any penalties, interest and reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto (except as a result that such sums were imposed as a result of the willful misconduct or gross negligence of the Administrative Agent or such

 

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Lender, as applicable, as finally determined by a court of competent jurisdiction), whether or not such Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to the Borrower by a Lender, or by the Administrative Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of a Lender, shall be conclusive absent manifest error. Neither the Administrative Agent nor any Lender shall be entitled to receive any payment with respect to the Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes that are incurred or accrued more than 180 days prior to the date the Administrative Agent or such Lender, as applicable, gives notice thereof and demand therefor to the Borrower.

 

(d) As soon as practicable after any payment of Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes by the Borrower to a Governmental Authority, the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent the original or a certified copy of a receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy of the return reporting such payment or other evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

 

(e) Any Foreign Lender that is entitled to an exemption from or reduction of withholding tax under the law of the jurisdiction in which the Borrower is located, or any treaty to which such jurisdiction is a party, with respect to payments under this Agreement shall deliver to the Borrower (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), at the time or times prescribed by applicable Law, such properly completed and executed documentation prescribed by applicable Law or reasonably requested by the Borrower as will permit such payments to be made without withholding or at a reduced rate.

 

(f) If the Administrative Agent or a Lender determines, in its sole discretion, that it has received a refund of any Taxes or Other Taxes as to which it has been indemnified by the Borrower or with respect to which the Borrower has paid additional amounts pursuant to this Section 2.14, it shall pay over such refund to the Borrower (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made, or additional amounts paid, by the Borrower under this Section 2.14 with respect to the Taxes or Other Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses of the Administrative Agent or such Lender and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund); provided, that the Borrower, upon the request of the Administrative Agent or such Lender, agrees to repay the amount paid over to the Borrower (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) to the Administrative Agent or such Lender in the event the Administrative Agent or such Lender is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority. This Section shall not be construed to require the Administrative Agent or any Lender to make available its tax returns (or any other information relating to its taxes which it deems confidential) to the Borrower or any other Person.

 

SECTION 2.15. Payments Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Set-offs. (a) The borrowing by the Borrower from the Lenders hereunder shall be made pro rata according to the respective Applicable Percentages of the Lenders. Each payment by the Borrower of interest in respect of the Loans and each payment in respect of fees payable hereunder shall be applied to the amounts of such obligations owing to the Lenders pro rata according to the respective amounts then due and owing to the Lenders.

 

(b) Each payment (including each prepayment) of the Loans shall be allocated among the Lenders pro rata based on the principal amount of the Loans held by the Lenders. Amounts prepaid on account of the Loans may not be reborrowed.

 

(c) The application of any payment of the Loans (including optional and mandatory prepayments) shall be made, first, to ABR Loans and, second, to Eurodollar Loans. Each payment of the Loans shall be accompanied by accrued interest to the date of such payment on the amount paid.

 

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(d) All payments (including prepayments) to be made by the Borrower hereunder, whether on account of principal, interest, fees or otherwise, shall be made without setoff or counterclaim and shall be made prior to 12:00 Noon, New York City time, on the due date thereof to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the Lenders, at the Payment Office, in Dollars and in immediately available funds. Any payment made by the Borrower after 12:00 Noon, New York City time, on any Business Day shall, in the discretion of the Administrative Agent, be deemed to have been on the next following Business Day. The Administrative Agent shall distribute such payments to the Lenders promptly upon receipt in like funds as received. If any payment hereunder (other than payments on the Eurodollar Loans) becomes due and payable on a day other than a Business Day, such payment shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day. If any payment on a Eurodollar Loan becomes due and payable on a day other than a Business Day, the maturity thereof shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless the result of such extension would be to extend such payment into another calendar month, in which event such payment shall be made on the immediately preceding Business Day. In the case of any extension of any payment of the principal pursuant to the preceding two sentences, interest thereon shall be payable at the then applicable rate during such extension.

 

(e) Unless the Administrative Agent shall have been notified in writing by any Lender prior to the Closing Date that such Lender will not make the amount that would constitute its share of the Loans available to the Administrative Agent, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender is making such amount available to the Administrative Agent, and the Administrative Agent may, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the Borrower a corresponding amount. If such amount is not made available to the Administrative Agent by the required time on Closing Date, such Lender shall pay to the Administrative Agent, on demand, such amount with interest thereon at a rate equal to the greater of (i) to the Federal Funds Effective Rate and (ii) a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation, for the period until such Lender makes such amount immediately available to the Administrative Agent. A certificate of the Administrative Agent submitted to any Lender with respect to any amounts owing under this paragraph shall be conclusive in the absence of manifest error.

 

(f) Unless the Administrative Agent shall have been notified in writing by the Borrower prior to the date of any payment due to be made by the Borrower hereunder that the Borrower will not make such payment to the Administrative Agent, the Administrative Agent may assume that the Borrower is making such payment, and the Administrative Agent may, but shall not be required to, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the Lenders their pro rata shares of a corresponding amount. If such payment is not made to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower within three Business Days after such due date, the Administrative Agent shall be entitled to recover, on demand, from each Lender to which any amount which was made available pursuant to the preceding sentence, such amount with interest thereon at the rate per annum equal to the daily average Federal Funds Effective Rate. Nothing herein shall be deemed to limit the rights of the Administrative Agent or any Lender against the Borrower.

 

SECTION 2.16. Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders. (a) If any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.12, or if the Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.14, then such Lender shall use reasonable efforts to designate a different lending office for funding or booking its Loans hereunder or to assign its rights and obligations hereunder to another of its offices, branches or affiliates, if, in the judgment of such Lender, such designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant to Section 2.12 or 2.14, as the case may be, in the future and (ii) would not subject such Lender to any un-reimbursed cost or expense and would not otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender. The Borrower hereby agrees to pay all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by any Lender in connection with any such designation or assignment.

 

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(b) If any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.12, or if the Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.14, or if any Lender defaults in its obligation to fund Loans hereunder, then the Borrower may, at its sole expense and effort, upon notice to such Lender and the Administrative Agent, require such Lender to assign and delegate, without recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in Section 9.04), all its interests, rights and obligations under this Agreement to an assignee that shall assume such obligations (which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment); provided that (i) the Borrower shall have received the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, which consent shall not unreasonably be withheld, (ii) such Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding principal of its Loans, accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other amounts payable to it hereunder, from the assignee (to the extent of such outstanding principal and accrued interest and fees) or the Borrower (in the case of all other amounts) and (iii) in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 2.12 or payments required to be made pursuant to Section 2.14, such assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation or payments. A Lender shall not be required to make any such assignment and delegation if, prior thereto, as a result of a waiver by such Lender or otherwise, the circumstances entitling the Borrower to require such assignment and delegation cease to apply.

 

ARTICLE III

 

Representations and Warranties

 

The Borrower represents and warrants to the Lenders that:

 

SECTION 3.01. Organization; Powers. Each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, has all requisite power and authority to carry on its business as now conducted and, except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, is qualified to do business in, and is in good standing in, every jurisdiction where such qualification is required.

 

SECTION 3.02. Authorization; Enforceability. The Transactions are within the Borrower’s limited partnership powers and have been duly authorized by all necessary limited partnership action. This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Borrower and constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Borrower, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and subject to general principles of equity, regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law.

 

SECTION 3.03. No Undisclosed Liabilities. The Borrower and its Subsidiaries have no material liabilities or obligations of any nature except for (a) liabilities or obligations reflected or reserved against in the Financial Statements or in the financial statements most recently delivered by the Borrower pursuant to Section 5.01, (b) current liabilities incurred in the ordinary course of business since the date of such financial statements, (c) liabilities or obligations that are not required to be included in financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP, and (d) those set forth in Schedule 3.03 attached to this Agreement or previously disclosed in the Borrower’s filings with the SEC.

 

SECTION 3.04. Governmental Approvals; No Conflicts. The Transactions (a) as of the Closing Date, will not require any consent or approval of, registration or filing with, or any other action by, any Governmental Authority, except such as have been obtained or made and are in full force and

 

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effect, (b) will not violate any applicable law or regulation or the charter, by-laws or other organizational documents of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or any order of any Governmental Authority, (c) will not violate or result in a default under any indenture, agreement or other instrument binding upon the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or its assets, or give rise to a right thereunder to require any payment to be made by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, and (d) will not result in the creation or imposition of any Lien on any asset of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries.

 

SECTION 3.05. Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Change. (a) The Borrower has heretofore furnished to the Lenders its consolidated balance sheet and statements of income and cash flows (i) as of and for the fiscal year ended 2003, reported on by Ernst & Young LLP, independent public accountants, and (ii) as of and for the fiscal quarter and the portion of the fiscal year ended June 30, 2004, certified by its chief financial officer. Such financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position and results of operations and cash flows of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries as of such dates and for such periods in accordance with GAAP, subject to year end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes in the case of the statements referred to in clause (ii) above.

 

(b) The unaudited pro forma consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries as at June 30, 2004 (including the notes thereto) ( the “Pro Forma Balance Sheet”), copies of which have heretofore been furnished to each Lender, has been prepared giving effect (as if such event had occurred on such date) to (i) the consummation of the Acquisition, (ii) the Loans to be made on the Closing Date and the use of proceeds thereof and (iii) the payment of fees and expenses in connection with the foregoing. The Pro Forma Balance Sheet has been prepared based on the best information available to the Borrower as of the date of delivery thereof, and presents fairly on a pro forma basis the estimated financial position of Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries as at June 30, 2004, assuming that the events specified in the preceding sentence had actually occurred at such date.

