UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)
OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): May 5, 2010
PAA Natural Gas Storage, L.P.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
         
Delaware
(State or other jurisdiction
of incorporation or organization)
  001-34722
(Commission
File Number)
  26-1679071
(IRS Employer
Identification No.)
333 Clay Street, Suite 1500
Houston, Texas 77002

(Address of principal executive office) (Zip Code)
(713) 646-4100
(Registrants’ telephone number, including area code)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
     
o
  Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
o
  Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
o
  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
o
  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
 
 

 


 

Item 1.01 Entry into Material Definitive Agreement.
     On May 5, 2010, PAA Natural Gas Storage, L.P. (the “Partnership”) completed its initial public offering (the “Offering”) of 13,478,000 common units representing limited partner interests (“Common Units”) at $21.50 per common unit pursuant to a Registration Statement on Form S-1, as amended (File No. 333-164492) (the “Registration Statement”) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) and pursuant to a Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed by the Partnership pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the Securities Act (File No. 333-166398) on April 29, 2010.
      Omnibus Agreement
     On May 5, 2010, in connection with the closing of the Offering, the Partnership entered into an Omnibus Agreement (the “Omnibus Agreement”) with Plains All American GP LLC (“PAA GP”), Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. (“PAA”), and PNGS GP LLC (the “General Partner”), the Partnership’s general partner. The Omnibus Agreement provides for the following matters:
    the provision by PAA GP to the Partnership of certain general and administrative services and the Partnership’s agreement to reimburse PAA GP for such services;
 
    the provision by PAA GP of such employees as may be necessary to operate and manage the Partnership’s business, and the Partnership’s agreement to reimburse PAA GP for the expenses associated with such employees;
 
    PAA’s obligation to indemnify the Partnership for certain liabilities and the Partnership’s obligation to indemnify PAA and PAA GP for certain liabilities; and
 
    the Partnership’s use of the name “PAA” and related marks.
     The Omnibus Agreement provides that PAA will indemnify the Partnership for certain claims, losses and expenses incurred by the Partnership attributable to, among other matters, environmental, title, tax and regulatory liabilities, and that the Partnership will indemnify PAA and PAA GP from certain losses, costs or damages incurred by PAA or PAA GP attributable to the ownership and operation of the assets of the Partnership and its subsidiaries following the closing of the Offering.
     The Omnibus Agreement can be amended by written agreement of all the parties to the agreement. However, the Partnership may not agree to any amendment or modification that would, in the reasonable discretion of the General Partner, in its capacity as general partner of the Partnership, be adverse in any material respect to the holders of the Partnership’s Common Units without the prior approval of the conflicts committee of the General Partner.
     Except for the indemnification provisions set forth in the Omnibus Agreement, the agreement will terminate if PAA ceases to directly or indirectly control the General Partner or the Partnership or may be terminated by PAA if the General Partner is removed as the Partnership’s general partner under circumstances where “cause” does not exist and the Common Units held by PAA and its affiliates were not voted in favor of such removal.
     The material terms of the Omnibus Agreement are more fully described in the prospectus (the “Prospectus”) included in the Registration Statement in the section entitled “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions — Agreements Governing the Transactions — Omnibus Agreement,” which is incorporated herein by reference.
     The foregoing description and the description contained in the Prospectus are not complete and each is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Omnibus Agreement, which is filed as Exhibit 10.1 to this Form 8-K and incorporated in this Item 1.01 by reference.

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      PAA Natural Gas Storage 2010 Long Term Incentive Plan
     On April 27, 2010, in connection with the closing of the Offering, the Board of Directors of the General Partner adopted the PAA Natural Gas Storage, L.P. 2010 Long Term Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) for employees, directors and consultants of the General Partner and its affiliates, including PAA, who perform services for the Partnership. The Plan consists of restricted units, phantom units, unit options, unit appreciation rights, unit awards and deferred Common Units. The Plan limits the number of Common Units that may be delivered pursuant to awards under the plan to 3,000,000 units. Units forfeited or withheld to satisfy tax withholding obligations will again become available for delivery pursuant to other awards. In addition, if an award is forfeited, canceled or otherwise terminates, expires or is settled without the delivery of units, the units subject to such award will again be available for new awards under the Plan. Common Units to be delivered pursuant to awards under the Plan may be newly issued Common Units, Common Units acquired by us in the open market, Common Units acquired by us from any other person, or any combination of the foregoing. If the Partnership issues new Common Units upon vesting of the phantom units, the total number of Common Units outstanding will increase. The material terms of the Plan are more fully described in the Prospectus in the section entitled “Management — Our Long-Term Incentive Plan,” which is incorporated herein by reference.
     The foregoing description and the description contained in the Prospectus are not complete and each is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Plan, which is filed as Exhibit 10.2 to this Form 8-K and is incorporated in this Item 1.01 by reference.
      Tax Sharing Agreement
     On May 5, 2010, in connection with the closing of the Offering, the Partnership entered into a Tax Sharing Agreement with PAA (the “Tax Sharing Agreement”) pursuant to which the parties will allocate among the Partnership and its subsidiaries, on the one hand, and PAA and its subsidiaries (other than the Partnership and its subsidiaries) on the other, the responsibilities, liabilities and benefits relating to any taxes for which a combined return is filed for taxable periods including or beginning on the closing date of the Offering.
     The foregoing description is not complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Tax Sharing Agreement, which is attached as Exhibit 10.3 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated in this Item 1.01 by reference.
      Credit Agreement
     On April 7, 2010, in connection with the Offering, the Partnership entered into a $400 million Credit Agreement with Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent, Swing Line Lender and L/C Issuer, DnB Nor Bank ASA, as Syndication Agent, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, UBS Loan Finance LLC and Citibank, N.A., as Co-Documentation Agents and the other lenders party thereto (the “Credit Agreement”), effective as of May 5, 2010, the closing date of the Offering. The Credit Agreement includes an accordion feature that allows the Partnership to increase the available borrowings under the facility to $600 million, subject to the satisfaction of certain closing conditions, including the identification of lenders or proposed lenders that agree to satisfy the increased commitment amounts under the facility. The Credit Agreement matures on May 5, 2013.
     The Credit Agreement contains customary conditions of borrowing, customary events of default and customary affirmative and negative covenants, including covenants limiting the Partnership’s ability to (i) make distributions of available cash to unitholders if any default or event of default (as defined in the credit agreement) exists or would result therefrom, (ii) incur additional indebtedness, (iii) grant or permit to exist liens or enter into certain restricted contracts, (iv) engage in transactions with affiliates, (v) make any material change to the nature of the Partnership’s business, (vi) make a disposition of all or substantially all of the Partnership’s assets or (vii) enter into a merger, consolidate, liquidate, wind up or dissolve. The Credit Agreement also contains customary financial covenants that require the Partnership to maintain (1) a minimum consolidated interest coverage ratio (the ratio of consolidated EBITDA to consolidated interest charges, which is net of capitalized interest, in each case as such terms are defined in the Credit Agreement) of not less than 3.0 to 1.0, determined as of the last day of each quarter for the four-quarter period ending on the date of determination; and (2) a maximum consolidated leverage ratio (the ratio of consolidated funded indebtedness to consolidated EBITDA, in each case as such terms are defined in the Credit Agreement) of

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not more than 4.75 to 1.0 (or, on a temporary basis for not more than three consecutive quarters following the consummation of certain acquisitions, not more than 5.5 to 1.0).
     The foregoing description is not complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Credit Agreement, which is filed as Exhibit 10.4 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated in this Item 1.01 by reference.
      Relationships
     As more fully described in the section “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions” of the Prospectus, which is incorporated herein by reference, each of the Partnership and the General Partner are direct or indirect subsidiaries of PAA. PAA owns the Partnership’s general partner, which holds a 2.0% general partner interest in the Partnership and all of the incentive distributions rights. PAA also owns an approximate 74.8% limited partner interest in the Partnership. As a result, certain individuals, including officers of PAA and officers and directors of the General Partner, serve as officers and/or directors of more than one of such entities.
ITEM 2.01 Completion of Acquisition or Disposition of Assets.
     On May, 5, 2010, the following transactions, among others, occurred, pursuant to that certain Contribution Agreement dated April 29, 2010 (the “Contribution Agreement”) by and among the Partnership, the General Partner, PAA, PAA Natural Gas Storage, LLC (“Operating Sub”), PAA/Vulcan Gas Storage, LLC (“PVGS”), Plains Marketing, L.P. (“Plains Marketing”), and Plains Marketing GP Inc. (“GP Inc.”):
    PAA directly and indirectly contributed to the Partnership a 98.0% equity interest in the entities that own its natural gas storage business in exchange for (1) 18,106,529 Common Units, (2) 13,934,351 Series A subordinated units, and (3) 11,500,000 Series B subordinated units and the right to receive a reimbursement of pre-formation capital expenditures in an amount equal to the total amount of cash contributed by the underwriters to the Partnership with respect to the exercise of the over-allotment option granted by the Partnership to the underwriters; and
 
    the General Partner contributed to the Partnership a 2.0% equity interest in certain entities that own PAA’s gas storage business, in exchange for a 2.0% general partner interest in the Partnership as well as all of the Partnership’s incentive distribution rights.
     These transfers and distributions described above were made in a series of steps outlined in the Contribution Agreement.
     Each of the Partnership, the General Partner, Operating Sub, PVGS, Plains Marketing and GP Inc. are direct or indirect subsidiaries of PAA. As a result, certain individuals, including officers of PAA and officers and directors of the General Partner, serve as officers and/or directors of more than one of such entities.
     The foregoing description is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Contribution Agreement, which is filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Partnership’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on May 4, 2010 and is incorporated in this Item 2.01 by reference.
Item 2.03 Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement of a Registrant.
     The description of the Credit Agreement described above under Item 1.01 is incorporated in this Item 2.03 by reference. A copy of the Credit Agreement is filed as Exhibit 10.4 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated in this Item 2.03 by reference.
Item 5.03 Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Changes in Fiscal Year.
      Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of PAA Natural Gas Storage, L.P.
     On May 5, 2010, in connection with the closing of the Offering, the Partnership amended and restated its Limited Partnership Agreement (as amended, the “Partnership Agreement”). A description of the Partnership Agreement is contained in the Prospectus in the section entitled “The Partnership Agreement” and is incorporated herein by reference.
     The foregoing description and the description contained in the Prospectus are not complete and each is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Partnership Agreement, which is filed as Exhibit 3.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated in this Item 5.03 by reference.
      Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of PNGS GP LLC
     On May 5, 2010, in connection with the closing of the Offering, the General Partner amended and restated its Limited Liability Company Agreement (as amended, the “LLC Agreement”). The amendments to the LLC Agreement included, among other things, outlining the rights of members, distributions by the General Partner, and management by the board of directors.
     The foregoing description is not complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the LLC Agreement, which is filed as Exhibit 3.2 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated in this Item 5.03 by reference.
Item 7.01 Regulation FD Disclosure
     On May 5, 2010, the Partnership announced the completion of the Offering. A copy of the press release is attached as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.
     In accordance with General Instruction B.2 of Form 8-K, the press release is deemed to be “furnished” and shall not be deemed “filed” for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section, nor shall such information and Exhibit be deemed incorporated by reference into any filing under the Securities Act of 1933 or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, each as amended.

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Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
      (d) Exhibits
     
3.1
  Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of PAA Natural Gas Storage, L.P. dated May 5, 2010.
 
   
3.2
  Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of PNGS GP LLC dated May 5, 2010.
 
   
10.1
  Omnibus Agreement by and among Plains All American GP LLC, Plains All American Pipeline, L.P., PNGS GP LLC and PAA Natural Gas Storage, L.P., dated May 5, 2010.
 
   
10.2
  PAA Natural Gas Storage, L.P. 2010 Long-Term Incentive Plan dated May 5, 2010.
 
   
10.3
  Tax Sharing Agreement by and among Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. and PAA Natural Gas Storage, L.P., dated May 5, 2010.
 
   
10.4
  Credit Agreement among PAA Natural Gas Storage, L.P., Bank of America, N.A., DnB Nor Bank ASA, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, UBS Loan Finance LLC and Citibank, N.A. and the other lenders party thereto, dated as of April 7, 2010.
 
   
99.1
  Press Release dated May 5, 2010.

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SIGNATURES
     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
         
  PAA NATURAL GAS STORAGE, L.P.
 
 
  By:   PNGS GP LLC,    
    its general partner   
       
 
     
Dated: May 11, 2010  By:   /s/ Al Swanson    
    Name:   Al Swanson   
    Title:   Senior Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer 
 
 

 


 

EXHIBIT INDEX
     
3.1
  Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of PAA Natural Gas Storage, L.P. dated May 5, 2010.
 
   
3.2
  Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of PNGS GP LLC dated May 5, 2010.
 
   
10.1
  Omnibus Agreement by and among Plains All American GP LLC, Plains All American Pipeline, L.P., PNGS GP LLC and PAA Natural Gas Storage, L.P., dated May 5, 2010.
 
   
10.2
  PAA Natural Gas Storage, L.P. 2010 Long-Term Incentive Plan dated May 5, 2010.
 
   
10.3
  Tax Sharing Agreement by and among Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. and PAA Natural Gas Storage, L.P., dated May 5, 2010.
 
   
10.4
  Credit Agreement among PAA Natural Gas Storage, L.P., Bank of America, N.A., DnB Nor Bank ASA, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, UBS Loan Finance LLC and Citibank, N.A. and the other lenders party thereto, dated as of April 7, 2010.
 
   
99.1
  Press Release dated May 5, 2010.

 

Exhibit 3.1
Execution Version           
     
 
AMENDED AND RESTATED
AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
OF
PAA NATURAL GAS STORAGE, L.P.
 


 

TABLE OF CONTENTS
         
ARTICLE I
 
       
DEFINITIONS
 
       
Section 1.1 Definitions
    1  
Section 1.2 Construction
    24  
 
       
ARTICLE II
 
       
ORGANIZATION
 
       
Section 2.1 Formation
    24  
Section 2.2 Name
    25  
Section 2.3 Registered Office; Registered Agent; Principal Office; Other Offices
    25  
Section 2.4 Purpose and Business
    25  
Section 2.5 Powers
    26  
Section 2.6 Term
    26  
Section 2.7 Title to Partnership Assets
    26  
 
       
ARTICLE III
 
       
RIGHTS OF LIMITED PARTNERS
 
       
Section 3.1 Limitation of Liability
    27  
Section 3.2 Management of Business
    27  
Section 3.3 Outside Activities of the Limited Partners
    27  
Section 3.4 Rights of Limited Partners
    27  
 
       
ARTICLE IV
 
       
CERTIFICATES; RECORD HOLDERS; TRANSFER OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS;
REDEMPTION OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS
 
       
Section 4.1 Certificates
    28  
Section 4.2 Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Certificates
    29  
Section 4.3 Record Holders
    30  
Section 4.4 Transfer Generally
    30  
Section 4.5 Registration and Transfer of Limited Partner Interests
    31  
Section 4.6 Transfer of the General Partner’s General Partner Interest
    32  
Section 4.7 Transfer of Incentive Distribution Rights
    32  
Section 4.8 Restrictions on Transfers
    32  
Section 4.9 Eligibility Certificates; Ineligible Holders
    33  
Section 4.10 Redemption of Partnership Interests of Ineligible Holders
    35  
 
       
ARTICLE V
 
       
CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS AND ISSUANCE OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS
 
       
Section 5.1 Organizational Contributions
    36  

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Section 5.2 Contributions by the General Partner and its Affiliates
    37  
Section 5.3 Contributions by Initial Limited Partners
    37  
Section 5.4 Interest and Withdrawal
    38  
Section 5.5 Capital Accounts
    38  
Section 5.6 Issuances of Additional Partnership Interests
    41  
Section 5.7 Conversion of Subordinated Units
    42  
Section 5.8 Limited Preemptive Right
    42  
Section 5.9 Splits and Combinations
    43  
Section 5.10 Fully Paid and Non-Assessable Nature of Limited Partner Interests
    43  
Section 5.11 Issuance of Common Units in Connection with Reset of Incentive Distribution Rights
    44  
Section 5.12 Series B Subordinated Units
    45  
 
       
ARTICLE VI
 
       
ALLOCATIONS AND DISTRIBUTIONS
 
       
Section 6.1 Allocations for Capital Account Purposes
    47  
Section 6.2 Allocations for Tax Purposes
    58  
Section 6.3 Requirement and Characterization of Distributions; Distributions to Record Holders
    59  
Section 6.4 Distributions of Available Cash from Distributable Cash Flow
    60  
Section 6.5 Distributions of Available Cash from Capital Surplus
    62  
Section 6.6 Adjustment of Minimum Quarterly Distribution and Target Distribution Levels
    62  
Section 6.7 Special Provisions Relating to the Holders of Subordinated Units
    62  
Section 6.8 Special Provisions Relating to the Holders of Incentive Distribution Rights
    63  
Section 6.9 Entity-Level Taxation
    63  
 
       
ARTICLE VII
 
       
MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION OF BUSINESS
 
       
Section 7.1 Management
    64  
Section 7.2 Certificate of Limited Partnership
    67  
Section 7.3 Restrictions on the General Partner’s Authority
    67  
Section 7.4 Reimbursement of the General Partner
    67  
Section 7.5 Outside Activities
    68  
Section 7.6 Loans from the General Partner; Loans or Contributions from the Partnership or Group Members
    70  
Section 7.7 Indemnification
    70  
Section 7.8 Liability of Indemnitees
    72  
Section 7.9 Resolution of Conflicts of Interest; Standards of Conduct and Modification of Duties
    73  
Section 7.10 Other Matters Concerning the General Partner
    75  
Section 7.11 Purchase or Sale of Partnership Interests
    76  
Section 7.12 Registration Rights of the General Partner and its Affiliates
    76  
Section 7.13 Reliance by Third Parties
    78  

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ARTICLE VIII
 
       
BOOKS, RECORDS, ACCOUNTING AND REPORTS
 
       
Section 8.1 Records and Accounting
    79  
Section 8.2 Fiscal Year
    79  
Section 8.3 Reports
    79  
 
       
ARTICLE IX
 
       
TAX MATTERS
 
       
Section 9.1 Tax Returns and Information
    80  
Section 9.2 Tax Elections
    80  
Section 9.3 Tax Controversies
    80  
Section 9.4 Withholding
    81  
 
       
ARTICLE X
 
       
ADMISSION OF PARTNERS
 
       
Section 10.1 Admission of Limited Partners
    81  
Section 10.2 Admission of Successor General Partner
    82  
Section 10.3 Amendment of Agreement and Certificate of Limited Partnership
    82  
 
       
ARTICLE XI
 
       
WITHDRAWAL OR REMOVAL OF PARTNERS
 
       
Section 11.1 Withdrawal of the General Partner
    83  
Section 11.2 Removal of the General Partner
    84  
Section 11.3 Interest of Departing General Partner and Successor General Partner
    85  
Section 11.4 Termination of Subordination Period, Conversion of Subordinated Units and Extinguishment of Cumulative Common Unit Arrearages
    87  
Section 11.5 Withdrawal of Limited Partners
    87  
 
       
ARTICLE XII
 
       
DISSOLUTION AND LIQUIDATION
 
       
Section 12.1 Dissolution
    87  
Section 12.2 Continuation of the Business of the Partnership After Dissolution
    88  
Section 12.3 Liquidator
    88  
Section 12.4 Liquidation
    89  
Section 12.5 Cancellation of Certificate of Limited Partnership
    90  
Section 12.6 Return of Contributions
    90  
Section 12.7 Waiver of Partition
    90  
Section 12.8 Capital Account Restoration
    90  

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ARTICLE XIII
 
       
AMENDMENT OF PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT; MEETINGS; RECORD DATE
 
       
Section 13.1 Amendments to be Adopted Solely by the General Partner
    90  
Section 13.2 Amendment Procedures
    92  
Section 13.3 Amendment Requirements
    92  
Section 13.4 Special Meetings
    93  
Section 13.5 Notice of a Meeting
    94  
Section 13.6 Record Date
    94  
Section 13.7 Adjournment
    94  
Section 13.8 Waiver of Notice; Approval of Meeting; Approval of Minutes
    94  
Section 13.9 Quorum and Voting
    95  
Section 13.10 Conduct of a Meeting
    95  
Section 13.11 Action Without a Meeting
    95  
Section 13.12 Right to Vote and Related Matters
    96  
 
       
ARTICLE XIV
 
       
MERGER, CONSOLIDATION OR CONVERSION
 
       
Section 14.1 Authority
    97  
Section 14.2 Procedure for Merger, Consolidation or Conversion
    97  
Section 14.3 Approval by Limited Partners
    99  
Section 14.4 Certificate of Merger
    100  
Section 14.5 Effect of Merger, Consolidation or Conversion
    100  
Section 14.6 Amendment of Partnership Agreement
    102  
 
       
ARTICLE XV
 
       
RIGHT TO ACQUIRE LIMITED PARTNER INTERESTS
 
       
Section 15.1 Right to Acquire Limited Partner Interests
    102  
 
       
ARTICLE XVI
 
       
GENERAL PROVISIONS
 
       
Section 16.1 Addresses and Notices; Written Communications
    104  
Section 16.2 Further Action
    104  
Section 16.3 Binding Effect
    104  
Section 16.4 Integration
    105  
Section 16.5 Creditors
    105  
Section 16.6 Waiver
    105  
Section 16.7 Third-Party Beneficiaries
    105  
Section 16.8 Counterparts
    105  
Section 16.9 Applicable Law
    105  
Section 16.10 Invalidity of Provisions
    105  
Section 16.11 Consent of Partners
    105  
Section 16.12 Facsimile Signatures
    106  

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AMENDED AND RESTATED AGREEMENT
OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP OF PAA NATURAL GAS STORAGE, L.P.
     THIS AMENDED AND RESTATED AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP OF PAA NATURAL GAS STORAGE, L.P. dated as of May 5, 2010, is entered into by and between PNGS GP LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, as the General Partner, and Plains All American Pipeline, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, together with any other Persons who become Partners in the Partnership or parties hereto as provided herein. In consideration of the covenants, conditions and agreements contained herein, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
    Section 1.1 Definitions .
     The following definitions shall be for all purposes, unless otherwise clearly indicated to the contrary, applied to the terms used in this Agreement.
     “ Additional Book Basis ” means the portion of any remaining Carrying Value of an Adjusted Property that is attributable to positive adjustments made to such Carrying Value as a result of Book-Up Events. For purposes of determining the extent that Carrying Value constitutes Additional Book Basis:
          (a) Any negative adjustment made to the Carrying Value of an Adjusted Property as a result of either a Book-Down Event or a Book-Up Event shall first be deemed to offset or decrease that portion of the Carrying Value of such Adjusted Property that is attributable to any prior positive adjustments made thereto pursuant to a Book-Up Event or Book-Down Event.
          (b) If Carrying Value that constitutes Additional Book Basis is reduced as a result of a Book-Down Event and the Carrying Value of other property is increased as a result of such Book-Down Event, an allocable portion of any such increase in Carrying Value shall be treated as Additional Book Basis; provided , that the amount treated as Additional Book Basis pursuant hereto as a result of such Book-Down Event shall not exceed the amount by which the Aggregate Remaining Net Positive Adjustments after such Book-Down Event exceeds the remaining Additional Book Basis attributable to all of the Partnership’s Adjusted Property after such Book-Down Event (determined without regard to the application of this clause (b) to such Book-Down Event).
     “ Additional Book Basis Derivative Items ” means any Book Basis Derivative Items that are computed with reference to Additional Book Basis. To the extent that the Additional Book Basis attributable to all of the Partnership’s Adjusted Property as of the beginning of any taxable period exceeds the Aggregate Remaining Net Positive Adjustments as of the beginning of such period (the “ Excess Additional Book Basis ”), the Additional Book Basis Derivative Items for such period shall be reduced by the amount that bears the same ratio to the amount of Additional
PAA Natural Gas Storage, L.P.
Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership

1


 