 

(c) Since December 31, 2003, no event has occurred that could reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

SECTION 3.06. Properties. (a) Each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries has good title to, or valid leasehold interests in, all its real and personal property material to its business, except for such defects in title that would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(b) Each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries owns, or is licensed to use, all trademarks, tradenames, copyrights, patents and other intellectual property material to its business, and the use thereof by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries does not infringe upon the rights of any other Person, except for any such infringements that, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

SECTION 3.07. Litigation and Environmental Matters. (a) There are no actions, suits or proceedings by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority pending against or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened against or affecting the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (i) as to which there is a reasonable possibility of an adverse determination and that, if adversely determined, would reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect (other than the Disclosed Matters) or (ii) that involve this Agreement or, as of the Closing Date, the Transactions.

 

(b) Except for the Disclosed Matters and except with respect to any other matters that, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries (i) has failed to comply with any Environmental Law or to obtain, maintain or comply with any permit, license or other approval required under any

 

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Environmental Law, (ii) has become subject to any Environmental Liability, (iii) has received written notice of any claim with respect to any Environmental Liability or (iv) knows of any reasonable basis for any Environmental Liability.

 

(c) Since the date of this Agreement, there has been no change in the status of the Disclosed Matters that, individually or in the aggregate, has resulted in, or materially increased the likelihood of, a Material Adverse Effect.

 

SECTION 3.08. Compliance with Laws and Agreements. Each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries is in compliance with all laws, regulations and orders of any Governmental Authority applicable to it or its property and all indentures, agreements and other instruments binding upon it or its property, except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

SECTION 3.09. Investment and Holding Company Status. Neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries is (a) an “investment company” as defined in, or subject to regulation under, the Investment Company Act of 1940 or (b) a “holding company” as defined in, or subject to regulation under, the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935.

 

SECTION 3.10. Taxes. Each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries has timely filed or caused to be filed all Tax returns and reports required to have been filed and has paid or caused to be paid all Taxes required to have been paid by it, except (a) Taxes that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which the Borrower or such Subsidiary, as applicable, has set aside on its books adequate reserves or (b) to the extent that the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

SECTION 3.11. ERISA. No ERISA Event has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur that, when taken together with all other such ERISA Events for which liability is reasonably expected to occur, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The present value of all accumulated benefit obligations under each Plan (based on the assumptions used for purposes of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 87) did not, as of the date of the most recent financial statements reflecting such amounts, exceed the fair market value of the assets of such Plan by an amount that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and the present value of all accumulated benefit obligations of all underfunded Plans (based on the assumptions used for purposes of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 87) did not, as of the date of the most recent financial statements reflecting such amounts, exceed the fair market value of the assets of all such underfunded Plans by an amount that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

SECTION 3.12. Disclosure. The Borrower has disclosed to the Lenders all agreements, instruments and corporate or other restrictions to which it or any of its Subsidiaries is subject, and all other matters known to it, that, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. No reports, financial statements, certificates or other information furnished by or on behalf of the Borrower to the Administrative Agent or any Lender in connection with the negotiation of this Agreement or delivered hereunder (as modified or supplemented by other information so furnished) contains any material misstatement of fact or omits to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that, with respect to pro forma and projected financial information, the Borrower represents only that such information was prepared in good faith based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable at the time.

 

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SECTION 3.13. Labor Matters. There are no strikes, lockouts or slowdowns against the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The hours worked by and payments made to employees of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries have not been in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act or any other Law dealing with such matters to the extent that such violation could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

SECTION 3.14. Subsidiaries. Schedule 3.14 lists, for each Subsidiary of the Borrower as of the date hereof, its full legal name, its jurisdiction of organization, the number of shares of capital stock or other Equity Interests outstanding and the owner(s) of such shares or Equity Interests.

 

SECTION 3.15. Margin Stock. Neither the Borrower nor any Subsidiary is engaged principally, or as one of its important activities, in the business of extending credit for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation T, U or X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System), and no part of the proceeds of any Loan will be used to purchase or carry any margin stock in violation of said Regulation T, U or X or to extend credit to others for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock in violation of said Regulation T, U or X.

 

SECTION 3.16. Licenses and Permits. Each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries possess all licenses, permits, authorizations, registrations, approvals and similar rights necessary under Law for such Person to conduct its operations as now being conducted, each of such licenses, permits, authorizations, registrations, approvals and similar rights is valid and subsisting, in full force and effect and enforceable by such Person, and such Person is in compliance with all terms, conditions or other provisions of such permits, authorizations, registrations, approvals and similar rights except where such failure to possess or such noncompliance would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

SECTION 3.17. Reportable Transaction. The Borrower does not intend to treat the Loans as being a “reportable transaction” (within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.6011-4). In the event the Borrower determines to take any action inconsistent with such intention, it will promptly notify the Administrative Agent thereof. Furthermore, the Borrower acknowledges that one or more of the Lenders may treat its Loans as part of a transaction that is subject to Treasury Regulation Section 1.6011-4 or Section ###-###-####-1, and the Administrative Agent and such Lender or Lenders, as applicable, may file such IRS forms or maintain such lists and other records as they may determine are required by such Treasury Regulations.

 

SECTION 3.18. Lien Filings. Schedule 3.18 attached hereto lists all of the jurisdictions in which liens have been filed in connection with the Note Purchase Agreement.

 

SECTION 3.19. Use of Proceeds. The Proceeds of the Loans shall be used to finance a portion of the Acquisition and to pay related fees and expenses.

 

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ARTICLE IV

 

Conditions

 

SECTION 4.01. Closing Date. The agreement of each Lender to make its Loan on the Closing Date is subject to the satisfaction (or waiver in accordance with Section 9.02), prior to or concurrently with the making of such Loan on the Closing Date, of the following conditions precedent:

 

(a) The Administrative Agent (or its counsel) shall have received from each party hereto either (i) a counterpart of this Agreement and all other documents required by Lender in connection with this Agreement signed on behalf of such party or (ii) written evidence satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (which may include telecopy transmission of a signed signature page of this Agreement) that such party has signed a counterpart of this Agreement and all other documents required by Lender in connection with this Agreement.

 

(b) The Administrative Agent shall have received a favorable written opinion (addressed to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders and dated the Closing Date) of Vinson Elkins, LLP, counsel for the Borrower, substantially in the form of Exhibit B, and covering such other matters relating to the Borrower, this Agreement or the Transactions as the Required Lenders shall reasonably request. The Borrower hereby requests such counsel to deliver such opinion.

 

(c) The Administrative Agent shall have received a favorable written opinion (addressed to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders and dated the Closing Date) of the general counsel of the Borrower, substantially in the form of Exhibit C, and covering such other matters relating to the Borrower, this Agreement or the Transactions as the Required Lenders shall reasonably request.

 

(d) The Administrative Agent shall have received such documents and certificates as the Administrative Agent or its counsel may reasonably request relating to the organization, existence and good standing of the Borrower and the General Partner, the authorization of the Transactions and any other legal matters relating to the Borrower and the General Partner, this Agreement or the Transactions, all in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and its counsel.

 

(e) All governmental and third party approvals necessary in connection with the Transactions shall have been obtained and be in full force and effect.

 

(f) The Administrative Agent shall have received true and correct copies, certified as to authenticity by the Borrower, of (i) the Existing Credit Agreement and the Note Purchase Agreement, (ii) the Acquisition Agreement and (iii) such other documents or instruments as may be reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent.

 

(g) The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate, dated the Closing Date and signed by the President, a Vice President or a Financial Officer of the Borrower, confirming compliance with the conditions set forth in paragraphs (j) and (k) of this Section.

 

(h) The Administrative Agent and the Arranger shall have received all fees and other amounts due and payable on or prior to the Closing Date, including, to the extent invoiced, reimbursement or payment of all out of pocket expenses required to be reimbursed or paid by the Borrower hereunder.

 

(i) The Lenders shall have received (i) satisfactory audited consolidated financial statements of the Borrower for the two (2) most recent fiscal years ended prior to the Closing Date as to which such financial statements are available, (ii) satisfactory unaudited interim consolidated financial statements of the Borrower for each quarterly period ended subsequent to the date of the latest financial statements delivered pursuant to clause (i) immediately above as to which such financial statements are available and (iii) the Pro Forma Balance Sheet.

 

(j) Each of the representations and warranties made by the Borrower in or pursuant to this Agreement shall be true and correct as on and as of the Closing Date as if made on and as of the Closing Date.

 

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(k) No Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing on the Closing Date after giving effect to the extensions of credit requested to be made on such date.