Book Basis Derivative Items determined without regard to this sentence as the Excess Additional Book Basis bears to the Additional Book Basis as of the beginning of such period. With respect to a Disposed of Adjusted Property, the Additional Book Basis Derivative items shall be the amount of Additional Book Basis taken into account in computing gain or loss from the disposition of such Disposed of Adjusted Property.
     “ Additional Limited Partner ” means a Person admitted to the Partnership as a Limited Partner pursuant to Section 4.5 and who is shown as such on the books and records of the Partnership.
     “ Adjusted Capital Account ” means the Capital Account maintained for each Partner as of the end of each taxable period of the Partnership, (a) increased by any amounts that such Partner is obligated to restore under the standards set by Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(c) (or is deemed obligated to restore under Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-2(g) and 1.704-2(i)(5)) and (b) decreased by (i) the amount of all losses and deductions that, as of the end of such taxable period, are reasonably expected to be allocated to such Partner in subsequent taxable periods under Sections 704(e)(2) and 706(d) of the Code and Treasury Regulation Section 1.751-1(b)(2)(ii), and (ii) the amount of all distributions that, as of the end of such taxable period, are reasonably expected to be made to such Partner in subsequent taxable periods in accordance with the terms of this Agreement or otherwise to the extent they exceed offsetting increases to such Partner’s Capital Account that are reasonably expected to occur during (or prior to) the taxable period in which such distributions are reasonably expected to be made (other than increases as a result of a minimum gain chargeback pursuant to Section 6.1(d)(i) or 6.1(d)(ii)). The foregoing definition of Adjusted Capital Account is intended to comply with the provisions of Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d) and shall be interpreted consistently therewith. The “Adjusted Capital Account” of a Partner in respect of any Partnership Interest shall be the amount that such Adjusted Capital Account would be if such Partnership Interest were the only interest in the Partnership held by such Partner from and after the date on which such Partnership Interest was first issued.
     “ Adjusted Property ” means any property the Carrying Value of which has been adjusted pursuant to Section 5.5(d)(i) or 5.5(d)(ii).
     “ Affiliate ” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person that directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries controls, is controlled by or is under common control with, the Person in question. As used herein, the term “control” means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; provided that the determination as to whether a Person, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by or under common control with another Person shall be made taking into account, at the time of such determination, the context and circumstances surrounding such determination, including any known agreements or understandings that may impact such Person’s possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of such other Person. For the avoidance of doubt,
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          (a) any individual who is an officer or director of the General Partner or any Group Member (excluding the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of the General Partner) shall not be considered to be an Affiliate of the General Partner, a Departing General Partner or any Group Member by virtue of such Person’s status as an officer or director and the possession of the powers that are within the scope of the designated or delegated authority of such officer or director;
          (b) any individual who is an officer or director of PAA GP or any of its Affiliates other than the General Partner and the Group Members (excluding the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of PAA GP) shall not be considered to be an Affiliate of the General Partner, a Departing General Partner, any Group Member, PAA GP or PAA by virtue of such Person’s status as an officer or director and the possession of the powers that are within the scope of the designated or delegated authority of such officer or director;
          (c) any Person that, alone or together with any Group of which such Person is a part, owns less than 50% of the total number of outstanding Class A units of the General Partner, shall not be considered to be an Affiliate of the General Partner, a Departing General Partner or any Group Member by virtue of the ownership by such Person (and Group, if applicable) of such Class A units; and
          (d) any Person that, alone or together with any Group of which such Person is a part, owns less than 50% of the total “Percentage Interests” (as such term is defined in the Limited Liability Company Agreement of PAA GP) held by all members of PAA GP, shall not be considered to be an Affiliate of the General Partner, a Departing General Partner, any Group Member, PAA GP or PAA by virtue of the ownership by such Person (and Group, if applicable) of such interests.
     As used in clauses (c) and (d) above, the term “Group” shall have the meaning set forth herein except that the phrase “Partnership Interest” as used in such definition shall refer to (i) Class A units of the General Partner, in the case of clause (c) above, and (ii) Percentage Interests in PAA GP, in the case of clause (d) above.
     “ Aggregate Quantity of IDR Reset Common Units ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.11(a).
     “ Aggregate Remaining Net Positive Adjustments ” means, as of the end of any taxable period, the sum of the Remaining Net Positive Adjustments of all the Partners.
     “ Agreed Allocation ” means any allocation, other than a Required Allocation, of an item of income, gain, loss or deduction pursuant to the provisions of Section 6.1, including a Curative Allocation (if appropriate to the context in which the term “Agreed Allocation” is used).
     “ Agreed Value ” of any Contributed Property means the fair market value of such property at the time of contribution, and in the case of an Adjusted Property, the fair market value of such Adjusted Property on the date of the revaluation event as described in Section 5.5(d), in both cases as determined by the General Partner. In making such determination, the General Partner shall use such method as it determines to be appropriate.
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     “ Agreement ” means this Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of PAA Natural Gas Storage, L.P., as it may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to time.
     “ Annual Threshold Amount ” means, with respect to a four-Quarter period referenced in clause (a)(i) of the definition of Subordination Period, an amount that is equal to the sum of the Minimum Quarterly Distribution on the Subject Interests for each Quarter during such period.
     “ Associate ” means, when used to indicate a relationship with any Person, (a) any corporation or organization of which such Person is a director, officer, manager, general partner or managing member or is, directly or indirectly, the owner of 20% or more of any class of voting stock or other voting interest; (b) any trust or other estate in which such Person has at least a 20% beneficial interest or as to which such Person serves as trustee or in a similar fiduciary capacity; and (c) any relative or spouse of such Person, or any relative of such spouse, who has the same principal residence as such Person.
     “ Available Cash ” means, with respect to any Quarter ending prior to the Liquidation Date:
          (a) the sum of (i) all cash and cash equivalents of the Partnership Group (or the Partnership’s proportionate share of cash and cash equivalents in the case of Subsidiaries that are not wholly owned) on hand at the end of such Quarter, and (ii) if the General Partner so determines, all or any portion of any additional cash and cash equivalents of the Partnership Group (or the Partnership’s proportionate share of cash and cash equivalents in the case of Subsidiaries that are not wholly owned) on hand on the date of determination of Available Cash with respect to such Quarter resulting from borrowings, including Working Capital Borrowings, made subsequent to the end of such Quarter, less
          (b) the amount of any cash reserves established by the General Partner (or the Partnership’s proportionate share of cash reserves in the case of Subsidiaries that are not wholly owned) to (i) provide for the proper conduct of the business of the Partnership Group (including reserves for future capital expenditures and for anticipated future credit needs of the Partnership Group) subsequent to such Quarter, (ii) comply with applicable law or any loan agreement, security agreement, mortgage, debt instrument or other agreement or obligation to which any Group Member is a party or by which it is bound or its assets are subject or (iii) provide funds for distributions under Section 6.4 or 6.5 in respect of any one or more of the next four Quarters;
provided , however , that the General Partner may not establish cash reserves pursuant to clause (iii) above if the effect of such reserves would be that the Partnership is unable to distribute the Minimum Quarterly Distribution on all Common Units, plus any Cumulative Common Unit Arrearage on all Common Units, with respect to such Quarter; and, provided further, that disbursements made by a Group Member or cash reserves established, increased or reduced after the end of such Quarter but on or before the date of determination of Available Cash with respect to such Quarter shall be deemed to have been made, established, increased or reduced, for purposes of determining Available Cash, within such Quarter if the General Partner so determines.
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     Notwithstanding the foregoing, “ Available Cash ” with respect to the Quarter in which the Liquidation Date occurs and any subsequent Quarter shall equal zero.
     “ Board of Directors ” means, with respect to the Board of Directors of the General Partner, its board of directors or managers, as applicable, if a corporation or limited liability company, or if a limited partnership, the board of directors or board of managers of the general partner of the General Partner (or the comparable governing body of any successor thereto).
     “ Book Basis Derivative Items ” means any item of income, deduction, gain or loss that is computed with reference to the Carrying Value of an Adjusted Property (e.g., depreciation, depletion, or gain or loss with respect to an Adjusted Property).
     “ Book-Down Event ” means an event that triggers a negative adjustment to the Capital Accounts of the Partners pursuant to Section 5.5(d).
     “ Book-Tax Disparity ” means with respect to any item of Contributed Property or Adjusted Property, as of the date of any determination, the difference between the Carrying Value of such Contributed Property or Adjusted Property and the adjusted basis thereof for federal income tax purposes as of such date. A Partner’s share of the Partnership’s Book-Tax Disparities in all of its Contributed Property and Adjusted Property will be reflected by the difference between such Partner’s Capital Account balance as maintained pursuant to Section 5.5 and the hypothetical balance of such Partner’s Capital Account computed as if it had been maintained strictly in accordance with federal income tax accounting principles.
     “ Book-Up Event ” means an event that triggers a positive adjustment to the Capital Accounts of the Partners pursuant to Section 5.5(d).
     “ Business Day ” means Monday through Friday of each week, except that a legal holiday recognized as such by the government of the United States of America or the State of Texas shall not be regarded as a Business Day.
     “ Capital Account ” means the capital account maintained for a Partner pursuant to Section 5.5. The “Capital Account” of a Partner in respect of any Partnership Interest shall be the amount that such Capital Account would be if such Partnership Interest were the only interest in the Partnership held by a Partner from and after the date on which such Partnership Interest was first issued.
     “ Capital Contribution ” means any cash, cash equivalents or the Net Agreed Value of Contributed Property that a Partner contributes to the Partnership or that is contributed or deemed contributed to the Partnership on behalf of a Partner (including, in the case of an underwritten offering of Units, the amount of any underwriting discounts or commissions).
     “ Capital Surplus ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.3(a).
     “ Carrying Value ” means (a) with respect to a Contributed Property or Adjusted Property, the Agreed Value of such property reduced (but not below zero) by all depreciation, amortization and cost recovery deductions charged to the Partners’ Capital Accounts in respect of such
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property, and (b) with respect to any other Partnership property, the adjusted basis of such property for federal income tax purposes, all as of the time of determination; provided that the Carrying Value of any property shall be adjusted from time to time in accordance with Sections 5.5(d)(i) and 5.5(d)(ii) and to reflect changes, additions or other adjustments to the Carrying Value for dispositions and acquisitions of Partnership properties, as deemed appropriate by the General Partner.
     “ Cause ” means a court of competent jurisdiction has entered a final, non-appealable judgment finding the General Partner liable for actual fraud or willful misconduct in its capacity as a general partner of the Partnership.
     “ Certificate ” means (a) a certificate (i) substantially in the form of (A) Exhibit A-1 to this Agreement with respect to Common Units, (B) Exhibit A-2 to this Agreement with respect to Series A Subordinated Units and (C) Exhibit A-3 with respect to Series B Subordinated Units, (ii) issued in global form in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Depositary or (iii) in such other form as may be adopted by the General Partner, issued by the Partnership evidencing ownership of one or more Units or (b) a certificate, in such form as may be adopted by the General Partner, issued by the Partnership evidencing ownership of one or more other Partnership Interests.
     “ Certificate of Limited Partnership ” means the Certificate of Limited Partnership of the Partnership filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware as referenced in Section 2.1, as such Certificate of Limited Partnership may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to time.
     “ Citizenship Eligibility Trigger ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 4.9(a)(ii).
     “ claim ” (as used in Section 7.12(c)) has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 7.12(c).
     “ Closing Date ” means the first date on which Common Units are sold by the Partnership to the Underwriters pursuant to the provisions of the Underwriting Agreement.
     “ Closing Price ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 15.1(a).
     “ Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended and in effect from time to time. Any reference herein to a specific section or sections of the Code shall be deemed to include a reference to any corresponding provision of any successor law.
     “ Combined Interest ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 11.3(a).
     “ Commission ” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
     “ Common Unit ” means a Unit representing a fractional part of the Partnership Interests of all Limited Partners, and having the rights and obligations specified with respect to Common
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Units in this Agreement. The term “Common Unit” does not include a Subordinated Unit prior to its conversion into a Common Unit pursuant to the terms hereof.
     “ Common Unit Arrearage ” means, with respect to any Common Unit, whenever issued, as to any Quarter within the Subordination Period, the excess, if any, of (a) the Minimum Quarterly Distribution with respect to a Common Unit in respect of such Quarter over (b) the sum of all Available Cash distributed with respect to a Common Unit in respect of such Quarter pursuant to Section 6.4(a)(i).
     “ Conflicts Committee ” means a committee of the Board of Directors of the General Partner composed entirely of two or more directors, each of whom (a) is not an officer or employee of the General Partner, (b) is not the holder of any ownership interest in the General Partner, its Affiliates or the Partnership Group (other than (i) Common Units or (ii) other awards of Partnership Interests that are granted to such director under a long-term incentive plan) (except that a director shall not be precluded from serving on such committee due to the ownership of common units of PAA or other indirect interests in the General Partner unless the Board of Directors of the General Partner determines, after taking into account the totality of the specific circumstances involving such director, that such ownership will likely have an adverse impact on the ability of such director to act in an independent manner with respect to the matter submitted to the Conflicts Committee), (c) is not an officer, director or employee of any Affiliate of the General Partner or any Associate of such Affiliate and (d) meets the independence standards required of directors who serve on an audit committee of a board of directors established by the Securities Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and by the National Securities Exchange on which any class of Partnership Interests is listed or admitted for trading.
     “ Contributed Property ” means each property or other asset, in such form as may be permitted by the Delaware Act, but excluding cash, contributed to the Partnership. Once the Carrying Value of a Contributed Property is adjusted pursuant to Section 5.5(d), such property shall no longer constitute a Contributed Property, but shall be deemed an Adjusted Property.
     “ Contribution Agreement ” means that certain Contribution Agreement, dated as of April 29, 2010, among the General Partner, the Partnership, PAA and certain other parties, as such may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to time.
     “ Credit Agreement ” means that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of April 7, 2010, by and among PAA Natural Gas Storage, L.P., Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent, DNB Nor Bank ASA, as syndication agent, and each of the lenders named therein.
     “ Cumulative Common Unit Arrearage ” means, with respect to any Common Unit, whenever issued, and as of the end of any Quarter, the excess, if any, of (a) the sum of the Common Unit Arrearages with respect to an Initial Common Unit for each of the Quarters within the Subordination Period ending on or before the last day of such Quarter over (b) the sum of any distributions theretofore made pursuant to Section 6.4(a)(ii) and the second sentence of Section 6.5 with respect to an Initial Common Unit (including any distributions to be made in respect of the last of such Quarters).
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     “ Curative Allocation ” means any allocation of an item of income, gain, deduction, loss or credit pursuant to the provisions of Section 6.1(d)(xi).
     “ Current Market Price ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 15.1(a).
     “ Deferred Issuance and Distribution ” means both (a) the issuance by the Partnership of a number of additional Common Units that is equal to the excess, if any, of (x) 1,758,000 over (y) the aggregate number, if any, of Common Units actually purchased by and issued to the Underwriters pursuant to the Over-Allotment Option on the Option Closing Date, and (b) a reimbursement of pre-formation capital expenditures in an amount equal to the total amount of cash, if any, contributed by the Underwriters to the Partnership on the Option Closing Date with respect to Common Units issued by the Partnership upon the exercise of the Over-Allotment Option in accordance with Section 5.3(b).
     “ Delaware Act ” means the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act, 6 Del C. Section 17-101, et seq., as amended, supplemented or restated from time to time, and any successor to such statute.
     “ Departing General Partner ” means a former General Partner from and after the effective date of any withdrawal or removal of such former General Partner pursuant to Section 11.1 or Section 11.2.
     “ Depositary ” means, with respect to any Units issued in global form, The Depository Trust Company and its successors and permitted assigns.
     “ Disposed of Adjusted Property ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.1(d)(xii)(B).
     “ Distributable Cash Flow ” means, on a cumulative basis since the Closing Date and without duplication, the following, as determined by the General Partner:
     (a) the net income of the Partnership Group, as determined in accordance with GAAP;
     (b) plus or minus, as applicable, any amounts necessary to offset the impact of any items included in the net income of the Partnership Group in accordance with GAAP that do not impact the amount of Available Cash of the Partnership Group;
     (c) plus any acquisition-related expenses deducted from net income and associated with (i) successful acquisitions or (ii) any other potential acquisitions that have not been abandoned;
     (d) minus any acquisition related expenses covered by clause (c)(ii) immediately preceding that relate to (i) potential acquisitions that have since been abandoned or (ii) potential acquisitions that have not been consummated within one year following the date such expense was incurred (except that if the potential acquisition is the subject of a pending purchase and sale agreement as of such one-year date, such one-year period of time shall be extended until the first
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to occur of the termination of such purchase and sale agreement or the first day following the closing of the acquisition contemplated by such purchase and sale agreement); and
     (e) minus Maintenance Capital Expenditures.
For purposes of this definition, the types of items covered by clause (b) above shall include (i) depreciation, depletion and amortization expense, (ii) any gain or loss from the sale of assets not in the ordinary course of business, (iii) any gain or loss as a result of a change in accounting principle, (iv) any non-cash gains or items of income and any non-cash losses or expenses, including asset impairments, amortization of debt discounts, premiums or issue costs, mark-to-market activity associated with hedging and with non-cash revaluation and/or fair valuation of assets or liabilities and (v) earnings or losses from unconsolidated subsidiaries except to the extent of actual cash distributions received. For the avoidance of doubt, Distributable Cash Flow does not include Working Capital Borrowings or the repayment of the principal amount thereof.
     “ Early Conversion Period ” means a four-Quarter period with respect to which:
     (a) in respect of each Quarter of such four-Quarter period, (i) distributions of Available Cash from Distributable Cash Flow under Section 6.4(a) have been made in respect of the Subject Interests in an amount that equaled or exceeded 150% of the Minimum Quarterly Distribution and (ii) any corresponding Incentive Distributions have been paid to the Holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights;
     (b) for each Quarter during such four-Quarter period, the Distributable Cash Flow generated during such Quarter equaled or exceeded an amount equal to the sum of (i) 150% of the Minimum Quarterly Distribution on the Weighted Average Subject Interests on a Fully Diluted Basis, and (ii) the amount of distributions in respect of the Incentive Distributions that would correspond to a distribution of the amount referred to in clause (i) immediately preceding; and
     (c) there are no Cumulative Common Unit Arrearages.
Distributable Cash Flow generated during a Quarter for purposes of clause (b) above shall not include any amounts up to $40 million that may be deemed to be Distributable Cash Flow pursuant to clause (ii) of Section 6.3(a).
     “ Economic Risk of Loss ” has the meaning set forth in Treasury Regulation Section 1.752-2(a).
     “ Eligible Holder ” means a Limited Partner whose (a) federal income tax status would not, in the determination of the General Partner, have the material adverse effect described in Section 4.9(a)(i) or (b) nationality, citizenship or other related status would not, in the determination of the General Partner, create a substantial risk of cancellation or forfeiture as described in Section 4.9(a)(ii).
     “ Estimated Incremental Quarterly Tax Amount ” is defined in Section 6.9.
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     “ Event of Withdrawal ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 11.1(a).
     “Excess Distribution” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.1(d)(iii)(A).
     “Excess Distribution Unit” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.1(d)(iii)(A).
     “ FERC ” means the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
     “ FERC Eligibility Trigger ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 4.9(a)(i).
     “ Final Series A Subordinated Units ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.1(d)(x)(A).
     “ First Liquidation Target Amount ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.1(c)(i)(D).
     “ First Target Distribution ” means $0.37125 per Unit per Quarter (or, with respect to the period commencing on the Closing Date and ending on June 30, 2010, it means the product of $0.37125 multiplied by a fraction of which the numerator is the number of days in such period, and of which the denominator is 91), subject to adjustment in accordance with Sections 5.11, 6.6 and 6.9.
     “ First Threshold ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.12(a).
     “ First Tranche Series B Subordinated Units ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.12(a).
     “ Fully Diluted Annual Threshold Amount ” means, with respect to a four-Quarter period referenced in clause (a)(ii) of the definition of Subordination Period, an amount that is equal to the sum of the Minimum Quarterly Distribution on the Weighted Average Subject Interests on a Fully Diluted Basis for each Quarter during such period.
     “ Fully Diluted Basis ” means, for purposes of determining the number of “Weighted Average Subject Interests on a Fully Diluted Basis” as such phrase is used in clause (b) of the definition of “Early Conversion Period” and in the definition of “Fully Diluted Annual Threshold Amount,” a basis that includes, (a) the Weighted Average Subject Interests plus (b) all other Partnership Interests (other than Series B Subordinated Units) and any restricted units, options, rights, warrants and appreciation rights relating to an equity interest in the Partnership (i) that are convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable or issuable for Units that are senior to or pari passu with the Series A Subordinated Units, (ii) whose conversion, exercise or exchange price is less than the Current Market Price on the date of such calculation, (iii) that may be converted into or exercised or exchanged for such Units prior to or during the Quarter immediately following the end of the period for which the calculation is being made without the satisfaction of any contingency beyond the control of the holder other than the payment of consideration and the compliance with administrative mechanics applicable to such conversion, exercise or exchange and (iv) that were not converted into or exercised or exchanged for such Units during
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the period for which the calculation is being made; provided, however , that for purposes of clause (b) immediately preceding, such Partnership Interests, restricted units, options, rights, warrants and appreciation rights shall only be included for the four Quarters that comprise the last four Quarters of the measurement period; provided, further , that if consideration will be paid to any Group Member in connection with such conversion, exercise or exchange, the number of Units to be included in such calculation shall be that number equal to the difference between (i) the number of Units issuable upon such conversion, exercise or exchange and (ii) the number of Units that such consideration would purchase at the Current Market Price.
     “ GAAP ” means generally accepted accounting principle in the United States.
     “ General Partner ” means PNGS GP LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, and its successors and permitted assigns that are admitted to the Partnership as general partner of the Partnership, in its capacity as general partner of the Partnership (except as the context otherwise requires).
     “ General Partner Interest ” means the ownership interest of the General Partner in the Partnership (in its capacity as a general partner without reference to any Limited Partner Interest held by it), and includes any and all benefits to which the General Partner is entitled as provided in this Agreement, together with all obligations of the General Partner to comply with the terms and provisions of this Agreement. For purposes of determining the Percentage Interest attributable to the General Partner at any point in time, the General Partner Interest shall be represented by a specific number of hypothetical limited partner units, and the Percentage Interest attributable to the General Partner Interest shall equal the ratio of the number of such hypothetical limited partner units to the sum of the total number of Units and the number of hypothetical limited partner units. After giving effect to the Initial Offering, including any exercise of the Over-Allotment Option and the Deferred Issuance and Distribution, the Percentage Interest attributable to the General Partner Interest shall be 2%, which for the purposes of this definition equates to 1,163,651 hypothetical limited partner units. In connection with the issuance of additional Limited Partner Interests by the Partnership as described in Section 5.2(b), (a) if the General Partner makes additional Capital Contributions as contemplated by Section 5.2(b), the number of hypothetical limited partner units represented by the General Partner Interest shall be increased as necessary to maintain the Percentage Interest attributable to the General Partner Interest at the level it was immediately prior to such issuance, and (b) if the General Partner does not make additional Capital Contributions as contemplated by Section 5.2(b), the number of hypothetical limited partner units represented by the General Partner Interest shall stay the same, which shall result in a reduction of the Percentage Interest attributable to the General Partner Interest.
     “ GP Contribution Interest ” shall have the meaning assigned to it in the Contribution Agreement.
     “ Gross Liability Value ” means, with respect to any Liability of the Partnership described in Treasury Regulation Section 1.752-7(b)(3)(i), the amount of cash that a willing assignor would pay to a willing assignee to assume such Liability in an arm’s-length transaction.
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     “ Group ” means a Person that with or through any of its Affiliates or Associates has any agreement, arrangement, understanding or relationship for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except voting pursuant to a revocable proxy or consent given to such Person in response to a proxy or consent solicitation made to 10 or more Persons), exercising investment power or disposing of any Partnership Interests with any other Person that beneficially owns, or whose Affiliates or Associates beneficially own, directly or indirectly, Partnership Interests.
     “ Group Member ” means a member of the Partnership Group.
     “ Group Member Agreement ” means the partnership agreement of any Group Member, other than the Partnership, that is a limited or general partnership, the limited liability company agreement of any Group Member that is a limited liability company, the certificate of incorporation and bylaws or similar organizational documents of any Group Member that is a corporation, the joint venture agreement or similar governing document of any Group Member that is a joint venture and the governing or organizational or similar documents of any other Group Member that is a Person other than a limited or general partnership, limited liability company, corporation or joint venture, as such may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to time.
     “ Holder ” as used in Section 7.12, is defined in Section 7.12(a).
     “ IDR Reset Common Unit ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.11(a).
     “ IDR Reset Election ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.11(a).
     “ Incentive Distribution Right ” means a non-voting Limited Partner Interest issued to the General Partner in connection with the transfer of the GP Contribution Interest to the Partnership pursuant to the Contribution Agreement, which Limited Partner Interest will confer upon the holder thereof only the rights and obligations specifically provided in this Agreement with respect to Incentive Distribution Rights (and no other rights otherwise available to or other obligations of a holder of a Partnership Interest). Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, the holder of an Incentive Distribution Right shall not be entitled to vote such Incentive Distribution Right on any Partnership matter except as may otherwise be required by law.
     “ Incentive Distributions ” means any amount of cash distributed to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights pursuant to Section 6.4.
     “ Incremental Income Taxes ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.9.
     “ Indemnified Persons ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 7.12(c).
     “ Indemnitee ” means (a) the General Partner, (b) any Departing General Partner, (c) any Person who is or was an Affiliate of the General Partner or any Departing General Partner, (d) any Person who is or was a member, manager, partner, director, officer, fiduciary, agent or trustee of any Group Member, the General Partner or any Departing General Partner or any Affiliate of any Group Member, the General Partner or any Departing General Partner, (e) any
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Person who is or was serving at the request of the General Partner or any Departing General Partner or any Affiliate of the General Partner or any Departing General Partner as a member, manager, partner, director, officer, fiduciary, agent or trustee of another Person; provided, that a Person shall not be an Indemnitee by reason of providing, on a fee-for-services basis, trustee, fiduciary or custodial services, and (f) any Person the General Partner designates as an “Indemnitee” for purposes of this Agreement.
     “ Ineligible Holder ” is defined in Section 4.9(c).
     “ Initial Common Units ” means the Common Units sold in the Initial Offering.
     “ Initial Limited Partners ” means PAA (with respect to the Common Units, Subordinated Units and Incentive Distribution Rights received by it pursuant to Section 5.2) and the Underwriters, in each case upon being admitted to the Partnership in accordance with Section 10.1 of this Agreement.
     “ Initial Offering ” means the initial offering and sale of Common Units to the public, as described in the Registration Statement, including any Common Units issued pursuant to the exercise of the Over-Allotment Option.
     “ Initial Unit Price ” means (a) with respect to the Common Units and the Series A Subordinated Units, the initial public offering price per Common Unit at which the Underwriters offered the Common Units to the public for sale as set forth on the cover page of the prospectus included as part of the Registration Statement and first issued at or after the time the Registration Statement first became effective, (b) with respect to the Series B Subordinated Units, $13.00 or (c) with respect to any other class or series of Units, the price per Unit at which such class or series of Units is initially sold by the Partnership, as determined by the General Partner, in each case adjusted as the General Partner determines to be appropriate to give effect to any distribution, subdivision or combination of Units.
     “ Issue Price ” means the price at which a Unit is purchased from the Partnership, net of any sales commission or underwriting discount charged to the Partnership.
     “ Limited Partner ” means, unless the context otherwise requires, the Organizational Limited Partner prior to its withdrawal from the Partnership, each Initial Limited Partner, each Additional Limited Partner and any Departing General Partner upon the change of its status from General Partner to Limited Partner pursuant to Section 11.3, in each case, in such Person’s capacity as a limited partner of the Partnership; provided, however, that when the term “Limited Partner” is used herein in the context of any vote or other approval, including Articles XIII and XIV, such term shall not, solely for such purpose, include any holder of an Incentive Distribution Right (solely with respect to its Incentive Distribution Rights and not with respect to any other Limited Partner Interest held by such Person) except as may otherwise be required by law.
     “ Limited Partner Interest ” means the ownership interest of a Limited Partner in the Partnership, which may be evidenced by Common Units, Subordinated Units, Incentive Distribution Rights or other Partnership Interests or a combination thereof or interest therein, and includes any and all benefits to which such Limited Partner is entitled as provided in this
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Agreement, together with all obligations of such Limited Partner to comply with the terms and provisions of this Agreement; provided, however , that when the term “Limited Partner Interest” is used herein in the context of any vote or other approval, including Articles XIII and XIV, such term shall not, solely for such purpose, include any Incentive Distribution Right except as may otherwise be required by law.
     “ Liquidation Date ” means (a) in the case of an event giving rise to the dissolution of the Partnership of the type described in clauses (a) and (b) of the first sentence of Section 12.2, the date on which the applicable time period during which the holders of Outstanding Units have the right to elect to continue the business of the Partnership has expired without such an election being made, and (b) in the case of any other event giving rise to the dissolution of the Partnership, the date on which such event occurs.
     “ Liquidator ” means one or more Persons selected by the General Partner to perform the functions described in Section 12.4 as liquidating trustee of the Partnership within the meaning of the Delaware Act.
     “ LTIP ” means the PAA Natural Gas Storage, L.P. 2010 Long Term Incentive Plan.
     “ Maintenance Capital Expenditures ” means cash capital expenditures made for the purpose of maintaining or replacing the operating capacity, service capability and/or functionality of the Partnership Group’s assets.
     “ Merger Agreement ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 14.1.
     “ Minimum Quarterly Distribution ” means $0.3375 per Unit per Quarter (or with respect to the period commencing on the Closing Date and ending on June 30, 2010, it means the product of $0.3375 multiplied by a fraction of which the numerator is the number of days in such period and of which the denominator is 91), subject to adjustment in accordance with Sections 5.11, 6.6 and 6.9.
     “ National Securities Exchange ” means an exchange registered with the Commission under Section 6(a) of the Securities Exchange Act (or any successor to such Section).
     “ Net Agreed Value ” means, (a) in the case of any Contributed Property, the Agreed Value of such property reduced by any liabilities either assumed by the Partnership upon such contribution or to which such property is subject when contributed and (b) in the case of any property distributed to a Partner by the Partnership, the Partnership’s Carrying Value of such property (as adjusted pursuant to Section 5.5(d)(ii)) at the time such property is distributed, reduced by any liability either assumed by such Partner upon such distribution or to which such property is subject at the time of distribution.
     “ Net Income ” means, for any taxable period, the excess, if any, of the Partnership’s items of income and gain (other than those items taken into account in the computation of Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss) for such taxable period over the Partnership’s items of loss and deduction (other than those items taken into account in the computation of Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss) for such taxable period. The items included in the
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calculation of Net Income shall be determined in accordance with Section 5.5(b) and shall not include any items specially allocated under Section 6.1(d); provided , that the determination of the items that have been specially allocated under Section 6.1(d) shall be made without regard to any reversal of such items under Section 6.1(d)(xii).
     “ Net Loss ” means, for any taxable period, the excess, if any, of the Partnership’s items of loss and deduction (other than those items taken into account in the computation of Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss) for such taxable period over the Partnership’s items of income and gain (other than those items taken into account in the computation of Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss) for such taxable period. The items included in the calculation of Net Loss shall be determined in accordance with Section 5.5(b) and shall not include any items specially allocated under Section 6.1(d); provided , that the determination of the items that have been specially allocated under Section 6.1(d) shall be made without regard to any reversal of such items under Section 6.1(d)(xii).
     “ Net Positive Adjustments ” means, with respect to any Partner, the excess, if any, of the total positive adjustments over the total negative adjustments made to the Capital Account of such Partner pursuant to Book-Up Events and Book-Down Events.
     “ Net Termination Gain ” means, for any taxable period, the sum, if positive, of all items of income, gain, loss or deduction (determined in accordance with Section 5.5(b)) that are (a) recognized (i) after the Liquidation Date or (ii) upon the sale, exchange or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Partnership Group, taken as a whole, in a single transaction or a series of related transactions (excluding any disposition to a member of the Partnership Group), or (b) deemed recognized by the Partnership pursuant to Section 5.5(d); provided , however , the items included in the determination of Net Termination Gain shall not include any items of income, gain or loss specially allocated under Section 6.1(d).
     “ Net Termination Loss ” means, for any taxable period, the sum, if negative, of all items of income, gain, loss or deduction (determined in accordance with Section 5.5(b)) that are (a) recognized (i) after the Liquidation Date or (ii) upon the sale, exchange or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Partnership Group, taken as a whole, in a single transaction or a series of related transactions (excluding any disposition to a member of the Partnership Group), or (b) deemed recognized by the Partnership pursuant to Section 5.5(d); provided , however , items included in the determination of Net Termination Loss shall not include any items of income gain or loss specially allocated under Section 6.1(d).
     “ Nonrecourse Built-in Gain ” means with respect to any Contributed Properties or Adjusted Properties that are subject to a mortgage or pledge securing a Nonrecourse Liability, the amount of any taxable gain that would be allocated to the Partners pursuant to Sections 6.2(b) if such properties were disposed of in a taxable transaction in full satisfaction of such liabilities and for no other consideration.
     “ Nonrecourse Deductions ” means any and all items of loss, deduction or expenditure (including any expenditure described in Section 705(a)(2)(B) of the Code) that, in accordance with the principles of Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(b), are attributable to a Nonrecourse Liability.
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     “ Nonrecourse Liability ” has the meaning set forth in Treasury Regulation Section 1.752-1(a)(2).
     “ Notice of Election to Purchase ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 15.1(b).
     “ Omnibus Agreement ” means that certain Omnibus Agreement, dated as of the Closing Date, among PAA, PAA GP, the General Partner and the Partnership, as such may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to time.
     “ Opinion of Counsel ” means a written opinion of counsel (who may be regular counsel to the Partnership or the General Partner or any of its Affiliates) in a form acceptable to the General Partner.
     “ Option Closing Date ” means the date or dates on which any Common Units are sold by the Partnership to the Underwriters upon exercise of the Over-Allotment Option.
     “ Organizational Limited Partner ” means PAA in its capacity as the organizational limited partner of the Partnership pursuant to this Agreement.
     “ Outstanding ” means, with respect to Partnership Interests, all Partnership Interests that are issued by the Partnership and either (x) reflected as outstanding on the Partnership’s books and records as of the date of determination or (y) deemed to be outstanding as provided in Section 5.12(d) and 5.12(e); provided, however , that if at any time any Person or Group (other than the General Partner or its Affiliates) beneficially owns 20% or more of the Outstanding Partnership Interests of any class then Outstanding, none of the Partnership Interests owned by such Person or Group shall be voted on any matter and shall not be considered to be Outstanding when sending notices of a meeting of Limited Partners to vote on any matter (unless otherwise required by law), calculating required votes, determining the presence of a quorum or for other similar purposes under this Agreement, except that Partnership Interests so owned shall be considered to be Outstanding for purposes of Section 11.1(b)(iv) (such Partnership Interests shall not, however, be treated as a separate class of Partnership Interests for purposes of this Agreement or the Delaware Act); provided, further , that the foregoing limitation shall not apply to (i) any Person or Group who acquired 20% or more of the Outstanding Partnership Interests of any class then Outstanding directly from the General Partner or its Affiliates (other than the Partnership), (ii) any Person or Group who acquired 20% or more of the Outstanding Partnership Interests of any class then Outstanding directly or indirectly from a Person or Group described in clause (i) provided that the General Partner shall have notified such Person or Group in writing that such limitation shall not apply, or (iii) any Person or Group who acquired 20% or more of any Partnership Interests issued by the Partnership with the prior approval of the Board of Directors.
     “ Over-Allotment Option ” means the over-allotment option granted to the Underwriters by the Partnership pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement.
     “ PAA ” means Plains All American Pipeline, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership.
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     “ PAA GP ” means Plains All American GP LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and the ultimate general partner of PAA.
     “ Partner Nonrecourse Debt ” has the meaning set forth in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(b)(4).
     “ Partner Nonrecourse Debt Minimum Gain ” has the meaning set forth in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(i)(2).
     “ Partner Nonrecourse Deductions ” means any and all items of loss, deduction or expenditure (including any expenditure described in Section 705(a)(2)(B) of the Code) that, in accordance with the principles of Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(i), are attributable to a Partner Nonrecourse Debt.
     “ Partners ” means the General Partner and the Limited Partners.
     “ Partnership ” means PAA Natural Gas Storage, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership.
     “ Partnership Contribution Interest ” shall have the meaning assigned to it in the Contribution Agreement.
     “ Partnership Group ” means the Partnership and its Subsidiaries treated as a single consolidated entity.
     “ Partnership Interest ” means any class or series of equity interest in the Partnership (but excluding any options to purchase, rights, warrants or appreciation rights or phantom or tracking interests relating to an equity interest in the Partnership), including Common Units, Subordinated Units and Incentive Distribution Rights.
     “ Partnership Minimum Gain ” means that amount determined in accordance with the principles of Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-2(b)(2) and 1.704-2(d).
     “ Per Unit Capital Amount ” means, as of any date of determination, the Capital Account, stated on a per Unit basis, underlying any Unit held by a Person other than the General Partner or any Affiliate of the General Partner who holds Units.
     “ Percentage Interest ” means, as of any date of determination, (a) as to the General Partner, the Percentage Interest attributable to the General Partner Interest (as described in the definition of General Partner Interest) and (b) as to any Unitholder holding Units, the product obtained by multiplying (i) 100% less the Percentage Interest attributable to the General Partner Interest and the percentage applicable to clause (c) below by (ii) the quotient obtained by dividing (A) the number of Units held by such Unitholder by (B) the total number of all Outstanding Units, and (c) as to the holders of other Partnership Interests issued by the Partnership in accordance with Section 5.6, the percentage established as a part of such issuance. The Percentage Interest with respect to an Incentive Distribution Right shall at all times be zero.
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     “ Permitted Actions ” means the following arrangements with, actions taken by, or determinations made by, the General Partner:
     (a) Any determination by the General Partner that it shall, due to the terms of or covenants under any current or future debt instruments, credit facilities or indentures of PAA or its Affiliates, cause restrictions, prohibitions or limitations to be placed on the Partnership Group, even if such restrictions, prohibitions or limitations result in the terms of a particular transaction being less favorable to the Partnership Group than would otherwise be the case including, for example: (i) the Partnership Group’s ability to enter into any sale/leaseback transactions, (ii) limitations on the amount of Partnership Group debt that can be secured by liens on their respective facilities or (iii) the Partnership Group’s ability to give intercompany guarantees;
     (b) The General Partner’s agreement with PAA GP on the reasonable allocation and other procedures to effect the reimbursement of all direct and indirect costs and expenses incurred by PAA GP or its Affiliates in connection with the provision of services to the Partnership Group under the terms of the Omnibus Agreement; and
     (c) Following the completion of the issuance by the Partnership of Common Units in connection with an underwritten public offering, direct placement and/or private offering of Common Units, the reasonably prompt redemption by the Partnership of a number of Common Units owned by PAA that is no greater than the aggregate number of Common Units issued to PAA pursuant to clause (a) of Potential PAA Financial Support (taking into account any prior redemptions pursuant to this clause (c)) at a price per Common Unit that is no greater than the net price per Common Unit realized by the Partnership in the offering or placement, as applicable, with the net price per Common Unit calculated as the price per Common Unit paid by the investors in such offering or placement, as applicable, less underwriting discounts and commissions or placement fees, if any.
     “ Person ” means an individual or a corporation, firm, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, unincorporated organization, association, government agency or political subdivision thereof or other entity.
     “ Pine Prairie ” means the natural gas storage complex located primarily in Evangeline Parish, Louisiana.
     “ Potential PAA Financial Support ” means the following forms of potential PAA financial support:
     (a) The Partnership’s issuance of Common Units to PAA at a price per Common Unit of no less than 95% of the trailing 20-day average closing price per Common Unit;
     (b) The Partnership’s borrowing of funds from PAA on terms that include a tenor of no more than three years and a fixed rate of interest that is no more than 100 basis points higher than the lesser of (i) the fixed rate of interest incurred by PAA on any senior notes or other financial instruments issued by PAA to fund such loan to the Partnership or (ii) the weighted average of PAA’s outstanding senior note issues; and
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     (c) the provision by PAA to any member of the Partnership Group of any guaranties or trade credit support to support the ongoing operations of the Partnership Group as contemplated by Section 3.4 of the Omnibus Agreement; provided , that (i) the pricing for any such guaranties or trade credit support shall be no more than the cost to the Partnership of issuing a comparable letter of credit under its Credit Agreement, and (ii) any such guaranties or trade credit support are limited to ordinary course obligations of the Partnership Group and do not extend to indebtedness for borrowed money or other obligations that could be characterized as debt.
     “ Pro Rata ” means (a) when used with respect to Units or any class thereof, apportioned equally among all designated Units in accordance with their relative Percentage Interests, (b) when used with respect to Partners or Record Holders, apportioned among all Partners or Record Holders in accordance with their relative Percentage Interests and (c) when used with respect to holders of Incentive Distribution Rights, apportioned equally among all holders of Incentive Distribution Rights in accordance with the relative number or percentage of Incentive Distribution Rights held by each such holder.
     “ Purchase Date ” means the date determined by the General Partner as the date for purchase of all Outstanding Limited Partner Interests of a certain class (other than Limited Partner Interests owned by the General Partner and its Affiliates) pursuant to Article XV.
     “ Quarter ” means, unless the context requires otherwise, a fiscal quarter of the Partnership, or, with respect to the first fiscal quarter of the Partnership that includes the Closing Date, the portion of such fiscal quarter after the Closing Date.
     “ Recapture Income ” means any gain recognized by the Partnership (computed without regard to any adjustment required by Section 734 or Section 743 of the Code) upon the disposition of any property or asset of the Partnership, which gain is characterized as ordinary income because it represents the recapture of deductions previously taken with respect to such property or asset.
     “ Record Date ” means the date established by the General Partner or otherwise in accordance with this Agreement for determining (a) the identity of the Record Holders entitled to notice of, or to vote at, any meeting of Limited Partners or entitled to vote by ballot or give approval of Partnership action in writing without a meeting or entitled to exercise rights in respect of any lawful action of Limited Partners or (b) the identity of Record Holders entitled to receive any report or distribution or to participate in any offer.
     “ Record Holder ” means (a) with respect to Partnership Interests of any class for which a Transfer Agent has been appointed, the Person in whose name a Partnership Interest of such class is registered on the books of the Transfer Agent as of the opening of business on a particular Business Day, or (b) with respect to other classes of Partnership Interests, the Person in whose name any such other Partnership Interest is registered on the books that the General Partner has caused to be kept as of the opening of business on such Business Day.
     “ Redeemable Interests ” means any Partnership Interests for which a redemption notice has been given, and has not been withdrawn, pursuant to Section 4.10.
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     “ Reference Quarter ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.12(d).
     “ Registration Statement ” means the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (Registration No. 333-164492) as it has been or as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time, filed by the Partnership with the Commission under the Securities Act to register the offering and sale of the Common Units in the Initial Offering.
     “ Remaining Net Positive Adjustments ” means as of the end of any taxable period, (i) with respect to the Unitholders holding Common Units or Series A Subordinated Units, the excess of (a) the Net Positive Adjustments of the Unitholders holding Common Units or Series A Subordinated Units as of the end of such period over (b) the sum of those Partners’ Share of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items for each prior taxable period, (ii) with respect to the General Partner (as holder of the General Partner Interest), the excess of (a) the Net Positive Adjustments of the General Partner as of the end of such period over (b) the sum of the General Partner’s Share of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items with respect to the General Partner Interest for each prior taxable period, and (iii) with respect to the holders of Incentive Distribution Rights, the excess of (a) the Net Positive Adjustments of the holders of Incentive Distribution Rights as of the end of such period over (b) the sum of the Share of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items of the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights for each prior taxable period.
     “ Required Allocations ” means any allocation of an item of income, gain, loss or deduction pursuant to Section 6.1(d)(i), Section 6.1(d)(ii), Section 6.1(d)(iv), Section 6.1 (d)(v), Section 6.1(d)(vi), Section 6.1(d)(vii) or Section 6.1(d)(ix).
     “ Reset MQD ” is defined in Section 5.11(a).
     “ Reset Notice ” is defined in Section 5.11(b).
     “ Second Liquidation Target Amount ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.1(c)(i)(E).
     “ Second Target Distribution ” means $0.5063 per Unit per Quarter (or, with respect to the period commencing on the Closing Date and ending on June 30, 2010, it means the product of $0.5063 multiplied by a fraction of which the numerator is equal to the number of days in such period and of which the denominator is 91), subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 5.11, Section 6.6 and Section 6.9.
     “ Second Threshold ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.12(a).
     “ Second Tranche Series B Subordinated Units ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.12(b).
     “ Securities Act ” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, supplemented or restated from time to time and any successor to such statute.
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     “ Securities Exchange Act ” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, supplemented or restated from time to time and any successor to such statute.
     “ Series A Subordinated Unit ” means a Partnership Interest representing a fractional part of the Partnership Interests of all Limited Partners and having the rights and obligations specified with respect to Series A Subordinated Units in this Agreement. The term “Series A Subordinated Unit” does not include a Common Unit. A Series A Subordinated Unit that is convertible into a Common Unit shall not constitute a Common Unit until such conversion occurs.
     “ Series B Subordinated Unit ” means a Partnership Interest representing a fractional part of the Partnership Interests of all Limited Partners and having the rights and obligations specified with respect to Series B Subordinated Units in this Agreement. The term “Series B Subordinated Unit” does not include a Common Unit or a Series A Subordinated Unit. A Series B Subordinated Unit that is convertible into a Series A Subordinated Unit or Common Unit shall not constitute a Series A Subordinated Unit or Common Unit, respectively, until such conversion occurs.
     “ Series B Thresholds ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.12(c).
     “ Share of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items ” means in connection with any allocation of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items for any taxable period, (i) with respect to the Unitholders holding Common Units or Series A Subordinated Units, the amount that bears the same ratio to such Additional Book Basis Derivative Items as the Unitholders’ Remaining Net Positive Adjustments as of the end of such taxable period bears to the Aggregate Remaining Net Positive Adjustments as of that time, (ii) with respect to the General Partner (as holder of the General Partner Interest), the amount that bears the same ratio to such Additional Book Basis Derivative Items as the General Partner’s Remaining Net Positive Adjustments as of the end of such taxable period bears to the Aggregate Remaining Net Positive Adjustment as of that time, and (iii) with respect to the Partners holding Incentive Distribution Rights, the amount that bears the same ratio to such Additional Book Basis Derivative Items as the Remaining Net Positive Adjustments of the Partners holding the Incentive Distribution Rights as of the end of such period bears to the Aggregate Remaining Net Positive Adjustments as of that time.
     “ Special Approval ” means approval by a majority of the members of the Conflicts Committee after due inquiry (as defined herein), based on a subjective belief that the course of action or determination that is the subject of such approval is fair and reasonable to the Partnership.
     “ Subject Interests ” means, with respect to any period, the Common Units, Series A Subordinated Units, the General Partner Interest and other Units that are senior or equal in right of distribution to the Series A Subordinated Units, in each case that are Outstanding during such period or on the date of determination, as the context may require.
     “ Subordinated Unit ” means a Series A Subordinated Unit or a Series B Subordinated Unit.
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     “ Subordinated Units ” means both the Series A Subordinated Units, if any are Outstanding, and the Series B Subordinated Units, if any are Outstanding.
     “ Subordination Period ” means, except as otherwise provided in Section 11.4, the period commencing on the Closing Date and ending effective as of the earlier of (a) the first day of the month immediately following any Quarter in respect of which (i) distributions of Available Cash under Section 6.4(a) have been made on the Subject Interests in respect of each of the three consecutive, non-overlapping four-Quarter periods immediately preceding such month in an amount equal to or greater than the Annual Threshold Amount, (ii) the Distributable Cash Flow generated during each of the three consecutive, non-overlapping four-Quarter periods immediately preceding such month equaled or exceeded the Fully Diluted Annual Threshold Amount and (iii) there are no Cumulative Common Unit Arrearages or (b) the first day of the month immediately following the last Quarter of the Early Conversion Period. Distributable Cash Flow generated during a Quarter for purposes of clause (ii) above shall not include any amounts up to $40 million that may be deemed to be Distributable Cash Flow pursuant to clause (ii) to Section 6.3(a).
     “ Subsidiary ” means, with respect to any Person, (a) a corporation of which more than 50% of the voting power of shares entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors or other governing body of such corporation is owned, directly or indirectly, at the date of determination, by such Person, by one or more Subsidiaries of such Person or a combination thereof, (b) a partnership (whether general or limited) in which such Person or a Subsidiary of such Person is, at the date of determination, a general or limited partner of such partnership, but only if more than 50% of the partnership interests of such partnership (considering all of the partnership interests of the partnership as a single class) is owned, directly or indirectly, at the date of determination, by such Person, by one or more Subsidiaries of such Person, or a combination thereof, or (c) any other Person (other than a corporation or a partnership) in which such Person, one or more Subsidiaries of such Person, or a combination thereof, directly or indirectly, at the date of determination, has (i) at least a majority ownership interest or (ii) the power to elect or direct the election of a majority of the directors or other governing body of such Person.
     “ Surviving Business Entity ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 14.2(b).
     “ Target Distribution ” means, collectively, the First Target Distribution and Second Target Distribution.
     “ Taxation Certification ” means a properly completed certificate in such form as may be specified by the General Partner by which a Limited Partner certifies that he (and if he is a nominee holding for the account of another Person, that to the best of his knowledge such other Person) is an Eligible Holder.
     “ Tax Sharing Agreement ” means that certain Tax Sharing Agreement, dated as of the Closing Date, among the Partnership and PAA, as such may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to time.
     “ Third Threshold ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.12(a).
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     “ Third Tranche Series B Subordinated Units ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.12(c).
     “ Trading Day ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 15.1(a).
     “ transfer ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 4.4(a).
     “ Transfer Agent ” means such bank, trust company or other Person (including the General Partner or one of its Affiliates) as shall be appointed from time to time by the General Partner to act as registrar and transfer agent for the Common Units; provided , that if no Transfer Agent is specifically designated for any other Partnership Interests, the General Partner shall act in such capacity.
     “ Underwriter ” means each Person named as an underwriter in Schedule I to the Underwriting Agreement who purchases Common Units pursuant thereto.
     “ Underwriting Agreement ” means that certain Underwriting Agreement, dated as of April 29, 2010, among the Underwriters, the Partnership, the General Partner and other parties thereto, providing for the purchase of Common Units by the Underwriters.
     “ Unit ” means a Partnership Interest that is designated as a “Unit” and shall include Common Units and Subordinated Units but shall not include (i) the General Partner Interest or (ii) Incentive Distribution Rights.
     “ Unitholders ” means the holders of Units.
     “ Unit Majority ” means (i) during the Subordination Period, at least a majority of the Outstanding Common Units, voting as a class, and at least a majority of the Outstanding Subordinated Units, voting as a class, (ii) after the end of the Subordination Period but while there are still Series B Subordinated Units Outstanding, at least a majority of the Outstanding Common Units, voting as a class, and at least a majority of the Outstanding Series B Subordinated Units, voting as a class and (iii) after the end of the Subordination Period if there are no remaining Series B Subordinated Units Outstanding, at least a majority of the Outstanding Common Units, voting as a single class.
     “ Unpaid MQD ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.1(c)(i)(B).
     “ Unrealized Gain ” attributable to any item of Partnership property means, as of any date of determination, the excess, if any, of (a) the fair market value of such property as of such date (as determined under Section 5.5(d)) over (b) the Carrying Value of such property as of such date (prior to any adjustment to be made pursuant to Section 5.5(d) as of such date).
     “ Unrealized Loss ” attributable to any item of Partnership property means, as of any date of determination, the excess, if any, of (a) the Carrying Value of such property as of such date (prior to any adjustment to be made pursuant to Section 5.5(d) as of such date) over (b) the fair market value of such property as of such date (as determined under Section 5.5(d)).
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     “ Unrecovered Initial Unit Price ” means at any time, with respect to a Common Unit and a Series A Subordinated Unit, the Initial Unit Price less the sum of all distributions constituting Capital Surplus theretofore made in respect of an Initial Common Unit and any distributions of cash (or the Net Agreed Value of any distributions in kind) in connection with the dissolution and liquidation of the Partnership theretofore made in respect of an Initial Common Unit, adjusted as the General Partner determines to be appropriate to give effect to any distribution, subdivision, combination or reorganization of such Units.
     “ U.S. GAAP ” means United States generally accepted accounting principles consistently applied.
     “ Weighted Average Subject Interests ” means, with respect to any period, the weighted average number of Subject Interests that are Outstanding during such period; it being understood that if any such Subject Interests were issued during such period, such Subject Interests shall only be treated as Outstanding for purposes of such weighted average calculation from and after their date of issuance.
     “ Withdrawal Opinion of Counsel ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 11.1(b).
     “ Working Capital Borrowings ” means borrowings used solely for working capital purposes or to pay distributions to Partners made pursuant to a credit facility (including the Credit Agreement), commercial paper facility or other similar financing arrangement, provided that all such borrowings are required to be reduced to zero within 12 months from the date of incurrence for an economically meaningful period of time from sources other than Working Capital Borrowings.
    Section 1.2 Construction .
     Unless the context requires otherwise: (a) any pronoun used in this Agreement shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine or neuter forms, and the singular form of nouns, pronouns and verbs shall include the plural and vice versa; (b) references to Articles and Sections refer to Articles and Sections of this Agreement; (c) the terms “include,” “includes” or “including” or words of like import shall be deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation;” and (d) the terms “hereof,” “herein” or “hereunder” refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement. The table of contents and headings contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes only, and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.
ARTICLE II
ORGANIZATION
    Section 2.1 Formation .
     The General Partner and PAA formed the Partnership on January 15, 2010 pursuant to the Certificate of Limited Partnership as filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware
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pursuant to the provisions of the Delaware Act. The General Partner and PAA hereby amend and restate the original Agreement of Limited Partnership of PAA Natural Gas Storage, L.P. in its entirety. This amendment and restatement shall become effective on the date of this Agreement. Except as expressly provided to the contrary in this Agreement, the rights, duties (including fiduciary duties), liabilities and obligations of the Partners and the administration, dissolution and termination of the Partnership shall be governed by the Delaware Act. All Partnership Interests shall constitute personal property of the owner thereof for all purposes.
    Section 2.2 Name .
     The name of the Partnership shall be “PAA Natural Gas Storage, L.P.” The Partnership’s business may be conducted under any other name or names as determined by the General Partner, including the name of the General Partner. The words “Limited Partnership,” “LP,” “Ltd.” or similar words or letters shall be included in the Partnership’s name where necessary for the purpose of complying with the laws of any jurisdiction that so requires. The General Partner may change the name of the Partnership at any time and from time to time and shall notify the Limited Partners of such change in the next regular communication to the Limited Partners.
    Section 2.3 Registered Office; Registered Agent; Principal Office; Other Offices .
     Unless and until changed by the General Partner, the registered office of the Partnership in the State of Delaware shall be located at 2711 Centerville Road, Suite 400, Wilmington, Delaware 19808, and the registered agent for service of process on the Partnership in the State of Delaware at such registered office shall be The Corporation Service Company. The principal office of the Partnership shall be located at 333 Clay Street, Suite 1500, Houston, Texas 77002, or such other place as the General Partner may from time to time designate by notice to the Limited Partners. The Partnership may maintain offices at such other place or places within or outside the State of Delaware as the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate. The address of the General Partner shall be 333 Clay Street, Suite 1500, Houston, Texas 77002, or such other place as the General Partner may from time to time designate by notice to the Limited Partners.
    Section 2.4 Purpose and Business .
     The purpose and nature of the business to be conducted by the Partnership shall be to (a) engage directly in, or enter into or form, hold and dispose of any corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other arrangement to engage indirectly in, any business activity that is approved by the General Partner and that lawfully may be conducted by a limited partnership organized pursuant to the Delaware Act and, in connection therewith, to exercise all of the rights and powers conferred upon the Partnership pursuant to the agreements relating to such business activity, and (b) do anything necessary or appropriate to the foregoing, including the making of capital contributions or loans to a Group Member; provided, however , that the General Partner shall not cause the Partnership to engage, directly or indirectly, in any business activity that the General Partner determines would cause the Partnership to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise taxable as an entity for federal income tax purposes. Without limiting the obligation of the General Partner contained in the proviso immediately preceding this sentence, the General Partner shall have no duty or obligation to
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propose or approve, and may decline to propose or approve, the conduct by the Partnership of any business free of any fiduciary duty or obligation whatsoever to the Partnership or any Limited Partner and, in declining to so propose or approve, shall not be required to act in good faith or pursuant to any other standard imposed by this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, any other agreement contemplated hereby or under the Delaware Act or any other law, rule or regulation or at equity.
     Section 2.5 Powers .
     The Partnership shall be empowered to do any and all acts and things necessary, appropriate, proper, advisable, incidental to or convenient for the furtherance and accomplishment of the purposes and business described in Section 2.4 and for the protection and benefit of the Partnership.
     Section 2.6 Term .
     The term of the Partnership commenced upon the filing of the Certificate of Limited Partnership in accordance with the Delaware Act and shall continue in existence until the dissolution of the Partnership in accordance with the provisions of Article XII. The existence of the Partnership as a separate legal entity shall continue until the cancellation of the Certificate of Limited Partnership as provided in the Delaware Act.
     Section 2.7 Title to Partnership Assets .
     Title to Partnership assets, whether real, personal or mixed and whether tangible or intangible, shall be deemed to be owned by the Partnership as an entity, and no Partner, individually or collectively, shall have any ownership interest in such Partnership assets or any portion thereof. Title to any or all of the Partnership assets may be held in the name of the Partnership, the General Partner, one or more of its Affiliates or one or more nominees, as the General Partner may determine. The General Partner hereby declares and warrants that any Partnership assets for which record title is held in the name of the General Partner or one or more of its Affiliates or one or more nominees shall be held by the General Partner or such Affiliate or nominee for the use and benefit of the Partnership in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement; provided, however , that the General Partner shall use reasonable efforts to cause record title to such assets (other than those assets in respect of which the General Partner determines that the expense and difficulty of conveyancing makes transfer of record title to the Partnership impracticable) to be vested in the Partnership as soon as reasonably practicable; provided, further , that, prior to the withdrawal or removal of the General Partner or as soon thereafter as practicable, the General Partner shall use reasonable efforts to effect the transfer to the Partnership of record title to all Partnership assets held by the General Partner or its Affiliates and, prior to any such transfer, will provide for the use of such assets in a manner satisfactory to the General Partner. All Partnership assets shall be recorded as the property of the Partnership in its books and records, irrespective of the name in which record title to such Partnership assets is held.
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ARTICLE III
RIGHTS OF LIMITED PARTNERS
     Section 3.1 Limitation of Liability .
     The Limited Partners shall have no liability under this Agreement except as expressly provided in this Agreement or the Delaware Act.
     Section 3.2 Management of Business .
     No Limited Partner, in its capacity as such, shall participate in the operation, management or control (within the meaning of the Delaware Act) of the Partnership’s business, transact any business in the Partnership’s name or have the power to sign documents for or otherwise bind the Partnership. Any action taken by any Affiliate of the General Partner or any officer, director, employee, manager, member, general partner, agent or trustee of the General Partner or any of its Affiliates, or any officer, director, employee, manager, member, general partner, agent or trustee of a Group Member, in its capacity as such, shall not be deemed to be participation in the control of the business of the Partnership by a limited partner of the Partnership (within the meaning of Section 17-303(a) of the Delaware Act) and shall not affect, impair or eliminate the limitations on the liability of the Limited Partners under this Agreement.
     Section 3.3 Outside Activities of the Limited Partners .
     Subject to the provisions of Section 7.5, which shall continue to be applicable to the Persons referred to therein, regardless of whether such Persons shall also be Limited Partners, any Limited Partner shall be entitled to and may have business interests and engage in business activities in addition to those relating to the Partnership, including business interests and activities in direct competition with the Partnership Group. Neither the Partnership nor any of the other Partners shall have any rights by virtue of this Agreement in any business ventures of any Limited Partner.
     Section 3.4 Rights of Limited Partners .
     (a) In addition to other rights provided by this Agreement or by applicable law, and except as limited by Section 3.4(b), each Limited Partner shall have the right, for a purpose reasonably related to such Limited Partner’s interest as a Limited Partner in the Partnership, upon reasonable written demand stating the purpose of such demand and at such Limited Partner’s own expense:
     (i) to obtain true and full information regarding the status of the business and financial condition of the Partnership;
     (ii) promptly after its becoming available, to obtain a copy of the Partnership’s federal, state and local income tax returns for each year;
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     (iii) to obtain a current list of the name and last known business, residence or mailing address of each Partner;
     (iv) to obtain a copy of this Agreement and the Certificate of Limited Partnership and all amendments thereto, together with copies of the executed copies of all powers of attorney pursuant to which this Agreement, the Certificate of Limited Partnership and all amendments thereto have been executed;
     (v) to obtain true and full information regarding the amount of cash and a description and statement of the Net Agreed Value of any other Capital Contribution by each Partner and that each Partner has agreed to contribute in the future, and the date on which each became a Partner; and
     (vi) to obtain such other information regarding the affairs of the Partnership as is just and reasonable.
     (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the General Partner may keep confidential from the Limited Partners, for such period of time as the General Partner determines, (i) any information that the General Partner reasonably believes to be in the nature of trade secrets or (ii) other information the disclosure of which the General Partner believes (A) is not in the best interests of the Partnership Group, (B) could damage the Partnership Group or its consolidated business or (C) that any Group Member is required by law or by agreement with any third party to keep confidential (other than agreements with Affiliates of the Partnership the primary purpose of which is to circumvent the obligations set forth in this Section 3.4).
ARTICLE IV
CERTIFICATES; RECORD HOLDERS; TRANSFER OF
PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS; REDEMPTION OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS
     Section 4.1 Certificates .
     Prior to the Closing Date, the Partnership Interests will not be evidenced by Certificates. Effective on the Closing Date, upon the Partnership’s issuance of Common Units or Subordinated Units to any Person, the Partnership shall issue, upon the request of such Person, one or more Certificates in the name of such Person evidencing the number of such Units being so issued. In addition, (a) upon the General Partner’s request, the Partnership shall issue to it one or more Certificates in the name of the General Partner evidencing its General Partner Interest and (b) upon the request of any Person owning Incentive Distribution Rights or any other Partnership Interests other than Common Units or Subordinated Units, the Partnership shall issue to such Person one or more certificates evidencing such Incentive Distribution Rights or other Partnership Interests other than Common Units or Subordinated Units. Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Partnership by the Chairman of the Board, President or any Executive Vice President, Senior Vice President or Vice President and the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the General Partner. No Common Unit Certificate shall be valid for any purpose until it has been countersigned by the Transfer Agent; provided, however , that the Units may be certificated or uncertificated as provided in the Delaware Act; and provided, further , that if the
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General Partner elects to issue Common Units in global form, the Common Unit Certificates shall be valid upon receipt of a certificate from the Transfer Agent certifying that the Common Units have been duly registered in accordance with the directions of the Partnership. Subject to the requirements of Section 6.7(c), the Partners holding Certificates evidencing Series A Subordinated Units or Series B Subordinated Units may exchange such Certificates for Certificates evidencing Common Units on or after the date on which such Series A Subordinated Units or Series B Subordinated Units are converted into Common Units pursuant to the terms of Section 5.7 or Section 5.12, respectively. The Partners holding Certificates evidencing Series B Subordinated Units may exchange such Certificates for Certificates evidencing Series A Subordinated Units on or after the date on which such Series B Subordinated Units are converted into Series A Subordinated Units pursuant to the terms of Section 5.12.
     Section 4.2 Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Certificates .
     (a) If any mutilated Certificate is surrendered to the Transfer Agent, the appropriate officers of the General Partner on behalf of the Partnership shall execute, and the Transfer Agent (for Common Units) or the General Partner (for Partnership Interests other than Common Units) shall countersign and deliver in exchange therefor, a new Certificate, or shall deliver other evidence of the issuance of uncertificated Units, evidencing the same number and type of Partnership Interests as the Certificate so surrendered.
     (b) The appropriate officers of the General Partner on behalf of the Partnership shall execute and deliver, and the Transfer Agent (for Common Units) or the General Partner (for Partnership Interests other than Common Units) shall countersign a new Certificate, or shall deliver other evidence of the issuance of uncertificated Units, in place of any Certificate previously issued if the Record Holder of the Certificate:
     (i) makes proof by affidavit, in form and substance satisfactory to the General Partner, that a previously issued Certificate has been lost, destroyed or stolen;
     (ii) requests the issuance of a new Certificate, or other evidence of the issuance of uncertificated Units, before the General Partner has notice that the Certificate has been acquired by a purchaser for value in good faith and without notice of an adverse claim (as such terms are construed under the Uniform Commercial Code of the State of Delaware);
     (iii) if requested by the General Partner, delivers to the General Partner a bond, in form and substance satisfactory to the General Partner, with surety or sureties and with fixed or open penalty as the General Partner may direct to indemnify the Partnership, the Partners, the General Partner and the Transfer Agent against any claim that may be made on account of the alleged loss, destruction or theft of the Certificate; and
     (iv) satisfies any other reasonable requirements imposed by the General Partner.
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     If a Limited Partner fails to notify the General Partner within a reasonable period of time after he has notice of the loss, destruction or theft of a Certificate, and a transfer of the Limited Partner Interests represented by the Certificate is registered before the Partnership, the General Partner or the Transfer Agent receives such notification, the Limited Partner shall be precluded from making any claim against the Partnership, the General Partner or the Transfer Agent for such transfer or for a new Certificate, or other evidence of the issuance of uncertificated Units.
     (c) As a condition to the issuance of any new Certificate, or other evidence of the issuance of uncertificated Units, under this Section 4.2, the General Partner may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Transfer Agent) reasonably connected therewith.
     Section 4.3 Record Holders .
     The Partnership shall be entitled to recognize the Record Holder as the Limited Partner with respect to any Partnership Interest and, accordingly, shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in such Partnership Interest on the part of any other Person, regardless of whether the Partnership shall have actual or other notice thereof, except as otherwise provided by law or any applicable rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of any National Securities Exchange on which such Partnership Interests are listed or admitted to trading. Without limiting the foregoing, when a Person (such as a broker, dealer, bank, trust company or clearing corporation or an agent of any of the foregoing) is acting as nominee, agent or in some other representative capacity for another Person in acquiring and/or holding Partnership Interests, as between the Partnership on the one hand, and such other Persons on the other, such representative Person shall be (a) the Record Holder of such Partnership Interest and (b) bound by this Agreement and shall have the rights and obligations of a Partner hereunder and as, and to the extent, provided for herein.
     Section 4.4 Transfer Generally .
     (a) The term “ transfer ,” when used in this Agreement with respect to a Partnership Interest, shall be deemed to refer to a transaction (i) by which the General Partner assigns its General Partner Interest to another Person or by which a holder of Incentive Distribution Rights assigns its Incentive Distribution Rights to another Person, and includes a sale, assignment, gift, pledge, encumbrance, hypothecation, mortgage, exchange or any other disposition by law or otherwise or (ii) by which the holder of a Limited Partner Interest (other than an Incentive Distribution Right) assigns such Limited Partner Interest to another Person who is or becomes a Limited Partner, and includes a sale, assignment, gift, exchange or any other disposition by law or otherwise, including any transfer upon foreclosure of any pledge, encumbrance, hypothecation or mortgage.
     (b) No Partnership Interest shall be transferred, in whole or in part, except in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in this Article IV. Any transfer or purported transfer of a Partnership Interest not made in accordance with this Article IV shall be, to the fullest extent permitted by law, null and void.
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     (c) Nothing contained in this Agreement shall be construed to prevent a disposition by any stockholder, member, partner or other owner of the General Partner of any or all of the issued and outstanding equity interests or other ownership interests in the General Partner, including through a merger or consolidation of the General Partner.
     Section 4.5 Registration and Transfer of Limited Partner Interests .
     (a) The General Partner shall keep or cause to be kept on behalf of the Partnership a register in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe and subject to the provisions of Section 4.5(b), the Partnership will provide for the registration and transfer of Limited Partner Interests. The Transfer Agent is hereby appointed registrar and transfer agent for the purpose of registering Common Units and transfers of such Common Units as herein provided. The Partnership shall not recognize transfers of Certificates evidencing Limited Partner Interests unless such transfers are effected in the manner described in this Section 4.5. Upon surrender of a Certificate for registration of transfer of any Limited Partner Interests evidenced by a Certificate, and subject to the provisions of Section 4.5(b), the appropriate officers of the General Partner on behalf of the Partnership shall execute and deliver, and in the case of Common Units, the Transfer Agent shall countersign and deliver, in the name of the holder or the designated transferee or transferees, as required pursuant to the holder’s instructions, one or more new Certificates, or shall deliver other evidence of the issuance of uncertificated Units, evidencing the same aggregate number and type of Limited Partner Interests as was evidenced by the Certificate so surrendered.
     (b) Except as otherwise provided in Section 4.9, (i) the General Partner shall not recognize any transfer of Limited Partner Interests until the Certificates evidencing such Limited Partner Interests, or other evidence of the issuance of uncertificated Units, are surrendered for registration of transfer and (ii) following a FERC Notice, such Certificates are accompanied by a Taxation Certification, properly completed and duly executed by the transferee (or the transferee’s attorney-in-fact duly authorized in writing). No charge shall be imposed by the General Partner for such transfer; provided , that as a condition to the issuance of any new Certificate, or other evidence of the issuance of uncertificated Units, under this Section 4.5, the General Partner may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed with respect thereto.
     (c) By acceptance of the transfer of any Limited Partner Interests in accordance with this Section 4.5 and except as provided in Section 4.9, each transferee of a Limited Partner Interest (including any nominee holder or an agent or representative acquiring such Limited Partner Interests for the account of another Person) (i) shall be admitted to the Partnership as a Limited Partner with respect to the Limited Partner Interests so transferred to such Person when any such transfer or admission is reflected in the books and records of the Partnership, with or without execution of this Agreement, (ii) shall be deemed to agree to be bound by the terms of, and shall be deemed to have executed, this Agreement, (iii) shall become the Record Holder of the Limited Partner Interests so transferred, (iv) represents that the transferee has the capacity, power and authority to enter into this Agreement, (v) grants the powers of attorney set forth in this Agreement and (vi) makes the consents and waivers contained in this Agreement. The
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transfer of any Limited Partner interests and the admission of any new Limited Partner shall not constitute an amendment to this Agreement.
     (d) Subject to (i) the foregoing provisions of this Section 4.5, (ii) Section 4.3, (iii) Section 4.8, (iv) with respect to any class or series of Limited Partner Interests, the provisions of any statement of designations or an amendment to this Agreement establishing such class or series, (v) any contractual provisions binding on any Limited Partner and (vi) provisions of applicable law including the Securities Act, Limited Partner Interests (other than the Incentive Distribution Rights) shall be freely transferable.
     (e) The General Partner and its Affiliates shall have the right at any time to transfer their Subordinated Units and Common Units (whether issued upon conversion of the Subordinated Units or otherwise) to one or more Persons.
     Section 4.6 Transfer of the General Partner’s General Partner Interest .
     (a) Subject to Section 4.6(b) below, the General Partner shall be free to transfer all or any part of its General Partner Interest to another Person at any time.
     (b) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, no transfer by the General Partner of all or any part of its General Partner Interest to another Person shall be permitted unless (i) the transferee agrees to assume the rights and duties of the General Partner under this Agreement and to be bound by the provisions of this Agreement, (ii) the Partnership receives an Opinion of Counsel that such transfer would not result in the loss of limited liability of any Limited Partner under the Delaware Act or cause the Partnership to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise to be taxed as an entity for federal income tax purposes (to the extent not already so treated or taxed) and (iii) such transferee also agrees to purchase all (or the appropriate portion thereof, if applicable) of the partnership or membership or limited liability company interest of the General Partner as the general partner or managing member, if any, of each other Group Member. In the case of a transfer pursuant to and in compliance with this Section 4.6, the transferee or successor (as the case may be) shall, subject to compliance with the terms of Section 10.2, be admitted to the Partnership as the General Partner effective immediately prior to the transfer of the General Partner Interest, and the business of the Partnership shall continue without dissolution.
     Section 4.7 Transfer of Incentive Distribution Rights .
     The General Partner or any other holder of Incentive Distribution Rights may transfer any or all of its Incentive Distribution Rights without Unitholder approval. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, no transfer of Incentive Distribution Rights to another Person shall be permitted unless the transferee agrees to be bound by the provisions of this Agreement.
     Section 4.8 Restrictions on Transfers .
     (a) Notwithstanding the other provisions of this Article IV, except as provided in Section 4.8(d), no transfer of any Partnership Interests shall be made if such transfer would (i) violate the then applicable federal or state securities laws or rules and regulations of the
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Commission, any state securities commission or any other governmental authority with jurisdiction over such transfer, (ii) terminate the existence or qualification of the Partnership under the laws of the jurisdiction of its formation, or (iii) cause the Partnership to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise to be taxed as an entity for federal income tax purposes (to the extent not already so treated or taxed).
     (b) The General Partner may impose restrictions on the transfer of Partnership Interests if it receives an Opinion of Counsel that such restrictions are necessary to avoid a significant risk of the Partnership becoming taxable as a corporation or otherwise becoming taxable as an entity for federal income tax purposes. The General Partner may impose such restrictions by amending this Agreement; provided, however , that any amendment that would result in the delisting or suspension of trading of any class of Limited Partner Interests on the principal National Securities Exchange on which such class of Limited Partner Interests is then listed or admitted to trading must be approved, prior to such amendment being effected, by the holders of at least a majority of the Outstanding Limited Partner Interests of such class.
     (c) The transfer of a Subordinated Unit that has converted into a Common Unit shall be subject to the restrictions imposed by Section 6.7(c).
     (d) Nothing contained in this Article IV, or elsewhere in this Agreement, shall preclude the settlement of any transactions involving Partnership Interests entered into through the facilities of any National Securities Exchange on which such Partnership Interests are listed or admitted for trading.
     (e) In the event any Partnership Interest is evidenced in certificated form, each certificate evidencing such Partnership Interest shall bear a conspicuous legend in substantially the following form:
THIS SECURITY IS SUBJECT TO CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS AND LIMITATIONS ON TRANSFER SET FORTH IN THE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT, AS THE SAME MAY BE AMENDED FROM TIME TO TIME. THE GENERAL PARTNER OF THE PARTNERSHIP MAY ALSO IMPOSE ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS ON THE TRANSFER OF THIS SECURITY IF NECESSARY TO AVOID CERTAIN ADVERSE TAX CONSEQUENCES. THE RESTRICTIONS SET FORTH ABOVE SHALL NOT PRECLUDE THE SETTLEMENT OF ANY TRANSACTIONS INVOLVING THIS SECURITY ENTERED INTO THROUGH THE FACILITIES OF ANY NATIONAL SECURITIES EXCHANGE ON WHICH THIS SECURITY IS LISTED OR ADMITTED TO TRADING.
     Section 4.9 Eligibility Certificates; Ineligible Holders .
     (a) If at any time the General Partner determines, with the advice of counsel, that:
     (i) the Partnership’s status other than as an association taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes or the failure of the Partnership otherwise to be subject to an entity-level tax for U.S. federal, state or local income tax purposes, coupled with the tax status (or lack of proof of the federal income tax
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status) of one or more Limited Partners, has or will reasonably likely have a material adverse effect on the maximum applicable rate that can be charged to customers by Subsidiaries of the Partnership that are subject to rate regulation by FERC (a “ FERC Eligibility Trigger ”), or
     (ii) any Group Member is subject to any federal, state or local law or regulation that would create a substantial risk of cancellation or forfeiture of any property in which the Group Member has an interest based on the nationality, citizenship or other related status of a Limited Partner (a “ Citizenship Eligibility Trigger ”);
then, the General Partner may adopt such amendments to this Agreement as it determines to be necessary or advisable to (x) in the case of a FERC Eligibility Trigger, obtain such proof of the federal income tax status of the Limited Partners and, to the extent relevant, their beneficial owners, as the General Partner determines to be necessary to establish those Limited Partners whose federal income tax status does not or would not have a material adverse effect on the maximum applicable rate that can be charged to customers by Subsidiaries of the Partnership that are subject to rate regulation by FERC or (y) in the case of a Citizenship Eligibility Trigger, obtain such proof of the nationality, citizenship or other related status (or, if the Limited Partner is a nominee holding for the account of another Person, the nationality, citizenship or other related status of such Person) of the Limited Partner as the General Partner determines to be necessary to establish and those Limited Partners whose status as a Limited Partner does not or would not subject any Group Member to a significant risk of cancellation or forfeiture of any of its properties or interests therein.
     (b) Such amendments may include provisions requiring all Limited Partners to certify as to their (and their beneficial owners’) status as Eligible Holders upon demand and on a regular basis, as determined by the General Partner, and may require transferees of Units to so certify prior to being admitted to the Partnership as a Limited Partner (any such required certificate, an “ Eligibility Certificate ”).
     (c) Such amendments may provide that any Limited Partner who fails to furnish to the General Partner within a reasonable period requested proof of its (and its’ beneficial owners’) status as an Eligible Holder or if upon receipt of such Eligibility Certificate or other requested information the General Partner determines that a Limited Partner is not an Eligible Holder (such a Limited Partner an “ Ineligible Holder ”), the Limited Partners Interest owned by such Limited Partner shall be subject to redemption in accordance with the provisions of Section 4.10. In addition, the General Partner shall be substituted for all Limited Partners that are Ineligible Holders as the Limited Partner in respect of the Ineligible Holder’s Limited Partner Interests.
     (d) The General Partner shall, in exercising voting rights in respect of Limited Partner Interests held by it on behalf of Ineligible Holders, distribute the votes in the same ratios as the votes of Limited Partners (including the General Partner and its Affiliates) in respect of Limited Partner Interests other than those of Ineligible Holders are cast, either for, against or abstaining as to the matter.
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     (e) Upon dissolution of the Partnership, an Ineligible Holder shall have no right to receive a distribution in kind pursuant to Section 12.4 but shall be entitled to the cash equivalent thereof, and the Partnership shall provide cash in exchange for an assignment of the Ineligible Holder’s share of any distribution in kind. Such payment and assignment shall be treated for Partnership purposes as a purchase by the Partnership from the Ineligible Holder of his Limited Partner Interest (representing his right to receive his share of such distribution in kind).
     (f) At any time after he can and does certify that he has become an Eligible Holder, an Ineligible Holder may, upon application to the General Partner, request that with respect to any Limited Partner Interests of such Ineligible Holder not redeemed pursuant to Section 4.10, such Ineligible Holder be admitted as a Limited Partner, and upon approval of the General Partner, such Ineligible Holder shall be admitted as a Limited Partner and shall no longer constitute an Ineligible Holder and the General Partner shall cease to be deemed to be the Limited Partner in respect of the Ineligible Holder’s Limited Partner Interests.
     Section 4.10 Redemption of Partnership Interests of Ineligible Holders .
     (a) If at any time a Limited Partner fails to furnish an Eligibility Certification or other information requested within a reasonable period of time specified in amendments adopted pursuant to Section 4.9, or if upon receipt of such Eligibility Certification or other information the General Partner determines, with the advice of counsel, that a Limited Partner is an Ineligible Holder, the Partnership may, unless the Limited Partner establishes to the satisfaction of the General Partner that such Limited Partner is not an Ineligible Holder or has transferred his Limited Partner Interests to a Person who is an Eligible Holder and who furnishes an Eligibility Certification to the General Partner prior to the date fixed for redemption as provided below, redeem the Limited Partner Interest of such Limited Partner as follows:
     (i) The General Partner shall, not later than the 30th day before the date fixed for redemption, give notice of redemption to the Limited Partner, at his last address designated on the records of the Partnership or the Transfer Agent, by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid. The notice shall be deemed to have been given when so mailed. The notice shall specify the Redeemable Interests, the date fixed for redemption, the place of payment, that payment of the redemption price will be made upon redemption of the Redeemable Interests (or, if later in the case of Redeemable Interests evidenced by Certificates, upon surrender of the Certificate evidencing the Redeemable Interests and that on and after the date fixed for redemption no further allocations or distributions to which the Limited Partner would otherwise be entitled in respect of the Redeemable Interests will accrue or be made.
     (ii) The aggregate redemption price for Redeemable Interests shall be an amount equal to the Current Market Price (the date of determination of which shall be the date fixed for redemption) of Limited Partner Interests of the class to be so redeemed multiplied by the number of Limited Partner Interests of each such class included among the Redeemable Interests. The redemption price shall be paid, as determined by the General Partner, in cash or by delivery of a promissory note of the Partnership in the principal amount of the redemption price, bearing interest at the
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rate of 5% annually and payable in three equal annual installments of principal together with accrued interest, commencing one year after the redemption date.
     (iii) The Limited Partner, or Transferee or his duly authorized representative shall be entitled to receive the payment for the Redeemable Interests at the place of payment specified in the notice of redemption on the redemption date (or, if later in the case of Redeemable Interests evidenced by Certificates, upon surrender by or on behalf of the Limited Partner or Transferee at the place specified in the notice of redemption, of the Certificate evidencing the Redeemable Interests, duly endorsed in blank or accompanied by an assignment duly executed in blank).
     (iv) After the redemption date, Redeemable Interests shall no longer constitute issued and Outstanding Limited Partner Interests.
     (b) The provisions of this Section 4.10 shall also be applicable to Limited Partner Interests held by a Limited Partner as nominee of a Person determined to be other than an Eligible Holder.
     (c) Nothing in this Section 4.10 shall prevent the recipient of a notice of redemption from transferring his Limited Partner Interest before the redemption date if such transfer is otherwise permitted under this Agreement. Upon receipt of notice of such a transfer, the General Partner shall withdraw the notice of redemption, provided the transferee of such Limited Partner Interest certifies to the satisfaction of the General Partner that he is an Eligible Holder. If the transferee fails to make such certification, such redemption shall be effected from the transferee on the original redemption date.
ARTICLE V
CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS AND ISSUANCE OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS
     Section 5.1 Organizational Contributions .
     In connection with the formation of the Partnership under the Delaware Act, the General Partner made an initial Capital Contribution to the Partnership in the amount of $20.00, for a General Partner Interest in the Partnership equal to a 2% Percentage Interest, and has been admitted as the General Partner of the Partnership, and the Organizational Limited Partner made an initial Capital Contribution to the Partnership in the amount of $980.00 for a Limited Partner Interest in the Partnership equal to a 98% Percentage Interest and has been admitted as a Limited Partner of the Partnership. As of the Closing Date and effective with the admission of another Limited Partner to the Partnership, the interests of the Organizational Limited Partner and the General Partner shall be redeemed as provided in the Contribution Agreement; and the initial Capital Contributions (i) of the Organizational Limited Partner shall thereupon be refunded to the Organizational Limited Partner and (ii) of the General Partner shall be refunded to the General Partner. Ninety-eight percent and two percent of any interest or other profit that may have resulted from the investment or other use of such initial Capital Contributions shall be allocated and distributed to the Organizational Limited Partner and the General Partner, respectively.
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     Section 5.2 Contributions by the General Partner and its Affiliates .
     (a) On the Closing Date and pursuant to the Contribution Agreement: (i) the General Partner shall contribute, as a Capital Contribution, the GP Contribution Interest to the Partnership, in exchange for (A) a continuation of its General Partner Interest equal to a 2% Percentage Interest, subject to all of the rights, privileges and duties of the General Partner under this Agreement, and (B) the Incentive Distribution Rights; and (ii) PAA shall contribute, as a Capital Contribution, the Partnership Contribution Interests, in exchange for 18,106,529 Common Units, 13,934,351 Series A Subordinated Units and 11,500,000 Series B Subordinated Units and the right to receive the Deferred Issuance and Distribution upon the earlier to occur of (x) the expiration of the Over-Allotment Option or (y) the Option Closing Date. Upon the earlier to occur of (x) the expiration of the Over-Allotment Option or (y) the Option Closing Date, the Partnership will issue the additional Common Units and/or reimburse the cash, as applicable, to PAA necessary to satisfy the Deferred Issuance and Distribution.
     (b) Upon the issuance of any additional Limited Partner Interests by the Partnership (other than the Common Units issued in the Initial Offering, the Common Units and Subordinated Units issued pursuant to Section 5.2(a) and any Common Units issued pursuant to Section 5.11), the General Partner may, in exchange for an additional General Partner Interest, make additional Capital Contributions in an amount equal to the product obtained by multiplying (i) the quotient determined by dividing (A) the General Partner’s Percentage Interest by (B) 100 less the General Partner’s Percentage Interest times (ii) the amount contributed to the Partnership by the Limited Partners in exchange for such additional Limited Partner Interests. Except as set forth in Section 12.8, the General Partner shall not be obligated to make any additional Capital Contributions to the Partnership, but if the General Partner does not make additional Capital Contributions pursuant to this Section 5.2(b) in connection with the issuance of any additional Limited Partner Interests, the Percentage Interest attributable to the General Partner Interest shall be decreased (as provided in the definition of General Partner Interest).
     Section 5.3 Contributions by Initial Limited Partners .
     (a) On the Closing Date and pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, each Underwriter shall contribute to the Partnership cash in an amount equal to the Issue Price per Initial Common Unit, multiplied by the number of Common Units specified in the Underwriting Agreement to be purchased by such Underwriter at the Closing Date. In exchange for such Capital Contributions by the Underwriters, the Partnership shall issue Common Units to each Underwriter on whose behalf such Capital Contribution is made in an amount equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (i) the cash contribution to the Partnership by or on behalf of such Underwriter by (ii) the Issue Price per Initial Common Unit.
     (b) Upon the exercise of the Over-Allotment Option, each Underwriter shall contribute to the Partnership cash in an amount equal to the Issue Price per Initial Common Unit, multiplied by the number of Common Units to be purchased by such Underwriter at the Option Closing Date. In exchange for such Capital Contributions by the Underwriters, the Partnership shall issue Common Units to each Underwriter on whose behalf such Capital Contribution is
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made in an amount equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (A) the cash contributions to the Partnership by or on behalf of such Underwriter by (B) the Issue Price per Initial Common Unit.
     (c) No Limited Partner Interests will be issued or issuable as of or at the Closing Date other than (i) the 11,720,000 Common Units issuable pursuant to subparagraph (a) hereof; (ii) 1,758,000 Common Units, all or a portion of which are issuable upon the exercise of the Over-Allotment Option pursuant to subparagraph (b) hereof and the balance of which will be issued as Deferred Issuance and Distribution upon the earlier to occur of (x) the expiration of the Over-Allotment Option or (y) the Option Closing Date; (iii) the 18,106,529 Common Units, 13,934,351 Series A Subordinated Units and 11,500,000 Series B Subordinated Units issuable to PAA pursuant to Section 5.2(a) hereof; (iv) the Incentive Distribution Rights; and (v) any Limited Partner Interests issued or issuable pursuant to the LTIP.
     Section 5.4 Interest and Withdrawal .
     No interest shall be paid by the Partnership on Capital Contributions. No Partner shall be entitled to the withdrawal or return of its Capital Contribution, except to the extent, if any, that distributions made pursuant to this Agreement or upon liquidation of the Partnership may be considered as such by law and then only to the extent provided for in this Agreement. Except to the extent expressly provided in this Agreement, no Partner shall have priority over any other Partner either as to the return of Capital Contributions or as to profits, losses or distributions. Any such return shall be a compromise to which all Partners agree within the meaning of Section 17-502(b) of the Delaware Act.
     Section 5.5 Capital Accounts .
     (a) The Partnership shall maintain for each Partner (or a beneficial owner of Partnership Interests held by a nominee in any case in which the nominee has furnished the identity of such owner to the Partnership in accordance with Section 6031(c) of the Code or any other method acceptable to the General Partner) owning a Partnership Interest a separate Capital Account with respect to such Partnership Interest in accordance with the rules of Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv). Such Capital Account shall be increased by (i) the amount of all Capital Contributions made to the Partnership with respect to such Partnership Interest and (ii) all items of Partnership income and gain (including income and gain exempt from tax) computed in accordance with Section 5.5(b) and allocated with respect to such Partnership Interest pursuant to Section 6.1, and decreased by (x) the amount of cash or Net Agreed Value of all actual and deemed distributions of cash or property made with respect to such Partnership Interest and (y) all items of Partnership deduction and loss computed in accordance with Section 5.5(b) and allocated with respect to such Partnership Interest pursuant to Section 6.1.
     (b) For purposes of computing the amount of any item of income, gain, loss or deduction which is to be allocated pursuant to Article VI and is to be reflected in the Partners’ Capital Accounts, the determination, recognition and classification of any such item shall be the same as its determination, recognition and classification for federal income tax purposes (including any method of depreciation, cost recovery or amortization used for that purpose), provided , that:
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     (i) Solely for purposes of this Section 5.5, the Partnership shall be treated as owning directly its proportionate share (as determined by the General Partner based upon the provisions of the applicable Group Member Agreement) of all property owned by (x) any other Group Member that is classified as a partnership for federal income tax purposes and (y) any other partnership, limited liability company, unincorporated business or other entity classified as a partnership for federal income tax purposes of which a Group Member is, directly or indirectly, a partner, member or other equity holder.
     (ii) All fees and other expenses incurred by the Partnership to promote the sale of (or to sell) a Partnership Interest that can neither be deducted nor amortized under Section 709 of the Code, if any, shall, for purposes of Capital Account maintenance, be treated as an item of deduction at the time such fees and other expenses are incurred and shall be allocated among the Partners pursuant to Section 6.1.
     (iii) Except as otherwise provided in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(m), the computation of all items of income, gain, loss and deduction shall be made without regard to any election under Section 754 of the Code which may be made by the Partnership and, as to those items described in Section 705(a)(1)(B) or 705(a)(2)(B) of the Code, without regard to the fact that such items are not includable in gross income or are neither currently deductible nor capitalized for federal income tax purposes. To the extent an adjustment to the adjusted tax basis of any Partnership asset pursuant to Section 734(b) or 743(b) of the Code is required, pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(m), to be taken into account in determining Capital Accounts, the amount of such adjustment in the Capital Accounts shall be treated as an item of gain or loss.
     (iv) Any income, gain, loss or deduction attributable to the taxable disposition of any Partnership property shall be determined as if the adjusted basis of such property as of such date of disposition were equal in amount to the Partnership’s Carrying Value with respect to such property as of such date.
     (v) In accordance with the requirements of Section 704(b) of the Code, any deductions for depreciation, cost recovery or amortization attributable to any Contributed Property shall be determined as if the adjusted basis of such property on the date it was acquired by the Partnership were equal to the Agreed Value of such property. Upon an adjustment pursuant to Section 5.5(d) to the Carrying Value of any Partnership property subject to depreciation, cost recovery or amortization, any further deductions for such depreciation, cost recovery or amortization attributable to such property shall be determined under the rules prescribed by Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-3(d)(2) as if the adjusted basis of such property were equal to the Carrying Value of such property immediately following such adjustment.
     (vi) The Gross Liability Value of each Liability of the Partnership described in Treasury Regulation Section 1.752-7(b)(3)(i) shall be adjusted at such times as provided in this Agreement for an adjustment to Carrying Values. The amount of any
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such adjustment shall be treated for purposes hereof as an item of loss (if the adjustment increases the Carrying Value of such Liability of the Partnership) or an item of gain (if the adjustment decreases the Carrying Value of such Liability of the Partnership).
     (c) (i) A transferee of a Partnership Interest shall succeed to a pro rata portion of the Capital Account of the transferor relating to the Partnership Interest so transferred.
     (ii) Subject to Section 6.7(c), immediately prior to the transfer of a Subordinated Unit or of a Subordinated Unit that has converted into a Common Unit pursuant to Section 5.7 or Section 5.12 by a holder thereof (other than a transfer to an Affiliate unless the General Partner elects to have this subparagraph 5.5(c)(ii) apply), the Capital Account maintained for such Person with respect to its Subordinated Units or converted Subordinated Units will (A) first, be allocated to the Subordinated Units or converted Subordinated Units to be transferred in an amount equal to the product of (x) the number of such Subordinated Units or converted Subordinated Units to be transferred and (y) the Per Unit Capital Amount for a Common Unit, and (B) second, any remaining balance in such Capital Account will be retained by the transferor, regardless of whether it has retained any Subordinated Units or converted Subordinated Units. Following any such allocation, the transferor’s Capital Account, if any, maintained with respect to the retained Subordinated Units or retained converted Subordinated Units, if any, will have a balance equal to the amount allocated under clause (B) hereinabove, and the transferee’s Capital Account established with respect to the transferred Subordinated Units or transferred converted Subordinated Units will have a balance equal to the amount allocated under clause (A) hereinabove.
     (d) (i) Consistent with Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(f), on an issuance of additional Partnership Interests for cash or Contributed Property, the issuance of Partnership Interests as consideration for the provision of services, or the conversion of the General Partner’s Combined Interest to Common Units pursuant to Section 11.3(b), the Carrying Value of each Partnership property immediately prior to such issuance shall be adjusted upward or downward to reflect any Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss attributable to such Partnership property, and any such Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss shall be treated, for purposes of maintaining Capital Accounts, as if it had been recognized on an actual sale of each such property for an amount equal to its fair market value immediately prior to such issuance and had been allocated among the Partners at such time pursuant to Section 6.1 in the same manner as any item of gain or loss actually recognized following an event giving rise to the dissolution of the Partnership would have been allocated; provided , however , that in the event of an issuance of Partnership Interests for a de minimis amount of cash or Contributed Property, or in the event of an issuance of a de minimis amount of Partnership Interests as consideration for the provision of services, the General Partner may determine that such adjustments are unnecessary for the proper administration of the Partnership. In determining such Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss, the aggregate fair market value of all Partnership property (including cash or cash equivalents) immediately prior to the issuance of additional Partnership Interests shall be determined by the General Partner using such method of valuation as it may adopt. In making its determination of
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the fair market values of individual properties, the General Partner may determine that it is appropriate to first determine an aggregate value for the Partnership, based on the current trading price of the Common Units, and taking fully into account the fair market value of the Partnership Interests of all Partners at such time, and then allocate such aggregate value among the individual properties of the Partnership (in such manner as it determines appropriate).
     (ii) In accordance with Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(f), immediately prior to any actual or deemed distribution to a Partner of any Partnership property (other than a distribution of cash that is not in redemption or retirement of a Partnership Interest), the Carrying Value of all Partnership property shall be adjusted upward or downward to reflect any Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss attributable to such Partnership property, and any such Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss shall be treated, for purposes of maintaining Capital Accounts, as if it had been recognized on an actual sale of each such property immediately prior to such distribution for an amount equal to its fair market value, and had been allocated among the Partners, at such time, pursuant to Section 6.1 in the same manner as any item of gain or loss actually recognized following an event giving rise to the dissolution of the Partnership would have been allocated. In determining such Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss the aggregate fair market value of all Partnership property (including cash or cash equivalents) immediately prior to a distribution shall (A) in the case of an actual distribution that is not made pursuant to Section 12.4 or in the case of a deemed distribution, be determined in the same manner as that provided in Section 5.5(d)(i) or (B) in the case of a liquidating distribution pursuant to Section 12.4, be determined by the Liquidator using such method of valuation as it may adopt.
     Section 5.6 Issuances of Additional Partnership Interests .
     (a) The Partnership may issue additional Partnership Interests and options, rights, warrants and appreciation rights relating to the Partnership Interests (including pursuant to Section 7.4(c)) for any Partnership purpose at any time and from time to time to such Persons for such consideration and on such terms and conditions as the General Partner shall determine, all without the approval of any Limited Partners.
     (b) Each additional Partnership Interest authorized to be issued by the Partnership pursuant to Section 5.6(a) or security authorized to be issued pursuant to Section 7.4(c) may be issued in one or more classes, or one or more series of any such classes, with such designations, preferences, rights, powers and duties (which may be senior to existing classes and series of Partnership Interests), as shall be fixed by the General Partner, including (i) the right to share in Partnership profits and losses or items thereof; (ii) the right to share in Partnership distributions; (iii) the rights upon dissolution and liquidation of the Partnership; (iv) whether, and the terms and conditions upon which, the Partnership may, or shall be required to, redeem the Partnership Interest or other security; (v) whether such Partnership Interest or other security is issued with the privilege of conversion or exchange and, if so, the terms and conditions of such conversion or exchange; (vi) the terms and conditions upon which each Partnership Interest or other security will be issued, evidenced by certificates and assigned or transferred; (vii) the method for determining the Percentage Interest as to such Partnership Interest; and (viii) the right, if any, of
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each such Partnership Interest to vote on Partnership matters, including matters relating to the relative preferences, rights, powers and duties of such Partnership Interest.
     (c) The General Partner shall take all actions that it determines to be necessary or appropriate in connection with (i) each issuance of Partnership Interests and options, rights, warrants and appreciation rights relating to Partnership Interests pursuant to this Section 5.6, or Section 7.4(c), (ii) the conversion of the General Partner Interest or any Incentive Distribution Rights into Units pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, (iii) the issuance of Common Units pursuant to Section 5.11, (iv) reflecting the admission of such additional Limited Partners in the books and records of the Partnership as the Record Holder of such Limited Partner Interest and (v) all additional issuances of Partnership Interests. The General Partner shall determine the relative preferences, rights, powers and duties of the holders of the Units or other Partnership Interests being so issued. The General Partner shall do all things necessary to comply with the Delaware Act and is authorized and directed to do all things that it determines to be necessary or appropriate in connection with any future issuance of Partnership Interests or in connection with the conversion of the General Partner Interest or any Incentive Distribution Rights into Units pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, including compliance with any statute, rule, regulation or guideline of any federal, state or other governmental agency or any National Securities Exchange on which the Units or other Partnership Interests are listed or admitted for trading.
     (d) No fractional Units shall be issued by the Partnership.
     Section 5.7 Conversion of Subordinated Units .
     (a) At any time on or after June 30, 2013, all the Outstanding Series A Subordinated Units will convert into Common Units on a one-for-one basis on the first Business Day following the distribution of Available Cash to Partners pursuant to Section 6.3(a) in respect of the final Quarter of the Subordination Period.
     (b) Notwithstanding Section 5.7(a) above, at any time on or after June 30, 2011, all the Outstanding Series A Subordinated Units will convert into Common Units on a one-for-one basis on the first Business Day following the distribution of Available Cash to Partners pursuant to Section 6.3(a) in respect of the final Quarter of the Early Conversion Period.
     (c) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, all the then Outstanding Series A Subordinated Units will automatically convert into Common Units on a one-for-one basis as set forth in, and pursuant to the terms of, Section 11.4.
     (d) A Series A Subordinated Unit that has converted into a Common Unit shall be subject to the provisions of Section 6.7(b) and Section 6.7(c).
     Section 5.8 Limited Preemptive Right .
     Except as provided in this Section 5.8 and in Section 5.2, no Person shall have any preemptive, preferential or other similar right with respect to the issuance of any Partnership Interest, whether unissued, held in the treasury or hereafter created. The General Partner shall have the right, which it may from time to time assign in whole or in part to any of its Affiliates,
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to purchase Partnership Interests from the Partnership whenever, and on the same terms that, the Partnership issues Partnership Interests to Persons other than the General Partner and its Affiliates, to the extent necessary to maintain the Percentage Interests of the General Partner and its Affiliates equal to that which existed immediately prior to the issuance of such Partnership Interests.
     Section 5.9 Splits and Combinations .
     (a) Subject to Section 5.9(d), Section 6.6 and Section 6.9 (dealing with adjustments of distribution levels), the Partnership may make a Pro Rata distribution of Partnership Interests to all Record Holders or may effect a subdivision or combination of Partnership Interests so long as, after any such event, each Partner shall have the same Percentage Interest in the Partnership as before such event, and any amounts calculated on a per Unit basis (including any Common Unit Arrearage or Cumulative Common Unit Arrearage) or stated as a number of Units (including (i) the number of Series A Subordinated Units that may convert to Common Units and (ii) the number of Series B Subordinated Units that may convert to Series A Subordinated Units or Common Units) are proportionately adjusted.
     (b) Whenever such a distribution, subdivision or combination of Partnership Interests is declared, the General Partner shall select a Record Date as of which the distribution, subdivision or combination shall be effective and shall send notice thereof at least 20 days prior to such Record Date to each Record Holder as of a date not less than 10 days prior to the date of such notice. The General Partner also may cause a firm of independent public accountants selected by it to calculate the number of Partnership Interests to be held by each Record Holder after giving effect to such distribution, subdivision or combination. The General Partner shall be entitled to rely on any certificate provided by such firm as conclusive evidence of the accuracy of such calculation.
     (c) Promptly following any such distribution, subdivision or combination, the Partnership may issue Certificates, or other evidence of the issuance of uncertificated Units, to the Record Holders of Partnership Interests as of the applicable Record Date representing the new number of Partnership Interests held by such Record Holders, or the General Partner may adopt such other procedures that it determines to be necessary or appropriate to reflect such changes. If any such combination results in a smaller total number of Partnership Interests Outstanding, the Partnership shall require, as a condition to the delivery to a Record Holder of such new Certificate, or other evidence of the issuance of uncertificated Units, the surrender of any Certificate, or other evidence of the issuance of uncertificated Units, held by such Record Holder immediately prior to such Record Date.
     (d) The Partnership shall not issue fractional Units upon any distribution, subdivision or combination of Units. If a distribution, subdivision or combination of Units would result in the issuance of fractional Units but for the provisions of this Section 5.9(d), each fractional Unit shall be rounded to the nearest whole Unit (and a 0.5 Unit shall be rounded to the next higher Unit).
     Section 5.10 Fully Paid and Non-Assessable Nature of Limited Partner Interests .
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     All Limited Partner Interests issued pursuant to, and in accordance with the requirements of, this Article V shall be fully paid and non-assessable Limited Partner Interests in the Partnership, except as such non-assessability may be affected by Section 17-607 of the Delaware Act.
     Section 5.11 Issuance of Common Units in Connection with Reset of Incentive Distribution Rights .
     (a) Subject to the provisions of this Section 5.11, the holder of the Incentive Distribution Rights (or, if there is more than one holder of the Incentive Distribution Rights, the holders of a majority in interest of the Incentive Distribution Rights) shall have the right, at any time when there are no Series A Subordinated Units outstanding and the Partnership has made a distribution pursuant to Section 6.4(b)(iv) for each of the four most recently completed Quarters and the amount of each such distribution did not exceed Distributable Cash Flow for such Quarter, to make an election (the “ IDR Reset Election ”) to cause the Minimum Quarterly Distribution and the Target Distributions to be reset in accordance with the provisions of Section 5.11(d) and, in connection therewith, the holder or holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights will become entitled to receive their respective proportionate share of a number of Common Units (the “ IDR Reset Common Units ”) derived by dividing (i) the average amount of cash distributions made by the Partnership for the two full Quarters immediately preceding the giving of the Reset Notice (as defined in Section 5.11(b)) in respect of the Incentive Distribution Rights by (ii) the average of the cash distributions made by the Partnership in respect of each Common Unit for the two full Quarters immediately preceding the giving of the Reset Notice (the “ Reset MQD ”) (the number of Common Units determined by such quotient is referred to herein as the “ Aggregate Quantity of IDR Reset Common Units ”). The General Partner Interest after the issuance of the Aggregate Quantity of IDR Reset Common Units shall equal the General Partner Interest prior to the issuance of the Aggregate Quantity of IDR Reset Common Units and the General Partner shall not be obligated to make any additional Capital Contribution to the Partnership in exchange therefor. The making of the IDR Reset Election in the manner specified in Section 5.11(b) shall cause the Minimum Quarterly Distribution and the Target Distributions to be reset in accordance with the provisions of Section 5.11(d) and, in connection therewith, the holder or holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights will become entitled to receive Common Units and a General Partner Interest on the basis specified above, without any further approval required by the General Partner or the Unitholders, at the time specified in Section 5.11(c).
     (b) To exercise the right specified in Section 5.11(a), the holder of the Incentive Distribution Rights (or, if there is more than one holder of the Incentive Distribution Rights, the holders of a majority in interest of the Incentive Distribution Rights) shall deliver a written notice (the “ Reset Notice ”) to the Partnership. Within 10 Business Days after the receipt by the Partnership of such Reset Notice, the Partnership shall deliver a written notice to the holder or holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights of the Partnership’s determination of the aggregate number of Common Units which each holder of Incentive Distribution Rights will be entitled to receive.
     (c) The holder or holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights will be entitled to receive the Aggregate Quantity of IDR Reset Common Units and the maintenance of the General
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Partner Interest on the fifteenth Business Day after receipt by the Partnership of the Reset Notice, and the Partnership shall issue Certificates for the Common Units to the holder or holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights.
     (d) The Minimum Quarterly Distribution, First Target Distribution and Second Target Distribution shall be adjusted at the time of the issuance of Common Units pursuant to this Section 5.11 such that (i) the Minimum Quarterly Distribution shall be reset to equal to the Reset MQD, (ii) the First Target Distribution shall be reset to equal 110% of the Reset MQD and (iii) the Second Target Distribution shall be reset to equal 150% of the Reset MQD.
     (e) Upon the issuance of IDR Reset Common Units pursuant to Section 5.11(a), the Capital Account maintained with respect to the Incentive Distribution Rights shall (A) first, be allocated to IDR Reset Common Units in an amount equal to the product of (x) the Aggregate Quantity of IDR Reset Common Units and (y) the Per Unit Capital Amount for an Initial Common Unit, and (B) second, any remaining balance in such Capital Account will be retained by the holder of the Incentive Distributions Rights. In the event that there is not sufficient capital associated with the Incentive Distribution Rights to allocate the full Per Unit Capital Amount for an Initial Common Unit to the IDR Reset Common Units in accordance with clause (A) of this Section 5.11(e), the IDR Reset Common Unit shall be subject to Sections 6.1(d)(x)(C) and (D).
     Section 5.12 Series B Subordinated Units .
     (a) 4,600,000 Series B Subordinated Units (the “ First Tranche Series B Subordinated Units ”) will convert into Series A Subordinated Units on a one-for-one basis on the first Business Day following the satisfaction of all of the following conditions: (i) the General Partner has determined that the Partnership has placed into service an aggregate amount of working gas storage capacity at Pine Prairie that totals at least 29.6 Bcf, (ii) the Partnership generates Distributable Cash Flow for two consecutive Quarters sufficient to pay a distribution of at least $0.36 per Unit in each such Quarter on the Weighted Average Subject Interests and the First Tranche Series B Subordinated Units and (iii) the Partnership makes distributions of Available Cash from Distributable Cash Flow of at least $0.36 per Unit for two consecutive Quarters on the Subject Interests and any corresponding Incentive Distributions on the Incentive Distribution Rights (such conditions, collectively the “ First Threshold ”).
     (b) 3,833,333 Series B Subordinated Units (the “ Second Tranche Series B Subordinated Units ”) will convert into Series A Subordinated Units on a one-for-one basis on the first Business Day following the satisfaction of all of the following conditions: (i) the General Partner has determined that the Partnership has placed into service an aggregate amount of working gas storage capacity at Pine Prairie that totals at least 35.6 Bcf, (ii) the Partnership generates Distributable Cash Flow for two consecutive Quarters sufficient to pay a distribution of at least $0.3825 per Unit in each such Quarter on the Weighted Average Subject Interests and the Second Tranche Series B Subordinated Units and, if any remain Outstanding, First Tranche Series B Subordinated Units and (iii) the Partnership makes distributions of Available Cash from Distributable Cash Flow of at least $0.3825 per Unit for two consecutive Quarters on the Subject Interests and any corresponding Incentive Distributions on the Incentive Distribution Rights (such conditions, collectively the “ Second Threshold ”).
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     (c) 3,066,667 Series B Subordinated Units (the “ Third Tranche Series B Subordinated Units ”) will convert into Series A Subordinated Units on a one-for-one basis on the first Business Day following the satisfaction of all of the following conditions: (i) the General Partner has determined that the Partnership has placed into service an aggregate amount of working gas storage capacity at Pine Prairie that totals at least 41.6 Bcf, (ii) the Partnership generates Distributable Cash Flow for two consecutive Quarters sufficient to pay a distribution of at least $0.4075 per Unit in each such Quarter on the Weighted Average Subject Interests and the Third Tranche Series B Subordinated Units and, if any remain Outstanding, First Tranche Series B Subordinated Units and Second Tranche Series B Subordinated Units and (iii) the Partnership makes distributions of Available Cash from Distributable Cash Flow of at least $0.4075 per Unit for two consecutive Quarters on the Subject Interests and any corresponding Incentive Distributions on the Incentive Distribution Rights (such conditions, collectively the “ Third Threshold ” and, together with the First Threshold and Second Threshold, the “ Series B Thresholds ”).
     (d) If a Series B Threshold has been satisfied under circumstances where the operational condition set forth in clause (i) of Section 5.12(a), (b) or (c), as applicable, was satisfied prior to or during the two Quarter period referenced in clause (ii) of Section 5.12(a), (b) or (c), as applicable, then (i) the Series A Subordinated Units into which such Series B Subordinated Units have been converted will be deemed, for purposes of the distributions contemplated by Sections 6.3 through 6.5, to have been Outstanding on the Record Date for the second Quarter of the applicable two Quarter period (such Quarter being herein referred to as the “Reference Quarter”) and (ii) the holder of the applicable Series B Subordinated Units at the time of their conversion into Series A Subordinated Units will be entitled to receive the quarterly per Unit distribution payable to Series A Subordinated Units pursuant to Section 6.4 with respect to the Reference Quarter; provided , however , that in all other circumstances where a Series B Threshold has been satisfied, (x) the holder of the Series B Subordinated Units at the time of their conversion will be entitled to receive any distribution payable to Series A Subordinated Units pursuant to Sections 6.3 through 6.5 after the operational condition set forth in clause (i) of Section 5.12(a), (b) or (c), as applicable, was satisfied and (y) to the extent that such operational condition is satisfied after the Record Date but before the payment date for any such distribution, the Series A Subordinated Units into which such Series B Subordinated Units have been converted will be deemed to have been Outstanding as of such Record Date.
     (e) If at the time any of the Series B Thresholds are satisfied, the Subordination Period has already terminated and all Series A Subordinated Units have converted into Common Units, the applicable Series B Subordinated Units will instead convert directly into Common Units on a one-for-one basis. If a Series B Threshold has been satisfied under circumstances where the operational condition set forth in clause (i) of Section 5.12(a), (b) or (c), as applicable, was satisfied prior to or during the two Quarter period referenced in clause (ii) of Section 5.12(a), (b) or (c), as applicable, then (i) the Common Units into which such Series B Subordinated Units have been converted will be deemed, for purposes of the distributions contemplated by Sections 6.3 through 6.5, to have been Outstanding on the Record Date for the Reference Quarter and (ii) the holder of the applicable Series B Subordinated Units at the time of their conversion into Common Units will be entitled to receive the quarterly per Unit distribution payable to the Common Units pursuant to Section 6.4 with respect to the Reference Quarter;
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provided , however , that in all other circumstances where a Series B Threshold has been satisfied, (x) the holder of the Series B Subordinated Units at the time of their conversion will be entitled to receive any distribution payable to Common Units pursuant to Sections 6.3 through 6.5 after the operational condition set forth in clause (i) of Section 5.12(a), (b) or (c), as applicable, was satisfied and (y) to the extent that such operational condition is satisfied after the Record Date but before the payment date for any such distribution, the Common Units into which such Series B Subordinated Units have been converted will be deemed to have been Outstanding as of such Record Date.
     (f) Any Series B Subordinated Units that remain Outstanding on December 31, 2018 will be automatically cancelled.
     (g) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, all the then Outstanding Series B Subordinated Units will automatically convert into Common Units on a one-for-one basis as set forth in, and pursuant to the terms of, Section 11.4.
     (h) A Series B Subordinated Unit that has converted into a Common Unit shall be subject to the provisions of Section 6.7(b) and Section 6.7(c).
ARTICLE VI
ALLOCATIONS AND DISTRIBUTIONS
     Section 6.1 Allocations for Capital Account Purposes .
     For purposes of maintaining the Capital Accounts and in determining the rights of the Partners among themselves, the Partnership’s items of income, gain, loss and deduction (computed in accordance with Section 5.5(b)) for each taxable period shall be allocated among the Partners as provided herein below.
     (a)  Net Income . Net Income for each taxable period and all items of income, gain, loss and deduction taken into account in computing Net Income for such taxable period shall be allocated as follows:
     (i) First, to the General Partner until the aggregate of the Net Income allocated to the General Partner pursuant to this Section 6.1(a)(i) and the Net Termination Gain allocated to the General Partner pursuant to Section 6.1(c)(i)(A) or Section 6.1(c)(iv)(A) for the current and all previous taxable periods is equal to the aggregate of the Net Loss allocated to the General Partner pursuant to Section 6.1(b)(ii) for all previous taxable periods and the Net Termination Loss allocated to the General Partner pursuant to Section 6.1(c)(ii)(D) or Section 6.1(c)(iii)(B) for the current and all previous taxable periods; and
     (ii) The balance, if any, (x) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest, and (y) to all Unitholders, Pro Rata (calculated without regard to any Outstanding Series B Subordinated Units), a percentage equal to 100% less the percentage applicable to subclause (x).
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     (b)  Net Loss . Net Loss for each taxable period and all items of income, gain, loss and deduction taken into account in computing Net Loss for such taxable period shall be allocated as follows:
     (i) First, (x) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest, and (y) to all Unitholders, Pro Rata (calculated without regard to any Outstanding Series B Subordinated Units), a percentage equal to 100% less the percentage applicable to subclause (x) until the aggregate Net Losses allocated pursuant to this Section 6.1(b)(i) for the current taxable period and all previous taxable periods is equal to the aggregate Net Income allocated pursuant to Section 6.1(a)(ii) for all previous taxable periods, provided that the Net Losses shall not be allocated pursuant to this Section 6.1(b)(i) to the extent that such allocation would cause any Unitholder to have a deficit balance in its Adjusted Capital Account at the end of such taxable period (or increase any existing deficit balance in its Adjusted Capital Account); and
     (ii) The balance, if any, 100% to the General Partner.
     (c)  Net Termination Gains and Losses . Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss (including a pro rata part of each item of income, gain, loss and deduction taken into account in computing Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss) for such taxable period shall be allocated in the manner set forth in this Section 6.1(c). All allocations under this Section 6.1(c) shall be made after Capital Account balances have been adjusted by all other allocations provided under this Section 6.1 and after all distributions of Available Cash provided under Section 6.4 and Section 6.5 have been made; provided, however , that solely for purposes of this Section 6.1(c), Capital Accounts shall not be adjusted for distributions made pursuant to Section 12.4.
     (i) Except as provided in Section 6.1(c)(iv), Net Termination Gain (including a pro rata part of each item of income, gain, loss, and deduction taken into account in computing Net Termination Gain) shall be allocated:
     (A) First, to the General Partner until the aggregate of the Net Termination Gain allocated to the General Partner pursuant to this Section 6.1(c)(i)(A) or Section 6.1(c)(iv)(A) and the Net Income allocated to the General Partner pursuant to Section 6.1(a)(i) for the current and all previous taxable periods is equal to the aggregate of the Net Loss allocated to the General Partner pursuant to Section 6.1(b)(ii) for all previous taxable periods and the Net Termination Loss allocated to the General Partner pursuant to Section 6.1(c)(ii)(E) or Section 6.1(c)(iii)(B) for all previous taxable periods;
     (B) Second, (x) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest and (y) to all Unitholders holding Common Units, Pro Rata, a percentage equal to 100% less the percentage applicable to subclause (x) of this clause (B), until the Capital Account in respect of each Common Unit then Outstanding is equal to the sum of (1) its Unrecovered Initial Unit Price, (2) the Minimum Quarterly Distribution for the Quarter during which the Liquidation Date occurs, reduced by any distribution pursuant to Section 6.4(a)(i) or Section
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6.4(b)(i) with respect to such Common Unit for such Quarter (the amount determined pursuant to this clause (2) is hereinafter referred to as the “ Unpaid MQD ”) and (3) any then existing Cumulative Common Unit Arrearage;
     (C) Third, if such Net Termination Gain is recognized (or is deemed to be recognized) prior to the conversion of the last Outstanding Series A Subordinated Unit into a Common Unit, (x) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest and (y) to all Unitholders holding Series A Subordinated Units, Pro Rata, a percentage equal to 100% less the percentage applicable to subclause (x) of this clause (C), until the Capital Account in respect of each Series A Subordinated Unit then Outstanding equals the sum of (1) its Unrecovered Initial Unit Price, determined for the taxable period (or portion thereof) to which this allocation of gain relates, and (2) the Minimum Quarterly Distribution for the Quarter during which the Liquidation Date occurs, reduced by any distribution pursuant to Section 6.4(a)(iii) with respect to such Series A Subordinated Unit for such Quarter;
     (D) Fourth, (x) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest, (y) 13% to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata, and (z) to all Unitholders, Pro Rata (calculated without regard to any Outstanding Series B Subordinated Units), a percentage equal to 100% less the sum of the percentages applicable to subclauses (x) and (y) of this clause (D), until the Capital Account in respect of each Common Unit then Outstanding is equal to the sum of (1) its Unrecovered Initial Unit Price, (2) the Unpaid MQD, (3) any then existing Cumulative Common Unit Arrearage, and (4) the excess of (aa) the First Target Distribution less the Minimum Quarterly Distribution for each Quarter of the Partnership’s existence over (bb) the cumulative per Unit amount of any distributions of Available Cash that is deemed to be Distributable Cash Flow made pursuant to Section 6.4(a)(iv) and Section 6.4(b)(ii) (the sum of (1), (2), (3) and (4) is hereinafter referred to as the “ First Liquidation Target Amount ”);
     (E) Fifth, (x) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest, (y) 23% to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata, and (z) to all Unitholders, Pro Rata (calculated without regard to any Outstanding Series B Subordinated Units), a percentage equal to 100% less the sum of the percentages applicable to subclauses (x) and (y) of this clause (E), until the Capital Account in respect of each Common Unit then Outstanding is equal to the sum of (1) the First Liquidation Target Amount, and (2) the excess of (aa) the Second Target Distribution less the First Target Distribution for each Quarter of the Partnership’s existence over (bb) the cumulative per Unit amount of any distributions of Available Cash that is deemed to be Distributable Cash Flow made pursuant to Section 6.4(a)(v) and Section 6.4(b)(iii) (the sum of (1) and (2) is hereinafter referred to as the “ Second Liquidation Target Amount ”); and
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     (F) Finally, (x) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest, (y) 48% to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata, and (z) to all Unitholders, Pro Rata (calculated without regard to any Outstanding Series B Subordinated Units), a percentage equal to 100% less the sum of the percentages applicable to subclauses (x) and (y) of this clause (F).
     (ii) Except as otherwise provided by Section 6.1(c)(iii), Net Termination Loss (including a pro rata part of each item of income, gain, loss and deduction taken into account in computing Net Termination Loss) shall be allocated:
     (A) First, if such Net Termination Loss is recognized while Series B Subordinated Units remain Outstanding, (x) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest and (y) to all Unitholders holding Series B Subordinated Units, in proportion to the positive Capital Accounts in respect of such Series B Subordinated Units, a percentage equal to 100% less the percentage applicable to subclause (x) of this clause (A), until the Capital Account in respect of each Series B Subordinated Unit then Outstanding has been reduced to zero;
     (B) Second, if such Net Termination Loss is recognized while Series A Subordinated Units remain Outstanding, (x) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest and (y) to all Unitholders holding Series A Subordinated Units, in proportion to the positive Capital Accounts in respect of such Series A Subordinated Units, a percentage equal to 100% less the percentage applicable to subclause (x) of this clause (B), until the Capital Account in respect of each Series A Subordinated Unit then Outstanding has been reduced to zero;
     (C) Third, (x) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest and (y) to all Unitholders holding Common Units, Pro Rata, a percentage equal to 100% less the percentage applicable to subclause (x) of this clause (C) until the Capital Account in respect of each Unit then Outstanding has been reduced to zero;
     (D) Fourth, to the General Partner and the Unitholders, Pro Rata (calculated without regard to any Outstanding Series B Subordinated Units); provided that Net Termination Loss shall not be allocated pursuant to this Section 6.1(c)(ii)(D) to the extent such allocation would cause any Unitholder to have a deficit balance in its Adjusted Capital Account (or increase any existing deficit in its Adjusted Capital Account); and
     (E) The balance, if any, 100% to the General Partner.
     (iii) Any Net Termination Loss deemed recognized pursuant to Section 5.5(d) prior to a Liquidation Date shall be allocated:
     (A) First, to the General Partner and the Unitholders, Pro Rata (calculated without regard to any outstanding Series B Subordinated Units); provided that Net Termination Loss shall not be allocated pursuant to this Section
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6.1(c)(iii)(A) to the extent such allocation would cause any Unitholder to have a deficit balance in its Adjusted Capital Account at the end of such taxable period (or increase any existing deficit in its Adjusted Capital Account); and
     (B) The balance, if any, to the General Partner.
     (iv) If a Net Termination Loss has been allocated pursuant to Section 6.1(c)(iii), any subsequent Net Termination Gain deemed recognized pursuant to Section 5.5(d) prior to a Liquidation Date shall be allocated:
     (A) First, to the General Partner until the aggregate Net Termination Gain allocated to the General Partner pursuant to this Section 6.1(c)(iv)(A) or Section 6.1(c)(i)(A) and the Net Income allocated to the General Partner pursuant to Section 6.1(a)(i) for the current and all previous taxable periods is equal to the aggregate Net Loss allocated to the General Partner pursuant to Section 6.1(b)(ii) for the current and all previous taxable periods and Net Termination Loss previously allocated pursuant to Section 6.1(c)(ii)(E) and Section 6.1(c)(iii)(B) for all previous taxable periods;
     (B) Second, to the General Partner and the Unitholders, Pro Rata (calculated without regard to any Outstanding Series B Subordinated Units), until the aggregate Net Termination Gain allocated pursuant to this Section 6.1(c)(iv)(B) is equal to the aggregate Net Termination Loss previously allocated pursuant to Section 6.1(c)(iii)(A); and
     (C) The balance, if any, pursuant to the provisions of Section 6.1(c)(i).
     (d)  Special Allocations . Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 6.1, the following special allocations shall be made for such taxable period:
     (i) Partnership Minimum Gain Chargeback . Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 6.1, if there is a net decrease in Partnership Minimum Gain during any Partnership taxable period, each Partner shall be allocated items of Partnership income and gain for such period (and, if necessary, subsequent periods) in the manner and amounts provided in Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-2(f)(6), 1.704-2(g)(2) and 1.704-2(j)(2)(i), or any successor provision. For purposes of this Section 6.1(d), each Partner’s Adjusted Capital Account balance shall be determined, and the allocation of income or gain required hereunder shall be effected, prior to the application of any other allocations pursuant to this Section 6.1(d) with respect to such taxable period (other than an allocation pursuant to Section 6.1(d)(vi) and Section 6.1(d)(vii)). This Section 6.1(d)(i) is intended to comply with the Partnership Minimum Gain chargeback requirement in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(f) and shall be interpreted consistently therewith.
     (ii) Chargeback of Partner Nonrecourse Debt Minimum Gain . Notwithstanding the other provisions of this Section 6.1 (other than Section 6.1(d)(i)), except as provided in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(i)(4), if there is a net decrease
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in Partner Nonrecourse Debt Minimum Gain during any Partnership taxable period, any Partner with a share of Partner Nonrecourse Debt Minimum Gain at the beginning of such taxable period shall be allocated items of Partnership income and gain for such period (and, if necessary, subsequent periods) in the manner and amounts provided in Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-2(i)(4) and 1.704-2(j)(2)(ii), or any successor provisions. For purposes of this Section 6.1(d), each Partner’s Adjusted Capital Account balance shall be determined, and the allocation of income or gain required hereunder shall be effected, prior to the application of any other allocations pursuant to this Section 6.1(d), other than Section 6.1(d)(i) and other than an allocation pursuant to Section 6.1(d)(vi) and Section 6.1(d)(vii), with respect to such taxable period. This Section 6.1(d)(ii) is intended to comply with the chargeback of items of income and gain requirement in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(i)(4) and shall be interpreted consistently therewith.
     (iii) Priority Allocations .
     (A) If the amount of cash or the Net Agreed Value of any property distributed (except cash or property distributed pursuant to Section 12.4) with respect to a Unit exceeds the amount of cash or the Net Agreed Value of property distributed with respect to another Unit other than a Series B Subordinated Unit (the amount of the excess, an “ Excess Distribution ” and the Unit with respect to which the greater distribution is paid, an “ Excess Distribution Unit ”), then (1) there shall be allocated gross income and gain to each Unitholder receiving an Excess Distribution with respect to the Excess Distribution Unit until the aggregate amount of such items allocated with respect to such Excess Distribution Unit pursuant to this Section 6.1(d)(iii)(A) for the current taxable period and all previous taxable periods is equal to the amount of the Excess Distribution; and (2) the General Partner shall be allocated gross income and gain with respect to each such Excess Distribution in an amount equal to the product obtained by multiplying (aa) the quotient determined by dividing (x) the General Partner’s Percentage Interest at the time when the Excess Distribution occurs by (y) a percentage equal to 100% less the General Partner’s Percentage Interest at the time when the Excess Distribution occurs, times (bb) the total amount allocated in clause (1) above with respect to such Excess Distribution.
     (B) After the application of Section 6.1(d)(iii)(A), the remaining items of Partnership gross income or gain for the taxable period, if any, shall be allocated (1) to the holders of Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata, until the aggregate amount of such items allocated to the holders of Incentive Distribution Rights pursuant to this Section 6.1(d)(iii)(B) for the current taxable period and all previous taxable periods is equal to the cumulative amount of all Incentive Distributions made to the holders of Incentive Distribution Rights from the Closing Date to a date 45 days after the end of the current taxable period; and (2) to the General Partner an amount equal to the product of (aa) an amount equal to the quotient determined by dividing (x) the General Partner’s Percentage Interest
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     by (y) the sum of 100 less the General Partner’s Percentage Interest times (bb) the sum of the amounts allocated in clause (1) above.
     (iv) Qualified Income Offset . In the event any Partner unexpectedly receives any adjustments, allocations or distributions described in Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(4), 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(5), or 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(6), items of Partnership gross income and gain shall be specially allocated to such Partner in an amount and manner sufficient to eliminate, to the extent required by the Treasury Regulations promulgated under Section 704(b) of the Code, the deficit balance, if any, in its Adjusted Capital Account created by such adjustments, allocations or distributions as quickly as possible; provided , that an allocation pursuant to this Section 6.1(d)(iv) shall be made only if and to the extent that such Partner would have a deficit balance in its Adjusted Capital Account as adjusted after all other allocations provided for in this Section 6.1 have been tentatively made as if this Section 6.1(d)(iv) were not in this Agreement
     (v) Gross Income Allocation . In the event any Partner has a deficit balance in its Capital Account at the end of any Partnership taxable period in excess of the sum of (A) the amount such Partner is required to restore pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement and (B) the amount such Partner is deemed obligated to restore pursuant to Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-2(g) and 1.704-2(i)(5), such Partner shall be specially allocated items of Partnership gross income and gain in the amount of such excess as quickly as possible; provided, that an allocation pursuant to this Section 6.1(d)(v) shall be made only if and to the extent that such Partner would have a deficit balance in its Capital Account as adjusted after all other allocations provided for in this Section 6.1 have been tentatively made as if Section 6.1(d)(iv) and this Section 6.1(d)(v) were not in this Agreement.
     (vi) Nonrecourse Deductions . Nonrecourse Deductions for any taxable period shall be allocated to the Partners in accordance with their respective Percentage Interests (calculated without regard to any Outstanding Series B Subordinated Units). If the General Partner determines that the Partnership’s Nonrecourse Deductions should be allocated in a different ratio to satisfy the safe harbor requirements of the Treasury Regulations promulgated under Section 704(b) of the Code, the General Partner is authorized, upon notice to the other Partners, to revise the prescribed ratio to the numerically closest ratio that does satisfy such requirements.
     (vii) Partner Nonrecourse Deductions . Partner Nonrecourse Deductions for any taxable period shall be allocated 100% to the Partner that bears the Economic Risk of Loss with respect to the Partner Nonrecourse Debt to which such Partner Nonrecourse Deductions are attributable in accordance with Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(i). If more than one Partner bears the Economic Risk of Loss with respect to a Partner Nonrecourse Debt, such Partner Nonrecourse Deductions attributable thereto shall be allocated between or among such Partners in accordance with the ratios in which they share such Economic Risk of Loss.
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     (viii) Nonrecourse Liabilities . For purposes of Treasury Regulation Section 1.752-3(a)(3), the Partners agree that Nonrecourse Liabilities of the Partnership in excess of the sum of (A) the amount of Partnership Minimum Gain and (B) the total amount of Nonrecourse Built-in Gain shall be allocated among the Partners in accordance with their respective Percentage Interests (calculated without regard to any Outstanding Series B Subordinated Units).
     (ix) Code Section 754 Adjustments . To the extent an adjustment to the adjusted tax basis of any Partnership asset pursuant to Section 734(b) or 743(b) of the Code is required, pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(m), to be taken into account in determining Capital Accounts, the amount of such adjustment to the Capital Accounts shall be treated as an item of gain (if the adjustment increases the basis of the asset) or loss (if the adjustment decreases such basis), and such item of gain or loss shall be specially allocated to the Partners in a manner consistent with the manner in which their Capital Accounts are required to be adjusted pursuant to such Section of the Treasury Regulations.
     (x) Economic Uniformity; Changes in Law .
     (A) At the election of the General Partner with respect to any taxable period ending upon, or after, the termination of the Subordination Period, all or a portion of the remaining items of Partnership gross income or gain for such taxable period, after taking into account allocations pursuant to Section 6.1(d)(iii), shall be allocated to the Unitholders holding Series A Subordinated Units that are Outstanding as of the termination of the Subordination Period (“ Final Series A Subordinated Units ”) in the proportion of the number of Final Subordinated Units held by such Partner to the total number of Final Subordinated Units then Outstanding, until each such Partner has been allocated an amount of gross income or gain that increases the Capital Account maintained with respect to such Final Series A Subordinated Units to an amount that after taking into account the other allocations of income, gain, loss and deduction to be made with respect to such taxable period will equal the product of (A) the number of Final Series A Subordinated Units held by such Partner and (B) the Per Unit Capital Amount for a Common Unit. The purpose of this allocation is to establish uniformity between the Capital Accounts underlying Final Series A Subordinated Units and the Capital Accounts underlying Common Units held by Persons other than the General Partner and its Affiliates immediately prior to the conversion of such Final Series A Subordinated Units into Common Units. This allocation method for establishing such economic uniformity will be available to the General Partner only if the method for allocating the Capital Account maintained with respect to the Subordinated Units between the transferred and retained Subordinated Units pursuant to Section 5.5(c)(ii) does not otherwise provide such economic uniformity to the Final Series A Subordinated Units.
     (B) With respect to an event triggering an adjustment to the Carrying Value of Partnership property pursuant to Section 5.5(d) during any taxable
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period of the Partnership ending upon, or after, the conversion of Series B Subordinated Units, any Unrealized Gains and Unrealized Losses shall be allocated among the Partners in a manner that to the nearest extent possible results in the Capital Accounts maintained with respect to the converted Series B Subordinated Units equaling the product of (A) the number of such converted Series B Subordinated Units and (B) the Per Unit Capital Amount for the type of Unit into which the converted Series B Subordinated Units are converted.
     (C) With respect to an event triggering an adjustment to the Carrying Value of Partnership property pursuant to Section 5.5(d) during any taxable period of the Partnership ending upon, or after, the issuance of IDR Reset Common Units pursuant to Section 5.11, after the application of Section 6.1(d)(x)(B), any Unrealized Gains and Unrealized Losses shall be allocated among the Partners in a manner that to the nearest extent possible results in the Capital Accounts maintained with respect to such IDR Reset Common Units issued pursuant to Section 5.11 equaling the product of (A) the Aggregate Quantity of IDR Reset Common Units and (B) the Per Unit Capital Amount for an Initial Common Unit.
     (D) With respect to any taxable period during which an IDR Reset Unit or a converted Series B Subordinated Unit is transferred to any Person who is not an Affiliate of the transferor, all or a portion of the remaining items of Partnership gross income or gain for such taxable period shall be allocated 100% to the transferor Partner of such transferred IDR Reset Unit or converted Series B Subordinated Unit until such transferor Partner has been allocated an amount of gross income or gain that increases the Capital Account maintained with respect to such transferred IDR Reset Unit or converted Series B Subordinated Unit to an amount equal to the Per Unit Capital Amount for an Initial Common Unit.
     (E) For the proper administration of the Partnership and for the preservation of uniformity of the Limited Partner Interests (or any class or classes thereof), the General Partner shall (i) adopt such conventions as it deems appropriate in determining the amount of depreciation, amortization and cost recovery deductions; (ii) make special allocations of income, gain, loss, deduction, Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss; and (iii) amend the provisions of this Agreement as appropriate (x) to reflect the proposal or promulgation of Treasury Regulations under Section 704(b) or Section 704(c) of the Code or (y) otherwise to preserve or achieve uniformity of the Limited Partner Interests (or any class or classes thereof). The General Partner may adopt such conventions, make such allocations and make such amendments to this Agreement as provided in this Section 6.1(d)(x)(E) only if such conventions, allocations or amendments would not have a material adverse effect on the Partners, the holders of any class or classes of Limited Partner Interests issued and Outstanding or the Partnership, and if such allocations are consistent with the principles of Section 704 of the Code.
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     (xi) Curative Allocation .
     (A) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 6.1, other than the Required Allocations, the Required Allocations shall be taken into account in making the Agreed Allocations so that, to the extent possible, the net amount of items of gross income, gain, loss and deduction allocated to each Partner pursuant to the Required Allocations and the Agreed Allocations, together, shall be equal to the net amount of such items that would have been allocated to each such Partner under the Agreed Allocations had the Required Allocations and the related Curative Allocation not otherwise been provided in this Section 6.1. In exercising its discretion under this Section 6.1(d)(xi)(A), the General Partner may take into account future Required Allocations that, although not yet made, are likely to offset other Required Allocations previously made. Allocations pursuant to this Section 6.1(d)(xi)(A) shall only be made with respect to Required Allocations to the extent the General Partner determines that such allocations will otherwise be inconsistent with the economic agreement among the Partners.
     (B) The General Partner shall, with respect to each taxable period, (1) apply the provisions of Section 6.1(d)(xi)(A) in whatever order is most likely to minimize the economic distortions that might otherwise result from the Required Allocations, and (2) divide all allocations pursuant to Section 6.1(d)(xi)(A) among the Partners in a manner that is likely to minimize such economic distortions.
     (xii) Corrective and Other Allocations . In the event of any allocation of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items or any Book-Down Event or any recognition of a Net Termination Loss, the following rules shall apply:
     (A) Except as provided in Section 6.1(d)(xii)(B), in the case of any allocation of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items (other than an allocation of Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss under Section 5.5(d) hereof), the General Partner shall allocate such Additional Book Basis Derivative Items to (1) the holders of Incentive Distribution Rights and the General Partner to the same extent that the Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss giving rise to such Additional Book Basis Derivative Item was allocated to them pursuant to Section 5.5(d) and (2) all Unitholders, Pro Rata, to the extent that the Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss giving rise to such Additional Book Basis Derivative Item was allocated to any Unitholders pursuant to Section 5.5(d).
     (B) In the case of any allocation of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items (other than an allocation of Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss under Section 5.5(d) hereof or an allocation of Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss pursuant to Section 6.1(c) hereof) as a result of a sale or other taxable disposition of any Partnership asset that is an Adjusted Property (“ Disposed of Adjusted Property ”), the General Partner shall allocate (1) additional items of gross income and gain (aa) away from the holders of Incentive Distribution Rights and (bb) to the Unitholders, or (2) additional items of
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deduction and loss (aa) away from the Unitholders and (bb) to the holders of Incentive Distribution Rights, to the extent that the Additional Book Basis Derivative Items allocated to the Unitholders exceed their Share of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items with respect to such Disposed of Adjusted Property. Any allocation made pursuant to this Section 6.1(d)(xii)(B) shall be made after all of the other Agreed Allocations have been made as if this Section 6.1(d)(xii) were not in this Agreement and, to the extent necessary, shall require the reallocation of items that have been allocated pursuant to such other Agreed Allocations.
     (C) In the case of any negative adjustments to the Capital Accounts of the Partners resulting from a Book-Down Event or from the recognition of a Net Termination Loss, such negative adjustment (1) shall first be allocated, to the extent of the Aggregate Remaining Net Positive Adjustments, in such a manner, as determined by the General Partner, that to the extent possible the aggregate Capital Accounts of the Partners will equal the amount that would have been the Capital Account balance of the Partners if no prior Book-Up Events had occurred, and (2) any negative adjustment in excess of the Aggregate Remaining Net Positive Adjustments shall be allocated pursuant to Section 6.1(c) hereof.
     (D) For the purposes of this Section 6.1(d)(xii), the Unitholders shall be treated as being allocated Additional Book Basis Derivative Items to the extent that such Additional Book Basis Derivative Items have reduced the amount of income that would otherwise have been allocated to the Unitholders under the Partnership Agreement. In making the allocations required under this Section 6.1(d)(xii), the General Partner may apply whatever conventions or other methodology it determines will satisfy the purpose of this Section 6.1(d)(xii). Without limiting the foregoing, if an Adjusted Property is contributed by the Partnership to another entity classified as a partnership for federal income tax purposes (the “lower tier partnership”), the General Partner may make allocations similar to those described in Sections 6.1(d)(xii)(A)–(C) to the extent the General Partner determines such allocations are necessary to account for the Partnership’s allocable share of income, gain, loss and deduction of the lower tier partnership that relate to the contributed Adjusted Property in a manner that is consistent with the purpose of this Section 6.1(d)(xii).
     (xiii) Special Curative Allocation in Event of Liquidation Prior to End of Subordination Period . Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 6.1 (other than the Required Allocations), if the Liquidation Date occurs prior to the conversion of the last Outstanding Subordinated Unit, then items of income, gain, loss and deduction for the taxable period that includes the Liquidation Date (and, if necessary, items arising in previous taxable periods to the extent the General Partner determines such items may be so allocated), shall be specially allocated among the Partners in the manner determined appropriate by the General Partner so as to cause, to the maximum extent possible, the Capital Account in respect of each Common Unit to equal the amount such Capital Account would have been if all prior allocations of Net Termination Gain and Net
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Termination Loss had been made pursuant to Section 6.1(c)(i) or Section 6.1(c)(ii), as applicable.
     Section 6.2 Allocations for Tax Purposes .
     (a) Except as otherwise provided herein, for federal income tax purposes, each item of income, gain, loss and deduction shall be allocated among the Partners in the same manner as its correlative item of “book” income, gain, loss or deduction is allocated pursuant to Section 6.1.
     (b) In an attempt to eliminate Book-Tax Disparities attributable to a Contributed Property or Adjusted Property, items of income, gain, loss, depreciation, amortization and cost recovery deductions shall be allocated for federal income tax purposes among the Partners in the manner provided under Section 704(c) of the Code, and the Treasury Regulations promulgated under Section 704(b) and 704(c) of the Code, as determined appropriate by the General Partner (taking into account the General Partner’s discretion under Section 6.1(d)(x)(E)); provided , that the General Partner shall apply the principles of Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-3(d) in all events.
     (c) The General Partner may determine to depreciate or amortize the portion of an adjustment under Section 743(b) of the Code attributable to unrealized appreciation in any Adjusted Property (to the extent of the unamortized Book-Tax Disparity) using a predetermined rate derived from the depreciation or amortization method and useful life applied to the unamortized Book-Tax Disparity of such property, despite any inconsistency of such approach with Treasury Regulation Section 1.167(c)-l(a)(6) or any successor regulations thereto. If the General Partner determines that such reporting position cannot reasonably be taken, the General Partner may adopt depreciation and amortization conventions under which all purchasers acquiring Limited Partner Interests in the same month would receive depreciation and amortization deductions, based upon the same applicable rate as if they had purchased a direct interest in the Partnership’s property. If the General Partner chooses not to utilize such aggregate method, the General Partner may use any other depreciation and amortization conventions to preserve the uniformity of the intrinsic tax characteristics of any Limited Partner Interests, so long as such conventions would not have a material adverse effect on the Limited Partners or the Record Holders of any class or classes of Limited Partner Interests.
     (d) In accordance with Treasury Regulation Sections 1.1245-1(e) and 1.1250-1(f), any gain allocated to the Partners upon the sale or other taxable disposition of any Partnership asset shall, to the extent possible, after taking into account other required allocations of gain pursuant to this Section 6.2, be characterized as Recapture Income in the same proportions and to the same extent as such Partners (or their predecessors in interest) have been allocated any deductions directly or indirectly giving rise to the treatment of such gains as Recapture Income.
     (e) All items of income, gain, loss, deduction and credit recognized by the Partnership for federal income tax purposes and allocated to the Partners in accordance with the provisions hereof shall be determined without regard to any election under Section 754 of the Code that may be made by the Partnership; provided, however , that such allocations, once made, shall be adjusted (in the manner determined by the General Partner) to take into account those adjustments permitted or required by Sections 734 and 743 of the Code.
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     (f) Each item of Partnership income, gain, loss and deduction shall, for federal income tax purposes, be determined for each taxable period and prorated on a monthly basis and shall be allocated to the Partners as of the opening of the National Securities Exchange on which the Partnership Interests are listed or admitted to trading on the first Business Day of each month; provided, however , such items for the period beginning on the Closing Date and ending on the last day of the month in which the Over-Allotment Option is exercised in full or the expiration of the Over-Allotment Option occurs shall be allocated to the Partners as of the opening of the National Securities Exchange on which the Partnership Interests are listed or admitted to trading on the first Business Day of the next succeeding month; and provided, further , that gain or loss on a sale or other disposition of any assets of the Partnership or any other extraordinary item of income, gain, loss or deduction as determined by the General Partner, shall be allocated to the Partners as of the opening of the National Securities Exchange on which the Partnership Interests are listed or admitted to trading on the first Business Day of the month in which such item is recognized for federal income tax purposes. The General Partner may revise, alter or otherwise modify such methods of allocation to the extent permitted or required by Section 706 of the Code and the regulations or rulings promulgated thereunder.
     (h) Allocations that would otherwise be made to a Limited Partner under the provisions of this Article VI shall instead be made to the beneficial owner of Limited Partner Interests held by a nominee in any case in which the nominee has furnished the identity of such owner to the Partnership in accordance with Section 6031(c) of the Code or any other method determined by the General Partner.
    Section 6.3 Requirement and Characterization of Distributions; Distributions to Record Holders .
     (a) Within 45 days following the end of each Quarter commencing with the Quarter ending on June 30, 2010, an amount equal to 100% of Available Cash with respect to such Quarter shall, subject to Section 17-607 of the Delaware Act, be distributed in accordance with this Article VI by the Partnership to the Partners as of the Record Date selected by the General Partner. All amounts of Available Cash distributed by the Partnership on any date from any source shall be deemed to be Distributable Cash Flow until the sum of all amounts of Available Cash theretofore distributed by the Partnership to the Partners pursuant to Section 6.4 equals the sum of (i) Distributable Cash Flow from the Closing Date through the close of the immediately preceding Quarter and (ii) $40 million. Any remaining amounts of Available Cash distributed by the Partnership on such date shall, except as otherwise provided in Section 6.5, be deemed to be “ Capital Surplus .” All distributions required to be made under this Agreement shall be made subject to Section 17-607 of the Delaware Act.
     (b) Notwithstanding Section 6.3(a), in the event of the dissolution and liquidation of the Partnership, all cash received during or after the Quarter in which the Liquidation Date occurs shall be applied and distributed solely in accordance with, and subject to the terms and conditions of, Section 12.4.
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     (c) Each distribution in respect of a Partnership Interest shall be paid by the Partnership, directly or through the Transfer Agent or through any other Person or agent, only to the Record Holder of such Partnership Interest as of the Record Date set for such distribution. Such payment shall constitute full payment and satisfaction of the Partnership’s liability in respect of such payment, regardless of any claim of any Person who may have an interest in such payment by reason of an assignment or otherwise.
     Section 6.4 Distributions of Available Cash from Distributable Cash Flow .
     (a)  During Subordination Period . Available Cash with respect to any Quarter within the Subordination Period that is deemed to be Distributable Cash Flow pursuant to the provisions of Section 6.3 or 6.5 shall, subject to Section 17-607 of the Delaware Act, be distributed as follows, except as otherwise contemplated by Section 5.6 in respect of other Partnership Interests issued pursuant thereto:
     (i) First, (x) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest and (y) to the Unitholders holding Common Units, Pro Rata, a percentage equal to 100% less the General Partner’s Percentage Interest, until there has been distributed in respect of each Common Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to the Minimum Quarterly Distribution for such Quarter;
     (ii) Second, (x) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest and (y) to the Unitholders holding Common Units, Pro Rata, a percentage equal to 100% less the General Partner’s Percentage Interest, until there has been distributed in respect of each Common Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to the Cumulative Common Unit Arrearage existing with respect to such Quarter;
     (iii) Third, (x) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest and (y) to the Unitholders holding Series A Subordinated Units, Pro Rata, a percentage equal to 100% less the General Partner’s Percentage Interest, until there has been distributed in respect of each Series A Subordinated Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to the Minimum Quarterly Distribution for such Quarter;
     (iv) Fourth, (A) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest; (B) 13% to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata; and (C) to the Unitholders holding Common Units and Series A Subordinated Units, Pro Rata, a percentage equal to 100% less the sum of the percentages applicable to subclauses (A) and (B) of this clause (iv) until there has been distributed in respect of each Common Unit and Series A Subordinated Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to the excess of the First Target Distribution over the Minimum Quarterly Distribution for such Quarter;
     (v) Fifth, (A) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest, (B) 23% to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata; and (C) to the Unitholders holding Common Units and Series A Subordinated Units, Pro Rata, a percentage equal to 100% less the sum of the percentages applicable to subclauses (A) and (B) of this clause (v), until there has been distributed in respect of each Common
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Unit and Series A Subordinated Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to the excess of the Second Target Distribution over the First Target Distribution for such Quarter; and
     (vi) Thereafter, (A) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest; (B) 48% to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata; and (C) to the Unitholders holding Common Units and Series A Subordinated Units, Pro Rata, a percentage equal to 100% less the sum of the percentages applicable to subclauses (A) and (B) of this clause (vi);
provided, however , if the Minimum Quarterly Distribution, the First Target Distribution and the Second Target Distribution have been reduced to zero pursuant to the second sentence of Section 6.6(a), the distribution of Available Cash that is deemed to be Distributable Cash Flow with respect to any Quarter will be made solely in accordance with Section 6.4(a)(vi).
     (b)  After Subordination Period . Available Cash with respect to any Quarter after the Subordination Period that is deemed to be Distributable Cash Flow pursuant to the provisions of Section 6.3 or Section 6.5, subject to Section 17-607 of the Delaware Act, shall be distributed as follows, except as otherwise required by Section 5.6(b) in respect of additional Partnership Interests issued pursuant thereto:
     (i) First, 100% to the General Partner and the Unitholders holding Common Units in accordance with their respective Percentage Interests (calculated without regard to any Outstanding Series B Subordinated Units), until there has been distributed in respect of each Common Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to the Minimum Quarterly Distribution for such Quarter;
     (ii) Second, (A) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest; (B) 13% to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata; and (C) to the Unitholders holding Common Units, Pro Rata, a percentage equal to 100% less the sum of the percentages applicable to subclauses (A) and (B) of this clause (ii), until there has been distributed in respect of each Common Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to the excess of the First Target Distribution over the Minimum Quarterly Distribution for such Quarter;
     (iii) Third, (A) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest; (B) 23% to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata; and (C) to the Unitholders holding Common Units, Pro Rata, a percentage equal to 100% less the sum of the percentages applicable to subclause (A) and (B) of this clause (iii), until there has been distributed in respect of each Common Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to the excess of the Second Target Distribution over the First Target Distribution for such Quarter; and
     (iv) Thereafter, (A) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest; (B) 48% to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata; and (C) to the Unitholders holding Common Units, Pro Rata, a percentage equal to 100% less the sum of the percentages applicable to subclauses (A) and (B) of this clause (iv);
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provided, however , if the Minimum Quarterly Distribution, the First Target Distribution and the Second Target Distribution have been reduced to zero pursuant to the second sentence of Section 6.6(a), the distribution of Available Cash that is deemed to be Distributable Cash Flow with respect to any Quarter will be made solely in accordance with Section 6.4(b)(iv).
     Section 6.5 Distributions of Available Cash from Capital Surplus .
     Available Cash that is deemed to be Capital Surplus pursuant to the provisions of Section 6.3(a) shall, subject to Section 17-607 of the Delaware Act, be distributed, unless the provisions of Section 6.3 require otherwise, 100% to the General Partner and the Unitholders in accordance with their respective Percentage Interests (calculated without regard to any Outstanding Series B Subordinated Units), until a hypothetical holder of a Common Unit acquired on the Closing Date has received with respect to such Common Unit, during the period since the Closing Date through such date, distributions of Available Cash that are deemed to be Capital Surplus in an aggregate amount equal to the Initial Unit Price. Available Cash that is deemed to be Capital Surplus shall then be distributed (A) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest and (B) to all Unitholders holding Common Units, Pro Rata, a percentage equal to 100% less the General Partner’s Percentage Interest, until there has been distributed in respect of each Common Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to the Cumulative Common Unit Arrearage. Thereafter, all Available Cash shall be distributed as if it were Distributable Cash Flow and shall be distributed in accordance with Section 6.4.
    Section 6.6 Adjustment of Minimum Quarterly Distribution and Target Distribution Levels .
     (a) The Minimum Quarterly Distribution, First Target Distribution, Second Target Distribution, Common Unit Arrearages and Cumulative Common Unit Arrearages shall be proportionately adjusted in the event of any distribution, combination or subdivision (whether effected by a distribution payable in Units or otherwise) of Units or other Partnership Interests in accordance with Section 5.9. In the event of a distribution of Available Cash that is deemed to be from Capital Surplus, the then applicable Minimum Quarterly Distribution, First Target Distribution and Second Target Distribution shall be adjusted proportionately downward to equal the product obtained by multiplying the otherwise applicable Minimum Quarterly Distribution, First Target Distribution and Second Target Distribution, as the case may be, by a fraction of which the numerator is the Unrecovered Initial Unit Price of the Common Units immediately after giving effect to such distribution and of which the denominator is the Unrecovered Initial Unit Price of the Common Units immediately prior to giving effect to such distribution.
     (b) The Minimum Quarterly Distribution, First Target Distribution and Second Target Distribution, shall also be subject to adjustment pursuant to Section 5.11 and Section 6.9.
    Section 6.7 Special Provisions Relating to the Holders of Subordinated Units .
     (a) Except with respect to the right to vote on or approve matters requiring the vote or approval of a percentage of the holders of Outstanding Common Units and the right to participate in allocations of income, gain, loss and deduction and distributions made with respect to Common Units, the holder of a Subordinated Unit shall have all of the rights and obligations
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of a Unitholder holding Common Units hereunder; provided, however , that immediately upon the conversion of Subordinated Units into Common Units pursuant to Section 5.7 or Section 5.12, the Unitholder holding a Subordinated Unit shall possess all of the rights and obligations of a Unitholder holding Common Units hereunder with respect to such converted Subordinated Units, including the right to vote as a Common Unitholder and the right to participate in allocations of income, gain, loss and deduction and distributions made with respect to Common Units; provided, however , that such converted Subordinated Units shall remain subject to the provisions of Sections 5.5(c)(ii), 6.1(d)(x), 6.7(b) and 6.7(c).
     (b) A Unitholder shall not be permitted to transfer a Subordinated Unit or a Subordinated Unit that has converted into a Common Unit pursuant to Section 5.7 or Section 5.12 (other than a transfer to an Affiliate) if the remaining balance in the transferring Unitholder’s Capital Account with respect to the retained Subordinated Units or retained converted Subordinated Units would be negative after giving effect to the allocation under Section 5.5(c)(ii)(B).
     (c) The Unitholder holding a Common Unit that has resulted from the conversion of a Subordinated Unit pursuant to Section 5.7 or Section 5.12 shall not be issued a Common Unit Certificate, or other evidence of the issuance of uncertificated Units, pursuant to Section 4.1, and shall not be permitted to transfer such Common Unit to a Person that is not an Affiliate of the holder until such time as the General Partner determines, based on advice of counsel, that each such Common Unit should have, as a substantive matter, like intrinsic economic and federal income tax characteristics, in all material respects, to the intrinsic economic and federal income tax characteristics of an Initial Common Unit. In connection with the condition imposed by this Section 6.7(c), the General Partner may take whatever steps are required to provide economic uniformity to such Common Units in preparation for a transfer of such Common Units, including the application of Sections 5.5(c)(ii), 6.1(d)(x) and 6.7(b); provided, however , that no such steps may be taken that would have a material adverse effect on the Unitholders holding Common Units represented by Common Unit Certificates, or other evidence of the issuance of uncertificated Units.
     Section 6.8 Special Provisions Relating to the Holders of Incentive Distribution Rights .
     Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Agreement, the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights (a) shall (i) possess the rights and obligations provided in this Agreement with respect to a Limited Partner pursuant to Article III and Article VII and (ii) have a Capital Account as a Partner pursuant to Section 5.5 and all other provisions related thereto and (b) shall not (i) be entitled to vote on any matters requiring the approval or vote of the holders of Outstanding Units, except as provided by law, (ii) be entitled to any distributions other than as provided in Sections 6.4(a)(iv), (v) and (vi), Section 6.4(b)(ii), (iii) and (iv), and Section 12.4 or (iii) be allocated items of income, gain, loss or deduction other than as specified in this Article VI.
     Section 6.9 Entity-Level Taxation .
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     If legislation is enacted or the official interpretation of existing legislation is modified by a governmental authority, which after giving effect to such enactment or modification, results in a Group Member becoming subject to federal, state or local or non-U.S. income or withholding taxes in excess of the amount of such taxes due from the Group Member prior to such enactment or modification (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any increase in the rate of such taxation applicable to the Group Member), then the General Partner may, in its sole discretion, reduce the Minimum Quarterly Distribution, the First Target Distribution and the Second Target Distribution by the amount of income or withholding taxes that are payable by reason of any such new legislation or interpretation (the “ Incremental Income Taxes ”), or any portion thereof selected by the General Partner, in the manner provided in this Section 6.9. If the General Partner elects to reduce the Minimum Quarterly Distribution, the First Target Distribution and the Second Target Distribution for any Quarter with respect to all or a portion of any Incremental Income Taxes, the General Partner shall estimate for such Quarter the Partnership Group’s aggregate liability (the “ Estimated Incremental Quarterly Tax Amount ”) for all (or the relevant portion of) such Incremental Income Taxes; provided that any difference between such estimate and the actual liability for Incremental Income Taxes (or the relevant portion thereof) for such Quarter may, to the extent determined by the General Partner, be taken into account in determining the Estimated Incremental Quarterly Tax Amount with respect to each Quarter in which any such difference can be determined. For each such Quarter, the Minimum Quarterly Distribution, First Target Distribution and Second Target Distribution, shall be the product obtained by multiplying (a) the amounts therefor that are set out herein prior to the application of this Section 6.9 times (b) the quotient obtained by dividing (i) Available Cash with respect to such Quarter by (ii) the sum of Available Cash with respect to such Quarter and the Estimated Incremental Quarterly Tax Amount for such Quarter, as determined by the General Partner. For purposes of the foregoing, Available Cash with respect to a Quarter will be deemed reduced by the Estimated Incremental Quarterly Tax Amount for that Quarter.
ARTICLE VII
MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION OF BUSINESS
     Section 7.1 Management .
     (a) The General Partner shall conduct, direct and manage all activities of the Partnership. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement, all management powers over the business and affairs of the Partnership shall be exclusively vested in the General Partner, and no Limited Partner shall have any management power over the business and affairs of the Partnership. In addition to the powers now or hereafter granted to a general partner of a limited partnership under applicable law or that are granted to the General Partner under any other provision of this Agreement, the General Partner, subject to Section 7.3, shall have full power and authority to do all things and on such terms as it determines to be necessary or appropriate to conduct the business of the Partnership, to exercise all powers set forth in Section 2.5 and to effectuate the purposes set forth in Section 2.4, including the following:
     (i) the making of any expenditures, the lending or borrowing of money, the assumption or guarantee of, or other contracting for, indebtedness and other
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liabilities, the issuance of evidences of indebtedness, including indebtedness that is convertible into Partnership Interests, and the incurring of any other obligations;
     (ii) the making of tax, regulatory and other filings, or rendering of periodic or other reports to governmental or other agencies having jurisdiction over the business or assets of the Partnership;
     (iii) the acquisition, disposition, mortgage, pledge, encumbrance, hypothecation or exchange of any or all of the assets of the Partnership or the merger or other combination of the Partnership with or into another Person (the matters described in this clause (iii) being subject, however, to any prior approval that may be required by Section 7.3 and Article XIV);
     (iv) the use of the assets of the Partnership (including cash on hand) for any purpose consistent with the terms of this Agreement, including the financing of the conduct of the operations of the Partnership Group; subject to Section 7.6(a), the lending of funds to other Persons (including other Group Members); the repayment or guarantee of obligations of any Group Member; and the making of capital contributions to any Group Member;
     (v) the negotiation, execution and performance of any contracts, conveyances or other instruments (including instruments that limit the liability of the Partnership under contractual arrangements to all or particular assets of the Partnership, with the other party to the contract to have no recourse against the General Partner or its assets other than its interest in the Partnership, even if such lack of recourse results in the terms of the transaction being less favorable to the Partnership than would otherwise be the case);
     (vi) the distribution of Partnership cash;
     (vii) the selection and dismissal of employees (including employees having titles such as “president,” “vice president,” “secretary” and “treasurer”) and agents, outside attorneys, accountants, consultants and contractors and the determination of their compensation and other terms of employment or hiring;
     (viii) the maintenance of insurance for the benefit of the Partnership Group, the Partners and Indemnitees;
     (ix) the formation of, or acquisition of an interest in, and the contribution of property and the making of loans to, any further limited or general partnerships, joint ventures, corporations, limited liability companies or other Persons (including the acquisition of interests in, and the contributions of property to, any Group Member from time to time) subject to the restrictions set forth in Section 2.4;
     (x) the control of any matters affecting the rights and obligations of the Partnership, including the bringing and defending of actions at law or in equity and
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otherwise engaging in the conduct of litigation, arbitration or mediation and the incurring of legal expense and the settlement of claims and litigation;
     (xi) the indemnification of any Person against liabilities and contingencies to the extent permitted by law;
     (xii) the entering into of listing agreements with any National Securities Exchange and the delisting of some or all of the Limited Partner Interests from, or requesting that trading be suspended on, any such exchange (subject to any prior approval that may be required under Section 4.8);
     (xiii) the purchase, sale or other acquisition or disposition of Partnership Interests, or the issuance of options, rights, warrants and appreciation rights relating to Partnership Interests;
     (xiv) the undertaking of any action in connection with the Partnership’s participation in any Group Member; and
     (xv) the entering into of agreements with any of its Affiliates to render services to a Group Member or to itself in the discharge of its duties as General Partner of the Partnership.
     (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, the Delaware Act or any applicable law, rule or regulation, each of the Partners and each other Person who may acquire an interest in Partnership Interests or is otherwise bound by the provisions of this Agreement hereby (i) approves, ratifies and confirms the execution, delivery and performance by the parties thereto of this Agreement and the Group Member Agreement of each other Group Member, the Underwriting Agreement, the Omnibus Agreement, the Tax Sharing Agreement, the Contribution Agreement, the Credit Agreement, the LTIP, any Group Member Agreement and the other agreements described in or filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement that are related to the transactions contemplated by the Registration Statement (which approval, ratification and confirmation shall not, with respect to each such agreement, be considered to cover or include any amendments or supplements thereof entered into after the date such Person becomes bound by the provisions of this Agreement, except for amendments or supplements made to this Agreement in accordance with the provisions hereof); (ii) agrees that the General Partner (on its own behalf or through any officer of the Partnership) is authorized to execute, deliver and perform the agreements referred to in clause (i) of this sentence and the other agreements, acts, transactions and matters described in or contemplated by the Registration Statement on behalf of the Partnership without any further act, approval or vote of the Partners or the other Persons who may acquire an interest in Partnership Interests or are otherwise bound by the provisions of this Agreement; and (iii) agrees that the execution, delivery or performance by the General Partner, any Group Member or any Affiliate of any of them of this Agreement or any agreement authorized or permitted under this Agreement and any amendment of such agreements in accordance with the terms thereof (including the exercise by the General Partner or any Affiliate of the General Partner of the rights accorded pursuant to Article XV) shall not constitute a breach by the General Partner of any duty that the General Partner may owe the Partnership or the Limited Partners or any other Persons under this
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Agreement (or any other agreements) or of any duty otherwise existing at law, in equity or otherwise.
     Section 7.2 Certificate of Limited Partnership .
     The General Partner has caused the Certificate of Limited Partnership to be filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware as required by the Delaware Act. The General Partner shall use all reasonable efforts to cause to be filed such other certificates or documents that the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate for the formation, continuation, qualification and operation of a limited partnership (or a partnership in which the limited partners have limited liability) in the State of Delaware or any other state in which the Partnership may elect to do business or own property. To the extent the General Partner determines such action to be necessary or appropriate, the General Partner shall file amendments to and restatements of the Certificate of Limited Partnership and do all things to maintain the Partnership as a limited partnership (or a partnership or other entity in which the limited partners have limited liability) under the laws of the State of Delaware or of any other state in which the Partnership may elect to do business or own property. Subject to the terms of Section 3.4(a), the General Partner shall not be required, before or after filing, to deliver or mail a copy of the Certificate of Limited Partnership, any qualification document or any amendment thereto to any Limited Partner.
     Section 7.3 Restrictions on the General Partner’s Authority .
     Except as provided in Article XII and Article XIV, the General Partner may not sell, exchange or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of the assets of the Partnership Group, taken as a whole, in a single transaction or a series of related transactions (including by way of merger, consolidation, other combination or sale of ownership interests of the Partnership’s Subsidiaries) without the approval of holders of a Unit Majority; provided, however , that this provision shall not preclude or limit the General Partner’s ability to mortgage, pledge, hypothecate or grant a security interest in all or substantially all of the assets of the Partnership Group and shall not apply to any forced sale of any or all of the assets of the Partnership Group pursuant to the foreclosure of, or other realization upon, any such encumbrance. Without the approval of holders of a Unit Majority, the General Partner shall not, on behalf of the Partnership, except as permitted under Section 4.6, Section 11.1, Section 11.2 or Section 12.1(a), elect or cause the Partnership to elect a successor general partner of the Partnership.
     Section 7.4 Reimbursement of the General Partner .
     (a) Except as provided in this Section 7.4 and elsewhere in this Agreement, the General Partner shall not be compensated for its services as a general partner or managing member of any Group Member.
     (b) The General Partner shall be reimbursed on a monthly basis, or such other basis as the General Partner may determine, for (i) all direct and indirect expenses it incurs or payments it makes on behalf of the Partnership Group (including salary, bonus, incentive compensation and other amounts paid to any Person, including Affiliates of the General Partner to perform services for the Partnership Group or for the General Partner in the discharge of its duties to the Partnership Group), and (ii) all other expenses allocable to the Partnership Group or
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otherwise incurred by the General Partner in connection with operating the Partnership Group’s business (including expenses allocated to the General Partner by its Affiliates). The General Partner shall determine the expenses that are allocable to the Partnership Group. Reimbursements pursuant to this Section 7.4 shall be in addition to any reimbursement to the General Partner as a result of indemnification pursuant to Section 7.7.
     (c) The General Partner, without the approval of the Limited Partners (who shall have no right to vote in respect thereof), may propose and adopt on behalf of the Partnership Group employee benefit plans, employee programs and employee practices (including plans, programs and practices involving the issuance of Partnership Interests or options to purchase or rights, warrants or appreciation rights or phantom or tracking interests relating to Partnership Interests), or cause the Partnership to issue Partnership Interests (and, for the avoidance of doubt, any increase in the number of Units available to be awarded under the LTIP) in connection with, or pursuant to, any employee benefit plan, employee program or employee practice maintained or sponsored by the General Partner, Group Member or any Affiliates in each case for the benefit of employees and directors of the General Partner or any of its Affiliates, in respect of services performed, directly or indirectly, for the benefit of the Partnership Group. The Partnership agrees to issue and sell to the General Partner or any of its Affiliates any Partnership Interests that the General Partner or such Affiliates are obligated to provide to any employees and directors pursuant to any such employee benefit plans, employee programs or employee practices. Expenses incurred by the General Partner in connection with any such plans, programs and practices (including the net cost to the General Partner or such Affiliates of Partnership Interests purchased by the General Partner or such Affiliates from the Partnership to fulfill options or awards under such plans, programs and practices) shall be reimbursed in accordance with Section 7.4(b). Any and all obligations of the General Partner under any employee benefit plans, employee programs or employee practices adopted by the General Partner as permitted by this Section 7.4(c) shall constitute obligations of the General Partner hereunder and shall be assumed by any successor General Partner approved pursuant to Section 11.1 or Section 11.2 or the transferee of or successor to all of the General Partner’s General Partner Interest pursuant to Section 4.6.
     Section 7.5 Outside Activities .
     (a) After the Closing Date, the General Partner, for so long as it is the general partner of the Partnership (i) agrees that its sole business will be to act as the general partner or managing member, as the case may be, of the Partnership and any other partnership or limited liability company of which the Partnership is, directly or indirectly, a partner or managing member and to undertake activities that are ancillary or related thereto (including being a limited partner in the Partnership) and (ii) shall not engage in any business or activity or incur any debts or liabilities except in connection with or incidental to (A) its performance as general partner or managing member, if any, of one or more Group Members or as described in or contemplated by the Registration Statement, or (B) the acquiring, owning or disposing of debt or equity securities in any Group Member.
     (b) Each Indemnitee (other than the General Partner) shall have the right to engage in businesses of every type and description and other activities for profit and to engage in and
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possess an interest in other business ventures of any and every type or description, whether in businesses engaged in or anticipated to be engaged in by any Group Member, independently or with others, including business interests and activities in direct competition with the business and activities of any Group Member, and none of the same shall constitute a breach of this Agreement or any duty otherwise existing at law, in equity or otherwise, to any Group Member or any Partner. None of any Group Member, any Limited Partner or any other Person shall have any rights by virtue of this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, or the partnership relationship established hereby in any business ventures of any Indemnitee.
     (c) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, (i) the engaging in competitive activities by any Indemnitees (other than the General Partner) in accordance with the provisions of this Section 7.5 is hereby approved by the Partnership and all Partners, (ii) it shall be deemed not to be a breach of any duty (including any fiduciary duty) or any other obligation of any type whatsoever of any Indemnitee for the Indemnitees (other than the General Partner) to engage in such business interests and activities in preference to or to the exclusion of the Partnership and (iii) the Indemnitees shall have no obligation hereunder or as a result of any duty otherwise existing at law, in equity or otherwise, to present business opportunities to the Partnership. The doctrine of corporate opportunity, or any analogous doctrine, shall not apply to any Indemnitee. No Indemnitee who acquires knowledge of a potential transaction, agreement, arrangement or other matter that may be an opportunity for the Partnership, shall have any duty to communicate or offer such opportunity to the Partnership, and, except as otherwise provided in Section 7.5(a) or Section 7.5(b), such Indemnitee shall not be liable to the Partnership, to any Limited Partner or any other Person for breach of duty (including any fiduciary duty) or any other obligation by reason of the fact that such Indemnitee pursues or acquires for itself, directs such opportunity to another Person or does not communicate such opportunity or information to the Partnership; provided such Indemnitee does not engage in such business or activity as a result of or using confidential or proprietary information provided by or on behalf of the Partnership to Indemnitee.
     (d) The General Partner and each of its Affiliates may acquire Units or other Partnership Interests in addition to those acquired on the Closing Date and, except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, shall be entitled to exercise, at their option, all rights relating to all Units or other Partnership Interests acquired by them. The term “Affiliates” when used in this Section 7.5(d) with respect to the General Partner shall not include any Group Member.
     (e) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, to the extent that any provision of this Agreement purports or is interpreted to have the effect of modifying, limiting or restricting the duties that might otherwise, as a result of Delaware or other applicable law, be owed by the General Partner to the Partnership and its Limited Partners, or to constitute a waiver or consent by the Limited Partners to any such modification, limitation or restriction, such provisions shall be deemed to have been approved by the Partners; provided , however , that nothing in this Section 7.5 shall limit or otherwise affect the effectiveness of any separate contractual obligations of any Person (including any Indemnitee) to the Partnership or any of its Affiliates pursuant to agreements entered into following the date of this Agreement.
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     Section 7.6 Loans from the General Partner; Loans or Contributions from the Partnership or Group Members .
     (a) The General Partner or any of its Affiliates may lend to any Group Member, and any Group Member may borrow from the General Partner or any of its Affiliates, funds needed or desired by the Group Member for such periods of time and in such amounts as the General Partner may determine; provided, however , that, except for such transactions as contemplated by the definition of Potential PAA Financial Support, in any such case the lending party may not charge the borrowing party interest at a rate greater than the rate that would be charged the borrowing party, or impose terms less favorable to the borrowing party than would be charged or imposed on the borrowing party, by unrelated lenders on comparable loans made on an arm’s-length basis (without reference to the lending party’s financial abilities or guarantees), all as determined by the General Partner. The borrowing party shall reimburse the lending party for any costs (other than any additional interest costs) incurred by the lending party in connection with the borrowing of such funds. For purposes of this Section 7.6(a) and Section 7.6(b), the term “Group Member” shall include any Affiliate of a Group Member that is controlled by the Group Member.
     (b) The Partnership may lend or contribute to any Group Member, and any Group Member may borrow from the Partnership, funds on terms and conditions determined by the General Partner. No Group Member may lend funds to the General Partner or any of its Affiliates (other than another Group Member).
     (c) No borrowing by any Group Member or the approval thereof by the General Partner shall be deemed to constitute a breach of any duty hereunder or otherwise existing at law, in equity or otherwise, of the General Partner or its Affiliates to the Partnership or the Limited Partners by reason of the fact that the purpose or effect of such borrowing is directly or indirectly to (i) enable distributions to the General Partner or its Affiliates (including in their capacities as Limited Partners) to exceed the General Partner’s Percentage Interest of the total amount distributed to all Partners, (ii) hasten the expiration of the Subordination Period or the conversion of any Series A Subordinated Units into Common Units or (iii) hasten the Series B Thresholds or the conversion of any Series B Subordinated Units into Series A Subordinated Units or Common Units.
     Section 7.7 Indemnification .
     (a) To the fullest extent permitted by law but subject to the limitations expressly provided in this Agreement, all Indemnitees shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Partnership from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, joint or several, expenses (including legal fees and expenses), judgments, fines, penalties, interest, settlements or other amounts arising from any and all claims, demands, actions, suits or proceedings, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, in which any Indemnitee may be involved, or is threatened to be involved, as a party or otherwise, by reason of its status as an Indemnitee; provided , that the Indemnitee shall not be indemnified and held harmless if there has been a final and non-appealable judgment entered by a court of competent jurisdiction determining that, in respect of the matter for which the Indemnitee is seeking indemnification pursuant to this Section
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7.7, the Indemnitee acted in bad faith or engaged in fraud, willful misconduct or, in the case of a criminal matter, acted with knowledge that the Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful; provided, further , no indemnification pursuant to this Section 7.7 shall be available to the General Partner or its Affiliates (other than a Group Member or an individual Person) with respect to its or their obligations incurred pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, the Omnibus Agreement, the Tax Sharing Agreement or the Contribution Agreement (other than obligations incurred by the General Partner on behalf of the Partnership). Any indemnification pursuant to this Section 7.7 shall be made only out of the assets of the Partnership, it being agreed that the General Partner shall not be personally liable for such indemnification and shall have no obligation to contribute or loan any monies or property to the Partnership to enable it to effectuate such indemnification.
     (b) To the fullest extent permitted by law, expenses (including legal fees and expenses) incurred by an Indemnitee who is indemnified pursuant to Section 7.7(a) in defending any claim, demand, action, suit or proceeding shall, from time to time, be advanced by the Partnership prior to a final and non-appealable judgment entered by a court of competent jurisdiction determining that, in respect of the matter for which the Indemnitee is seeking indemnification pursuant to this Section 7.7, the Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified upon receipt by the Partnership of any undertaking by or on behalf of the Indemnitee to repay such amount if it shall be ultimately determined that the Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified as authorized by this Section 7.7.
     (c) The indemnification provided by this Section 7.7 shall be in addition to any other rights to which an Indemnitee may be entitled under any agreement, pursuant to any vote of the holders of Outstanding Limited Partner Interests, as a matter of law or otherwise, both as to actions in the Indemnitee’s capacity as an Indemnitee and as to actions in any other capacity (including any capacity under the Underwriting Agreement), and shall continue as to an Indemnitee who has ceased to serve in such capacity and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, successors, assigns and administrators of the Indemnitee.
     (d) The Partnership may purchase and maintain (or reimburse the General Partner or its Affiliates for the cost of) insurance, on behalf of the General Partner, its Affiliates and such other Persons as the General Partner shall determine, including the purchase and maintenance of insurance pursuant to the terms of the Omnibus Agreement, against any liability that may be asserted against, or expense that may be incurred by, such Person in connection with the Partnership’s activities or such Person’s activities on behalf of the Partnership, regardless of whether the Partnership would have the power to indemnify such Person against such liability under the provisions of this Agreement.
     (e) For purposes of this Section 7.7, the Partnership shall be deemed to have requested an Indemnitee to serve as fiduciary of an employee benefit plan whenever the performance by it of its duties to the Partnership also imposes duties on, or otherwise involves services by, it to the plan or participants or beneficiaries of the plan; excise taxes assessed on an Indemnitee with respect to an employee benefit plan pursuant to applicable law shall constitute “fines” within the meaning of Section 7.7(a); and action taken or omitted by it with respect to any employee benefit plan in the performance of its duties for a purpose reasonably believed by
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it to be in the best interest of the participants and beneficiaries of the plan shall be deemed to be for a purpose that is in the best interests of the Partnership.
     (f) In no event may an Indemnitee subject the Limited Partners to personal liability by reason of the indemnification provisions set forth in this Agreement.
     (g) An Indemnitee shall not be denied indemnification in whole or in part under this Section 7.7 because the Indemnitee had an interest in the transaction with respect to which the indemnification applies if the transaction was otherwise permitted by the terms of this Agreement.
     (h) The provisions of this Section 7.7 are for the benefit of the Indemnitees, their heirs, successors, assigns and administrators and shall not be deemed to create any rights for the benefit of any other Persons.
     (i) No amendment, modification or repeal of this Section 7.7 or any provision hereof shall in any manner terminate, reduce or impair the right of any past, present or future Indemnitee to be indemnified by the Partnership, nor the obligations of the Partnership to indemnify any such Indemnitee under and in accordance with the provisions of this Section 7.7 as in effect immediately prior to such amendment, modification or repeal with respect to claims arising from or relating to matters occurring, in whole or in part, prior to such amendment, modification or repeal, regardless of when such claims may arise or be asserted.
     Section 7.8 Liability of Indemnitees .
     (a) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Agreement, no Indemnitee shall be liable for monetary damages to the Partnership, the Limited Partners, or any other Persons who have acquired interests in the Partnership Interests, for losses sustained or liabilities incurred as a result of any act or omission of an Indemnitee unless there has been a final and non-appealable judgment entered by a court of competent jurisdiction determining that, in respect of the matter in question, the Indemnitee acted in bad faith or engaged in fraud, willful misconduct or, in the case of a criminal matter, acted with knowledge that the Indemnitee’s conduct was criminal.
     (b) Subject to its obligations and duties as General Partner set forth in Section 7.1(a), the General Partner may exercise any of the powers granted to it by this Agreement and perform any of the duties imposed upon it hereunder either directly or by or through its agents, and the General Partner shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any such agent appointed by the General Partner.
     (c) To the extent that, at law or in equity, an Indemnitee has duties (including fiduciary duties) and liabilities relating thereto to the Partnership or to the Partners, the General Partner and any other Indemnitee acting in connection with the Partnership’s business or affairs shall not be liable to the Partnership or to any Partner for its reliance on the provisions of this Agreement.
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     (d) Any amendment, modification or repeal of this Section 7.8 or any provision hereof shall be prospective only and shall not in any way affect the limitations on the liability of the Indemnitees under this Section 7.8 as in effect immediately prior to such amendment, modification or repeal with respect to claims arising from or relating to matters occurring, in whole or in part, prior to such amendment, modification or repeal, regardless of when such claims may arise or be asserted.
     Section 7.9 Resolution of Conflicts of Interest; Standards of Conduct and Modification of Duties .
     (a) Unless otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement or any Group Member Agreement, whenever a potential conflict of interest exists or arises between the General Partner or any of its Affiliates, on the one hand, and the Partnership, any Group Member or any Partner, on the other, any resolution or course of action by the General Partner or its Affiliates in respect of such conflict of interest shall be permitted and deemed approved by all Partners, and shall not constitute a breach of this Agreement, of any Group Member Agreement, of any agreement contemplated herein or therein, or of any duty stated or implied by law or equity, if the resolution or course of action in respect of such conflict of interest is (i) approved by Special Approval, (ii) approved by the vote of a majority of the Outstanding Common Units (excluding Common Units owned by the General Partner and its Affiliates, directors and executive officers), (iii) determined by the General Partner (after due inquiry) to be on terms no less favorable to the Partnership than those generally being provided to or available from unrelated third parties or (iv) approved by the General Partner (after due inquiry) based on a subjective belief that the course of action or determination that is the subject of such approval is fair and reasonable to the Partnership, which may include taking into account the totality of the circumstances and the relationships among the parties involved (including the short-term or long-term interests of the Partnership and other arrangements or relationships that could be considered favorable or advantageous to the Partnership). The General Partner shall be authorized but not required in connection with its resolution of such conflict of interest to seek Special Approval of such resolution, and the General Partner may also adopt a resolution or course of action that has not received Special Approval. In making any determination under this Section 7.9(a), it shall be presumed that the Conflicts Committee, the General Partner and the Board of Directors (as applicable) have satisfied the contractual standards set forth in this Agreement and any Person challenging such determination shall have the burden of overcoming such presumption as provided in Section 7.9(e). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement or any duty otherwise existing at law or equity, but without otherwise limiting any consent or approvals granted herein, including those set forth in Section 7.1(b), the conflicts of interest described in the Registration Statement and any actions of the General Partner taken in connection therewith, including any conflicts of interest arising from the Potential PAA Financial Support or the Other Permitted Actions, are hereby approved by all Partners and shall not constitute a breach of this Agreement or any duty otherwise existing at law, in equity or otherwise.
     (b) Whenever the General Partner makes a determination, including any determination with respect to the Distributable Cash Flow of the Partnership or any components thereof, or takes or declines to take any other action, or any of its Affiliates causes it to do so, in its capacity as the general partner of the Partnership as opposed to in its individual capacity,
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whether under this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement or any other agreement contemplated hereby or otherwise, then, unless another express standard is provided for in this Agreement, the General Partner, or such Affiliates causing it to do so, shall make such determination or take or decline to take such other action in good faith and shall not be subject to any other or different standards (including fiduciary standards) imposed by this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, any other agreement contemplated hereby or under the Delaware Act or any other law, rule or regulation or at equity. In order for a determination or other action to be in “good faith” for purposes of this Agreement, the Person or Persons making such determination or taking or declining to take such other action must subjectively believe that the determination, other action or anticipated result thereof is (i) with respect to matters involving the Partnership, in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the Partnership, and (ii) with respect to matters involving the relative rights and privileges of holders of Partnership Interests, consistent with the intent of the provisions of this Agreement, as set forth herein or in the Registration Statement. In connection therewith such Person or Persons may take into account the circumstances and relationships involved (including the short-term or long-term interests of the Partnership and other arrangements or relationships that could be considered favorable or advantageous to the Partnership).
     (c) Whenever the General Partner makes a determination or takes or declines to take any other action, or any of its Affiliates causes it to do so, in its individual capacity as opposed to in its capacity as the general partner of the Partnership, whether under this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement or any other agreement contemplated hereby or otherwise, then the General Partner, or such Affiliates causing it to do so, are entitled, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to make such determination or to take or decline to take such other action free of any duty (including any fiduciary duty) or obligation whatsoever to the Partnership, any Limited Partner, and any other Person bound by this Agreement, and the General Partner, or such Affiliates causing it to do so, shall not, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be required to act in good faith or pursuant to any other standard imposed by this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, any other agreement contemplated hereby or under the Delaware Act or any other law, rule or regulation or at equity. By way of illustration and not of limitation, whenever the phrase, “at the option of the General Partner,” or some variation of that phrase, is used in this Agreement, it indicates that the General Partner is acting in its individual capacity. For the avoidance of doubt, whenever the General Partner votes or transfers its Partnership Interests, or refrains from voting or transferring its Partnership Interests, it shall be acting in its individual capacity. The General Partner’s organizational documents may provide that determinations to take or decline to take any action in its individual, rather than representative, capacity may or shall be determined by its members, if the General Partner is a limited liability company, stockholders, if the General Partner is a corporation, or the members or stockholders of the General Partner’s general partner, if the General Partner is a partnership.
     (d) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the General Partner and its Affiliates shall have no duty or obligation, express or implied, to (i) sell or otherwise dispose of any asset of the Partnership Group other than in the ordinary course of business or (ii) permit any Group Member to use any facilities or assets of the General Partner and its Affiliates, except as may be provided in contracts entered into from time to time specifically dealing with
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such use. Any determination by the General Partner or any of its Affiliates to enter into such contracts shall be at its option.
     (e) Except as expressly set forth in this Agreement, neither the General Partner nor any other Indemnitee shall have any duties or liabilities, including fiduciary duties, to the Partnership or any Limited Partner and the provisions of this Agreement, to the extent that they restrict, eliminate or otherwise modify the duties and liabilities, including fiduciary duties, of the General Partner or any other Indemnitee otherwise existing at law or in equity, are agreed by the Partners to replace such other duties and liabilities of the General Partner or such other Indemnitee. To the fullest extent permitted by law, in connection with any action or inaction of, or determination made by, the General Partner or any other Indemnitee with respect to any matter relating to the Partnership, it shall be presumed that the General Partner and other Indemnitees acted in a manner that satisfied the contractual standards set forth in this Agreement, and in any proceeding brought by any Limited Partner or by or on behalf of such Limited Partner or any other Limited Partner or the Partnership challenging any such action or inaction of, or determination made by, the General Partner or any other Indemnitee, the Person bringing or prosecuting such proceeding shall have the burden of overcoming such presumption.
     (f) The Unitholders hereby authorize the General Partner, on behalf of the Partnership as a partner or member of a Group Member, to approve of actions by the general partner or managing member of such Group Member similar to those actions permitted to be taken by the General Partner pursuant to this Section 7.9.
     (g) Where a determination requires “due inquiry,” the Person or Persons making such determination or taking or declining to take such action must subjectively believe that such Person or Persons had available adequate information to make such determination or to take or decline to take such action in accordance with the applicable contractual standard.
     Section 7.10 Other Matters Concerning the General Partner .
     (a) The General Partner may rely upon, and shall be protected in acting or refraining from acting upon, any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, consent, order, bond, debenture or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties.
     (b) The General Partner may consult with legal counsel, accountants, appraisers, management consultants, investment bankers and other consultants and advisers selected by it, and any act taken or omitted to be taken in reliance upon and in accordance with the opinion (including an Opinion of Counsel) of such Persons as to matters that the General Partner reasonably believes to be within such Person’s professional or expert competence shall be conclusively presumed to have been done or omitted in good faith.
     (c) The General Partner shall have the right, in respect of any of its powers or obligations hereunder, to act through any of its duly authorized officers, a duly appointed attorney or attorneys-in-fact or the duly authorized officers of the Partnership or any Group Member.
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     Section 7.11 Purchase or Sale of Partnership Interests .
     The General Partner may cause the Partnership to purchase or otherwise acquire Partnership Interests; provided that, except as permitted pursuant to Section 4.10, the General Partner may not cause any Group Member to purchase Series A Subordinated Units during the Subordination Period or Series B Subordinated Units without the prior written consent or approval of a majority of the holders of the Common Units (excluding any Common Units owned by the General Partner and its Affiliates, directors and executive officers). As long as Partnership Interests are held by any Group Member, such Partnership Interests shall not be considered Outstanding for any purpose, except as otherwise provided herein. The General Partner or any Affiliate of the General Partner may also purchase or otherwise acquire and sell or otherwise dispose of Partnership Interests for its own account, subject to the provisions of this Section 7.11 and Articles IV and X.
     Section 7.12 Registration Rights of the General Partner and its Affiliates .
     (a) If (i) the General Partner or any Affiliate of the General Partner (including for purposes of this Section 7.12, any Person that is an Affiliate of the General Partner at the date hereof notwithstanding that it may later cease to be an Affiliate of the General Partner) holds Partnership Interests that it desires to sell and (ii) Rule 144 of the Securities Act (or any successor rule or regulation to Rule 144) or another exemption from registration is not available to enable such holder of Partnership Interests (the “ Holder ”) to dispose of the number of Partnership Interests it desires to sell at the time it desires to do so without registration under the Securities Act, then at the option and upon the request of the Holder, the Partnership shall file with the Commission as promptly as practicable after receiving such request, and use all commercially reasonable efforts to cause to become effective and remain effective for a period of not less than six months following its effective date or such shorter period as shall terminate when all Partnership Interests covered by such registration statement have been sold, a registration statement under the Securities Act registering the offering and sale of the number of Partnership Interests specified by the Holder; provided, however , that the Partnership shall not be required to effect more than three registrations in the aggregate pursuant to this Section 7.12(a); and provided further, however , that if the Conflicts Committee proceeding in good faith determines that a postponement of the requested registration for up to six months would be in the best interests of the Partnership due to a pending transaction, desire to avoid premature disclosure of confidential information or otherwise, then the Partnership shall have the right to postpone such requested registration for a period of not more than six months after receipt of the Holder’s request, it being understood that the Partnership may not exercise such right pursuant to this Section 7.12(a) more than once in any twelve-month period. In connection with any registration pursuant to the first sentence of this Section 7.12(a), the Partnership shall (i) promptly prepare and file (A) such documents as may be necessary to register or qualify the securities subject to such registration under the securities laws of such states as the Holder shall reasonably request; provided, however, that no such qualification shall be required in any jurisdiction where, as a result thereof, the Partnership would become subject to general service of process or to taxation or qualification to do business as a foreign corporation or partnership doing business in such jurisdiction solely as a result of such registration, and (B) such documents as may be necessary to apply for listing or to list the Partnership Interests subject to such
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registration on such National Securities Exchange as the Holder shall reasonably request, and (ii) do any and all other acts and things that may be reasonably necessary or appropriate to enable the Holder to consummate a public sale of such Partnership Interests in such states. Except as set forth in Section 7.12(c), all costs and expenses of any such registration and offering (other than the underwriting discounts and commissions) shall be paid by the Partnership, without reimbursement by the Holder.
     (b) If the Partnership shall at any time propose to file a registration statement under the Securities Act for an offering of equity securities of the Partnership for cash (other than an offering relating solely to an employee benefit plan), the Partnership shall notify all Holders of such proposal and use all commercially reasonable efforts to include such number or amount of securities held by the Holder in such registration statement as the Holder shall request; provided, that the Partnership is not required to make any effort or take any action to so include the securities of the Holder once the registration statement is declared effective by the Commission or otherwise becomes effective, including any registration statement providing for the offering from time to time of securities pursuant to Rule 415 of the Securities Act. If the proposed offering pursuant to this Section 7.12(b) shall be an underwritten offering, then, in the event that the managing underwriter or managing underwriters of such offering advise the Partnership and the Holder in writing that in their opinion the inclusion of all or some of the Holder’s Partnership Interests would adversely and materially affect the success of the offering, the Partnership shall include in such offering only that number or amount, if any, of securities held by the Holder that, in the opinion of the managing underwriter or managing underwriters, will not so adversely and materially affect the offering. Except as set forth in Section 7.12(c), all costs and expenses of any such registration and offering (other than the underwriting discounts and commissions) shall be paid by the Partnership, without reimbursement by the Holder.
     (c) If underwriters are engaged in connection with any registration referred to in this Section 7.12, the Partnership shall provide indemnification, representations, covenants, opinions and other assurance to the underwriters in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such underwriters. Further, in addition to and not in limitation of the Partnership’s obligation under Section 7.7, the Partnership shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, indemnify and hold harmless the Holder, its officers, directors and each Person who controls the Holder (within the meaning of the Securities Act) and any agent thereof (collectively, “ Indemnified Persons ”) from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, joint or several, expenses (including legal fees and expenses), judgments, fines, penalties, interest, settlements or other amounts arising from any and all claims, demands, actions, suits or proceedings, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, in which any Indemnified Person may be involved, or is threatened to be involved, as a party or otherwise, under the Securities Act or otherwise (hereinafter referred to in this Section 7.12(c) as a “claim” and in the plural as “claims”) based upon, arising out of or resulting from any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in any registration statement under which any Partnership Interests were registered under the Securities Act or any state securities or Blue Sky laws, in any preliminary prospectus (if used prior to the effective date of such registration statement), or in any summary or final prospectus or free writing prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto (if used during the period the Partnership is required to keep the registration statement current), or arising out of, based upon or resulting from the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material
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fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements made therein not misleading; provided, however , that the Partnership shall not be liable to any Indemnified Person to the extent that any such claim arises out of, is based upon or results from an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in such registration statement, such preliminary, summary or final prospectus or free writing prospectus or such amendment or supplement, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Partnership by or on behalf of such Indemnified Person specifically for use in the preparation thereof.
     (d) The provisions of Section 7.12(a) and Section 7.12(b) shall continue to be applicable with respect to the General Partner (and any of the General Partner’s Affiliates) after it ceases to be a Partner of the Partnership, during a period of two years subsequent to the effective date of such cessation and for so long thereafter as is required for the Holder to sell all of the Partnership Interests with respect to which it has requested during such two-year period inclusion in a registration statement otherwise filed or that a registration statement be filed; provided, however , that the Partnership shall not be required to file successive registration statements covering the same Partnership Interests for which registration was demanded during such two-year period. The provisions of Section 7.12(c) shall continue in effect thereafter.
     (e) The rights to cause the Partnership to register Partnership Interests pursuant to this Section 7.12 may be assigned (but only with all related obligations) by a Holder to a transferee or assignee of such Partnership Interests, provided (i) the Partnership is, within a reasonable time after such transfer, furnished with written notice of the name and address of such transferee or assignee and the Partnership Interests with respect to which such registration rights are being assigned; and (ii) such transferee or assignee agrees in writing to be bound by and subject to the terms set forth in this Section 7.12.
     (f) Any request to register Partnership Interests pursuant to this Section 7.12 shall (i) specify the Partnership Interests intended to be offered and sold by the Person making the request, (ii) express such Person’s present intent to offer such Partnership Interests for distribution, (iii) describe the nature or method of the proposed offer and sale of Partnership Interests, and (iv) contain the undertaking of such Person to provide all such information and materials and take all action as may be required in order to permit the Partnership to comply with all applicable requirements in connection with the registration of such Partnership Interests.
     Section 7.13 Reliance by Third Parties .
     Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, any Person dealing with the Partnership shall be entitled to assume that the General Partner and any officer of the General Partner authorized by the General Partner to act on behalf of and in the name of the Partnership has full power and authority to encumber, sell or otherwise use in any manner any and all assets of the Partnership and to enter into any authorized contracts on behalf of the Partnership, and such Person shall be entitled to deal with the General Partner or any such officer as if it were the Partnership’s sole party in interest, both legally and beneficially. Each Limited Partner hereby waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any and all defenses or other remedies that may be available against such Person to contest, negate or disaffirm any action of the General Partner or
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any such officer in connection with any such dealing. In no event shall any Person dealing with the General Partner or any such officer or its representatives be obligated to ascertain that the terms of this Agreement have been complied with or to inquire into the necessity or expedience of any act or action of the General Partner or any such officer or its representatives. Each and every certificate, document or other instrument executed on behalf of the Partnership by the General Partner or its representatives shall be conclusive evidence in favor of any and every Person relying thereon or claiming thereunder that (a) at the time of the execution and delivery of such certificate, document or instrument, this Agreement was in full force and effect, (b) the Person executing and delivering such certificate, document or instrument was duly authorized and empowered to do so for and on behalf of the Partnership and (c) such certificate, document or instrument was duly executed and delivered in accordance with the terms and provisions of this Agreement and is binding upon the Partnership.
ARTICLE VIII
BOOKS, RECORDS, ACCOUNTING AND REPORTS
     Section 8.1 Records and Accounting .
     The General Partner shall keep or cause to be kept at the principal office of the Partnership appropriate books and records with respect to the Partnership’s business, including all books and records necessary to provide to the Limited Partners any information required to be provided pursuant to Section 3.4(a). Any books and records maintained by or on behalf of the Partnership in the regular course of its business, including the record of the Record Holders of Units or other Partnership Interests, books of account and records of Partnership proceedings, may be kept on, or be in the form of, computer disks, hard drives, punch cards, magnetic tape, photographs, micrographics or any other information storage device; provided, that the books and records so maintained are convertible into clearly legible written form within a reasonable period of time. The books of the Partnership shall be maintained, for financial reporting purposes, on an accrual basis in accordance with U.S. GAAP.
     Section 8.2 Fiscal Year .
     The fiscal year of the Partnership shall be the calendar year ending December 31.
     Section 8.3 Reports .
     (a) As soon as practicable, but in no event later than 120 days after the close of each fiscal year of the Partnership, the General Partner shall cause to be mailed or made available, by any reasonable means (including posting on or accessible through the Partnership’s or the Commission’s website) to each Record Holder of a Unit as of a date selected by the General Partner, an annual report containing financial statements of the Partnership for such fiscal year of the Partnership, presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP, including a balance sheet and statements of operations, Partnership equity and cash flows, such statements to be audited by a firm of independent public accountants selected by the General Partner.
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     (b) As soon as practicable, but in no event later than 90 days after the close of each Quarter except the last Quarter of each fiscal year, the General Partner shall cause to be mailed or made available, by any reasonable means (including posting on or accessible through the Partnership’s or the Commission’s website) to each Record Holder of a Unit, as of a date selected by the General Partner, a report containing unaudited financial statements of the Partnership and such other information as may be required by applicable law, regulation or rule of any National Securities Exchange on which the Units are listed or admitted for trading, or as the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate.
ARTICLE IX
TAX MATTERS
     Section 9.1 Tax Returns and Information .
     The Partnership shall timely file all returns of the Partnership that are required for federal, state and local income tax purposes on the basis of the accrual method and the taxable year or years that it is required by law to adopt, from time to time, as determined by the General Partner. In the event the Partnership is required to use a taxable year other than a year ending on December 31, the General Partner shall use reasonable efforts to change the taxable year of the Partnership to a year ending on December 31. The tax information reasonably required by Record Holders for federal and state income tax reporting purposes with respect to a taxable year shall be furnished to them within 90 days of the close of the calendar year in which the Partnership’s taxable year ends. The classification, realization and recognition of income, gain, losses and deductions and other items shall be on the accrual method of accounting for federal income tax purposes.
     Section 9.2 Tax Elections .
     (a) The Partnership shall make the election under Section 754 of the Code in accordance with applicable regulations thereunder, subject to the reservation of the right to seek to revoke any such election upon the General Partner’s determination that such revocation is in the best interests of the Limited Partners. Notwithstanding any other provision herein contained, for the purposes of computing the adjustments under Section 743(b) of the Code, the General Partner shall be authorized (but not required) to adopt a convention whereby the price paid by a transferee of a Limited Partner Interest will be deemed to be the lowest quoted closing price of the Limited Partner Interests on any National Securities Exchange on which such Limited Partner Interests are listed or admitted for trading during the calendar month in which such transfer is deemed to occur pursuant to Section 6.2(f) without regard to the actual price paid by such transferee.
     (b) Except as otherwise provided herein, the General Partner shall determine whether the Partnership should make any other elections permitted by the Code.
     Section 9.3 Tax Controversies .
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     Subject to the provisions hereof, the General Partner is designated as the Tax Matters Partner (as defined in the Code) and is authorized and required to represent the Partnership (at the Partnership’s expense) in connection with all examinations of the Partnership’s affairs by tax authorities, including resulting administrative and judicial proceedings, and to expend Partnership funds for professional services and costs associated therewith. Each Partner agrees to cooperate with the General Partner and to do or refrain from doing any or all things reasonably required by the General Partner to conduct such proceedings.
     Section 9.4 Withholding; Tax Payments .
     (a) The General Partner may treat taxes paid by the Partnership on behalf of, all or less than all of the Partners, either as a distribution of cash to such Partners or as a general expense of the Partnership, as determined appropriate under the circumstances by the General Partner.
     (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the General Partner is authorized to take any action that may be required to cause the Partnership and other Group Members to comply with any withholding requirements established under the Code or any other federal, state or local law including pursuant to Sections 1441, 1442, 1445 and 1446 of the Code and any applicable non-U.S. tax law. To the extent that the Partnership is required or elects to withhold and pay over to any taxing authority any amount resulting from the allocation of income or from a distribution to any Partner (including, without limitation, by reason of Section 1446 of the Code), the General Partner may treat the amount withheld as a distribution of cash pursuant to Section 6.3(c) in the amount of such withholding from such Partner.
ARTICLE X
ADMISSION OF PARTNERS
     Section 10.1 Admission of Limited Partners .
     (a) Upon the issuance by the Partnership of Common Units, Subordinated Units and Incentive Distribution Rights to the General Partner, PAA and the Underwriters as described in Article V in connection with the Initial Offering, such parties shall automatically be admitted to the Partnership as Initial Limited Partners in respect of the Common Units, Subordinated Units or Incentive Distribution Rights issued to them.
     (b) By acceptance of the transfer of any Limited Partner Interests in accordance with Article IV or the acceptance of any Limited Partner Interests issued pursuant to Article V or pursuant to a merger or consolidation pursuant to Article XIV, and except as provided in Section 4.9, each transferee of, or other such Person acquiring, a Limited Partner Interest (including any nominee holder or an agent or representative acquiring such Limited Partner Interests for the account of another Person) (i) shall be admitted to the Partnership as a Limited Partner with respect to the Limited Partner Interests so transferred or issued to such Person when any such transfer, issuance or admission is reflected in the books and records of the Partnership and such Limited Partner becomes the Record Holder of the Limited Partner Interests so transferred, (ii) shall become bound by the terms of this Agreement, (iii) represents that the transferee has the
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capacity, power and authority to enter into this Agreement, (iv) grants the powers of attorney set forth in this Agreement and (v) makes the consents and waivers contained in this Agreement, all with or without execution of this Agreement by such Person. The transfer of any Limited Partner Interests and the admission of any new Limited Partner shall not constitute an amendment to this Agreement. A Person may become a Limited Partner or Record Holder of a Limited Partner Interest without the consent or approval of any of the Partners. A Person may not become a Limited Partner without acquiring a Limited Partner Interest and until such Person is reflected in the books and records of the Partnership as the Record Holder of such Limited Partner Interest. The rights and obligations of a Person who is an Ineligible Holder shall be determined in accordance with Section 4.9.
     (c) The name and mailing address of each Limited Partner shall be listed on the books and records of the Partnership maintained for such purpose by the Partnership or the Transfer Agent. The General Partner shall update the books and records of the Partnership from time to time as necessary to reflect accurately the information therein (or shall cause the Transfer Agent to do so, as applicable). A Limited Partner Interest may be represented by a Certificate, as provided in Section 4.1 hereof.
     (d) Any transfer of a Limited Partner Interest shall not entitle the transferee to share in the profits and losses, to receive distributions, to receive allocations of income, gain, loss, deduction or credit or any similar item or to any other rights to which the transferor was entitled until the transferee becomes a Limited Partner pursuant to Section 10.1(b).
     Section 10.2 Admission of Successor General Partner .
     A successor General Partner approved pursuant to Section 11.1 or Section 11.2 or the transferee of or successor to all of the General Partner Interest pursuant to Section 4.6 who is proposed to be admitted as a successor General Partner shall be admitted to the Partnership as the General Partner, effective immediately prior to the withdrawal or removal of the predecessor or transferring General Partner, pursuant to Section 11.1 or 11.2 or the transfer of the General Partner Interest pursuant to Section 4.6, provided, however , that no such successor shall be admitted to the Partnership until compliance with the terms of Section 4.6 has occurred and such successor has executed and delivered such other documents or instruments as may be required to effect such admission. Any such successor shall, subject to the terms hereof, carry on the business of the members of the Partnership Group without dissolution.
     Section 10.3 Amendment of Agreement and Certificate of Limited Partnership .
     To effect the admission to the Partnership of any Partner, the General Partner shall take all steps necessary or appropriate under the Delaware Act to amend the records of the Partnership to reflect such admission and, if necessary, to prepare as soon as practicable an amendment to this Agreement and, if required by law, the General Partner shall prepare and file an amendment to the Certificate of Limited Partnership.
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ARTICLE XI
WITHDRAWAL OR REMOVAL OF PARTNERS
     Section 11.1 Withdrawal of the General Partner .
     (a) The General Partner shall be deemed to have withdrawn from the Partnership upon the occurrence of any one of the following events (each such event herein referred to as an “ Event of Withdrawal ”):
     (i) the General Partner voluntarily withdraws from the Partnership by giving written notice to the other Partners;
     (ii) the General Partner transfers all of its General Partner Interest pursuant to Section 4.6;
     (iii) the General Partner is removed pursuant to Section 11.2;
     (iv) the General Partner (A) makes a general assignment for the benefit of creditors; (B) files a voluntary bankruptcy petition for relief under Chapter 7 of the United States Bankruptcy Code; (C) files a petition or answer seeking for itself a liquidation, dissolution or similar relief (but not a reorganization) under any law; (D) files an answer or other pleading admitting or failing to contest the material allegations of a petition filed against the General Partner in a proceeding of the type described in clauses (A)-(C) of this Section 11.1(a)(iv); or (E) seeks, consents to or acquiesces in the appointment of a trustee (but not a debtor-in-possession), receiver or liquidator of the General Partner or of all or any substantial part of its properties;
     (v) a final and non-appealable order of relief under Chapter 7 of the United States Bankruptcy Code is entered by a court with appropriate jurisdiction pursuant to a voluntary or involuntary petition by or against the General Partner; or
     (vi) (A) in the event the General Partner is a corporation, a certificate of dissolution or its equivalent is filed for the General Partner, or 90 days expire after the date of notice to the General Partner of revocation of its charter without a reinstatement of its charter, under the laws of its state of incorporation; (B) in the event the General Partner is a partnership or a limited liability company, the dissolution and commencement of winding up of the General Partner; (C) in the event the General Partner is acting in such capacity by virtue of being a trustee of a trust, the termination of the trust; (D) in the event the General Partner is a natural person, his death or adjudication of incompetency; and (E) otherwise in the event of the termination of the General Partner.
If an Event of Withdrawal specified in Section 11.1(a)(iv), (v) or (vi)(A), (B), (C) or (E) occurs, the withdrawing General Partner shall give notice to the Limited Partners within 30 days after such occurrence. The Partners hereby agree that only the Events of Withdrawal described in this Section 11.1 shall result in the withdrawal of the General Partner from the Partnership.
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     (b) Withdrawal of the General Partner from the Partnership upon the occurrence of an Event of Withdrawal shall not constitute a breach of this Agreement under the following circumstances: (i) at any time during the period beginning on the Closing Date and ending at 12:00 midnight, Central Standard Time, on June 30, 2020, the General Partner voluntarily withdraws by giving at least 90 days’ advance notice of its intention to withdraw to the Limited Partners; provided , that prior to the effective date of such withdrawal, the withdrawal is approved by Unitholders holding at least a majority of the Outstanding Common Units (excluding Common Units held by the General Partner and its Affiliates, directors and executive officers) and the General Partner delivers to the Partnership an Opinion of Counsel (“ Withdrawal Opinion of Counsel ”) that such withdrawal (following the selection of the successor General Partner) would not result in the loss of the limited liability of any Limited Partner or any Group Member or cause any Group Member to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise to be taxed as an entity for federal income tax purposes (to the extent not already so treated or taxed); (ii) at any time after 12:00 midnight, Central Standard Time, on June 30, 2020, the General Partner voluntarily withdraws by giving at least 90 days’ advance notice to the Unitholders, such withdrawal to take effect on the date specified in such notice; (iii) at any time that the General Partner ceases to be the General Partner pursuant to Section 11.1(a)(ii) or is removed pursuant to Section 11.2; or (iv) notwithstanding clause (i) of this sentence, at any time that the General Partner voluntarily withdraws by giving at least 90 days’ advance notice of its intention to withdraw to the Limited Partners, such withdrawal to take effect on the date specified in the notice, if at the time such notice is given one Person and its Affiliates (other than the General Partner and its Affiliates) own beneficially or of record or control at least 50% of the Outstanding Units. The withdrawal of the General Partner from the Partnership upon the occurrence of an Event of Withdrawal shall also constitute the withdrawal of the General Partner as general partner or managing member, if any, to the extent applicable, of the other Group Members. If the General Partner gives a notice of withdrawal pursuant to Section 11.1(a)(i), the holders of a Unit Majority, may, prior to the effective date of such withdrawal, elect a successor General Partner. The Person so elected as successor General Partner shall automatically become the successor general partner or managing member, to the extent applicable, of the other Group Members of which the General Partner is a general partner or a managing member, and is hereby authorized to, and shall, continue the business of the Partnership, and, to the extent applicable, the other Group Members, without dissolution. If, prior to the effective date of the General Partner’s withdrawal pursuant to Section 11.1(a)(i), a successor is not selected by the Unitholders as provided herein or the Partnership does not receive a Withdrawal Opinion of Counsel, the Partnership shall be dissolved in accordance with and subject to Section 12.1. Any successor General Partner elected in accordance with the terms of this Section 11.1 shall be subject to the provisions of Section 10.2.
     Section 11.2 Removal of the General Partner .
     The General Partner may be removed if such removal is approved by the Unitholders holding at least 66 2/3% of the Outstanding Units (including Units held by the General Partner and its Affiliates) voting as a single class. Any such action by such holders for removal of the General Partner must also provide for the election of a successor General Partner by the Unitholders holding a majority of the Outstanding Common Units voting as a class and a majority of the outstanding Subordinated Units (if any Subordinated Units are then Outstanding)
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voting as a class (including, in each case, Units held by the General Partner and its Affiliates). Such removal shall be effective immediately following the admission of a successor General Partner pursuant to Section 10.2. The removal of the General Partner shall also automatically constitute the removal of the General Partner as general partner or managing member, to the extent applicable, of the other Group Members of which the General Partner is a general partner or a managing member. If a Person is elected as a successor General Partner in accordance with the terms of this Section 11.2, such Person shall, upon admission pursuant to Section 10.2, automatically become a successor general partner or managing member, to the extent applicable, of the other Group Members of which the General Partner is a general partner or a managing member, and is hereby authorized to, and shall, continue the business of the Partnership, and, to the extent applicable, the other Group Members, without dissolution. The right of the holders of Outstanding Units to remove the General Partner shall not exist or be exercised unless the Partnership has received an opinion opining as to the matters covered by a Withdrawal Opinion of Counsel. Any successor General Partner elected in accordance with the terms of this Section 11.2 shall be subject to the provisions of Section 10.2.
     Section 11.3 Interest of Departing General Partner and Successor General Partner .
     (a) In the event of (i) withdrawal of the General Partner under circumstances where such withdrawal does not violate this Agreement or (ii) removal of the General Partner by the holders of Outstanding Units under circumstances where Cause does not exist, if the successor General Partner is elected in accordance with the terms of Section 11.1 or Section 11.2, the Departing General Partner shall have the option, exercisable prior to the effective date of the withdrawal or removal of such Departing General Partner, to require its successor to purchase its General Partner Interest and its general partner interest (or equivalent interest), if any, in the other Group Members and all of its Incentive Distribution Rights (collectively, the “ Combined Interest ”) in exchange for an amount in cash equal to the fair market value of such Combined Interest, such amount to be determined and payable as of the effective date of its withdrawal or removal. If the General Partner is removed by the Unitholders under circumstances where Cause exists or if the General Partner withdraws under circumstances where such withdrawal violates this Agreement, and if a successor General Partner is elected in accordance with the terms of Section 11.1 or Section 11.2 (or if the business of the Partnership is continued pursuant to Section 12.2 and the successor General Partner is not the former General Partner), such successor shall have the option, exercisable prior to the effective date of the withdrawal or removal of such Departing General Partner (or, in the event the business of the Partnership is continued, prior to the date the business of the Partnership is continued), to purchase the Combined Interest for such fair market value of such Combined Interest of the Departing General Partner. In either event, the Departing General Partner shall be entitled to receive (y) all reimbursements due such Departing General Partner pursuant to Section 7.4, including any employee-related liabilities (including severance liabilities) incurred in connection with the termination of any employees employed by the Departing General Partner or its Affiliates (other than any Group Member) for the benefit of the Partnership or the other Group Members and (z) any other out-of-pocket expenses or liabilities directly or indirectly relating to the withdrawal or removal of the General Partner.
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     For purposes of this Section 11.3(a), the fair market value of the Departing General Partner’s Combined Interest shall be determined by agreement between the Departing General Partner and its successor or, failing agreement within 30 days after the effective date of such Departing General Partner’s withdrawal or removal, by an independent investment banking firm or other independent expert selected by the Departing General Partner and its successor, which, in turn, may rely on other experts, and the determination of which shall be conclusive as to such matter. If such parties cannot agree upon one independent investment banking firm or other independent expert within 45 days after the effective date of such departure, then the Departing General Partner shall designate an independent investment banking firm or other independent expert, the Departing General Partner’s successor shall designate an independent investment banking firm or other independent expert, and such firms or experts shall mutually select a third independent investment banking firm or independent expert, which third independent investment banking firm or other independent expert shall determine the fair market value of the Combined Interest of the Departing General Partner. In making its determination, such third independent investment banking firm or other independent expert may consider the then current trading price of Units on any National Securities Exchange on which Units are then listed or admitted to trading, the value of the Partnership’s assets, the rights and obligations of the Departing General Partner and other factors it may deem relevant.
     (b) If the Combined Interest is not purchased in the manner set forth in Section 11.3(a), the Departing General Partner (or its transferee) shall become a Limited Partner and its Combined Interest shall be converted into Common Units pursuant to a valuation made by an investment banking firm or other independent expert selected pursuant to Section 11.3(a), without reduction in such Partnership Interest (but subject to proportionate dilution by reason of the admission of its successor). Any successor General Partner shall indemnify the Departing General Partner (or its transferee) as to all debts and liabilities of the Partnership arising on or after the date on which the Departing General Partner (or its transferee) becomes a Limited Partner. For purposes of this Agreement, conversion of the Combined Interest of the Departing General Partner to Common Units will be characterized as if the Departing General Partner (or its transferee) contributed its Combined Interest to the Partnership in exchange for the newly issued Common Units.
     (c) If a successor General Partner is elected in accordance with the terms of Section 11.1 or Section 11.2 (or if the business of the Partnership is continued pursuant to Section 12.2 and the successor General Partner is not the former General Partner) and the option described in Section 11.3(a) is not exercised by the party entitled to do so, the successor General Partner shall, at the effective date of its admission to the Partnership, contribute to the Partnership cash in the amount equal to the product of (x) the quotient obtained by dividing (A) the Percentage Interest of the General Partner Interest of the Departing General Partner by (B) a percentage equal to 100% less the Percentage Interest of the General Partner Interest of the Departing General Partner and (y) the Net Agreed Value of the Partnership’s assets on such date. In such event, such successor General Partner shall, subject to the following sentence, be entitled to its Percentage Interest of all Partnership allocations and distributions to which the Departing General Partner was entitled. In addition, the successor General Partner shall cause this Agreement to be amended to reflect that, from and after the date of such successor General
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Partner’s admission, the successor General Partner’s interest in all Partnership distributions and allocations shall be its Percentage Interest.
     Section 11.4 Termination of Subordination Period, Conversion of Subordinated Units and Extinguishment of Cumulative Common Unit Arrearages .
     Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement, if the General Partner is removed as general partner of the Partnership under circumstances where Cause does not exist and Units held by the General Partner and its Affiliates are not voted in favor of such removal, (i) the Subordination Period will end and all Outstanding Subordinated Units will immediately and automatically convert into Common Units on a one-for-one basis (provided, however, that such converted Subordinated Units shall remain subject to the provisions of Section 5.5(c)(ii), 6.1(d)(x) and 6.7(c)), (ii) all Cumulative Common Unit Arrearages on the Common Units will be extinguished and (iii) the General Partner will have the right to convert its General Partner Interest and its Incentive Distribution Rights into Common Units or to receive cash in exchange therefor in accordance with Section 11.3.
     Section 11.5 Withdrawal of Limited Partners .
     No Limited Partner shall have any right to withdraw from the Partnership; provided, however , that when a transferee of a Limited Partner’s Limited Partner Interest becomes a Record Holder of the Limited Partner Interest so transferred, such transferring Limited Partner shall cease to be a Limited Partner with respect to the Limited Partner Interest so transferred.
ARTICLE XII
DISSOLUTION AND LIQUIDATION
     Section 12.1 Dissolution .
     The Partnership shall not be dissolved by the admission of additional Limited Partners or by the admission of a successor General Partner in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. Upon the removal or withdrawal of the General Partner, if a successor General Partner is elected pursuant to Section 10.2, 11.1, 11.2 or 12.2, the Partnership shall not be dissolved and such successor General Partner is hereby authorized to, and shall, continue the business of the Partnership. Subject to Section 12.2, the Partnership shall dissolve, and its affairs shall be wound up, upon:
     (a) an Event of Withdrawal of the General Partner as provided in Section 11.1(a) (other than Section 11.1(a)(ii)), unless a successor is elected and such successor is admitted to the Partnership in accordance with this Agreement;
     (b) an election to dissolve the Partnership by the General Partner that is approved by the holders of a Unit Majority;
     (c) the entry of a decree of judicial dissolution of the Partnership pursuant to the provisions of the Delaware Act; or
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     (d) at any time there are no Limited Partners, unless the Partnership is continued without dissolution in accordance with the Delaware Act.
     Section 12.2 Continuation of the Business of the Partnership After Dissolution .
     Upon an Event of Withdrawal caused by (a) the withdrawal or removal of the General Partner as provided in Section 11.1(a)(i) or (iii) and the failure of the Partners to select a successor to such Departing General Partner pursuant to Section 11.1 or Section 11.2, then within 90 days thereafter, or (b) an event constituting an Event of Withdrawal as defined in Section 11.1(a)(iv), (v) or (vi), then, to the maximum extent permitted by law, within 180 days thereafter, the holders of a Unit Majority may elect to continue the business of the Partnership on the same terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement by appointing as a successor General Partner a Person approved by the holders of a Unit Majority. Unless such an election is made within the applicable time period as set forth above, the Partnership shall conduct only activities necessary to wind up its affairs. If such an election is so made, then:
     (i) the Partnership shall continue without dissolution unless earlier dissolved in accordance with this Article XII;
     (ii) if the successor General Partner is not the former General Partner, then the interest of the former General Partner shall be treated in the manner provided in Section 11.3; and
     (iii) the successor General Partner shall be admitted to the Partnership as General Partner, effective as of the Event of Withdrawal, by agreeing in writing to be bound by this Agreement;
provided , that the right of the holders of a Unit Majority to approve a successor General Partner and to continue the business of the Partnership shall not exist and may not be exercised unless the Partnership has received an Opinion of Counsel that (x) the exercise of the right would not result in the loss of limited liability of any Limited Partner under the Delaware Act and (y) neither the Partnership nor any Group Member would be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise be taxable as an entity for federal income tax purposes upon the exercise of such right to continue (to the extent not already so treated or taxed).
     Section 12.3 Liquidator .
     Upon dissolution of the Partnership, unless the business of the Partnership is continued pursuant to Section 12.2, the General Partner shall select one or more Persons to act as Liquidator. The Liquidator (if other than the General Partner) shall be entitled to receive such compensation for its services as may be approved by holders of at least a majority of the Outstanding Common Units and Subordinated Units, voting as a single class. The Liquidator (if other than the General Partner) shall agree not to resign at any time without 15 days’ prior notice and may be removed at any time, with or without cause, by notice of removal approved by holders of at least a majority of the Outstanding Common Units and Subordinated, voting as a single class. Upon dissolution, removal or resignation of the Liquidator, a successor and substitute Liquidator (who shall have and succeed to all rights, powers and duties of the original
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Liquidator) shall within 30 days thereafter be approved by holders of at least a majority of the Outstanding Common Units and Subordinated Units, voting as a single class. The right to approve a successor or substitute Liquidator in the manner provided herein shall be deemed to refer also to any such successor or substitute Liquidator approved in the manner herein provided. Except as expressly provided in this Article XII, the Liquidator approved in the manner provided herein shall have and may exercise, without further authorization or consent of any of the parties hereto, all of the powers conferred upon the General Partner under the terms of this Agreement (but subject to all of the applicable limitations, contractual and otherwise, upon the exercise of such powers, other than the limitation on sale set forth in Section 7.3) necessary or appropriate to carry out the duties and functions of the Liquidator hereunder for and during the period of time required to complete the winding up and liquidation of the Partnership as provided for herein.
     Section 12.4 Liquidation .
     The Liquidator shall proceed to dispose of the assets of the Partnership, discharge its liabilities, and otherwise wind up its affairs in such manner and over such period as determined by the Liquidator, subject to Section 17-804 of the Delaware Act and the following:
     (a) The assets may be disposed of by public or private sale or by distribution in kind to one or more Partners on such terms as the Liquidator and such Partner or Partners may agree. If any property is distributed in kind, the Partner receiving the property shall be deemed for purposes of Section 12.4(c) to have received cash equal to its fair market value; and contemporaneously therewith, appropriate cash distributions must be made to the other Partners. The Liquidator may defer liquidation or distribution of the Partnership’s assets for a reasonable time if it determines that an immediate sale or distribution of all or some of the Partnership’s assets would be impractical or would cause undue loss to the Partners. The Liquidator may distribute the Partnership’s assets, in whole or in part, in kind if it determines that a sale would be impractical or would cause undue loss to the Partners.
     (b) Liabilities of the Partnership include amounts owed to the Liquidator as compensation for serving in such capacity (subject to the terms of Section 12.3) and amounts to Partners otherwise than in respect of their distribution rights under Article VI. With respect to any liability that is contingent, conditional or unmatured or is otherwise not yet due and payable, the Liquidator shall either settle such claim for such amount as it thinks appropriate or establish a reserve of cash or other assets to provide for its payment. When paid, any unused portion of the reserve shall be distributed as additional liquidation proceeds.
     (c) All property and all cash in excess of that required to discharge liabilities as provided in Section 12.4(b) shall be distributed to the Partners in accordance with, and to the extent of, the positive balances in their respective Capital Accounts, as determined after taking into account all Capital Account adjustments (other than those made by reason of distributions pursuant to this Section 12.4(c)) for the taxable year of the Partnership during which the liquidation of the Partnership occurs (with such date of occurrence being determined pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(g)), and such distribution shall be made by the end of such taxable year (or, if later, within 90 days after said date of such occurrence).
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     Section 12.5 Cancellation of Certificate of Limited Partnership .
     Upon the completion of the distribution of Partnership cash and property as provided in Section 12.4 in connection with the liquidation of the Partnership, the Certificate of Limited Partnership and all qualifications of the Partnership as a foreign limited partnership in jurisdictions other than the State of Delaware shall be canceled and such other actions as may be necessary to terminate the Partnership shall be taken.
     Section 12.6 Return of Contributions .
     The General Partner shall not be personally liable for, and shall have no obligation to contribute or loan any monies or property to the Partnership to enable it to effectuate, the return of the Capital Contributions of the Limited Partners or Unitholders, or any portion thereof, it being expressly understood that any such return shall be made solely from Partnership assets.
     Section 12.7 Waiver of Partition .
     To the maximum extent permitted by law, each Partner hereby waives any right to partition of the Partnership property.
     Section 12.8 Capital Account Restoration .
     No Limited Partner shall have any obligation to restore any negative balance in its Capital Account upon liquidation of the Partnership. The General Partner shall be obligated to restore any negative balance in its Capital Account upon liquidation of its interest in the Partnership by the end of the taxable year of the Partnership during which such liquidation occurs, or, if later, within 90 days after the date of such liquidation.
ARTICLE XIII
AMENDMENT OF PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT; MEETINGS; RECORD DATE
     Section 13.1 Amendments to be Adopted Solely by the General Partner .
     Each Partner agrees that the General Partner, without the approval of any Partner, may amend any provision of this Agreement and execute, swear to, acknowledge, deliver, file and record whatever documents may be required in connection therewith, to reflect:
     (a) a change in the name of the Partnership, the location of the principal place of business of the Partnership, the registered agent of the Partnership or the registered office of the Partnership;
     (b) the admission, substitution, withdrawal or removal of Partners in accordance with this Agreement;
     (c) a change that the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate to qualify or continue the qualification of the Partnership as a limited partnership or a partnership in
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which the Limited Partners have limited liability under the laws of any state or to ensure that the Group Members will not be treated as associations taxable as corporations or otherwise taxed as entities for federal income tax purposes;
     (d) a change that the General Partner determines (i) does not adversely affect the Limited Partners (including any particular class of Partnership Interests as compared to other classes of Partnership Interests) in any material respect, (ii) to be necessary or appropriate to (A) satisfy any requirements, conditions or guidelines contained in any opinion, directive, order, ruling or regulation of any federal or state agency or judicial authority or contained in any federal or state statute (including the Delaware Act) or (B) facilitate the trading of the Units (including the division of any class or classes of Outstanding Units into different classes to facilitate uniformity of tax consequences within such classes of Units) or comply with any rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of any National Securities Exchange on which the Units are or will be listed or admitted to trading, (iii) to be necessary or appropriate in connection with action taken by the General Partner pursuant to Section 5.9 or (iv) is required to effect the intent expressed in the Registration Statement or the intent of the provisions of this Agreement or is otherwise contemplated by this Agreement;
     (e) a change in the fiscal year or taxable year of the Partnership and any other changes that the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate as a result of a change in the fiscal year or taxable year of the Partnership including, if the General Partner shall so determine, a change in the definition of “Quarter” and the dates on which distributions are to be made by the Partnership;
     (f) an amendment that is necessary, in the Opinion of Counsel, to prevent the Partnership, or the General Partner or its directors, officers, trustees or agents from in any manner being subjected to the provisions of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, or “plan asset” regulations adopted under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, regardless of whether such are substantially similar to plan asset regulations currently applied or proposed by the United States Department of Labor;
     (g) an amendment that the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate in connection with the authorization of issuance of any class or series of Partnership Interests pursuant to Section 5.6, including any amendment that the General Partner determines is necessary or appropriate in connection with (i) the adjustments of the Minimum Quarterly Distribution, First Target Distribution and Second Target Distribution pursuant to the provisions of Section 5.11, (ii) the implementation of the provisions of Section 5.11 or (iii) any modifications to the Incentive Distribution Rights made in connection with the issuance of Partnership Interests pursuant to Section 5.6, provided that, with respect to this clause (iii), the modifications to the Incentive Distribution Rights and the related issuance of Partnership Interests have received Special Approval;
     (h) any amendment expressly permitted in this Agreement to be made by the General Partner acting alone;
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     (i) an amendment effected, necessitated or contemplated by a Merger Agreement approved in accordance with Section 14.3;
     (j) an amendment that the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate to reflect and account for the formation by the Partnership of, or investment by the Partnership in, any corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other entity, in connection with the conduct by the Partnership of activities permitted by the terms of Sections 2.4 or 7.1(a);
     (k) a merger, conveyance or conversion pursuant to Section 14.3(d); or
     (l) any other amendments substantially similar to the foregoing.
     Section 13.2 Amendment Procedures .
     Except as provided in Section 13.1 and Section 13.3, all amendments to this Agreement shall be made in accordance with the requirements contained in this Section 13.2. Amendments to this Agreement may be proposed only by the General Partner; provided, however , that to the fullest extent permitted by law, the General Partner shall have no duty or obligation to propose any amendment to this Agreement and may decline to do so free of any duty (including any fiduciary duty) or obligation whatsoever to the Partnership, any Limited Partner or any other Person bound by this Agreement, and, in declining to propose an amendment, to the fullest extent permitted by law shall not be required to act in good faith or pursuant to any other standard imposed by this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, any other agreement contemplated hereby or under the Delaware Act or any other law, rule or regulation or at equity. A proposed amendment shall be effective upon its approval by the General Partner and the holders of a Unit Majority (excluding any Common Units owned by the General Partner and its Affiliates, directors and executive officers in the case of any amendment, during the Subordination Period, that materially changes the terms of this Agreement relating to the Subordinated Units), unless a greater or different percentage is required under this Agreement or by Delaware law. Each proposed amendment that requires the approval of the holders of a specified percentage of Outstanding Units shall be set forth in a writing that contains the text of the proposed amendment. If such an amendment is proposed, the General Partner shall seek the written approval of the requisite percentage of Outstanding Units or call a meeting of the Unitholders to consider and vote on such proposed amendment, in each case in accordance with the other provisions of this Article XIII. The General Partner shall notify all Record Holders upon final adoption of any such proposed amendments.
     Section 13.3 Amendment Requirements .
     (a) Notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 13.1 (other than 13.1(d)(iv)) and 13.2, and in addition to any other approvals required hereby, no provision of this Agreement that establishes a percentage of Outstanding Units (including Units deemed owned by the General Partner and its Affiliates) required to take any action shall be amended, altered, changed, repealed or rescinded in any respect that would have the effect of (i) in the case of any provision of this Agreement other than Section 11.2 or Section 13.4, reducing such percentage or (ii) in the case of Section 11.2 or Section 13.4, increasing such percentage, unless such amendment is
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approved by the written consent or the affirmative vote of holders of Outstanding Units whose aggregate Outstanding Units constitute not less than the percentage of Outstanding Units required to take such action sought to be reduced or increased, as applicable.
     (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 13.1 and Section 13.2, no amendment to this Agreement may (i) enlarge the obligations of any Limited Partner without its consent, unless such shall be deemed to have occurred as a result of an amendment approved pursuant to Section 13.3(c), or (ii) enlarge the obligations of, restrict in any way any action by or rights of, or reduce in any way the amounts distributable, reimbursable or otherwise payable to, the General Partner or any of its Affiliates without the General Partner’s consent, which consent may be given or withheld at its option.
     (c) Except as provided in Section 14.3, and without limitation of the General Partner’s authority to adopt amendments to this Agreement without the approval of any Partners as contemplated in Section 13.1, any amendment that would have a material adverse effect on the rights or preferences of any class of Partnership Interests in relation to other classes of Partnership Interests must be approved by the holders of not less than a majority of the Outstanding Partnership Interests of the class adversely affected.
     (d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, except for amendments pursuant to Section 13.1 and except as otherwise provided by Section 14.3(b), no amendments shall become effective without the approval of the holders of at least 90% of the Outstanding Units voting as a single class unless the Partnership obtains an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that such amendment will not affect the limited liability of any Limited Partner under applicable partnership law of the state under whose laws the Partnership is organized.
     (e) Except as provided in Section 13.1, this Section 13.3 shall only be amended with the approval of the holders of at least 90% of the Outstanding Units.
     Section 13.4 Special Meetings .
     All acts of Limited Partners to be taken pursuant to this Agreement shall be taken in the manner provided in this Article XIII. Special meetings of the Limited Partners may be called by the General Partner or by Limited Partners owning 20% or more of the Outstanding Units of the class or classes for which a meeting is proposed. Limited Partners shall call a special meeting by delivering to the General Partner one or more requests in writing stating that the signing Limited Partners wish to call a special meeting and indicating the general or specific purposes for which the special meeting is to be called. Within 60 days after receipt of such a call from Limited Partners or within such greater time as may be reasonably necessary for the Partnership to comply with any statutes, rules, regulations, listing agreements or similar requirements governing the holding of a meeting or the solicitation of proxies for use at such a meeting, the General Partner shall send a notice of the meeting to the Limited Partners either directly or indirectly through the Transfer Agent. A meeting shall be held at a time and place determined by the General Partner on a date not less than 10 days nor more than 60 days after the time notice of the meeting is given as provided in Section 16.1. Limited Partners shall not vote on matters that would cause the Limited Partners to be deemed to be taking part in the management and control of the business and affairs of the Partnership so as to jeopardize the Limited Partners’ limited
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liability under the Delaware Act or the law of any other state in which the Partnership is qualified to do business.
     Section 13.5 Notice of a Meeting .
     Notice of a meeting called pursuant to Section 13.4 shall be given to the Record Holders of the class or classes of Units for which a meeting is proposed in writing by mail or other means of written communication in accordance with Section 16.1. The notice shall be deemed to have been given at the time when deposited in the mail or sent by other means of written communication.
     Section 13.6 Record Date .
     For purposes of determining the Limited Partners entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of the Limited Partners or to give approvals without a meeting as provided in Section 13.11 the General Partner may set a Record Date, which shall not be less than 10 nor more than 60 days before (a) the date of the meeting (unless such requirement conflicts with any rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of any National Securities Exchange on which the Units are listed or admitted to trading, in which case the rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of such National Securities Exchange shall govern) or (b) in the event that approvals are sought without a meeting, the date by which Limited Partners are requested in writing by the General Partner to give such approvals. If the General Partner does not set a Record Date, then (a) the Record Date for determining the Limited Partners entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of the Limited Partners shall be the close of business on the day immediately preceding the day on which notice is given, and (b) the Record Date for determining the Limited Partners entitled to give approvals without a meeting shall be the date the first written approval is deposited with the Partnership in care of the General Partner in accordance with Section 13.11.
     Section 13.7 Adjournment .
     When a meeting is adjourned to another time or place, notice need not be given of the adjourned meeting and a new Record Date need not be fixed, if the time and place thereof are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken, unless such adjournment shall be for more than 45 days. At the adjourned meeting, the Partnership may transact any business which might have been transacted at the original meeting. If the adjournment is for more than 45 days or if a new Record Date is fixed for the adjourned meeting, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given in accordance with this Article XIII.
     Section 13.8 Waiver of Notice; Approval of Meeting; Approval of Minutes .
     The transactions of any meeting of Limited Partners, however called and noticed, and whenever held, shall be as valid as if it had occurred at a meeting duly held after regular call and notice, if a quorum is present either in person or by proxy. Attendance of a Limited Partner at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of the meeting, except when the Limited Partner attends the meeting for the express purpose of objecting, at the beginning of the meeting, to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened; and except that attendance at a meeting is not a waiver of any right to disapprove the consideration of
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matters required to be included in the notice of the meeting, but not so included, if the disapproval is expressly made at the meeting.
     Section 13.9 Quorum and Voting .
     The holders of a majority of the Outstanding Units of the class or classes for which a meeting has been called (including Outstanding Units deemed owned by the General Partner) represented in person or by proxy shall constitute a quorum at a meeting of Limited Partners of such class or classes unless any such action by the Limited Partners requires approval by holders of a greater percentage of such Units, in which case the quorum shall be such greater percentage. At any meeting of the Limited Partners duly called and held in accordance with this Agreement at which a quorum is present, the act of Limited Partners holding Outstanding Units that in the aggregate represent a majority of the Outstanding Units entitled to vote and be present in person or by proxy at such meeting shall be deemed to constitute the act of all Limited Partners, unless a greater or different percentage is required with respect to such action under the provisions of this Agreement, in which case the act of the Limited Partners holding Outstanding Units that in the aggregate represent at least such greater or different percentage shall be required. The Limited Partners present at a duly called or held meeting at which a quorum is present may continue to transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal of enough Limited Partners to leave less than a quorum, if any action taken (other than adjournment) is approved by the required percentage of Outstanding Units specified in this Agreement (including, if applicable, Outstanding Units deemed owned by the General Partner). In the absence of a quorum any meeting of Limited Partners may be adjourned from time to time by the affirmative vote of holders of at least a majority of the Outstanding Units entitled to vote at such meeting (including, if applicable, Outstanding Units deemed owned by the General Partner) represented either in person or by proxy, but no other business may be transacted, except as provided in Section 13.7.
     Section 13.10 Conduct of a Meeting .
     The General Partner shall have full power and authority concerning the manner of conducting any meeting of the Limited Partners or solicitation of approvals in writing, including the determination of Persons entitled to vote, the existence of a quorum, the satisfaction of the requirements of Section 13.4, the conduct of voting, the validity and effect of any proxies and the determination of any controversies, votes or challenges arising in connection with or during the meeting or voting. The General Partner shall designate a Person to serve as chairman of any meeting and shall further designate a Person to take the minutes of any meeting. All minutes shall be kept with the records of the Partnership maintained by the General Partner. The General Partner may make such other regulations consistent with applicable law and this Agreement as it may deem advisable concerning the conduct of any meeting of the Limited Partners or solicitation of approvals in writing, including regulations in regard to the appointment of proxies, the appointment and duties of inspectors of votes and approvals, the submission and examination of proxies and other evidence of the right to vote, and the revocation of approvals, proxies and votes in writing.
     Section 13.11 Action Without a Meeting .
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     If authorized by the General Partner, any action that may be taken at a meeting of the Limited Partners may be taken without a meeting, without a vote and without prior notice, if an approval in writing setting forth the action so taken is signed by Limited Partners owning not less than the minimum percentage of the Outstanding Units (including, if applicable, Units deemed owned by the General Partner) that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all the Limited Partners were present and voted (unless such provision conflicts with any rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of any National Securities Exchange on which the Units are listed or admitted to trading, in which case the rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of such National Securities Exchange shall govern). Prompt notice of the taking of action without a meeting shall be given to the Limited Partners who have not approved in writing. The General Partner may specify that any written ballot, if any, submitted to Limited Partners for the purpose of taking any action without a meeting shall be returned to the Partnership within the time period, which shall be not less than 20 days, specified by the General Partner. If a ballot returned to the Partnership does not vote all of the Units held by the Limited Partners, the Partnership shall be deemed to have failed to receive a ballot for the Units that were not voted. If approval of the taking of any action by the Limited Partners is solicited by any Person other than by or on behalf of the General Partner, the written approvals shall have no force and effect unless and until (a) they are deposited with the Partnership in care of the General Partner, (b) approvals sufficient to take the action proposed are dated as of a date not more than 90 days prior to the date sufficient approvals are deposited with the Partnership and (c) an Opinion of Counsel is delivered to the General Partner to the effect that the exercise of such right and the action proposed to be taken with respect to any particular matter (i) will not cause the Limited Partners to be deemed to be taking part in the management and control of the business and affairs of the Partnership so as to jeopardize the Limited Partners’ limited liability, and (ii) is otherwise permissible under the state statutes then governing the rights, duties and liabilities of the Partnership and the Partners. Nothing contained in this Section 13.11 shall be deemed to require the General Partner to solicit all Limited Partners in connection with a matter approved by the holders of the requisite percentage of Units acting by written consent without a meeting.
     Section 13.12 Right to Vote and Related Matters .
     (a) Only those Record Holders of the Outstanding Units on the Record Date set pursuant to Section 13.6 (and also subject to the limitations contained in the definition of “ Outstanding ”) shall be entitled to notice of, and to vote at, a meeting of Limited Partners or to act with respect to matters as to which the holders of the Outstanding Units have the right to vote or to act. All references in this Agreement to votes of, or other acts that may be taken by, the Outstanding Units shall be deemed to be references to the votes or acts of the Record Holders of such Outstanding Units.
     (b) With respect to Units that are held for a Person’s account by another Person (such as a broker, dealer, bank, trust company or clearing corporation, or an agent of any of the foregoing), in whose name such Units are registered, such other Person shall, in exercising the voting rights in respect of such Units on any matter, and unless the arrangement between such Persons provides otherwise, vote such Units in favor of, and at the direction of, the Person who is the beneficial owner, and the Partnership shall be entitled to assume it is so acting without
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further inquiry. The provisions of this Section 13.12(b) (as well as all other provisions of this Agreement) are subject to the provisions of Section 4.3.
ARTICLE XIV
MERGER, CONSOLIDATION OR CONVERSION
     Section 14.1 Authority .
     The Partnership may merge or consolidate with or into one or more corporations, limited liability companies, statutory trusts or associations, real estate investment trusts, common law trusts or unincorporated businesses, including a partnership (whether general or limited (including a limited liability partnership)) or convert into any such entity, whether such entity is formed under the laws of the State of Delaware or any other state of the United States of America, pursuant to a written plan of merger or consolidation (“ Merger Agreement ”) or a written plan of conversion (“ Plan of Conversion ”), as the case may be, in accordance with this Article XIV.
     Section 14.2 Procedure for Merger, Consolidation or Conversion.
     (a) Merger, consolidation or conversion of the Partnership pursuant to this Article XIV requires the prior consent of the General Partner, provided, however , that the General Partner shall have no duty or obligation to consent to any merger, consolidation or conversion of the Partnership and may decline to do so free of any duty (including any fiduciary duty) or obligation whatsoever to the Partnership, any Limited Partner and, in declining to consent to a merger, consolidation or conversion to the fullest extent permitted by law, shall not be required to act in good faith or pursuant to any other standard imposed by this Agreement, any other agreement contemplated hereby or under the Delaware Act or any other law, rule or regulation or at equity.
     (b) If the General Partner shall determine to consent to the merger or consolidation, the General Partner shall approve the Merger Agreement, which shall set forth:
     (i) the names and jurisdictions of formation or organization of each of the business entities proposing to merge or consolidate;
     (ii) the name and jurisdiction of formation or organization of the business entity that is to survive the proposed merger or consolidation (the “ Surviving Business Entity ”);
     (iii) the terms and conditions of the proposed merger or consolidation;
     (iv) the manner and basis of exchanging or converting the equity securities of each constituent business entity for, or into, cash, property or interests, rights, securities or obligations of the Surviving Business Entity; and (i) if any general or limited partner interests, securities or rights of any constituent business entity are not to be exchanged or converted solely for, or into, cash, property or general or limited
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partner interests, rights, securities or obligations of the Surviving Business Entity, the cash, property or interests, rights, securities or obligations of any general or limited partnership, corporation, trust, limited liability company, unincorporated business or other entity (other than the Surviving Business Entity) which the holders of such general or limited partner interests, securities or rights are to receive in exchange for, or upon conversion of their interests, securities or rights, and (ii) in the case of securities represented by certificates, upon the surrender of such certificates, which cash, property or general or limited partner interests, rights, securities or obligations of the Surviving Business Entity or any general or limited partnership, corporation, trust, limited liability company, unincorporated business or other entity (other than the Surviving Business Entity), or evidences thereof, are to be delivered;
     (v) a statement of any changes in the constituent documents or the adoption of new constituent documents (the articles or certificate of incorporation, articles of trust, declaration of trust, certificate or agreement of limited partnership, operating agreement or other similar charter or governing document) of the Surviving Business Entity to be effected by such merger or consolidation;
     (vi) the effective time of the merger, which may be the date of the filing of the certificate of merger pursuant to Section 14.4 or a later date specified in or determinable in accordance with the Merger Agreement ( provided , that if the effective time of the merger is to be later than the date of the filing of such certificate of merger, the effective time shall be fixed at a date or time certain at or prior to the time of the filing of such certificate of merger and stated therein); and
     (vii) such other provisions with respect to the proposed merger or consolidation that the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate.
     (c) If the General Partner shall determine to consent to the conversion, the General Partner shall approve the Plan of Conversion, which shall set forth:
     (i) the name of the converting entity and the converted entity;
     (ii) a statement that the Partnership is continuing its existence in the organizational form of the converted entity;
     (iii) a statement as to the type of entity that the converted entity is to be and the state or country under the laws of which the converted entity is to be incorporated, formed or organized;
     (iv) the manner and basis of exchanging or converting the equity securities of each constituent business entity for, or into, cash, property or interests, rights, securities or obligations of the converted entity or another entity, or for the cancellation of such equity securities;
     (v) in an attachment or exhibit, the certificate of limited partnership of the Partnership; and
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     (vi) in an attachment or exhibit, the certificate of limited partnership, articles of incorporation, or other organizational documents of the converted entity;
     (vii) the effective time of the conversion, which may be the date of the filing of the articles of conversion or a later date specified in or determinable in accordance with the Plan of Conversion ( provided , that if the effective time of the conversion is to be later than the date of the filing of such articles of conversion, the effective time shall be fixed at a date or time certain at or prior to the time of the filing of such articles of conversion and stated therein); and
     (viii) such other provisions with respect to the proposed conversion that the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate.
     Section 14.3 Approval by Limited Partners .
     (a) Except as provided in Section 14.3(d) and Section 14.3(e), the General Partner, upon its approval of the Merger Agreement or the Plan of Conversion, as the case may be, shall direct that the Merger Agreement or the Plan of Conversion and the merger, consolidation or conversion contemplated thereby, as applicable, be submitted to a vote of Limited Partners, whether at a special meeting or by written consent, in either case in accordance with the requirements of Article XIII. A copy or a summary of the Merger Agreement or the Plan of Conversion, as the case may be, shall be included in or enclosed with the notice of a special meeting or the written consent.
     (b) Except as provided in Section 14.3(d) and Section 14.3(e), the Merger Agreement or Plan of Conversion, as the case may be, shall be approved upon receiving the affirmative vote or consent of the holders of a Unit Majority (plus Special Approval in the case of any mergers, consolidations or conversions that (i) take place prior to the end of the Subordination Period and (ii) involve an exchange of any of the Subordinated Units for cash or other consideration); provided , further , that in the case of a Merger Agreement or Plan of Conversion, as the case may be, containing any provision that, if contained in an amendment to this Agreement, the provisions of this Agreement or the Delaware Act would require for its approval the vote or consent of a greater percentage of the Outstanding Units or of any class of Limited Partners, such greater percentage vote or consent shall be required for approval of the Merger Agreement or the Plan of Conversion, as the case may be.
     (c) Except as provided in Section 14.3(d) and Section 14.3(e), after such approval by vote or consent of the Limited Partners, and at any time prior to the filing of the certificate of merger or certificate of conversion pursuant to Section 14.4, the merger, consolidation or conversion may be abandoned pursuant to provisions therefor, if any, set forth in the Merger Agreement or the Plan of Conversion, as the case may be.
     (d) Notwithstanding anything else contained in this Article XIV or in this Agreement, the General Partner is permitted, without Limited Partner approval, to convert the Partnership or any Group Member into a new limited liability entity, to merge the Partnership or any Group Member into, or convey all of the Partnership’s assets to, another limited liability entity that shall be newly formed and shall have no assets, liabilities or operations at the time of such conversion,
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merger or conveyance other than those it receives from the Partnership or other Group Member if (i) the General Partner has received an Opinion of Counsel that the conversion, merger or conveyance, as the case may be, would not result in the loss of the limited liability under the Delaware Act of any Limited Partner or cause the Partnership or any Group Member to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise to be taxed as an entity for federal income tax purposes (to the extent not previously treated as such), (ii) the sole purpose of such conversion, merger, or conveyance is to effect a mere change in the legal form of the Partnership into another limited liability entity and (iii) the governing instruments of the new entity provide the Limited Partners and the General Partner with the same rights and obligations as are herein contained.
     (e) Additionally, notwithstanding anything else contained in this Article XIV or in this Agreement, the General Partner is permitted, without Limited Partner approval, to merge or consolidate the Partnership with or into another entity if (i) the General Partner has received an Opinion of Counsel that the merger or consolidation, as the case may be, would not result in the loss of the limited liability under the Delaware Act of any Limited Partner or cause the Partnership or any Group Member to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise to be taxed as an entity for federal income tax purposes (to the extent not previously treated as such), (ii) the merger or consolidation would not result in an amendment to this Agreement, other than any amendments that could be adopted pursuant to Section 13.1, (iii) the Partnership is the Surviving Business Entity in such merger or consolidation, (iv) each Unit outstanding immediately prior to the effective date of the merger or consolidation is to be an identical Unit of the Partnership after the effective date of the merger or consolidation, and (v) the number of Partnership Interests to be issued by the Partnership in such merger or consolidation does not exceed 20% of the Partnership Interests (other than Incentive Distribution Rights) Outstanding immediately prior to the effective date of such merger or consolidation.
     (f) Pursuant to Section 17-211(g) of the Delaware Act, an agreement of merger or consolidation approved in accordance with this Article XIV may (a) effect any amendment to this Agreement or (b) effect the adoption of a new partnership agreement for the Partnership if it is the Surviving Business Entity. Any such amendment or adoption made pursuant to this Section 14.3 shall be effective at the effective time or date of the merger or consolidation.
    Section 14.4 Certificate of Merger .
     Upon the required approval by the General Partner and the Unitholders of a Merger Agreement or a Plan of Conversion, as the case may be, a certificate of merger or certificate of conversion, as applicable, shall be executed and filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware in conformity with the requirements of the Delaware Act.
     Section 14.5 Effect of Merger, Consolidation or Conversion .
     (a) At the effective time of the certificate of merger:
     (i) all of the rights, privileges and powers of each of the business entities that has merged or consolidated, and all property, real, personal and mixed, and all debts due to any of those business entities and all other things and causes of action
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belonging to each of those business entities, shall be vested in the Surviving Business Entity and after the merger or consolidation shall be the property of the Surviving Business Entity to the extent they were of each constituent business entity;
     (ii) the title to any real property vested by deed or otherwise in any of those constituent business entities shall not revert and is not in any way impaired because of the merger or consolidation;
     (iii) all rights of creditors and all liens on or security interests in property of any of those constituent business entities shall be preserved unimpaired; and
     (iv) all debts, liabilities and duties of those constituent business entities shall attach to the Surviving Business Entity and may be enforced against it to the same extent as if the debts, liabilities and duties had been incurred or contracted by it.
     (b) At the effective time of the certificate of conversion, for all purposes of the laws of the State of Delaware:
     (i) the Partnership shall continue to exist, without interruption, but in the organizational form of the converted entity rather than in its prior organizational form;
     (ii) all rights, title, and interests to all real estate and other property owned by the Partnership shall remain vested in the converted entity in its new organizational form without reversion or impairment, without further act or deed, and without any transfer or assignment having occurred, but subject to any existing liens or other encumbrances thereon;
     (iii) all liabilities and obligations of the Partnership shall continue to be liabilities and obligations of the converted entity in its new organizational form without impairment or diminution by reason of the conversion;
     (iv) all rights of creditors or other parties with respect to or against the prior interest holders or other owners of the Partnership in their capacities as such in existence as of the effective time of the conversion will continue in existence as to those liabilities and obligations and are enforceable against the converted entity by such creditors and obligees to the same extent as if the liabilities and obligations had originally been incurred or contracted by the converted entity;
     (v) the Partnership Interests that are to be converted into partnership interests, shares, evidences of ownership, or other rights or securities in the converted entity or cash as provided in the Plan of Conversion or certificate of conversion shall be so converted, and Partners shall be entitled only to the rights provided in the Plan of Conversion or certificate of conversion.
     (c) A merger, consolidation or conversion effected pursuant to this Article shall not be deemed to result in a transfer or assignment of assets or liabilities from one entity to another.
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    Section 14.6 Amendment of Partnership Agreement .
     Pursuant to Section 17-211(g) of the Delaware Act, an agreement of merger or consolidation approved in accordance with Section 17-211(b) of the Delaware Act may (a) effect any amendment to this Agreement or (b) effect the adoption of a new partnership agreement for a limited partnership if it is the Surviving Business Entity. Any such amendment or adoption made pursuant to this Section 14.5 shall be effective at the effective time or date of the merger or consolidation.
ARTICLE XV
RIGHT TO ACQUIRE LIMITED PARTNER INTERESTS
    Section 15.1 Right to Acquire Limited Partner Interests .
     (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, if at any time the General Partner and its Affiliates hold more than 80% of the total Limited Partner Interests of any class then Outstanding, the General Partner shall then have the right, which right it may assign and transfer in whole or in part to the Partnership or any Affiliate of the General Partner, exercisable at its option, to purchase all, but not less than all, of such Limited Partner Interests of such class then Outstanding held by Persons other than the General Partner and its Affiliates, at the greater of (x) the Current Market Price as of the date three days prior to the date that the notice described in Section 15.1(b) is mailed and (y) the highest price paid by the General Partner or any of its Affiliates for any such Limited Partner Interest of such class purchased during the 90-day period preceding the date that the notice described in Section 15.1(b) is mailed. As used in this Agreement, (i) “ Current Market Price ” as of any date of any class of Limited Partner Interests means the average of the daily Closing Prices (as hereinafter defined) per Limited Partner Interest of such class for the 20 consecutive Trading Days (as hereinafter defined) immediately prior to such date; (ii) “ Closing Price ” for any day means the last sale price on such day, regular way, or in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices on such day, regular way, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed on the principal National Securities Exchange (other than the Nasdaq Stock Market) on which such Limited Partner Interests are listed or admitted to trading or, if such Limited Partner Interests of such class are not listed or admitted to trading on any National Securities Exchange (other than the Nasdaq Stock Market), the last quoted price on such day or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices on such day in the over-the-counter market, as reported by the Nasdaq Stock Market or such other system then in use, or, if on any such day such Limited Partner Interests of such class are not quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices on such day as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in such Limited Partner Interests of such class selected by the General Partner, or if on any such day no market maker is making a market in such Limited Partner Interests of such class, the fair value of such Limited Partner Interests on such day as determined by the General Partner; and (iii) “ Trading Day ” means a day on which the principal National Securities Exchange on which such Limited Partner Interests of any class are listed or admitted for trading is open for the transaction of business or, if Limited Partner
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Interests of a class are not listed or admitted for trading on any National Securities Exchange, a day on which banking institutions in New York City generally are open.
     (b) If the General Partner, any Affiliate of the General Partner or the Partnership elects to exercise the right to purchase Limited Partner Interests granted pursuant to Section 15.1(a), the General Partner shall deliver to the Transfer Agent notice of such election to purchase (the “ Notice of Election to Purchase ”) and shall cause the Transfer Agent to mail a copy of such Notice of Election to Purchase to the Record Holders of Limited Partner Interests of such class (as of a Record Date selected by the General Partner) at least 10, but not more than 60, days prior to the Purchase Date. Such Notice of Election to Purchase shall also be published for a period of at least three consecutive days in at least two daily newspapers of general circulation printed in the English language and published in the Borough of Manhattan, New York. The Notice of Election to Purchase shall specify the Purchase Date and the price (determined in accordance with Section 15.1(a)) at which Limited Partner Interests will be purchased and state that the General Partner, its Affiliate or the Partnership, as the case may be, elects to purchase such Limited Partner Interests, upon surrender of Certificates representing such Limited Partner Interests, or other evidence of the issuance of uncertificated Units, in exchange for payment, at such office or offices of the Transfer Agent as the Transfer Agent may specify, or as may be required by any National Securities Exchange on which such Limited Partner Interests are listed. Any such Notice of Election to Purchase mailed to a Record Holder of Limited Partner Interests at his address as reflected in the records of the Transfer Agent shall be conclusively presumed to have been given regardless of whether the owner receives such notice. On or prior to the Purchase Date, the General Partner, its Affiliate or the Partnership, as the case may be, shall deposit with the Transfer Agent cash in an amount sufficient to pay the aggregate purchase price of all of such Limited Partner Interests to be purchased in accordance with this Section 15.1. If the Notice of Election to Purchase shall have been duly given as aforesaid at least 10 days prior to the Purchase Date, and if on or prior to the Purchase Date the deposit described in the preceding sentence has been made for the benefit of the holders of Limited Partner Interests subject to purchase as provided herein, then from and after the Purchase Date, notwithstanding that any Certificate, or other evidence of the issuance of uncertificated Units, shall not have been surrendered for purchase, all rights of the holders of such Limited Partner Interests (including any rights pursuant to Article III, Article IV, Article V, Article VI, and Article XII) shall thereupon cease, except the right to receive the purchase price (determined in accordance with Section 15.1(a)) for Limited Partner Interests therefor, without interest, upon surrender to the Transfer Agent of the Certificates representing such Limited Partner Interests, or other evidence of the issuance of uncertificated Units, and such Limited Partner Interests shall thereupon be deemed to be transferred to the General Partner, its Affiliate or the Partnership, as the case may be, on the record books of the Transfer Agent and the Partnership, and the General Partner or any Affiliate of the General Partner, or the Partnership, as the case may be, shall be deemed to be the owner of all such Limited Partner Interests from and after the Purchase Date and shall have all rights as the owner of such Limited Partner Interests (including all rights as owner of such Limited Partner Interests pursuant to Article III, Article IV, Article V, Article VI and Article XII).
     (c) At any time from and after the Purchase Date, a holder of an Outstanding Limited Partner Interest subject to purchase as provided in this Section 15.1 may surrender his Certificate
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evidencing such Limited Partner Interest, or other evidence of the issuance of uncertificated Units, to the Transfer Agent in exchange for payment of the amount described in Section 15.1(a), therefor, without interest thereon.
ARTICLE XVI
GENERAL PROVISIONS
     Section 16.1 Addresses and Notices; Written Communications .
     Any notice, demand, request, report or proxy materials required or permitted to be given or made to a Partner under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed given or made when delivered in person or when sent by first class United States mail or by other means of written communication to the Partner at the address described below. Any notice, payment or report to be given or made to a Partner hereunder shall be deemed conclusively to have been given or made, and the obligation to give such notice or report or to make such payment shall be deemed conclusively to have been fully satisfied, upon sending of such notice, payment or report to the Record Holder of such Partnership Interests at his address as shown on the records of the Transfer Agent or as otherwise shown on the records of the Partnership, regardless of any claim of any Person who may have an interest in such Partnership Interests by reason of any assignment or otherwise. An affidavit or certificate of making of any notice, payment or report in accordance with the provisions of this Section 16.1 executed by the General Partner, the Transfer Agent or the mailing organization shall be prima facie evidence of the giving or making of such notice, payment or report. If any notice, payment or report addressed to a Record Holder at the address of such Record Holder appearing on the books and records of the Transfer Agent or the Partnership is returned by the United States Postal Service marked to indicate that the United States Postal Service is unable to deliver it, such notice, payment or report and any subsequent notices, payments and reports shall be deemed to have been duly given or made without further mailing (until such time as such Record Holder or another Person notifies the Transfer Agent or the Partnership of a change in his address) if they are available for the Partner at the principal office of the Partnership for a period of one year from the date of the giving or making of such notice, payment or report to the other Partners. Any notice to the Partnership shall be deemed given if received by the General Partner at the principal office of the Partnership designated pursuant to Section 2.3. The General Partner may rely and shall be protected in relying on any notice or other document from a Partner or other Person if believed by it to be genuine.
     Section 16.2 Further Action .
     The parties shall execute and deliver all documents, provide all information and take or refrain from taking action as may be necessary or appropriate to achieve the purposes of this Agreement.
     Section 16.3 Binding Effect .
     This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their heirs, executors, administrators, successors, legal representatives and permitted assigns.
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     Section 16.4 Integration .
     This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement among the parties hereto pertaining to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings pertaining thereto.
     Section 16.5 Creditors .
     None of the provisions of this Agreement shall be for the benefit of, or shall be enforceable by, any creditor of the Partnership.
     Section 16.6 Waiver .
     No failure by any party to insist upon the strict performance of any covenant, duty, agreement or condition of this Agreement or to exercise any right or remedy consequent upon a breach thereof shall constitute waiver of any such breach of any other covenant, duty, agreement or condition.
     Section 16.7 Third-Party Beneficiaries .
     Each Partner agrees that any Indemnitee shall be entitled to assert rights and remedies hereunder as a third-party beneficiary hereto with respect to those provisions of this Agreement affording a right, benefit or privilege to such Indemnitee.
     Section 16.8 Counterparts .
     This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, all of which together shall constitute an agreement binding on all the parties hereto, notwithstanding that all such parties are not signatories to the original or the same counterpart. Each party shall become bound by this Agreement immediately upon affixing its signature hereto or, in the case of a Person acquiring a Limited Partner Interest, pursuant to Section 10.1(a) without execution hereto.
     Section 16.9 Applicable Law .
     This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to the principles of conflicts of laws.
     Section 16.10 Invalidity of Provisions .
     If any provision of this Agreement is or becomes invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions contained herein shall not be affected thereby.
     Section 16.11 Consent of Partners .
     Each Partner hereby expressly consents and agrees that, whenever in this Agreement it is specified that an action may be taken upon the affirmative vote or consent of less than all of the
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Partners, such action may be so taken upon the concurrence of less than all of the Partners and each Partner shall be bound by the results of such action.
     Section 16.12 Facsimile Signatures .
     The use of facsimile signatures affixed in the name and on behalf of the transfer agent and registrar of the Partnership on certificates representing Common Units is expressly permitted by this Agreement.
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      IN WITNESS WHEREOF , the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the date first written above.
         