 

ARTICLE V

 

Affirmative Covenants

 

So long as any Loan or other amount is owing to any Lender or any Agent hereunder, the Borrower covenants and agrees that:

 

SECTION 5.01. Financial Statements; Ratings Change and Other Information. The Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent and each Lender:

 

(a) within 90 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Borrower, on EDGAR (or upon the request of any Lender, the Borrower shall provide a copy of such statement or report described above to any Lender that does not have access to EDGAR), its audited consolidated balance sheet and related statements of income, partners’ equity and cash flows as of the end of and for such year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the previous fiscal year, all reported on by Ernst & Young LLP or other independent public accountants of recognized national standing (without a “going concern” or like qualification or exception and without any qualification or exception as to the scope of such audit) to the effect that such consolidated financial statements present fairly in all material respects the financial condition and results of operations of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied;

 

(b) within 45 days after the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year of the Borrower on EDGAR (or upon the request of any Lender, the Borrower shall provide a copy of such statement or report described above to any Lender that does not have access to EDGAR), its consolidated balance sheet and related statements of income and cash flows as of the end of and for such fiscal quarter and the then elapsed portion of the fiscal year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the corresponding period or periods of (or, in the case of the balance sheet, as of the end of) the previous fiscal year, all certified by one of its Financial Officers as presenting fairly in all material respects the financial condition and results of operations of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied, subject to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes;

 

(c) concurrently with any delivery of financial statements under clause (a) or (b) above, a certificate of a Financial Officer of the Borrower (i) certifying as to whether a Default has occurred and, if a Default has occurred, specifying the details thereof and any action taken or proposed to be taken with respect thereto, (ii) setting forth reasonably detailed calculations demonstrating compliance with Section 6.15 and Section 6.16, and (iii) stating whether any change in GAAP or in the application thereof has occurred since the date of the last audited financial statements delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(a) above and, if any such change has occurred, specifying the effect of such change on the financial statements accompanying such certificate;

 

(d) concurrently with any delivery of financial statements under clause (a) above, a certificate of the accounting firm that reported on such financial statements stating whether they obtained knowledge during the course of their examination of such financial statements of any Default (which certificate may be limited to the extent required by accounting rules or guidelines);

 

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(e) promptly after the same become publicly available, on EDGAR (or upon the request of any Lender, the Borrower shall provide a copy of such statement or report described above to any Lender that does not have access to EDGAR) copies of all periodic and other reports, proxy statements and other materials filed by the Borrower or any Subsidiary with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or any Governmental Authority succeeding to any or all of the functions of said Commission, or with any national securities exchange, as the case may be;

 

(f) promptly after Moody’s or S&P shall have announced a change in the rating established for the Index Debt, written notice of such rating change; and

 

(g) promptly following any request therefor, such other information regarding the operations, business affairs and financial condition of the Borrower or any Subsidiary, or compliance with the terms of this Agreement, as the Administrative Agent or any Lender may reasonably request.

 

SECTION 5.02. Notices of Material Events. The Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent and each Lender prompt written notice of the following:

 

(a) the occurrence of any Default of which the Borrower has notice;

 

(b) the filing or commencement of any action, suit or proceeding by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority against or affecting the Borrower or any Subsidiary thereof that, if adversely determined, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect;

 

(c) the occurrence of any ERISA Event that, alone or together with any other ERISA Events that have occurred, could reasonably be expected to result in liability of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in an aggregate amount that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and

 

(d) any other development that results in, or could reasonably be expected to result in, a Material Adverse Effect.

 

Each notice delivered under this Section shall be accompanied by a statement of a Financial Officer or other executive officer of the Borrower setting forth the details of the event or development requiring such notice and any action taken or proposed to be taken with respect thereto.

 

SECTION 5.03. Existence; Conduct of Business. The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve, renew and keep in full force and effect its legal existence and the rights, licenses, permits, privileges and franchises material to the conduct of its business except where the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; provided that the foregoing shall not prohibit any merger, consolidation, liquidation or dissolution permitted under Section 6.03.

 

SECTION 5.04. Payment of Obligations. The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, pay its obligations, including Tax liabilities, that, if not paid, could result in a Material Adverse Effect before the same shall become delinquent or in default, except where (a) the validity or amount thereof is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings, (b) the Borrower or such Subsidiary has set aside on its books adequate reserves with respect thereto in accordance with GAAP or (c) the failure to make payment pending such contest could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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SECTION 5.05. Maintenance of Properties; Insurance. The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, (a) keep and maintain all property material to the conduct of its business in good working order and condition in accordance with industry practice, ordinary wear and tear excepted, and (b) maintain, with financially sound and reputable insurance companies, insurance in such amounts and against such risks as are customarily maintained by companies engaged in the same or similar businesses operating in the same or similar locations.

 

SECTION 5.06. Books and Records; Inspection Rights. The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, keep proper books of record and account in which full, true and correct entries are made of all dealings and transactions in relation to its business and activities. The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, permit any representatives designated by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, upon reasonable prior notice, to visit and inspect its properties subject to applicable safety rules and procedures, to examine and make extracts from its books and records, and to discuss its affairs, finances and condition with its officers and independent accountants, all at such reasonable times and as often as reasonably requested.

 

SECTION 5.07. Compliance with Laws. The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, comply with all laws, rules, regulations and orders of any Governmental Authority applicable to it or its property, except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

SECTION 5.08. Use of Proceeds. The proceeds of the Loans will be used only to finance the Acquisition and to pay related fees and expenses. No part of the proceeds of any Loan will be used, whether directly or indirectly, for any purpose that entails a violation of any of the regulations of the Board, including Regulations T, U and X.

 

SECTION 5.09. Compliance with ERISA. In addition to and without limiting the generality of Section 5.07, the Borrower shall, and shall cause its Subsidiaries to, (a) comply in all material respects with all applicable provisions of ERISA and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder with respect to all employee benefit plans (as defined in ERISA), (b) not take any action or fail to take action the result of which could be (i) a liability to the PBGC or (ii) a past due liability to any Multiemployer Plan, (c) not participate in any prohibited transaction that could result in any civil penalty under ERISA or any tax under the Code, and (d) operate each employee benefit plan in such a manner that will not incur any tax liability under Section 4980B of the Code or any liability to any qualified beneficiary as defined in Section 4980B of the Code except to the extent, in each case, where the failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The Borrower shall, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to, furnish to the Administrative Agent upon the Administrative Agent’s request such additional information about any employee benefit plan sponsored, maintained or contributed to by any of said Persons, as may be reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent.

 

SECTION 5.10. Intentionally Deleted.

 

SECTION 5.11. Compliance with Environmental Laws; Environmental Reports. In addition to and without limiting the generality of Section 5.07, the Borrower shall, and shall cause its Subsidiaries to, (a) comply in all material respects with all Environmental Laws applicable to its operations and real property except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; (b) obtain and renew all material

 

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Governmental Approvals required under Environmental Laws applicable to its operations and real property; and (c) conduct any Response legally required by Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in accordance with applicable Environmental Laws.

 

SECTION 5.12. Further Assurances. The Borrower will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, at its own cost and expense, to promptly (a) correct any material defect or error that may be discovered in any Loan Document or in the execution, acknowledgment, filing or recordation thereof and (b) do, execute, acknowledge, deliver, record, re-record, file, re-file, register and re-register any and all such further acts, deeds, certificates, assurances and other instruments the Administrative Agent may reasonably require from time to time in order to carry out more effectively the purposes of the Loan Documents.

 

SECTION 5.13. Tax Shelter Regulations. If the Borrower determines to take any action inconsistent with Section 3.17, the Borrower will promptly notify the Administrative Agent thereof and will promptly deliver to the Administrative Agent a duly completed copy of IRS Form 8886 (or any successor form). The Borrower acknowledges that, upon any such notification, any Lender may treat its Loans hereunder as part of a transaction that is subject to Treasury Regulation Section ###-###-####-1, and such Lender will maintain the lists and other records required by such Treasury Regulation.

 

ARTICLE VI

 

Negative Covenants

 

So long as any Loan or any other amount is owing to any Lender or any Agent hereunder, the Borrower covenants and agrees that:

 

SECTION 6.01. Indebtedness. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Indebtedness, except:

 

(a) Indebtedness created hereunder or under the Existing Credit Agreement;

 

(b) unsecured Indebtedness of the Borrower so long as the incurrence or maintenance of such Indebtedness does not cause a Default or an Event of Default under any other provision of this Agreement;

 

(c) Indebtedness existing on the date hereof and set forth in Schedule 6.01, and any extensions, refinancing (excluding refinancings of the Series B Notes issued pursuant to the Note Purchase Agreement), renewals or replacements of any such Indebtedness; provided that such Indebtedness is not increased in connection therewith except for increases in an amount equal to a reasonable premium or other reasonable amount paid, and fees and expenses reasonably incurred, in connection with such extension, renewal, refinancing, or replacement and in an amount equal to any existing commitments unutilized thereunder, and is not secured by any additional assets;

 

(d) purchase money Indebtedness (including Capital Lease Obligations) of the Restricted Subsidiaries representing the portion of the purchase price of any office equipment, data processing equipment (including, without limitation, computer and computer peripheral equipment), trucks, tractors, trailers and other transportation equipment which may be secured by Liens permitted under Section 6.02(d); provided that the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness permitted by this clause (d) shall not exceed $25,000,000 at any time outstanding;

 

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(e) Indebtedness of the Borrower to any Restricted Subsidiary and of any Restricted Subsidiary to the Borrower or any other Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(f) Guarantees by the Borrower of Indebtedness of any Restricted Subsidiary and by any Restricted Subsidiary of Indebtedness of the Borrower or any other Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(g) unsecured Indebtedness of the Restricted Subsidiaries; provided that (i) the incurrence or maintenance of such Indebtedness does not cause a Default or an Event of Default under any other provisions of this Agreement; and (ii) the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness permitted by this clause (g) shall not exceed $50,000,000 at any time outstanding;

 

(h) Indebtedness of Unrestricted Subsidiaries except to the extent such Indebtedness would also constitute Indebtedness of the Borrower and/or any Restricted Subsidiary (i.e., such Indebtedness is non recourse to Borrower and each of the Restricted Subsidiaries and their respective properties and assets); and

 

(i) Indebtedness consisting of surety bonds that the Borrower or any Subsidiary is required to obtain in order to comply with applicable Law or the requirements of any Governmental Authority in the ordinary course of business.