  GENERAL PARTNER :


PNGS GP LLC
 
 
  By:   /s/ Richard McGee    
    Name:   Richard McGee   
    Title:   Vice President–Legal and Business
Development and Secretary 
 
 
         
  AMENDING LIMITED PARTNER :


PLAINS ALL AMERICAN PIPELINE, L.P.
 
 
  By:   PAA GP LLC, its general partner    
       
 
  By:   Plains AAP, L.P., its sole member    
       
 
  By:   Plains All American GP LLC, its general partner    
       
         
  By:   /s/ Al Swanson    
    Name:   Al Swanson   
    Title:   Senior Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer 
 
 
         
  LIMITED PARTNERS :

All Limited Partners now and hereafter admitted as Limited Partners of the Partnership, pursuant to powers of attorney now and hereafter executed in favor of, and granted and delivered to the General Partner or without execution hereof pursuant to Section 10.1(a) hereof.



PLAINS ALL AMERICAN PIPELINE, L.P.
 
 
  By:   PAA GP LLC, its general partner    
       
  By:   Plains AAP, L.P., its sole member    
       
     
  By:   Plains All American GP LLC, its general partner    
         
     
  By:   /s/ Al Swanson    
    Name:   Al Swanson   
    Title:   Senior Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer 
 
 
Signature Page — First Amended and Restated Agreement
of Limited Partnership of PAA Natural Gas Storage, L.P.

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EXHIBIT A-1
to the Amended and Restated
Agreement of Limited Partnership of
PAA Natural Gas Storage, L.P.
Certificate Evidencing Common Units
Representing Limited Partner Interests in
PAA Natural Gas Storage, L.P.
     
No.                     
                       Common Units
     In accordance with Section 4.1 of the Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of PAA Natural Gas Storage, L.P., as amended, supplemented or restated from time to time (the “ Partnership Agreement ”), PAA Natural Gas Storage, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the “ Partnership ”), hereby certifies that                                                                (the “ Holder ”) is the registered owner of                      Common Units representing limited partner interests in the Partnership (the “ Common Units ”) transferable on the books of the Partnership, in person or by duly authorized attorney, upon surrender of this Certificate properly endorsed. The rights, preferences and limitations of the Common Units are set forth in, and this Certificate and the Common Units represented hereby are issued and shall in all respects be subject to the terms and provisions of, the Partnership Agreement. Copies of the Partnership Agreement are on file at, and will be furnished without charge on delivery of written request to the Partnership at, the principal office of the Partnership located at 333 Clay Street, Suite 1500, Houston, Texas 77002. Capitalized terms used herein but not defined shall have the meanings given them in the Partnership Agreement.
     THIS SECURITY IS SUBJECT TO CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS AND LIMITATIONS ON TRANSFER SET FORTH IN THE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT, AS THE SAME MAY BE AMENDED FROM TIME TO TIME. THE GENERAL PARTNER OF THE PARTNERSHIP MAY ALSO IMPOSE ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS ON THE TRANSFER OF THIS SECURITY IF NECESSARY TO AVOID CERTAIN ADVERSE TAX CONSEQUENCES. THE RESTRICTIONS SET FORTH ABOVE SHALL NOT PRECLUDE THE SETTLEMENT OF ANY TRANSACTIONS INVOLVING THIS SECURITY ENTERED INTO THROUGH THE FACILITIES OF ANY NATIONAL SECURITIES EXCHANGE ON WHICH THIS SECURITY IS LISTED OR ADMITTED TO TRADING.
     The Holder, by accepting this Certificate, is deemed to have (i) requested admission as, and agreed to become, a Limited Partner and to have agreed to comply with and be bound by and to have executed the Partnership Agreement, (ii) represented and warranted that the Holder has all right, power and authority and, if an individual, the capacity necessary to enter into the Partnership Agreement, (iii) granted the powers of attorney provided for in the Partnership Agreement and (iv) made the waivers and given the consents and approvals contained in the Partnership Agreement.
     This Certificate shall not be valid for any purpose unless it has been countersigned and registered by the Transfer Agent and Registrar. This Certificate shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware.

A-1-1


 

                 
Dated:                                                                  PAA Natural Gas Storage, L.P.    
 
               
Countersigned and Registered by:   By: PNGS GP LLC    
 
               
American Stock Transfer & Trust Company,
  By:            
             
As Transfer Agent and Registrar
      Name:        
 
         
 
   
 
               
 
  By:            
             
 
          Secretary    
[Reverse of Certificate]
ABBREVIATIONS
     The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on the face of this Certificate, shall be construed as follows according to applicable laws or regulations:
     
TEN COM — as tenants in common
  UNIF GIFT/TRANSFERS MIN ACT
TEN ENT — as tenants by the entireties
                       Custodian                     
(Cust)                            (Minor)
JT TEN — as joint tenants with right of
  Under Uniform Gifts/Transfers to CD Minors
survivorship and not as tenants in common
  Act (State)
Additional abbreviations, though not in the above list, may also be used.

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ASSIGNMENT OF COMMON UNITS OF
PAA NATURAL GAS STORAGE, L.P.
     FOR VALUE RECEIVED,                      hereby assigns, conveys, sells and transfers unto
     
 
   
(Please print or typewrite name and address of assignee)
  (Please insert Social Security or other identifying number of assignee)
                     Common Units representing limited partner interests evidenced by this Certificate, subject to the Partnership Agreement, and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint                      as its attorney-in-fact with full power of substitution to transfer the same on the books of PAA Natural Gas Storage, L.P.
     
Date:                                                               
  NOTE: The signature to any endorsement hereon must correspond with the name as written upon the face of this Certificate in every particular. without alteration, enlargement or change.
 
   
T HE SIGNATURE(S) MUST BE
 
 
GUARANTEED BY AN
  (Signature)
ELIGIBLE GUARANTOR INSTITUTION (BANKS,
   
STOCKBROKERS, SAVINGS AND LOAN
   
ASSOCIATIONS AND CREDIT UNIONS
   
WITH MEMBERSHIP IN AN APPROVED
 
 
SIGNATURE GUARANTEE
  (Signature)
MEDALLION PROGRAM), PURSUANT TO
   
S.E.C. RULE 17Ad-15
   
     No transfer of the Common Units evidenced hereby will be registered on the books of the Partnership, unless the Certificate evidencing the Common Units to be transferred is surrendered for registration or transfer.

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EXHIBIT A-2
to the Amended and Restated
Agreement of Limited Partnership of
PAA Natural Gas Storage, L.P.
Certificate Evidencing Series A Subordinated Units
Representing Limited Partner Interests in
PAA Natural Gas Storage, L.P.
     
No.                     
                       Series A Subordinated Units
     In accordance with Section 4.1 of the Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of PAA Natural Gas Storage, L.P., as amended, supplemented or restated from time to time (the “ Partnership Agreement ”), PAA Natural Gas Storage, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the “ Partnership ”), hereby certifies that                                                                (the “ Holder ”) is the registered owner of                      Series A Subordinated Units representing limited partner interests in the Partnership (the “ Series A Subordinated Units ”) transferable on the books of the Partnership, in person or by duly authorized attorney, upon surrender of this Certificate properly endorsed. The rights, preferences and limitations of the Series A Subordinated Units are set forth in, and this Certificate and the Series A Subordinated Units represented hereby are issued and shall in all respects be subject to the terms and provisions of, the Partnership Agreement. Copies of the Partnership Agreement are on file at, and will be furnished without charge on delivery of written request to the Partnership at, the principal office of the Partnership located at 333 Clay Street, Suite 1500, Houston, Texas 77002. Capitalized terms used herein but not defined shall have the meanings given them in the Partnership Agreement.
     THIS SECURITY IS SUBJECT TO CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS AND LIMITATIONS ON TRANSFER SET FORTH IN THE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT, AS THE SAME MAY BE AMENDED FROM TIME TO TIME. THE GENERAL PARTNER OF THE PARTNERSHIP MAY ALSO IMPOSE ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS ON THE TRANSFER OF THIS SECURITY IF NECESSARY TO AVOID CERTAIN ADVERSE TAX CONSEQUENCES. THE RESTRICTIONS SET FORTH ABOVE SHALL NOT PRECLUDE THE SETTLEMENT OF ANY TRANSACTIONS INVOLVING THIS SECURITY ENTERED INTO THROUGH THE FACILITIES OF ANY NATIONAL SECURITIES EXCHANGE ON WHICH THIS SECURITY IS LISTED OR ADMITTED TO TRADING.
     The Holder, by accepting this Certificate, is deemed to have (i) requested admission as, and agreed to become, a Limited Partner and to have agreed to comply with and be bound by and to have executed the Partnership Agreement, (ii) represented and warranted that the Holder has all right, power and authority and, if an individual, the capacity necessary to enter into the Partnership Agreement, (iii) granted the powers of attorney provided for in the Partnership Agreement and (iv) made the waivers and given the consents and approvals contained in the Partnership Agreement.

A-2-1


 

     PNGS GP LLC, the general partner of PAA Natural Gas Storage, L.P., will act as the Transfer Agent and Registrar with respect to this Certificate. This Certificate shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware.
         
  PAA Natural Gas Storage, L.P.
 
 
  By:   PNGS GP LLC    
       
       
 
     
  By:      
    Name:      
       
 
     
  By:      
    Secretary     
       
 
[Reverse of Certificate]
ABBREVIATIONS
     The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on the face of this Certificate, shall be construed as follows according to applicable laws or regulations:
     
TEN COM — as tenants in common
  UNIF GIFT/TRANSFERS MIN ACT
TEN ENT — as tenants by the entireties
                       Custodian                     
 
  (Cust)                             (Minor)
JT TEN — as joint tenants with right of
  Under Uniform Gifts/Transfers to CD Minors
survivorship and not as tenants in common
  Act (State)
Additional abbreviations, though not in the above list, may also be used.

A-2-2


 

ASSIGNMENT OF SERIES A SUBORDINATED UNITS OF
PAA NATURAL GAS STORAGE, L.P.
     FOR VALUE RECEIVED,                      hereby assigns, conveys, sells and transfers unto
     
 
   
(Please print or typewrite name and address of assignee)
  (Please insert Social Security or other identifying number of assignee)
                     Series A Subordinated Units representing limited partner interests evidenced by this Certificate, subject to the Partnership Agreement, and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint                      as its attorney-in-fact with full power of substitution to transfer the same on the books of PAA Natural Gas Storage, L.P.
     
Date:                                                               
  NOTE: The signature to any endorsement hereon must correspond with the name as written upon the face of this Certificate in every particular. without alteration, enlargement or change.
 
   
T HE SIGNATURE(S) MUST BE
 
 
GUARANTEED BY AN ELIGIBLE
  (Signature)
GUARANTOR INSTITUTION (BANKS,
   
STOCKBROKERS, SAVINGS AND LOAN
   
ASSOCIATIONS AND CREDIT UNIONS
   
WITH MEMBERSHIP IN AN APPROVED
 
 
SIGNATURE GUARANTEE
  (Signature)
MEDALLION PROGRAM), PURSUANT TO
   
S.E.C. RULE 17Ad-15
   
     No transfer of the Series A Subordinated Units evidenced hereby will be registered on the books of the Partnership, unless the Certificate evidencing the Series A Subordinated Units to be transferred is surrendered for registration or transfer.

A-2-3


 

EXHIBIT A-3
to the Amended and Restated
Agreement of Limited Partnership of
PAA Natural Gas Storage, L.P.
Certificate Evidencing Series B Subordinated Units
Representing Limited Partner Interests in
PAA Natural Gas Storage, L.P.
     
No.                     
                       Series B Subordinated Units
     In accordance with Section 4.1 of the Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of PAA Natural Gas Storage, L.P., as amended, supplemented or restated from time to time (the “ Partnership Agreement ”), PAA Natural Gas Storage, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the “ Partnership ”), hereby certifies that                                                                (the “ Holder ”) is the registered owner of                      Series B Subordinated Units representing limited partner interests in the Partnership (the “ Series B Subordinated Units ”) transferable on the books of the Partnership, in person or by duly authorized attorney, upon surrender of this Certificate properly endorsed. The rights, preferences and limitations of the Series B Subordinated Units are set forth in, and this Certificate and the Series B Subordinated Units represented hereby are issued and shall in all respects be subject to the terms and provisions of, the Partnership Agreement. Copies of the Partnership Agreement are on file at, and will be furnished without charge on delivery of written request to the Partnership at, the principal office of the Partnership located at 333 Clay Street, Suite 1500, Houston, Texas 77002. Capitalized terms used herein but not defined shall have the meanings given them in the Partnership Agreement.
     THIS SECURITY IS SUBJECT TO CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS AND LIMITATIONS ON TRANSFER SET FORTH IN THE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT, AS THE SAME MAY BE AMENDED FROM TIME TO TIME. THE GENERAL PARTNER OF THE PARTNERSHIP MAY ALSO IMPOSE ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS ON THE TRANSFER OF THIS SECURITY IF NECESSARY TO AVOID CERTAIN ADVERSE TAX CONSEQUENCES. THE RESTRICTIONS SET FORTH ABOVE SHALL NOT PRECLUDE THE SETTLEMENT OF ANY TRANSACTIONS INVOLVING THIS SECURITY ENTERED INTO THROUGH THE FACILITIES OF ANY NATIONAL SECURITIES EXCHANGE ON WHICH THIS SECURITY IS LISTED OR ADMITTED TO TRADING.
     The Holder, by accepting this Certificate, is deemed to have (i) requested admission as, and agreed to become, a Limited Partner and to have agreed to comply with and be bound by and to have executed the Partnership Agreement, (ii) represented and warranted that the Holder has all right, power and authority and, if an individual, the capacity necessary to enter into the Partnership Agreement, (iii) granted the powers of attorney provided for in the Partnership Agreement and (iv) made the waivers and given the consents and approvals contained in the Partnership Agreement.

A-3-1


 

     PNGS GP LLC, the general partner of PAA Natural Gas Storage, L.P., will act as the Transfer Agent and Registrar with respect to this Certificate. This Certificate shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware.
         
  PAA Natural Gas Storage, L.P.
 
 
  By:   PNGS GP LLC    
       
       
  By:      
    Name:      
     
       
  By:      
    Secretary     
       
 
[Reverse of Certificate]
ABBREVIATIONS
     The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on the face of this Certificate, shall be construed as follows according to applicable laws or regulations:
     
TEN COM — as tenants in common
  UNIF GIFT/TRANSFERS MIN ACT
TEN ENT — as tenants by the entireties
                       Custodian                     
 
  (Cust)                              (Minor)
JT TEN — as joint tenants with right of
  Under Uniform Gifts/Transfers to CD Minors
survivorship and not as tenants in common
  Act (State)
Additional abbreviations, though not in the above list, may also be used.

A-3-2


 

ASSIGNMENT OF SERIES B SUBORDINATED UNITS OF
PAA NATURAL GAS STORAGE, L.P.
     FOR VALUE RECEIVED,                      hereby assigns, conveys, sells and transfers unto
     
 
   
(Please print or typewrite name and address of assignee)
  (Please insert Social Security or other identifying number of assignee)
                     Series B Subordinated Units representing limited partner interests evidenced by this Certificate, subject to the Partnership Agreement, and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint                      as its attorney-in-fact with full power of substitution to transfer the same on the books of PAA Natural Gas Storage, L.P.
     
Date:                                                               
  NOTE: The signature to any endorsement hereon must correspond with the name as written upon the face of this Certificate in every particular. without alteration, enlargement or change.
T HE SIGNATURE(S) MUST BE
   
 
   
GUARANTEED BY AN ELIGIBLE
  (Signature)
GUARANTOR INSTITUTION (BANKS,
   
STOCKBROKERS, SAVINGS AND LOAN
   
ASSOCIATIONS AND CREDIT UNIONS
   
WITH MEMBERSHIP IN AN APPROVED
   
 
   
SIGNATURE GUARANTEE
  (Signature)
MEDALLION PROGRAM), PURSUANT
   
TO S.E.C. RULE 17Ad-15
   
 
   
 
   
     No transfer of the Series B Subordinated Units evidenced hereby will be registered on the books of the Partnership, unless the Certificate evidencing the Series B Subordinated Units to be transferred is surrendered for registration or transfer.

A-3-3

Exhibit 3.2
Execution Version
 
 
AMENDED AND RESTATED
LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT
OF
PNGS GP LLC
dated as of May 5, 2010
 
 

 


 

TABLE OF CONTENTS
             
            Page
ARTICLE 1 DEFINITIONS   1
 
           
ARTICLE 2 GENERAL   8
 
  2.1   Formation   8
 
  2.2   Principal Office   8
 
  2.3   Registered Office and Registered Agent   8
 
  2.4   Purpose of the Company   9
 
  2.5   Date of Dissolution   9
 
  2.6   Qualification   9
 
  2.7   Members   9
 
  2.8   Reliance by Third Parties   9
 
           
ARTICLE 3 CAPITALIZATION OF THE COMPANY   10
 
  3.1   Capital Contributions   10
 
  3.2   Additional Capital Contributions   10
 
  3.3   Loans   10
 
  3.4   Maintenance of Capital Accounts   11
 
  3.5   Capital Withdrawal Rights, Interest and Priority   12
 
  3.6   Class B Members' Profits Interests   12
 
           
ARTICLE 4 DISTRIBUTIONS   12
 
  4.1   Distributions of Available Cash   12
 
  4.2   Persons Entitled to Distributions   13
 
  4.3   Limitations on Distributions   13
 
           
ARTICLE 5 ALLOCATIONS   13
 
  5.1   Profits   13
 
  5.2   Losses   13
 
  5.3   Special Allocation to Class B Members   13
 
  5.4   Regulatory Allocations   14
 
  5.5   Tax Allocations: Code Section 704(c)   14
 
  5.6   Change in Membership Interests   15
 
  5.7   Withholding   15
 
           
ARTICLE 6 MEMBERS’ MEETINGS   15
 
  6.1   Meetings of Class A Members; Place of Meetings   15
 
  6.2   Quorum; Voting Requirement   16
 
  6.3   Proxies   16
 
  6.4   Action Without Meeting   16
 
  6.5   Notice   16
 
  6.6   Waiver of Notice   16
 
  6.7   Class B Members   17

i


 

Table of Contents
(continued)
             
            Page
ARTICLE 7 MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL   17
 
  7.1   Board of Directors   17
 
  7.2   Meetings of the Board   17
 
  7.3   Quorum and Acts of the Board   17
 
  7.4   Electronic Communications   18
 
  7.5   Committees of Directors   18
 
  7.6   Compensation of Directors   18
 
  7.7   Directors as Agents   18
 
  7.8   Officers; Agents   18
 
           
ARTICLE 8 LIABILITY AND INDEMNIFICATION   19
 
  8.1   Limitation on Liability of Members, Directors and Officers   19
 
  8.2   Indemnification   19
 
           
ARTICLE 9 TRANSFERS OF MEMBERSHIP INTERESTS   20
 
  9.1   General Restrictions   20
 
  9.2   Permitted Transferees   21
 
  9.3   Substitute Members   21
 
  9.4   Effect of Admission as a Substitute Member   21
 
  9.5   Consent   22
 
  9.6   No Dissolution   22
 
  9.7   Additional Members   22
 
           
ARTICLE 10 DISSOLUTION AND TERMINATION   22
 
  10.1   Events Causing Dissolution   22
 
  10.2   Final Accounting   22
 
  10.3   Distributions Following Dissolution and Termination   22
 
  10.4   Termination of the Company   24
 
  10.5   No Action for Dissolution   24
 
           
ARTICLE 11 TAX MATTERS   25
 
  11.1   Tax Matters Member   25
 
  11.2   Certain Authorizations   25
 
  11.3   Indemnity of Tax Matters Member   25
 
  11.4   Information Furnished   26
 
  11.5   Notice of Proceedings, etc   26
 
  11.6   Notices to Tax Matters Member   26
 
  11.7   Preparation of Tax Returns   26
 
  11.8   Tax Elections   26
 
  11.9   Taxation as a Partnership   26
 
           
ARTICLE 12 ACCOUNTING AND BANK ACCOUNTS   27
 
  12.1   Fiscal Year and Accounting Method   27
 
  12.2   Books and Records   27

ii


 

Table of Contents
(continued)
             
            Page
 
  12.3   Delivery to Members; Inspection   27
 
           
ARTICLE 13 MISCELLANEOUS   27
 
  13.1   Waiver of Default   27
 
  13.2   Amendment   28
 
  13.3   No Third Party Rights   28
 
  13.4   Severability   28
 
  13.5   Nature of Interest in the Company   28
 
  13.6   Binding Agreement   28
 
  13.7   Headings   28
 
  13.8   Word Meanings   28
 
  13.9   Counterparts   29
 
  13.10   Entire Agreement   29
 
  13.11   Governing Law; Consent to Jurisdiction and Venue   29

iii


 

AMENDED AND RESTATED
LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT
OF
PNGS GP LLC
     THIS AMENDED AND RESTATED LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT (this “ Agreement ”) of PNGS GP LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “ Company ”), is made and entered into as of the 5th day of May, 2010, by and among the Persons executing this Agreement on the signature pages hereto as a member (together with such other Persons that may hereafter become members as provided herein, referred to collectively as the “ Members ” or, individually, as a “ Member ”).
     WHEREAS, Members owning the requisite Membership Interests have approved the amendment and restatement of the limited liability company agreement of the Company in its entirety with the terms and conditions set forth herein.
     NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual agreements contained herein, the parties agree as follows:
ARTICLE 1
DEFINITIONS
     As used herein, the following terms shall have the following meanings, unless the context otherwise requires:
     “ Act ” means the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act, 6 Del. C . Section 18-101, et seq ., as amended from time to time.
     “ Adjusted Capital Account Deficit ” means, with respect to a Member, the deficit balance, if any, in such Member’s Capital Account as of the end of the relevant Taxable Year, after giving effect to the following adjustments:
          (a) Credit to such Capital Account any amounts which such Member is obligated to restore pursuant to any provision of this Agreement or is deemed to be obligated to restore pursuant to Regulation Sections 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(c), 1.704-2(g)(1) and 1.704-2(i)(5); and
          (b) Debit to such Capital Account the items described in Regulation Sections 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(4), 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(5), and 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(6).
     “ Affiliate ” means, with respect to any specified Person, any other Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, such specified Person.
     “ Agreement ” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble hereof, as the same may be amended from time to time in accordance with the terms hereof.

1


 

     “ Available Cash ” means, with respect to a fiscal quarter, all cash and cash equivalents of the Company at the end of such quarter less the amount of cash reserves that is necessary or appropriate in the reasonable discretion of the Board to (a) provide for the proper conduct of the business of the Company (including reserves for future capital expenditures and for anticipated future credit needs of the Company) subsequent to such quarter or (b) comply with applicable law or any loan agreement, security agreement, mortgage, debt instrument or other agreement or obligation to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound or its assets or Property is subject; provided, however , that disbursements made by the Partnership to the Company or cash reserves established, increased or reduced after the expiration of such quarter but on or before the date of determination of Available Cash with respect to such quarter shall be deemed to have been made, established, increased or reduced, for purposes of determining Available Cash, during such quarter if the Board so determines in its reasonable discretion.
     “ Board ” means the Board of Directors of the Company.
     “ Business Day ” means any day that is not a Saturday, a Sunday or other day on which banks are required or authorized by law to be closed in the City of Houston, Texas.
     “ Capital Account ” means, with respect to any Member, a separate account established by the Company and maintained for each Member in accordance with Section 3.4 hereof.
     “ Capital Contribution ” means, with respect to any Member, the amount of money and the initial Gross Asset Value of any Property (other than money) contributed to the Company with respect to the interests purchased by such Member pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, in return for which the Member contributing such capital shall have received a Membership Interest.
     “ Certificate ” means the Certificate of Formation of the Company filed with the Secretary of State of Delaware, as amended or restated from time to time.
     “ Class A Member ” means a Member all or any portion of whose Membership Interest is evidenced by Class A Units.
     “ Class A Unit ” means a Membership Interest representing a fractional part of the Membership Interests of all Members, and having the rights and obligations specified with respect to Class A Units in this Agreement.
     “ Class B Member ” means a Member all or any portion of whose Membership Interest is evidenced by Class B Units.
     “ Class B Restricted Unit Agreement ” means an agreement, substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto, between the Company and any Member that is issued Class B Units, as any such agreement shall be amended or modified from time to time by the parties thereto.
     “ Class B Series ” means a tranche of Class B Units designated by an Arabic numeral (e.g., Class B Series 3) in ascending order by date of establishment of such Class B Series.

2


 

     “ Class B Series Cap ” means, with respect to a Class B Series Unit other than a Class B Series 1 Unit, the total amount of quarterly distributions paid with respect to such Class B Unit on the date of the Series Severance Event that results in the establishment of such Class B Series in accordance with Section 3.1(b). Class B Series 1 shall not have a Class B Series Cap.
     “ Class B Unit ” means a Membership Interest representing a fractional part of the Membership Interests of all Members, and having the rights and obligations specified with respect to Class B Units in this Agreement and the Class B Restricted Unit Agreement pursuant to which it was issued.
     “ Code ” means the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
     “ Company ” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble hereof.
     “ Company Affiliate ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 8.2 .
     “ Contribution Percentage ” means in respect of a Capital Contribution required to be made pursuant to Section 3.1(c ), (i) in the case of a Class A Member, 100% times a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of such Class A Member’s Class A Units at such time, and the denominator of which is the sum of (x) the number of outstanding Class A Units at such time and (y) the product of the Conversion Factor and the aggregate number of Earned Units and Vested Units outstanding at such time, and (ii) in the case of a Class B Member, 100% times a fraction, the numerator of which is the product of the Conversion Factor and the number of such Class B Member’s Earned Units and Vested Units at such time, and the denominator of which is the sum of (x) the number of outstanding Class A Units at such time and (y) the product of the Conversion Factor and the aggregate number of Earned Units and Vested Units outstanding at such time.
     “ Conversion Factor ” means, as of a particular time, a fraction, the numerator of which is the regular quarterly cash distribution, if any, paid with respect to an Earned Unit or Vested Unit for the most recent quarter, and the denominator of which is the regular quarterly cash distribution paid with respect to a Class A Unit for such quarter.
     “ Depreciation ” means, for each Taxable Year or other period, an amount equal to the depreciation, amortization or other cost recovery deduction allowable with respect to an asset for such Taxable Year, except that (a) with respect to any asset the Gross Asset Value of which differs from its adjusted tax basis for federal income tax purposes and which difference is being eliminated by use of the remedial allocation method pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-3(d), Depreciation for such taxable year shall be the amount of book basis recovered for such taxable year under the rules prescribed by Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-3(d)(2), and (b) with respect to any other asset, if the Gross Asset Value of an asset differs from its adjusted basis for federal income tax purposes at the beginning of such Taxable Year, Depreciation shall be an amount which bears the same ratio to such beginning Gross Asset Value as the federal income tax depreciation, amortization or other cost recovery deduction for such Taxable Year bears to such beginning adjusted tax basis; provided, however , that if the adjusted basis for federal income tax purposes of an asset at the beginning of such Taxable Year is zero,

3


 

Depreciation shall be determined with reference to such beginning Gross Asset Value using any reasonable method selected by the Company.
     “ Directors ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7.1(a) .
     “ Earned Unit ” means a Class B Unit that constitutes an “Earned Unit” under the Class B Restricted Unit Agreement pursuant to which such Class B Unit was issued.
     “ Employee Member ” means, as of any date, a Class B Member who is employed by the Company or an Affiliate of the Company on such date.
     “ Encumbrance ” means any security interest, pledge, mortgage, lien (including, without limitation, environmental and tax liens), charge, encumbrance, adverse claim, any defect or imperfection in title, preferential arrangement or restriction, right to purchase, right of first refusal or other burden or encumbrance of any kind, other than those imposed by this Agreement.
     “ Gross Asset Value ” means with respect to any asset, the asset’s adjusted basis for federal income tax purposes, except as follows:
          (a) The initial Gross Asset Value of any asset contributed by a Member to the Company shall be the gross fair market value of such asset, as reasonably determined by the Company; provided, however , that the initial Gross Asset Values of the assets contributed to the Company pursuant to Section 3.1 hereof shall be as set forth in such section or the schedule referred to therein;
          (b) The Gross Asset Values of all Company assets shall be adjusted to equal their respective gross fair market values (taking Code Section 7701(g) into account), as reasonably determined by the Company as of the following times: (i) the acquisition of an additional interest in the Company by any new or existing Member in exchange for more than a de minimis Capital Contribution; (ii) the distribution by the Company to a Member of more than a de minimis amount of Company property as consideration for an interest in the Company; and (iii) the liquidation of the Company within the meaning of Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(g) (other than pursuant to Section 708(b)(1)(B) of the Code);
          (c) The Gross Asset Value of any item of Company assets distributed to any Member shall be adjusted to equal the gross fair market value (taking Code Section 7701(g) into account) of such asset on the date of distribution as reasonably determined by the Company; and
          (d) The Gross Asset Values of all assets shall be increased (or decreased) to reflect any adjustments to the adjusted basis of such asset pursuant to Code Section 734(b) or Code Section 743(b), but only to the extent that such adjustments are taken into account in determining Capital Accounts pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(m) and clause (f) of the definition of Profits and Losses; provided, however , Gross Asset Value shall not be adjusted pursuant to this clause (d) to the extent the Company reasonably determines that an adjustment pursuant to clause (b) hereof is

4


 

necessary or appropriate in connection with the transaction that would otherwise result in an adjustment pursuant to this clause (d).
If the Gross Asset Value of an asset has been determined or adjusted pursuant to subparagraph (b), such Gross Asset Value shall thereafter be adjusted by the Depreciation taken into account with respect to such asset, for purposes of computing Profits and Losses.
     “ Independent Director ” means a Director who is eligible to serve on the Conflicts Committee (as defined, and provided for, in the Partnership Agreement) and is otherwise independent as defined in Sections 303.01(B)(2)(a) and (3) or any successor provisions of the listing standards of the New York Stock Exchange.
     “ Initial Grant Date Membership Capital ” means the amount set forth in Schedule I .
     “ Liquidating Trustee ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 10.3(a) .
     “ Liquidation Percentage ” means, with respect to any Member as of any date, 100% times a fraction, the numerator of which is the total distributions received by such Member pursuant to Section 4.1(b) in each of the four immediately preceding calendar quarters, and the denominator of which is the total distributions received by all Members pursuant to Section 4.1(b) in each of the four immediately preceding calendar quarters.
     “ Losses ” shall have the meaning set forth in the definition of “Profits” and “Losses”.
     “ Majority in Interest ” means Members owning more than fifty percent (50%) of the total number of outstanding Class A Units. For so long as there is only one Class A Member, Majority in Interest means the Class A Member
     “ Member ” or “ Members ” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble hereof.
     “ Membership Interest ” means a Member’s limited liability company interest in the Company which refers to all of a Member’s rights and interests in the Company in such Member’s capacity as a Member, all as provided in this Agreement and the Act.
     “ Non-Employee Member ” means, as of any date, a Class B Member who is no longer employed by the Company or an Affiliate of the Company on such date.
     “ Notice ” means a writing, containing the information required by this Agreement to be communicated to a party, and shall be deemed to have been received (a) when personally delivered or sent by email or facsimile, (b) one day following delivery by overnight delivery courier, with all delivery charges pre-paid, or (c) on the third Business Day following the date on which it was sent by United States mail, postage prepaid, to such party at the address or fax number, as the case may be, of such party as shown on the records of the Company.
     “ Officer ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7.8 .
     “ Partnership ” means PAA Natural Gas Storage, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership.

5


 

     “ Partnership Agreement ” means the Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of the Partnership, as amended from time to time.
     “ Permitted Transfer ” shall mean:
          (a) a Transfer of any or all of a Membership Interest by any Class A Member;
          (b) a Transfer of any or all of a Membership Interest by any Class B Member to the Company; or
          (c) with respect to Class B Units, a Transfer permitted under the applicable Class B Restricted Unit Agreement and any Transfer of Vested Units in accordance with applicable securities laws.
     For a Permitted Transferee to become a substitute Member with respect to such Membership Interest, or portion thereof, such Permitted Transferee must comply with Section 9.3. No Permitted Transfer shall conflict with or result in any violation of any judgment, order, decree, statute, law, ordinance, rule or regulation or require the Company, if not currently subject, to become subject, or if currently subject, to become subject to a greater extent, to any statute, law, ordinance, rule or regulation, excluding matters of a ministerial nature that are not materially burdensome to the Company.
     “ Permitted Transferee ” shall mean any Person who shall have acquired and who shall hold a Membership Interest, or portion thereof, pursuant to a Permitted Transfer.
     “ Person ” means any individual, partnership, corporation, limited liability company, trust, incorporated or unincorporated organization or other legal entity of any kind.
     “ Preceding Series ” means, with respect to any Class B Series, the Class B Series with the next lowest numerical designation (e.g., the Preceding Series with respect to Class B Series 3 shall be Class B Series 2).
     “ Profits ” and “ Losses ” means, for each Taxable Year, an amount equal to the Company’s net taxable income or loss for a taxable year, determined in accordance with Section 703(a) of the Code (for this purpose, all items of income, gain, loss or deduction required to be stated separately pursuant to Section 703(a)(1) of the Code shall be included in computing such taxable income or loss), with the following adjustments:
          (a) Any income of the Company that is exempt from federal income tax and not otherwise taken into account in computing Profits or Losses shall be added to such taxable income or loss;
          (b) Any expenditures of the Company described in Section 705(a)(2)(B) of the Code or treated as Code Section 705(a)(2)(B) expenditures pursuant to Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(i), and not otherwise taken into account in computing Profits or Losses, shall be subtracted from such taxable income or loss;

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          (c) In the event the Gross Asset Value of any Company asset is adjusted pursuant to subparagraphs (b) or (c) of the definition of Gross Asset Value, the amount of such adjustment shall be treated as an item of gain (if the adjustment increases the Gross Asset Value of the asset) or an item of loss (if the adjustment decreases the Gross Asset Value of the asset) from the disposition of such asset and shall be taken into account for purposes of computing Profits or Losses;
          (d) Gain or loss resulting from any disposition of Property with respect to which gain or loss is recognized for federal income tax purposes shall be computed by reference to the Gross Asset Value of the Property disposed of, notwithstanding that the adjusted tax basis of such Property differs from its Gross Asset Value;
          (e) In lieu of the depreciation, amortization, and other cost recovery deductions taken into account in computing such taxable income or loss, there shall be taken into account Depreciation for such Taxable Year, computed in accordance with the definition of Depreciation; and
          (f) To the extent an adjustment to the adjusted tax basis of any Company asset pursuant to Code Section 734(b) or Code Section 743(b) is required, pursuant to Regulation Sections 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(m)(4) to be taken into account in determining Capital Accounts as a result of a distribution other than in liquidation of a Member’s interest in the Company, the amount of such adjustment shall be treated as an item of gain (if the adjustment increases the basis of the asset) or loss (if the adjustment decreases such basis) from the disposition of such asset and shall be taken into account for purposes of computing Profits or Losses.
          (g) Gross income allocated to the Class B Members pursuant to Section 5.3 or Section 5.4 shall not be included in determining Profits and Losses.
     “ Property ” means all assets, real or intangible, that the Company may own or otherwise have an interest in from time to time.
     “ Regulations ” means the regulations, including temporary regulations, promulgated by the United States Department of Treasury with respect to the Code, as such regulations are amended from time to time, or corresponding provisions of future regulations.
     “ Regulatory Allocations ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.4(c) .
     “ Series Severance Event” means the payment of the second quarterly distribution following the date of termination of employment of a Class B Member, whether by resignation, retirement, termination by the Company, or otherwise.
     “ Subsequent Grant Date ” means any date on which any Class B Units are granted following the date of the initial grant of Class B Units (as set forth on Schedule I ).
     “ Subsequent Grant Date Membership Capital ” means, with respect to any Subsequent Grant Date, an amount equal to the aggregate Capital Account balances as of such date of the

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Class A Members and the then-existing Class B Members, which amount shall be set forth in an amendment to Schedule I .
     “ Subsidiary ” means, with respect to a Person, any corporation, partnership, association or other business entity of which (i) if a corporation, a majority of the total voting power of shares of stock entitled (irrespective of whether, at the time, stock of any other class or classes of such corporation shall have or might have voting power by reason of the happening of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees thereof is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by that Person or one or more of the other Subsidiaries of that Person or a combination thereof, or (ii) if a partnership, association or other business entity, a majority of either (x) the partnership or other similar ownership interest thereof or (y) the stock or equity interest of such partnership, association or other business entity’s general partner, managing member or other similar controlling Person, is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by such Person or one or more Subsidiaries of that Person or a combination thereof. For purposes of this Agreement, with respect to the Company, the Partnership and each of its Subsidiaries shall be a Subsidiary of the Company.
     “ Tax Matters Member ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11.1 .
     “ Taxable Year ” shall mean the calendar year.
     “ Transfer ” or “ Transferred ” means to give, sell, exchange, assign, transfer, pledge, hypothecate, bequeath, devise or otherwise dispose of or encumber, voluntarily or involuntarily, by operation of law or otherwise. When referring to a Membership Interest, “Transfer” shall mean the Transfer of such Membership Interest whether of record, beneficially, by participation or otherwise.
     “ Vested Unit ” means a Class B Unit that constitutes a “Vested Unit” under the Class B Restricted Unit Agreement pursuant to which such Class B Unit was issued.
ARTICLE 2
GENERAL
     2.1 Formation . The name of the Company is PNGS GP LLC. The rights and liabilities of the Members shall be as provided in the Act for Members except as provided herein. To the extent that the rights or obligations of any Member are different by reason of any provision of this Agreement than they would be in the absence of such provision, to the extent permitted by the Act, this Agreement shall control.
     2.2 Principal Office . The principal office of the Company shall be located at 333 Clay Street, Suite 1500, Houston, Texas 77002 or at such other place(s) as the Company may determine from time to time.
     2.3 Registered Office and Registered Agent . The location of the registered office and the name of the registered agent of the Company in the State of Delaware shall be as stated in the Certificate or as determined from time to time by the Company.

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     2.4 Purpose of the Company . The Company’s purposes, and the nature of the business to be conducted and promoted by the Company, are (a) to act as the general partner of the Partnership in accordance with the terms of the Partnership Agreement and (b) to engage in any and all activities necessary, advisable, convenient or incidental to the foregoing.
     2.5 Date of Dissolution . The Company shall have perpetual existence unless the Company is dissolved pursuant to Article 10 hereof. The existence of the Company as a separate legal entity shall continue until cancellation of the Certificate of Formation of the Company in the manner required by the Act.
     2.6 Qualification . The President, Chief Executive Officer, any Vice President, the Secretary and any Assistant Secretary of the Company are, and each of them hereby is, authorized to qualify the Company to do business as a foreign limited liability company in any jurisdiction in which the Company may wish to conduct business and each is hereby designated as an authorized person, within the meaning of the Act (or as a “manager” for such limited purposes only, if signature of a manager is required under relevant state regulations), to execute, deliver and file any amendments or restatements of the Certificate and any other certificates and any amendments or restatements thereof necessary for the Company to so qualify to do business in any such state or territory.
     2.7 Members .
     (a)  Powers of Members . The Members shall have the power to exercise any and all rights or powers granted to the Members pursuant to the express terms of this Agreement. Except as expressly provided herein, the Members shall have no power to bind the Company and no authority to act on behalf of the Company.
     (b)  Partition . Each Member waives any and all rights that it may have to maintain an action for partition of the Company’s Property.
     (c)  Resignation . Except upon a Transfer of all of its Membership Interests in accordance with this Agreement, a Member may not resign from the Company prior to the dissolution and winding up of the Company. A Member ceases to be a Member only upon: (i) a Permitted Transfer of all of such Member’s Membership Interest and the transferee’s admission as a substitute Member, all in accordance with the terms of this Agreement or (ii) completion of dissolution and winding up of the Company pursuant to Article 10 .
     (d)  Ownership . Each Membership Interest shall correspond to a “limited liability company interest” as is provided in the Act. The Company shall be the owner of the Property. No Member shall have any ownership interest or right in the Property, including Property conveyed by a Member to the Company, except indirectly by virtue of a Member’s ownership of a Membership Interest.
     2.8 Reliance by Third Parties . Except with respect to certain tax matters, Persons dealing with the Company shall be entitled to rely conclusively upon the power and authority of an Officer.

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ARTICLE 3
CAPITALIZATION OF THE COMPANY
     3.1 Capital Contributions .
     (a) As of the date hereof, there are [ ] Class A Units authorized and outstanding and [ ] Class B Units authorized. Class B Units are a non-voting Membership Interest and the Class A Units are the only voting class of Membership Interests. Schedule I sets forth the ownership of outstanding Class A Units and the number of outstanding Class B Units, and may be amended from time to time by the Company to reflect the issuance of additional Class A Units or Class B Units or the designation of a new Class B Series. Unissued Class B Units may be issued to Employee Members at any time before or after the occurrence of a Series Severance Event, in an amount which, in the aggregate with all Class B Units outstanding, does not exceed the number of authorized Class B Units.
     (b) As of the date hereof, all Class B Units shall be designated as Class B Series 1 Units. Upon the occurrence of a Series Severance Event, the Company shall redesignate each Vested Unit of each Non-Employee Member whose termination gave rise to such Series Severance Event as a Class B Series Unit of a new Class B Series. The numerical designation for the new Class B Series shall be the Arabic numeral following the numerical designation of the Preceding Series.
     (c) Each Member agrees to make Capital Contributions in proportion to such Member’s then-applicable Contribution Percentage for equity issuances by the Partnership pursuant to Section 5.2(b) of the Partnership Agreement. If a Member fails to pay (or if the Company has reasonable cause to believe that a Member will fail timely to pay) such allocable amount, the Company may withhold any distributions otherwise payable to such Member, up to and including the full proportionate amount of such Capital Contribution, and apply such amount to such Member’s obligation hereunder. The foregoing is in addition to any other remedies available to the Company in equity or at law, including the power to unilaterally reduce the Membership Interest of any Member in default of the obligation to make a Capital Contribution hereunder, and any other remedies described in Section 502(c) of the Act.
     3.2 Additional Capital Contributions .
     (a) No Member shall be required to make any additional Capital Contribution other than as required under Section 3.1 .
     (b) Subject to the restrictions contained in Section 3.5 of the Class B Restricted Unit Agreement, the Company may offer additional Membership Interests to any Person with the approval of the Board. The names, addresses and Capital Contributions of the Members shall be reflected in the books and records of the Company.
     3.3 Loans .
     (a) No Member shall be obligated to loan funds to the Company. Loans by a Member to the Company shall not be considered Capital Contributions. The amount of any such

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loan shall be a debt of the Company owed to such Member in accordance with the terms and conditions upon which such loan is made.
     (b) A Member may (but shall not be obligated to) guarantee a loan made to the Company. If a Member guarantees a loan made to the Company and is required to make payment pursuant to such guarantee to the maker of the loan, then the amounts so paid to the maker of the loan shall be treated as a loan by such Member to the Company and not as an additional Capital Contribution.
     3.4 Maintenance of Capital Accounts .
     (a) The Company shall maintain for each Member a separate Capital Account with respect to the Membership Interest owned by such Member in accordance with the following provisions:
          (i) To each Member’s Capital Account there shall be credited (A) such Member’s Capital Contributions, (B) such Member’s share of Profits and items of income and gain allocated to such Member pursuant to Sections 5.3 or 5.4 , and (C) the amount of any Company liabilities assumed by such Member or which are secured by any Property distributed to such Member. The principal amount of a promissory note which is not readily traded on an established securities market and which is contributed to the Company by the maker of the note (or a Member related to the maker of the note within the meaning of Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(c)) shall not be included in the Capital Account of any Member until the Company makes a taxable disposition of the note or until (and only to the extent) principal payments are made on the note, all in accordance with Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(d)(2);
          (ii) To each Member’s Capital Account there shall be debited (A) the amount of money and the Gross Asset Value of any Property distributed or treated as an advance distribution to such Member pursuant to any provision of this Agreement (including without limitation any distributions pursuant to Section 4.1 , (B) such Member’s share of Losses and items of loss and deduction allocated to such Member pursuant to Section 5.4 , and (C) the amount of any liabilities of such Member assumed by the Company or which are secured by any Property contributed by such Member to the Company;
          (iii) In the event Membership Interests are Transferred in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, the transferee shall succeed to the Capital Account of the transferor to the extent such Capital Account relates to the Transferred Membership Interests; and
          (iv) In determining the amount of any liability for purposes of Sections .4(a)(i ) and (ii) there shall be taken into account Code Section 752(c) and any other applicable provisions of the Code and Regulations.
     (b) The foregoing Section 3.4(a) and the other provisions of this Agreement relating to the maintenance of Capital Accounts are intended to comply with Regulation Section 1.704-1(b) and, to the greatest extent practicable, shall be interpreted and applied in a manner consistent with such Regulation. The Company in its discretion and to the extent otherwise

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consistent with the terms of this Agreement shall (i) make any adjustments that are necessary or appropriate to maintain equality between the Capital Accounts of the Members and the amount of capital reflected on the Company’s balance sheet, as computed for book purposes, in accordance with Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(q), and (ii) make any appropriate modifications in the event unanticipated events might otherwise cause this Agreement not to comply with Regulation Section 1.704-1(b).
     3.5 Capital Withdrawal Rights, Interest and Priority . Except as expressly provided in this Agreement, no Member shall be entitled to (a) withdraw or reduce such Member’s Capital Contribution or to receive any distributions from the Company, or (b) receive or be credited with any interest on the balance of such Member’s Capital Contribution at any time.
     3.6 Class B Members’ Profits Interests . The Class B Units have been, and may in the future be, issued for zero consideration in order to provide additional incentives for the Class B Members to build value for the Company and achieve its business goals. Each Class B Unit represents an interest in the Company of the nature commonly referred to as a “ profits interest ” (as described in Revenue Procedure 93-27, 1993-2 C.B. 343 and Revenue Procedure 2001-43, 2001-2 C.B. 191), and represents an interest in future Company profits and losses from operations, current distributions from operations, and an interest in future appreciation or depreciation in the Company asset values as set forth in this Agreement, but which does not represent an interest in Initial Grant Date Membership Capital or Subsequent Grant Date Membership Capital (as applicable) as determined on the date such Class B Unit is or was issued.
ARTICLE 4
DISTRIBUTIONS
     4.1 Distributions of Available Cash . An amount equal to 100% of Available Cash with respect to each fiscal quarter of the Company shall be distributed to the Members within forty-five days after the end of such quarter as follows:
     (a) first, 100% to the Class A Members, pro rata based on the number of Class A Units held, until the aggregate amount of distributions paid pursuant to this Section 4.1(a) in respect of such quarter equals $2,500,000 for such quarter; and
     (b) next, to the Class A Members and the Class B Members holding Earned Units and Vested Units, pro rata based on the number of Class A Units, Earned Units and Vested Units outstanding; provided that when the total amount distributed with respect to a Class B Unit of any Class B Series equals the Class B Unit Cap for such Class B Series, Class B Members holding Class B Units of such Class B Series shall not be entitled to share in any remaining distributions; and amounts otherwise distributable to Members holding Class B Units of such Class B Series will instead be distributed to Members holding Class A Units and Earned Units and Vested Units of each Class B Series that has not received distributions equal to the Class B Series Cap applicable to such Class B Series. An example illustrating the application of the Class B Series Caps and the distribution of amounts in excess of those caps is set forth in Exhibit A hereto.

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     4.2 Persons Entitled to Distributions . All distributions of Available Cash to Members for a fiscal quarter pursuant to Section 4.1 shall be made to the Members shown on the records of the Company to be entitled thereto as of the last day of such quarter, unless the transferor and transferee of any Membership Interest otherwise agree in writing to a different distribution and such distribution is consented to in writing by the Company. For the avoidance of doubt, no distribution shall be paid with respect to any outstanding Class B Unit that is not either an Earned Unit or a Vested Unit.
     4.3 Limitations on Distributions .
     (a) Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, no distributions shall be made except pursuant to Article 4 or Article 10 .
     (b) Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, no distribution hereunder shall be permitted if such distribution would violate Section 18-607 of the Act or other applicable law.
ARTICLE 5
ALLOCATIONS
     5.1 Profits . Subject to Section 10.3, Profits for any Taxable Year shall be allocated:
     (a) first, to the Members in the amount of and in proportion to the Losses which have previously been allocated pursuant to Section 5.2(c) to such Members;
     (b) second, to the Members in the amount and in proportion to the Losses which have previously been allocated pursuant to Section 5.2(b) to such Members;
     (c) third, to the Members in the amount and in the proportion to the Losses which have previously been allocated pursuant to Section 5.2(a) to such Members; and
     (d) fourth, any remaining Profits shall be allocated 100% to the Class A Members pro rata based on the number of Class A Units held.
     5.2 Losses . Subject to Section 10.3, Losses for any Taxable Year shall be allocated:
     (a) first, 100% to the Class A Members pro rata based on the number of Class A Units held, provided; however , that no Member shall be allocated any loss pursuant to this Section 5.2(b) which would result in a negative Capital Account balance for such Member;
     (b) second, to Members in proportion to and to the extent of their positive Capital Account balances until such Capital Account balances have been reduced to zero; and
     (c) third, any remaining Losses shall be allocated to the Class A Members pro rata based on their respective Contribution Percentages.
     5.3 Special Allocation to Class B Members . For any Taxable Year, gross income in an amount equal to any distributions of Available Cash made to the Class B Members pursuant

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to Section 4.1(b) shall be allocated to the Class B Members, pro rata based on the number of Class B Units held by such Class B Members.
     5.4 Regulatory Allocations .
     (a)  Qualified Income Offset . In the event any Member unexpectedly receives any adjustments, allocations or distributions described in Regulation Sections 1.704 1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(4), 1.704 1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(5) or 1.704 1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(6), items of Company income and gain shall be specially allocated to such Member in an amount and manner sufficient to eliminate, to the extent required by the Regulations, the Adjusted Capital Account Deficit of such Member as quickly as possible.
     (b)  Gross Income Allocation . In the event any Member has an Adjusted Capital Account Deficit at the end of any Taxable Year, such Member shall be specially allocated items of Company income and gain in the amount of such deficit balance as quickly as possible; provided, that , an allocation pursuant to this Section 5.4(a) shall be made only if and to the extent that such Member would have an Adjusted Capital Account Deficit balance after all other allocations provided for in this Article 5 have been made.
     (c)  Curative Allocations . The allocations set forth in Sections 5.4(a) and (b) hereof (the “ Regulatory Allocations ”) are intended to comply with certain requirements of the Regulations. It is the intent of the Members that, to the extent possible, all Regulatory Allocations shall be offset either with other Regulatory Allocations or with special allocations of other items of Company income, gain, loss or deduction pursuant to this Section 5.4(c) . Therefore, notwithstanding any other provision of this Article 5 (other than the Regulatory Allocations), the Company shall make such offsetting special allocations of income, gain, loss or deduction in whatever manner it determines appropriate so that, after such offsetting allocations are made, each Member’s Capital Account balance is, to the extent possible, equal to the Capital Account balance such Member would have had if the Regulatory Allocations were not part of this Agreement and all such items were allocated pursuant to Sections 5.1 , 5.2 and 5.3 without regard to the Regulatory Allocations.
     5.5 Tax Allocations: Code Section 704(c) .
     (a) Except as otherwise provided herein, for federal income tax purposes, (i) each item of income, gain, loss and deduction shall be allocated among the Members in the same manner as its correlative item of “book” income, gain, loss or deduction is allocated pursuant to Sections 5.1 and 5.2 , and (ii) each tax credit shall be allocated to the Members in the same manner as the receipt or expenditure giving rise to such credit is allocated pursuant to Section 5.1 , 5.2 or 5.3 .
     (b) In accordance with Code Section 704(c) and the Regulations thereunder, income, gain, loss and deduction with respect to any Property contributed to the capital of the Company shall, solely for tax purposes, be allocated among the Members so as to take account of any variation between the adjusted basis of such Property to the Company for federal income tax purposes and its initial Gross Asset Value (computed in accordance with the definition herein of “Gross Asset Value”).