 

SECTION 6.02. Liens. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Lien on any property or asset now owned or hereafter acquired by it, or assign or sell any income or revenues (including accounts receivable) or rights in respect of any thereof, except:

 

(a) Permitted Encumbrances;

 

(b) any Lien on any property or asset of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary existing on the date hereof and set forth in Schedule 6.02; provided that (i) such Lien shall not apply to any other property or asset of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary and (ii) such Lien shall secure only those obligations which it secures on the date hereof and any extensions, renewals and replacements thereof;

 

(c) any Lien existing on any property or asset prior to the acquisition thereof by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary or existing on any property or asset of any Person that becomes a Restricted Subsidiary after the date hereof prior to the time such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary; provided that (i) such Lien is not created in contemplation of or in connection with such acquisition or such Person becoming a Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, (ii) such Lien shall not apply to any other property or assets of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary and (iii) such Lien shall secure only those obligations which it secures on the date of such acquisition or the date such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, and any extensions, renewals and replacements thereof;

 

(d) Liens securing the Indebtedness permitted by clause (d) of Section 6.01 and placed on the property described therein contemporaneously with the purchase thereof or within 90 days thereafter, by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to secure all or a portion of the purchase price thereof; provided that such Lien shall not extend to any other property or assets of the Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries;

 

(e) Liens on fixed or capital assets acquired, constructed or improved by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary; provided that (i) such security interests and the Indebtedness secured

 

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thereby are incurred prior to or within 180 days after such acquisition or the completion of such construction or improvement, (ii) the Indebtedness secured thereby does not exceed 90% of the cost of acquiring, constructing or improving such fixed or capital assets and (iii) such security interests shall not apply to any other property or assets of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(f) any interest or title of a lessor under any lease entered into by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of its business and covering only the assets so leased, and any interest of a landowner in the case of easements entered into by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of its business and covering only the property subject to the easement;

 

(g) Liens not otherwise permitted by this Section so long as the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the obligations secured thereby does not exceed (as to the Borrower and all its Restricted Subsidiaries) $10,000,000 at any one time;

 

(h) any Lien created or assumed by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in connection with the issuance of Indebtedness, the interest on which is excludable from gross income of the holder of such Debt pursuant to the Code, for the purpose of financing, in whole or in part, the acquisition or construction of property or assets to be used by the Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries;

 

(i) Liens on any additions, improvements, replacements, repairs, fixtures, appurtenances or component parts thereof attaching to or required to be attached to property or assets pursuant to the terms of any mortgage, pledge agreement, security agreement or other similar instrument, creating a Lien upon such property or asset otherwise permitted under this Section;

 

(j) any Liens arising out of the refinancing, extension, renewal or refunding of any Indebtedness secured by any Lien permitted by any of the foregoing clauses of this Section, provided that such Indebtedness is not increased except for increases in an amount equal to a reasonable premium or other reasonable amount paid, and fees and expenses reasonably incurred, in connection with such extension, renewal, refinancing, or replacement and in an amount equal to any existing commitments unutilized thereunder, and is not secured by any additional assets; and

 

(k) Liens securing the Indebtedness under the Note Purchase Agreement and/or the Existing Credit Agreement; provided that such Liens equally and ratably secure the Indebtedness and other obligations under this Agreement.

 

SECTION 6.03. Fundamental Changes. Except to the extent that such would not constitute a Change in Control, neither the Borrower nor any Restricted Subsidiary will merge or consolidate with or into any other Person unless (a) both before and after giving effect to such merger or consolidation, the exists no Default or Event of Default and (b) the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary is the surviving Person.

 

SECTION 6.04. Investments, Loans, Advances, Guarantees and Acquisitions. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, purchase, hold or acquire (including pursuant to any merger with any Person that was not a wholly-owned Restricted Subsidiary prior to such merger) any capital stock, evidences of indebtedness or other securities (including any option, warrant or other right to acquire any of the foregoing) of, make or permit to exist any loans or advances to, Guarantee any Indebtedness of, or make or permit to exist any investment or any other interest in, any other Person, or purchase or otherwise acquire (in one transaction or a series of transactions) any assets of any other Person constituting a business unit, except:

 

(a) Permitted Investments;

 

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(b) investments by the Borrower in the capital stock of its Restricted Subsidiaries;

 

(c) investments by the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries in its Unrestricted Subsidiaries and/or Permitted Joint Ventures; provided that the aggregate amount of investments permitted by this clause (c) shall not exceed $200,000,000 at anytime outstanding; provided that the limitation on investments in this clause (c) is not intended to limit Borrower’s ability to invest in Unrestricted Subsidiaries as set forth in clause (d) of this Section 6.04;

 

(d) investments by the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries in its Unrestricted Subsidiaries and/or Permitted Joint Ventures out of the net proceeds received by Borrower from the issuance of any Equity Interests of the Borrower;

 

(e) investments by Restricted Subsidiaries in Permitted Joint Ventures; provided that such Permitted Joint Ventures shall be deemed to be Restricted Subsidiaries for all purposes hereunder, except that for the purposes of calculating Consolidated EBITDA, Consolidated Net Income, Consolidated Interest Expense and Consolidated Indebtedness, the inclusion of the relevant financial data regarding such Permitted Joint Ventures shall be limited to the percentage Equity Interest in such Permitted Joint Ventures owned by such Restricted Subsidiaries;

 

(f) investments in Unrestricted Subsidiaries the proceeds of which shall be immediately used by such Unrestricted Subsidiary to repay outstanding Indebtedness of such Unrestricted Subsidiary; provided that the making of any such investment shall be deemed to be an election by Borrower to convert such Unrestricted Subsidiary into a Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to Section 9.16 without any further action of Borrower;

 

(g) loans or advances made by the Borrower to any Restricted Subsidiary and made by any Restricted Subsidiary to the Borrower or any other Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(h) Guarantees constituting Indebtedness permitted by Section 6.01;

 

(i) any purchases or other acquisitions of all or substantially all of the Equity Interests in any Person that, immediately upon consummation thereof, will be a Restricted Subsidiary (including, without limitation, as a result of a merger or consolidation otherwise permitted under this Agreement) and any purchases or other acquisition of any property or assets of any Person;

 

(j) investments consisting of non-cash consideration with respect to any sale of assets by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(k) investments consisting of extensions of credit, including without limitation, in the nature of accounts receivable arising from the grant of trade credit or prepayments or similar transactions entered into in the ordinary course of business and investments by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in satisfaction or partial satisfaction thereof from financially troubled account debtors to prevent or limit financial loss; and

 

(l) to the extent not prohibited by Law, loans and advances to the officers, directors and employees of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries made from time to time in the ordinary course of business; provided that the aggregate amount of investments permitted by this clause (l) shall not exceed $500,000 at anytime outstanding.

 

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SECTION 6.05. Swap Agreements. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, enter into any Swap Agreement, except (a) Swap Agreements entered into to hedge or mitigate risks to which the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary has actual exposure (other than those in respect of Equity Interests of the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries), and (b) Swap Agreements entered into in order to effectively cap, collar or exchange interest rates (from fixed to floating rates, from one floating rate to another floating rate or otherwise) with respect to any interest-bearing liability or investment of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary.

 

SECTION 6.06. Restricted Payments. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, declare or make, or agree to pay or make, directly or indirectly, any Restricted Payments, except that so long as no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing and provided that no Default or Event of Default would result from the making of such Restricted Payment:

 

(a) any Restricted Subsidiary may make Restricted Payments to the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(b) the Borrower may make Restricted Payments from Available Cash; and

 

(c) the Borrower may make Restricted Payments in connection with stock option plans or other benefit plans for management or employees of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries.

 

SECTION 6.07. Transactions with Affiliates. Except as otherwise permitted hereunder, the Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, sell, lease or otherwise transfer any property or assets to, or purchase, lease or otherwise acquire any property or assets from, or otherwise engage in any other transactions with, any of its Affiliates, except (a) in the ordinary course of business at prices and on terms and conditions not less favorable to the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary than could be obtained on an arm’s-length basis from unrelated third parties, including, without limitation, any transaction entered into pursuant to the Services Agreement or the Partnership Agreement, (b) transactions between or among the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries not involving any other Affiliate, and (c) any Restricted Payment permitted by Section 6.06.

 

SECTION 6.08. Restrictive Agreements. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, enter into, incur or permit to exist any agreement or other arrangement that prohibits, restricts or imposes any condition upon the ability of any Restricted Subsidiary to (a) make Restricted Payments, including, without limitation, to pay dividends or other distributions in respect of any Equity Interests of such Restricted Subsidiary, (b) make or repay loans or advances to the Borrower or any other Restricted Subsidiary, or (c) Guarantee Indebtedness of the Borrower or any other Restricted Subsidiary; provided that (i) the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions and conditions imposed by law or by this Agreement, (ii) the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions and conditions existing on the date hereof identified on Schedule 6.08 (but shall apply to any extension or renewal of, or any amendment or modification expanding the scope of, any such restriction or condition), (iii) the foregoing shall not apply to customary restrictions and conditions contained in agreements relating to the sale of a Restricted Subsidiary pending such sale, provided such restrictions and conditions apply only to the Restricted Subsidiary that is to be sold and such sale is permitted hereunder, and (iv) the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions and conditions contained in the Existing Credit Agreement (but shall apply to any extension or renewal of, or any amendment or modification expanding the scope of, any restrictions or conditions contained in the Existing Credit Agreement or any other documents entered

 

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into in connection therewith); provided that in no event shall such restrictions and conditions contained in the Existing Credit Agreement be more restrictive than the restrictions and conditions set forth in Section 6.06 of this Agreement and this Section 6.08.

 

SECTION 6.09. Constitutive Documents. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, amend its charter or by-laws or other constitutive documents in any manner that would adversely and materially affect the rights of the Lenders under this Agreement or their ability to enforce the same. Notwithstanding the above, the Borrower shall comply with the terms and provisions of Section 2.9 and Section 12.9 of the Partnership Agreement and shall not amend, supplement or otherwise modify (pursuant to a waiver or otherwise) any of such Sections.

 

SECTION 6.10. Intentionally Deleted.

 

SECTION 6.11. Sales and Leasebacks. Except to the extent such leases in the aggregate would not require total payments of more than $10,000,000 per annum, the Borrower shall not, and shall not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, become or remain liable as lessee or as a guarantor or other surety with respect to any lease of any property (whether real, personal or mixed), whether now owned or hereafter acquired that (i) the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries has sold or transferred or is to sell or transfer to any other Person (other than the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries) or (ii) the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries intends to use for substantially the same purpose as any other property that has been or is to be sold or transferred by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to any Person (other than the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries) in connection with such lease.

 

SECTION 6.12. Changes in Fiscal Year. The Borrower shall not change the end of its fiscal year to a date other than December 31.

 

SECTION 6.13. Intentionally Deleted.

 

SECTION 6.14. Intentionally Deleted.

 

SECTION 6.15. Minimum Interest Coverage Ratio. The Borrower shall not permit the Interest Coverage Ratio as of the last day of any fiscal quarter to be less than 2.5 to 1.0.

 

SECTION 6.16. Maximum Leverage Ratio. The Borrower shall not permit the Leverage Ratio as of the last day of any fiscal quarter to exceed 4.5 to 1.0.

 

ARTICLE VII

 

Events of Default

 

If any of the following events (“Events of Default”) shall occur:

 

(a) the Borrower shall fail to pay any principal of any Loan when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at the due date thereof or at a date fixed for prepayment thereof or otherwise;

 

(b) the Borrower shall fail to pay any interest on any Loan or any fee or any other amount (other than an amount referred to in clause (a) of this Article) payable under this Agreement, when and as the same shall become due and payable, and such failure shall continue unremedied for a period of five Business Days;

 

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(c) any representation or warranty made or deemed made by or on behalf of the Borrower or any Subsidiary in or in connection with this Agreement or any amendment or modification hereof or waiver hereunder, or in any report, certificate, financial statement or other document furnished pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement or any amendment or modification hereof or waiver hereunder, shall prove to have been incorrect when made or deemed made;

 

(d) the Borrower shall fail to observe or perform any covenant, condition or agreement contained in Section 5.02, 5.03 (with respect to the Borrower’s existence) or 5.08 or in Article VI;

 

(e) the Borrower shall fail to observe or perform any covenant, condition or agreement contained in this Agreement (other than those specified in clause (a), (b) or (d) of this Article), and such failure shall continue unremedied for a period of 30 days after notice thereof from the Administrative Agent to the Borrower (which notice will be given at the request of any Lender);

 

(f) the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall fail to make any payment (whether of principal or interest and regardless of amount) in respect of any Material Indebtedness, when and as the same shall become due and payable;

 

(g) any event or condition occurs that results in any Material Indebtedness becoming due prior to its scheduled maturity or that enables or permits (with or without the giving of notice, the lapse of time or both) the holder or holders of any Material Indebtedness or any trustee or agent on its or their behalf to cause any Material Indebtedness to become due, or to require the prepayment, repurchase, redemption or defeasance thereof, prior to its scheduled maturity; provided that this clause (g) shall not apply to secured Indebtedness that becomes due as a result of the voluntary sale or transfer of the property or assets securing such Indebtedness;

 

(h) an involuntary proceeding shall be commenced or an involuntary petition shall be filed seeking (i) liquidation, reorganization or other relief in respect of the Borrower or any Subsidiary or its debts, or of a substantial part of its assets, under any Federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar law now or hereafter in effect or (ii) the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, sequestrator, conservator or similar official for the Borrower or any Subsidiary or for a substantial part of its assets, and, in any such case, such proceeding or petition shall continue undismissed for 60 days or an order or decree approving or ordering any of the foregoing shall be entered;

 

(i) the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall (i) voluntarily commence any proceeding or file any petition seeking liquidation, reorganization or other relief under any Federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar law now or hereafter in effect, (ii) consent to the institution of, or fail to contest in a timely and appropriate manner, any proceeding or petition described in clause (h) of this Article, (iii) apply for or consent to the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, sequestrator, conservator or similar official for the Borrower or any Subsidiary or for a substantial part of its assets, (iv) file an answer admitting the material allegations of a petition filed against it in any such proceeding, (v) make a general assignment for the benefit of creditors or (vi) take any action for the purpose of effecting any of the foregoing;

 

(j) the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall become unable, admit in writing its inability or fail generally to pay its debts as they become due;

 

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(k) one or more final non-appealable judgments for the payment of money in an aggregate amount in excess of $25,000,000 (net of insurance coverage which is reasonably expected to be paid by the insurer thereunder as confirmed by such insurer) shall be rendered against the Borrower, any Subsidiary or any combination thereof and the same shall remain undischarged for a period of 30 consecutive days during which execution shall not be effectively stayed, or any action shall be legally taken by a judgment creditor to attach or levy upon any assets of the Borrower or any Subsidiary to enforce any such judgment and is not released, vacated or fully bonded within 30 days after its attachment or levy;

 

(l) an ERISA Event shall have occurred that, in the opinion of the Required Lenders, when taken together with all other ERISA Events that have occurred, could reasonably be expected to result in liability of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in an aggregate amount that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;

 

(m) a Change in Control shall occur; or

 

(n) the failure of the Borrower to comply with the terms and provisions of Section 6.09.

 

then, and in every such event (other than an event with respect to the Borrower described in clause (h) or (i) of this Article), and at any time thereafter during the continuance of such event, the Administrative Agent may, and at the request of the Required Lenders shall, by notice to the Borrower, take the following actions: (i) at any time prior to the Closing Date, terminate the Commitments, and thereupon the Commitments shall terminate immediately, and (ii) at any time on or after the Closing Date, declare the Loans then outstanding to be due and payable in whole (or in part, in which case any principal not so declared to be due and payable may thereafter be declared to be due and payable), and thereupon the principal of the Loans so declared to be due and payable, together with accrued interest thereon and all fees and other obligations of the Borrower accrued hereunder, shall become due and payable immediately, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrower; and in case of any event with respect to the Borrower described in clause (h) or (i) of this Article, the Commitments shall automatically terminate (if such event occurs at any time prior to the Closing Date or the principal of the Loans then outstanding, together with accrued interest thereon and all fees and other obligations of the Borrower accrued hereunder, shall automatically become due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrower (if such event occurs at any time on or after the Closing Date).

 

ARTICLE VIII

 

The Agents

 

SECTION 8.01. Appointment. Each Lender hereby irrevocably designates and appoints the Agents as the agents of such Lender under this Agreement, and each Lender irrevocably authorizes each Agent, in such capacity, to take such action on its behalf under the provisions of this Agreement and to exercise such powers and perform such duties as are expressly delegated to such Agent by the terms of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, together with such other powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary elsewhere in this Agreement, no Agent shall have any duties or responsibilities, except those expressly set forth herein, or any fiduciary relationship with any Lender, and no implied covenants, functions, responsibilities, duties, obligations or liabilities shall be read into this Agreement or otherwise exist against any Agent.

 

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SECTION 8.02. Delegation of Duties. Each Agent may execute any of its duties under this Agreement by or through agents or attorneys-in-fact and shall be entitled to advice of counsel concerning all matters pertaining to such duties. No Agent shall be responsible for the negligence or misconduct of any agents or attorneys-in-fact selected by it with reasonable care.

 

SECTION 8.03. Exculpatory Provisions. Neither any Agent nor any of its officers, directors, employees, agents, attorneys-in-fact or affiliates shall be (i) liable for any action lawfully taken or omitted to be taken by it or such Person under or in connection with this Agreement (except to the extent that any of the foregoing are found by a final and nonappealable decision of a court of competent jurisdiction to have resulted from its or such Person’s own gross negligence or willful misconduct) or (ii) responsible in any manner to any of the Lenders for any recitals, statements, representations or warranties made by the Borrower or any officer thereof contained in this Agreement or in any certificate, report, statement or other document referred to or provided for in, or received by the Agents under or in connection with, this Agreement or for the value, validity, effectiveness, genuineness, enforceability or sufficiency of this Agreement or for any failure of the Borrower to perform its obligations hereunder or thereunder. The Agents shall not be under any obligation to any Lender to ascertain or to inquire as to the observance or performance of any of the agreements contained in, or conditions of, this Agreement, or to inspect the properties, books or records of the Borrower.

 

SECTION 8.04. Reliance by Agents. Each Agent shall be entitled to rely, and shall be fully protected in relying, upon any instrument, writing, resolution, notice, consent, certificate, affidavit, letter, telecopy, telex or teletype message, statement, order or other document or conversation believed by it to be genuine and correct and to have been signed, sent or made by the proper Person or Persons and upon advice and statements of legal counsel (including counsel to the Borrower), independent accountants and other experts selected by such Agent. The Agents may deem and treat the payee of any Note as the owner thereof for all purposes unless such Note shall have been transferred in accordance with Section 9.04 and all actions required by such Section in connection with such transfer shall have been taken. Each Agent shall be fully justified in failing or refusing to take any action under this Agreement unless it shall first receive such advice or concurrence of the Required Lenders (or, if so specified by this Agreement, all Lenders or any other instructing group of Lenders specified by this Agreement) as it deems appropriate or it shall first be indemnified to its satisfaction by the Lenders against any and all liability and expense that may be incurred by it by reason of taking or continuing to take any such action. Each Agent shall in all cases be fully protected in acting, or in refraining from acting, under this Agreement in accordance with a request of the Required Lenders (or, if so specified by this Agreement, all Lenders or any other instructing group of Lenders specified by this Agreement), and such request and any action taken or failure to act pursuant thereto shall be binding upon all the Lenders and all future holders of the Loans.