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     (c) In the event the Gross Asset Value of any Company asset is adjusted pursuant to subparagraph (b) of the definition herein of “Gross Asset Value”, subsequent allocations of income, gain, loss and deduction with respect to such asset shall take account of any variation between the adjusted basis of such asset for federal income tax purposes and its Gross Asset Value in the same manner as under Code Section 704(c) and the Regulations thereunder.
     (d) Any elections or other decisions relating to such allocations shall be made by the Tax Matters Member in any manner that reasonably reflects the purpose and intention of this Agreement; provided, that the Company, in its discretion, may make, or not make, “curative” or “remedial” allocations (within the meaning of the Regulations under Code Section 704(c)) including, but not limited to, “curative” allocations which offset the effect of the “ceiling rule” for a prior Taxable Year (within the meaning of Regulation Section 1.704-3(c)(3)(ii)) and “curative” allocations from disposition of contributed property (within the meaning of Regulation Section 1.704-3(c)(3)(iii)(B)). Allocations pursuant to this Section 5.5 are solely for purposes of federal, state, and local taxes and shall not affect, or in any way be taken into account in computing, any Member’s Capital Account or share of Profits, Losses, other items, or distributions pursuant to any provision of this Agreement.
     5.6 Change in Membership Interests . In the event that the Members’ Membership Interests change during a Taxable Year, Profits and Losses shall be allocated taking into account the Members’ varying Membership Interests for such Taxable Year, determined on a daily, monthly or other basis as determined by the Company, using any permissible method under Code Section 706 and the Regulations thereunder.
     5.7 Withholding . Each Member hereby authorizes the Company to withhold from income or distributions allocable to such Member and to pay over any taxes payable by the Company or any of its Affiliates as a result of such Member’s participation in the Company; if and to the extent that the Company shall be required to withhold any such taxes, such Member shall be deemed for all purposes of this Agreement to have received a distribution from the Company as of the time such withholding is required to be paid, which distribution shall be deemed to be a distribution to such Member to the extent that the Member is then entitled to receive a distribution. To the extent that the aggregate of such distributions in respect of a Member for any period exceeds the distributions to which such Member is entitled for such period, the amount of such excess shall be considered a demand loan from the Company to such Member, with interest at the rate of interest per annum that Citibank, N.A., or any successor entity thereto, announces from time to time as its prime lending rate, which interest shall be treated as an item of Company income, until discharged by such Member by repayment, which may be made in the sole discretion of the Company out of distributions to which such Member would otherwise be subsequently entitled. The withholdings referred to in this Section 5.7 shall be made at the maximum applicable statutory rate under applicable tax law unless the Company shall have received an opinion of counsel or other evidence, satisfactory to the Company, to the effect that a lower rate is applicable, or that no withholding is applicable.
ARTICLE 6
MEMBERS’ MEETINGS
     6.1 Meetings of Class A Members; Place of Meetings .

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     (a) For so long as there is only one Class A Member, all matters requiring Class A Member action shall be done without meeting, by written consent
     (b) Regular meetings of the Class A Members shall be held on an annual basis or more frequently as determined by the Board or a Majority in Interest. All meetings of the Class A Members shall be held at a location either within or outside the State of Delaware as designated from time to time by the Board and stated in the Notice of the meeting or in a duly executed waiver of the Notice thereof. Special meetings of the Class A Members may be held for any purpose or purposes, unless otherwise prohibited by law, and may be called by the Board or by a Majority in Interest. Class A Members may participate in a meeting of the Class A Members by means of conference telephone or other similar communication equipment whereby all Class A Members participating in the meeting can hear each other. Participation in a meeting in this manner shall constitute presence in person at the meeting, except when a Class A Member participates for the express purpose of objecting to the transaction of any business on the ground that the meeting was not lawfully called or convened.
     6.2 Quorum; Voting Requirement . The presence, in person or by proxy, of a Majority in Interest shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business by the Class A Members. The affirmative vote of a Majority in Interest shall constitute a valid decision of the Class A Members, except where a different vote is required by the Act or this Agreement.
     6.3 Proxies . At any meeting of the Class A Members, every Class A Member having the right to vote thereat shall be entitled to vote in person or by proxy appointed by an instrument in writing signed by such Class A Member and bearing a date not more than one year prior to the date of such meeting.
     6.4 Action Without Meeting . Any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of Class A Members of the Company may be taken without a meeting, without prior Notice and without a vote if a consent in writing setting forth the action so taken is signed by Class A Members voting not less than the minimum number of Class A Units that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting of the Members. Prompt Notice of the taking of any action taken pursuant to this Section 6.4 by less than the unanimous written consent of the Class A Members shall be given to those Class A Members who have not consented in writing. A consent transmitted by electronic transmission by a Member shall be deemed to be written and signed.
     6.5 Notice . Notice stating the place, day and hour of the meeting of Class A Members and the purpose for which the meeting is called shall be delivered personally or sent by mail, facsimile or email not less than one Business Day nor more than sixty days before the date of the meeting by or at the direction of the Board or other Person calling the meeting, to each Class A Member entitled to vote at such meeting.
     6.6 Waiver of Notice . When any Notice is required to be given to any Class A Member hereunder, a waiver thereof in writing signed by the Class A Member, whether before, at or after the time stated therein, shall be equivalent to the giving of such Notice.

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     6.7 Class B Members . Except as expressly provided in this Agreement, the Class B Members, in their capacities as such, shall have no voting rights or rights to participate in the management of the Company.
ARTICLE 7
MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL
     7.1 Board of Directors .
     (a) The business and affairs of the Company shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board, which shall consist of seven (7) individuals, at least three (3) of whom shall be Independent Directors, designated as directors of the Company (the “ Directors ”) by a Majority in Interest. Directors shall be elected to serve annual terms expiring on the date of the annual meeting of Members following such election. Each Director shall hold office until his or her successor is elected pursuant to this Section 7.1(a) or until his or her earlier death, resignation or removal. Any individual designated as a Director may be removed at any time, with or without cause, by a Majority in Interest. In the event of the death, resignation or removal of a Director, a Majority in Interest may designate a replacement Director.
     (b) Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, the power and authority granted to the Board hereunder shall include all those necessary or convenient for the furtherance of the purposes of the Company and shall include the power to make or delegate to Officers all decisions with regard to the management, operations, assets, financing and capitalization of the Company.
     7.2 Meetings of the Board . The Board may hold meetings, both regular and special, within or outside the State of Delaware. Regular meetings of the Board may be called by the Chief Executive Officer or two or more of the Directors upon delivery of written Notice at least five days prior to the date of such meeting. Special meetings of the Board may be called at the request of the Chief Executive Officer or any two or more of the Directors upon delivery of written Notice sent to each other Director by the means most likely to reach such Director as may be determined by the Secretary in his best judgment so as to be received at least twenty-four hours prior to the time of such meeting. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, such Notice may be telephonic if no other reasonable means are available. Such Notices shall be accompanied by a proposed agenda or statement of purpose.
     7.3 Quorum and Acts of the Board . A majority of the Directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at all meetings of the Board, and, except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, the act of a majority of the Directors present at any meeting at which there is a quorum shall be the act of the Board. If a quorum shall not be present at any meeting of the Board, the Directors present thereat may adjourn the meeting from time to time, without notice other than announcement at the meeting, until a quorum shall be present. Any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board or of any committee thereof may be taken without a meeting, if all members of the Board or committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing (including by electronic transmission), and the writing or writings or electronic transmission or transmissions are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board or

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committee. Such filing shall be in paper form if the minutes are maintained in paper form and shall be in electronic form if the minutes are maintained in electronic form.
     7.4 Electronic Communications . Members of the Board, or any committee designated by the Board, may participate in a meeting of the Board or any committee thereof by means of conference telephone or similar communications equipment through which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and such participation in a meeting shall constitute presence in person at the meeting.
     7.5 Committees of Directors . The Board, by unanimous resolution of all Directors present and voting at a duly constituted meeting of the Board or by unanimous written consent, may designate one or more committees, each committee to consist of one (1) or more of the Directors. In the event of the disqualification, resignation or removal of a committee member, the Board may appoint another member of the Board to fill such vacancy. Any such committee, to the extent provided in the Board’s resolution, shall have and may exercise all the powers and authority of the Board in the management of the Company’s business and affairs subject to any limitations contained herein or in the Act. Such committee or committees shall have such name or names as may be determined from time to time by resolution adopted by the Board. Each committee shall keep regular minutes of its meetings and report the same to the Board when required.
     7.6 Compensation of Directors . Each Director shall be entitled to reimbursement from the Company for all reasonable direct out-of-pocket expenses incurred by such Director in connection with attending Board meetings and such compensation as may be approved by a Majority in Interest.
     7.7 Directors as Agents . The Board, acting as a body pursuant to this Agreement, shall constitute a “manager” for purposes of the Act. No Director, in such capacity, acting singly or with any other Director, shall have any authority or right to act on behalf of or bind the Company other than by exercising the Director’s voting power as a member of the Board, unless specifically authorized by the Board in each instance.
     7.8 Officers; Agents . The Board shall have the power to appoint any Person or Persons as the Company’s officers (the “ Officers ”) to act for the Company and to delegate to such Officers such of the powers as are granted to the Board hereunder; provided, however , that the Chairman of the Board and the CEO shall be appointed by a Majority in Interest. Any decision or act of an Officer within the scope of the Officer’s designated or delegated authority shall control and shall bind the Company (and any business entity for which the Company exercises direct or indirect executory authority). The Officers may have such titles as the Board shall deem appropriate, which may include (but need not be limited to) Chairman of the Board, Vice Chairman of the Board, President, Chief Executive Officer, Senior Vice President, Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer, Controller or Secretary. A Director may be an Officer. The Officers of the Company as of the date hereof shall continue in office subject to the terms hereof. Unless the authority of an Officer is limited by the Board, any Officer so appointed shall have the same authority to act for the Company as a corresponding officer of a Delaware corporation would have to act for a Delaware corporation in the absence of a specific delegation of authority. The Officers shall hold office until their

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respective successors are chosen and qualify or until their earlier death, resignation or removal. Any Officer elected or appointed by the Board may be removed at any time by the affirmative vote of a majority of the Board. Any vacancy occurring in any office of the Company (other than the Chairman of the Board or Chief Executive Officer) shall be filled by a majority of the Board.
ARTICLE 8
LIABILITY AND INDEMNIFICATION
     8.1 Limitation on Liability of Members, Directors and Officers . No Member (when not acting in violation of this Agreement or applicable law), Director or Officer shall have any liability to the Company or the Members for any losses sustained or liabilities incurred as a result of any act or omission of such Member, Director or Officer in connection with the conduct of the business of the Company if, in the case of an Officer, the Officer acted in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the interests of the Company or applicable law and to be within the scope of his or her authority and, in the case of a Member (when not acting in violation of this Agreement or applicable law), Director or Officer, the conduct did not constitute bad faith, fraud, gross negligence or willful misconduct. To the fullest extent permitted by Section 18-1101(c) of the Act, a Director (other than Independent Directors), in performing his or her obligations under this Agreement, shall be entitled to act or omit to act at the direction of the Member who designated such Director, considering only such factors, including the separate interests of the designating Member, as such Director or the designating Member chooses to consider, and any action of a Director or failure to act, taken or omitted in good faith reliance on the foregoing provisions of this Section 8.1 shall not constitute a breach of any duty including any fiduciary duty on the part of the Director or designating Member to the Company or any other Member or Director. Except as required by the Act, the Company’s debts, obligations, and liabilities, whether arising in contract, tort or otherwise, shall be solely the debts, obligations and liabilities of the Company, and no Officer, Member or Director shall be personally responsible for any such debt, obligation or liability of the Company solely by reason of being an Officer, Member or Director. No Member shall be responsible for any debts, obligations or liabilities, whether arising in contract, tort or otherwise, of any other Member.
     8.2 Indemnification .
     (a) The Company shall indemnify and hold harmless the Members (when not acting in violation of this Agreement or applicable law), Directors and Officers (each, a “ Company Affiliate ”) from and against any and all losses, claims, demands, costs, damages, liabilities, expenses of any nature (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and disbursements), judgments, fines, settlements and other amounts arising from any and all claims, demands, actions, suits or proceedings, civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, in which a Company Affiliate may be involved, or threatened to be involved, as a party or otherwise, by reason of his, her or its status as a Company Affiliate, regardless of whether a Company Affiliate continues to be a Company Affiliate at the time any such liability or expense is paid or incurred, unless it is determined in a final and non-appealable judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction that such Company Affiliate acted in bad faith or engaged in fraud or willful misconduct, and with respect to any criminal proceeding, unless such Company Affiliate had knowledge that his, her or its conduct was unlawful.

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     (b) Expenses incurred by a Company Affiliate in defending any claim, demand, action, suit or proceeding subject to Section 8.2(a) shall, from time to time, be advanced by the Company prior to the final disposition of such claim, demand, action, suit or proceeding upon receipt by the Company of an undertaking by or on behalf of the Company Affiliate to repay such amounts if it is ultimately determined that the Company Affiliate is not entitled to be indemnified as authorized in this Section 8.2 .
     (c) The indemnification provided by this Section 8.2 shall be in addition to any other rights to which a Company Affiliate may be entitled pursuant to any approval of a Majority in Interest, as a matter of law or equity, or otherwise, and shall continue as to a Company Affiliate who has ceased to serve in such capacity and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, successors, assigns, and administrators of such Company Affiliate. The Company shall not be required to indemnify any Member in connection with any losses, claims, demands, actions, disputes, suits or proceedings, of any Member against any other Member.
     (d) The Company may purchase and maintain directors and officers insurance or similar coverage for its Directors and Officers in such amounts and with such deductibles or self-insured retentions as determined in the sole discretion of the Board, which may include coverage shared with Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. and its Affiliates.
     (e) Any indemnification hereunder shall be satisfied only out of the assets of the Company, and the Members shall not be subject to personal liability by reason of the indemnification provisions under this Section 8.2 .
     (f) A Company Affiliate shall not be denied indemnification in whole or in part under this Section 8.2 because the Company Affiliate had an interest in the transaction with respect to which the indemnification applies if the transaction was otherwise permitted by the terms of this Agreement and all material facts relating to such indemnitee’s interest were adequately disclosed to the Board at the time the transaction was consummated.
     (g) Subject to Section 8.2(c ), the provisions of this Section 8.2 are for the benefit of the Company Affiliates and the heirs, successors, assigns and administrators of the Company Affiliates and shall not be deemed to create any rights for the benefit of any other Persons.
     (h) Any repeal or amendment of any provisions of this Section 8.2 shall be prospective only and shall not adversely affect any Company Affiliates’ rights existing at the time of such repeal or amendment.
ARTICLE 9
TRANSFERS OF MEMBERSHIP INTERESTS
     9.1 General Restrictions .
     (a) No Member may Transfer all or any part of such Member’s Membership Interest to any Person except to a Permitted Transferee pursuant to Section 9.2 . Any purported Transfer of a Membership Interest or a portion thereof in violation of the terms of this Agreement shall be null and void and of no force and effect. Except upon a Transfer of all of a Member’s

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Membership Interest in accordance with this Section 9.1 , no Member shall have the right to withdraw as a Member of the Company.
     (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, no Class B Member may pledge, mortgage or otherwise subject its Member Interest to any Encumbrance.
     9.2 Permitted Transferees .
     (a) Each Member shall, subject to Section 9.1(b) , have the right to Transfer (but not to substitute the transferee as a substitute Member in such Member’s place, except in accordance with Section 9.3 ), by a written instrument, all or any part of a Member’s Membership Interest to a Permitted Transferee.
     (b) Unless and until admitted as a substitute Member pursuant to Section 9.3 , a transferee of a Member’s Membership Interest in whole or in part shall be an assignee with respect to such Transferred Membership Interest and shall not be entitled to participate in the management of the business and affairs of the Company or to become, or to exercise the rights of, a Member, including the right to appoint Directors, the right to vote, the right to require any information or accounting of the Company’s business, or the right to inspect the Company’s books and records. Such transferee shall only be entitled to receive, to the extent of the Membership Interest Transferred to such transferee, the share of distributions and profits, including distributions representing the return of Capital Contributions, to which the transferor would otherwise be entitled with respect to the Transferred Membership Interest. The transferor shall have the right to vote such Transferred Membership Interest until the transferee is admitted to the Company as a substitute Member with respect to the Transferred Membership Interest.
     9.3 Substitute Members . No transferee of all or part of a Member’s Membership Interest shall become a substitute Member in place of the transferor unless and until:
     (a) Such Transfer is in compliance with the terms of Section 9.1 ;
     (b) the transferee has executed an instrument in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Company accepting and adopting, and agreeing to be bound by, the terms and provisions of the Certificate and this Agreement; and
     (c) the transferee has caused to be paid all reasonable expenses of the Company in connection with the admission of the transferee as a substitute Member.
Upon satisfaction of all the foregoing conditions with respect to a particular transferee, the books and records of the Company shall be adjusted to reflect the admission of the transferee as a substitute Member to the extent of the Transferred Membership Interest held by such transferee.
     9.4 Effect of Admission as a Substitute Member . A transferee who has become a substitute Member has, to the extent of the Transferred Membership Interest, all the rights, powers and benefits of, and is subject to the obligations, restrictions and liabilities of a Member under, the Certificate, this Agreement and the Act. Upon admission of a transferee as a substitute Member, the transferor of the Membership Interest so held by the substitute Member

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shall cease to be a Member of the Company to the extent of such Transferred Membership Interest.
     9.5 Consent . Each Member hereby agrees that upon satisfaction of the terms and conditions of this Article 9 with respect to any proposed Transfer, the transferee may be admitted as a Member without any further action by a Member hereunder.
     9.6 No Dissolution . If a Member Transfers all of its Membership Interest pursuant to this Article 9 and the transferee of such Membership Interest is admitted as a Member pursuant to Section 9.3 , such Person shall be admitted to the Company as a Member effective on the effective date of the Transfer and the Company shall not dissolve pursuant to Section 10.1 .
     9.7 Additional Members . Subject to Section 3.2 , any Person acceptable to the Board may become an additional Member of the Company for such consideration as the Board shall determine, provided that such additional Member complies with all the requirements of a transferee under Section 9.3(b) and (c) .
ARTICLE 10
DISSOLUTION AND TERMINATION
     10.1 Events Causing Dissolution .
     (a) The Company shall be dissolved and its affairs wound up upon the first to occur of the following events:
          (i) The affirmative vote of a Majority in Interest to dissolve;
          (ii) The Transfer of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company and the receipt and distribution of all the proceeds therefrom; or
          (iii) The entry of a decree of judicial dissolution pursuant to Section 18-802 of the Act.
     (b) The withdrawal, death, retirement, resignation, expulsion, bankruptcy or dissolution of any Member or the occurrence of any other event that terminates the continued membership of any Member in the Company shall not, in and of itself, cause the Company’s dissolution.
     10.2 Final Accounting . Upon dissolution and winding up of the Company, an accounting will be made of the accounts of the Company and each Member and of the Company’s assets, liabilities and operations from the date of the last previous accounting to the date of such dissolution.
     10.3 Distributions Following Dissolution and Termination .
     (a)  Liquidating Trustee . Upon the dissolution of the Company, such party as is designated by a Majority in Interest will act as liquidating trustee of the Company (the “ Liquidating Trustee ”) and proceed to wind up the business and affairs of the Company in

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accordance with the terms of this Agreement and applicable law. The Liquidating Trustee will use its reasonable best efforts to sell all Company assets (except cash) in the exercise of its best judgment under the circumstances then presented, that it deems in the best interest of the Members. The Liquidating Trustee will attempt to convert all assets of the Company to cash so long as it can do so consistently with prudent business practice. The Members and their respective designees will have the right to purchase any Company property to be sold on liquidation, provided that the terms on which such sale is made are no less favorable than would otherwise be available from third parties. The gains and losses from the sale of the Company assets, together with all other revenue, income, gain, deduction, expense, loss and credit during the period, will be allocated in accordance with Article 5 . A reasonable amount of time shall be allowed for the period of winding up in light of prevailing market conditions and so as to avoid undue loss in connection with any sale of Company assets. This Agreement shall remain in full force and effect during the period of winding up. In addition, upon request of the Board and if the Liquidating Trustee determines that it would be imprudent to dispose of any non-cash assets of the Company, such assets may be distributed in kind to the Members in lieu of cash, proportionately to their right to receive cash distributions hereunder.
     (b)  Accounting . The Liquidating Trustee will then cause proper accounting to be made of the Capital Account of each Member, including recognition of any unrealized gain or loss on any asset to be distributed in kind as if such asset had been sold for consideration equal to the fair market value of the asset at the time of the distribution.
     (c)  Liquidating Distributions . In settling accounts after dissolution of the Company, the assets of the Company shall be paid to creditors of the Company and distributed to the Members in the following order:
     (i) to creditors of the Company (including Members) in the order of priority as provided by law whether by payment or the making of reasonable provision for payment thereof, and in connection therewith there shall be withheld such reasonable reserves for contingent, conditioned or unconditioned liabilities as the Liquidating Trustee in its reasonable discretion deems adequate, such reserves (or balances thereof) to be held and distributed in such manner and at such times as the Liquidating Trustee, in its discretion, deems reasonably advisable; provided, however , that such amounts be maintained in a separate bank account and that any amounts in such bank account remaining after three years be distributed to the Members or their successors and assigns as if such amount had been available for distribution under Section 10.3(c)(ii) ; and then
     (ii) (A) First, an amount equal to Initial Grant Date Membership Capital, 100% to the Class A Partners pro rata based on the number of Class A Units held; and
  (B)   Second, with respect to each Subsequent Grant Date (determined in order of Subsequent Grant Date), an amount equal to the difference, if any, between the Subsequent Grant Date Membership Capital for such Subsequent Grant Date and the Subsequent Grant Date Membership Capital for the immediately preceding Subsequent Grant Date or, if there is no previous Subsequent Grant Date, the Initial Grant Date Membership Capital, 100% to the Class A

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      Members and the holders of Earned Units and Vested Units that were outstanding as of such Subsequent Grant Date, in accordance with their Liquidation Percentages calculated as of such Subsequent Grant Date; and
 
  (C)   Third, any remaining amounts shall be distributed among the Members in accordance with their respective Liquidation Percentages calculated as of the liquidation date.
     (iii) Any distribution to the Members in liquidation of the Company shall be made by the later of the end of the taxable year in which the liquidation occurs or 90 days after the date of such liquidation. For purposes of the preceding sentence, the term “liquidation” shall have the same meaning as set forth in Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii) as in effect at such time and liquidating distributions shall be further deemed to be made pursuant to this Agreement upon the event of a liquidation as defined in such Regulation for which no actual liquidation occurs with a deemed recontribution by the Members of such deemed liquidating distributions to the continuing Company pursuant to this Agreement.
     (d) Profits and Losses arising from the dissolution and termination of the Company shall be allocated among the Member so that after such allocations and the other allocations under this Agreement, to the maximum extent possible, the final Capital Account balances of the Member are at levels which would permit liquidating distributions, if made in accordance with such final Capital Account balances, to be equal to the distributions to be made under Section 10.3(c)(ii) .
     (e) The provisions of this Agreement, including, without limitation, this Section 10.3 , are intended solely to benefit the Members and, to the fullest extent permitted by law, shall not be construed as conferring any benefit upon any creditor of the Company, and no such creditor of the Company shall be a third-party beneficiary of this Agreement, and no Member or Director shall have any duty or obligation to any creditor of the Company to issue any call for capital pursuant to this Agreement.
     10.4 Termination of the Company . The Company shall terminate when all assets of the Company, after payment or due provision for all debts, liabilities and obligations of the Company, shall have been distributed to the Members in the manner provided for in this Article 10 , and the Certificate of Formation of the Company shall have been canceled in the manner required by the Act.
     10.5 No Action for Dissolution . The Members acknowledge that irreparable damage would be done to the goodwill and reputation of the Company if any Member should bring an action in court to dissolve the Company under circumstances where dissolution is not required by Section 10.1 . Accordingly, except where the Board has failed to cause the liquidation of the Company as required by Section 10.1 and except as specifically provided in Section 18-802, each Member hereby to the fullest extent permitted by law waives and renounces his right to initiate legal action to seek dissolution of the Company or to seek the appointment of a receiver

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or trustee to wind up the affairs of the Company, except in the cases of fraud, violation of law, bad faith, gross negligence, willful misconduct or willful violation of this Agreement.
ARTICLE 11
TAX MATTERS
     11.1 Tax Matters Member . The Class A Member shall be the Tax Matters Member of the Company as provided in the Regulations under Section 6231 of the Code and analogous provisions of state law. The Board shall have the authority to remove or replace the Tax Matters Member of the Company and designate its successor.
     11.2 Certain Authorizations . The Tax Matters Member shall represent the Company, at the Company’s expense, in connection with all examinations of the Company’s affairs by tax authorities including any resulting administrative or judicial proceedings. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, and subject to the restrictions set forth herein, the Tax Matters Member, but only with the consent of a Majority in Interest, is hereby authorized:
     (a) to enter into any settlement agreement with respect to any tax audit or judicial review, in which agreement the Tax Matters Member may expressly state that such agreement shall bind the other Members except that such settlement agreement shall not bind any Member that has not approved such settlement agreement in writing;
     (b) if a notice of a final administrative adjustment at the Company level of any item required to be taken into account by a Member for tax purposes is mailed to the Tax Matters Member, to seek judicial review of such final adjustment, including the filing of a petition for readjustment with the Tax Court, the District Court of the United States for the district in which the Company’s principal place of business is located, or elsewhere as allowed by law, or the United States Claims Court;
     (c) to intervene in any action brought by any other Member for judicial review of a final adjustment;
     (d) to file a request for an administrative adjustment at any time and, if any part of such request is not allowed, to file a petition for judicial review with respect to such request;
     (e) to enter into an agreement with the Internal Revenue Service to extend the period for assessing any tax that is attributable to any item required to be taken into account by a Member for tax purposes, or an item affected by such item; and
     (f) to take any other action on behalf of the Members (with respect to the Company) or the Company in connection with any administrative or judicial tax proceeding to the extent permitted by applicable law or the Regulations.
     Each Member shall have the right to participate in any such actions and proceedings to the extent provided for under the Code and Regulations.
     11.3 Indemnity of Tax Matters Member . To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law and without limiting Article 8, the Company shall indemnify and reimburse the

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Tax Matters Member for all expenses (including reasonable legal and accounting fees) incurred as Tax Matters Member pursuant to this Article 11 in connection with any administrative or judicial proceeding with respect to the tax liability of the Members as long as the Tax Matters Member has determined in good faith that the Tax Matters Member’s course of conduct was in, or not opposed to, the best interest of the Company. The taking of any action and the incurring of any expense by the Tax Matters Member in connection with any such proceeding, except to the extent provided herein or required by law, is a matter in the sole discretion of the Tax Matters Member.
     11.4 Information Furnished . To the extent and in the manner provided by applicable law and Regulations, the Tax Matters Member shall furnish the name, address, profits and loss interest, and taxpayer identification number of each Member to the Internal Revenue Service.
     11.5 Notice of Proceedings, etc . The Tax Matters Member shall use its reasonable best efforts to keep each Member informed of any administrative and judicial proceedings for the adjustment at the Company level of any item required to be taken into account by a Member for income tax purposes or any extension of the period of limitations for making assessments of any tax against a Member with respect to any Company item, or of any agreement with the Internal Revenue Service that would result in any material change either in Profits or Losses as previously reported.
     11.6 Notices to Tax Matters Member . Any Member that receives a notice of an administrative proceeding under Section 6233 of the Code relating to the Company shall promptly provide Notice to the Tax Matters Member of the treatment of any Company item on such Member’s Federal income tax return that is or may be inconsistent with the treatment of that item on the Company’s return. Any Member that enters into a settlement agreement with the Internal Revenue Service or any other government agency or official with respect to any Company item shall provide Notice to the Tax Matters Member of such agreement and its terms within sixty (60) days after the date of such agreement.
     11.7 Preparation of Tax Returns . The Tax Matters Member shall arrange for the preparation and timely filing of all returns of Company income, gains, deductions, losses and other items necessary for Federal, state and local income tax purposes and shall use all reasonable efforts to furnish to the Members within ninety (90) days of the close of the taxable year a Schedule K-1 and such other tax information reasonably required for Federal, state and local income tax reporting purposes. The classification, realization and recognition of income, gain, losses and deductions and other items shall be on the cash or accrual method of accounting for Federal income tax purposes, as the Tax Matters Member shall determine in its sole discretion in accordance with applicable law.
     11.8 Tax Elections . Subject to Section 11.9 , a Majority in Interest shall, in its sole discretion, determine whether to make any available election.
     11.9 Taxation as a Partnership . No election shall be made by the Company or any Member for the Company to be excluded from the application of any of the provisions of Subchapter K, Chapter I of Subtitle A of the Code or from any similar provisions of any state tax laws or to be treated as a corporation for federal tax purposes.

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ARTICLE 12
ACCOUNTING AND BANK ACCOUNTS
     12.1 Fiscal Year and Accounting Method . The fiscal year and taxable year of the Company shall be the calendar year. The Company shall use an accrual method of accounting.
     12.2 Books and Records . The Company shall maintain at its principal office, or such other office as may be determined by the Company, all the following:
     (a) A current list of the full name and last known business or residence address of each Member, and of each member of the Board, together with information regarding the amount of cash and a description and statement of the agreed value of any other property or services contributed by each Member and which each Member has agreed to contribute in the future, and the date on which each Member became a Member of the Company;
     (b) A copy of the Certificate and this Agreement, including any and all amendments to either thereof, together with executed copies of any powers of attorney pursuant to which the Certificate, this Agreement, or any amendments have been executed;
     (c) Copies of the Company’s Federal, state, and local income tax or information returns and reports, if any, which shall be retained for at least six fiscal years;
     (d) The financial statements of the Company; and
     (e) The Company’s books and records.
     12.3 Delivery to Members; Inspection . Upon the request of any Class A Member, for any purpose reasonably related to such Member’s interest as a member of the Company, the Company shall cause to be made available to the requesting Member the information required to be maintained by clauses (a) through (e) of Section 12.2 and such other information regarding the business and affairs and financial condition of the Company as any Class A Member may reasonably request.
ARTICLE 13
MISCELLANEOUS
     13.1 Waiver of Default . No consent or waiver, express or implied, by the Company or a Member with respect to any breach or default by the Company or a Member hereunder shall be deemed or construed to be a consent or waiver with respect to any other breach or default by any party of the same provision or any other provision of this Agreement. Failure on the part of the Company or a Member to complain of any act or failure to act of the Company or a Member or to declare such party in default shall not be deemed or constitute a waiver by the Company or the Member of any rights hereunder.

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     13.2 Amendment .
     (a) This Agreement shall not be altered, modified or changed except by an amendment approved by a Majority in Interest. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, this Agreement may be amended without the consent or approval of any Class B Member.
     (b) In addition to any amendments otherwise authorized herein, the Company may make any amendments to any of the Schedules to this Agreement from time to time to reflect transfers of Membership Interests and issuances of additional Membership Interests. Copies of such amendments shall be delivered to the Members promptly upon execution thereof.
     (c) The Company shall cause to be prepared and filed any amendment to the Certificate that may be required to be filed under the Act as a consequence of any amendment to this Agreement.
     (d) Any modification or amendment to this Agreement or the Certificate made in accordance with this Section 13.2 shall be binding on all Members.
     13.3 No Third Party Rights . Except as provided in Article 8 , none of the provisions contained in this Agreement shall be for the benefit of or enforceable by any third parties, including creditors of the Company.
     13.4 Severability . In the event any provision of this Agreement is held to be illegal, invalid or unenforceable to any extent, the legality, validity and enforceability of the remainder of this Agreement shall not be affected thereby and shall remain in full force and effect and shall be enforced to the greatest extent permitted by law.
     13.5 Nature of Interest in the Company . A Member’s Membership Interest shall be personal property for all purposes.
     13.6 Binding Agreement . Subject to the restrictions on the disposition of Membership Interests herein contained, the provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon, and inure to the benefit of, the parties hereto and their respective heirs, personal representatives, successors and permitted assigns.
     13.7 Headings . The headings of the sections of this Agreement are for convenience only and shall not be considered in construing or interpreting any of the terms or provisions hereof.
     13.8 Word Meanings . The words “herein,” “hereinafter,” “hereof,” and “hereunder” refer to this Agreement as a whole and not merely to a subdivision in which such words appear unless the context otherwise requires. The singular shall include the plural, and vice versa, unless the context otherwise requires. Whenever the words “include,” “includes” or “including” are used in this Agreement, they shall be deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation.” When verbs are used as nouns, the nouns correspond to such verbs and vice-versa.

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     13.9 Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in several counterparts, all of which together shall constitute one agreement binding on all parties hereto, notwithstanding that all the parties have not signed the same counterpart.
     13.10 Entire Agreement . This Agreement contains the entire agreement between the parties hereto and thereto and supersedes all prior writings or agreements with respect to the subject matter hereof.
     13.11 Governing Law; Consent to Jurisdiction and Venue . This Agreement shall be construed according to and governed by the laws of the State of Delaware without regard to principles of conflict of laws. The parties hereby submit to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of the state courts of Harris County, Texas or to the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware and the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas and of the United States District Court for the District of Delaware, as the case may be, and agree that the Company or Members may, at their option, enforce their rights hereunder in such courts.
Approved and Authorized by the
Class A Member
May 5, 2010

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Exhibit 10.1
Execution Version
 
 
OMNIBUS AGREEMENT
among
PLAINS ALL AMERICAN GP LLC
PLAINS ALL AMERICAN PIPELINE, L.P.
PNGS GP LLC
and
PAA NATURAL GAS STORAGE, L.P.
 
 

 


 

OMNIBUS AGREEMENT
     THIS OMNIBUS AGREEMENT (“ Agreement ”) is entered into on, and effective as of, the Closing Date (as defined herein), and is by and among Plains All American GP LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ PAA GP ”), Plains All American Pipeline, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (“ PAA ”), PNGS GP LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “ General Partner ”) and PAA Natural Gas Storage, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the “ Partnership ”). The above-named entities are sometimes referred to in this Agreement each as a “ Party ” and collectively as the “ Parties .”
R E C I T A L S:
     1. The Parties desire by their execution of this Agreement to evidence their agreement, as more fully set forth in Article II, with respect to certain indemnification obligations of the Parties.
     2. The Parties desire by their execution of this Agreement to evidence their agreement, as more fully set forth in Article III, with respect to the amount to be paid by the Partnership for certain general and administrative services to be performed by PAA GP and its Affiliates as well as direct expenses, including operating expenses, incurred by PAA GP and its Affiliates for and on behalf of the Partnership Group (as defined herein) and other services to be provided among the Parties.
     3. The Parties desire by their execution of this Agreement to evidence their agreement, as more fully set forth in Article IV, with respect to the granting of a license from PAA to the Partnership Group and the General Partner.
     In consideration of the premises and the covenants, conditions, and agreements contained herein, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Parties hereby agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
Definitions
      1.1 Definitions
     As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the respective meanings set forth below:
      “Affiliate” has the meaning given such term in the Partnership Agreement.
     “ Agreement ” means this Omnibus Agreement, as it may be amended, modified or supplemented from time to time in accordance with the terms hereof.
      “Cause” has the meaning given such term in the Partnership Agreement.

 


 

     “ Change of Control ” means, for purposes of Section 5.4 with respect to the General Partner or the Partnership, the point in time when neither PAA nor PAA GP remains directly or indirectly in control of the General Partner or the Partnership. For purposes of this definition, the term “control” means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of the General Partner or the Partnership, whether through the ownership of Voting Securities, by contract or otherwise.
      “Closing Date” means the date of the closing of the Partnership’s initial public offering of Common Units.
      “Common Units” has the meaning given such term in the Partnership Agreement.
      “Conflicts Committee” has the meaning given such term in the Partnership Agreement.
      “Covered Environmental Losses” means all environmental and toxic tort losses, damages, liabilities, injuries, claims, demands, causes of action, judgments, settlements, fines, penalties, costs and expenses (including, without limitation, costs and expenses of any Environmental Activity, court costs and reasonable attorney’s and experts’ fees) of any and every kind or character, by reason of or arising out of:
     (i) any violation or correction of violation of Environmental Laws, including without limitation performance of any Environmental Activity; or
     (ii) any event, omission or condition associated with ownership or operation of the Partnership Assets (including, without limitation, the exposure to or presence of Hazardous Substances on, under, about or migrating to or from the Partnership Assets or the exposure to or Release of Hazardous Substances arising out of operation of the Partnership Assets) including, without limitation, (A) the cost and expense of any Environmental Activities, (B) the cost or expense of the preparation and implementation of any closure, remedial or corrective action or other plans required or necessary under Environmental Laws and (C) the cost and expense for any environmental or toxic tort pre-trial, trial or appellate legal or litigation support work.
     “ Environmental Activity ” shall mean any investigation, study, assessment, evaluation, sampling, testing, monitoring, containment, removal, disposal, closure, corrective action, remediation (regardless of whether active or passive), natural attenuation, restoration, bioremediation, response, repair, corrective measure, cleanup or abatement that is required or necessary under any applicable Environmental Law, including, but not limited to, institutional or engineering controls or participation in a governmental voluntary cleanup program to conduct voluntary investigatory and remedial actions for the clean-up, removal or remediation of Hazardous Substances that exceed actionable levels established pursuant to Environmental Laws, or participation in a supplemental environmental project in partial or whole mitigation of a fine or penalty.
     “ Environmental Laws ” means all federal, state, and local laws, statutes, rules, regulations, orders, judgments, ordinances, codes, injunctions, decrees, Environmental

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Permits and other legally enforceable requirements and rules of common law relating to (a) pollution or protection of the environment or natural resources including, without limitation, the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, the Toxic Substances Control Act, the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act, the Marine Mammal Protection Act, the Endangered Species Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, the Occupational Safety and Health Act and other environmental conservation and protection laws, each as amended through the Closing Date, (b) any Release or threatened Release of, or any exposure of any Person or property to, any Hazardous Substances and (c) the generation, manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, transport or handling of any Hazardous Substances.
     “ Environmental Permit ” means any permit, approval, identification number, license, registration, consent, exemption, variance or other authorization required under or issued pursuant to any applicable Environmental Law.
     “ Exchange Act ” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
      “General Partner” has the meaning given such term in the introduction to this Agreement.
     “ Hazardous Substance ” means (a) any substance that is designated, defined or classified as a hazardous waste, solid waste, hazardous material, pollutant, contaminant or toxic or hazardous substance, or terms of similar meaning, or that is otherwise regulated under any Environmental Law, including, without limitation, any hazardous substance as defined under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, as amended, (b) oil as defined in the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, as amended, including oil, gasoline, natural gas, fuel oil, motor oil, waste oil, diesel fuel, jet fuel and other refined petroleum hydrocarbons and petroleum products and (c) radioactive materials, asbestos containing materials or polychlorinated biphenyls.
      “Indemnified Party” means each Partnership Group Member or PAA GP, as the case may be, in their capacities as parties entitled to indemnification in accordance with Article II.
      “Indemnifying Party” means each of the Partnership or PAA, as the case may be, in their capacity as the parties from whom indemnification may be required in accordance with Article II.
      “Losses” means all losses, damages, liabilities, claims, demands, causes of action, judgments, settlements, fines, penalties, costs and expenses (including, without limitation, court costs and reasonable attorney’s and experts’ fees) of any and every kind or character.
     “ PAA” has the meaning given such term in the introduction to this Agreement.

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      “PAA GP” has the meaning given such term in the introduction to this Agreement.
      “Partnership” has the meaning given such term in the introduction to this Agreement.
      “Partnership Agreement” means the First Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of PAA Natural Gas Storage, L.P., dated as of the Closing Date, as such agreement is in effect on the Closing Date, to which reference is hereby made for all purposes of this Agreement.
      “Partnership Assets ” means the natural gas storage assets and associated infrastructure (including the assets and equity interests to be contributed to the Partnership in connection with its initial public offering and as more completely described in the Registration Statement) conveyed, contributed or otherwise transferred, directly or through the transfer of equity interests, or intended to be conveyed, contributed or otherwise transferred to any Partnership Group Member in connection with the Partnership’s initial public offering.
      “Partnership Entities” means the General Partner and each Partnership Group Member.
      “Partnership Group” means the Partnership and its Subsidiaries.
      “Partnership Group Member” means any member of the Partnership Group.
      “Partnership Indemnitee” means any Person who is an Indemnitee as defined in the Partnership Agreement; provided, however, that for purposes of this definition, the term “Indemnitee” shall exclude PAA GP and any Affiliate of PAA GP which is not a Partnership Group Member.
      “Party” and “Parties” are defined in the introduction to this Agreement.
      “Person” means an individual or a corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, business trust, employee benefit plan, unincorporated organization, association, government agency or political subdivision thereof or other entity.
     “ Registration Statement ” means the Registration Statement on Form S-1, as amended, (Registration No. 333-164492) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission with respect to the proposed initial public offering of Common Units by the Partnership.
     “ Release ” means any depositing, spilling, leaking, pumping, pouring, placing, emitting, discarding, abandoning, emptying, discharging, migrating, injecting, escaping, leaching, dumping or disposing into the environment.
      “Subsidiary ” has the meaning given such term in the Partnership Agreement.

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      “Units” has the meaning given such term in the Partnership Agreement.
     “ Voting Securities ” means securities of any class of a Person entitling the holders thereof to vote in the election of, or to appoint, members of the board of directors or other similar governing body of the Person.
ARTICLE II
Indemnification
      2.1 Environmental Indemnification.
          (a) Subject to the provisions of Section 2.3 and provided that the Indemnified Party notifies the Indemnifying Party of such claim prior to the third anniversary of the Closing Date, PAA shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Partnership Group and the Partnership Indemnitees from and against any Covered Environmental Losses suffered or incurred by the Partnership Group or any Partnership Indemnitee relating to the Partnership Assets, but only to the extent the violations, corrections, events or conditions giving rise to such Covered Environmental Losses occurred or existed on or before the Closing Date, even if such liability does not accrue until after the Closing Date.
          (b) Subject to the provisions of Section 2.3, the Partnership Group shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless PAA GP and its Affiliates, other than any Partnership Group Member, from and against any Covered Environmental Losses suffered or incurred by PAA GP and its Affiliates, other than any Partnership Group Member, relating to the Partnership Assets, but only to the extent the violations, corrections, events or conditions giving rise to such Covered Environmental Losses occurred after the Closing Date.
          (c) The aggregate liability of PAA under Section 2.1(a) shall not exceed $15 million.
          (d) No claims may be made against PAA for indemnification pursuant to Section 2.1(a) unless and until, and PAA shall only be liable to provide indemnification pursuant to this Section 2.1(a) to the extent that, the aggregate dollar amount of the Losses suffered or incurred by the Partnership Group or Partnership Indemnitees exceed $250,000, subject to the limitations of Section 2.1(c).
          (e) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, in no event shall PAA have any indemnification obligations under this Agreement for claims made as a result of additions to or modifications of Environmental Laws promulgated after the Closing Date.
      2.2 Additional Indemnification.
          (a) Subject to the provisions of Section 2.3, PAA shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Partnership Group and the Partnership Indemnitees from and against any Losses suffered or incurred by the Partnership Group or any Partnership Indemnitee resulting from of or arising out of:

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          (i) the failure of the Partnership Group to be the owner of (A) valid and indefeasible easement rights, leasehold and/or fee ownership interests in and to the lands on which are located any Partnership Assets and (B) valid title to 100% of the equity interest of PAA Natural Gas Storage, LLC, Bluewater Natural Gas Holding, LLC, Bluewater Gas Storage, LLC, BGS Kimball Gas Storage LLC, Pine Prairie Holding LLC, Pine Prairie Energy Center, LLC and PPEC Bondholder, LLC, in each case to the extent that such failure renders the Partnership Group liable or unable to use or operate the Partnership Assets in substantially the same manner that the Partnership Assets were used and operated by PAA and its Affiliates immediately prior to the Closing Date as described in the Registration Statement;
          (ii) the failure of the Partnership Group to have on the Closing Date any consent or governmental permit necessary to allow (A) the transfer of any of the Partnership Assets, including the 100% interest in PAA Natural Gas Storage, LLC, Bluewater Natural Gas Holding, LLC, Bluewater Gas Storage, LLC, BGS Kimball Gas Storage LLC, Pine Prairie Holding LLC, Pine Prairie Energy Center, LLC and PPEC Bondholder, LLC, to the Partnership Group on the Closing Date or (B) any such Partnership Assets to cross the roads, waterways, railroads and other areas upon which any such Partnership Assets are located as of the Closing Date, in each case to the extent any such failure renders the Partnership Group unable to use or operate the Partnership Assets in substantially the same manner that the Partnership Assets were owned and operated by PAA and its Affiliates immediately prior to the Closing Date as described in the Registration Statement;
          (iii) all federal, state and local income tax liabilities attributable to the ownership or operation of the Partnership Assets prior to the Closing Date, including (A) any such income tax liabilities of the Partnership Group that may result from the consummation of the formation transactions for the Partnership Group occurring on or prior to the Closing Date and (B) any income tax liabilities arising under Treasury Regulation Section 1.1502-6 and any similar provision from applicable state, local or foreign law, by contract, as successor, transferree or otherwise and which income tax is attributable to having been a member of any consolidated combined or unitary group prior to the Closing Date; and
          (iv) the assets or operations of PAA GP and its Affiliates (other than the Partnership Assets and the operations of any Partnership Group Member).
provided , however , that, in the case of clauses (i), (ii) and (iv) above, the Indemnified Party must notify the Indemnifying Party of such claim prior to the third anniversary of the Closing Date, and that in the case of clause (iii) above, the Indemnified Party must notify the Indemnifying Party of such claim prior to the sixtieth day following the expiration of any applicable statute of limitations;
          (b) Subject to the provisions of Section 2.3, in addition to and not in limitation of the indemnification provided under this Article II, the Partnership Group shall indemnify, defend, and hold harmless PAA and its Affiliates, other than any Partnership Group Member, from and against any Losses suffered or incurred by PAA and its Affiliates, other than any

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Partnership Group Member, by reason of or arising out of events and conditions associated with the operation of the Partnership Assets that occurs on or after the Closing Date (other than Covered Environmental Losses, which are covered by Section 2.1) except to the extent that the Partnership Group is indemnified with respect to any such Losses under Section 2.2(a).
          (c) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, in no event will PAA be obligated to indemnify the Partnership Group for any claims, losses or expenses or income taxes referred to in Section 2.1(a) and Sections 2.2 (a)(i)-(iv), if, and to the extent that such claims, losses, or expenses, or income taxes were either (i) reserved for in the Partnership’s financial statements as of the Closing Date, or (ii) are recovered under available insurance coverage, from contractual rights or other recoveries against any third party.
      2.3 Indemnification Procedures.
          (a) The Indemnified Party agrees that within a reasonable period of time after it becomes aware of facts giving rise to a claim for indemnification pursuant to this Article II, it will provide notice thereof in writing to the Indemnifying Party specifying the nature of and specific basis for such claim; provided , however , that the Indemnified Party shall not submit claims more frequently than once a calendar quarter (or twice in the case of the last calendar quarter prior to the expiration of the applicable indemnity coverage under this Agreement). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Indemnified Party’s failure to provide notice under this Section 2.3 will not relieve the Indemnifying Party from liability hereunder with respect to such matter except in the event and only to the extent that the Indemnifying Party is materially prejudiced by such failure or delay or the Indemnifying Party does not receive notice of the claim prior to the applicable deadline for making such claim.
          (b) The Indemnifying Party shall have the right to control all aspects of the defense of (and any counterclaims with respect to) any claims brought against the Indemnified Party that are covered by the indemnification set forth in this Article II, including, without limitation, the selection of counsel (provided that if such claim involves Covered Environmental Losses, such counsel shall be reasonably acceptable to the Indemnified Party), determination of whether to appeal any decision of any court or similar authority, performance of any Environmental Activity associated with any Covered Environmental Losses and the settling of any matter or any issues relating thereto; provided , however , that no such settlement shall be entered into without the consent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed) of the Indemnified Party unless it includes a full release of the Indemnified Party from such matter or issues, as the case may be.
          (c) The Indemnified Party agrees to cooperate fully with the Indemnifying Party with respect to all aspects of the defense of any claims covered by the indemnification set forth in this Article II, including, without limitation, the prompt furnishing to the Indemnifying Party of any correspondence or other notice relating thereto that the Indemnified Party may receive, permitting the names of the Indemnified Party to be utilized in connection with such defense, the making available to the Indemnifying Party of any files, records or other information of the Indemnified Party that the Indemnifying Party considers relevant to such defense and the making available to the Indemnifying Party of any employees of the Indemnified Party; provided , however , that in connection therewith the Indemnifying Party agrees to use reasonable

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efforts to minimize the impact thereof on the operations of the Indemnified Party and further agrees to maintain the confidentiality of all files, records and other information furnished by the Indemnified Party pursuant to this Section 2.3. In no event shall the obligation of the Indemnified Party to cooperate with the Indemnifying Party as set forth in the immediately preceding sentence be construed as imposing upon the Indemnified Party an obligation to hire and pay for counsel in connection with the defense of any claims covered by the indemnification set forth in this Article II; provided , however , that the Indemnified Party may, at its own option, cost and expense, hire and pay for counsel in connection with any such defense. The Indemnifying Party agrees to keep any such counsel hired by the Indemnified Party reasonably informed as to the status of any such defense, but the Indemnifying Party shall have the right to retain sole control over such defense.
          (d) In determining the amount of any loss, cost, damage or expense for which the Indemnified Party is entitled to indemnification under this Agreement, the gross amount of the indemnification will be reduced by (i) any insurance proceeds realized by the Indemnified Party, and such correlative insurance benefit shall be net of any incremental insurance premium that becomes due and payable by the Indemnified Party as a result of such claim, (ii) all amounts recovered by the Indemnified Party under contractual indemnities from third Persons and (iii) any correlative tax benefit.
          (e) NOTWITHSTANDING ANYTHING HEREIN TO THE CONTRARY, IN NO EVENT SHALL ANY PARTY’S INDEMNIFICATION OBLIGATION HEREUNDER COVER OR INCLUDE CONSEQUENTIAL, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE, EXEMPLARY, SPECIAL OR SIMILAR DAMAGES OR LOST PROFITS SUFFERED BY ANY OTHER PARTY ENTITLED TO INDEMNIFICATION UNDER THIS AGREEMENT.
ARTICLE III
Provision of Services; Reimbursement
      3.1 Agreement to Provide Services. Until such time as this Agreement is terminated as provided in Section 5.4, PAA GP hereby agrees to provide the Partnership Group with such general and administrative services and management and operating services as may be necessary to manage and operate the business and affairs of the Partnership, including, without limitation, accounting, audit, business development, financial services, real property/land, legal, operations/engineering, geology/geophysics, investor relations, risk management, commercial/marketing, information technology, insurance, government relations/compliance, tax, payroll, human resources and environmental, health and safety (collectively, “Services”). The Services shall be consistent in nature and quality to the services of such type previously provided by PAA GP in connection with its management and operation of the Partnership Assets prior to their acquisition by the Partnership.
      3.2 Reimbursement. Subject to and in accordance with the terms and provisions of this Article III and such reasonable allocation and other procedures as may be agreed upon by PAA GP and the General Partner from time to time, the Partnership Group hereby agrees to reimburse PAA GP for all reasonable direct and indirect costs and expenses incurred by PAA GP or its Affiliates in connection with the provision of the Services to the Partnership Group, including, without limitation, the following:

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          (a) any expenses incurred or payments made by PAA GP for insurance coverage with respect to the Partnership Assets or the business of the Partnership Group;
          (b) any costs incurred in connection with the provision of information technology services;
          (c) salaries and related benefits and expenses of personnel employed by PAA GP or its Affiliates (other than the Partnership Group) who render Services to the Partnership Group, plus general and administrative expenses associated with such personnel; it being agreed, however, that for purposes of allocating costs associated with executive or senior level management of PAA, such allocation shall not include any costs attributable to incentive compensation arrangements that are unrelated to the operations of the General Partner or the Partnership;
          (d) any capital expenditures, maintenance and repair costs, taxes or other direct expenses paid by PAA GP or its Affiliates for the benefit of the Partnership Group; and
          (e) all expenses and expenditures incurred by PAA GP or its Affiliates as a result of the Partnership becoming and continuing as a publicly traded entity, including, but not limited to, costs associated with annual and quarterly reports, tax return and Schedule K-1 preparation and distribution, independent auditor fees, partnership governance and compliance, registrar and transfer agent fees, legal fees and independent director compensation.
it being agreed, however , that to the extent any reimbursable costs or expenses incurred by PAA GP or its Affiliates consist of an allocated portion of costs and expenses incurred by PAA GP or its Affiliates for the benefit of both the Partnership Group and the other Affiliates of PAA, such allocation shall be made on a reasonable cost reimbursement basis as determined by PAA GP.
      3.3 Services Provided by Partnership Group . To the extent necessary in connection with any gas storage or other assets that are owned or operated by PAA and its Affiliates (other than the Partnership Group) following the Closing Date, upon request from PAA, the General Partner shall provide such requested management and operating services to PAA on a reasonable cost reimbursement basis, including any applicable taxes.
      3.4 Provision by PAA of Limited Guaranty/Trade Credit Support . PAA may from time to time, but shall not be obligated to, provide the Partnership Group with guaranty or trade credit support as requested by the General Partner to support the ongoing operations of the Partnership Group; it being understood and agreed that (a) any such guaranties or credit support provided by PAA shall be limited to ordinary course obligations of the Partnership Group and shall not extend to indebtedness for borrowed money or other obligations that could be characterized as debt, (b) PAA shall be under no obligation to provide any such guaranty or credit support and may refuse to do so for any reason and (c) upon the receipt by PAA of a request for guaranty or credit support from the General Partner, PAA GP and the General Partner shall promptly meet to discuss such request and, if applicable, negotiate and agree upon the terms under which such guaranty or credit support will be provided by PAA.

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ARTICLE IV
License of Name and Mark
      4.1 Grant of License. Upon the terms and conditions set forth in this Article IV, PAA hereby grants and conveys to each of the entities currently or hereafter comprising a part of the Partnership Group a nontransferable, nonexclusive, royalty free right and license (“License”) to use the name “PAA” (the “Name”) and any associated or related marks (the “Mark”).
      4.2 Ownership and Quality. The Partnership agrees that ownership of the Name and the Mark and the goodwill relating thereto shall remain vested in PAA both during the term of this License and thereafter, and the Partnership further agrees, and agrees to cause the other members of the Partnership Group, never to challenge, contest or question the validity of PAA’s ownership of the Name and Mark or any registration thereto by PAA. In connection with the use of the Name and the Mark, the Partnership and any other member of the Partnership Group shall not in any manner represent that they have any ownership in the Name and the Mark or registration thereof except as set forth herein, and the Partnership, on behalf of itself and the other members of the Partnership Group, acknowledge that the use of the Name and the Mark shall not create any right, title or interest in or to the Name and the Mark, and all use of the Name and the Mark by the Partnership or any other member of the Partnership Group, shall inure to the benefit of PAA. The Partnership agrees, and agrees to cause the other members of the Partnership Group, to use the Name and Marks in accordance with such quality standards established by PAA and communicated to the Partnership from time to time, it being understood that the products and services offered by the members of the Partnership Group immediately before the Closing Date are of a quality that is acceptable to PAA and justifies the License.
      4.3 Termination. The License shall terminate upon a termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 5.4.
ARTICLE V
Miscellaneous
      5.1 Choice of Law; Submission to Jurisdiction. This Agreement shall be subject to and governed by the laws of the State of Texas, excluding any conflicts-of-law rule or principle that might refer the construction or interpretation of this Agreement to the laws of another state. Each Party hereby submits to the jurisdiction of the state and federal courts in the State of Texas and to venue in Houston, Texas.
      5.2 Notice. All notices or requests or consents provided for by, or permitted to be given pursuant to, this Agreement must be in writing and must be given by depositing same in the United States mail, addressed to the Person to be notified, postpaid, and registered or certified with return receipt requested or by delivering such notice in person or by telecopier or telegram to such Party. Notice given by personal delivery or mail shall be effective upon actual receipt. Notice given by telegram or telecopier shall be effective upon actual receipt if received during the recipient’s normal business hours or at the beginning of the recipient’s next business day after receipt if not received during the recipient’s normal business hours. All notices to be sent to a Party pursuant to this Agreement shall be sent to or made at the address set forth below or at such other address as such Party may stipulate to the other Parties in the manner provided in this Section 5.2.
For notice to PAA GP:

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Plains All American GP LLC
333 Clay Street, Suite 1600
Houston, Texas 77002
Attention: General Counsel
Fax: (713) 646-4313
For notice to the Partnership Entities:
PAA Natural Gas Storage, L.P.
333 Clay Street, Suite 1500
Houston, Texas 77002
Attention: Vice President — Legal
Fax: (713) 652-3700
      5.3 Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement of the Parties relating to the matters contained herein, superseding all prior contracts or agreements, whether oral or written, relating to the matters contained herein. In the event of a conflict between the provisions of this Agreement and the provisions of the Partnership Agreement, the provisions of the Partnership Agreement shall control.
      5.4 Termination. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, if (i) the General Partner is removed as general partner of the Partnership under circumstances where Cause does not exist and the Common Units held by the General Partner and its Affiliates are not voted in favor of such removal or (ii) a Change of Control occurs, then this Agreement, other than the provisions set forth in Article II hereof, may immediately thereupon be terminated by PAA.
      5.5 Effect of Waiver or Consent. No waiver or consent, express or implied, by any Party to or of any breach or default by any Person in the performance by such Person of its obligations hereunder shall be deemed or construed to be a consent or waiver to or of any other breach or default in the performance by such Person of the same or any other obligations of such Person hereunder. Failure on the part of a Party to complain of any act of any Person or to declare any Person in default, irrespective of how long such failure continues, shall not constitute a waiver by such Party of its rights hereunder until the applicable statute of limitations period has run.
      5.6 Amendment or Modification. This Agreement may be amended or modified from time to time only by the written agreement of all the Parties; provided, however, that the Partnership may not, without the prior approval of the Conflicts Committee, agree to any amendment or modification of this Agreement that, in the reasonable discretion of the General Partner, would be adverse in any material respect to the holders of Common Units. Each such instrument shall be reduced to writing and shall be designated on its face an “Amendment” or an “Addendum” to this Agreement.
      5.7 Assignment; Third-Party Beneficiaries. No Party shall have the right to assign any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement without the consent of the other Parties

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hereto. Each of the Parties hereto specifically intends that PAA GP and each entity comprising the Partnership Entities, as applicable, whether or not a Party to this Agreement, shall be entitled to assert rights and remedies hereunder as third-party beneficiaries hereto with respect to those provisions of this Agreement affording a right, benefit or privilege to any such entity. This Agreement does not create any rights or benefits for any entity or individual.
      5.8 Successors. This Agreement shall bind and inure to the benefit of the Parties and to their respective successors and assigns.
      5.9 Continuation of Work During Dispute. Notwithstanding any dispute, it shall be the responsibility of each Party to continue to perform its obligations under this Agreement pending resolution of the dispute.
      5.10 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, including facsimile counterparts, with the same effect as if all signatory Parties had signed the same document. All counterparts shall be construed together and shall constitute one and the same instrument.
      5.11 Severability. If any provision of this Agreement or the application thereof to any Person or circumstance shall be held invalid or unenforceable by a court or regulatory body of competent jurisdiction, the remainder of this Agreement and the application of such provision to other Persons or circumstances shall not be affected thereby and shall be enforced to the greatest extent permitted by law.
      5.12 Gender, Parts, Articles and Sections. Whenever the context requires, the gender of all words used in this Agreement shall include the masculine, feminine and neuter, and the number of all words shall include the singular and plural. All references to Article numbers and Section numbers refer to Articles and Sections of this Agreement.
      5.13 Further Assurances. In connection with this Agreement and all transactions contemplated by this Agreement, each Party agrees to execute and deliver such additional documents and instruments and to perform such additional acts as may be necessary or appropriate to effectuate, carry out and perform all of the terms, provisions and conditions of this Agreement and all such transactions.
      5.14 Withholding or Granting of Consent. Unless otherwise provided herein, each Party may, with respect to any consent or approval that it is entitled to grant pursuant to this Agreement, grant or withhold such consent or approval in its sole and uncontrolled discretion, with or without cause, and subject to such conditions as it shall deem appropriate.
      5.15 Laws and Regulations. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, no Party shall take any act, or fail to take any act, under this Agreement which would violate any applicable law, statute, rule or regulation.
      5.16 Negation of Rights of Limited Partners, Assignees and Third Parties. Except as set forth in Section 5.7, the provisions of this Agreement are enforceable solely by the Parties, and no stockholder, limited partner, member or assignee of PAA GP, the Partnership or other Person shall have the right, separate and apart from PAA GP or the Partnership, to enforce any provision of this Agreement or to compel any Party to comply with the terms of this Agreement.

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      5.17 No Recourse Against Officers or Directors. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of this Agreement shall not give rise to any right of recourse against any officer or director of PAA GP, PAA, the General Partner, the Partnership or any entity comprising a part of the Partnership Group.
      5.18 Legal Compliance.
     The Parties acknowledge and agree that this Agreement, and all services provided under this Agreement, are intended to comply with any and all laws and legal obligations and that this Agreement should be construed and interpreted with this purpose in mind. In this regard, the Parties specifically agree as follows:
          (a) The Parties will comply with all equal employment opportunity requirements and other applicable employment laws. Where a joint or combined action is required by the law in order to comply with an employment obligation, the parties will cooperate fully and in good faith to comply with the applicable obligation.
          (b) The Parties agree that they will adhere to the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, as amended, any comparable state law and any law regulating the payment of wages or compensation.

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     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have executed this Agreement on, and effective as of, the Closing Date.
         
  PLAINS ALL AMERICAN GP LLC
 
 
  By:   /s/ Tim Moore    
    Name:   Tim Moore   
    Title:   Vice President   
 
     
 
  PLAINS ALL AMERICAN PIPELINE, L.P.
 
   
 
  By:  PAA GP LLC, its general partner
 
   
 
  By:   Plains AAP, L.P., its sole member
 
   
 
  By:   Plains All American GP LLC, its general partner
         
     
  By:   /s/ Tim Moore    
    Name:   Tim Moore   
    Title:   Vice President   
 
         
  PNGS GP LLC
 
 
  By:   /s/ Al Swanson    
    Name:   Al Swanson   
    Title:   Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer   
 
     
 
  PAA NATURAL GAS STORAGE, L.P.
 
   
 
  By:  PNGS GP LLC, its general partner
         
     
  By:   /s/ Al Swanson    
    Name:   Al Swanson   
    Title:   Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer   
 
[ Signature Page to the Omnibus Agreement]

 

Exhibit 10.2
PAA NATURAL GAS STORAGE, L.P.
2010 LONG TERM INCENTIVE PLAN
     SECTION 1. Purpose of the Plan.
     The PAA Natural Gas Storage, L.P. 2010 Long Term Incentive Plan (the “ Plan ”) has been adopted by PNGS GP LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “ Company ”), the general partner of PAA Natural Gas Storage, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the “ Partnership ”), and is intended to promote the interests of the Partnership and the Company by providing to employees, consultants and directors of the Company and its Affiliates incentive compensation awards for superior performance that are based on Common Units. The Plan is also contemplated to enhance the ability of the Company, the Partnership and their Affiliates to attract and retain the services of individuals who are essential for the growth and profitability of the Company, the Partnership and their Affiliates and to encourage them to devote their best efforts to advancing the business of the Company, the Partnership and their Affiliates.
     SECTION 2. Definitions.
     As used in the Plan, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:
     “ Affiliate ” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person that directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries controls, is controlled by or is under common control with, the Person in question. As used herein, the term “control” means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.
     “ Award ” means an Option, Restricted Unit, Phantom Unit, Unit Appreciation Right, or Unit Award granted under the Plan, and may include any tandem DERs granted with respect to a specific Option, Unit Appreciation Right or Phantom Unit.
     “ Award Agreement ” means the written or electronic agreement by which an Award shall be evidenced, and which may describe any terms, conditions, criteria, restrictions or other elements of such Award as determined by the Committee in its discretion.
          “ Board ” means the Board of Directors of the Company.
          “ Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
          “ Committee ” means the entity appointed to administer the Plan, which may be the Board, the Compensation Committee of the Board, or such other committee as may be appointed by the Board.
          “ Common Unit ” means a Common Unit (as defined in the Partnership Agreement).
          “ Consultant ” means an individual who renders consulting services to the Company, the Partnership or an Affiliate of either.
     “ DER ” means a contingent right, granted in tandem with a specific Option, Unit Appreciation Right or Phantom Unit, to receive with respect to each Common Unit covered by the Award, an amount in cash, Common Units and/or Phantom Units, as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion, equal in value to the distributions made by the Partnership with respect to a Common Unit during the period such Award is outstanding.
          “ Director ” means a member of the Board who is not an Employee or a Consultant (other than in that individual’s capacity as a Director).
          “ Employee ” means any employee of the Company or an Affiliate of the Company.

 


 

     “ Exchange Act ” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
     “ Fair Market Value ” means the closing sales price of a Common Unit on the date preceding the applicable date (or if there is no trading in the Common Units on such date, on the next preceding date on which there was trading) or (other than with respect to establishing the exercise price of an Option or Unit Appreciation Right) as defined in an Award Agreement. In the event Common Units are not publicly traded at the time a determination of fair market value is required to be made hereunder, the determination of fair market value shall be made in good faith by the Committee.
     “ Option ” means an option to purchase Common Units granted under the Plan.
     “ Participant ” means any Employee, Consultant or Director granted an Award under the Plan.
     “ Partnership Agreement ” means the Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of PAA Natural Gas Storage, L.P., as it may be amended or amended and restated from time to time.
     “ Person ” means an individual or a corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, unincorporated organization, association, government agency or political subdivision thereof or other entity.
     “ Phantom Unit ” means a phantom (notional) Common Unit granted under the Plan that entitles the Participant to receive, at the time of settlement, a Common Unit or an amount of cash equal to the Fair Market Value of a Common Unit, as determined by the Committee in its discretion.
     “ Restricted Period ” means the period established by the Committee with respect to an Award during which the Award or Common Unit may remain subject to restrictions established by the Committee, including without limitation a period during which such Award or Common Unit is subject to forfeiture or restrictions on transfer, or is not yet exercisable by or payable to the Participant, as the case may be. As the context requires the word “vest” and its derivatives refers to the lapse of some or all, as the case may be, of the restrictions imposed during such Restricted Period.
     “ Restricted Unit ” means a Common Unit delivered under the Plan that is subject to a Restricted Period.
     “ Rule 16b-3 ” means Rule 16b-3 promulgated by the SEC under the Exchange Act, or any successor rule or regulation thereto as in effect from time to time.
     “ SEC ” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, or any successor thereto.
     “ UDR ” means a distribution made by the Partnership with respect to a Restricted Unit.
     “ Unit Appreciation Right ” means an Award that, upon exercise, entitles the holder to receive the excess of the Fair Market Value of a Common Unit on the exercise date over the exercise price established for such Unit Appreciation Right. Such excess may be paid in cash and/or in Common Units as determined by the Committee in its discretion.
     “ Unit Award ” means a grant of a Common Unit that is not subject to a Restricted Period.
     SECTION 3. Administration.
     The Plan shall be administered by the Committee. A majority of the Committee shall constitute a quorum, and the acts of the members of the Committee who are present at any meeting thereof at which a quorum is present, or acts unanimously approved by the members of the Committee in writing, shall be the acts of the Committee. Subject to the following and applicable law, the Committee, in its sole discretion, may delegate any or all of its powers and duties under the Plan, including the power to grant Awards under the Plan, to the Chief Executive Officer of the Company, subject to such limitations on such delegated powers and duties as the Committee may impose, if any. Upon any such delegation all references in the Plan to the “Committee”, other than in Section 7, shall be deemed to include the Chief Executive Officer; provided, however, that such delegation shall not limit the Chief Executive

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Officer’s right to receive Awards under the Plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Chief Executive Officer may not grant Awards to, or take any action with respect to any Award previously granted to, a person who is an officer subject to Rule 16b-3 or who is a Director. Subject to the terms of the Plan and applicable law, and in addition to other express powers and authorizations conferred on the Committee by the Plan, the Committee shall have full power and authority to: (i) designate Participants; (ii) determine the type or types of Awards to be granted to a Participant; (iii) determine the number of Common Units to be covered by Awards; (iv) determine the terms and conditions of any Award; (v) determine whether, to what extent, and under what circumstances Awards may be vested, settled (including settlement in cash), exercised, canceled, or forfeited; (vi) interpret and administer the Plan and any instrument or agreement relating to an Award made under the Plan; (vii) establish, amend, suspend, or waive such rules and regulations and appoint such agents as it shall deem appropriate for the proper administration of the Plan; (viii) delegate its duties under the Plan to such agents as it may appoint from time to time, provided that the Committee may not delegate its duties where such delegation would violate state corporate law, or with respect to making Awards to, or otherwise with respect to Awards granted to, Employees, Consultants or Directors who are subject to section 16(b) of the Exchange Act, and (ix) make any other determination and take any other action that the Committee deems necessary or desirable for the administration of the Plan. The Committee may correct any defect or supply any omission or reconcile any inconsistency in the Plan or an Award Agreement in such manner and to such extent as the Committee deems necessary or appropriate. Unless otherwise expressly provided in the Plan, all designations, determinations, interpretations, and other decisions under or with respect to the Plan or any Award shall be within the sole discretion of the Committee, may be made at any time and shall be final, conclusive, and binding upon all Persons, including the Company, the Partnership, any Affiliate, any Participant, and any beneficiary of any Award.
     SECTION 4. Units.
     (a)  Limits on Units Deliverable. Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 4(c), the number of Common Units that may be actually delivered with respect to Awards under the Plan is 3,000,000. If any Award is forfeited, cancelled, exercised, paid or otherwise terminates or expires without the actual delivery of Common Units pursuant to such Award, including any Award under which Common Units are withheld to cover the exercise price or tax withholding obligations with respect to an Award, the Common Units subject to such Award shall be available to satisfy future Awards under the Plan; provided, however, the issuance of a Restricted Unit will be an “actual delivery” for purposes of the preceding; thus, any Restricted Unit used to cover an exercise price or tax withholding obligation shall not become available to satisfy future Awards under the Plan. There shall not be any limitation on the number of Awards that may be granted and paid in cash.
     (b)  Sources of Units Deliverable Under Awards. Any Common Units delivered pursuant to an Award shall consist, in whole or in part, of Common Units acquired in the open market, from any Affiliate, the Partnership or any other Person, or any combination of the foregoing, as determined by the Committee in its discretion.
     (c)  Adjustments. In the event that the Committee determines that any distribution (whether in the form of cash, Common Units, other securities, or other property), recapitalization, split, reverse split, reorganization, merger, change of control, consolidation, split-up, spin-off, combination, repurchase, or exchange of Common Units or other securities of the Partnership, issuance of warrants or other rights to purchase Common Units or other securities of the Partnership, or other similar transaction or event affects the Common Units such that an adjustment is determined by the Committee to constitute an “equity restructuring” event that could result in an additional compensation expense to the Company or the Partnership pursuant to the provisions of Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718 if adjustments to Awards with respect to such event were discretionary, or to otherwise be appropriate in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under the Plan, then the Committee shall, as necessary to equitably reflect such restructuring event in accordance with Topic 718, if applicable, or otherwise in such manner as it may deem equitable, adjust any or all of (i) the number and type of Common Units (or other securities or property) with respect to which Awards may be granted, (ii) the number and type of Common Units (or other securities or property) subject to outstanding Awards, and (iii) the grant or exercise price with respect to any Award or, if deemed appropriate, make provision for a cash payment to the holder of an outstanding Award; provided, that the number of Common Units subject to any Award shall always be a whole number.
     SECTION 5. Eligibility.

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     Any Employee, Consultant or Director shall be eligible to be designated a Participant and receive an Award under the Plan.
     SECTION 6. Awards.
     (a)  Options. The Committee shall have the authority to determine the Employees, Consultants and Directors to whom Options shall be granted, the number of Common Units to be covered by each Option, whether DERs are granted with respect to such Option, the exercise price therefor, the Restricted Period, if any, and the other conditions and limitations applicable to the exercise of the Option, including the following terms and conditions and such additional terms and conditions, as the Committee shall determine, that are not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan.
     (i) Exercise Price. The exercise price per Common Unit purchasable under an Option shall be determined by the Committee at the time the Option is granted but may not be less than the Fair Market Value of a Common Unit as of the date of grant of the Option.
     (ii) Time and Method of Exercise. The Committee shall determine the exercise terms and the Restricted Period (i.e., the time or times at which an Option may be exercised in whole or in part, including, without limitation, any provision for accelerated vesting upon the achievement of specified performance goals or other events) and the method or methods by which payment of the exercise price with respect to an Option may be made or deemed to have been made, which may include, without limitation, cash, check acceptable to the Company, withholding Common Units from the Award, a “cashless-broker” exercise through procedures approved by the Company, other securities or other property, a note (in a form acceptable to the Company), or any combination thereof, having a Fair Market Value on the exercise date equal to the relevant exercise price.
     (iii) Forfeitures. Except as otherwise provided in the terms of the Option Award Agreement, upon termination of a Participant’s employment with or consulting services to the Company and its Affiliates or membership on the Board, whichever is applicable, for any reason during the applicable Restricted Period, all unvested Options shall be forfeited by the Participant. The Committee may, in its discretion, waive in whole or in part such forfeiture with respect to a Participant’s Options.
     (iv) Option DERs. To the extent provided by the Committee, in its discretion, an Option Award Agreement may include a tandem DER grant, which may provide that such DERs shall be paid directly to the Participant, be credited to a bookkeeping account (with or without interest in the discretion of the Committee) subject to the same vesting restrictions as the tandem Option Award, or be subject to such other provisions or restrictions as determined by the Committee in its discretion.
     (b)  Restricted Units and Phantom Units. The Committee shall have the authority to determine the Employees, Consultants and Directors to whom Restricted Units or Phantom Units shall be granted, the number of Restricted Units or Phantom Units to be granted to each such Participant, the Restricted Period, the conditions under which the Restricted Units or Phantom Units may become vested or forfeited, and such other terms and conditions as the Committee may establish with respect to such Awards, including whether DERs are granted with respect to the Phantom Units.
     (i) DERs. To the extent provided by the Committee, in its discretion, a Phantom Units Award Agreement may include a tandem DER grant, which may provide that such DERs shall be paid directly to the Participant, be credited to a bookkeeping account (with or without interest in the discretion of the Committee), be “reinvested” in Restricted Units or additional Phantom Units and be subject to the same or different vesting restrictions as the tandem Phantom Unit Award, or be subject to such other provisions or restrictions as determined by the Committee in its discretion. Absent a contrary provision in the Award Agreement, upon a distribution with respect to a Common Unit, DERs equal in value to such distribution shall be paid promptly to the Participant in cash without vesting restrictions.
     (ii) UDRs. To the extent provided by the Committee, in its discretion, a Restricted Units Award Agreement may provide that distributions made by the Partnership with respect to the Restricted Units shall be subject to the

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same forfeiture and other restrictions as the Restricted Unit and, if restricted, such distributions shall be held, without interest, until the Restricted Unit vests or is forfeited with the UDR being paid or forfeited at the same time, as the case may be. In addition, the Committee may provide that such distributions be used to acquire additional Restricted Units for the Participant. Such additional Restricted Units may be subject to such vesting and other terms as the Committee may prescribe. Absent such a restriction on the UDRs in the Award Agreement, UDRs shall be paid promptly to the holder of the Restricted Unit without restriction.
     (iii) Forfeitures. Except as otherwise provided in the terms of the applicable Restricted Units or Phantom Units Award Agreement, upon termination of a Participant’s employment with or consulting services to the Company and its Affiliates or membership on the Board, whichever is applicable, for any reason during the applicable Restricted Period, all outstanding, unvested Restricted Units and Phantom Units awarded the Participant shall be automatically forfeited on such termination. The Committee may, in its discretion, waive in whole or in part such forfeiture with respect to a Participant’s Restricted Units and/or Phantom Units.
     (iv) Lapse of Restrictions.
     (A) Phantom Units. Upon or as soon as reasonably practical following the vesting of each Phantom Unit, subject to the provisions of Section 8(b), the Participant shall be entitled to settlement of such Phantom Unit and shall receive from the Company either one Common Unit or an amount in cash equal to the Fair Market Value of a Common Unit, as determined by the Committee in its discretion.
     (B) Restricted Units. Upon or as soon as reasonably practical following the vesting of each Restricted Unit, subject to the provisions of Section 8(b), the Participant shall be entitled to have the relevant restrictions removed from his or her Award so that the Participant then holds an unrestricted Common Unit certificate.
     (c)  Unit Awards . Unit Awards may be granted under the Plan to such Employees, Consultants and/or Directors and in such amounts as the Committee, in its discretion, may select.
     (d)  Unit Appreciation Rights. The Committee shall have the authority to determine the Employees, Consultants and Directors to whom Unit Appreciation Rights shall be granted, the number of Common Units to be covered by each Unit Appreciation Right Award Agreement, whether DERs are granted with respect to such Unit Appreciation Right, the exercise price therefor, the Restricted Period, if any, and the other conditions and limitations applicable to the exercise of the Unit Appreciation Right, including the following terms and conditions and such additional terms and conditions, as the Committee shall determine, that are not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan.
     (i) Exercise Price. The exercise price per Unit Appreciation Right shall be determined by the Committee at the time the Unit Appreciation Right is granted but may not be less than the Fair Market Value of a Common Unit as of the date of grant of the Unit Appreciation Right.
     (ii) Time of Exercise. The Committee shall determine the exercise terms and the Restricted Period (i.e., the time or times at which a Unit Appreciation Right may be exercised in whole or in part, including, without limitation, a provision for accelerated vesting upon the achievement of specified performance goals or other events).
     (iii) Forfeitures. Except as otherwise provided in the terms of the Unit Appreciation Right Award Agreement, upon termination of a Participant’s employment with or consulting services to the Company and its Affiliates or membership on the Board, whichever is applicable, for any reason during the applicable Restricted Period, all outstanding, unvested Unit Appreciation Rights awarded the Participant shall be automatically forfeited on such termination. The Committee may, in its discretion, waive in whole or in part such forfeiture with respect to a Participant’s Unit Appreciation Rights.
     (iv) Unit Appreciation Right DERs. To the extent provided by the Committee, in its discretion, a Unit Appreciation Rights Award Agreement may include a tandem DER grant, which may provide that such DERs shall be paid directly to the Participant, be credited to a bookkeeping account (with or without interest in the discretion of the Committee) subject to the same vesting restrictions as the tandem Unit Appreciation Rights Award, or be subject to such other provisions or restrictions as determined by the Committee in its discretion.

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     (e)  General.
     (i) Awards May Be Granted Separately or Together. Awards may, in the discretion of the Committee, be granted either alone or in addition to, in tandem with, or in substitution for any other Award granted under the Plan or any award granted under any other plan of the Company or any Affiliate. Awards granted in addition to or in tandem with other Awards or awards granted under any other plan of the Company or any Affiliate may be granted either at the same time as or at a different time from the grant of such other Awards or awards.
     (ii) Limits on Transfer of Awards.
          (A) Except as provided in (C) below, each Option and Unit Appreciation Right shall be exercisable only by the Participant during the Participant’s lifetime, or by the person to whom the Participant’s rights shall pass by will or the laws of descent and distribution.
          (B) Except as provided in (C) below, no Award and no right under any such Award may be assigned, alienated, pledged, attached, sold or otherwise transferred or encumbered by a Participant otherwise than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution and any such purported assignment, alienation, pledge, attachment, sale, transfer or encumbrance shall be void and unenforceable against the Company, the Partnership or any Affiliate.
          (C) To the extent specifically provided by the Committee with respect to an Option or Unit Appreciation Right Award Agreement, an Option or Unit Appreciation Right may be transferred by a Participant without consideration to immediate family members or related family trusts, limited partnerships or similar entities or on such terms and conditions as the Committee may from time to time establish.
     (iii) Term of Awards. The term of each Award shall be for such period as may be determined by the Committee.
     (iv) Issuance of Units. The Common Units or other securities of the Partnership purchased or delivered under the Plan pursuant to any Award or the exercise thereof may be evidenced in any manner deemed appropriate by the Committee in its sole discretion, including but not limited to, in the form of a certificate issued in the name of the Participant or by book entry, electronic or otherwise, and shall be subject to such stop transfer orders and other restrictions as the Committee may deem advisable under the Plan or the rules, regulations, and other requirements of the SEC, any stock exchange upon which such Common Units or other securities are then listed, and any applicable federal or state laws, and the Committee may cause a legend or legends to be put on any such certificates to make appropriate reference to such restrictions.
     (v) Consideration for Grants. Awards may be granted for such consideration, including services, as the Committee determines.
     (vi) Delivery of Units or other Securities and Payment by Participant of Consideration. Notwithstanding anything in the Plan or any Award Agreement to the contrary, delivery of Common Units pursuant to the exercise, vesting and/or settlement of an Award may be deferred for any period during which, in the good faith determination of the Committee, the Company is not reasonably able to obtain Common Units to deliver pursuant to such Award without violating applicable law or the applicable rules or regulations of any governmental agency or authority or securities exchange. Unless other arrangements have been made that are acceptable to the Company, no Common Units or other securities shall be delivered pursuant to any Award until payment in full of any amount required to be paid pursuant to the Plan or the applicable Award Agreement (including, without limitation, any exercise price or tax withholding) is received by the Company. Such payment may be made by such method or methods and in such form or forms as the Committee shall determine, including without limitation cash, other Awards, withholding of Common Units, cashless broker exercises with simultaneous sale, or any combination thereof; provided that the combined value, as determined by the Committee, of all cash and cash equivalents and the Fair Market Value of any such Common Units or other property so tendered to the Company, as of the date of such tender, is at least equal to the full amount required to be paid to the Company pursuant to the Plan or the applicable Award Agreement.