 

SECTION 8.05. Notice of Default. No Agent shall be deemed to have knowledge or notice of the occurrence of any Default or Event of Default hereunder unless such Agent shall have received notice from a Lender or the Borrower referring to this Agreement, describing such Default or Event of Default and stating that such notice is a “notice of default”. In the event that the Administrative Agent shall receive such a notice, the Administrative Agent shall give notice thereof to the Lenders. The Administrative Agent shall take such action with respect to such Default or Event of Default as shall be reasonably directed by the Required Lenders (or, if so specified by this Agreement, all Lenders or any other instructing group of Lenders specified by this Agreement); provided that unless and until the Administrative Agent shall have received such directions, the Administrative Agent may (but shall not be obligated to) take such action, or refrain from taking such action, with respect to such Default or Event of Default as it shall deem advisable in the best interests of the Lenders.

 

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SECTION 8.06. Non-Reliance on Agents and Other Lenders. Each Lender expressly acknowledges that neither any of the Agents nor any of their respective officers, directors, employees, agents, attorneys-in-fact or affiliates have made any representations or warranties to it and that no act by any Agent hereafter taken, including any review of the affairs of the Borrower or any affiliate of the Borrower, shall be deemed to constitute any representation or warranty by any Agent to any Lender. Each Lender represents to the Agents that it has, independently and without reliance upon any Agent or any other Lender, and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own appraisal of and investigation into the business, operations, property, financial and other condition and creditworthiness of the Borrower and its affiliates and made its own decision to make its Loans hereunder and enter into this Agreement. Each Lender also represents that it will, independently and without reliance upon any Agent or any other Lender, and based on such documents and information as it shall deem appropriate at the time, continue to make its own credit analysis, appraisals and decisions in taking or not taking action under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, and to make such investigation as it deems necessary to inform itself as to the business, operations, property, financial and other condition and creditworthiness of the Borrower and its affiliates. Except for notices, reports and other documents expressly required to be furnished to the Lenders by the Administrative Agent hereunder, no Agent shall have any duty or responsibility to provide any Lender with any credit or other information concerning the business, operations, property, condition (financial or otherwise), prospects or creditworthiness of the Borrower or any affiliate of the Borrower that may come into the possession of such Agent or any of its officers, directors, employees, agents, attorneys-in-fact or affiliates.

 

SECTION 8.07. Indemnification. The Lenders agree to indemnify each Agent in its capacity as such (to the extent not reimbursed by the Borrower and without limiting the obligation of the Borrower to do so), ratably according to their respective Applicable Percentages in effect on the date on which indemnification is sought under this Section (or, if indemnification is sought after the date upon which the Commitments shall have terminated and the Loans shall have been paid in full, ratably in accordance with such Loan Percentages immediately prior to such date), for, and to save each Agent harmless from and against, any and all liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses or disbursements of any kind whatsoever that may at any time (including, without limitation, at any time following the payment of the Loans) be imposed on, incurred by or asserted against such Agent in any way relating to or arising out of, the Commitments, this Agreement or any documents contemplated by or referred to herein or therein or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby or any action taken or omitted by such Agent under or in connection with any of the foregoing; provided that no Lender shall be liable for the payment of any portion of such liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses or disbursements that are found by a final and nonappealable decision of a court of competent jurisdiction to have resulted from such Agent’s gross negligence or willful misconduct. The agreements in this Section shall survive the payment of the Loans and all other amounts payable hereunder.

 

SECTION 8.08. Agent in its Individual Capacity. Each Agent and its affiliates may make loans to, accept deposits from and generally engage in any kind of business with the Borrower as though such Agent were not an Agent. With respect to its Loans made or renewed by it, each Agent shall have the same rights and powers under this Agreement as any Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not an Agent, and the terms “Lender” and “Lenders” shall include each Agent in its individual capacity.

 

SECTION 8.09. Successor Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent may resign as Administrative Agent upon 10 days’ notice to the Lenders and the Borrower. If the Administrative Agent shall resign as Administrative Agent under this Agreement, then the Required Lenders shall appoint from among the Lenders a successor agent for the Lenders, which successor agent shall (unless an Event of Default under Section 7(a) or Section 7(h) with respect to the Borrower shall

 

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have occurred and be continuing) be subject to approval by the Borrower (which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed), whereupon such successor agent shall succeed to the rights, powers and duties of the Administrative Agent, and the term “Administrative Agent” shall mean such successor agent effective upon such appointment and approval, and the former Administrative Agent’s rights, powers and duties as Administrative Agent shall be terminated, without any other or further act or deed on the part of such former Administrative Agent or any of the parties to this Agreement or any holders of the Loans. If no successor agent has accepted appointment as Administrative Agent by the date that is 10 days following a retiring Administrative Agent’s notice of resignation, the retiring Administrative Agent’s resignation shall nevertheless thereupon become effective, and the Lenders shall assume and perform all of the duties of the Administrative Agent hereunder until such time, if any, as the Required Lenders appoint a successor agent as provided for above. After any retiring Administrative Agent’s resignation as Administrative Agent, the provisions of this Section 8 shall inure to its benefit as to any actions taken or omitted to be taken by it while it was Administrative Agent under this Agreement.

 

SECTION 8.10. The Arranger and the Syndication Agent. Neither the Arranger nor the Syndication Agent, in their respective capacities as such, shall have any duties or responsibilities, nor shall either of them incur any liability, under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents.

 

ARTICLE IX

 

Miscellaneous

 

SECTION 9.01. Notices. (a) Except in the case of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone (and subject to paragraph (b) below), all notices and other communications provided for herein shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or overnight courier service, mailed by certified or registered mail or sent by telecopy, as follows:

 

(i) if to the Borrower, to it at One Williams Center, Suite 2800, Tulsa, Oklahoma, 74172, Attention of Jeff Holman (Telecopy No. (918) 574-7003);

 

(ii) if to the Administrative Agent, to Lehman Commercial Paper Inc., 745 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York 10019, Attention of Francis Chang (Telecopy No. (646) 758-3864);

 

(iii) If to the Syndication Agent, to Lehman Commercial Paper Inc., 745 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York 10019, Attention of Francis Chang (Telecopy No. (646) 758-3864); and

 

(iv) if to any other Lender, to it at its address (or telecopy number) set forth in its Administrative Questionnaire.

 

(b) Notices and other communications to the Lenders hereunder may be delivered or furnished by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent; provided that the foregoing shall not apply to notices pursuant to Article II unless otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent and the applicable Lender. The Administrative Agent or the Borrower may, in its discretion, agree to accept notices and other communications to it hereunder by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by it; provided that approval of such procedures may be limited to particular notices or communications.

 

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(c) Any party hereto may change its address or telecopy number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto. All notices and other communications given to any party hereto in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed to have been given on the date of receipt.

 

SECTION 9.02. Waivers; Amendments. (a) No failure or delay by the Administrative Agent or any Lender in exercising any right or power hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right or power, or any abandonment or discontinuance of steps to enforce such a right or power, preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right or power. The rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders hereunder are cumulative and are not exclusive of any rights or remedies that they would otherwise have. No waiver of any provision of this Agreement or consent to any departure by the Borrower therefrom shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be permitted by paragraph (b) of this Section, and then such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the purpose for which given. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the making of a Loan shall not be construed as a waiver of any Default, regardless of whether the Administrative Agent or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of such Default at the time.

 

(b) Neither this Agreement nor any provision hereof may be waived, amended or modified except pursuant to an agreement or agreements in writing entered into by the Borrower and the Required Lenders or by the Borrower and the Administrative Agent with the consent of the Required Lenders; provided that no such agreement shall (i) increase the Commitment of any Lender without the written consent of such Lender, (ii) reduce the principal amount of any Loan or reduce the rate of interest thereon, or reduce any fees payable hereunder, without the written consent of each Lender affected thereby, (iii) postpone the scheduled date of payment of the principal amount of any Loan, or any interest thereon, or any fees payable hereunder, or reduce the amount of, waive or excuse any such payment, or extend the expiration date of any Commitment, without the written consent of each Lender affected thereby, (iv) change Section 2.15(c) in a manner that would alter the pro rata sharing of payments required thereby, without the written consent of each Lender, or (v) change any of the provisions of this Section or the definition of “Required Lenders” or any other provision hereof specifying the number or percentage of Lenders required to waive, amend or modify any rights hereunder or make any determination or grant any consent hereunder, without the written consent of each Lender; provided further that no such agreement shall amend, modify or otherwise affect the rights or duties of the Administrative Agent hereunder without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent.

 

SECTION 9.03. Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver. (a) The Borrower shall pay (i) all reasonable out of pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates, including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of counsel for the Administrative Agent, in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein, the preparation and administration of this Agreement or any amendments, modifications or waivers of the provisions hereof (whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be consummated) and (ii) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Agents or any Lender, including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for the Administrative Agent or any Lender, in connection with the enforcement or protection of its rights in connection with this Agreement, including its rights under this Section, or in connection with the Loans made, including all such out-of pocket expenses incurred during any workout, restructuring or negotiations in respect of such Loans.