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     (vii) Change of Control. If specifically provided in an Award Agreement, upon a change of control (as defined in the Award Agreement) the Award may automatically vest and/or be payable or become exercisable in full, as the case may be.
     (viii) Substitute Awards. Awards may be granted under the Plan in substitution for similar awards held by individuals who become employees as a result of a merger, consolidation or acquisition by the Company or an Affiliate of another entity or the assets of another entity. To the extent permitted by section 409A of the Code and the regulations thereunder, such substitute Awards may have exercise prices less than the Fair Market Value of a Common Unit on the date of such substitution.
     SECTION 7. Amendment and Termination.
Except to the extent prohibited by applicable law:
     (a) Amendments to the Plan. Except as otherwise required by the rules of the principal securities exchange on which the Common Units are traded, by the Code or by the Exchange Act, and subject to Section 7(b) below, the Board or the Committee may amend, alter, suspend, discontinue, or terminate the Plan in any manner, including increasing the number of Common Units available for Awards under the Plan, without the consent of any partner, Participant, other holder or beneficiary of an Award, or any other Person.
     (b) Amendments to Awards. Subject to Section 7(a), the Committee may waive any conditions or rights under, amend any terms of, or alter any Award theretofore granted (including without limitation requiring or allowing for an election to settle an Award in cash), provided no change, other than pursuant to Section 7(c), in any Award shall (i) materially reduce the rights or benefits of a Participant with respect to an Award without the consent of such Participant or (ii) cause the Plan or such Award to fail to comply with the requirements of section 409A of the Code.
     (c) Adjustment of Awards Upon the Occurrence of Certain Unusual or Nonrecurring Events. The Committee is hereby authorized, upon the occurrence of unusual or nonrecurring events (including, without limitation, the events described in Section 4(c) of the Plan) affecting the Partnership or the financial statements of the Partnership, or of changes in applicable laws, regulations, or accounting principles, without the consent of any Participant or holder of the Award, in its sole discretion and on such terms and conditions as it deems appropriate in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under the Plan or an outstanding Award, to take one or more of the following actions:
     (i) provide for either (A) the cancellation and termination of any Award in exchange for an amount of cash, other property, or securities, if any, equal to the amount that would have been attained upon the exercise of such Award or realization of the Participant’s rights or if Participant were a unitholder as of the date of the occurrence of such event (and, for the avoidance of doubt, if as of the date of the occurrence of such transaction or event the Committee determines in good faith that no amount would have been attained upon the exercise of such Award or realization of the Participant’s rights, then such Award may be terminated by the Company without payment) or (B) the replacement of such Award with or the conversion of such Award into cash or other securities, rights or other property selected by the Committee in its sole discretion;
     (ii) provide that such Award be assumed by the successor or survivor entity, or a parent or subsidiary thereof, or be exchanged for similar options, rights or awards covering the equity of the successor or survivor, or a parent or subsidiary thereof, or cash or other property with appropriate adjustments as to the number and kind of equity interests or cash or other property and prices, provided, however, in the discretion of the Committee, the vesting schedule applicable to such Award may be retained;
     (iii) make adjustments in the number and type of Common Units (or other securities or property) subject to outstanding Awards, and in the number and kind of outstanding Awards or in the terms and conditions of (including the exercise price), and the vesting and performance criteria included in, outstanding Awards, or both;

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     (iv) provide that such Award shall be exercisable and payable, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Plan or the applicable Award Agreement;
     (v) provide that such Award shall be fully vested and/or nonforfeitable; and
     (vi) provide that the Award cannot be exercised or become payable after such event (i.e., shall terminate upon such event).
     Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) no adjustment may be made that would cause the Plan or such Award to fail to comply with the requirements of section 409A of the Code, and (ii) with respect to an above event that is an “equity restructuring” event that would be subject to compensation expense pursuant to FASB Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718, the provisions in Section 4(c) shall control to the extent they are in conflict with the discretionary provisions of this Section 7.
     SECTION 8. General Provisions.
     (a)  No Rights to Award. No Person shall have any claim to be granted any Award under the Plan, and there is no obligation for uniformity of treatment of Participants. The terms and conditions of Awards need not be the same with respect to each recipient.
     (b)  Tax Withholding. Unless other arrangements have been made that are acceptable to the Company, the Company or any Affiliate is authorized to withhold from any Award, from any payment due or transfer made under any Award or from any compensation or other amount owing to a Participant the amount (in cash, Common Units, other securities, Common Units that would otherwise be issued pursuant to such Award or other property) of any applicable taxes payable in respect of the grant or settlement of an Award, its exercise, the lapse of restrictions thereon, or any other payment or transfer under an Award or under the Plan and to take such other action as may be necessary in the opinion of the Company to satisfy its withholding obligations for the payment of such taxes.
     (c)  No Right to Employment or Services. The grant of an Award shall not be construed as giving a Participant the right to be retained in the employ of the Company or any Affiliate, to continue consulting services or to remain on the Board, as applicable. Further, the Company or an Affiliate may at any time dismiss a Participant from employment or consulting services, free from any liability or any claim under the Plan, unless otherwise expressly provided in the Plan, any Award Agreement or other agreement.
     (d)  Governing Law. The validity, construction, and effect of the Plan and any rules and regulations relating to the Plan shall be determined in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware without regard to its conflict of laws principles.
     (e)  Severability. If any provision of the Plan or any Award is or becomes or is deemed to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable in any jurisdiction or as to any Person or Award, or would disqualify the Plan or any Award under any law deemed applicable by the Committee, such provision shall be construed or deemed amended to conform to the applicable laws, or if it cannot be construed or deemed amended without, in the determination of the Committee, materially altering the intent of the Plan or the Award, such provision shall be stricken as to such jurisdiction, Person or Award and the remainder of the Plan and any such Award shall remain in full force and effect.
     (f)  Other Laws. The Committee may refuse to issue or transfer any Common Units or other consideration under an Award if, in its sole discretion, it determines that the issuance or transfer of such Common Units or such other consideration might violate any applicable law or regulation, the rules of the principal securities exchange on which the Common Units are then traded, or entitle the Partnership or an Affiliate to recover the same under Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act, and any payment tendered to the Company by a Participant, other holder or beneficiary in connection with the exercise of such Award shall be promptly refunded to the relevant Participant, holder or beneficiary.
     (g)  No Trust or Fund Created. Neither the Plan nor any Award shall create or be construed to create a trust or separate fund of any kind or a fiduciary relationship between the Company or any participating Affiliate and a Participant or any other Person. To the extent that any Person acquires a right to receive payments from the

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Company or any participating Affiliate pursuant to an Award, such right shall be no greater than the right of any general unsecured creditor of the Company or any participating Affiliate.
     (h)  No Fractional Units. No fractional Common Units shall be issued or delivered pursuant to the Plan or any Award, and the Committee shall determine in its sole discretion whether cash, other securities, or other property shall be paid or transferred in lieu of any fractional Common Units or whether such fractional Common Units or any rights thereto shall be canceled, terminated, or otherwise eliminated with or without consideration.
     (i)  Headings. Headings are given to the Sections and subsections of the Plan solely as a convenience to facilitate reference. Such headings shall not be deemed in any way material or relevant to the construction or interpretation of the Plan or any provision thereof.
     (j)  Facility Payment. Any amounts payable hereunder to any individual under legal disability or who, in the judgment of the Committee, is unable to properly manage his financial affairs, may be paid to the legal representative of such individual, or may be applied for the benefit of such individual in any manner that the Committee may select, and the Company shall be relieved of any further liability for payment of such amounts.
     (k)  Participation by Affiliates. To the extent necessary so that an Award hereunder will not constitute a “deferral of compensation” within the meaning of section 409A of the Code, any compensation paid or provided pursuant to this Plan to compensate any Employee, Consultant or Director will be paid or provided as compensation for such individual’s direct services to the Partnership.
     (l)  Gender and Number. Words in the masculine gender shall include the feminine gender, the plural shall include the singular and the singular shall include the plural.
     (m)  Compliance with Section 409A. Nothing in the Plan or any Award Agreement shall operate or be construed to cause the Plan or an Award to fail to comply with the requirements of section 409A of the Code. The applicable provisions of section 409A of the Code and the regulations thereunder are hereby incorporated by reference into and shall control over any Plan or Award Agreement provision in conflict therewith or that would cause a failure of compliance thereunder, to the extent necessary to resolve such conflict or obviate such failure.
     (n)  Deferrals. The Committee may, to the extent permitted by applicable law, permit Participants to defer Awards under the Plan. Any such deferrals shall be subject to such terms, conditions and procedures that the Committee may establish from time to time in its sole discretion and consistent with the advance and subsequent deferral requirements of Code section 409A.
     SECTION 9. Term of the Plan.
     The Plan shall be effective on the date immediately preceding the close of the initial public offering of Common Units and shall continue until the earliest of (i) the date terminated by the Board or the Committee, or (ii) all available Common Units under the Plan have been paid to Participants, whichever occurs first. However, unless otherwise expressly provided in the Plan or in an applicable Award Agreement, any Award granted prior to such termination, and the authority of the Board or the Committee to amend, alter, adjust, suspend, discontinue, or terminate any such Award or to waive any conditions or rights under such Award, shall extend beyond such termination date.

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Exhibit 10.3
Execution Version
TAX SHARING AGREEMENT
BY AND AMONG
PLAINS ALL AMERICAN PIPELINE, L.P.
AND
PAA NATURAL GAS STORAGE, L.P.
May 5, 2010

 


 

TAX SHARING AGREEMENT
BY AND AMONG
PLAINS ALL AMERICAN PIPELINE, L.P. AND PAA NATURAL GAS STORAGE, L.P.
     Tax Sharing Agreement (the “Agreement”), dated this 5 th day of May, 2010, by and among PLAINS ALL AMERICAN PIPELINE, L.P. (“PAA”), a Delaware limited partnership, and PAA NATURAL GAS STORAGE, L.P. (“PNGS”), a Delaware limited partnership.
RECITALS
     WHEREAS, PAA is the owner of the member interests of PNGS GP LLC (the general partner of PNGS) and common and subordinated units of PNGS;
     WHEREAS, the PNGS Group (as defined below) includes various entities that may be required to join with PAA or its affiliates in the filing of a consolidated, combined or unitary state tax return;
     WHEREAS, the Parties (as defined below) wish to set forth the general principles under which they will allocate and share various Taxes (as defined below) and related liabilities;
     WHEREAS, PAA, on behalf of itself and its present and future subsidiaries other than the PNGS Group (“ PAA Group ”), and PNGS, on behalf of itself and its present and future subsidiaries (the “ PNGS Group ”), are entering into this Agreement to provide for the allocation among the PAA Group and the PNGS Group of all responsibilities, liabilities and benefits relating to any Tax for which a Combined Return (as defined below) is filed for a taxable period including or beginning on or after the Effective Date (as defined below) and to provide for certain other matters;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual agreements, provisions and covenants contained in this Agreement, and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Parties hereby agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
Definitions
     1.1 Definitions . The following terms shall have the following meanings (such meanings to be equally applicable to both the singular and the plural forms of the terms defined):
     “ Accounting Referee ” is defined in Section 6.11 herein.
     “ Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or any successor thereto, as in effect for the taxable period in question.
     “ Combined Group ” means a group of corporations or other entities that files a Combined Return.

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     “ Combined Return ” means any Tax Return (other than a Tax Return for U.S. federal income taxes) filed on a consolidated, combined (including nexus combination, worldwide combination, domestic combination, line of business combination or any other form of combination) or unitary basis that includes activities of any member of the PAA Group and any member of the PNGS Group.
     “ Effective Date ” means 7:00 a.m., Central time, on [date of closing].
     “ Final Determination ” means the final resolution of any Tax (or other matter) for a taxable period, including related interest or penalties, that, under applicable law, is not subject to further appeal, review or modification through proceedings or otherwise, including (i) by the expiration of a statute of limitations or a period for the filing of claims for refunds, amending Tax Returns, appealing from adverse determinations or recovering any refund (including by offset), (ii) by a decision, judgment, decree or other order by a court of competent jurisdiction, which has become final and unappealable, (iii) by a closing agreement, an accepted offer in compromise or a comparable agreement under laws of the particular Tax Authority, (iv) by execution of a form under the laws of a Tax Authority that is comparable to an Internal Revenue Service Form 870 or 870-AD (excluding, however, with respect to a particular Tax Item for a particular taxable period any such form that reserves (whether by its terms or by operation of law) the right of the taxpayer to file a claim for refund and/or the right of the Tax Authority to assert a further deficiency with respect to such Tax Item for such period) or (v) by any allowance of a refund or credit, but only after the expiration of all periods during which such refund may be adjusted.
     “ Notice ” is defined in Section 6.1 herein.
     “ PAA Group ” is defined in the recitals to this Agreement.
     “ Party ” means each of PAA and PNGS, and solely for purposes of this definition, “PAA” includes the PAA Group and PNGS includes the PNGS Group. Each of PAA and PNGS shall cause the PAA Group and the PNGS Group, respectively, to comply with this Agreement.
      “PNGS Group” is defined in the Recitals to this Agreement.
     “ PNGS Group Combined Tax Liability ” means, with respect to any Tax, the PNGS Group’s liability for such Tax owed with respect to a Combined Return for a taxable period, as determined under Section 3.2 of this Agreement.
     “ PNGS Group Deposit ” is defined in Section 3.4 herein.
     “ PNGS Group Members ” means those entities included in the PNGS Group.
     “ PNGS Group Pro Forma Combined Return ” means a pro forma Combined Return or other schedule prepared pursuant to Section 3.2 of this Agreement.
      “Reporting Entity” means the entity that is required by statute or rule to file the particular Combined Return.

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     “ Tax Attribute ” means a Tax Item of a member of the PNGS Group reflected on a Combined Return that is comparable to one or more of the following attributes with respect to a U.S. federal income tax consolidated tax return: a net operating loss, a net capital loss, an unused investment credit, an unused foreign tax credit, an excess charitable contribution, a U.S. federal minimum tax credit or a U.S. federal general business credit (but not tax basis or earnings and profits).
     “ Tax Authority ” means a domestic governmental authority (other than the United States) or any subdivision, agency, commission or authority thereof or any quasi-governmental or private body having jurisdiction over the assessment, determination, collection or imposition of any Tax (excluding the U.S. Internal Revenue Service).
     “ Tax Controversy ” means any audit, examination, dispute, suit, action, litigation or other judicial or administrative proceeding initiated by PAA or PNGS or any Tax Authority.
     “ Tax Item ” means any item of income, gain, loss, deduction or credit, or other item reflected on a Tax Return or any Tax Attribute.
     “ Tax Return ” means any return, report, certificate, form or similar statement or document (including any related or supporting information or schedule attached thereto and any information return, amended Tax Return, claim for refund or declaration of estimated tax) required to be supplied to, or filed with, a Tax Authority in connection with the determination, assessment or collection of any Tax or the administration of any laws, regulations or administrative requirements relating to any Tax.
     “ Tax ” or “ Taxes ” means all forms of taxation, whenever created or imposed, and whether imposed by a domestic, local, municipal, governmental, state, federation or other body, but excluding taxes imposed by the United States, and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, shall include net income, alternative or add-on minimum, gross income, sales, use, ad valorem, gross receipts, value added, franchise, profits, license, transfer, recording, withholding, payroll, employment, excise, severance, stamp, occupation, premium, property, windfall profit, custom duty or other tax, governmental fee or like assessment or charge of any kind whatsoever, together with any related interest, penalties or other additions to tax, or additional amounts imposed by any such Tax Authority.
Any term used but not capitalized herein that is defined in the Code or in the Treasury Regulations thereunder shall, to the extent required by the context of the provision at issue, have the meaning assigned to it in the Code or such regulation.
ARTICLE II
Preparation and Filing of Tax Returns
2.1 Manner of Filing
          (a) For periods that include the Effective Date and periods after the Effective Date, PAA shall have the sole and exclusive responsibility for the preparation and filing of, and shall cause the Reporting Entity to prepare and file, all Combined Returns. PAA shall be authorized to take any and all action necessary or incidental to the preparation and filing of a

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Combined Return, including, without limitation, (i) making elections and adopting accounting methods, (ii) filing all extensions of time, including extensions of time for payment of tax, (iii) filing claims for refund or credit or (iv) giving waivers or bonds.
          (b) For periods that include the Effective Date and periods after the Effective Date, the PNGS Group shall have the sole and exclusive responsibility for the preparation and filing of, and shall prepare and file or cause to be prepared and filed, all Tax Returns of the PNGS Group Members that are not Combined Returns.
          (c) PAA shall have sole discretion to include, or cause to be included, in a Combined Return for any Tax any member of the PNGS Group for which inclusion in such Combined Return is elective; provided, however, that the PNGS Group Combined Tax Liability for any period shall not exceed the aggregate of (x) each such elective PNGS Group Member’s liability for such Tax for such period, computed as if such PNGS Group Member were not included in such Combined Return and (y) the PNGS Group Combined Tax Liability calculated for the PNGS Group Members for which inclusion is not elective. PAA shall provide pro forma Tax Returns pursuant to Section 3.5 of this Agreement to support the calculation of the amount of any decrease in the PNGS Group Combined Tax Liability pursuant to this Section 2.1(c).
     2.2 Franchise Tax Taxable Period . References to “taxable period” for any franchise or other doing business Tax shall mean the taxable period during which the income, operations, assets or capital comprising the base of such Tax is measured, regardless of whether the right to do business for another taxable period is obtained by the payment of such franchise Tax.
ARTICLE III
Allocation of Taxes
     3.1 Liability of the PNGS Group for Combined Taxes . For each Tax for each taxable period that includes or begins on or after the Effective Date and for which a Combined Return is filed, the PNGS Group Members included in such Combined Return shall be liable to PAA for an amount equal to the PNGS Group Combined Tax Liability in respect of such Tax.
     3.2 PNGS Group Combined Tax Liability . With respect to each Tax for each taxable period that includes or begins on or after the Effective Date and for which a member of the PNGS Group is included in a Combined Return, the PNGS Group Combined Tax Liability for such Tax for such taxable period shall be the Tax for such taxable period as determined on a PNGS Group Pro Forma Combined Return prepared:
          (a) by including only the Tax Items of the members of the PNGS Group that are included in the Combined Return and computing the liability of the PNGS Group Members for such Tax as if such PNGS Group Members were included in a separate combined, consolidated or unitary return that includes only the PNGS Group Members;
          (b) except as provided in Section 3.2(e) hereof, using all elections, accounting methods and conventions used on the Combined Return for such period;

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          (c) applying the Tax rate in effect for the Combined Return of the Combined Group for such taxable period;
          (d) assuming that the PNGS Group elects not to carry back any net operating losses and
          (e) assuming that the PNGS Group’s utilization of any Tax Attribute carryforward or carryback is limited to the Tax Attributes of the PNGS Group that would be available if the PNGS Group Combined Tax Liability for each taxable period ending after the Effective Date were determined in accordance with this Section 3.2.
     3.3 Preparation and Delivery of Pro Forma Tax Returns . Not later than 90 days following the date on which a Combined Return is filed with the appropriate Tax Authority, PAA shall prepare and deliver to PNGS the related PNGS Group Pro Forma Combined Return calculating the PNGS Group Combined Tax Liability attributable to the period covered by such filed Combined Return.
     3.4 Payment of Tax . PAA shall timely pay (or shall cause to be timely paid) any Tax reflected on a Combined Return and hold PNGS harmless for all liability for such Tax. In the event PAA is required to make an estimated payment or deposit of any Tax of any Combined Group which includes any member of the PNGS Group, PAA shall calculate the portion, if any, of such estimated payment or deposit attributable to the PNGS Group using a methodology similar to that described in Section 3.2 (the “ PNGS Group Deposit ”) and shall present such calculation to PNGS. Within 5 days thereafter, PNGS shall pay the PNGS Group Deposit to PAA. Within 30 days after delivery by PAA of a PNGS Group Pro Forma Combined Return to PNGS calculating the PNGS Group Combined Tax Liability with respect to a Combined Return, PNGS shall pay to PAA such PNGS Group Combined Tax Liability less the amount of any PNGS Group Deposit relating to the same Combined Return.
     3.5 Subsequent Changes in Treatment of Tax Items . With respect to any Combined Return for any taxable period beginning on or after the Effective Date, in the event of a change in the treatment of any Tax Item of any member of a Combined Group as a result of a Final Determination, within 30 days following such Final Determination (i) PAA shall calculate the change, if any, to the PNGS Group Combined Tax Liability resulting from such change, (ii) PAA shall pay any decrease in the PNGS Group Combined Tax Liability to PNGS and (iii) PNGS shall pay any increase in the PNGS Group Combined Tax Liability to PAA.
ARTICLE IV
Control of Tax Proceedings; Cooperation and Exchange of Information
     4.1 Control of Proceedings . Except as provided in this Article IV, PAA shall have full responsibility and discretion in handling, settling or contesting any Tax Controversy involving a Tax Return for which it has filing responsibility under this Agreement as well as all Tax Returns for all taxable periods ending before the Effective Date. PNGS shall have full responsibility and discretion in handling, settling or contesting any Tax Controversy involving a Tax Return for which it has filing responsibility under this Agreement. Except as otherwise

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provided in this Article IV, any costs incurred in handling, settling or contesting any Tax Controversy shall be borne by the Party having full responsibility and discretion thereof.
     4.2 Cooperation and Exchange of Information.
          (a) Each Party shall cooperate fully at such time and to the extent reasonably requested by any other Party in connection with the preparation and filing of any Tax Return or claim for refund, or the conduct of any audit, dispute, proceeding, suit or action concerning any issues or other matters considered in this Agreement. Such cooperation shall include, without limitation, the following: (i) the retention and provision on demand of Tax Returns, books, records (including those concerning ownership and Tax basis of property which a Party may possess), documentation or other information relating to the Tax Returns, including accompanying schedules, related workpapers and documents relating to rulings or other determinations by Taxing Authorities, until the expiration of the applicable statute of limitations (giving effect to any extension, waiver or mitigation thereof); (ii) the provision of additional information, including an explanation of material provided under clause (i) of this Section 4.2(a), to the extent such information is necessary or reasonably helpful in connection with the foregoing; (iii) the execution of any document that may be necessary or reasonably helpful in connection with the filing of a Tax Return by PAA, PNGS or of their respective subsidiaries, or in connection with any audit, dispute, proceeding, suit or action and (iv) such Party’s commercially reasonable efforts to obtain any documentation from a governmental authority or a third party that may be necessary or reasonably helpful in connection with any of the foregoing.
          (b) Each Party shall make its employees and facilities available on a reasonable and mutually convenient basis in connection with any of the foregoing matters.
          (c) If any Party fails to provide any information requested pursuant to Section 4.2 hereof within a reasonable period, as determined in good faith by the Party requesting the information, then the requesting Party shall have the right to engage a public accounting firm to gather such information, provided that 30 days’ prior written notice is given to the unresponsive Party. If the unresponsive Party fails to provide the requested information within 30 days of receipt of such notice, then such unresponsive Party shall permit the requesting Party’s public accounting firm full access to all appropriate records or other information as reasonably necessary to comply with this Section 4.2 and shall reimburse the requesting Party or pay directly all costs connected with the requesting Party’s engagement of the public accounting firm.
ARTICLE V
Warranties and Representations; Payment Obligations
     5.1 Warranties and Representations Relating to Actions of PAA and PNGS . Each of PAA and PNGS warrants and represents to the other that:
          (a) in the case of PAA, it is a limited partnership duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware and has all requisite power to carry out the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;

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          (b) in the case of PNGS, it is a limited partnership duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware and has all requisite power to carry out the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;
          (c) it has duly and validly taken all action necessary to authorize the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby;
          (d) this Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by it and constitutes its legal, valid and binding obligation enforceable in accordance with its terms subject, as to the enforcement of remedies, to (i) applicable bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, moratorium or other similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect and (ii) general principles of equity, whether enforcement is sought in a proceeding at law or in equity and
          (e) the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or the compliance with any of the provisions of this Agreement will not (i) conflict with or result in a breach of any provision of its certificate of incorporation, by-laws, certificate of limited partnership, limited partnership agreement or general partnership agreement, as the case may be, (ii) breach, violate or result in a default under any of the terms of any agreement or other instrument or obligation to which it is a party or by which it or any of its properties or assets may be bound or (iii) violate any order, writ, injunction, decree, statute, rule or regulation applicable to it or affecting any of its properties or assets.
     5.2 Calculation of Payment Obligations . Except as otherwise provided under this Agreement, to the extent that the payor Party has a payment obligation to the payee Party pursuant to this Agreement, the payee Party shall provide the payor Party with its calculation of the amount of such obligation. The documentation of such calculation shall provide sufficient detail to permit the payor Party to reasonably understand the calculation. All payment obligations shall be made to the payee Party or to the appropriate Tax Authority as specified by the payee Party within 30 days after delivery by the payee Party to the payor Party of written notice of a payment obligation. Any disputes with respect to payment obligations shall be resolved in accordance with Section 6.11 below.
     5.3 Prompt Performance . All actions required to be taken by any Party under this Agreement shall be performed within the time prescribed for performance in this Agreement or if no period is prescribed, such actions shall be performed promptly.
     5.4 Interest . Payments pursuant to this Agreement that are not made within the period prescribed therefor in this Agreement shall bear interest (compounded daily) from and including the date immediately following the last date of such period through and including the date of payment at a rate equal to the U.S. federal short-term rate or rates established pursuant to Section 6621 of the Code for the period during which such payment is due but unpaid.
     5.5 Tax Records . The Parties to this Agreement hereby agree to retain and provide on proper demand by any Tax Authority (subject to any applicable privileges) the books, records, documentation and other information relating to any Tax Return until the later of (i) the

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expiration of the applicable statute of limitations (giving effect to any extension, waiver or mitigation thereof), (ii) the date specified in an applicable records retention agreement entered into with a Tax Authority, (iii) a Final Determination made with respect to such Tax Return and (iv) the final resolution of any claim made under this Agreement for which such information is relevant.
     5.6 Continuing Covenants . Each Party agrees (i) not to take any action reasonably expected to result in a new or changed Tax Item that is detrimental to any other Party and (ii) to take any action reasonably requested by any other Party that would reasonably be expected to result in a new or changed Tax Item that produces a benefit or avoids a detriment to such other Party; provided that such action does not result in any additional cost not fully compensated for by the requesting Party. The Parties hereby acknowledge that the preceding sentence is not intended to limit, and therefore shall not apply to, the rights of the Parties with respect to matters otherwise covered by this Agreement.
ARTICLE VI
Miscellaneous Provisions
     6.1 Notice . Any notice, demand, claim or other communication required or permitted to be given under this Agreement (a “ Notice ”) shall be in writing and may be personally served provided a receipt is obtained therefor, or may be sent by certified mail return receipt requested postage prepaid, to the Parties at the following addresses (or at such other address as one Party may specify by notice to any other Party):
         
 
  PAA at:   Plains All American Pipeline, L.P.
 
      333 Clay Street, Suite 1600
 
      Houston, Texas 77002
 
      Attention: General Counsel
 
       
 
  PNGS at:   PAA Natural Gas Storage, L.P.
 
      c/o PAA All American Pipeline, L.P.
 
      333 Clay Street, Suite 1500
 
      Houston, Texas 77002
 
      Attention: Vice President – Legal
     A Notice which is delivered personally shall be deemed given as of the date specified on the written receipt therefor. A Notice mailed as provided herein shall be deemed given on the third business day following the date so mailed. Notification of a change of address may be given by any Party to another in the manner provided in this Section 6.1 for providing a Notice.
     6.2 Required Payments . Unless otherwise provided in this Agreement, any payment of Tax required shall be due within 30 days of a Final Determination of the amount of such Tax.
     6.3 Injunctions . The Parties acknowledge that irreparable damage would occur in the event that any of the provisions of this Agreement were not performed in accordance with its specific terms or were otherwise breached. The Parties hereto shall be entitled to an injunction or injunctions to prevent breaches of the provisions of this Agreement and to enforce specifically

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the terms and provisions of this Agreement in any court having jurisdiction, such remedy being in addition to any other remedy to which they may be entitled at law or in equity.
     6.4 Further Assurances . Subject to the provisions hereof, the Parties hereto shall make, execute, acknowledge and deliver such other instruments and documents, and take all such other actions, as may be reasonably required in order to effectuate the purposes of this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby. Subject to the provisions hereof, each of the Parties shall, in connection with entering into this Agreement, perform its obligations hereunder and take any and all actions relating hereto, comply with all applicable laws, regulations, orders and decrees, obtain all required consents and approvals and make all required filings with any governmental agency, other regulatory or administrative agency, commission or similar authority and promptly provide the other Parties with all such information as such Parties may reasonably request in order to be able to comply with the provisions of this sentence.
     6.5 Parties in Interest . Except as herein otherwise specifically provided, nothing in this Agreement expressed or implied is intended to confer any right or benefit upon any person, firm or corporation other than the Parties and their respective successors and permitted assigns.
     6.6 Setoff . Except as provided by Section 2.1(c) of this Agreement, all payments to be made under this Agreement shall be made without setoff, counterclaim or withholding, all of which are expressly waived.
     6.7 Change of Law . If, due to any change in applicable law or regulations or the interpretation thereof by any court of law or other governing body having jurisdiction subsequent to the date of this Agreement, performance of any provision of this Agreement or any transaction contemplated hereby shall become impracticable or impossible, the Parties hereto shall use their best efforts to find and employ an alternative means to achieve the same or substantially the same result as that contemplated by such provision.
     6.8 Termination and Survival . Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, this Agreement shall remain in effect and its provisions shall survive for the full period of all applicable statutes of limitation (giving effect to any extension, waiver or mitigation thereof) or until otherwise agreed to in writing by PAA and PNGS, or their successors.
     6.9 Amendments; No Waivers.
          (a) Any provision of this Agreement may be amended or waived if, and only if, such amendment or waiver is in writing and signed, in the case of an amendment, by PAA and PNGS, or in the case of a waiver, by the Party against whom the waiver is to be effective.
          (b) No failure or delay by any Party in exercising any right, power or privilege hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof nor shall any single or partial exercise thereof preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or privilege.

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     6.10 Governing Law and Interpretation . This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware applicable to agreements made and to be performed in the State of Delaware.
     6.11 Resolution of Certain Disputes . Any disagreement between the Parties with respect to any matter that is the subject of this Agreement, including, without limitation, any disagreement with respect to any calculation or other determinations by PAA hereunder, which is not resolved by mutual agreement of the Parties, shall be resolved by a nationally recognized independent accounting firm chosen by and mutually acceptable to the Parties hereto (an “ Accounting Referee ”). Such Accounting Referee shall be chosen by the Parties within fifteen (15) business days from the date on which one Party serves written notice on another Party requesting the appointment of an Accounting Referee, provided that such notice specifically describes the calculations to be considered and resolved by the Accounting Referee. In the event the Parties cannot agree on the selection of an Accounting Referee, then the Accounting Referee shall be any office or branch of the public accounting firm of [PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP]. The Accounting Referee shall resolve any such disagreements as specified in the notice within 30 days of appointment; provided, however, that no Party shall be required to deliver any document or take any other action pursuant to this Section 6.11 if it determines that such action would result in the waiver of any legal privilege or any detriment to its business. Any resolution of an issue submitted to the Accounting Referee shall be final and binding on the Parties hereto without further recourse. The Parties shall share the costs and fees of the Accounting Referee equally.
     6.12 Confidentiality . Except to the extent required to protect a Party’s interests in a Tax Controversy, each Party shall hold and shall cause its consultants and advisors to hold in strict confidence, unless compelled to disclose by judicial or administrative process or, in the opinion of its counsel, by other requirements of law, all information (other than any such information relating solely to the business or affairs of such Party) concerning another Party or its representatives pursuant to this Agreement (except to the extent that such information can be shown to have been (i) previously known by the Party to which it was furnished, (ii) in the public domain through no fault of such Party or (iii) later lawfully acquired from other sources by the Party to which it was furnished), and each Party shall not release or disclose such information to any other person, except its auditors, attorneys, financial advisors, bankers and other consultants and advisors who shall be advised of the provisions of this Agreement. Each Party shall be deemed to have satisfied its obligation to hold confidential information concerning or supplied by another Party if it exercises the same care as it takes to preserve confidentiality for its own similar information.
     6.13 Costs, Expenses and Attorneys’ Fees . Except as expressly set forth in this Agreement, each Party shall bear its own costs and expenses incurred pursuant to this Agreement. In the event a Party to this Agreement brings an action or proceeding for the breach or enforcement of this Agreement, the prevailing party in such action, proceeding or appeal, whether or not such action, proceeding or appeal proceeds to final judgment, shall be entitled to recover as an element of its costs, and not as damages, such reasonable attorneys’ fees as may be awarded in the action, proceeding or appeal in addition to whatever other relief the prevailing party may be entitled. For purposes of this Section 6.13, the “prevailing party” shall be the Party who is entitled to recover its costs; a Party not entitled to recover its costs shall not recover

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attorneys’ fees. No sum for attorneys’ fees shall be counted in calculating the amount of the judgment for purposes of determining whether a Party is entitled to recover its costs or attorneys’ fees.
     6.14 Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.
     6.15 Severability . The Parties hereby agree that, if any provision of this Agreement should be adjudicated to be invalid or unenforceable, such provision shall be deemed deleted herefrom with respect, and only with respect, to the operation of such provision in the particular jurisdiction in which such adjudication was made, and only to the extent of the invalidity, and any such invalidity or unenforceability in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction. All other remaining provisions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect for the particular jurisdiction and all other jurisdictions.
     6.16 Entire Agreement.
          (a) This Agreement contains the entire agreement between the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all other agreements, whether or not written, in respect of any Tax between the PAA Group and the PNGS Group.
          (b) In the event of any conflict or inconsistency between the provisions of this Agreement and the provisions of any other agreement between the PAA Group and the PNGS Group, the provisions of this Agreement shall take precedence and to such extent shall be deemed to supersede such conflicting provisions under the other agreement.
     6.17 Assignment . This Agreement is being entered into by PAA and PNGS on behalf of themselves and each member of the PAA Group and the PNGS Group. This Agreement shall constitute a direct obligation of each such member and shall be deemed to have been readopted and affirmed on behalf of any entity that becomes a member of the PAA Group or the PNGS Group in the future. Each of PAA and PNGS hereby guarantee the performance of all actions, agreements and obligations provided for under this Agreement of each member of the PAA Group and the PNGS Group, respectively. Each of PAA and PNGS shall, upon the written request of the other, cause any of their respective group members to formally execute this Agreement. This Agreement shall be binding upon, and shall inure to the benefit of, the successors, assigns and persons controlling any of the entities bound hereby for so long as such successors, assigns or controlling persons are members of the PAA Group or the PNGS Group or their successors and assigns.
     6.18 Fair Meaning . This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with its fair meaning and shall not be construed strictly against the drafter.
     6.19 Titles and Headings . Titles and headings to sections herein are inserted for the convenience of reference only and are not intended to be a part of or to affect the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.

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     6.20 Construction . In this Agreement, unless the context otherwise requires, the terms “herein,” “hereof” and “hereunder” refer to this Agreement.
[ Signature Page Follows ]

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     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties hereto have executed and delivered this Agreement as of the day and year first above written.
         
  PLAINS ALL AMERICAN PIPELINE, L.P.

 
 
  By:   PAA GP LLC,    
    its general partner   
     
  By:   Plains AAP, L.P.,    
    its sole member   
         
     
  By:   Plains All American GP LLC    
    its general partner   
     
  By:   /s/ Al Swanson    
    Name:   Al Swanson   
    Title:   Senior Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer 
 
 
         
  PAA NATURAL GAS STORAGE, L.P.

 
 
  By:   PNGS GP LLC,    
    its general partner   
     
  By:   /s/ Richard McGee    
    Name:   Richard McGee   
    Title:   Vice President – Legal and Business
Development and Secretary 
 
 

Exhibit 10.4
 
 
 
Published CUSIP Number: 69312FAA2
EXECUTION COPY
CREDIT AGREEMENT
Dated as of April 7, 2010
among
PAA NATURAL GAS STORAGE, L.P.,
as the Borrower,
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
as Administrative Agent, Swing Line Lender
and
L/C Issuer,
DNB NOR BANK ASA,
as Syndication Agent,
WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
UBS LOAN FINANCE LLC, and CITIBANK, N.A.,

as Co-Documentation Agents,
and
The Other Lenders Party Hereto
BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC and
DNB NOR BANK ASA,

as
Joint Lead Arrangers and Joint Book Managers
 
 

 


 

TABLE OF CONTENTS
         
Section   Page  
ARTICLE I. DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS
    1  
1.01 Defined Terms
    1  
1.02 Other Interpretive Provisions
    23  
1.03 Accounting Terms
    24  
1.04 Rounding
    25  
1.05 Times of Day
    25  
1.06 Letter of Credit Amounts
    25  
 
       
ARTICLE II. THE COMMITMENTS AND CREDIT EXTENSIONS
    25  
2.01 Committed Loans
    25  
2.02 Borrowings, Conversions and Continuations of Committed Loans
    25  
2.03 Reserved
    27  
2.04 Letters of Credit
    27  
2.05 Swing Line Loans
    36  
2.06 Prepayments
    39  
2.07 Termination or Reduction of Commitments
    40  
2.08 Repayment of Loans
    41  
2.09 Interest
    41  
2.10 Fees
    42  
2.11 Computation of Interest and Fees; Retroactive Adjustments of Applicable Rate
    42  
2.12 Evidence of Debt
    43  
2.13 Payments Generally; Administrative Agent’s Clawback
    44  
2.14 Sharing of Payments by Lenders
    45  
2.15 Reserved
    46  
2.16 Increase in Commitments
    46  
2.17 Cash Collateral
    47  
2.18 Defaulting Lenders
    49  
 
       
ARTICLE III. TAXES, YIELD PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY
    51  
3.01 Taxes
    51  
3.02 Illegality
    55  
3.03 Inability to Determine Rates
    55  
3.04 Increased Costs; Reserves on Eurodollar Rate Loans
    56  
3.05 Compensation for Losses
    57  
3.06 Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders
    58  
3.07 Survival
    58  
 
       
ARTICLE IV. CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO CREDIT EXTENSIONS
    59  
4.01 Conditions Precedent to Closing
    59  
4.02 Conditions Precedent to Initial Credit Extension
    60  

i


 

         
         
Section   Page  
4.03 Conditions to all Credit Extensions
    62  
 
       
ARTICLE V. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
    62  
5.01 Existence, Qualification and Power
    62  
5.02 Authorization; No Contravention
    62  
5.03 Governmental Authorization; Other Consents
    63  
5.04 Binding Effect
    63  
5.05 Financial Statements; No Material Adverse Effect
    63  
5.06 Litigation
    64  
5.07 No Default
    64  
5.08 Ownership of Property; Liens
    64  
5.09 Environmental Compliance
    64  
5.10 Insurance
    64  
5.11 Taxes
    65  
5.12 ERISA Compliance
    65  
5.13 Subsidiaries; Equity Interests
    66  
5.14 Margin Regulations; Investment Company Act
    66  
5.15 Disclosure
    66  
5.16 Compliance with Laws
    66  
5.17 Taxpayer Identification Number
    67  
 
       
ARTICLE VI. AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS
    67  
6.01 Financial Statements
    67  
6.02 Certificates; Other Information
    68  
6.03 Notices
    69  
6.04 Payment of Taxes, Etc
    70  
6.05 Preservation of Existence, Etc
    70  
6.06 Maintenance of Properties
    70  
6.07 Maintenance of Insurance
    70  
6.08 Compliance with Laws
    70  
6.09 Books and Records
    71  
6.10 Inspection Rights
    71  
6.11 Use of Proceeds
    71  
 
       
ARTICLE VII. NEGATIVE COVENANTS
    71  
7.01 Liens
    71  
7.02 Reserved
    73  
7.03 Indebtedness
    73  
7.04 Fundamental Changes; Dispositions
    74  
7.05 Reserved
    74  
7.06 Restricted Payments
    74  
7.07 Change in Nature of Business
    74  
7.08 Transactions with Affiliates
    74  
7.09 Burdensome Agreements
    75  
7.10 Use of Proceeds
    75  
7.11 Financial Covenants
    75  

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Section   Page  
7.12 Unrestricted Subsidiaries
    77  
 
       
ARTICLE VIII. EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES
    78  
8.01 Events of Default
    78  
8.02 Remedies Upon Event of Default
    80  
8.03 Application of Funds
    81  
 
       
ARTICLE IX. ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
    82  
9.01 Appointment and Authority
    82  
9.02 Rights as a Lender
    82  
9.03 Exculpatory Provisions
    82  
9.04 Reliance by Administrative Agent
    83  
9.05 Delegation of Duties
    83  
9.06 Resignation of Administrative Agent
    83  
9.07 Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders
    84  
9.08 No Other Duties, Etc
    85  
9.09 Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim
    85  
9.10 Collateral Matters
    86  
 
       
ARTICLE X. MISCELLANEOUS
    86  
10.01 Amendments, Etc
    86  
10.02 Notices; Effectiveness; Electronic Communication
    87  
10.03 No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies; Enforcement
    89  
10.04 Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver
    90  
10.05 Payments Set Aside
    92  
10.06 Successors and Assigns
    93  
10.07 Treatment of Certain Information; Confidentiality
    97  
10.08 Right of Setoff
    98  
10.09 Interest Rate Limitation
    98  
10.10 Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness
    99  
10.11 Survival of Representations and Warranties
    99  
10.12 Severability
    99  
10.13 Replacement of Lenders
    99  
10.14 Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Etc
    100  
10.15 Waiver of Jury Trial
    101  
10.16 No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility
    101  
10.17 No Recourse to Other Persons
    102  
10.18 Electronic Execution of Assignments and Certain Other Documents
    102  
10.19 USA PATRIOT Act
    102  
10.20 Time of the Essence
    103  
10.21 ENTIRE AGREEMENT
    103  
 
       
SIGNATURES
    S-1  

iii


 

SCHEDULES
             
 
    2.01     Commitments and Applicable Percentages
 
    5.03     Governmental Authorization; Other Consents
 
    5.06     Litigation
 
    5.07
5.09
    No Default
Environmental Matters
 
    5.12     ERISA Matters
 
    5.13     Subsidiaries; Other Equity Investments
 
    5.16     Compliance with Laws
 
    10.02     Administrative Agent’s Office; Certain Addresses for Notices; Borrower’s U.S. Taxpayer Number
EXHIBITS
         
        Form of
 
       
 
  A   Committed Loan Notice
 
  B   Swing Line Loan Notice
 
  C   Committed Loan Note
 
  D   Swing Line Note
 
  E   Compliance Certificate
 
  F-1   Assignment and Assumption
 
  F-2   Administrative Questionnaire

iv


 

CREDIT AGREEMENT
     This CREDIT AGREEMENT (“ Agreement ”) is entered into as of April 7, 2010, among PAA NATURAL GAS STORAGE, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the “ Borrower ”), each lender from time to time party hereto (collectively, the “ Lenders ” and individually, a “ Lender ”), DNB NOR BANK ASA, as Syndication Agent, WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, UBS LOAN FINANCE LLC, AND CITIBANK, N.A., as Co-Documentation Agents, and BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as Administrative Agent, Swing Line Lender and L/C Issuer.
     The Borrower has requested that the Lenders provide a revolving credit facility, and the Lenders are willing to do so on the terms and conditions set forth herein.
     In consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements herein contained, the parties hereto covenant and agree as follows:
ARTICLE I. DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS
      1.01 Defined Terms . As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:
     “ Acquired Indebtedness ” means, as to any Person, Indebtedness of a Person acquired in an acquisition, whether in the acquisition of a Person, of assets or otherwise, in each case, existing at the time of such acquisition and not incurred in contemplation of such acquisition.
     “ Acquisition Period ” means the period beginning, at the election of the Borrower, with the funding date of the purchase price for a Specified Acquisition and ending on the earliest of (a) the third following fiscal quarter end, (b) Borrower’s receipt of proceeds of a Specified Equity Offering; and (c) Borrower’s election in writing to terminate such Acquisition Period ( provided , at the time of such election of such Acquisition Period, the Consolidated Leverage Ratio shall not, on a pro forma basis, exceed 4.75 to 1.00); provided , however , if the Consolidated Leverage Ratio exceeds 4.75 to 1.00 at the end of the fiscal quarter ending next following such funding date, then the Acquisition Period shall be deemed to have commenced as of such funding date; provided , further , during any Acquisition Period, no additional Acquisition Period shall commence, nor shall such Acquisition Period be extended, by any subsequent Specified Acquisition until the current Acquisition Period shall have expired and Borrower shall be in compliance with Section 7.11(b)(ii) .
     “ Administrative Agent ” means Bank of America in its capacity as administrative agent under any of the Loan Documents, or any successor administrative agent appointed in accordance with Section 9.06 .
     “ Administrative Agent’s Office ” means the Administrative Agent’s address and, as appropriate, account as set forth on Schedule 10.02 , or such other address or account as the Administrative Agent may from time to time notify to the Borrower and the Lenders pursuant to Section 10.02 .

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     “ Administrative Questionnaire ” means an Administrative Questionnaire in substantially the form of Exhibit F-2 or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.
     “ Affiliate ” means, with respect to any 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.
     “ Aggregate Commitments ” means the Commitments of all the Lenders. The initial Aggregate Commitments as of the Closing Date are $400,000,000.
     “ Agreement ” means this Credit Agreement.
     “ Applicable Percentage ” means with respect to any Lender at any time, the percentage (carried out to the ninth decimal place) of the Aggregate Commitments represented by such Lender’s Commitment at such time, subject to adjustment as provided in Section 2.18 . If the commitment of each Lender to make Loans and the obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions have been terminated pursuant to Section 8.02 or if the Aggregate Commitments have expired, then the Applicable Percentage of each Lender shall be determined based on the Applicable Percentage of such Lender most recently in effect, giving effect to any subsequent assignments. The initial Applicable Percentage of each Lender is set forth opposite the name of such Lender on Schedule 2.01 or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender becomes a party hereto, as applicable.
     “ Applicable Rate ” means, from time to time, the following percentages per annum, based upon the Consolidated Leverage Ratio as set forth in the most recent Compliance Certificate received by the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 6.02(b) :
Applicable Rate
                                 
                    Eurodollar        
                    Rate +        
Pricing   Consolidated     Commitment     Letters of     Base Rate  
Level   Leverage Ratio     Fee     Credit     +  
1
    <2.50:1       0.350 %     2.250 %     1.250 %
2
  ≥2.50:1 but <3.50:1     0.400 %     2.500 %     1.500 %
3
  ≥3.50:1 but <4.50:1     0.500 %     2.750 %     1.750 %
4
    ≥4.50:1       0.625 %     3.250 %     2.250 %
     Any increase or decrease in the Applicable Rate resulting from a change in the Consolidated Leverage Ratio shall become effective as of the first Business Day immediately following the date a Compliance Certificate is delivered pursuant to Section 6.02(b) ; provided , however , that if a Compliance Certificate is not delivered when due in accordance with such Section, then, upon the request of the Required Lenders, Pricing Level 4 shall apply as of the first Business Day after the date on which such Compliance Certificate was required to have been delivered and shall remain in effect until the date on which such Compliance Certificate is delivered. Subject to the foregoing, the Applicable Rate in effect from the IPO Closing Date through the first date on which a Compliance Certificate is delivered pursuant to Section 6.02(b)

2


 

shall be determined based upon the Consolidated Leverage Ratio set forth in the certificate to be delivered on the IPO Closing Date pursuant to Section 4.02(a) .
     Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this definition, the determination of the Applicable Rate for any period shall be subject to the provisions of Section 2.11(b) .
     “ Approved Fund ” means any Fund that is administered or managed by (a) a Lender, (b) an Affiliate of a Lender or (c) an entity or an Affiliate of an entity that administers or manages a Lender.
     “ Arrangers ” means each of BAS and DnB, in its capacity as co-lead arranger and joint book manager.
     “ Assignee Group ” means two or more Eligible Assignees that are Affiliates of one another or two or more Approved Funds managed by the same investment advisor.
     “ Assignment and Assumption ” means an assignment and assumption entered into by a Lender and an Eligible Assignee (with the consent of any party whose consent is required by Section 10.06(b) ), and accepted by the Administrative Agent, in substantially the form of Exhibit F-1 or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.
     “ Attributable Indebtedness ” means, on any date, (a) in respect of any Capital Lease of any Person, the capitalized amount thereof that would appear on a balance sheet of such Person prepared as of such date in accordance with GAAP, and (b) in respect of any Synthetic Lease Obligation, the capitalized amount of the remaining lease payments under the relevant lease that would appear on a balance sheet of such Person prepared as of such date in accordance with GAAP if such lease were accounted for as a Capital Lease.
     “ Audited Financial Statements ” means the audited consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower (or its predecessor) and its Subsidiaries for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009, and the related consolidated statements of income or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for such fiscal year of the Borrower (or its predecessor) and its Subsidiaries, including the notes thereto.
     “ Availability Period ” means the period from and including the IPO Closing Date to the earliest of (a) the Maturity Date, (b) the date of termination of the Aggregate Commitments pursuant to Section 2.07 , and (c) the date of termination of the commitment of each Lender to make Loans and of the obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions pursuant to Section 8.02 .
     “ Bank of America ” means Bank of America, N.A. and its successors.
     “ BAS ” means Banc of America Securities LLC and its successors.
     “ Base Rate means for any day a fluctuating rate per annum equal to the highest of (a) the Federal Funds Rate in effect on such day plus 1/2 of 1%, (b) the rate of interest in effect for such day as publicly announced from time to time by Bank of America as its “prime rate,” and (c) the Eurodollar Rate in effect on such day as determined pursuant to clause (b) of the definition

3


 

thereof plus 1.00%. The “prime rate” is a rate set by Bank of America based upon various factors including Bank of America’s costs and desired return, general economic conditions and other factors, and is used as a reference point for pricing some loans, which may be priced at, above, or below such announced rate. Any change in such prime rate announced by Bank of America shall take effect at the opening of business on the day specified in the public announcement of such change.
     “ Base Rate Committed Loan ” means a Committed Loan that is a Base Rate Loan.
     “ Base Rate Loan ” means (i) a Committed Loan that bears interest based on the Base Rate or (ii) a Swing Line Loan that bears interest based on the Base Rate.
     “ Bluewater ” means Bluewater Natural Gas Holding, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.
     “ Bluewater Storage Facility ” means the natural gas storage facility owned by Bluewater and located in St. Clair County, Michigan, which facility includes certain buildings, equipment, compressors, structures and pipelines located on a substantially depleted reservoir known as the Columbus III Reservoir.
     “ Borrower ” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph hereto.
     “ Borrower Materials ” has the meaning specified in Section 6.02 .
     “ Borrowing ” means a Committed Borrowing or a Swing Line Borrowing, as the context may require.
     “ Business Day ” means (a) any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks are authorized to close under the Laws of, or are in fact closed in, the state where the Administrative Agent’s Office is located and (b) if such day relates to any Eurodollar Rate Loan, means any such day that satisfies clause (a) hereof that is also a London Banking Day.
     “ Capital Lease ” means a lease with respect to which the lessee is required concurrently to recognize the acquisition of an asset and the incurrence of a liability in accordance with GAAP.
     “ Cash and Carry Purchases ” means purchases of Petroleum Products for physical storage or in storage or in transit in pipelines which has been hedged by either a NYMEX contract, an OTC contract, an Intercontinental Exchange contract, or a contract for physical delivery.
     “ Cash Collateralize ” means to pledge and deposit with or deliver to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender (as applicable) and the Lenders, as collateral for L/C Obligations, Obligations in respect of Swing Line Loans, or obligations of Lenders to fund participations in respect of either thereof (as the context may require), cash or deposit account balances or, if the L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender benefitting from such collateral shall agree in its sole discretion, other credit support, in each case pursuant to documentation in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to (a) the Administrative Agent and (b) the L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender (as applicable). “Cash Collateral” shall have a

4


 

meaning correlative to the foregoing and shall include the proceeds of such cash collateral and other credit support.
     “ Change in Law ” means the occurrence, after the date of this Agreement, of any of the following: (a) the adoption or taking effect of any law, rule, regulation or treaty, (b) any change in any law, rule, regulation or treaty or in the administration, interpretation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority or (c) the making or issuance of any request, guideline or directive (whether or not having the force of law) by any Governmental Authority.
     “ Change of Control ” means an event or series of events by which PAA or its Affiliates cease to be, directly or indirectly, the beneficial owner (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) of a majority of the outstanding general partnership interests in the Borrower, or cease to control, directly or indirectly, the election of a majority of the directors of the General Partner.
     “ Closing Date ” means the first date on which all the conditions precedent in Section 4.01 are satisfied or waived in accordance with Section 10.01 .
     “ Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
     “ Commitment ” means, (a) as to each Lender other than the Swing Line Lender, such Lender’s obligation to (i) make Committed Loans to the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.01 , (ii) purchase participations in L/C Obligations, and (iii) purchase participations in Swing Line Loans and (b) as to the Swing Line Lender, its obligation to make Swing Line Loans to the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.05 ; in each case, in an aggregate principal amount at any one time outstanding not to exceed the amount set forth opposite such Lender’s name on Schedule 2.01 , as such amount may from time to time be increased pursuant to Section 2.16 or decreased pursuant to Section 2.07 , or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender becomes a party hereto, as applicable, as such amount may be adjusted from time to time in accordance with this Agreement.
     “ Committed Borrowing ” means a borrowing consisting of simultaneous Committed Loans of the same Type and, in the case of Eurodollar Rate Committed Loans, having the same Interest Period made by each of the Lenders pursuant to Section 2.01 .
     “ Committed Loan ” has the meaning specified in Section 2.01 .
     “ Committed Loan Note ” means a promissory note made by the Borrower in favor of a Lender evidencing Committed Loans made by such Lender, substantially in the form of Exhibit C .
     “ Committed Loan Notice ” means a notice of (a) a Committed Borrowing, (b) a conversion of Committed Loans from one Type to the other, or (c) a continuation of Eurodollar Rate Committed Loans, pursuant to Section 2.02(a) , which, if in writing, shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit A .
     “ Compliance Certificate ” means a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit E .

5


 

     “ Consolidated EBITDA ” means, for any period, for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis (excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, Unrestricted Subsidiaries), an amount equal to Consolidated Net Income for such period plus (a) the following to the extent deducted in calculating such Consolidated Net Income: (i) Consolidated Interest Charges and other interest charges and expenses for such period, (ii) the provision for Federal, state, local and foreign income taxes (or franchise taxes, to the extent based upon net income) payable by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, Unrestricted Subsidiaries) for such period, (iii) depreciation, depletion and amortization expense, (iv) costs or expenses resulting from distributions or redemptions of the Borrower’s units issued pursuant to the Borrower’s long-term incentive plan and (v) other non-recurring expenses of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, Unrestricted Subsidiaries) reducing such Consolidated Net Income which do not represent a cash item in such period or any future period and minus (b) the following to the extent included in calculating such Consolidated Net Income: (i) Federal, state, local and foreign income tax credits of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, Unrestricted Subsidiaries) for such period and (ii) all non-cash items increasing Consolidated Net Income for such period; provided , that, only for purposes of determining compliance with the financial covenants set forth in Section 7.11 , if, since the beginning of the period ending on the date for which Consolidated EBITDA is determined, the Borrower or its Subsidiaries (excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, Unrestricted Subsidiaries) shall have made any asset Disposition or acquisition, shall have consolidated or merged with or into any Person (other than Borrower or another Subsidiary), or shall have made any Disposition or acquisition of a Restricted Person or of any partial ownership interest in any other Person, Consolidated EBITDA shall be calculated giving pro forma effect thereto as if the Disposition, acquisition, consolidation or merger had occurred on the first day of such period, and such calculation shall be determined (i) in good faith by a financial officer of the Borrower and (ii) without giving effect to any anticipated or proposed change in operations, revenues, expenses or other items included in the computation of Consolidated EBITDA, except cost reductions specifically identified at the time of Disposition, acquisition, consolidation or merger that are attributable to personnel reductions, non-recurring maintenance and environmental costs and allocated corporate overhead. The Borrower shall deliver on or prior to the last day of any fiscal quarter for which the Borrower desires to include such adjustments, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Administrative Agent and certified by a financial officer of the Borrower, written pro forma projections of Consolidated EBITDA attributable to any such adjustments, and such other related information and documentation reasonably requested by and reasonably satisfactory to Administrative Agent in all respects.
     “ Consolidated Funded Indebtedness ” means, as of any date of determination, for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis (excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, Unrestricted Subsidiaries), the sum of (without duplication): (i) the outstanding principal amount of all Indebtedness which is classified as “long-term indebtedness” on a consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis (excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, Unrestricted Subsidiaries) prepared as of such date in accordance with GAAP (subject to year-end audit adjustments with respect to non-year end periods) and any current maturities and other principal amount in respect of such Indebtedness due within one year but which was classified as “long-term indebtedness” at the creation thereof; (ii) the outstanding principal amount of Indebtedness for borrowed money of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis (excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, Unrestricted Subsidiaries) outstanding

6


 

under a revolving credit, term or similar agreement (and renewals and extensions thereof); and (iii) the outstanding principal amount of Indebtedness in respect of Capital Leases of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis (excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, Unrestricted Subsidiaries); provided , however , Consolidated Funded Indebtedness shall not, if otherwise applicable, include (x) Indebtedness in respect of letters of credit, (y) Indebtedness incurred to finance Cash and Carry Purchases or (z) margin deposits.
     “ Consolidated Interest Charges ” means, for any period, for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis (excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, Unrestricted Subsidiaries), the sum of (a) all interest, premium payments, debt discount, fees, charges and related expenses of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, Unrestricted Subsidiaries) in connection with borrowed money or in connection with the deferred purchase price of assets, in each case to the extent treated as interest in accordance with GAAP, and (b) the portion of rent expense of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, Unrestricted Subsidiaries) with respect to such period under Capital Leases that is treated as interest in accordance with GAAP; provided, however, the calculation of Consolidated Interest Charges shall not include any interest, premium payments, debt discount, fees, charges, related expenses and rent expense that are capitalized in accordance with GAAP.
     “ Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio ” means, as of any date of determination, the ratio of (a) Consolidated EBITDA for such period to (b) Consolidated Interest Charges for such period.
     “ Consolidated Leverage Ratio ” means, as of any date of determination, the ratio of (a) Consolidated Funded Indebtedness as of such date to (b) Consolidated EBITDA for such period, as Consolidated EBITDA may be adjusted pursuant to Section 7.11(b) .
     “ Consolidated Net Income ” means, for any period, for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis (excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, Unrestricted Subsidiaries), the net income of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, Unrestricted Subsidiaries) for that period (excluding extraordinary gains and extraordinary losses). “Consolidated Net Income” shall not include (i) any gain or loss from the sale of assets other than in the ordinary course of business, or (ii) any non-cash gains or losses resulting from mark to market activity as a result of the implementation of SFAS 133 or EITF 98-10. In addition, “Consolidated Net Income” shall not include the cost or proceeds of purchasing or selling options which are used to hedge future activity, until the period in which such hedged future activity occurs.
     “ Consolidated Tangible Net Worth ” means, as of any date of determination, for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis (excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, Unrestricted Subsidiaries), Shareholders’ Equity of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, Unrestricted Subsidiaries) on that date minus the Intangible Assets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, Unrestricted Subsidiaries) on that date.

7


 

     “ Contractual Obligation ” means, as to any Person, any provision of any security issued by such Person or of any 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.
     “ Credit Extension ” means each of the following: (a) a Borrowing and (b) an L/C Credit Extension.
     “ Debtor Relief Laws ” means the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, and all other liquidation, conservatorship, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of creditors, moratorium, rearrangement, receivership, insolvency, reorganization, or similar debtor relief Laws of the United States or other applicable jurisdictions from time to time in effect and affecting the rights of creditors generally.
     “ Default ” means any event or condition that constitutes an Event of Default or that, with the giving of any notice, the passage of time, or both, would be an Event of Default.
     “ Default Rate ” means (a) when used with respect to Obligations other than Letter of Credit Fees, an interest rate equal to (i) the Base Rate plus (ii) the Applicable Rate, if any, applicable to Base Rate Loans plus (iii) 2% per annum; provided , however , that with respect to a Eurodollar Rate Loan, the Default Rate shall be an interest rate equal to the interest rate (including any Applicable Rate) otherwise applicable to such Loan plus 2% per annum, and (b) when used with respect to Letter of Credit Fees, a rate equal to the Applicable Rate plus 2% per annum.
     “ Default Rate Period ” means (a) any period during which an Event of Default, other than pursuant to Section 8.01(a) , is continuing, provided that such period shall not begin until notice of the commencement of the Default Rate has been given to the Borrower by the Administrative Agent upon the instruction by the Required Lenders and (b) any period during which any Event of Default pursuant to Sections 8.01(a) is continuing unless the Borrower has been notified otherwise by the Administrative Agent upon the instruction by the Required Lenders.
     “ Defaulting Lender ” means, subject to Section 2.18(b) , any Lender that, as determined by the Administrative Agent, (a) has failed to perform any of its funding obligations hereunder in respect of its Loans or participations in respect of Letters of Credit or Swing Line Loans, within three Business Days of the date required to be funded by it hereunder, (b) has notified the Borrower or the Administrative Agent that it does not intend to comply with its funding obligations or has made a public statement to that effect with respect to its funding obligations hereunder or under other agreements in which it commits to extend credit, (c) has failed, within three Business Days after request by the Administrative Agent, to confirm in a manner satisfactory to the Administrative Agent that it will comply with its funding obligations, or (d) has, or has a direct or indirect parent company that has, (i) become the subject of a proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, (ii) had a receiver, conservator, trustee, administrator, assignee for

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the benefit of creditors or similar Person charged with reorganization or liquidation of its business or a custodian appointed for it, or (iii) taken any action in furtherance of, or indicated its consent to, approval of or acquiescence in any such proceeding or appointment; provided that a Lender shall not be a Defaulting Lender solely by virtue of the ownership or acquisition of any equity interest in that Lender or any direct or indirect parent company thereof by a Governmental Authority.
     “ Disposition ” or “ Dispose ” means the sale, transfer, license, lease or other disposition (including any sale and leaseback transaction) of any property by any Person, including any sale, assignment, transfer or other disposal, with or without recourse, of any notes or accounts receivable or any rights and claims associated therewith.
     “ DnB ” means DnB NOR Bank ASA and its successors.
     “ Dollar ” and “ $ ” mean lawful money of the United States.
     “ Eligible Assignee ” means any Person that meets the requirements to be an assignee under Section 10.06(b)(iii) , and (v) (subject to such consents, if any, as may be required under Section 10.06(b)(iii) ).
     “ Environmental Laws ” means any and all Federal, state, local, and foreign statutes, laws, regulations, ordinances, rules, judgments, orders, decrees, permits, concessions, grants, franchises, licenses, agreements or governmental restrictions relating to pollution and the protection of the environment or the release of any materials into the environment, including those related to hazardous substances or wastes, air emissions and discharges to waste or public systems.
     “ Environmental Liability ” means any liability, contingent or otherwise (including any liability for damages, costs of environmental remediation, fines, penalties or indemnities), of the Borrower, any other Loan Party or any of their respective Subsidiaries directly or indirectly 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 or threatened release of any Hazardous Materials into the environment or (e) any contract, agreement or other consensual arrangement pursuant to which liability is assumed or imposed with respect to any of the foregoing.
     “ Equity Interests ” means, with respect to any Person, all of the shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person, all of the warrants, options or other rights for the purchase or acquisition from such Person of shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person, and all of the other ownership or profit interests in such Person (including partnership, member or trust interests therein), whether voting or nonvoting, and whether or not such shares, warrants, options, rights or other interests are outstanding on any date of determination, excluding, however, all debt securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person or warrants, rights or options for the purchase or acquisition from such Person of such shares (or such other interests).
     “ ERISA ” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.

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     “ ERISA Affiliate ” means any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) under common control with the Borrower within the meaning of Section 414(b) or (c) of the Code (and Sections 414(m) and (o) of the Code for purposes of provisions relating to Section 412 of the Code).
     “ ERISA Event ” means (a) a Reportable Event with respect to a Pension Plan; (b) the withdrawal of the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from a Pension Plan subject to Section 4063 of ERISA during a plan year in which such entity was a “substantial employer” as defined in Section 4001(a)(2) of ERISA or a cessation of operations that is treated as such a withdrawal under Section 4062(e) of ERISA; (c) a complete or partial withdrawal by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from a Multiemployer Plan or notification that a Multiemployer Plan is in reorganization; (d) the filing of a notice of intent to terminate a Pension Plan or the treatment of a Pension Plan amendment as a termination under Section 4041 or 4041A of ERISA; (e) the institution by the PBGC of proceedings to terminate a Pension Plan; (f) any event or condition which constitutes grounds under Section 4042 of ERISA for the termination of, or the appointment of a trustee to administer, any Pension Plan; (g) the determination that any Pension Plan is considered an at-risk plan or a plan in endangered or critical status within the meaning of Sections 430, 431 and 432 of the Code or Sections 303, 304 and 305 of ERISA; or (h) the imposition of any liability under Title IV of ERISA, other than for PBGC premiums due but not delinquent under Section 4007 of ERISA, upon the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate.
     “ Eurodollar Rate ” means:
     (a) for any Interest Period with respect to a Eurodollar Rate Loan, the rate per annum equal to (i) the British Bankers Association LIBOR Rate (“ BBA LIBOR ”), as published by Reuters (or such other commercially available source providing quotations of BBA LIBOR as may be designated by the Administrative Agent from time to time) at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two London Banking Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period, for Dollar deposits (for delivery on the first day of such Interest Period) with a term equivalent to such Interest Period or, (ii) if such rate is not available at such time for any reason, the rate per annum determined by the Administrative Agent to be the rate at which deposits in Dollars for delivery on the first day of such Interest Period in same day funds in the approximate amount of the Eurodollar Rate Loan being made, continued or converted and with a term equivalent to such Interest Period would be offered by Bank of America’s London Branch to major banks in the London interbank eurodollar market at their request at approximately 11:00 a.m. (London time) two London Banking Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period; and
     (b) for any interest calculation with respect to a Base Rate Loan on any date, the rate per annum equal to (i) BBA LIBOR, at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time determined two London Banking Days prior to such date for Dollar deposits being delivered in the London interbank market for a term of one month commencing that day or (ii) if such published rate is not available at such time for any reason, the rate per annum determined by the Administrative Agent to be the rate at which deposits in Dollars for delivery on the date of determination in same day funds in the approximate amount of the Base Rate Loan being made, continued or converted and with a term equal to one month would be offered by Bank of America’s London Branch to major banks in the London interbank Eurodollar market at their request at the date and time of determination.

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     “ Eurodollar Rate Committed Loan ” means a Committed Loan that bears interest at a rate based on clause (a) of the definition of “Eurodollar Rate.”
     “ Eurodollar Rate Loan ” means (i) a Eurodollar Rate Committed Loan or (ii) a Swing Line Loan that bears interest at a rate based on the Eurodollar Rate.
     “ Event of Default ” has the meaning specified in Section 8.01 .
     “ Excluded Taxes ” means, with respect to the Administrative Agent, any Lender, the L/C Issuer or any other recipient of any payment to be made by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower hereunder, (a) taxes imposed on or measured by its overall net income or net profits (however denominated), and franchise taxes or capital taxes imposed on it (in lieu of or in addition to net income or net profits taxes), by the jurisdiction (or any political subdivision thereof) 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 or any similar tax imposed by any other jurisdiction in which the Borrower is located, (c) any backup withholding tax that is required by the Code to be withheld from amounts payable to a Lender, and (d) in the case of a Foreign Lender (other than an assignee pursuant to a request by the Borrower under Section 10.13 ), any United States withholding tax that (i) is required to be imposed on amounts payable to such Foreign Lender pursuant to the Laws in force at the time such Foreign Lender becomes a party hereto (or designates a new Lending Office), 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 3.01(a)(ii) or (c) , or (ii) is attributable to such Foreign Lender’s failure or inability (other than as a result of a Change in Law) to comply with clause (B) of Section 3.01(e)(ii) .
     “ FASB ASC ” means the Accounting Standards Codification of the Financial Accounting Standards Board.
     “ Federal Funds Rate means, for any day, the rate per annum equal to the weighted average of the rates on overnight Federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System arranged by Federal funds brokers on such day, as published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on the Business Day next succeeding such day; provided that (a) if such day is not a Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be such rate on such transactions on the next preceding Business Day as so published on the next succeeding Business Day, and (b) if no such rate is so published on such next succeeding Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be the average rate (rounded upward, if necessary, to a whole multiple of 1/100 of 1%) charged to Bank of America on such day on such transactions as determined by the Administrative Agent.
     “ Fee Letters ” means each of the letter agreements dated February 23, 2010 (i) among the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, and BAS, and (ii) between the Borrower and DnB.
     “ Foreign Lender ” means any Lender that is organized under the Laws of a jurisdiction other than the United States (including such a Lender when acting in the capacity of the L/C

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Issuer). For purposes of this definition, the term “United States” shall include the United States, each State thereof and the District of Columbia.
     “ FRB ” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States.
     “ Fronting Exposure ” means, at any time there is a Defaulting Lender, (a) with respect to the L/C Issuer, such Defaulting Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the outstanding L/C Obligations other than L/C Obligations as to which such Defaulting Lender’s participation obligation has been reallocated to other Lenders or Cash Collateralized in accordance with the terms hereof, and (b) with respect to the Swing Line Lender, such Defaulting Lender’s Applicable Percentage of Swing Line Loans other than Swing Line Loans as to which such Defaulting Lender’s participation obligation has been reallocated to other Lenders or Cash Collateralized in accordance with the terms hereof.
     “ Fund ” means any Person (other than a natural person) that is engaged in making, purchasing, holding or otherwise investing in commercial loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its business.
     “ GAAP ” means those generally accepted accounting principles and practices which are recognized as such by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (or any generally recognized successor) and which, in the case of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, are applied for all periods after the date hereof in a manner consistent with the manner in which such principles and practices were applied to the Audited Financial Statements.
     “ General Partner ” means PNGS GP LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, in its capacity as the sole general partner of the Borrower.
     “ Governmental Authority ” means the government of the United States or any other nation, or of 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 (including any supra-national bodies such as the European Union or the European Central Bank).
     “ Guarantee ” means, as to any Person, (a) any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of such Person guaranteeing or having the economic effect of guaranteeing any Indebtedness or other obligation payable or performable by another Person (the “primary obligor”) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, and including any obligation of such Person, direct or indirect, (i) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness or other obligation, (ii) to purchase or lease property, securities or services for the purpose of assuring the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment or performance of such Indebtedness or other obligation, (iii) to maintain working capital, equity capital or any other financial statement condition or liquidity or level of income or cash flow of the primary obligor so as to enable the primary obligor to pay such Indebtedness or other obligation, or (iv) entered into for the purpose of assuring in any other manner the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment or performance thereof or to

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protect such obligee against loss in respect thereof (in whole or in part), or (b) any Lien on any assets of such Person securing any Indebtedness or other obligation of any other Person, whether or not such Indebtedness or other obligation is assumed by such Person (or any right, contingent or otherwise, of any holder of such Indebtedness to obtain any such Lien). The amount of any Guarantee shall be deemed to be an amount equal to the stated or determinable amount of the related primary obligation, or portion thereof, in respect of which such Guarantee is made or, if not stated or determinable, the maximum reasonably anticipated liability in respect thereof as determined by the guaranteeing Person in good faith. The term “Guarantee” as a verb has a corresponding meaning.
     “ 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, infectious or medical wastes and all other substances or wastes of any nature regulated pursuant to any Environmental Law.
     “ Indebtedness ” means, as to any Person at a particular time, without duplication, all of the following, whether or not included as indebtedness or liabilities in accordance with GAAP:
  (a)   its obligations for the repayment of borrowed money,
 
  (b)   its obligations to pay the deferred purchase price of property or services (excluding trade account payables arising in the ordinary course of business), other than contingent purchase price or similar obligations incurred in connection with an acquisition and not yet earned or determinable,
 
  (c)   its obligations evidenced by a bond, debenture, note or similar instrument,
 
  (d)   its obligations, as lessee, constituting principal under Capital Leases,
 
  (e)   its direct or contingent reimbursement obligations with respect to the face amount of letters of credit pursuant to the applications or reimbursement agreements therefor,
 
  (f)   its obligations for the repayment of outstanding banker’s acceptances, whether matured or unmatured,
 
  (g)   Synthetic Lease Obligations, or
 
  (h)   its obligations under guaranties of any obligations of any other Person described in the foregoing clauses (a) through (g).
     For all purposes hereof, the Indebtedness of any Person shall include the Indebtedness of any partnership or joint venture (other than a joint venture that is itself a corporation or limited liability company) in which such Person is a general partner or a joint venturer, except to the extent that such Indebtedness is expressly made non-recourse to such Person. The amount of any Capital Lease or Synthetic Lease Obligation as of any date shall be deemed to be the amount of Attributable Indebtedness in respect thereof as of such date.

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     “ Indemnified Taxes ” means Taxes other than Excluded Taxes.
     “ Indemnitees ” has the meaning specified in Section 10.04(b) .
     “ Information ” has the meaning specified in Section 10.07 .
     “ Initial Pro Forma Financial Statements ” means the pro forma financial projections and forecasts prepared by or at the direction of the Borrower and delivered by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent for the second half of the fiscal year ending December 31, 2010 and for the fiscal years ending December 31, 2011, December 31, 2012, and December 31, 2013, in each case, including adjustments for scheduled commencement of commercial operations for Pine Prairie Storage Facility caverns #3, #4 and #5.
     “ Intangible Assets ” means assets that are considered to be intangible assets under GAAP, including customer lists, goodwill, computer software, copyrights, trade names, trademarks, patents, franchises, licenses, unamortized deferred charges, unamortized debt discount and capitalized research and development costs.
     “ Interest Payment Date ” means, (a) as to any Loan other than a Base Rate Loan, the last day of each Interest Period applicable to such Loan and the Maturity Date; provided , however , that if any Interest Period for a Eurodollar Rate Loan exceeds three months, the respective dates that fall every three months after the beginning of such Interest Period shall also be Interest Payment Dates; and (b) as to any Base Rate Loan (including a Swing Line Loan), the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December and the Maturity Date.
     “ Interest Period ” means as to each Eurodollar Rate Loan, the period commencing on the date of such Borrowing or the date such Eurodollar Rate Loan is converted to or continued as a Eurodollar Rate Loan and ending on the date seven days, fourteen days, one month, two months, three months or six months thereafter, as selected by the Borrower in its Committed Loan Notice or such other period that is twelve months or less requested by the Borrower and consented to by all the Lenders; provided that:
          (i) any Interest Period that would otherwise end on a day that is not a Business Day shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless, in the case of a Eurodollar Rate Loan, such Business Day falls in another calendar month, in which case such Interest Period shall end on the next preceding Business Day;
          (ii) any Interest Period pertaining to a Eurodollar Rate Loan 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; and
          (iii) no Interest Period shall extend beyond the Maturity Date.
     “ IPO Closing Date ” means the date on which the Borrower consummates its initial public offering as contemplated by and pursuant to the Registration Statement, and all conditions precedent to the initial Credit Extension under Section 4.02 have been satisfied or waived in accordance with Section 10.01 .

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     “ IRS ” means the United States Internal Revenue Service.
     “ ISP ” means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, the “International Standby Practices 1998” published by the Institute of International Banking Law & Practice, Inc. (or such later version thereof as may be in effect at the time of issuance).
     “ Issuer Documents ” means with respect to any Letter of Credit, the Letter of Credit Application, and any other document, agreement and instrument entered into by the L/C Issuer and the Borrower (or any Subsidiary) or in favor of the L/C Issuer and relating to such Letter of Credit.
     “ Laws ” means, collectively, all international, foreign, Federal, state and local statutes, treaties, rules, guidelines, regulations, ordinances, codes and administrative or judicial precedents or authorities, including the interpretation or administration thereof by any Governmental Authority charged with the enforcement, interpretation or administration thereof, and all applicable administrative orders, directed duties, requests, licenses, authorizations and permits of, and agreements with, any Governmental Authority, in each case whether or not having the force of law.
     “ L/C Advance ” means, with respect to each Lender, such Lender’s funding of its participation in any L/C Borrowing in accordance with its Applicable Percentage.
     “ L/C Borrowing ” means an extension of credit resulting from a drawing under any Letter of Credit which has not been reimbursed on the date as required pursuant to Section 2.04(c) or refinanced as a Committed Borrowing.
     “ L/C Credit Extension ” means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, the issuance thereof or extension of the expiry date thereof, or the increase of the amount thereof.
     “ L/C Issuer ” means Bank of America in its capacity as issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder, or any successor issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder.
     “ L/C Obligations ” means, as at any date of determination, the aggregate amount available to be drawn under all outstanding Letters of Credit plus the aggregate of all Unreimbursed Amounts, including (without duplication) all L/C Borrowings. For purposes of computing the amount available to be drawn under any Letter of Credit, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be determined in accordance with Section 1.06 . For all purposes of this Agreement, if on any date of determination a Letter of Credit has expired by its terms but any amount may still be drawn thereunder by reason of the operation of Rule 3.14 of the ISP, such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be “outstanding” in the amount so remaining available to be drawn.
     “ Lender ” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph hereto and, as the context requires, includes the Swing Line Lender.
     “ Lender Parties ” means the Administrative Agent, L/C Issuer and all Lenders.
     “ Lending Office ” means, as to any Lender, the office or offices of such Lender described as such in such Lender’s Administrative Questionnaire, or such other office or offices as a

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Lender may from time to time notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent in accordance with the terms hereof.
     “ Letter of Credit ” means any letter of credit issued at the request of the Borrower hereunder. A Letter of Credit may be a commercial letter of credit or a standby letter of credit.
     “ Letter of Credit Application ” means an application and agreement for the issuance or amendment of a Letter of Credit in the form from time to time in use by the L/C Issuer.
     “ Letter of Credit Expiration Date ” means the day that is seven days prior to the Maturity Date then in effect (or, if such day is not a Business Day, the next preceding Business Day).
     “ Letter of Credit Fee ” has the meaning specified in Section 2.04(h) .
     “ Letter of Credit Sublimit ” means an amount equal to the Aggregate Commitments. The Letter of Credit Sublimit is part of, and not in addition to, the Aggregate Commitments.
     “ Lien ” means any mortgage, pledge, hypothecation, assignment, deposit arrangement, encumbrance, lien (statutory or other), charge, or preference, priority or other security interest or preferential arrangement in the nature of a security interest of any kind or nature whatsoever (including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, any easement, right of way or other encumbrance on title to real property, and any financing lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing).
     “ Loan ” means an extension of credit by a Lender to the Borrower under Article II in the form of a Committed Loan or a Swing Line Loan.
     “ Loan Documents ” means this Agreement, each Note, each Issuer Document, any agreement creating or perfecting rights in Cash Collateral pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.17 of this Agreement, Fee Letters and any guaranty of the Obligations delivered in connection herewith.
     “ Loan Party ” means each of (i) the Borrower and (ii) any Subsidiary of the Borrower that, at such time, is obligated under or pursuant to a guaranty of the Obligations.
     “ London Banking Day ” means any day on which dealings in Dollar deposits are conducted by and between banks in the London interbank eurodollar market.
     “ Material Adverse Effect ” means (a) a material adverse change in, or a material adverse effect upon, the operations, business, assets, properties, liabilities (actual or contingent) or condition (financial or otherwise) of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole; (b) a material impairment (i) of the rights or remedies of the Administrative Agent or any Lender under any Loan Document, determined without regard to any event, circumstance or the like that exists or may exist solely by reason of any actions, operations, activities or status of any Lender or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be; or (ii) of the ability of the Borrower to perform its obligations under any Loan Document to which it is a party; or (c) a material adverse effect upon the legality, validity, binding effect or enforceability against Borrower of any material terms of any Loan Document to which it is a party.

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     “ Maturity Date ” means such date that is three years from the IPO Closing Date; provided , however , that if such date does not satisfy clause (a) of the definition of “Business Day,” the Maturity Date shall be the next preceding Business Day.
     “ Multiemployer Plan ” means any employee benefit plan of the type described in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA, to which the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate makes or is obligated to make contributions, or during the preceding five plan years, has made or been obligated to make contributions.
     “ Multiple Employer Plan ” means a Plan which has two or more contributing sponsors (including the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate) at least two of whom are not under common control at such times and meeting the requirements of such a plan as described in Section 4064 of ERISA.
     “ Notes ” means, collectively, the Committed Loan Notes and the Swing Line Note.
     “ Obligations ” means all advances to, and debts, liabilities, obligations, covenants and duties of, any Loan Party arising under any Loan Document or otherwise with respect to any Loan or Letter of Credit, whether direct or indirect (including those acquired by assumption), absolute or contingent, due or to become due, now existing or hereafter arising and including interest and fees that accrue after the commencement by or against any Loan Party or any of its Affiliates of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Laws naming such Person as the debtor in such proceeding, regardless of whether such interest and fees are allowed claims in such proceeding.
     “ Organization Documents ” means, (a) with respect to any corporation, the certificate or articles of incorporation and the bylaws (or equivalent or comparable constitutive documents with respect to any non-U.S. jurisdiction); (b) with respect to any limited liability company, the certificate or articles of formation or organization and operating agreement; and (c) with respect to any partnership, joint venture, trust or other form of business entity, the partnership, joint venture or other applicable agreement of formation or organization and any agreement, instrument, filing or notice with respect thereto filed in connection with its formation or organization with the applicable Governmental Authority in the jurisdiction of its formation or organization and, if applicable, any certificate or articles of formation or organization of such entity.
     “ Other Taxes ” means 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 under any other Loan Document or from the execution, delivery or enforcement of, or otherwise with respect to, this Agreement or any other Loan Document.
     “ Outstanding Amount ” means (i) with respect to Committed Loans and Swing Line Loans on any date, the aggregate outstanding principal amount thereof after giving effect to any borrowings and prepayments or repayments of Committed Loans and Swing Line Loans, as the case may be, occurring on such date; and (ii) with respect to any L/C Obligations on any date, the amount of such L/C Obligations on such date after giving effect to any L/C Credit Extension occurring on such date and any other changes in the aggregate amount of the L/C Obligations as

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of such date, including as a result of any reimbursements by the Borrower of Unreimbursed Amounts.
     “ PAA ” means Plains All American Pipeline, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership.
     “ Participant ” has the meaning specified in Section 10.06(d) .
     “ PBGC ” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.
     “ Pension Act ” means the Pension Protection Act of 2006.
     “ Pension Funding Rules ” means the rules of the Code and ERISA regarding minimum required contributions (including any installment payment thereof) to Pension Plans and set forth in, with respect to plan years ending prior to the effective date of the Pension Act, Section 412 of the Code and Section 302 of ERISA, each as in effect prior to the Pension Act and, thereafter, Section 412, 430, 431, 432 and 436 of the Code and Sections 302, 303, 304 and 305 of ERISA.
     “ Pension Plan ” means any employee pension benefit plan (including a Multiple Employer Plan or a Multiemployer Plan) that is maintained or is contributed to by the Borrower and any ERISA Affiliate and is either covered by Title IV of ERISA or is subject to the minimum funding standards under Section 412 of the Code.
     “ Person ” means any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership, Governmental Authority or other entity.
     “ Petroleum Products ” means crude oil, condensate, natural gas, natural gas liquids (NGL’s), liquefied petroleum gases (LPG’s), refined petroleum products or any blend thereof.
     “ Pine Prairie ” means Pine Prairie Energy Center, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.
     “ Pine Prairie Lease ” means, collectively, that certain Agreement to Lease With Option to Purchase, dated as of May 1, 2006, and that certain Conveyance and Lease Addendum No. 1, dated as of November 12, 2007, each by and between Industrial Revenue Board No. 1 of the Parish of Louisiana, Inc. and Pine Prairie.
     “ Pine Prairie Storage Facility ” means the natural gas storage facility owned by Pine Prairie and located in Evangeline Parish, Louisiana, which facility includes certain buildings, equipment, compressors, structures and pipelines located on a salt-dome storage cavern.
     “ Plan ” means any employee benefit plan within the meaning of Section 3(3) of ERISA (including a Pension Plan), maintained for employees of the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate or any such Plan to which the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate is required to contribute on behalf of any of its employees.
     “ Platform ” has the meaning specified in Section 6.02 .
     “ Pre-IPO Commitment Termination Date ” means September 30, 2010.