 

(b) The Borrower shall indemnify the Agents and each Lender, and each Related Party of any of the foregoing Persons (each such Person being called an “Indemnitee”) against, and hold each Indemnitee harmless from, any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and related expenses, including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for any Indemnitee, incurred by or asserted against

 

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any Indemnitee arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of (i) the execution or delivery of this Agreement or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby, the performance by the parties hereto of their respective obligations hereunder or the consummation of the Transactions or any other transactions contemplated hereby, (ii) any Loan or the use of the proceeds therefrom, (iii) any actual or alleged presence or release of Hazardous Materials on or from any property owned or operated by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or any Environmental Liability related in any way to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or (iv) any actual or prospective claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding relating to any of the foregoing, whether based on contract, tort or any other theory and regardless of whether any Indemnitee is a party thereto; provided that such indemnity shall not, as to any Indemnitee, be available to the extent that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or related expenses are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and non-appealable judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee.

 

(c) To the extent that the Borrower fails to pay any amount required to be paid by it to the Administrative Agent under paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section, each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent such Lender’s Applicable Percentage (determined as of the time that the applicable un-reimbursed expense or indemnity payment is sought) of such unpaid amount; provided that the un-reimbursed expense or indemnified loss, claim, damage, liability or related expense, as the case may be, was incurred by or asserted against the Administrative Agent in its capacity as such.

 

(d) To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Borrower shall not assert, and hereby waives, any claim against any Indemnitee, on any theory of liability, for special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages) arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of, this Agreement or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby, the Transactions, any Loan or the use of the proceeds thereof.

 

(e) All amounts due under this Section shall be payable not later than ten (10) days after written demand therefor.

 

SECTION 9.04. Successors and Assigns; Participations and Assignments. (a) This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Borrower, the Lenders, the Agents, all future holders of the Loans and their respective successors and assigns, except that the Borrower may not assign or transfer any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement without the prior written consent of the Agents and each Lender.

 

(b) Any Lender may, without the consent of the Borrower, in accordance with applicable law, at any time sell to one or more banks, financial institutions or other entities (each, a “Participant”) participating interests in any Loan owing to such Lender, any Commitment of such Lender or any other interest of such Lender hereunder and under the other Loan Documents. In the event of any such sale by a Lender of a participating interest to a Participant, such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement to the other parties to this Agreement shall remain unchanged, such Lender shall remain solely responsible for the performance thereof, such Lender shall remain the holder of any such Loan for all purposes under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, and the Borrower and the Agents shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents. In no event shall any Participant under any such participation have any right to approve any amendment or waiver of any provision of any Loan Document, or any consent to any departure by any Loan Party therefrom, except to the extent that such amendment, waiver or consent would require the consent of all Lenders pursuant to Section 9.02. The Borrower agrees that if amounts outstanding under this Agreement and the Loans are due or unpaid, or shall have been declared or shall have become due and payable upon the occurrence of an Event of Default, each Participant shall, to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, be deemed to have the right of setoff in respect of its

 

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participating interest in amounts owing under this Agreement to the same extent as if the amount of its participating interest were owing directly to it as a Lender under this Agreement, provided that, in purchasing such participating interest, such Participant shall be deemed to have agreed to share with the Lenders the proceeds thereof as provided in Section 9.08(a) as fully as if such Participant were a Lender hereunder. The Borrower also agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.12, 2.13 and 2.14 with respect to its participation in the Commitments and the Loans outstanding from time to time as if such Participant were a Lender; provided that, in the case of Section 2.13, such Participant shall have complied with the requirements of said Section, and provided, further, that no Participant shall be entitled to receive any greater amount pursuant to any such Section than the transferor Lender would have been entitled to receive in respect of the amount of the participation transferred by such transferor Lender to such Participant had no such transfer occurred.

 

(c) Any Lender (an “Assignor”) may, in accordance with applicable law and upon written notice to the Administrative Agent, at any time and from time to time assign to any Lender or any affiliate, Related Fund or Control Investment Affiliate thereof or, with the consent of the Borrower and the Agents (which, in each case, shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed), to an additional bank, financial institution or other entity (an “Assignee”) all or any part of its rights and obligations under this Agreement pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption, substantially in the form of Exhibit A, executed by such Assignee and such Assignor (and, where the consent of the Borrower or the Agents is required pursuant to the foregoing provisions, by the Borrower and such other Persons) and delivered to the Administrative Agent for its acceptance and recording in the Register; provided that no such assignment to an Assignee (other than any Lender or any affiliate thereof) shall be in an aggregate principal amount of less than $2,500,000 (other than in the case of an assignment of all of a Lender’s interests under this Agreement), unless otherwise agreed by the Borrower and the Administrative Agent. Upon such execution, delivery, acceptance and recording, from and after the effective date determined pursuant to such Assignment and Assumption, (x) the Assignee thereunder shall be a party hereto and, to the extent provided in such Assignment and Assumption, have the rights and obligations of a Lender hereunder with Commitments and/or Loans as set forth therein, and (y) the Assignor thereunder shall, to the extent provided in such Assignment and Assumption, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Assumption covering all of an Assignor’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Assignor shall cease to be a party hereto, except as to Sections 2.12, 2.13, 2.14 and 9.03 in respect of the period prior to such effective date). Notwithstanding any provision of this Section, the consent of the Borrower shall not be required for any assignment that occurs at any time when any Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing. For purposes of the minimum assignment amounts set forth in this paragraph, multiple assignments by two or more Related Funds shall be aggregated.

 

(d) The Administrative Agent shall, on behalf of the Borrower, maintain at its address referred to in Section 9.01 a copy of each Assignment and Assumption delivered to it and a register (the “Register”) for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders and the Commitment of, and principal amount of the Loans owing to, each Lender from time to time. The entries in the Register shall be conclusive, in the absence of manifest error, and the Borrower, each Agent and the Lenders shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register as the owner of the Loans and any Notes evidencing such Loans recorded therein for all purposes of this Agreement. Any assignment of any Loan, whether or not evidenced by a Note, shall be effective only upon appropriate entries with respect thereto being made in the Register (and each Note shall expressly so provide). Any assignment or transfer of all or part of a Loan evidenced by a Note shall be registered on the Register only upon surrender for registration of assignment or transfer of the Note evidencing such Loan, accompanied by a duly executed Assignment and Assumption; thereupon one or more new Notes in the same aggregate principal amount shall be issued to the designated Assignee, and the old Notes shall be returned by the Administrative Agent to the Borrower marked “canceled”. The Register shall be available for inspection by the Borrower or any Lender (with respect to any entry relating to such Lender’s Loans) at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.

 

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(e) Upon its receipt of an Assignment and Assumption executed by an Assignor and an Assignee (and, in any case where the consent of any other Person is required by Section 9.04(c), by each such other Person) together with payment to the Administrative Agent of a registration and processing fee of $3,500 (treating multiple, simultaneous assignments by or to two or more Related Funds as a single assignment) (except that no such registration and processing fee shall be payable (y) in connection with an assignment by or to a Lehman Entity or (z) in the case of an Assignee which is already a Lender or is an affiliate or Related Fund of a Lender or a Person under common management with a Lender), the Administrative Agent shall (i) promptly accept such Assignment and Assumption and (ii) on the effective date determined pursuant thereto record the information contained therein in the Register and give notice of such acceptance and recordation to the Borrower. On or prior to such effective date, the Borrower, at its own expense, upon request, shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent (in exchange for the Note of the assigning Lender) a new Note to the order of such Assignee in an amount equal to the Loans assumed or acquired by it pursuant to such Assignment and Assumption and, if the Assignor has retained Loans, upon request, a new Note to the order of the Assignor in an amount equal to the Loans retained by it hereunder. Such new Note or Notes shall be dated the Closing Date and shall otherwise be in the form of the Note or Notes replaced thereby.

 

(f) For avoidance of doubt, the parties to this Agreement acknowledge that the provisions of this Section concerning assignments of Loans and Notes relate only to absolute assignments and that such provisions do not prohibit assignments creating security interests in Loans and Notes, including, without limitation, any pledge or assignment by a Lender of any Loan or Note to any Federal Reserve Bank in accordance with applicable law.

 

(g) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, any Lender (a “Granting Lender”) may grant to a special purpose funding vehicle (an “SPC”), identified as such in writing from time to time by the Granting Lender to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, the option to provide to the Borrower all or any part of any Loan that such Granting Lender would otherwise be obligated to make to the Borrower pursuant to this Agreement; provided that (i) nothing herein shall constitute a commitment by any SPC to make any Loan and (ii) if an SPC elects not to exercise such option or otherwise fails to provide all or any part of such Loan, the Granting Lender shall be obligated to make such Loan pursuant to the terms hereof. The making of a Loan by an SPC hereunder shall utilize the Commitment of the Granting Lender to the same extent, and as if, such Loan were made by such Granting Lender. Each party hereto hereby agrees that no SPC shall be liable for any indemnity or similar payment obligation under this Agreement (all liability for which shall remain with the Granting Lender). In furtherance of the foregoing, each party hereto hereby agrees (which agreement shall survive the termination of this Agreement) that, prior to the date that is one year and one day after the payment in full of all outstanding commercial paper or other indebtedness of any SPC, it will not institute against, or join any other person in instituting against, such SPC any bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, insolvency or liquidation proceedings under the laws of the United States or any state thereof. In addition, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 9.04(g), any SPC may (A) with notice to, but without the prior written consent of, the Borrower and the Administrative Agent and without paying any processing fee therefor, assign all or a portion of its interests in any Loans to the Granting Lender, or with the prior written consent of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld) to any financial institutions providing liquidity and/or credit support to or for the account of such SPC to support the funding or maintenance of Loans, and (B) disclose on a confidential basis any non-public information relating to its Loans to any rating agency, commercial paper dealer or provider of any surety, guarantee or credit or liquidity enhancement to such SPC; provided that non-public information with respect to the Borrower may be disclosed only with the Borrower’s consent which will not be unreasonably withheld. This paragraph may not be amended without the written consent of any SPC with Loans outstanding at the time of such proposed amendment.