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     “ Principal Property ” means, whether owned or leased on the date hereof or hereafter acquired:
     (a) any Storage Facility, including all storage caverns and reservoirs, injection, compression and production wells, injection and withdrawal sites and facilities, transportation and gathering pipelines, treating and processing plants and facilities, compressors and compression units, and other facilities, equipment and other assets owned or leased by Borrower and its Subsidiaries employed in the injection, storage, withdrawal, transportation, gathering, terminalling, treating, processing, distribution, transportation and marketing of natural gas, natural gas liquids, crude oil and refined petroleum products;
     (b) all rights, titles, interests and estates in and to oil and gas leases, oil, gas and mineral leases, or other liquid or gaseous Hydrocarbon leases, and mineral fee interests associated with the foregoing; and
     (c) all volumes of natural gas stored at any Storage Facility required to remain in such Storage Facility (“base gas”) in order to provide necessary pressurization sufficient to extract (i) all third-party natural gas stored therein (“third-party gas”) and (ii) any other volumes of natural gas owned by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries and stored in such Storage Facility (“working gas”). For the avoidance of doubt, “Principal Property” shall not include third-party gas or working gas;
except, in the case of either clause (a) or (b): (i) any such assets consisting of inventories, furniture, office fixtures and equipment, including data processing equipment, vehicles and equipment used on, or useful with, vehicles, and (ii) any such asset, plant or terminal (other than the Bluewater Storage Facility or the Pine Prairie Storage Facility) which, in the good faith opinion of the Board, is not material in relation to the activities of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
     “ Public Lender ” has the meaning specified in Section 6.02 .
     “ Register ” has the meaning specified in Section 10.06(c) .
     “ Registration Statement ” means the Borrower’s Form S-1 Registration Statement filed January 25, 2010 with the SEC, including exhibits thereto, as amended by Amendment No. 1 to Form S-1 Registration Statement filed March 3, 2010 with the SEC, and Amendment No. 2 to Form S-1 Registration Statement filed April 2, 2010 with the SEC, as may be further amended, supplemented or restated.
     “ Related Parties ” means, with respect to any Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the partners, directors, officers, employees, agents, trustees and advisors of such Person and of such Person’s Affiliates.
     “ Reportable Event ” means any of the events set forth in Section 4043(c) of ERISA, other than events for which the 30 day notice period has been waived.
     “ Request for Credit Extension ” means (a) with respect to a Borrowing, conversion or continuation of Committed Loans, a Committed Loan Notice, (b) with respect to an L/C Credit

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Extension, a Letter of Credit Application, and (c) with respect to a Swing Line Loan, a Swing Line Loan Notice.
     “ Required Lenders ” means, as of any date of determination, Lenders having more than 50% of the Aggregate Commitments or, if the commitment of each Lender to make Loans and the obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions have been terminated pursuant to Section 8.02 , Lenders holding in the aggregate more than 50% of the Total Outstandings (with the aggregate amount of each Lender’s risk participation and funded participation in L/C Obligations and Swing Line Loans being deemed “held” by such Lender for purposes of this definition); provided that the Commitment of, and the portion of the Total Outstandings held or deemed held by, any Defaulting Lender shall be excluded for purposes of making a determination of Required Lenders.
     “ Responsible Officer ” means the chief executive officer, president, chief financial officer, treasurer, assistant treasurer or controller of a Loan Party, or any general partner thereof or any general partner of any such general partner or any sole member thereof, as the case may be, solely for purposes of the delivery of incumbency certificates and other certificates in respect of certain documents to be attached thereto pursuant to Sections 2.16 , 4.01 and 4.02 , the secretary or any assistant secretary of such Loan Party, or any general partner thereof or any general partner of any such general partner or any sole member thereof, as the case may be, and solely for purposes of notices given pursuant to Article II , any other officer or employee of the Borrower, or any general partner thereof or any general partner of any such general partner or any sole member thereof, as the case may be, designated by any of the foregoing officers in a notice to the Administrative Agent. Any document delivered hereunder that is signed by a Responsible Officer of a Loan Party, or any general partner thereof or any general partner of any such general partner or any sole member thereof, as the case may be, shall be conclusively presumed to have been authorized by all necessary corporate, partnership or other equivalent action on the part of such Loan Party, and such Responsible Officer shall be conclusively presumed to have acted on behalf of such Loan Party.
     “ Restricted Payment ” means any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash or other property, but excluding dividends or other distributions payable in Equity Interests in the Borrower) with respect to any Equity Interest of the Borrower, or any payment (whether in cash or other property, but excluding dividends or other distributions payable in Equity Interests in the Borrower), including any sinking fund or similar deposit, on account of the purchase, redemption, retirement, acquisition, cancellation or termination for value of any Equity Interest, or on account of any return of capital to the Borrower’s stockholders, partners or members (or the equivalent Person thereof).
     “ Restricted Person ” means any of the Borrower and each Subsidiary of the Borrower, including but not limited to Bluewater and Pine Prairie, but excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, Unrestricted Subsidiaries.
     “ Restriction Exception ” means (a) any applicable Law or any instrument governing Indebtedness or Equity Interests, or any applicable Law or any other agreement relating to any property, assets or operations of a Person whose Equity Interests are acquired, in whole or part, by a Restricted Person pursuant to an acquisition (whether by merger, consolidation,

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amalgamation or otherwise), as such instrument or agreement is in effect at the time of such acquisition (except with respect to Indebtedness incurred in connection with, or in contemplation of, such acquisition), or such applicable Law is then or thereafter in effect (as applicable), which is not applicable to the acquiring Restricted Person, or the property, assets or operations of the acquiring Restricted Person, other than the acquired Person, or the property, assets or operations of such acquired Person or such acquired Person’s Subsidiaries; provided that in the case of Indebtedness, the incurrence of such Indebtedness is not prohibited hereunder, (b) provisions with respect to the disposition or distribution of assets in joint venture agreements or other similar agreements entered into in the ordinary course of business, (c) (i) a lease, license or similar contract, which restricts in a customary manner the subletting, assignment, encumbrance or transfer of any property or asset that is subject thereto or the assignment, encumbrance or transfer of any such lease, license or other contract, (ii) mortgages, deeds of trust, pledges or other security instruments, the entry into which does not result in a Default, securing Indebtedness of a Restricted Person, which restricts the transfer of the property subject to such mortgages, deeds of trust, pledges or other security instruments, or (iii) customary provisions restricting disposition of, or encumbrances on, real property interests set forth in any reciprocal easements of any Restricted Person, (d) restrictions imposed pursuant to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, (e) restrictions on the transfer or encumbrance of property or assets which are imposed by the holder of Liens on property or assets of a Restricted Person, provided that neither the incurrence of such Lien nor any related Indebtedness results in a Default, (f) any agreement to, directly or indirectly, sell or otherwise dispose of assets or Equity Interests to any Person pending the closing of such sale, provided that such sale is consummated in compliance with any applicable provisions of this Agreement, (g) net worth provisions in leases and other agreements entered into by any Restricted Person in the ordinary course of business, and (h) an agreement governing Indebtedness incurred to refinance the Indebtedness issued, assumed or incurred pursuant to an agreement referred to in clauses (d) and (e) above; provided , however , that the provisions relating to such encumbrance or restriction contained in any such Indebtedness are no less favorable to the such Restricted Person in any material respect as determined by the Board in its reasonable and good faith judgment than the provisions relating to such encumbrance or restriction contained in agreements referred to in such clauses (d) and (e).
     “ SEC ” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, or any Governmental Authority succeeding to any of its principal functions.
     “ Shareholders’ Equity ” means, as of any date of determination, consolidated shareholders’ equity of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of that date determined in accordance with GAAP.
     “ Significant Restricted Persons ” means the Borrower, Bluewater, Pine Prairie, and each other subsidiary of the Borrower (other than Unrestricted Subsidiaries) that would be a “significant subsidiary” as defined in Article 1, Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X, promulgated pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Securities Act of 1933, each as amended.
     “ Specified Acquisition ” means one or more acquisitions of assets or entities or operating lines or divisions in any rolling 12-month period for an aggregate purchase price of not less than $50,000,000.

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     “ Specified Equity Offering ” means one or more issuances of equity by the Borrower for aggregate net cash proceeds of not less than fifty percent (50%) of the aggregate purchase price of the Specified Acquisition.
     “ Storage Facilities ” means each of the Bluewater Storage Facility, the Pine Prairie Storage Facility and any other gas storage facility from time to time owned by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries.
     “ Subsidiary ” of a Person means a corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other business entity of which a majority of the shares of securities or other interests having ordinary voting power for the election of directors or other governing body (other than securities or interests having such power only by reason of the happening of a contingency) are at the time beneficially owned, or the management of which is otherwise controlled, directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, or both, by such Person; provided , however , that no Unrestricted Subsidiary shall be deemed to be a Subsidiary of any Restricted Person for purposes of any Loan Document except as provided in Section 7.12 hereof. Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to a “Subsidiary” or to “Subsidiaries” shall refer to a Subsidiary or Subsidiaries of the Borrower.
     “ Swap Contract ” means (a) any and all rate swap transactions, basis swaps, credit derivative transactions, forward rate transactions, commodity swaps, commodity options, forward commodity contracts, equity or equity index swaps or options, bond or bond price or bond index swaps or options or forward bond or forward bond price or forward bond index transactions, interest rate options, forward foreign exchange transactions, cap transactions, floor transactions, collar transactions, currency swap transactions, cross-currency rate swap transactions, currency options, spot contracts, or any other similar transactions or any combination of any of the foregoing (including any options to enter into any of the foregoing), whether or not any such transaction is governed by or subject to any master agreement, and (b) any and all transactions of any kind, and the related confirmations, which are subject to the terms and conditions of, or governed by, any form of master agreement published by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc., any International Foreign Exchange Master Agreement, or any other master agreement (any such master agreement, together with any related schedules, a “ Master Agreement ”), including any such obligations or liabilities under any Master Agreement.
     “ Swap Termination Value ” means, in respect of any one or more Swap Contracts, after taking into account the effect of any legally enforceable netting agreement relating to such Swap Contracts, (a) for any date on or after the date such Swap Contracts have been closed out and termination value(s) determined in accordance therewith, such termination value(s), and (b) for any date prior to the date referenced in clause (a), the amount(s) determined as the mark-to-market value(s) for such Swap Contracts, as determined based upon one or more mid-market or other readily available quotations provided by any recognized dealer in such Swap Contracts (which may include a Lender or any Affiliate of a Lender).
     “ Swing Line Borrowing ” means a borrowing of a Swing Line Loan pursuant to Section 2.05 .

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     “ Swing Line Lender ” means Bank of America in its capacity as provider of Swing Line Loans, or any successor swing line lender hereunder.
     “ Swing Line Loan ” has the meaning specified in Section 2.05(a) .
     “ Swing Line Loan Notice ” means a notice of a Swing Line Borrowing pursuant to Section 2.05(b) , which, if in writing, shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit B .
     “ Swing Line Note ” means a promissory note made by the Borrower in favor of the Swing Line Lender evidencing Swing Line Loans made by the Swing Line Lender, substantially in the form of Exhibit D .
     “ Swing Line Sublimit ” means an amount equal to the lesser of (a) $20,000,000 and (b) the Aggregate Commitments. The Swing Line Sublimit is part of, and not in addition to, the Aggregate Commitments.
     “ Synthetic Lease Obligation ” means the monetary obligation of a Person under (a) a so-called synthetic, off-balance sheet or tax retention lease, or (b) an agreement for the use or possession of property creating obligations that do not appear on the balance sheet of such Person but which, upon the insolvency or bankruptcy of such Person, would be characterized as the indebtedness of such Person (without regard to accounting treatment).
     “ Taxes ” means all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, duties, deductions, withholdings (including backup withholding), assessments, fees or other charges imposed by any Governmental Authority, including any interest, additions to tax or penalties applicable thereto.
     “ Threshold Amount ” means $20,000,000.
     “ Total Outstandings ” means the aggregate Outstanding Amount of all Loans and all L/C Obligations.
     “ Type ” means with respect to a Committed Loan or a Swing Line Loan, its character as a Base Rate Loan or a Eurodollar Rate Loan.
     “ United States ” and “ U.S. ” mean the United States of America.
     “ Unreimbursed Amount ” has the meaning specified in Section 2.04(c)(i) .
     “ Unrestricted Subsidiary ” has the meaning specified in Section 7.12 .
     “ Working Capital Borrowing ” has the meaning specified in Section 2.02(a) .
           1.02 Other Interpretive Provisions . With reference to this Agreement and each other Loan Document, unless otherwise specified herein or in such other Loan Document:
     (a) 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 word “ or ” is not exclusive and the

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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, (i) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other document (including any Organization Document) 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 or in any other Loan Document), (ii) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and permitted assigns, (iii) the words “ hereto ,” “ herein ,” “ hereof ” and “ hereunder ,” and words of similar import when used in any Loan Document, shall be construed to refer to such Loan Document in its entirety and not to any particular provision thereof, unless expressly so limited, (iv) all references in a Loan Document to Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles and Sections of, and Exhibits and Schedules to, the Loan Document in which such references appear, (v) any reference to any law shall include all statutory and regulatory provisions consolidating, amending, replacing or interpreting such law and any reference to any law or regulation shall, unless otherwise specified, refer to such law or regulation as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time, and (vi) 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.
     (b) In the computation of periods of time from a specified date to a later specified date, the word “ from ” means “ from and including ;” the words “ to ” and “ until ” each mean “ to but excluding ;” and the word “ through ” means “ to and including .”
     (c) Section headings herein and in the other Loan Documents are included for convenience of reference only and shall not affect the interpretation of this Agreement or any other Loan Document.
           1.03 Accounting Terms .
     (a)  Generally . All accounting terms not specifically or completely defined herein shall be construed in conformity with, and all financial data (including financial ratios and other financial calculations) required to be submitted pursuant to this Agreement shall be prepared in conformity with, GAAP applied on a consistent basis, as in effect from time to time, applied in a manner consistent with that used in preparing the Audited Financial Statements, except as otherwise specifically prescribed herein.
     (b)  Changes in GAAP . If at any time any change in GAAP would affect the computation of any financial ratio or requirement set forth in any Loan Document, and either the Borrower or the Required Lenders shall so request, the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Borrower shall negotiate in good faith to amend such ratio or requirement to preserve the original intent thereof in light of such change in GAAP (subject to the approval of the Required Lenders); provided that , until so amended, (i) such ratio or requirement shall continue to be computed in accordance with GAAP prior to such change therein and (ii) the Borrower shall provide to the Administrative Agent financial statements and other documents required under this Agreement or as reasonably requested hereunder setting forth a reconciliation between

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calculations of such ratio or requirement made before and after giving effect to such change in GAAP.
           1.04 Rounding . Any financial ratios required to be maintained by the Borrower pursuant to this Agreement shall be calculated by dividing the appropriate component by the other component, carrying the result to one place more than the number of places by which such ratio is expressed herein and rounding the result up or down to the nearest number (with a rounding-up if there is no nearest number).
           1.05 Times of Day . Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to times of day shall be references to Eastern time (daylight or standard, as applicable).
           1.06 Letter of Credit Amounts . Unless otherwise specified herein, the amount of a Letter of Credit at any time shall be deemed to be the stated amount of such Letter of Credit in effect at such time; provided, however, that with respect to any Letter of Credit that, by its terms or the terms of any Issuer Document related thereto, provides for one or more automatic increases in the stated amount thereof, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be the maximum stated amount of such Letter of Credit after giving effect to all such increases, whether or not such maximum stated amount is in effect at such time; provided , further , that with respect to any Letter of Credit that, by its terms or the terms of any Issuer Document related thereto, provides for one or more automatic reductions in the stated amount thereof, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be the amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit at such time.
ARTICLE II. THE COMMITMENTS AND CREDIT EXTENSIONS
           2.01 Committed Loans . Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender severally agrees to make loans (each such loan, a “ Committed Loan ”) to the Borrower from time to time, on any Business Day during the Availability Period, in an aggregate amount not to exceed at any time outstanding the amount of such Lender’s Commitment; provided , however , that after giving effect to any Committed Borrowing, (i) the Total Outstandings shall not exceed the Aggregate Commitments, and (ii) the aggregate Outstanding Amount of the Committed Loans of any Lender, plus such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations, plus such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of all Swing Line Loans shall not exceed such Lender’s Commitment. Within the limits of each Lender’s Commitment, and subject to the other terms and conditions hereof, the Borrower may borrow under this Section 2.01 , prepay under Section 2.06 , and reborrow under this Section 2.01 . Committed Loans may be Base Rate Loans or Eurodollar Rate Loans, as further provided herein.
           2.02 Borrowings, Conversions and Continuations of Committed Loans .
     (a) Each Committed Borrowing, each conversion of Committed Loans from one Type to the other, and each continuation of Eurodollar Rate Committed Loans shall be made upon the Borrower’s irrevocable (subject to Section 3.03 ) notice to the Administrative Agent, which may be given by telephone. Each such notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. (i) three Business Days prior to the requested date of any

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Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Committed Loans or of any conversion of Eurodollar Rate Committed Loans to Base Rate Committed Loans, and (ii) on the requested date of any Borrowing of Base Rate Committed Loans; provided , however , that if the Borrower wishes to request Eurodollar Rate Committed Loans having an Interest Period other than seven days, fourteen days, one month, two months, three months or six months in duration as provided in the definition of “Interest Period,” the applicable notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. four Business Days prior to the requested date of such Borrowing, conversion or continuation, whereupon the Administrative Agent (x) shall give prompt notice to the Lenders of such request and determine whether the requested Interest Period is acceptable to all of them and (y) not later than 11:00 a.m., three Business Days before the requested date of such Borrowing, conversion or continuation, shall notify the Borrower (which notice may be by telephone) whether or not the requested Interest Period has been consented to by all the Lenders; provided , further , if any requested Committed Borrowing or portion thereof is to be utilized exclusively for working capital purposes (such Committed Borrowing or such portion being called a “ Working Capital Borrowing ”), the Borrower shall specify in the Committed Loan Notice that such Committed Borrowing or such portion is a Working Capital Borrowing. In addition, any repayment of a Loan that is intended as a repayment of all or any part of the outstanding amount of one or more Working Capital Borrowings shall be so identified to the Administrative Agent at the time of such repayment. Each telephonic notice by the Borrower pursuant to this Section 2.02(a) must be confirmed promptly by delivery to the Administrative Agent of a written Committed Loan Notice, appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower. Each Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Committed Loans shall be in a principal amount of $1,000,000 or a whole multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof. Except as provided in Sections 2.04(c) and 2.05(c) , each Borrowing of or conversion to Base Rate Committed Loans shall be in a principal amount of $500,000 or a whole multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof. Each Committed Loan Notice (whether telephonic or written) shall specify (i) whether the Borrower is requesting a Committed Borrowing, a conversion of Committed Loans from one Type to the other, or a continuation of Eurodollar Rate Committed Loans, (ii) the requested date of the Borrowing, conversion or continuation, as the case may be (which shall be a Business Day), (iii) the principal amount of Committed Loans to be borrowed, converted or continued, (iv) the Type of Committed Loans to be borrowed or to which existing Committed Loans are to be converted, and (v) if applicable, the duration of the Interest Period with respect thereto. If the Borrower fails to specify a Type of Committed Loan in a Committed Loan Notice or if the Borrower fails to give a timely notice requesting a conversion or continuation, then the applicable Committed Loans shall be made as, or converted to, Base Rate Loans. Any such automatic conversion to Base Rate Loans shall be effective as of the last day of the Interest Period then in effect with respect to the applicable Eurodollar Rate Committed Loans. If the Borrower requests a Borrowing of, conversion to, or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Committed Loans in any such Committed Loan Notice, but fails to specify an Interest Period, it will be deemed to have specified an Interest Period of one month.
     (b) Following receipt of a Committed Loan Notice, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender of the amount of its Applicable Percentage of the applicable Committed Loans, and if no timely notice of a conversion or continuation is provided by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent shall notify each Lender of the details of any automatic conversion to Base Rate Loans described in the preceding subsection. In the case of a Committed Borrowing, each Lender shall make the amount of its Committed Loan available to

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the Administrative Agent in immediately available funds at the Administrative Agent’s Office not later than 1:00 p.m. on the Business Day specified in the applicable Committed Loan Notice. Upon satisfaction of the applicable conditions set forth in Section 4.02 (and, if such Borrowing is the initial Credit Extension, Section 4.01 ), the Administrative Agent shall make all funds so received available to the Borrower in like funds as received by the Administrative Agent, at the Borrower’s election, either by (i) crediting the account of the Borrower on the books of Bank of America with the amount of such funds or (ii) wire transfer of such funds, in each case in accordance with instructions provided to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower as set forth in the Committed Loan Notice; provided , however , that if, on the date the Committed Loan Notice with respect to such Borrowing is given by the Borrower, there are L/C Borrowings outstanding, then the proceeds of such Borrowing, first , shall be applied to the payment in full of any such L/C Borrowings, and second , shall be made available to the Borrower as provided above.
     (c) Except as otherwise provided herein, a Eurodollar Rate Committed Loan may be continued or converted only on the last day of an Interest Period for such Eurodollar Rate Committed Loan. Upon the occurrence and during the continuation of an Event of Default, no Loans may be requested as, converted to or continued as Eurodollar Rate Committed Loans without the consent of the Required Lenders.
     (d) The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the interest rate applicable to any Interest Period for Eurodollar Rate Committed Loans upon determination of such interest rate. At any time that Base Rate Loans are outstanding, the Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders of any change in Bank of America’s prime rate used in determining the Base Rate and the effective date thereof promptly following the public announcement of such change.
     (e) After giving effect to all Committed Borrowings, all conversions of Committed Loans from one Type to the other, and all continuations of Committed Loans as the same Type, there shall not be more than ten Interest Periods in effect with respect to Committed Loans.
           2.03 Reserved .
           2.04 Letters of Credit .
     (a)  The Letter of Credit Commitment .
     (i) Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, (A) the L/C Issuer agrees, in reliance upon the agreements of the Lenders set forth in this Section 2.04 , (1) from time to time on any Business Day during the period from the IPO Closing Date until the Letter of Credit Expiration Date, to issue Letters of Credit for the account of the Borrower, for its use and the use of any of its Subsidiaries, and to amend or extend Letters of Credit previously issued by it, in accordance with subsection (b) below, and (2) to honor drawings under the Letters of Credit; and (B) the Lenders severally agree to participate in Letters of Credit issued for the account of the Borrower, for its use and the use of any of its Subsidiaries and any drawings thereunder; provided that after giving effect to any L/C Credit Extension with respect to any Letter of Credit, (x) the Total

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Outstandings shall not exceed the Aggregate Commitments, (y) the aggregate Outstanding Amount of the Committed Loans of any Lender, plus such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations, plus such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of all Swing Line Loans shall not exceed such Lender’s Commitment, and (z) the Outstanding Amount of the L/C Obligations shall not exceed the Letter of Credit Sublimit. Each request by the Borrower for the issuance or amendment of a Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be a representation by the Borrower that the L/C Credit Extension so requested complies with the conditions set forth in the proviso to the preceding sentence. Within the foregoing limits, and subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the Borrower’s ability to obtain Letters of Credit shall be fully revolving, and accordingly the Borrower may, during the foregoing period, obtain Letters of Credit to replace Letters of Credit that have expired or that have been drawn upon and reimbursed.
     (ii) The L/C Issuer shall not issue any Letter of Credit, if:
     (A) subject to Section 2.04(b)(iii) , the expiry date of the requested Letter of Credit would occur more than twelve months after the date of issuance or last extension, unless the Required Lenders have approved such expiry date; or
     (B) the expiry date of the requested Letter of Credit would occur after the Letter of Credit Expiration Date, unless all the Lenders have approved such expiry date.
     (iii) The L/C Issuer shall not be under any obligation to issue any Letter of Credit if:
     (A) any order, judgment or decree of any Governmental Authority or arbitrator shall by its terms purport to enjoin or restrain the L/C Issuer from issuing the Letter of Credit, or any Law applicable to the L/C Issuer or any request or directive (whether or not having the force of law) from any Governmental Authority with jurisdiction over the L/C Issuer shall prohibit, or request that the L/C Issuer refrain from, the issuance of letters of credit generally or the Letter of Credit in particular or shall impose upon the L/C Issuer with respect to the Letter of Credit any restriction, reserve or capital requirement (for which the L/C Issuer is not otherwise compensated hereunder) not in effect on the Closing Date, or shall impose upon the L/C Issuer any unreimbursed loss, cost or expense which was not applicable on the Closing Date and which the L/C Issuer in good faith deems material to it;
     (B) the issuance of the Letter of Credit would violate one or more policies of the L/C Issuer applicable to letters of credit generally; provided that, upon request of the Borrower, the L/C Issuer shall provide to the Borrower a reasonably detailed description thereof;
     (C) except as otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer, the Letter of Credit is in an initial stated amount less than $100,000;

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     (D) the Letter of Credit is to be denominated in a currency other than Dollars;
     (E) any Lender is at that time a Defaulting Lender, unless the L/C Issuer has entered into arrangements, including the delivery of Cash Collateral, satisfactory to the L/C Issuer (in its sole discretion) with the Borrower or such Lender to eliminate the L/C Issuer’s Fronting Exposure (after giving effect to Section 2.18(a)(iv )) with respect to the Defaulting Lender arising from either the Letter of Credit then proposed to be issued or that Letter of Credit and all other L/C Obligations as to which the L/C Issuer has Fronting Exposure, as it may elect in its sole discretion; or
     (F) the Letter of Credit contains any provisions for automatic reinstatement of the stated amount after any drawing thereunder.
     (iv) The L/C Issuer shall not amend any Letter of Credit if the L/C Issuer would not be permitted at such time to issue the Letter of Credit in its amended form under the terms hereof.
     (v) The L/C Issuer shall be under no obligation to amend any Letter of Credit if (A) the L/C Issuer would have no obligation at such time to issue the Letter of Credit in its amended form under the terms hereof, or (B) the beneficiary of the Letter of Credit does not accept the proposed amendment to the Letter of Credit.
     (vi) The L/C Issuer shall act on behalf of the Lenders with respect to any Letters of Credit issued by it and the documents associated therewith, and the L/C Issuer shall have all of the benefits and immunities (A) to the extent provided to the Administrative Agent in Article IX with respect to any acts taken or omissions suffered by the L/C Issuer in connection with Letters of Credit issued by it or proposed to be issued by it and Issuer Documents pertaining to such Letters of Credit as fully as if the term “Administrative Agent” as used in Article IX included the L/C Issuer with respect to such acts or omissions, and (B) as additionally provided herein with respect to the L/C Issuer.
     (b)  Procedures for Issuance and Amendment of Letters of Credit; Auto-Extension Letters of Credit .
     (i) Each Letter of Credit shall be issued or amended, as the case may be, upon the request of the Borrower delivered to the L/C Issuer (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) in the form of a Letter of Credit Application, appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower. Such Letter of Credit Application must be received by the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. at least two Business Days (or such later date and time as the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer may agree in a particular instance in their sole discretion) prior to the proposed issuance date or date of amendment, as the case may be. In the case of a request for an initial issuance of a Letter of Credit, such Letter of Credit Application shall specify in form and detail reasonably satisfactory to the L/C Issuer: (A) the proposed issuance date

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of the requested Letter of Credit (which shall be a Business Day); (B) the amount thereof; (C) the expiry date thereof; (D) the name and address of the beneficiary thereof; (E) the documents to be presented by such beneficiary in case of any drawing thereunder; (F) the full text of any certificate to be presented by such beneficiary in case of any drawing thereunder; (G) the purpose and nature of the requested Letter of Credit; and (H) such other matters as the L/C Issuer may reasonably require. In the case of a request for an amendment of any outstanding Letter of Credit, such Letter of Credit Application shall specify in form and detail reasonably satisfactory to the L/C Issuer (A) the Letter of Credit to be amended; (B) the proposed date of amendment thereof (which shall be a Business Day); (C) the nature of the proposed amendment; and (D) such other matters as the L/C Issuer may reasonably require. Additionally, the Borrower shall furnish to the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent such other documents and information pertaining to such requested Letter of Credit issuance or amendment, including any Issuer Documents, as the L/C Issuer or the Administrative Agent may reasonably require.
     (ii) Promptly after receipt of any Letter of Credit Application, the L/C Issuer will confirm with the Administrative Agent (by telephone or in writing) that the Administrative Agent has received a copy of such Letter of Credit Application from the Borrower and, if not, the L/C Issuer will provide the Administrative Agent with a copy thereof. Unless the L/C Issuer has received written notice from any Lender (who hereby agrees to provide contemporaneous notice to the Borrower), the Administrative Agent (who hereby agrees to provide contemporaneous notice to the Borrower) or any Loan Party, at least one Business Day prior to the requested date of issuance or amendment of the applicable Letter of Credit, that one or more applicable conditions contained in Article IV shall not then be satisfied, specifying in reasonable detail the relevant condition or conditions not then satisfied, and the basis for such assertion, and such condition or conditions, as applicable, remain unsatisfied on such requested date of issuance or amendment, then, subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the L/C Issuer shall, on the requested date, issue a Letter of Credit for the account of the Borrower (or the applicable Subsidiary) or enter into the applicable amendment, as the case may be, in each case in accordance with the L/C Issuer’s usual and customary business practices. Immediately upon the issuance of each Letter of Credit, each Lender shall be deemed to, and hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees to, purchase from the L/C Issuer a risk participation in such Letter of Credit in an amount equal to the product of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage times the amount of such Letter of Credit.
     (iii) If the Borrower so requests in any applicable Letter of Credit Application, the L/C Issuer may, in its sole and absolute discretion, agree to issue a Letter of Credit that has automatic extension provisions (each, an “ Auto-Extension Letter of Credit ”); provided that any such Auto-Extension Letter of Credit must permit the L/C Issuer to prevent any such extension at least once in each twelve-month period (commencing with the date of issuance of such Letter of Credit) by giving written prior notice to the beneficiary thereof not later than a day (the “ Non-Extension Notice Date ”) in each such twelve-month period to be agreed upon between the Borrower and the L/C Issuer at the time such Letter of Credit is issued. The L/C Issuer of any Auto-Extension Letter of Credit hereby agrees to contemporaneously furnish to the Borrower a copy of any denial of the extension of such Auto-Extension Letter of Credit. Unless otherwise directed by

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the L/C Issuer, the Borrower shall not be required to make a specific request to the L/C Issuer for any such extension. Once an Auto-Extension Letter of Credit has been issued, the Lenders shall be deemed to have authorized (but may not require) the L/C Issuer to permit the extension of such Letter of Credit at any time to an expiry date not later than the Letter of Credit Expiration Date; provided , however , that the L/C Issuer shall not permit any such extension if (A) the L/C Issuer has determined that it would not be permitted, or would have no obligation, at such time to issue such Letter of Credit in its revised form (as extended) under the terms hereof (by reason of the provisions of clause (ii) or (iii) of Section 2.04(a) or otherwise), or (B) it has received notice (which may be by telephone or in writing) on or before the day that is seven Business Days before the Non-Extension Notice Date (1) from the Administrative Agent (who hereby agrees to provide contemporaneous notice to the Borrower) that the Required Lenders have elected not to permit such extension or (2) from the Administrative Agent (who hereby agrees to provide contemporaneous notice to the Borrower), any Lender (who hereby agrees to provide contemporaneous notice to the Borrower) or the Borrower that one or more of the applicable conditions specified in Section 4.03 is not then satisfied, specifying in reasonable detail the relevant condition or conditions not then satisfied, and such condition or conditions, as applicable, are unsatisfied on such extension date, and the basis for such assertion, and in each such case directing the L/C Issuer not to permit such extension.
     (iv) Promptly after its delivery of any Letter of Credit or any amendment to a Letter of Credit to an advising bank with respect thereto or to the beneficiary thereof, the L/C Issuer will also deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent a true and complete copy of such Letter of Credit or amendment.
     (c)  Drawings and Reimbursements; Funding of Participations .
     (i) Upon receipt from the beneficiary of any Letter of Credit of any notice of a drawing under such Letter of Credit, the L/C Issuer shall notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent thereof. If the L/C Issuer shall give notice to the Borrower prior to 11:00 a.m. on the date of any payment by such L/C Issuer under a Letter of Credit (each such date, an “ Honor Date ”), the Borrower shall reimburse the L/C Issuer through the Administrative Agent in an amount equal to the amount of such drawing (and if the L/C Issuer shall give notice to the Borrower at or after such time, the Borrower shall reimburse the L/C Issuer by such time on the following Business Day). If the Borrower fails to so reimburse the L/C Issuer by such time, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender of the Honor Date, the amount of the unreimbursed drawing (the “ Unreimbursed Amount ”), and the amount of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage thereof. In such event, the Borrower shall be deemed to have requested a Committed Borrowing of Base Rate Loans to be disbursed on the Honor Date in an amount equal to the Unreimbursed Amount, without regard to the minimum and multiples specified in Section 2.02 for the principal amount of Base Rate Loans, but subject to the amount of the unutilized portion of the Aggregate Commitments and the conditions set forth in Section 4.03 (other than the delivery of a Committed Loan Notice and without giving effect to the Borrower’s failure to so reimburse the L/C Issuer as provided in this Section 2.04(c)(i) ). Any notice given by the L/C Issuer or the Administrative Agent pursuant to

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this Section 2.04(c)(i) may be given by telephone if immediately confirmed in writing; provided that the lack of such an immediate confirmation shall not affect the conclusiveness or binding effect of such notice.
     (ii) Each Lender shall, upon any notice pursuant to Section 2.04(c)(i) prior to 11:00 a.m., make funds available (and the Administrative Agent may apply Cash Collateral provided for this purpose) for the account of the L/C Issuer at the Administrative Agent’s Office in an amount equal to its Applicable Percentage of the Unreimbursed Amount not later than 1:00 p.m. on the Business Day specified in such notice by the Administrative Agent (and, if such notice pursuant to Section 2.04(c)(i) is at or after 11:00 a.m., each such Lender shall make such funds available not later than 1:00 p.m. on the following Business Day), whereupon, subject to the provisions of Section 2.04(c)(iii) , each Lender that so makes funds available shall be deemed to have made a Base Rate Committed Loan to the Borrower in such amount. The Administrative Agent shall remit the funds so received to the L/C Issuer.
     (iii) With respect to any Unreimbursed Amount that is not fully refinanced by a Committed Borrowing of Base Rate Loans because the conditions set forth in Section 4.03 (other than the delivery of a Committed Loan Notice and without giving effect to the Borrower’s failure to reimburse the L/C Issuer as provided in Section 2.04(c)(i) ) cannot be satisfied because the L/C Issuer’s notice pursuant to Section 2.04(c)(i) is at or after 11:00 a.m. or for any other reason, the Borrower shall be deemed to have incurred from the L/C Issuer an L/C Borrowing in the amount of the Unreimbursed Amount that is not so refinanced, which L/C Borrowing shall be due and payable on the second Business Day following the corresponding Honor Date (together with interest) and shall bear interest on the amount thereof from time to time outstanding at the Base Rate in effect from time to time, and if not repaid by 11:00 a.m. on such second succeeding Business Day, shall thereafter bear interest on the amount thereof from time to time outstanding at the Default Rate. In such event, each Lender’s payment to the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer pursuant to Section 2.04(c)(ii) shall be deemed payment in respect of its participation in such L/C Borrowing and shall constitute an L/C Advance from such Lender in satisfaction of its participation obligation under this Section 2.04 .
     (iv) Until each Lender funds its Committed Loan or L/C Advance pursuant to this Section 2.04(c) to reimburse the L/C Issuer for any amount drawn under any Letter of Credit, interest in respect of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of such amount shall be solely for the account of the L/C Issuer.
     (v) Each Lender’s obligation to make Committed Loans or L/C Advances to reimburse the L/C Issuer for amounts drawn under Letters of Credit, as contemplated by this Section 2.04(c) , shall be absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance, including (A) any setoff, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other right which such Lender may have against the L/C Issuer, the Borrower or any other Person for any reason whatsoever; (B) the occurrence or continuance of a Default, or (C) any other occurrence, event or condition, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing; provided , however , that each Lender’s obligation to make Committed Loans pursuant to this Section 2.04(c) is subject to the conditions set forth in Section 4.03 (other than delivery

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by the Borrower of a Committed Loan Notice and without giving effect to the Borrower’s failure to so reimburse the L/C Issuer as provided in this Section 2.04(c)(i) ). No such making of an L/C Advance shall relieve or otherwise impair the obligation of the Borrower to reimburse the L/C Issuer for the amount of any payment made by the L/C Issuer under any Letter of Credit, together with interest as provided herein.
     (vi) If any Lender fails to make available to the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer any amount required to be paid by such Lender pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.04(c) by the time specified in Section 2.04(c)(ii) , then, without limiting the other provisions of this Agreement, the L/C Issuer shall be entitled to recover from such Lender (acting through the Administrative Agent), on demand, such amount with interest thereon for the period from the date such payment is required to the date on which such payment is immediately available to the L/C Issuer at a rate per annum equal to the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the L/C Issuer in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation, plus any administrative, processing or similar fees customarily charged by the L/C Issuer in connection with the foregoing. If such Lender pays such amount (with interest and fees as aforesaid), the portion thereof equal to such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the Unreimbursed Amount shall constitute such Lender’s Committed Loan included in the relevant Committed Borrowing or L/C Advance in respect of the relevant L/C Borrowing, as the case may be. A certificate of the L/C Issuer submitted to any Lender (through the Administrative Agent) with respect to any amounts owing under this clause (vi) shall be conclusive absent manifest error.
     (d)  Repayment of Participations .
     (i) At any time after the L/C Issuer has made a payment under any Letter of Credit and has received from any Lender such Lender’s L/C Advance in respect of such payment in accordance with Section 2.04(c) , if the Administrative Agent receives for the account of the L/C Issuer any payment in respect of the related Unreimbursed Amount or interest thereon (whether directly from the Borrower or otherwise, including proceeds of Cash Collateral applied thereto by the Administrative Agent), the Administrative Agent will distribute to such Lender its Applicable Percentage thereof (appropriately adjusted, in the case of interest payments, to reflect the period of time during which such Lender’s L/C Advance was outstanding) in the same funds as those received by the Administrative Agent.
     (ii) If any payment received by the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer pursuant to Section 2.04(c)(i) is required to be returned under any of the circumstances described in Section 10.05 (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the L/C Issuer in its discretion), each Lender shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer its Applicable Percentage thereof on demand of the Administrative Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such amount is returned by such Lender, at a rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds Rate from time to time in effect. The obligations of the Lenders under this clause shall survive the payment in full of the Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.

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     (e)  Obligations Absolute . The obligation of the Borrower to reimburse the L/C Issuer for each drawing under each Letter of Credit and to repay each L/C Borrowing shall be absolute, unconditional and irrevocable, and shall be paid strictly in accordance with the terms of this Agreement under all circumstances, including the following:
     (i) any lack of validity or enforceability of such Letter of Credit, this Agreement, or any other Loan Document;
     (ii) the existence of any claim, counterclaim, setoff, defense or other right that the Borrower or any Subsidiary may have at any time against any beneficiary or any transferee of such Letter of Credit (or any Person for whom any such beneficiary or any such transferee may be acting), the L/C Issuer or any other Person, whether in connection with this Agreement, the transactions contemplated hereby or by such Letter of Credit or any agreement or instrument relating thereto, or any unrelated transaction;
     (iii) any draft, demand, certificate or other document presented under such Letter of Credit proving to be forged, fraudulent, invalid or insufficient in any respect or any statement therein being untrue or inaccurate in any respect; or any loss or delay in the transmission or otherwise of any document required in order to make a drawing under such Letter of Credit;
     (iv) any payment by the L/C Issuer under such Letter of Credit against presentation of a draft or certificate that does not strictly comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit; or any payment made by the L/C Issuer under such Letter of Credit to any Person purporting to be a trustee in bankruptcy, debtor-in-possession, assignee for the benefit of creditors, liquidator, receiver or other representative of or successor to any beneficiary or any transferee of such Letter of Credit, including any arising in connection with any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law; or
     (v) any other circumstance or happening whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing, including any other circumstance that might otherwise constitute a defense available to, or a discharge of, the Borrower or any Subsidiary.
     The Borrower shall promptly examine a copy of each Letter of Credit and each amendment thereto that is delivered to it and, in the event of any claim of noncompliance with the Borrower’s instructions or other irregularity, the Borrower will immediately notify the L/C Issuer and the L/C Issuer will correct such claim in conformity with the Borrower’s instructions or as otherwise agreed between the Borrower and the L/C Issuer, subject to the terms hereof. The Borrower shall be conclusively deemed to have waived any such claim against the L/C Issuer and its correspondents unless such notice is given as aforesaid.
     (f)  Role of L/C Issuer . Each Lender and the Borrower agree that, in paying any drawing under a Letter of Credit, the L/C Issuer shall not have any responsibility to obtain any document (other than any sight draft, certificates and documents expressly required by the Letter of Credit) or to ascertain or inquire as to the validity or accuracy of any such document or the authority of the Person executing or delivering any such document. None of the L/C Issuer, the Administrative Agent, any of their respective Related Parties nor any correspondent, participant

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or assignee of the L/C Issuer shall be liable to any Lender for (i) any action taken or omitted in connection herewith at the request or with the approval of the Lenders or the Required Lenders, as applicable; (ii) any action taken or omitted in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct; or (iii) the due execution, effectiveness, validity or enforceability of any document or instrument related to any Letter of Credit or Issuer Document. The Borrower hereby assumes all risks of the acts or omissions of any beneficiary or transferee with respect to its use of any Letter of Credit; provided , however , that this assumption is not intended to, and shall not, preclude the Borrower’s pursuing such rights and remedies as it may have against the beneficiary or transferee at law or under any other agreement. None of the L/C Issuer, the Administrative Agent, any of their respective Related Parties nor any correspondent, participant or assignee of the L/C Issuer shall be liable or responsible for any of the matters described in clauses (i) through (v) of Section 2.04(e) ; provided , however , that anything in such clauses to the contrary notwithstanding, the Borrower may have a claim against the L/C Issuer, and the L/C Issuer may be liable to the Borrower, to the extent, but only to the extent, of any direct, as opposed to consequential or exemplary, damages suffered by the Borrower which the Borrower proves were caused by the L/C Issuer’s willful misconduct, gross negligence or the material breach of any of its obligations hereunder or under any Issuer Document or under any Letter of Credit issued on the Borrower’s behalf or the L/C Issuer’s willful failure to pay under any Letter of Credit after the presentation to it by the beneficiary of a sight draft and certificate(s) strictly complying with the terms and conditions of a Letter of Credit. In furtherance and not in limitation of the foregoing, the L/C Issuer may accept documents that appear on their face to be in order, without responsibility for further investigation, regardless of any notice or information to the contrary, and the L/C Issuer shall not be responsible for the validity or sufficiency of any instrument transferring or assigning or purporting to transfer or assign a Letter of Credit or the rights or benefits thereunder or proceeds thereof, in whole or in part, which may prove to be invalid or ineffective for any reason.
     (g)  Applicability of ISP and UCP . Unless otherwise expressly agreed by the L/C Issuer and the Borrower when a Letter of Credit is issued, (i) the rules of the ISP shall apply to each standby Letter of Credit, and (ii) the rules of the Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits, as most recently published by the International Chamber of Commerce at the time of issuance shall apply to each commercial Letter of Credit.
     (h)  Letter of Credit Fees . The Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender in accordance with its Applicable Percentage a Letter of Credit fee (the “ Letter of Credit Fee ”) for each commercial or standby Letter of Credit equal to the Applicable Rate times the daily amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit; provided , however, any Letter of Credit Fees otherwise payable for the account of a Defaulting Lender with respect to any Letter of Credit as to which such Defaulting Lender or the Borrower has not provided Cash Collateral satisfactory to the L/C Issuer pursuant to this Section 2.04 shall be payable, to the maximum extent permitted by applicable Law, to the other Lenders in accordance with the upward adjustments in their respective Applicable Percentages allocable to such Letter of Credit pursuant to Section 2.18(a)(iv) , with the balance of such fee, if any, payable to the L/C Issuer for its own account. For purposes of computing the daily amount available to be drawn under any Letter of Credit, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be determined in accordance with Section 1.06 . Such Letter of Credit Fees shall be (i) due and payable on the first Business Day after the end of each March, June, September and December, commencing with the first

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such date to occur after the issuance of such Letter of Credit, on the Letter of Credit Expiration Date and thereafter on demand and (ii) computed on a quarterly basis in arrears. If there is any change in the Applicable Rate during any quarter, the daily amount available to be drawn under each standby Letter of Credit shall be computed and multiplied by the Applicable Rate separately for each period during such quarter that such Applicable Rate was in effect. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, during any Default Rate Period, all Letter of Credit Fees shall accrue at the Default Rate.
     (i)  Fronting Fee and Documentary and Processing Charges Payable to L/C Issuer . The Borrower shall pay directly to the L/C Issuer for its own account a fronting fee (i) with respect to each commercial Letter of Credit, at the rate specified in the Fee Letter among the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, and BAS, computed on the amount of such Letter of Credit, and payable upon the issuance thereof, and (ii) with respect to each standby Letter of Credit, at the rate per annum specified in the Fee Letter among the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, and BAS, computed on the daily amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit on a quarterly basis in arrears. Such fronting fee with respect to standby Letters of Credit shall be due and payable on the tenth Business Day after the end of each March, June, September and December in respect of the most recently-ended quarterly period (or portion thereof, in the case of the first payment), commencing with the first such date to occur after the issuance of such Letter of Credit, on the Letter of Credit Expiration Date and thereafter on demand. For purposes of computing the daily amount available to be drawn under any Letter of Credit, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be determined in accordance with Section 1.06 . In addition, the Borrower shall pay directly to the L/C Issuer for its own account the customary issuance, presentation, amendment and other processing fees, and other standard costs and charges, of the L/C Issuer relating to letters of credit as from time to time in effect, effective schedules of which will be provided to the Borrower upon its request. Such customary fees and standard costs and charges are due and payable quarterly in arrears on the first Business Day after the end of each March, June, September and December and are nonrefundable.
     (j)  Conflict with Issuer Documents . In the event of any conflict between the terms hereof and the terms of any Issuer Document, the terms hereof shall control.
     (k)  Letters of Credit Issued for Subsidiaries . Notwithstanding that a Letter of Credit issued or outstanding hereunder is in support of any obligations of a Subsidiary, the Borrower (and not any such Subsidiary) shall be obligated to reimburse the L/C Issuer hereunder for any and all drawings under such Letter of Credit. The Borrower hereby acknowledges that the issuance of Letters of Credit in support of the obligations of any of its Subsidiaries inures to the benefit of the Borrower, and that the Borrower’s business derives benefits from the business of such Subsidiary.
           2.05 Swing Line Loans .
     (a)  The Swing Line . Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Swing Line Lender agrees, in reliance upon the agreements of the other Lenders set forth in this Section 2.05 , to make loans (each such loan, a “ Swing Line Loan ”) to the Borrower from time to time on any Business Day during the Availability Period in an aggregate amount not to exceed at any time outstanding the amount of the Swing Line Sublimit, notwithstanding the fact that such

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Swing Line Loans, when aggregated with the Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of Committed Loans and L/C Obligations of the Lender acting as Swing Line Lender, may exceed the amount of such Lender’s Commitment; provided , however , that after giving effect to any Swing Line Loan, (i) the Total Outstandings shall not exceed the Aggregate Commitments, and (ii) the aggregate Outstanding Amount of the Committed Loans of any Lender, plus such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations, plus such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of all Swing Line Loans shall not exceed such Lender’s Commitment, and provided , further , that the Borrower shall not use the proceeds of any Swing Line Loan to refinance any outstanding Swing Line Loan. Within the foregoing limits, and subject to the other terms and conditions hereof, the Borrower may borrow under this Section 2.05 , prepay under Section 2.06 , and reborrow under this Section 2.05 . Swing Line Loans may be either Base Rate Loans or Eurodollar Rate Loans. Immediately upon the making of a Swing Line Loan to the Borrower, each Lender shall be deemed to, and hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees to, purchase from the Swing Line Lender a risk participation in such Swing Line Loan in an amount equal to the product of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage times the amount of such Swing Line Loan.
     (b)  Borrowing Procedures . Each Swing Line Borrowing shall be made upon the Borrower’s irrevocable notice to the Swing Line Lender and the Administrative Agent, which may be given by telephone. Each such notice must be received by the Swing Line Lender and the Administrative Agent not later than 1:00 p.m. on the requested borrowing date, and shall specify (i) the amount to be borrowed, which shall be a minimum of $1,000,000, (ii) whether such Swing Line Loan is a Base Rate Loan or a Eurodollar Rate Loan (and if a Eurodollar Rate Loan, either (x) the applicable Interest Period thereof or (y) that the daily floating Eurodollar Rate provided in clause (b) of the definition thereof shall apply) and (iii) the requested borrowing date, which shall be a Business Day. Each such telephonic notice must be confirmed promptly by delivery to the Swing Line Lender and the Administrative Agent of a written Swing Line Loan Notice, appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower. Promptly after receipt by the Swing Line Lender of any telephonic Swing Line Loan Notice, the Swing Line Lender will confirm with the Administrative Agent (by telephone or in writing) that the Administrative Agent has also received such Swing Line Loan Notice and, if not, the Swing Line Lender will notify the Administrative Agent (by telephone or in writing) of the contents thereof. Unless the Swing Line Lender has received notice (by telephone or in writing) from the Administrative Agent (including at the request of any Lender) prior to 2:00 p.m. on the date of the proposed Swing Line Borrowing (A) directing the Swing Line Lender not to make such Swing Line Loan as a result of the limitations set forth in the first proviso to the first sentence of Section 2.05(a) , or (B) that one or more of the applicable conditions specified in Article IV is not then satisfied, specifying in reasonable detail the relevant condition or conditions not then satisfied and the basis for such assertion, and such condition or conditions, as applicable, remain unsatisfied on such requested date of issuance or amendment, then, subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the Swing Line Lender will, not later than 3:00 p.m. on the borrowing date specified in such Swing Line Loan Notice, make the amount of its Swing Line Loan available to the Borrower, at the Borrower’s election, either by (i) crediting the account of the Borrower on the books of Bank of America with the amount of such funds or (ii) wire transfer of such funds, in each case in accordance with instructions provided to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower as set forth in the Swing Line Loan Notice.

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     (c)  Refinancing of Swing Line Loans .
     (i) The Swing Line Lender at any time in its sole discretion may request, on behalf of the Borrower (which hereby irrevocably authorizes the Swing Line Lender to so request on its behalf), that each Lender make a Base Rate Committed Loan in an amount equal to such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the amount of Swing Line Loans then outstanding. Such request shall be made in writing (which written request shall be deemed to be a Committed Loan Notice for purposes hereof) and in accordance with the requirements of Section 2.02 , without regard to the minimum and multiples specified therein for the principal amount of Base Rate Loans, but subject to the unutilized portion of the Aggregate Commitments and the conditions set forth in Section 4.03 . The Swing Line Lender shall furnish the Borrower with a copy of the applicable Committed Loan Notice promptly after delivering such notice to the Administrative Agent. Each Lender shall make an amount equal to its Applicable Percentage of the amount specified in such Committed Loan Notice available to the Administrative Agent in immediately available funds (and the Administrative Agent may apply Cash Collateral available with respect to the applicable Swing Line Loan) for the account of the Swing Line Lender at the Administrative Agent’s Office not later than 1:00 p.m. on the day specified in such Committed Loan Notice, whereupon, subject to Section 2.05(c)(ii) , each Lender that so makes funds available shall be deemed to have made a Base Rate Committed Loan to the Borrower in such amount. The Administrative Agent shall remit the funds so received to the Swing Line Lender.
     (ii) If for any reason any Swing Line Loan cannot be refinanced by such a Committed Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.05(c)(i) or pursuant to a Borrowing requested in accordance with Section 2.02 , as the case may be, the request for Base Rate Committed Loans submitted by the Swing Line Lender as set forth herein shall be deemed to be a request by the Swing Line Lender that each of the Lenders fund its risk participation in the relevant Swing Line Loan and each Lender’s payment to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Swing Line Lender pursuant to Section 2.05(c)(i) shall be deemed payment in respect of such participation.
     (iii) If any Lender fails to make available to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Swing Line Lender any amount required to be paid by such Lender pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.05(c) by the time specified in Section 2.05(c)(i) , the Swing Line Lender shall be entitled to recover from such Lender (acting through the Administrative Agent), on demand, such amount with interest thereon for the period from the date such payment is required to the date on which such payment is immediately available to the Swing Line Lender at a rate per annum equal to the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Swing Line Lender in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation, plus any administrative, processing or similar fees customarily charged by the Swing Line Lender in connection with the foregoing. If such Lender pays such amount (with interest and fees as aforesaid), the portion thereof equal to such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of all Swing Line Loans shall constitute such Lender’s Committed Loan included in the relevant Committed Borrowing or funded participation in the relevant Swing Line Loan, as the case may be. A certificate of the Swing Line

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Lender submitted to any Lender (through the Administrative Agent) with respect to any amounts owing under this clause (iii) shall be conclusive absent manifest error.
     (iv) Each Lender’s obligation to make Committed Loans or to purchase and fund risk participations in Swing Line Loans pursuant to this Section 2.05(c) shall be absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance, including (A) any setoff, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other right which such Lender may have against the Swing Line Lender, the Borrower or any other Person for any reason whatsoever, (B) the occurrence or continuance of a Default, or (C) any other occurrence, event or condition, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing; provided , however , that each Lender’s obligation to make Committed Loans pursuant to this Section 2.05(c) is subject to the conditions set forth in Section 4.03 . No such funding of risk participations shall relieve or otherwise impair the obligation of the Borrower to repay Swing Line Loans, together with interest as provided herein.
     (d)  Repayment of Participations .
     (i) At any time after any Lender has purchased and funded a risk participation in a Swing Line Loan, if the Swing Line Lender receives any payment on account of such Swing Line Loan, the Swing Line Lender will distribute to such Lender its Applicable Percentage thereof (appropriately adjusted, in the case of interest payments, to reflect the period of time during which such Lender’s risk participation was funded) in the same funds as those received by the Swing Line Lender.
     (ii) If any payment received by the Swing Line Lender in respect of principal or interest on any Swing Line Loan is required to be returned by the Swing Line Lender under any of the circumstances described in Section 10.05 (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the Swing Line Lender in its discretion), each Lender shall pay to the Swing Line Lender its Applicable Percentage thereof on demand of the Administrative Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such amount is returned, at a rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds Rate. The Administrative Agent will make such demand upon the request of the Swing Line Lender. The obligations of the Lenders under this clause shall survive the payment in full of the Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.
     (e)  Interest for Account of Swing Line Lender . The Swing Line Lender shall be responsible for invoicing the Borrower for interest on the Swing Line Loans. Until each Lender funds its Base Rate Committed Loan or risk participation pursuant to this Section 2.05 to refinance such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of any Swing Line Loan, interest in respect of such Applicable Percentage shall be solely for the account of the Swing Line Lender.
     (f)  Payments Directly to Swing Line Lender . The Borrower shall make all payments of principal and interest in respect of the Swing Line Loans directly to the Swing Line Lender.
           2.06 Prepayments .
     (a) The Borrower may, upon notice to the Administrative Agent, at any time or from time to time voluntarily prepay Committed Loans in whole or in part without premium or

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penalty; provided that (i) such notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. (A) three Business Days prior to any date of prepayment of Eurodollar Rate Committed Loans and (B) on the date of prepayment of Base Rate Committed Loans; (ii) any prepayment of Eurodollar Rate Committed Loans shall be in a principal amount of $2,500,000 or a whole multiple of $250,000 in excess thereof; and (iii) any prepayment of Base Rate Committed Loans shall be in a principal amount of $250,000 or a whole multiple of $50,000 in excess thereof or, in each case, if less, the entire principal amount thereof then outstanding. Each such notice shall specify the date and amount of such prepayment and the Type(s) of Committed Loans to be prepaid and, if Eurodollar Rate Committed Loans are to be prepaid, the Interest Period(s) of such Loans. The Administrative Agent will promptly notify each Lender of its receipt of each such notice, and of the amount of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of such prepayment. If such notice is given by the Borrower, the Borrower shall make such prepayment and the payment amount specified in such notice shall be due and payable on the date specified therein. Any prepayment of a Eurodollar Rate Loan shall be accompanied by all accrued interest on the amount prepaid, together with any additional amounts required pursuant to Section 3.05 . Subject to Section 2.18 , each such prepayment shall be applied to the Committed Loans of the Lenders in accordance with their respective Applicable Percentages.
     (b) The Borrower may, upon notice to the Swing Line Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), at any time or from time to time, voluntarily prepay Swing Line Loans in whole or in part without premium or penalty; provided that (i) such notice must be received by the Swing Line Lender and the Administrative Agent not later than 1:00 p.m. on the date of the prepayment, and (ii) any such prepayment shall be in a minimum principal amount of $100,000. Each such notice shall specify the date and amount of such prepayment. If such notice is given by the Borrower, the Borrower shall make such prepayment and the payment amount specified in such notice shall be due and payable on the date specified therein.
     (c) If for any reason the Total Outstandings at any time exceed the Aggregate Commitments then in effect, the Borrower shall immediately upon demand prepay Loans and/or Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations in an aggregate amount equal to such excess; provided , however , that the Borrower shall not be required to Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations pursuant to this Section 2.06(c) unless after the prepayment in full of the Committed Loans and Swing Line Loans the Total Outstandings exceed the Aggregate Commitments then in effect.
     (d) For an economically meaningful period of time in each fiscal year of the Borrower, as reasonably determined by General Partner, the aggregate outstanding principal balance of all Working Capital Borrowings shall be reduced to a relatively small amount as may be reasonably specified by General Partner.
           2.07 Termination or Reduction of Commitments . The Borrower may, upon notice to the Administrative Agent, terminate the Aggregate Commitments, or from time to time permanently reduce the Aggregate Commitments; provided that (i) any such notice shall be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. two Business Days prior to the date of termination or reduction, (ii) any such partial reduction shall be in an aggregate amount of $1,000,000 or any whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof, (iii) the Borrower shall not terminate or reduce the Aggregate Commitments if, after giving effect thereto and to any concurrent prepayments hereunder, the Total Outstandings would exceed the Aggregate

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Commitments, and (iv) if, after giving effect to any reduction of the Aggregate Commitments, the Letter of Credit Sublimit or the Swing Line Sublimit exceeds the amount of the Aggregate Commitments, such Sublimit shall be automatically reduced by the amount of such excess. The Administrative Agent will promptly notify the Lenders of any such notice of termination or reduction of the Aggregate Commitments. Any reduction of the Aggregate Commitments shall be applied to the Commitment of each Lender according to its Applicable Percentage. All fees accrued until the effective date of any termination of the Aggregate Commitments shall be paid on the effective date of such termination.
      2.08 Repayment of Loans . (a) The Borrower shall repay to the Lenders on the Maturity Date the aggregate principal amount of Committed Loans outstanding on such date.
     (b) The Borrower shall repay each Swing Line Loan on the earlier to occur of (i) the date ten Business Days after such Loan is made and (ii) the Maturity Date.
      2.09 Interest . (a) Subject to the provisions of subsection (b) below, (i) each Eurodollar Rate Committed Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof for each Interest Period at a rate per annum equal to the Eurodollar Rate for such Interest Period plus the Applicable Rate; (ii) each Base Rate Committed Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof from the applicable borrowing date at a rate per annum equal to the Base Rate plus the Applicable Rate; (iii) each Eurodollar Rate Swing Line Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof for each Interest Period at a rate per annum equal to the Eurodollar Rate for such Interest Period plus the Applicable Rate; and (iv) each Base Rate Swing Line Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof from the applicable borrowing date at a rate per annum equal to the Base Rate plus the Applicable Rate.
     (b) (i) If any amount of principal of any Loan is not paid when due (without regard to any applicable grace periods), whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, such amount shall thereafter bear interest at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.
     (ii) If any amount (other than principal of any Loan) payable by the Borrower under any Loan Document is not paid when due, whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, then upon the request of the Required Lenders, such amount shall thereafter bear interest at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.
     (iii) During any Default Rate Period, the Borrower shall pay interest on the principal amount of all outstanding Obligations hereunder at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.
     (iv) Accrued and unpaid interest on past due amounts (including interest on past due interest) shall be due and payable upon demand.
     (c) Interest on each Loan shall be due and payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date applicable thereto and at such other times as may be specified herein. Interest

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hereunder shall be due and payable in accordance with the terms hereof before and after judgment, and before and after the commencement of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law.
      2.10 Fees . In addition to certain fees described in subsections (h) and (i) of Section 2.04 :
     (a)  Commitment Fee . The Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender in accordance with its Applicable Percentage, a commitment fee equal to the Applicable Rate times the actual daily amount by which the Aggregate Commitments exceed the sum of (i) the Outstanding Amount of Committed Loans and (ii) the Outstanding Amount of L/C Obligations, subject to adjustment as provided in Section 2.18 . The commitment fee shall accrue at all times during the Availability Period, including at any time during the Availability Period during which one or more of the conditions in Section 4.03 is not met, and shall be due and payable quarterly in arrears on the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December, commencing with the first such date to occur after the Closing Date, and on the last day of the Availability Period. The commitment fee shall be calculated quarterly in arrears, and if there is any change in the Applicable Rate during any quarter, the actual daily amount shall be computed and multiplied by the Applicable Rate separately for each period during such quarter that such Applicable Rate was in effect.
     (b)  Ticking Fee . The Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender in accordance with its Applicable Percentage, a ticking fee equal to 0.20% per annum times the actual daily amount of the Aggregate Commitments. The ticking fee shall accrue at all times during the period from and including the 90 th day after the Closing Date through the earlier of (i) the IPO Closing Date and (ii) the Pre-IPO Commitment Termination Date, and shall be due and payable in arrears on the last day of such period.
     (c)  Other Fees . (i) The Borrower shall pay to the Arrangers and the Administrative Agent for their own respective accounts fees in the amounts and at the times specified in their respective Fee Letters. Such fees shall be fully earned when paid and shall not be refundable for any reason whatsoever, except as expressly set forth therein.
     (ii) The Borrower shall pay to the Lenders such fees as shall have been separately agreed upon between the Borrower and the Administrative Agent and/or Lenders, as the case may be, in writing in the amounts and at the times so specified. Such fees shall be fully earned when paid and shall not be refundable for any reason whatsoever, except as expressly agreed to in writing.
      2.11 Computation of Interest and Fees; Retroactive Adjustments of Applicable Rate . (a) All computations of interest for Base Rate Loans (including Base Rate Loans determined by reference to the Eurodollar Rate) shall be made on the basis of a year of 365 or 366 days, as the case may be, and actual days elapsed. All other computations of fees and interest shall be made on the basis of a 360-day year and actual days elapsed (which results in more fees or interest, as applicable, being paid than if computed on the basis of a 365-day year). Interest shall accrue on each Loan for the day on which the Loan is made, and shall not accrue on a Loan, or any portion thereof, for the day on which the Loan or such portion is paid, provided

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that any Loan that is repaid on the same day on which it is made shall, subject to Section 2.13(a) , bear interest for one day. Each determination by the Administrative Agent of an interest rate or fee hereunder shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.
     (b) If, prior to the delivery of any Compliance Certificate pursuant to Section 6.02(b) , as a result of any restatement of or other adjustment to the financial statements of the Borrower or for any other reason, the Borrower or the Lenders determine that (i) the Consolidated Leverage Ratio as calculated by the Borrower pursuant to the most recently delivered Compliance Certificate was inaccurate and (ii) a proper calculation of the Consolidated Leverage Ratio would have resulted in higher pricing for such period, the Borrower shall immediately and retroactively be obligated to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of the applicable Lenders or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, promptly on demand by the Administrative Agent (or, after the occurrence of an actual or deemed entry of an order for relief with respect to the Borrower under the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, automatically and without further action by the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the L/C Issuer), an amount equal to the excess of the amount of interest and fees that should have been paid for such period over the amount of interest and fees actually paid for such period. This paragraph shall not limit the rights of the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, under Section 2.04(c)(iii) , 2.04(h) or 2.09(b) or under Article VIII . The Borrower’s obligations under this paragraph shall survive the termination of the Aggregate Commitments but shall terminate upon the repayment of all other Obligations hereunder.
      2.12 Evidence of Debt .
     (a) The Credit Extensions made by each Lender shall be evidenced by one or more accounts or records maintained by such Lender and by the Administrative Agent in the ordinary course of business. The accounts or records maintained by the Administrative Agent and each Lender shall be conclusive absent manifest error of the amount of the Credit Extensions made by the Lenders to the Borrower and the interest and payments thereon. Any failure to so record or any error in doing so shall not, however, limit or otherwise affect the obligation of the Borrower hereunder to pay any amount owing with respect to the Obligations. In the event of any conflict between the accounts and records maintained by any Lender and the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent in respect of such matters, the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent shall control in the absence of manifest error. Upon the request of any Lender made through the Administrative Agent, the Borrower shall execute and deliver to such Lender (through the Administrative Agent) a Committed Loan Note and/or a Swing Line Note, as applicable, which shall evidence such Lender’s Loans in addition to such accounts or records. Each Lender may attach schedules to its Note and endorse thereon the date, Type (if applicable), amount and maturity of its Loans and payments with respect thereto.
     (b) In addition to the accounts and records referred to in subsection (a), each Lender and the Administrative Agent shall maintain in accordance with its usual practice accounts or records evidencing the purchases and sales by such Lender of participations in Letters of Credit and Swing Line Loans. In the event of any conflict between the accounts and records maintained by the Administrative Agent and the accounts and records of any Lender in respect of such matters, the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent shall control in the absence of manifest error.

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      2.13 Payments Generally; Administrative Agent’s Clawback .
     (a)  General . All payments to be made by the Borrower shall be made without condition or deduction for any counterclaim, defense, recoupment or setoff. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all payments by the Borrower hereunder shall be made to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the respective Lenders to which such payment is owed, at the Administrative Agent’s Office in Dollars and in immediately available funds not later than 2:00 p.m. on the date specified herein. The Administrative Agent will promptly distribute to each Lender its Applicable Percentage (or other applicable share as provided herein) of such payment in like funds as received by wire transfer to such Lender’s Lending Office. All payments received by the Administrative Agent after 2:00 p.m. shall be deemed received on the next succeeding Business Day and any applicable interest or fee shall continue to accrue. If any payment to be made by the Borrower shall come due on a day other than a Business Day, payment shall be made on the next following Business Day, and such extension of time shall be reflected in computing interest or fees, as the case may be.
     (b) (i) Funding by Lenders; Presumption by Administrative Agent . Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from a Lender prior to the proposed date of any Committed Borrowing of Eurodollar Rate Loans (or, in the case of any Committed Borrowing of Base Rate Loans, prior to 12:00 noon on the date of such Committed Borrowing) that such Lender will not make available to the Administrative Agent such Lender’s share of such Committed Borrowing, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender has made such share available on such date in accordance with Section 2.02 (or, in the case of a Committed Borrowing of Base Rate Loans, that such Lender has made such share available in accordance with and at the time required by Section 2.02 ) and may, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the Borrower a corresponding amount. In such event, if a Lender has not in fact made its share of the applicable Committed Borrowing available to the Administrative Agent, then the applicable Lender and the Borrower severally agree to pay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand such corresponding amount in immediately available funds with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is made available to the Borrower to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at (A) in the case of a payment to be made by such Lender, the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation, plus any administrative, processing or similar fees customarily charged by the Administrative Agent in connection with the foregoing, and (B) in the case of a payment to be made by the Borrower, the interest rate applicable to Base Rate Loans. If the Borrower and such Lender shall pay such interest to the Administrative Agent for the same or an overlapping period, the Administrative Agent shall promptly remit to the Borrower the amount of such interest paid by the Borrower for such period. If such Lender pays its share of the applicable Committed Borrowing to the Administrative Agent, then the amount so paid shall constitute such Lender’s Committed Loan included in such Committed Borrowing. Any payment by the Borrower shall be without prejudice to any claim the Borrower may have against a Lender that shall have failed to make such payment to the Administrative Agent.
     (ii) Payments by Borrower; Presumptions by Administrative Agent . Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from the Borrower prior to the date on which any payment is due to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Lenders

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or the L/C Issuer hereunder that the Borrower will not make such payment, the Administrative Agent may assume that the Borrower has made such payment on such date in accordance herewith and may, in reliance upon such assumption, distribute to the Lenders or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, the amount due. In such event, if the Borrower has not in fact made such payment, then each of the Lenders or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, severally agrees to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand the amount so distributed to such Lender or the L/C Issuer, in immediately available funds with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is distributed to it to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation.
     A notice of the Administrative Agent to any Lender or the Borrower with respect to any amount owing under this subsection (b) shall be conclusive, absent manifest error.
     (c)  Failure to Satisfy Conditions Precedent . If any Lender makes available to the Administrative Agent funds for any Loan to be made by such Lender as provided in the foregoing provisions of this Article II , and such funds are not made available to the Borrower by the Administrative Agent because the conditions to the applicable Credit Extension set forth in Article IV are not satisfied or waived in accordance with the terms hereof, the Administrative Agent shall return such funds (in like funds as received from such Lender) to such Lender, without interest.
     (d)  Obligations of Lenders Several . The obligations of the Lenders hereunder to make Committed Loans, to fund participations in Letters of Credit and Swing Line Loans and to make payments pursuant to Section 10.04(c) are several and not joint. The failure of any Lender to make any Committed Loan, to fund any such participation or to make any payment under Section 10.04(c) on any date required hereunder shall not relieve any other Lender of its corresponding obligation to do so on such date, and no Lender shall be responsible for the failure of any other Lender to so make its Committed Loan, to purchase its participation or to make its payment under Section 10.04(c) .
     (e)  Funding Source . Nothing herein shall be deemed to obligate any Lender to obtain the funds for any Loan in any particular place or manner or to constitute a representation by any Lender that it has obtained or will obtain the funds for any Loan in any particular place or manner.
      2.14 Sharing of Payments by Lenders . If any Lender shall, by exercising any right of setoff or counterclaim or otherwise, obtain payment in respect of any principal of or interest on any of the Committed Loans made by it, or the participations in L/C Obligations or in Swing Line Loans held by it resulting in such Lender’s receiving payment of a proportion of the aggregate amount of such Committed Loans or participations and accrued interest thereon greater than its pro rata share thereof as provided herein, then the Lender receiving such greater proportion shall (a) notify the Administrative Agent of such fact, and (b) purchase (for cash at face value) participations in the Committed Loans and subparticipations in L/C Obligations and Swing Line Loans of the other Lenders, or make such other adjustments as shall be equitable, so

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that the benefit of all such payments shall be shared by the Lenders ratably in accordance with the aggregate amount of principal of and accrued interest on their respective Committed Loans and other amounts owing them, provided that:
     (i) if any such participations or subparticipations are purchased and all or any portion of the payment giving rise thereto is recovered, such participations or subparticipations shall be rescinded and the purchase price restored to the extent of such recovery, without interest; and
     (ii) the provisions of this Section shall not be construed to apply to (x) any payment made by or on behalf of the Borrower pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of this Agreement (including the application of funds arising from the existence of a Defaulting Lender), (y) the application of Cash Collateral provided for in Section 2.17 , or (z) any payment obtained by a Lender as consideration for the assignment of or sale of a participation in any of its Committed Loans or subparticipations in L/C Obligations or Swing Line Loans to any permitted assignee or participant, other than an assignment to the Borrower or any Subsidiary thereof (as to which the provisions of this Section shall apply).
     The Borrower consents to the foregoing and agrees, to the extent it may effectively do so under applicable law, that any Lender acquiring a participation pursuant to the foregoing arrangements may exercise against the Borrower rights of setoff and counterclaim with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were a direct creditor of the Borrower in the amount of such participation.
      2.15 Reserved.
      2.16 Increase in Commitments .
     (a)  Request for Increase . Provided there exists no Default, upon (i) notice to the Administrative Agent (which shall promptly notify the Lenders) and (ii) substantially contemporaneous notice (with copy thereof to the Administrative Agent) to Eligible Assignees not then Lenders (each such Eligible Assignee, a “ Proposed Lender ”), the Borrower shall have the right promptly to effectuate from time to time and at any time, in accordance with the terms hereof, an increase in the aggregate amount of the then Aggregate Commitments provided that (y) the aggregate amount of the Aggregate Commitments as so increased shall not at any time exceed $600,000,000, and (z) each such increase shall be in a minimum amount of $50,000,000. At the time of sending such notices, the Borrower (in consultation with the Administrative Agent) shall specify the time period within which each Lender and Proposed Lender is requested to respond (which shall in no event be less than five Business Days from the date of delivery of such notice to the Lenders, and which may be extended upon agreement by the Borrower and the Administrative Agent).
     (b)  Lender Elections to Increase . Each Lender shall promptly notify the Administrative Agent and the Borrower within such time period whether or not it agrees to increase the amount of its Commitment and, if so, whether by an amount equal to, greater than, or less than its Applicable Percentage (as it existed immediately prior to such proposed increase)

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of such proposed increase. Each Proposed Lender shall promptly notify the Administrative Agent and the Borrower within such time period whether or not it agrees to participate in such increased amount of the Aggregate Commitments, and at what amount it proposes to participate in such increased amount. Any Lender or Proposed Lender not responding within such time period shall be deemed to have declined to increase its Commitment, or participate in the increase in the aggregate amount of the Aggregate Commitments, as the case may be.
     (c)  Effective Date and Allocations . If the aggregate amount of Aggregate Commitments are increased in accordance with this Section 2.16 , the Administrative Agent and the Borrower shall promptly thereafter determine the effective date thereof (the “ Increase Effective Date ”) and the final allocation of such increase, and the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the Borrower and the Lenders (including Proposed Lenders that have agreed to participate in such increase) of the final allocation of such increase and the Increase Effective Date.
     (d)  Conditions to Effectiveness of Increase . As conditions precedent to each increase, (i) the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent a certificate of each Loan Party dated as of the applicable Increase Effective Date, signed by a Responsible Officer of such Loan Party, (y) certifying and attaching the resolutions adopted by such Loan Party authorizing or consenting to such increase, as the case may be, and (z) in the case of the Borrower, certifying that, immediately before and after giving effect to such increase, (A) the representations and warranties of the Loan Parties contained in Article V of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents are true and correct in all material respects on and as of such applicable Increase Effective Date, except to the extent that such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier date, in which case they are true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date, and except that for purposes of this Section 2.16, the representations and warranties contained in Section 5.05(a) and (b) shall be deemed to refer to the most recent statements furnished pursuant to clauses (a) and (b) , respectively, of Section 6.01 , and (B) no Default or Event of Default exists, and (ii) each Proposed Lender that is becoming a Lender shall (y) be subject to the reasonable approval of the Administrative Agent , the L/C Issuer and the Swing Line Lender, which approvals shall not be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned, and (z) execute and deliver a joinder agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer, the Swing Line Lender and the Borrower. The Borrower shall prepay any Committed Loans outstanding on such applicable Increase Effective Date (and pay any additional amounts required pursuant to Section 3.05 ) to the extent necessary to keep the outstanding Committed Loans ratable with the Applicable Percentages resulting from any non-ratable increase in the amount of the Aggregate Commitments under this Section 2.16 and in effect after giving effect thereto.
     (e)  Conflicting Provisions . This Section shall supersede any provisions in Section 2.14 or 10.01 to the contrary.
      2.17 Cash Collateral .
     (a)  Certain Credit Support Events . Within one Business Day following the request of the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer (i) if the L/C Issuer has honored any full or partial drawing request under any Letter of Credit and such drawing has resulted in an L/C Borrowing

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that remains outstanding for more than two Business Days, or (ii) if, as of the Letter of Credit Expiration Date, any L/C Obligation for any reason remains outstanding, the Borrower shall, in each case, immediately Cash Collateralize the then Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations. At any time that there shall exist a Defaulting Lender, within one Business Day following the request of the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender, the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent Cash Collateral in an amount equal to the Fronting Exposure (after giving effect to Section 2.18(a)(iv) and any Cash Collateral provided by the Defaulting Lender).
     (b)  Grant of Security Interest . All Cash Collateral (other than credit support not constituting funds subject to deposit) shall be maintained in blocked, interest bearing deposit accounts at Bank of America. The Borrower, and to the extent provided by any Lender, such Lender, hereby grants to (and subjects to the control of) the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Lenders (including the Swing Line Lender), and agrees to maintain, a first priority security interest in all such cash, deposit accounts and all balances therein, and all other property so provided as collateral pursuant hereto, and in all proceeds of the foregoing, all as security for the obligations to which such Cash Collateral may be applied pursuant to Section 2.17(c) . If at any time the Administrative Agent reasonably determines that (i) Cash Collateral is subject to any right or claim of any Person (other than a claim of a nature residual to the claim of the Administrative Agent) other than the Administrative Agent as herein provided, or (ii) the total amount of such Cash Collateral is less than the applicable Fronting Exposure (and, following the Letter of Credit Expiration Date, all outstanding L/C Obligations), the Borrower or the relevant Defaulting Lender will, promptly upon demand by the Administrative Agent, pay or provide to the Administrative Agent additional Cash Collateral (x) not subject to any such right or claim or (y) in an amount sufficient to eliminate such deficiency.
     (c)  Application . Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, but subject to subsection (d) below, Cash Collateral provided under any of this Section 2.17 or Sections 2.04 , 2.05 , 2.06 , 2.18 or 8.02 in respect of Letters of Credit or Swing Line Loans shall be held and applied to the satisfaction of the specific L/C Obligations, Swing Line Loans and obligations to fund participations therein (including, as to Cash Collateral provided by a Defaulting Lender, any interest accrued on such obligation), prior to any other application of such property as may be provided for herein.
     (d)  Release . Cash Collateral (or the appropriate portion thereof) provided to reduce Fronting Exposure (and, following the Letter of Credit Expiration Date, to secure all outstanding L/C Obligations) shall be released promptly following (i) the elimination of the applicable Fronting Exposure (or, following the Letter of Credit Expiration Date, all secured L/C Obligations) (including by the termination of Defaulting Lender status of the applicable Lender (or, as appropriate, its assignee following compliance with Section 10.06(b)(vi) )) or (ii) the Administrative Agent’s good faith determination that there exists excess Cash Collateral; provided , however, (x) that Cash Collateral furnished by or on behalf of a Loan Party shall not be released during the continuance of a Default or Event of Default (and following application as provided in this Section 2.17 may, during the continuance of an Event of Default, be otherwise applied in accordance with Section 8.03 ), and (y) the Person providing Cash Collateral and the L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender, as applicable, may agree that Cash Collateral shall not be

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released but instead held to support future anticipated Fronting Exposure or other obligations, and any such future Fronting Exposure shall be reduced by the amount so held.
      2.18 Defaulting Lenders . (a) Adjustments . Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, if any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, then, until such time as that Lender is no longer a Defaulting Lender, to the extent not prohibited by applicable Law:
     (i) Waivers and Amendments . That Defaulting Lender’s right to approve or disapprove any amendment, waiver or consent with respect to this Agreement shall be restricted as set forth in Section 10.01 .
     (ii) Reallocation of Payments . Any payment of principal, interest, fees or other amounts received by the Administrative Agent for the account of that Defaulting Lender (whether voluntary or mandatory, at maturity, pursuant to Article VIII or otherwise, and including any amounts made available to the Administrative Agent by that Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 10.08 ), shall, following application by Administrative Agent of any such payment by or on behalf of a Loan Party to the account of such Defaulting Lender with respect to such Obligation paid (and in lieu of being distributed to such Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 2.12(a) or such other provision of this Agreement applicable with respect to the distribution thereof), be applied at such time or times as may be determined by the Administrative Agent as follows: first , to the payment of any amounts owing by that Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent hereunder; second , to the payment on a pro rata basis of any amounts owing by that Defaulting Lender to the L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender hereunder; third , if so determined by the Administrative Agent or requested by the L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender, to be held as Cash Collateral for future funding obligations of that Defaulting Lender of any participation in any outstanding Swing Line Loan or outstanding Letter of Credit; fourth , as the Borrower may request (so long as no Default or Event of Default exists), to the funding of any Loan in respect of which that Defaulting Lender has failed to fund its portion thereof as required by this Agreement, as determined by the Administrative Agent; fifth , if so determined by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, to be held in an interest bearing deposit account and released in order to satisfy obligations of that Defaulting Lender to fund Loans under this Agreement; sixth , to the payment of any amounts owing to the Lenders, the L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by any Lender, the L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender against that Defaulting Lender as a result of that Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement; seventh , to the payment of any amounts owing to the Borrower as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by the Borrower against that Defaulting Lender as a result of that Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement; and eighth , to that Defaulting Lender or as otherwise directed by a court of competent jurisdiction; provided that if (x) such payment is a payment of the principal amount of any Loans or L/C Borrowings in respect of which that Defaulting Lender has not fully funded its appropriate share and (y) such Loans or L/C Borrowings were made at a time when the conditions set forth in Section 4.03 were satisfied or waived, such payment shall be applied solely to pay the Loans of, and L/C Borrowings owed to, all non-

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Defaulting Lenders on a pro rata basis prior to being applied to the payment of any Loans of, or L/C Borrowings owed to, that Defaulting Lender. Any payments, prepayments or other amounts paid or payable to a Defaulting Lender that are applied (or held) to pay amounts owed by a Defaulting Lender or to post Cash Collateral pursuant to this Section 2.18(a)(ii) shall be deemed paid to and redirected by that Defaulting Lender, and each Lender irrevocably consents hereto.
     (iii) Certain Fees . That Defaulting Lender (x) shall not be entitled to receive any commitment fee pursuant to Section 2.10(a) for any period during which that Lender is a Defaulting Lender and (y) shall be limited in its rights to receive Letter of Credit Fees as provided in Section 2.04(h) and, in each case, the Borrower shall not be required to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Defaulting Lender or the Defaulting Lender any such fee, and no such fees shall accrue for the account of the Defaulting Lender, that otherwise would have been required to have been paid to that Defaulting Lender.
     (iv) Reallocation of Applicable Percentages to Reduce Fronting Exposure . During any period in which there is a Defaulting Lender, for purposes of computing the amount of the obligation of each non-Defaulting Lender to acquire, refinance or fund participations in Letters of Credit or Swing Line Loans pursuant to Sections 2.04 and 2.05 , the “Applicable Percentage” of each non-Defaulting Lender shall be computed without giving effect to the Commitment of that Defaulting Lender; provided , that, (A) each such reallocation shall be given effect only if (x) on the date the applicable Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, or (y) if a Default or Event of Default occurred and was continuing on such date, on a subsequent Business Day no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, and (B) the aggregate obligation of each non-Defaulting Lender to acquire, refinance or fund participations in Letters of Credit and Swing Line Loans shall not exceed the positive difference, if any, of (1) the Commitment of that non-Defaulting Lender minus (2) the aggregate Outstanding Amount of the Committed Loans of that Lender.
     (v) Replacement of Defaulting Lender . The Borrower may replace any Defaulting Lender in accordance with Section 10.13 .
     (b)  Defaulting Lender Cure . If the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, Swing Line Lender and the L/C Issuer agree in writing in their sole discretion that a Defaulting Lender should no longer be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender, the Administrative Agent will so notify the parties hereto, whereupon as of the effective date specified in such notice and subject to any conditions set forth therein (which may include arrangements with respect to any Cash Collateral), that Lender will, to the extent applicable, purchase that portion of outstanding Loans of the other Lenders or take such other actions as the Administrative Agent may determine to be necessary to cause the Committed Loans and funded and unfunded participations in Letters of Credit and Swing Line Loans to be held on a pro rata basis by the Lenders in accordance with their Applicable Percentages (without giving effect to Section 2.18(a)(iv) ), whereupon that Lender will cease to be a Defaulting Lender; provided that no adjustments will be made retroactively with respect to fees accrued or payments made by or on behalf of the Borrower

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while that Lender was a Defaulting Lender; and provided , further , that except to the extent otherwise expressly agreed by the affected parties, no change hereunder from Defaulting Lender to Lender will constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder arising from that Lender’s having been a Defaulting Lender.
ARTICLE III. TAXES, YIELD PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY
      3.01 Taxes .
     (a)  Payments Free of Taxes; Obligation to Withhold; Payments on Account of Taxes . (i) Any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall to the extent permitted by applicable Laws be made free and clear of and without reduction or withholding for any Taxes. If, however, applicable Laws require the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to withhold or deduct any Tax, such Tax shall be withheld or deducted in accordance with such Laws as determined by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, upon the basis of the information and documentation to be delivered pursuant to subsection (e) below.
     (ii) If the Borrower or the Administrative Agent shall be required by the Code to withhold or deduct any Taxes, including both United States Federal backup withholding and withholding taxes, from any payment by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower hereunder or under any other Loan Document, then (A) the Administrative Agent shall withhold or make such deductions as are determined by the Administrative Agent to be required based upon the information and documentation it has received pursuant to subsection (e) below, (B) the Administrative Agent shall timely pay the full amount withheld or deducted to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with the Code, and (C) to the extent that the withholding or deduction is made on account of Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes, the sum payable by the Borrower shall be increased as necessary so that after any required withholding or the making of all required deductions (including deductions applicable to additional sums payable under this Section) the Administrative Agent, Lender or L/C Issuer, as the case may be, receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such withholding or deduction been made.
     (b)  Payment of Other Taxes by the Borrower . Without limiting the provisions of subsection (a) above, the Borrower shall timely pay any Other Taxes imposed thereon under applicable Law to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable Laws.
     (c)  Tax Indemnifications . (i) Without limiting the provisions of subsection (a) or (b) above, the Borrower shall, and does hereby, indemnify the Administrative Agent, each Lender and the L/C Issuer, and shall make payment in respect thereof within 10 Business Days after demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes (including Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this Section) paid by the Administrative Agent, such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, and any penalties, interest and reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. The Borrower shall also, and does hereby,

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indemnify the Administrative Agent, and shall make payment in respect thereof within 10 days after demand therefor, for any amount which a Lender or the L/C Issuer (other than a Lender or L/C Issuer that is an affiliate of the Administrative Agent) for any reason fails to pay indefeasibly to the Administrative Agent as required by clause (ii) of this subsection. A certificate as to the amount of any such payment or liability delivered to the Borrower by a Lender or the L/C Issuer (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), or by the Administrative Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of a Lender or the L/C Issuer, shall be conclusive absent manifest error. However, neither the Administrative Agent, any Lender, nor the L/C Issuer shall be entitled to receive any payment with respect to Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes that are incurred or accrued more than 180 days prior to the date the Administrative Agent, such Lender, or the L/C Issuer gives notice and demand thereof to the Borrower.
     (ii) Without limiting the provisions of subsection (a) or (b) above, each Lender and the L/C Issuer shall, and does hereby, indemnify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, and shall make payment in respect thereof within 10 days after demand therefor, against any and all Taxes and any and all related losses, claims, liabilities, penalties, interest and expenses (including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for the Borrower or the Administrative Agent) incurred by or asserted against the Borrower or the Administrative Agent by any Governmental Authority as a result of the failure by such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, to deliver, or as a result of the inaccuracy, inadequacy or deficiency of, any documentation required to be delivered by such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, to the Borrower or the Administrative Agent pursuant to subsection (e). Each Lender and the L/C Issuer hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to set off and apply any and all amounts at any time owing to such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, under this Agreement or any other Loan Document against any amount due to the Administrative Agent under this clause (ii). The agreements in this clause (ii) shall survive the resignation and/or replacement of the Administrative Agent, any assignment of rights by, or the replacement of, a Lender or the L/C Issuer, the termination of the Aggregate Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all other Obligations.
     (d)  Evidence of Payments . As soon as reasonably practicable after request by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, and after any payment of Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes by the Borrower or by the Administrative Agent to a Governmental Authority as provided in this Section 3.01 , the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent or the Administrative Agent shall deliver to the Borrower, as the case may be, the original or a certified copy of a receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy of any return required by Laws to report such payment or other evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be.
     (e)  Status of Lenders; Tax Documentation . (i) Each Lender shall deliver to the Borrower and to the Administrative Agent, at the time or times prescribed by applicable Laws or when reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, such properly completed and executed documentation prescribed by applicable Laws or by the taxing authorities of any jurisdiction and such other reasonably requested information as will permit the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, (A) to determine (1) whether or not

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payments made to such Lender hereunder or under any other Loan Document are subject to Taxes or information reporting, (2) if applicable, the required rate of withholding or deduction with respect to such payments, and (3) such Lender’s entitlement to any available exemption from, or reduction of, applicable Taxes in respect of all payments to be made to such Lender by the Borrower pursuant to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or (B) to establish such Lender’s status for withholding tax purposes in the applicable jurisdiction.
     (ii) Without limiting the generality of clause (i) above, if the Borrower is resident for tax purposes in the United States,
     (A) any Lender that is a “United States person” within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the recipient) executed originals of Internal Revenue Service Form W-9 or such other documentation or information prescribed by applicable Laws or reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will enable the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, to determine whether or not such Lender is subject to backup withholding or information reporting requirements; and
     (B) each Foreign Lender that is entitled under the Code or any applicable treaty to an exemption from or reduction of withholding tax with respect to payments hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender (and from time to time thereafter upon the request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, but only if such Foreign Lender is legally entitled to do so, or at such times prescribed by applicable Law), whichever of the following is applicable:
     (I) executed originals of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN, or successor applicable form, claiming eligibility for benefits of an income tax treaty to which the United States is a party,
     (II) executed originals of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8ECI, or successor applicable form,
     (III) executed originals of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8IMY, or successor applicable form, and all required supporting documentation,
     (IV) in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of the exemption for portfolio interest under section 881(c) of the Code, (x) a certificate to the effect that such Foreign Lender is not (A) a “bank” within the meaning of section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (B) a “10 percent shareholder” of the Borrower within the meaning of section 881(c)(3)(B) of the Code, or (C) a “controlled foreign corporation” described in section

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881(c)(3)(C) of the Code and (y) executed originals of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN, or successor applicable form, or
(V) executed originals of any other form prescribed by applicable Laws as a basis for claiming exemption from or a reduction in United States Federal withholding tax together with such supplementary documentation as may be prescribed by applicable Laws to permit the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine the withholding or deduction required to be made.
     (iii) Each Lender shall promptly (A) notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent of any change in circumstances which would modify or render invalid any claimed exemption or reduction in withholding taxes, (B) take such steps as shall not be materially disadvantageous to it, in the reasonable judgment of such Lender, and as may be reasonably necessary (including the re-designation of its Lending Office) to avoid any requirement of applicable Laws of any jurisdiction that the Borrower or the Administrative Agent make any withholding or deduction for taxes from amounts payable to such Lender, and (C) deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (1) such other documentation or information prescribed by applicable Law following the occurrence of any event requiring a change in the most recent documentation previously delivered pursuant to clause (ii) above so as to maintain compliance with such Lender’s obligations thereunder, and (2) prior to the date on which any documentation delivered pursuant to clause (ii) above expires or becomes obsolete, such documentation as may be necessary to maintain compliance with such Lender’s obligations thereunder.
     (f)  Treatment of Certain Refunds . Unless required by applicable Laws, at no time shall the Administrative Agent have any obligation to file for or otherwise pursue on behalf of a Lender or the L/C Issuer, or have any obligation to pay to any Lender or the L/C Issuer, any refund of Taxes withheld or deducted from funds paid for the account of such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be. If the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the L/C Issuer 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 3.01 , it shall pay to the Borrower an amount equal to such refund (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made, or additional amounts paid, by the Borrower under this Section 3.01 with respect to the Taxes or Other Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent, such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, 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, such Lender or the L/C Issuer, 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, such Lender or the L/C Issuer in the event the Administrative Agent, such Lender or the L/C Issuer is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority. This subsection shall not be construed to require the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the L/C Issuer to make available its tax returns (or any other information relating to its taxes that it deems confidential) to the Borrower or any other Person.