 

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SECTION 9.05. Survival. All covenants, agreements, representations and warranties made by the Borrower herein and in the certificates or other instruments delivered in connection with or pursuant to this Agreement shall be considered to have been relied upon by the other parties hereto and shall survive the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the making of any Loans, regardless of any investigation made by any such other party or on its behalf and notwithstanding that the Administrative Agent or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of any Default or incorrect representation or warranty at the time any credit is extended hereunder, and shall continue in full force and effect as long as the principal of or any accrued interest on any Loan or any fee or any other amount payable under this Agreement is outstanding and unpaid and so long as the Commitments have not expired or terminated. The provisions of Sections 2.12, 2.13, 2.14 and 9.03 and Article VIII shall survive and remain in full force and effect regardless of the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, the repayment of the Loans or the termination of this Agreement or any provision hereof.

 

SECTION 9.06. Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto on different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. This Agreement and any separate letter agreements with respect to fees payable to the Administrative Agent constitute the entire contract among the parties relating to the subject matter hereof and supersede any and all previous agreements and understandings, oral or written, relating to the subject matter hereof. Except as provided in Section 4.01, this Agreement shall become effective when it shall have been executed by the Administrative Agent and when the Administrative Agent shall have received counterparts hereof which, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties hereto, and thereafter shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Agreement by telecopy shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement.

 

SECTION 9.07. Severability. Any provision of this Agreement held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability without affecting the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions hereof; and the invalidity of a particular provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate such provision in any other jurisdiction.

 

SECTION 9.08. Right of Setoff. (a) Except to the extent that this Agreement provides for payments to be allocated to a particular Lender, if any Lender (a “Benefitted Lender”) shall at any time receive any payment of all or part of the obligations owing to it, or receive any collateral in respect thereof (whether voluntarily or involuntarily, by set-off, pursuant to events or proceedings of the nature referred to in Section 7(h) or 7(i), or otherwise), in a greater proportion than any such payment to or collateral received by any other Lender, if any, in respect of such other Lender’s obligations, such Benefitted Lender shall purchase for cash from the other Lenders a participating interest in such portion of each such other Lender’s obligations, or shall provide such other Lenders with the benefits of any such collateral, as shall be necessary to cause such Benefitted Lender to share the excess payment or benefits of such collateral ratably with each of the Lenders; provided, however, that if all or any portion of such excess payment or benefits is thereafter recovered from such Benefitted Lender, such purchase shall be rescinded, and the purchase price and benefits returned, to the extent of such recovery, but without interest.

 

(b) If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, each Lender and each of its Affiliates is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, to the fullest extent permitted by

 

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law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final) at any time held and other obligations at any time owing by such Lender or Affiliate to or for the credit or the account of the Borrower against any of and all the obligations of the Borrower now or hereafter existing under this Agreement held by such Lender, irrespective of whether or not such Lender shall have made any demand under this Agreement and although such obligations may be unmatured. The rights of each Lender under this Section are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) which such Lender may have.

 

SECTION 9.09. Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process. (a) This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the law of the State of New York.

 

(b) The Borrower hereby irrevocably and unconditionally submits, for itself and its property, to the nonexclusive jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of the State of New York sitting in New York County and of the United States District Court of the Southern District of New York, and any appellate court from any thereof, in any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement, or for recognition or enforcement of any judgment, and each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees that all claims in respect of any such action or proceeding may be heard and determined in such New York State or, to the extent permitted by law, in such Federal court. Each of the parties hereto agrees that a final judgment in any such action or proceeding shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by law. Nothing in this Agreement shall affect any right that the Administrative Agent or any Lender may otherwise have to bring any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement against the Borrower or its properties in the courts of any jurisdiction.

 

(c) The Borrower hereby irrevocably and unconditionally waives, to the fullest extent it may legally and effectively do so, any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement in any court referred to in paragraph (b) of this Section. Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the defense of an inconvenient forum to the maintenance of such action or proceeding in any such court.

 

(d) Each party to this Agreement irrevocably consents to service of process in the manner provided for notices in Section 9.01. Nothing in this Agreement will affect the right of any party to this Agreement to serve process in any other manner permitted by law.

 

SECTION 9.10. WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY). EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION.

 

SECTION 9.11. Headings. Article and Section headings and the Table of Contents used herein are for convenience of reference only, are not part of this Agreement and shall not affect the construction of, or be taken into consideration in interpreting, this Agreement.

 

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SECTION 9.12. Confidentiality. Each of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information (as defined below), except that Information may be disclosed (a) to its and its Affiliates’ directors, officers, employees and agents, including accountants, legal counsel and other advisors (it being understood that the Persons to whom such disclosure is made will be informed of the confidential nature of such Information and instructed to keep such Information confidential), (b) to the extent requested by any regulatory authority, (c) to the extent required by applicable Laws or regulations or by any subpoena or similar legal process, (d) to any other party to this Agreement, (e) in connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or any suit, action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or the enforcement of rights hereunder, (f) subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of this Section, to (i) any assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective assignee of or Participant in, any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement or (ii) any actual or prospective counterparty (or its advisors) to any swap or derivative transaction relating to the Borrower and its obligations, (g) with the consent of the Borrower or (h) to the extent such Information (i) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section or (ii) becomes available to the Administrative Agent or any Lender on a non-confidential basis from a source other than the Borrower. For the purposes of this Section, “Information” means all information received from the Borrower relating to the Borrower or its business, other than any such information that is available to the Administrative Agent or any Lender on a non-confidential basis prior to disclosure by the Borrower; provided that, in the case of information received from the Borrower after the date hereof, such information is clearly identified at the time of delivery as confidential. Any Person required to maintain the confidentiality of Information as provided in this Section shall be considered to have complied with its obligation to do so if such Person has exercised the same degree of care to maintain the confidentiality of such Information as such Person would accord to its own confidential information.

 

SECTION 9.13. Interest Rate Limitation. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if at any time the interest rate applicable to any Loan, together with all fees, charges and other amounts which are treated as interest on such Loan under applicable law (collectively the “Charges”), shall exceed the maximum lawful rate (the “Maximum Rate”) which may be contracted for, charged, taken, received or reserved by the Lender holding such Loan in accordance with applicable law, the rate of interest payable in respect of such Loan hereunder, together with all Charges payable in respect thereof, shall be limited to the Maximum Rate and, to the extent lawful, the interest and Charges that would have been payable in respect of such Loan but were not payable as a result of the operation of this Section shall be cumulated and the interest and Charges payable to such Lender in respect of other Loans or periods shall be increased (but not above the Maximum Rate therefor) until such cumulated amount, together with interest thereon at the Federal Funds Effective Rate to the date of repayment, shall have been received by such Lender.

 

SECTION 9.14. USA PATRIOT Act. Each Lender that is subject to the requirements of the USA PATRIOT Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)) (the “Act”) hereby notifies the Borrower that pursuant to the requirements of the Act, it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies the Borrower, which information includes the name and address of the Borrower and other information that will allow such Lender to identify the Borrower in accordance with the Act.

 

SECTION 9.15. Separateness. The Lenders acknowledge that (i) the Lenders have advanced funds to the Borrower in reliance upon the separateness of the Borrower and the General Partner from each other and from any other Persons, including Magellan Midstream Holdings, L.P. and the General Partner, and (ii) the Borrower has assets and liabilities that are separate from those of other Persons, including Magellan Midstream Holdings, L.P. and the General Partner.

 

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SECTION 9.16. Restricted Subsidiaries. The Borrower may, at any time, by notice to the Administrative Agent, designate any Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary; provided, that (a) the Borrower would not be in violation of Section 6.01 if any Indebtedness of such Subsidiary were incurred on the date of such designation, and (b) after giving effect to such designation no Default or Event of Default will have occurred and be continuing.

 

SECTION 9.17. No Personal Liability of Directors, Officers, Employees and Unitholders. No director, officer, partner, employee, member or manager of the General Partner will have any liability for any obligations of the Borrower, or for any claim based on, in respect of, or by reason of, such obligations or their creation. Each Lender waives and releases all such liability. This waiver and release are part of the consideration for the making of the Loans.

 

[END OF TEXT]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized officers as of the day and year first above written.

 

MAGELLAN MIDSTREAM PARTNERS, L.P.,

a Delaware limited partnership

By:

 

Magellan GP, LLC,

   

a Delaware limited liability company

   

By:

 

/s/ John D. Chandler


   

Name:

 

John D. Chandler

   

Title:

 

Chief Financial Officer


LEHMAN COMMERCIAL PAPER INC.,

as Administrative Agent,

By:

 

/s/ Michelle Rosolinsky


Name:

 

Michelle Rosolinsky

Title:

 

Authorized Signatory


CITIBANK, N.A.

By:

 

/s/ Charles F. Bohn, Jr.


Name:

 

Charles F. Bohn, Jr.

Title:

 

M.D.


GOLDMAN SACHS CREDIT PARTNERS L.P.

By:

 

/s/ William W. Archer


Name:

 

William W. Archer

Title:

 

Managing Director


UBS LOAN FINANCE LLC

By:

 

/s/ Wilfred V. Saint


Name:

 

Wilfred V. Saint

Title:

 

Director, Banking Products Services, US

By:

 

/s/ Joseline Fernandes


Name:

 

Joseline Fernandes

Title:

  Associate Director, Banking Products Services, US


WACHOVIA BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

By:

 

/s/ R. Clingman


Name:

 

R. Clingman

Title:

 

Director