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      3.02 Illegality . If any Lender determines that any Change in Law has made it unlawful, or that any Governmental Authority has asserted that it is unlawful, for any Lender or its applicable Lending Office to make, maintain or fund Loans whose interest is determined by reference to the Eurodollar Rate, or to determine or charge interest rates based upon the Eurodollar Rate, or any Governmental Authority has imposed material restrictions on the authority of such Lender to purchase or sell, or to take deposits of, Dollars in the London interbank market, then, on notice thereof by such Lender to the Borrower through the Administrative Agent, (i) any obligation of such Lender to make or continue Eurodollar Rate Loans or to convert Base Rate Committed Loans to Eurodollar Rate Committed Loans shall be suspended, and (ii) if such notice asserts the illegality of such Lender making or maintaining Base Rate Loans the interest rate on which is determined by reference to the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate, the interest rate on which Base Rate Loans of such Lender shall, if necessary to avoid such illegality, be determined by the Administrative Agent without reference to the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate, in each case until such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent and the Borrower that the circumstances giving rise to such determination no longer exist. Upon receipt of such notice, (x) the Borrower shall, upon demand from such Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), prepay or, if applicable, convert all Eurodollar Rate Loans of such Lender to Base Rate Loans (the interest rate on which Base Rate Loans of such Lender shall, if necessary to avoid such illegality, be determined by the Administrative Agent without reference to the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate), either on the last day of the Interest Period therefor, if such Lender may lawfully continue to maintain such Eurodollar Rate Loans to such day, or immediately, if such Lender may not lawfully continue to maintain such Eurodollar Rate Loans and (y) if such notice asserts the illegality of such Lender determining or charging interest rates based upon the Eurodollar Rate, the Administrative Agent shall during the period of such suspension compute the Base Rate applicable to such Lender without reference to the Eurodollar Rate component thereof until the Administrative Agent is advised in writing by such Lender that it is no longer illegal for such Lender to determine or charge interest rates based upon the Eurodollar Rate. Upon any such prepayment or conversion, the Borrower shall also pay accrued interest on the amount so prepaid or converted.
      3.03 Inability to Determine Rates . If the Required Lenders determine that for any reason in connection with any request for a Eurodollar Rate Loan or a conversion to or continuation thereof that (a) Dollar deposits are not being offered to banks in the London interbank eurodollar market for the applicable amount and Interest Period of such Eurodollar Rate Loan, (b) adequate and reasonable means do not exist for determining the Eurodollar Rate for any requested Interest Period with respect to a proposed Eurodollar Rate Committed Loan or in connection with an existing or proposed Base Rate Loan, or (c) the Eurodollar Rate for any requested Interest Period with respect to a proposed Eurodollar Rate Committed Loan does not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders of funding such Loan, the Administrative Agent will promptly so notify the Borrower and each Lender. Thereafter, (x) the obligation of the Lenders to make or maintain Eurodollar Rate Loans (i) in respect to the applicable amount and Interest Period referred to in the preceding clause (a), or (ii) in the circumstances referred to in the preceding clauses (b) and (c), shall be suspended, and (y) in the event of a determination described in the preceding sentence with respect to the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate, the utilization of the Eurodollar Rate component in determining the Base Rate shall be suspended, in each case until the Administrative Agent (upon the instruction of the Required Lenders) revokes such notice. Upon receipt of such notice, the Borrower may revoke any

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pending request for a Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Committed Loans or, failing that, will be deemed to have converted such request into a request for a Committed Borrowing of Base Rate Loans in the amount specified therein.
      3.04 Increased Costs; Reserves on Eurodollar Rate Loans .
     (a)  Increased Costs Generally . If any Change in Law shall:
     (i) impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, special deposit, compulsory loan, insurance charge or similar requirement against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or credit extended or participated in by, any Lender (except any reserve requirement contemplated by Section 3.04(e) ) or the L/C Issuer;
     (ii) subject any Lender or the L/C Issuer to any tax of any kind whatsoever with respect to this Agreement, any Letter of Credit, any participation in a Letter of Credit or any Eurodollar Rate Loan made by it, or change the basis of taxation of payments to such Lender or the L/C Issuer in respect thereof (except for Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes covered by Section 3.01 and the imposition of, or any change in the rate of, any Excluded Tax payable by such Lender or the L/C Issuer); or
     (iii) impose on any Lender or the L/C Issuer or the London interbank market any other condition, cost or expense affecting this Agreement or Eurodollar Rate Loans made by such Lender or any Letter of Credit 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 Loan the interest on which is determined by reference to the Eurodollar Rate (or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan), or to increase the cost to such Lender or the L/C Issuer of participating in, issuing or maintaining any Letter of Credit (or of maintaining its obligation to participate in or to issue any Letter of Credit), or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender or the L/C Issuer hereunder (whether of principal, interest or any other amount) then, upon request of such Lender or the L/C Issuer, the Borrower will pay to such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.
     (b)  Capital Requirements . If any Lender or the L/C Issuer determines that any Change in Law affecting such Lender or the L/C Issuer or any Lending Office of such Lender or such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s holding company, if any, regarding capital requirements has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s capital or on the capital of such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s holding company, if any, as a consequence of this Agreement, the Commitments of such Lender or the Loans made by, or participations in Letters of Credit held by, such Lender, or the Letters of Credit issued by the L/C Issuer, to a level below that which such Lender or the L/C Issuer or such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s holding company could have achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into consideration such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s policies and the policies of such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s holding company with respect to capital adequacy), then from time to time the Borrower will pay to such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will

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compensate such Lender or the L/C Issuer or such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s holding company for any such reduction suffered.
     (c)  Certificates for Reimbursement . A certificate of a Lender or the L/C Issuer setting forth the amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender or the L/C Issuer or its holding company, as the case may be, as specified in subsection (a) or (b) of this Section and delivered to the Borrower shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrower shall pay such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, the amount shown as due on any such certificate within 10 days after receipt thereof. Upon request by the Borrower, a Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, shall also provide a certificate that such Lender or L/C Issuer is generally requesting such compensation from its other borrowers.
     (d)  Delay in Requests . Failure or delay on the part of any Lender or the L/C Issuer to demand compensation pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section shall not constitute a waiver of such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s right to demand such compensation, provided that the Borrower shall not be required to compensate a Lender or the L/C Issuer pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section for any increased costs incurred or reductions suffered more than 180 days prior to the date that such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, notifies the Borrower of the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions and of such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s intention to claim compensation therefor (except 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).
     (e)  Reserves on Eurodollar Rate Loans . The Borrower shall pay to each Lender, as long as such Lender shall be required to maintain reserves with respect to liabilities or assets consisting of or including Eurocurrency funds or deposits (currently known as “Eurocurrency liabilities”), additional interest on the unpaid principal amount of each Eurodollar Rate Loan equal to the actual costs of such reserves allocated to such Loan by such Lender (as determined by such Lender in good faith, which determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error), which shall be due and payable on each date on which interest is payable on such Loan, provided the Borrower shall have received at least 10 days’ prior notice (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) of such additional interest from such Lender. If a Lender fails to give notice 10 days prior to the relevant Interest Payment Date, such additional interest shall be due and payable 10 days from receipt of such notice.
      3.05 Compensation for Losses . Upon demand of any Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) from time to time, the Borrower shall promptly compensate such Lender for and hold such Lender harmless from any loss, cost or expense incurred by it as a result of:
     (a) any continuation, conversion, payment or prepayment of any Loan other than a Base Rate Loan on a day other than the last day of the Interest Period for such Loan (whether voluntary, mandatory, automatic, by reason of acceleration, or otherwise);
     (b) any failure by the Borrower (for a reason other than the failure of such Lender to make a Loan) to prepay, borrow, continue or convert any Loan other than a Base Rate Loan on the date or in the amount notified by the Borrower; or

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     (c) any assignment of a Eurodollar Rate Loan on a day other than the last day of the Interest Period therefor as a result of a request by the Borrower pursuant to Section 10.13 ;
excluding any loss of anticipated profits but including any loss (other than loss of anticipated profits) or expense arising from the liquidation or reemployment of funds obtained by it to maintain such Loan or from fees payable to terminate the deposits from which such funds were obtained. The Borrower shall also pay any customary administrative fees charged by such Lender in connection with the foregoing.
A certificate of such Lender setting forth the amount of any such loss, cost or expense, including reasonably detailed calculations thereof, shall be delivered to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent and be conclusive absent manifest error. For purposes of calculating amounts payable by the Borrower to the Lenders under this Section 3.05 , each Lender shall be deemed to have funded each Eurodollar Rate Committed Loan made by it at the Eurodollar Rate for such Loan by a matching deposit or other borrowing in the London interbank eurodollar market for a comparable amount and for a comparable period, whether or not such Eurodollar Rate Committed Loan was in fact so funded.
      3.06 Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders .
     (a)  Designation of a Different Lending Office . If any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.04 , or the Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender, the L/C Issuer, or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender or the L/C Issuer pursuant to Section 3.01 , or if any Lender gives a notice pursuant to Section 3.02 , then such Lender or the L/C Issuer shall, as applicable, 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 or the L/C Issuer, such designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant to Section 3.01 or 3.04 , as the case may be, in the future, or eliminate the need for the notice pursuant to Section 3.02 , as applicable, and (ii) in each case, would not subject such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, to any unreimbursed cost or expense and would not otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be. The Borrower hereby agrees to pay all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by any Lender or the L/C Issuer in connection with any such designation or assignment.
     (b)  Replacement of Lenders . If (i) any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.04 , or gives a notice pursuant to Section 3.02 (which notice is not given by other similarly situated Lenders) and does not subsequently designate a different Lending Office or assign its rights and obligations hereunder to another of its offices, branches or affiliates as provided above, (ii) 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 3.01 or (iii) any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, the Borrower may replace such Lender in accordance with Section 10.13 .
      3.07 Survival . All of the Borrower’s obligations under this Article III shall survive termination of the Aggregate Commitments, repayment of all other Obligations hereunder, and resignation of the Administrative Agent.

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ARTICLE IV. CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO CREDIT EXTENSIONS
      4.01 Conditions Precedent to Closing . This Agreement shall become effective upon the satisfaction of the following conditions precedent:
     (a) The Administrative Agent’s receipt of the following, each of which shall be originals, telecopies or other electronic copies (followed promptly by originals) unless otherwise specified, each properly executed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower, if applicable, each dated the Closing Date (or, in the case of certificates of governmental officials, a recent date before the Closing Date) and each in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent:
     (i) executed counterparts of this Agreement, sufficient in number for distribution to the Administrative Agent, each Lender and the Borrower;
     (ii) a Swing Line Note executed by the Borrower in favor of the Swing Line Lender, and a Committed Loan Note executed by the Borrower in favor of each Lender requesting a Committed Loan Note;
     (iii) such certificates of resolutions or other action, incumbency certificates and/or other certificates of Responsible Officers of the Borrower as the Administrative Agent may reasonably require evidencing the identity, authority and capacity of each Responsible Officer thereof authorized to act as a Responsible Officer in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which the Borrower is a party;
     (iv) such documents and certifications as the Administrative Agent may reasonably require to evidence that each of the Borrower, General Partner, Bluewater and Pine Prairie is duly organized or formed, and that the Borrower is validly existing, in good standing and qualified to engage in business in each jurisdiction as required by Section 5.01 ;
     (v) favorable opinions of Tim Moore, Esq., General Counsel of the sole member of the General Partner, and Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P., special counsel for the Borrower, addressed to the Administrative Agent and each Lender;
     (vi) the Audited Financial Statements and the Initial Pro Forma Financial Statements;
     (vii) a certificate signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower certifying (A) that the condition specified in Section 4.03(a) has been satisfied, (B) the Initial Pro Forma Financial Statements were prepared in good faith upon assumptions deemed reasonable by the Borrower at the time made, (C) that no Default shall have occurred and be continuing, and (D) that there has been no event or circumstance since the date of the most recent Audited Financial Statements that has had or could be reasonably expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect;
     (viii) evidence that all insurance required to be maintained pursuant to Section 6.07 has been obtained and is in effect;

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     (ix) environmental assessment reports, audits and certifications as reasonably requested by Administrative Agent identifying existing and potential environmental concerns and quantifying related costs and liabilities, associated with any Storage Facilities; and
     (x) such other assurances, certificates, documents, consents or opinions as the Administrative Agent may reasonably require.
     (b) All consents, licenses and approvals required in connection with the execution, delivery and performance by the Borrower and the validity against the Borrower of the Loan Documents to which it is a party shall have been obtained and shall be in full force and effect.
     (c) There shall not have occurred during the period from the date of the most recent Audited Financial Statements through and including the Closing Date any event or condition that has had or could reasonably be expected, either individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect, and there shall be no actions, suits, investigations, proceedings, claims or disputes pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened in writing, at law, in equity, in arbitration or before any Governmental Authority, by or against the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or against any of their properties or revenues that either individually or in the aggregate, if determined adversely, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
     (d) The Borrower shall have paid all reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the Administrative Agent to the extent invoiced prior to or on the Closing Date.
     (e) Copies (or electronic access to copies pursuant to the Borrower’s website or EDGAR) of the Registration Statement, including exhibits thereto, as amended through the Closing Date, with any material amendment to any financial statements, projections or forecasts contained therein, or any other material amendment to the Borrower’s operations, business, assets, properties, liabilities (actual or contingent) or condition (financial or otherwise) as described in the initial Registration Statement filed with the SEC reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to Administrative Agent.
     (f) The Closing Date shall have occurred on or before April 30, 2010.
     Without limiting the generality of the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 9.03 , for purposes of determining compliance with the conditions specified in this Section 4.01 , each Lender that has signed this Agreement shall be deemed to have consented to, approved or accepted or to be satisfied with, each document or other matter required thereunder to be consented to or approved by or acceptable or satisfactory to a Lender unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from such Lender prior to the proposed Closing Date specifying its objection thereto and the Administrative Agent hereby agrees to promptly provide the Borrower with a copy of any such notice received by the Administrative Agent.
      4.02 Conditions Precedent to Initial Credit Extension . The obligation of the L/C Issuer and each Lender to make its initial Credit Extension hereunder is subject to satisfaction of the following conditions precedent:

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     (a) The Administrative Agent’s receipt on the IPO Closing Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, a certificate signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower certifying (i) that the conditions specified in Sections 4.03(a) and (b) have been satisfied, (ii) that there has been no event or circumstance since the Closing Date that has had or could be reasonably expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect; (iii) that the Borrower has consummated its initial public offering, substantially on the terms set forth in the Registration Statement, (iv) an attached pro forma consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower as at the last day of the most recent fiscal quarter of the Borrower prior to the IPO Closing Date for which quarterly financials have been delivered to the Administrative Agent, after giving effect to the consummation of the Borrower’s initial public offering and the initial drawing hereunder, (v) calculation of Consolidated EBITDA for the four fiscal quarter period ending the last day of the most recent fiscal quarter of the Borrower prior to the IPO Closing Date for which quarterly financials have been delivered to the Administrative Agent, with (A) such pro forma adjustments as may be approved by Administrative Agent with respect to Dispositions, acquisitions, consolidations or mergers as described in the proviso of the first sentence of (and subject to the delivery of information with respect thereto as required pursuant to the second sentence of) the definition of “Consolidated EBITDA” and (B) any New Cavern EBITDA Adjustments or Material Project EBITDA Adjustments as may be approved by Administrative Agent pursuant to (and subject to the delivery of information with respect thereto as required by) Section 7.11(b) , and (vi) calculation of the Consolidated Leverage Ratio as of the IPO Closing Date.
     (b) On and as of the IPO Closing Date, Administrative Agent shall have received copies (or electronic access to copies pursuant to the Borrower’s website or EDGAR) of any amendments to the Registration Statement filed with the SEC after the Closing Date, any exhibits to the Registration Statement, as amended through the IPO Closing Date, not previously delivered prior to the IPO Closing Date, and a copy of the Borrower’s prospectus with respect to its initial public offering, all certified by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower.
     (c) Any material amendment to any financial statements, projections or forecasts contained in the Registration Statement, or any other material amendment to the Borrower’s operations, business, assets, properties, liabilities (actual or contingent) or condition (financial or otherwise) as described in the Registration Statement, and any agreements described in Section 7.08(c) attached as exhibits thereto, filed with the SEC after the Closing Date and prior to the IPO Closing Date shall be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to Administrative Agent.
     (d) There shall not have occurred during the period from the Closing Date through and including the IPO Closing Date any event or condition that has had or could reasonably be expected, either individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect.
     (e) Any fees, including any arrangement fees, agency fees and upfront fees, and any expenses of the Arrangers and Administrative Agent, in each case, as agreed in writing by the Borrower, required to be paid on or before the IPO Closing Date shall have been paid.
     (f) The Borrower shall have paid all fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the Administrative Agent to the extent invoiced prior to or on the IPO Closing Date.

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     (g) The IPO Closing Date shall have occurred on or before the Pre-IPO Commitment Termination Date.
      4.03 Conditions to all Credit Extensions . The obligation of each Lender to honor any Request for Credit Extension (other than a Committed Loan Notice requesting only a conversion of Committed Loans to the other Type, or a continuation of Eurodollar Rate Committed Loans) is subject to the following conditions precedent:
     (a) The representations and warranties of the Borrower contained in Article V or any other Loan Document, or which are contained in any document furnished by or at the request of the Borrower or any Subsidiary at any time under or in connection herewith or therewith, shall be true and correct in all material respects on and as of the date of such Credit Extension, except to the extent that such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier date, in which case they shall be true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date, and except that for purposes of this Section 4.03 , the representations and warranties contained in subsections (a) and (b) of Section 5.05 shall be deemed to refer to the most recent statements furnished pursuant to clauses (a) and (b), respectively, of Section 6.01 .
     (b) No Default shall have occurred and be continuing, or would immediately result from such proposed Credit Extension or from the application of the proceeds thereof.
     (c) The Administrative Agent and, if applicable, the L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender shall have received a Request for Credit Extension in accordance with the requirements hereof.
     Each Request for Credit Extension (other than a Committed Loan Notice requesting only a conversion of Committed Loans to the other Type or a continuation of Eurodollar Rate Committed Loans) submitted by the Borrower shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty that the conditions specified in Sections 4.03(a) and (b) have been satisfied on and as of the date of the applicable Credit Extension.
ARTICLE V. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
     The Borrower represents and warrants to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders that:
      5.01 Existence, Qualification and Power . Each Significant Restricted Person (a) is duly organized or formed, validly existing and, as applicable, in good standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, (b) has all requisite corporate or equivalent power and authority and all requisite governmental licenses, authorizations, consents and approvals to (i) own or lease its assets and carry on its business and (ii) execute, deliver and perform its obligations under the Loan Documents to which it is a party, and (c) is duly qualified and is licensed and, as applicable, in good standing under the Laws of each jurisdiction where its ownership, lease or operation of properties or the conduct of its business requires such qualification or license; except in each case referred to in clause (b)(i) or (c), to the extent that failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
      5.02 Authorization; No Contravention . The execution, delivery and performance by each Loan Party of each Loan Document to which such Person is party have been duly

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authorized by all necessary corporate or other organizational action, and do not and will not (a) violate (i) the terms of such Person’s Organization Documents, (ii) any order, injunction, writ or decree of any Governmental Authority or any arbitral award to which such Person or its property is subject, or (iii) any provision of Law applicable to it; (b) result in the acceleration of any Indebtedness owed by it; or (c) result in any breach of, or a default under, or the creation of any consensual Lien under, any material Contractual Obligation to which such Person is a party or to which its properties are bound.
      5.03 Governmental Authorization; Other Consents . Except as expressly contemplated in or permitted by the Loan Documents, disclosed in Schedule 5.03 or disclosed pursuant to Section 6.03 , no approval, consent, exemption or authorization of, or other action by, or notice to, or filing with, any Governmental Authority or any other Person is required to be made or obtained by any Restricted Person a party thereto pursuant to the provisions of any material Law applicable to it as a condition to its execution, delivery or performance of this Agreement or any other Loan Document.
      5.04 Binding Effect . This Agreement has been, and each other Loan Document to which a Loan Party is a party, when delivered hereunder, will have been, duly executed and delivered by such Loan Party. This Agreement constitutes, and each other such Loan Document when so executed and delivered will constitute, a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Loan Party a party hereto or thereto, as the case may be, enforceable against such Loan Party that is party thereto in accordance with its terms.
      5.05 Financial Statements; No Material Adverse Effect .
     (a) The Audited Financial Statements (i) were prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein; (ii) fairly present the financial condition of the Borrower (or its predecessor, as the case may be) and its Subsidiaries as of the respective dates thereof and their results of operations for the period covered thereby in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein; and (iii) as required by GAAP, reflect all material Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the respective dates thereof, including, if applicable, liabilities for taxes, material commitments and Indebtedness.
     (b) The unaudited consolidated balance sheets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries most recently delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(b) , and the related consolidated statements of income or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for the fiscal quarter ended on that date (i) were prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein, and (ii) fairly present the financial condition of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the date thereof and their results of operations for the period covered thereby, subject, in the case of clauses (i) and (ii), to the absence of footnotes and to normal year-end audit adjustments.
     (c) As of the Closing Date, for the period from December 31, 2009 through the Closing Date, there exists no event or circumstance with respect to the Borrower and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, either individually or in the aggregate, that has then resulted in, or could then reasonably be expected to have, a Material Adverse Effect.

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     (d) As of the IPO Closing Date, for the period from December 31, 2009 through the IPO Closing Date, there exists no event or circumstance with respect to the Borrower and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, either individually or in the aggregate, that has then resulted in, or could then reasonably be expected to have, a Material Adverse Effect.
      5.06 Litigation . Except as disclosed in the Audited Financial Statements, in Schedule 5.06 or pursuant to Section 6.03 , (a) there are no actions, suits, proceedings, claims or disputes pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, overtly threatened in writing, at law, in equity, in arbitration or before any Governmental Authority, by or against the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or against any of their properties or revenues that (i) purport to adversely affect this Agreement or any other Loan Document, or any of the transactions contemplated hereby, or (ii) either individually or in the aggregate, if determined adversely, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and (b) there has been no adverse change to the Borrower or its Subsidiaries or any other Loan Party in the status, or financial effect on the Borrower or its Subsidiaries or any other Loan Party, of the matters described in Schedule 5.06 or disclosed pursuant to Section 6.03 , which either individually or in the aggregate could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
      5.07 No Default . Except as disclosed in the Audited Financial Statements, in Schedule 5.07 or pursuant to Section 6.03 , neither the Borrower nor its Subsidiaries nor any other Loan Party is in default of its express and existing obligations under any Contractual Obligation to which it is a party that could, either individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. No Default has occurred and is continuing, except as has been waived in accordance with this Agreement, or as of the Closing Date or the IPO Closing Date, would result upon the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any other Loan Document.
      5.08 Ownership of Property; Liens . The Borrower and its Subsidiaries have good and defensible title to all of their respective material property necessary or used in the ordinary conduct of its business, free and clear of any (a) impediments in such use of such property except for such impediments that could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect and (b) Liens, other than Liens permitted by Section 7.01 .
      5.09 Environmental Compliance . The Borrower and its Subsidiaries conduct their businesses in material compliance with applicable Environmental Laws and in the ordinary course of business, review claims received by, and made against, them which overtly allege liability or responsibility on any of them for violation by any of them of any material Environmental Law on their respective businesses, operations and material properties, and as a result thereof, the Borrower reasonably believes that, except as specifically disclosed in Schedule 5.09 or pursuant to Section 6.03 , its non-compliance with any such Environmental Laws and such claims could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
      5.10 Insurance . The properties of the Significant Restricted Persons are insured in compliance with the provisions of Section 6.07 .

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      5.11 Taxes . Except as disclosed in accordance with Section 6.03 , all Significant Restricted Persons have complied with and are in compliance with Section 6.04 . As of the Closing Date, neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries is party to any tax sharing agreement.
      5.12 ERISA Compliance .
     (a) Except as disclosed in the Audited Financial Statements, in Schedule 5.12 or pursuant to Section 6.03 , each Plan is in compliance in all material respects with the applicable provisions of ERISA, the Code and other applicable Federal or state laws, to the extent that any non-compliance therewith could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Each Pension Plan that is intended to be a qualified plan under Section 401(a) of the Code has received a favorable determination letter from the IRS to the effect that the form of such Plan is qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code and the trust related thereto has been determined by the IRS to be exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(a) of the Code, or an application for such a letter has been submitted to the IRS. To the knowledge of the Borrower, nothing has occurred with respect to the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate that would prevent or cause the loss of such tax-qualified status.
     (b) Except as disclosed in the Audited Financial Statements, in Schedule 5.12 or pursuant to Section 6.03 , there are no pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, overtly threatened in writing, claims, actions or lawsuits, or action by any Governmental Authority, with respect to any Plan that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Except as disclosed in the Audited Financial Statements, in Schedule 5.12 or pursuant to Section 6.03 , there has been no prohibited transaction or violation of the fiduciary responsibility rules with respect to any Plan that has resulted or, actually known to the Borrower, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
     (c) Except as disclosed in the Audited Financial Statements, in Schedule 5.12 or pursuant to Section 6.03 , (i) no ERISA Event has occurred, and neither the Borrower nor any ERISA Affiliate has actual knowledge of any fact, event or circumstance that could reasonably be expected to constitute or result in an ERISA Event with respect to any Pension Plan; (ii) the Borrower and each ERISA Affiliate has met, in all material respects, all applicable requirements under the Pension Funding Rules in respect of each Pension Plan, and no waiver of the minimum funding standards under the Pension Funding Rules has been applied for or obtained; (iii) as of the most recent valuation date for any Pension Plan, the funding target attainment percentage (as defined in Section 430(d)(2) of the Code) is 60% or higher, and neither the Borrower nor any ERISA Affiliate has actual knowledge of any facts or circumstances that could reasonably be expected to cause the funding target attainment percentage for any such plan to drop below 60% as of the most recent valuation date; (iv) neither the Borrower nor any ERISA Affiliate has incurred any liability to the PBGC other than for the payment of premiums or obligations of immaterial amounts, and there are no premium payments which have become due that are delinquent or are being contested in good faith; (v) neither the Borrower nor any ERISA Affiliate has, to its actual knowledge, engaged in a transaction that could be subject to Section 4069 or Section 4212(c) of ERISA; and (vi) to Borrower’s actual knowledge, no Pension Plan has been terminated by the plan administrator thereof nor by the PBGC, and no event or circumstance has occurred or exists that could reasonably be expected to cause the PBGC to institute proceedings

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under Title IV of ERISA to terminate any Pension Plan; in each case with respect to each of the foregoing clauses (i) through (vi) of this Section 5.12(c) , except as disclosed in the Audited Financial Statements, in Schedule 5.12 or pursuant to Section 6.03 .
      5.13 Subsidiaries; Equity Interests . As of the Closing Date and the IPO Closing Date, the Borrower has no Subsidiaries other than those listed in Part (a) of Schedule 5.13 , and all of the outstanding Equity Interests in such Subsidiaries have been validly issued, are (to the extent applicable or required) fully paid and nonassessable and are owned by the Borrower in the amounts specified on Part (a) of Schedule 5.13 free and clear of all Liens. As of the Closing Date and the IPO Closing Date, the Borrower has no equity investments in any corporation or entity other than those disclosed in Part (b) of Schedule 5.13 . As of the IPO Closing Date, all of the Equity Interests in the Borrower issued pursuant to the Borrower’s initial public offering pursuant to the Registration Statement have been validly issued and are fully paid and nonassessable, subject to customary statutory exceptions.
      5.14 Margin Regulations; Investment Company Act .
     (a) The Borrower is not engaged and will not engage, principally, or as one of its important activities, in the business of purchasing or carrying margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation U issued by the FRB), or extending credit for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock.
     (b) Neither the Borrower nor any other Loan Party is regulated under the Investment Company Act of 1940.
      5.15 Disclosure . There is no fact known to any Restricted Person that has not been disclosed to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders in writing which, individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. No report, financial statement, certificate or other information furnished by or on behalf of any Loan Party to the Administrative Agent or any Lender in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby and the negotiation of this Agreement (including those delivered hereunder or under any other Loan Document (in each case, as modified or supplemented by other information so furnished, when so modified or supplemented)) contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state any material fact necessary to make the statements contained herein or therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading as of the date made or deemed made (or if such information expressly relates or refers to an earlier date, as of such earlier date); provided that, with respect to projected and forecast financial information, the Borrower represents only that such projections and forecasts were prepared in good faith based upon assumptions deemed reasonable by it at the time.
      5.16 Compliance with Laws . Except as set forth in Schedule 5.16 or in accordance with Section 6.03 , each Loan Party and each Subsidiary thereof is in compliance in all material respects with the requirements of all Laws and all orders, writs, injunctions and decrees applicable to it or to its properties, except in such instances in which (a) such requirement of Law or order, writ, injunction or decree is being contested in good faith, and if necessary, by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted or (b) the failure to comply therewith, either

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individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
      5.17 Taxpayer Identification Number . The Borrower’s true and correct U.S. taxpayer identification number is set forth on Schedule 10.02 , as may be updated or modified from time to time by notice from the Borrower to the Administrative Agent and Lenders.
ARTICLE VI. AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS
     So long as any Lender shall have any Commitment hereunder, any Loan or other Obligation hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied, or (unless a collateral arrangement satisfactory to the L/C Issuer has been entered into) any Letter of Credit shall remain outstanding, the Borrower shall, and shall (except in the case of the covenants set forth in Sections 6.01 , 6.02 , and 6.03 , and except in the case of the covenants set forth in Sections 6.04 , 6.05 , 6.06 , 6 .07 , and 6.08 , which shall be limited to Significant Restricted Persons) cause each Subsidiary to:
      6.01 Financial Statements . Deliver to the Administrative Agent and each Lender the following statements and reports, at the Borrower’s expense:
     (a) (i) promptly upon the filing thereof, and in any event within ninety (90) days after the end of each fiscal year, a copy of the Borrower’s Form 10-K, which report shall include the Borrower’s complete Consolidated financial statements together with all notes thereto, prepared in reasonable detail in accordance with GAAP, together with an opinion, without material qualification, based on an audit using generally accepted auditing standards, by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, or other independent certified public accountants selected by General Partner, stating that such Consolidated financial statements have been so prepared, and these financial statements shall contain a Consolidated balance sheet as of the end of such fiscal year and Consolidated statements of earnings for such fiscal year, and such Consolidated financial statements shall set forth in comparative form the corresponding figures for the preceding fiscal year; and (ii) within ninety (90) days after the end of each fiscal year, internally-prepared, unaudited consolidating balance sheets and income statements for the Significant Restricted Persons (other than the Borrower); and
     (b) (i) promptly upon the filing thereof, and in any event within sixty (60) days after the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year, a copy of the Borrower’s Form 10-Q, which report shall include the Borrower’s unaudited Consolidated balance sheet as of the end of such fiscal quarter and Consolidated statements of the Borrower’s earnings and cash flows for such fiscal quarter and for the period from the beginning of the then current fiscal year to the end of such fiscal quarter; and (ii) within sixty (60) days after the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year, internally-prepared unaudited consolidating balance sheets and income statements for the Significant Restricted Persons (other than the Borrower).
As to any information contained in materials furnished pursuant to Section 6.02(d) , the Borrower shall not be separately required to furnish such information under clause (a) or (b) above, but the foregoing shall not be in derogation of the obligation of the Borrower to furnish the information and materials described in clauses (a) and (b) above at the times specified therein.

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      6.02 Certificates; Other Information . Deliver to the Administrative Agent and each Lender (except as otherwise provided in subsection (g) below), in form and detail reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent:
     (a) within sixty (60) days after the end of each fiscal quarter ending prior to the IPO Closing Date (commencing with the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2010), (i) the Borrower’s unaudited Consolidated balance sheet as of the end of such fiscal quarter and Consolidated statements of the Borrower’s earnings and cash flows for such fiscal quarter and for the period from the beginning of the then current fiscal year to the end of such fiscal quarter; and (ii) internally-prepared unaudited consolidating balance sheets and income statements for the Significant Restricted Persons (other than the Borrower).
     (b) concurrently with the delivery of the financial statements referred to in Sections 6.01(a) and (b) (commencing with the delivery of the financial statements for the fiscal quarter in which the IPO Closing Date occurs), a duly completed Compliance Certificate signed by the chief financial officer, principal accounting officer or treasurer of General Partner (i) stating that such Consolidated financial statements are accurate and complete in all material respects (subject to normal year-end adjustments), (ii) stating that he has reviewed the Loan Documents, (iii) containing calculations showing compliance (or non compliance) at the end of such fiscal quarter with the requirements of Section 7.11 , (iv) stating that, to the best of his knowledge, no Default exists at the end of such fiscal quarter or at the time of such certificate or specifying the nature and period of existence of any such Default, and (v) identifying any Subsidiary designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary since the date of the most-recently delivered prior certificate under this Section 6.02(b) (which delivery may, unless the Administrative Agent or a Lender requests executed originals, be by electronic communication including fax or email and shall be deemed to be an original authentic counterpart thereof for all purposes);
     (c) Reserved.
     (d) promptly after the same are publicly available, copies of each annual report, proxy or financial statement or other report or communication sent to the stockholders of the Borrower, and copies of all annual, regular, periodic and special reports and registration statements which the Borrower filed with the SEC under Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and not otherwise required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent pursuant hereto; and
     (e) Reserved.
     (f) Reserved.
     (g) promptly, to either the Administrative Agent or any Lender who may from time to time reasonably request, such additional information regarding the business, financial or corporate affairs of the Borrower or any Subsidiary, or compliance with the terms of the Loan Documents, in each case which are not subject to confidentiality restrictions or attorney-client privilege.
     Documents required to be delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(a) or (b) or Section 6.02(d) or (g) (to the extent any such documents are included in materials otherwise filed with the SEC)

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may be delivered electronically and if so delivered, shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date (i) on which the Borrower posts such documents, or provides a link thereto on the Borrower’s website on the Internet at the website address listed on Schedule 10.02 ; or (ii) on which such documents are posted on the Borrower’s behalf on an Internet or intranet website, if any, to which each Lender and the Administrative Agent have access (whether a commercial, third-party website or whether sponsored by the Administrative Agent), and in either case, the Borrower notifies the Administrative Agent of such posting or link. The Administrative Agent shall have no obligation to request the delivery of or to maintain paper copies of the documents referred to above, and in any event shall have no responsibility to monitor compliance by the Borrower with any such request by a Lender for delivery, and each Lender shall be solely responsible for requesting delivery to it or maintaining its copies of such documents.
     The Borrower hereby acknowledges that (a) the Administrative Agent or its authorized Affiliates will make available to the Lenders and the L/C Issuer materials and/or information provided by or on behalf of the Borrower hereunder (collectively, “ Borrower Materials ”) by posting the Borrower Materials on IntraLinks or another similar electronic system (the “ Platform ”) and (b) certain of the Lenders (each, a “ Public Lender ”) do not wish to receive material non-public information with respect to the Borrower or its Affiliates, or the respective securities of any of the foregoing, and who may be engaged in investment and other market-related activities with respect to such Persons’ securities. The Borrower hereby agrees that (w) all Borrower Materials that it instructs to be made available to Public Lenders shall be clearly and conspicuously marked “PUBLIC” prominently on the first page thereof; (x) by marking Borrower Materials “PUBLIC,” the Borrower shall be deemed to have authorized the Administrative Agent or its authorized Affiliates, the L/C Issuer and the Lenders to treat such Borrower Materials as not containing any material non-public information with respect to the Borrower or its securities for purposes of United States Federal and state securities laws ( provided , however , that to the extent such Borrower Materials constitute Information, they shall be treated as set forth in Section 10.07 ); (y) all Borrower Materials so marked “PUBLIC” are permitted to be made available through a portion of the Platform designated “Public Side Information;” and (z) the Administrative Agent or its authorized Affiliates shall be entitled to treat any Borrower Materials that are not marked “PUBLIC” as being suitable only for posting on a portion of the Platform not designated “Public Side Information.”
      6.03 Notices . Promptly notify the Administrative Agent and each Lender:
     (a) of the occurrence of any Default;
     (b) of any matter that has resulted or could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, including (i) breach or non-performance of, or any default under, a Contractual Obligation of the Borrower or any Subsidiary; (ii) any dispute, litigation, investigation, proceeding or suspension between the Borrower or any Subsidiary and any Governmental Authority; or (iii) the commencement of, or any material development in, any litigation or proceeding affecting the Borrower or any Subsidiary, including pursuant to any applicable Environmental Laws;
     (c) of the occurrence of any ERISA Event; and

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     (d) within the time frames therein provided, the occurrences with respect to an Unrestricted Subsidiary which are set forth in Section 7.12(d) and the last paragraph of Section 7.12 .
     Each notice pursuant to this Section 6.03 shall be accompanied by a statement of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower setting forth details of the occurrence referred to therein and stating what action the Borrower has taken and proposes to take with respect thereto. Each notice pursuant to Section 6.03(a) shall describe with particularity any and all provisions of this Agreement and any other Loan Document that have been breached.
      6.04 Payment of Taxes, Etc . (a) Timely file all required tax returns (including any extensions), (b) timely pay all taxes, assessments, and other governmental charges or levies imposed upon it or upon its income, profits or property, and (c) maintain appropriate accruals and reserves for all of the foregoing as required by GAAP, except to the extent that (i) it is in good faith contesting the validity thereof by appropriate proceedings, if necessary, diligently conducted and has set aside on its books adequate reserves therefor which are required by GAAP or (ii) such non-filing, non-payment or non-maintenance would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
      6.05 Preservation of Existence, Etc . (a) Preserve and maintain its legal existence and good standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its organization; (b) take all reasonable action to maintain all rights, privileges, permits, licenses and franchises necessary in the normal conduct of its business; and (c) preserve all of its registered patents, trademarks, trade names and service marks, except, in each case (i) where the failure so to maintain or preserve (as the case may be) would not reasonably be expected to cause a Material Adverse Effect or (ii) as permitted in Section 7.04 or as a result of statutory conversions.
      6.06 Maintenance of Properties . Maintain all of its material properties and equipment that are necessary in the operation of its business in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear and obsoleteness excepted, except where the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
      6.07 Maintenance of Insurance . Maintain, with financially sound and reputable insurance companies, insurance or, at its option, self-insure in such amounts (after giving effect to any self-insurance compatible with the following standards) and against such risks as are customarily insured by other Persons engaged in the same or similar businesses and owning similar properties. The insurance coverages and amounts will be reasonably determined by the Borrower, based on coverages carried by prudent owners of similar property, and with respect to each other Significant Restricted Person, may be maintained by the Borrower.
      6.08 Compliance with Laws . Comply in all material respects with the requirements of all Laws and all orders, writs, injunctions and decrees applicable to it or to its business or property, except in such instances in which (a) such requirement of Law or order, writ, injunction or decree is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings, if necessary, diligently conducted; or (b) the failure to comply therewith could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

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      6.09 Books and Records . Maintain full and accurate books of record and account in conformity with GAAP consistently applied.
      6.10 Inspection Rights . Permit representatives and independent contractors of the Administrative Agent to visit and inspect any of its properties, to examine its corporate, financial and operating records, and to make copies thereof or abstracts therefrom, and to discuss its affairs, finances and accounts with its officers and independent public accountants, all at such reasonable times during normal business hours, upon reasonable advance notice to the Borrower. Each of the foregoing inspections and examinations shall be made subject to compliance with applicable safety standards and the same conditions applicable to any Restricted Person in respect of property of that Restricted Person on the premises of Persons other than a Restricted Person or an Affiliate of a Restricted Person, and all information, books and records furnished or requested to be made, all information to be investigated or verified, all copies and abstracts of all information, books and records and all discussion conducted with any officer, employee or representative of any Restricted Person, in each case, shall be subject to any applicable attorney-client privilege exceptions which the Restricted Person determines is reasonably necessary and compliance with conditions to disclosures under non-disclosure agreements between any Restricted Person and Persons other than a Restricted Person or an Affiliate of a Restricted Person and the express undertaking of each Person acting at the direction of or on behalf of any Lender Party to be bound by the confidentiality provisions of Section 10.07 of this Agreement.
      6.11 Use of Proceeds . Use the proceeds of the Credit Extensions for working capital, capital expenditures, repayment of intercompany debt, acquisitions not in contravention of Section 7.07 , and other general corporate purposes not in violation of any Law applicable to it and not resulting in a Default or Event of Default.
ARTICLE VII. NEGATIVE COVENANTS
     So long as any Lender shall have any Commitment hereunder, any Loan or other Obligation hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied, or (unless a collateral arrangement satisfactory to the L/C Issuer has been entered into) any Letter of Credit shall remain outstanding, the Borrower shall not, nor shall it permit (except in the case of the covenant set forth in Section 7.04 , which shall be limited to Significant Restricted Persons, and in the case of the covenant in Section 7.06 , which shall be limited to the Borrower) any Subsidiary to:
      7.01 Liens . Create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Lien upon (I) any of its property or upon the Equity Interests of any Subsidiary, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, securing any Indebtedness owing to PAA or any of its Affiliates, or (II) any of its Principal Property or upon the Equity Interests of any Subsidiary (other than Unrestricted Subsidiaries), whether now owned or hereafter acquired, other than the following:
     (a) Liens (i) pursuant to any Loan Document or securing any of the Obligations and (ii) if required in connection with the foregoing, on a pari-passu basis, any Swap Contracts with Lenders or their Affiliates;
     (b) Liens pursuant to the Pine Prairie Lease and extensions, renewals and replacements thereof;

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     (c) Liens for taxes, assessments and levies not yet delinquent or which are being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted, if adequate reserves with respect thereto are maintained on the books of the applicable Person in accordance with GAAP;
     (d) carriers’, warehousemen’s, mechanics’, materialmen’s, repairmen’s or other like Liens arising in the ordinary course of business for amounts which are not overdue for a period of more than 60 days or which are being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings, if necessary, diligently conducted, if adequate reserves with respect thereto are maintained on the books of the applicable Person in accordance with GAAP;
     (e) pledges or deposits in the ordinary course of business in connection with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance and other social security legislation (other than any Lien imposed by ERISA), or to secure letters of credit issued with respect thereto;
     (f) deposits to secure the performance of bids, trade contracts, leases (other than Indebtedness), statutory obligations, surety and appeal bonds, performance bonds and other obligations of a like nature incurred in the ordinary course of business (or to secure letters of credit issued in connection therewith);
     (g) easements, rights-of-way, restrictions and other similar encumbrances affecting real property or minor imperfections in title thereto which, in the aggregate, are not material in amount, and which do not in any case materially detract from the value of the property subject thereto or materially interfere with the ordinary conduct of the business of the applicable Person;
     (h) inchoate Liens in respect of pending litigation, or Liens securing judgments for the payment of money (or securing letters of credit, appeal or other surety bonds related to such judgments) not constituting an Event of Default under Section 8.01(h) ;
     (i) Liens arising solely by virtue of any statutory or common law provision relating to banker’s liens, rights of set-off or similar rights and remedies as to deposit accounts or other funds maintained with a creditor depository institution; provided, that (i) such deposit account is not a dedicated cash collateral account and is not subject to restrictions against access by the Borrower or any Subsidiary in excess of those set forth by regulations promulgated by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System or pursuant to the Security Documents, and (ii) such deposit account is not intended by the Borrower or any Subsidiary to provide collateral to the depository institution;
     (j) Liens arising out of all presently existing and future division and transfer orders, advance payment agreements, processing contracts, gas processing plant agreements, operating agreements, gas balancing or deferred production agreements, pooling, unitization or communitization agreements, pipeline, gathering or transportation agreements, platform agreements, drilling contracts, injection or repressuring agreements, cycling agreements, construction agreements, salt water or other disposal agreements, leases or rental agreements, farm-out and farm-in agreements, exploration and development agreements, and any and all other contracts or agreements covering, arising out, used or useful in connection with or pertaining to the exploration, development, operation, production, sale, use, purchase, exchange,

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storage, separation, dehydration, treatment, compression, gathering, transportation, processing, improvement, marketing, disposal, or handling of any oil and gas property of any Loan Party;
     (k) Liens in respect of operating leases;
     (l) Liens securing Acquired Indebtedness, provided that (i) each such Lien (A) existed at the time of its acquisition and was not created in anticipation thereof, or (B) was created solely for the purpose of securing Indebtedness representing, or incurred to finance, refinance or refund, the cost (including the cost of construction) of such property or asset, (ii) no such Lien shall extend to or cover any property or asset other than the property or asset so acquired (or constructed), and any extension, renewal, refinancing, refunding or replacement (or successive extensions, renewals, refinancings, refundings or replacements), in whole or part, of the foregoing, and (iii) such Lien shall not secure any additional Indebtedness and obligations;
     (m) rights reserved to or vested in any Governmental Authority by the terms of any right, power, franchise, grant, license or permit, or by any provision of Law, to revoke or terminate any such right, power, franchise, grant, license or permit or to condemn or acquire by eminent domain or similar process;
     (n) rights reserved to or vested by Law in any Governmental Authority to in any manner, control or regulate in any manner any of the properties of any Restricted Person or the use thereof or the rights and interests of any Restricted Person therein, in any manner under any and all Laws;
     (o) rights reserved to the grantors of any properties of any Restricted Person, and the restrictions, conditions, restrictive covenants and limitations, in respect thereto, pursuant to the terms, conditions and provisions of any rights-of-way agreements, contracts or other agreements therewith; and
     (p) Liens otherwise not permitted herein which secure obligations in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed at any time outstanding 10% of Borrower’s Consolidated Tangible Net Worth.
      7.02 Reserved .
      7.03 Indebtedness . No Subsidiary will create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Indebtedness, except:
     (a) Indebtedness under the Loan Documents;
     (b) Indebtedness of any wholly-owned Restricted Subsidiary owing to the Borrower or any other wholly-owned Restricted Subsidiary;
     (c) Acquired Indebtedness of any Subsidiary that is a Loan Party;
     (d) Indebtedness incurred to finance Cash and Carry Purchases;

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     (e) Indebtedness under the Pine Prairie Lease and extensions, renewals and replacements of any such Indebtedness that do not increase the outstanding principal amount thereof except by an amount equal to a reasonable premium or other reasonable amount paid, and fees and expenses reasonably incurred, in connection with such extensions, renewals and replacements; and
     (f) other Indebtedness not otherwise permitted pursuant to the foregoing clauses (a), (b), (c), (d) and (e) in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding not to exceed 10% of the Borrower’s Consolidated Tangible Net Worth, calculated without regard to the Indebtedness permitted pursuant to the immediately preceding clauses (a), (b), (c), (d) and (e).
      7.04 Fundamental Changes; Dispositions . Merge, dissolve, liquidate, consolidate with or into another Person, or Dispose of (whether in one transaction or in a series of related transactions) all or substantially all of its assets (whether now owned or hereafter acquired) to or in favor of any Person, except that, so long as no Default exists or, upon giving pro forma effect thereto, would result therefrom:
     (a) the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries may merge with another Person, provided that the Borrower or the applicable Subsidiary is the acquiring or surviving entity (or, with respect to any merger by a wholly-owned Subsidiary of the Borrower, the surviving entity becomes a wholly-owned Subsidiary in the transaction); and
     (b) any Subsidiary may Dispose of all or substantially all of its assets (upon voluntary liquidation or otherwise) to the Borrower or to another Subsidiary; provided that if the transferor in such a transaction is a wholly-owned Subsidiary, then the transferee must either be the Borrower or a wholly-owned Subsidiary.
      7.05 Reserved .
      7.06 Restricted Payments . Declare or make any Restricted Payment unless no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or, immediately after giving effect thereto, would result therefrom.
      7.07 Change in Nature of Business . Engage in any material line of business substantially different from (a) any of those lines of business conducted by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as described in the Registration Statement or (b) the businesses of any of transportation, supply and logistics, and in each case with respect to the foregoing clauses (a) and (b), any business, activities or services reasonably related or incidental thereto, but in no event will enter into Swap Contracts except in the ordinary course of its business, with the intent and for the purpose of mitigating and managing risks and in accordance with the policies described in the Borrower’s most-recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K (or, prior to the filing of the Borrower’s initial Annual Report on Form 10-K, the Registration Statement), and not for speculative purposes.
      7.08 Transactions with Affiliates . Enter into any material transaction of any kind with any Affiliate of the Borrower, whether or not in the ordinary course of business, other than on fair and reasonable terms that are no less favorable to the Borrower or such Subsidiary as would be obtainable by the Borrower or such Subsidiary at the time in an arm’s length

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transaction with a Person other than an Affiliate, provided that the foregoing restriction shall not apply to any of the following transactions: (a) transactions between or among the Borrower and any of its Subsidiaries or between and among any Subsidiaries; (b) any employment, equity award, equity option or equity appreciation agreement or plan entered into by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business of the Borrower or such Subsidiary; (c) transactions effected in accordance with the terms of tax sharing, management services, indemnification, omnibus and other agreements with PAA and its Affiliates contemplated in and/or attached as exhibits to the Registration Statement; (d) customary compensation, indemnification and other benefits made available to officers, directors or employees of the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or the General Partner, including reimbursement or advancement of out-of-pocket expenses and provisions of officers’ and directors’ liability insurance; and (e) transactions as contemplated by the Borrower’s agreement of limited partnership.
      7.09 Burdensome Agreements . Except as expressly provided for in the Loan Documents, as described in any Schedule hereto or pursuant to a Restriction Exception, the substance of which, in detail reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, is promptly reported to Administrative Agent, enter into any Contractual Obligation that limits the ability (a) of any Subsidiary to make Restricted Payments to the Borrower or otherwise to transfer property to the Borrower, (b) of any Subsidiary to redeem Equity Interests held in it by the Borrower, (c) of any Subsidiary to repay loans and other Indebtedness owing by it to the Borrower, (d) of any Subsidiary to Guarantee the Indebtedness of the Borrower or (e) of the Borrower or any Subsidiary to create, incur, assume or permit to exist Liens on property of such Person, provided , however , that this clause (e) shall not prohibit any negative pledge incurred or provided in favor of any holder of Indebtedness secured by (i) Liens permitted under Section 7.01(l) , solely to the extent any such negative pledge relates to the property financed by or the subject of such Indebtedness, or (ii) Liens securing Indebtedness in respect of Capital Leases, Synthetic Lease Obligations and purchase money obligations for fixed or capital assets, solely to the extent any such Lien relates to the property leased thereunder or financed thereby.
      7.10 Use of Proceeds . Use the proceeds of any Credit Extension, whether directly or indirectly, and whether immediately, incidentally or ultimately, to purchase or carry margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation U of the FRB) or to extend credit to others for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock or to refund indebtedness originally incurred for such purpose.
      7.11 Financial Covenants .
     (a)  Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio. Permit the Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio as of the end of any fiscal quarter of the Borrower (the “ Test Quarter ”), commencing with the fiscal quarter next following the fiscal quarter in which the IPO Closing Date occurs (the “ Initial Test Quarter ”), to be less than 3.00:1.00, calculated on a trailing four-quarter basis; provided , for the Initial Test Quarter, and for the next three following fiscal quarters, the Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio shall be calculated based on Consolidated EBITDA and Consolidated Interest Charges for the period commencing with the Initial Test Quarter and through the end of such Test Quarter.

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     (b)  Consolidated Leverage Ratio. Permit the Consolidated Leverage Ratio as of the end of any fiscal quarter of the Borrower, commencing with the fiscal quarter in which the IPO Closing Date occurs, to be greater than the ratio set forth below opposite such period, calculated, with respect to Consolidated EBITDA, on a trailing four-quarter basis:
         
    Maximum Consolidated Leverage  
Applicable Period   Ratio  
(i) During an Acquisition Period
    5.50:1.0  
(ii) Other than during an Acquisition Period
    4.75:1.0  
provided ; for purposes of this Section 7.11(b) , Consolidated EBITDA may include, at Borrower’s option, any New Cavern EBITDA Adjustments and Material Project EBITDA Adjustments as provided below.
     As used herein, “ New Cavern EBITDA Adjustments ” means, with respect to each new gas storage cavern at the Pine Prairie Storage Facility which achieves commercial operation (the date on which such commercial operation is achieved, the “ New Cavern Commercial Operations Date ”) after the Closing Date, an amount submitted by the Borrower and approved by Administrative Agent as the projected Consolidated EBITDA attributable to the additional storage capacity attributable to such new gas storage cavern (initially giving pro forma effect as if such New Cavern Commercial Operations Date occurred on the first day of the fiscal quarter in which it occurred, and thereafter such pro forma quarterly adjustments rolling off and being replaced by actual performance on a quarterly basis). New Cavern EBITDA Adjustments shall be based only on (i) projected revenues from firm fixed-fee storage contracts (subject to adjustments for customer creditworthiness) and tariffs relating to such new cavern, less expenses, (ii) the New Cavern Commercial Operations Date with respect to each such new cavern, and (iii) other factors reasonably deemed appropriate by Administrative Agent.
     As used herein, “ Material Project EBITDA Adjustments ” means, with respect to the construction or expansion of any capital project of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, Unrestricted Subsidiaries), the aggregate capital cost of which (inclusive of capital costs expended prior to the acquisition thereof) is reasonably expected by Borrower to exceed, or exceeds, $20,000,000 (a “ Material Project ”):
     (A) prior to the date on which a Material Project has achieved commercial operation (the “ Commercial Operation Date ”) (but including the fiscal quarter in which such Commercial Operation Date occurs), a percentage (based on the then-current completion percentage of such Material Project) of an amount to be approved by Administrative Agent as the projected Consolidated EBITDA attributable to such Material Project for the first 12-month period following the scheduled Commercial Operation Date of such Material Project, such amount based only on (i) projected revenues from firm fixed-fee contracts (subject to adjustments for customer creditworthiness) and tariffs relating to such Material Project, less expenses, (ii) projected Commercial Operations Date (to be no more than 18 months from the fiscal quarter in which such Material Project EBITDA Adjustment is initially proposed), and (iii) other

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factors reasonably deemed appropriate by Administrative Agent, which may, at Borrower’s option, be added to actual Consolidated EBITDA for the fiscal quarter in which construction or expansion of such Material Project commences and for each fiscal quarter thereafter until the Commercial Operation Date of such Material Project (including the fiscal quarter in which such Commercial Operation Date occurs, but net of any actual Consolidated EBITDA attributable to such Material Project following such Commercial Operation Date); provided that if the actual Commercial Operation Date does not occur by the scheduled Commercial Operation Date, then the foregoing amount shall be reduced, for quarters ending after the scheduled Commercial Operation Date to (but excluding) the first full quarter after its Commercial Operation Date, by the following percentage amounts depending on the period of delay (based on the period of actual delay or then-estimated delay, whichever is longer): (i) 90 days or less, 0%, (ii) longer than 90 days, but not more than 180 days, 25% , (iii) longer than 180 days but not more than 270 days, 50%, (iv) longer than 270 days but not more than 365 days, 75%, and (v) longer than 365 days, 100%;
     (B) beginning with the first full fiscal quarter following the Commercial Operation Date of a Material Project and for the two immediately succeeding fiscal quarters, an amount equal to the projected Consolidated EBITDA attributable to such Material Project for the balance of the four full fiscal quarter period following such Commercial Operation Date, which may, at Borrower’s option, be added to actual Consolidated EBITDA for such fiscal quarters; and
     (C) the aggregate amount of all Material Project EBITDA Adjustments during any period shall be limited to 15% of the total actual Consolidated EBITDA for such period (which total actual Consolidated EBITDA shall be determined without including any pro forma adjustments of any kind).
     Borrower shall, no later than concurrently with its delivery of a Compliance Certificate for any fiscal quarter for which Borrower desires to include New Cavern EBITDA Adjustments or Material Project EBITDA Adjustments, deliver to Administrative Agent, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Administrative Agent and certified by a financial officer of the Borrower, written pro forma projections of Consolidated EBITDA attributable to New Cavern EBITDA Adjustments or Material Project EBITDA Adjustments, and such other related information and documentation reasonably requested by and reasonably satisfactory to Administrative Agent in all respects, including with respect to Material Project EBITDA Adjustments, certification as to Material Project completion percentage, expected Commercial Operations Date and no material delays with respect thereto.
      7.12 Unrestricted Subsidiaries . So long as no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, and after giving effect to such designation on a pro forma basis, no Default or Event of Default would result therefrom, the Borrower or any wholly-owned Subsidiary of the Borrower may designate one or more Subsidiaries as unrestricted Subsidiaries (each such Subsidiary, and each of its Subsidiaries, an “ Unrestricted Subsidiary ”), which Unrestricted Subsidiaries shall be subject to the following:

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     (a) No Unrestricted Subsidiary shall be deemed to be a “Restricted Person” or a “Subsidiary” of the Borrower for purposes of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, and no Unrestricted Subsidiary shall be subject to or included within the scope of any provision herein or in any other Loan Document, including without limitation any representation, warranty, covenant or Event of Default herein or in any other Loan Document, except as set forth in this Section 7.12 .
     (b) No Restricted Person shall guarantee or otherwise become liable in respect of any Indebtedness of, grant any Lien on any of its property (other than its Equity Interests in an Unrestricted Subsidiary) to secure any Indebtedness of or other obligation of, or provide any other form of credit support to, any Unrestricted Subsidiary, and no Restricted Person shall enter into any contract or agreement with any Unrestricted Subsidiary, except on terms no less favorable to such Restricted Person, as applicable, than could be obtained in a comparable arm’s length transaction with a non-Affiliate of such Restricted Person; provided , Restricted Persons may guarantee trade accounts payable of Unrestricted Subsidiaries that arise in the ordinary course of business in an amount not to exceed five percent (5%) of Consolidated Tangible Net Worth.
     (c) Borrowers shall at all times maintain, as between Restricted Persons and Unrestricted Subsidiaries, the separate existence of each Unrestricted Subsidiary.
     (d) Restricted Persons shall notify each Lender Party, not later than five (5) Business Days after any executive officer of Restricted Persons has knowledge of, any claim, including any claim under any Environmental Law, or any notice of potential liability under any Environmental Law, asserted against any Unrestricted Subsidiary or with respect to any Unrestricted Subsidiary’s properties that would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, stating that such notice is being given pursuant to this Section 7.12 .
     Borrower may designate any Unrestricted Subsidiary to become a Restricted Person if a Default or Event of Default is not continuing, such designation would not, immediately after giving effect thereto, result in a Default or an Event of Default, and immediately thereafter such Subsidiary has no outstanding Indebtedness. Immediately thereafter, Borrower shall promptly notify Administrative Agent of such designation and provide to it an officer’s certificate that such designation was made in compliance with this Section 7.12 .
ARTICLE VIII. EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES
      8.01 Events of Default . Any of the following shall constitute an Event of Default:
     (a)  Non-Payment . The Borrower or any other Loan Party fails to pay (i) when due and payable, any amount of principal of any Loan or any L/C Obligation, or (ii) within three Business Days after the same becomes due and payable, any interest on any Loan or on any L/C Obligation, or any fee due hereunder pursuant to Section 2.10 , or (iii) within five Business Days after the same becomes due, any other amount payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document; or
     (b)  Specific Covenants . The Borrower fails to perform or observe any term, covenant or agreement contained in any of Section 6.03 or Article VII ; or

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     (c)  Other Defaults . Any Loan Party fails to perform or comply with any of its obligations under any other covenant or agreement (not specified in subsection (a) or (b) above) contained in any Loan Document to which it is a party on its part to be performed or complied with and such failure continues for 30 days after notice of such failure is given by the Administrative Agent to the Borrower; or
     (d)  Representations and Warranties . Any representation or warranty made or deemed made by or on behalf of the Borrower or any other Loan Party herein, in any other Loan Document, or in any document delivered in connection herewith or therewith shall be incorrect or misleading when made or deemed made in any material respect; or
     (e)  Cross-Default . (i) The Borrower or any Subsidiary (A) fails to make any payment when due and payable (whether by scheduled maturity, required prepayment, acceleration, demand, or otherwise) of any principal of or interest on any Indebtedness (other than Indebtedness hereunder and Indebtedness under Swap Contracts) in an aggregate principal amount exceeding the Threshold Amount, and such failure continues after the passing of the applicable notice and grace periods, (other than such Indebtedness the validity of which is being contested in good faith, by appropriate proceedings (if necessary) and for which adequate reserves with respect thereto are maintained on the books of such Restricted Person as required by GAAP) or (B) fails to observe or perform any other agreement or condition relating to any such Indebtedness or contained in any instrument or agreement evidencing, securing or relating thereto, or any other event occurs, in each case, beyond the applicable grace, cure, extension, forbearance or similar period, if the effect of which failure or other event is to cause, or to permit the holder or holders of such Indebtedness (or a trustee or agent on behalf of such holder or holders) to cause, with the giving of notice if required, such Indebtedness to be demanded or to become due or to be repurchased, prepaid, defeased or redeemed (automatically or otherwise), or an offer to repurchase, prepay, defease or redeem such Indebtedness to be made, prior to its stated maturity; or (ii) there occurs under any Swap Contract an Early Termination Date (as defined in such Swap Contract) resulting from (A) any event of default under such Swap Contract as to which the Borrower or any Subsidiary is the Defaulting Party (as defined in such Swap Contract) or (B) any Termination Event (as so defined) under such Swap Contract as to which the Borrower or any Subsidiary is an Affected Party (as so defined) and, in either event, the Swap Termination Value owed by the Borrower or such Subsidiary as a result thereof is greater than the Threshold Amount (other than such hedging obligations the validity of which is being contested in good faith, by appropriate proceedings (if necessary) and for which adequate reserves with respect thereto are maintained on the books of such Restricted Person as required by GAAP); or
     (f)  Insolvency Proceedings, Etc. Any Loan Party, any other Significant Restricted Person or the General Partner institutes or consents to the institution of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, or makes an assignment for the benefit of creditors; or applies for or consents to the appointment of any receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator, liquidator, rehabilitator or similar officer for it or for all or any material part of its property; or any receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator, liquidator, rehabilitator or similar officer is appointed without the application or consent of such Person and the appointment continues undischarged or unstayed for 60 calendar days; or any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law relating to any such Person or to all or any material part of its property is instituted without the consent of such Person and

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continues undismissed or unstayed for 60 calendar days, or an order for relief is entered in any such proceeding; or
     (g)  Inability to Pay Debts; Attachment . (i) The Borrower or any other Significant Restricted Person becomes unable or admits in writing its inability or fails generally to pay its debts as they become due, or (ii) any writ or warrant of attachment or execution or similar process is issued or levied against all or any material part of the property of any such Person and is not released, vacated or fully bonded within 60 days after its issue or levy; or
     (h)  Judgments . There is entered against any Significant Restricted Person a final judgment for the payment of money in an aggregate amount (as to all such judgments or orders) exceeding the Threshold Amount (to the extent not covered by independent third-party insurance as to which the insurer has not disputed coverage) and prior to the discharge thereof, (i) enforcement proceedings are lawfully commenced by any creditor upon such judgment, or (ii) there is a period of 30 consecutive days after the entry of such judgment during which a stay of enforcement of such judgment, by reason of a pending appeal or otherwise, is not in effect; or
     (i)  ERISA . (i) An ERISA Event occurs with respect to a Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan which has resulted or could reasonably be expected to result in liability of the Borrower under Title IV of ERISA to the Pension Plan, Multiemployer Plan or the PBGC in an aggregate amount in excess of the Threshold Amount, or (ii) the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate fails to pay when due, after the expiration of any applicable grace period, any installment payment with respect to its withdrawal liability under Section 4201 of ERISA under a Multiemployer Plan in an aggregate amount in excess of the Threshold Amount; or
     (j)  Change of Control . There occurs any Change of Control.
      8.02 Remedies Upon Event of Default . If any Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Administrative Agent shall, at the request of, or may, with the consent of, the Required Lenders, take any or all of the following actions:
     (a) declare the commitment of each Lender to make Loans and any obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions to be terminated or suspended (as the case may be), whereupon such commitments and obligation shall be terminated or suspended (as the case may be);
     (b) declare the unpaid principal amount of all outstanding Loans, all interest accrued and unpaid thereon, and all other amounts owing or payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document to be immediately due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived by the Borrower;
     (c) require that the Borrower Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations (in an amount equal to the then Outstanding Amount thereof); and
     (d) exercise on behalf of itself, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer all rights and remedies available to it, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer under the Loan Documents;

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provided , however , that upon the occurrence of an actual or deemed entry of an order for relief with respect to the Borrower under the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, the obligation of each Lender to make Loans and any obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions shall automatically terminate, the unpaid principal amount of all outstanding Loans and all interest and other amounts that have accrued and are owing as aforesaid shall automatically become due and payable, and the obligation of the Borrower to Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations as aforesaid shall automatically become effective, in each case without further act of the Administrative Agent or any Lender.
      8.03 Application of Funds . After the exercise of remedies provided for in Section 8.02 (or after the Loans have automatically become immediately due and payable and the L/C Obligations have automatically been required to be Cash Collateralized as set forth in the proviso to Section 8.02 ), any amounts received on account of the Obligations shall, subject to the provisions of Sections 2.17 and 2.18 , be applied by the Administrative Agent in the following order:
      First , to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities, expenses and other amounts (including fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the Administrative Agent and amounts payable under Article III ) payable to the Administrative Agent in its capacity as such;
      Second , to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities and other amounts (other than principal, interest and Letter of Credit Fees) payable to the Lenders and the L/C Issuer (including fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the respective Lenders and the L/C Issuer (including fees and time charges for attorneys who may be employees of any Lender or the L/C Issuer) and amounts payable under Article III ), ratably among them in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Second payable to them;
      Third , to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting accrued and unpaid Letter of Credit Fees and interest on the Loans, L/C Borrowings and other Obligations, ratably among the Lenders and the L/C Issuer in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Third payable to them;
      Fourth , to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting unpaid principal of the Loans and L/C Borrowings, ratably among the Lenders and the L/C Issuer in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Fourth held by them;
      Fifth , to the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer, to Cash Collateralize that portion of L/C Obligations comprised of the aggregate undrawn amount of Letters of Credit to the extent not otherwise Cash Collateralized by the Borrower pursuant to Sections 2.04 and 2.17 ; and
      Last , the balance, if any, after all of the Obligations have been indefeasibly paid in full, to the Borrower or as otherwise required by Law.
Subject to Sections 2.04(c) and 2.17 , amounts used to Cash Collateralize the aggregate undrawn amount of Letters of Credit pursuant to clause Fifth above shall be applied to satisfy drawings

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under such Letters of Credit as they occur. If any amount remains on deposit as Cash Collateral after all Letters of Credit have either been fully drawn or expired, such remaining amount shall be applied to the other Obligations, if any, in the order set forth above.
ARTICLE IX. ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
      9.01 Appointment and Authority . Each of the Lenders and the L/C Issuer hereby irrevocably appoints Bank of America to act on its behalf as the Administrative Agent hereunder and under the other Loan Documents and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such actions on its behalf and to exercise such powers as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms hereof or thereof, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. The provisions of this Article are solely for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer, and the Borrower shall not have rights as a third party beneficiary of any of such provisions (other than the right to reasonably approve a successor Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 9.06 ).
      9.02 Rights as a Lender . The Person serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder shall have the same rights and powers in its capacity as a Lender as any other Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not the Administrative Agent and the term “Lender” or “Lenders” shall, unless otherwise expressly indicated or unless the context otherwise requires, include the Person serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder in its individual capacity. Such Person and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to, act as the financial advisor or in any other advisory capacity for and generally engage in any kind of business with the Borrower or any Subsidiary or other Affiliate thereof as if such Person were not the Administrative Agent hereunder and without any duty to account therefor to the Lenders.
      9.03 Exculpatory Provisions . The Administrative Agent shall not have any duties or obligations except those expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Administrative Agent:
     (a) shall not be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a Default has occurred and is continuing;
     (b) shall not have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated hereby or by the other Loan Documents that the Administrative Agent is required to exercise as directed in writing by the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be expressly provided for herein or in the other Loan Documents), provided that the Administrative Agent shall not be required to take any action that, in its opinion or the opinion of its counsel, may expose the Administrative Agent to liability or that is contrary to any Loan Document or applicable law; and
     (c) shall not, except as expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, have any duty to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to the Borrower or any of its Affiliates that is communicated to or obtained by the Person serving as the Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity.

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     The Administrative Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it (i) with the consent or at the request of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary, or as the Administrative Agent shall believe in good faith shall be necessary, under the circumstances as provided in Sections 10.01 and 8.02 ) or (ii) in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct. The Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default unless and until notice describing such Default is given to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower, a Lender or the L/C Issuer.
     The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into (i) any statement, warranty or representation made in or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered hereunder or thereunder or in connection herewith or therewith, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein or therein or the occurrence of any Default, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document or (v) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article IV or elsewhere herein, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent.
      9.04 Reliance by Administrative Agent . The Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely upon, and shall not incur any liability for relying upon, any notice, request, certificate, consent, statement, instrument, document or other writing (including any electronic message, Internet or intranet website posting or other distribution) believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or otherwise authenticated by the proper Person. The Administrative Agent also may rely upon any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to have been made by the proper Person, and shall not incur any liability for relying thereon. In determining compliance with any condition hereunder to the making of a Loan, or the issuance of a Letter of Credit, that by its terms must be fulfilled to the satisfaction of a Lender or the L/C Issuer, the Administrative Agent may presume that such condition is satisfactory to such Lender or the L/C Issuer unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice to the contrary from such Lender or the L/C Issuer prior to the making of such Loan or the issuance of such Letter of Credit. The Administrative Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be counsel for the Borrower), independent accountants and other experts selected by it, and shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it in accordance with the advice of any such counsel, accountants or experts.
      9.05 Delegation of Duties . The Administrative Agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers hereunder or under any other Loan Document by or through any one or more sub-agents appointed by the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers by or through their respective Related Parties. The exculpatory provisions of this Article shall apply to any such sub-agent and to the Related Parties of the Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent, and shall apply to their respective activities in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein as well as activities as Administrative Agent.
      9.06 Resignation of Administrative Agent . (a) The Administrative Agent may at any time give notice of its resignation to the Lenders, the L/C Issuer and the Borrower, which

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notice shall set forth the proposed date of resignation. Upon receipt of any such notice of resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the right to appoint a successor (subject to the approval of the Borrower, unless an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld), which shall be a bank with an office in the United States, or an Affiliate of any such bank with an office in the United States. If no such successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within 30 days after the retiring Administrative Agent gives notice of its resignation, then the retiring Administrative Agent may on behalf of the Lenders and the L/C Issuer, appoint a successor Administrative Agent meeting the qualifications set forth above; provided that if the Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders that no qualifying Person has accepted such appointment, then such resignation shall nonetheless become effective in accordance with such notice and (1) the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (except that in the case of any collateral security held by the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders or the L/C Issuer under any of the Loan Documents, the retiring Administrative Agent shall continue to hold such collateral security until such time as a successor Administrative Agent is appointed) and (2) all payments, communications and determinations provided to be made by, to or through the Administrative Agent shall instead be made by or to each Lender and the L/C Issuer directly, until such time as the Required Lenders appoint a successor Administrative Agent as provided for above in this Section. Upon the acceptance of a successor’s appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring (or retired) Administrative Agent, and the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from all of its duties and obligations hereunder or under the other Loan Documents (if not already discharged therefrom as provided above in this Section). The fees payable by the Borrower to a successor Administrative Agent shall be the same as those payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed between the Borrower and such successor. After the retiring Administrative Agent’s resignation hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, the provisions of this Article and Section 10.04 shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring Administrative Agent, its sub-agents and their respective Related Parties in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any of them while the retiring Administrative Agent was acting as Administrative Agent.
     (b) Any resignation by Bank of America as Administrative Agent pursuant to this Section shall also constitute its resignation as L/C Issuer and Swing Line Lender. Upon the acceptance of a successor’s appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder, (a) such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring L/C Issuer and Swing Line Lender, (b) the retiring L/C Issuer and Swing Line Lender shall be discharged from all of their respective duties and obligations hereunder or under the other Loan Documents, and (c) the successor L/C Issuer shall issue letters of credit in substitution for the Letters of Credit, if any, outstanding at the time of such succession or make other arrangements satisfactory to the retiring L/C Issuer to effectively assume the obligations of the retiring L/C Issuer with respect to such Letters of Credit.
      9.07 Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders . Each Lender and the L/C Issuer acknowledges that it has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender or any of their Related Parties and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and

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decision to enter into this Agreement. Each Lender and the L/C Issuer also acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender or any of their Related Parties and based on such documents and information as it shall from time to time deem appropriate, continue to make its own decisions in taking or not taking action under or based upon this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any related agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder.
      9.08 No Other Duties, Etc . Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, none of the Bookrunners, Arrangers, Syndication Agents or Documentation Agents listed on the cover page hereof shall have any powers, duties or responsibilities under this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, except in its capacity, as applicable, as the Administrative Agent, a Lender or the L/C Issuer hereunder.
      9.09 Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim . In case of the pendency of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law or any other judicial proceeding relative to any Loan Party, the Administrative Agent (irrespective of whether the principal of any Loan or L/C Obligation shall then be due and payable as herein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Administrative Agent shall have made any demand on the Borrower) shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise
     (a) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of the principal and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Loans, L/C Obligations and all other Obligations that are owing and unpaid and to file such other documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Lenders, the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Lenders, the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent and their respective agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Lenders, the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent under Sections 2.04(i) and (j) , 2.10 and 10.04 ) allowed in such judicial proceeding; and
     (b) to collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same;
and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Lender and the L/C Issuer to make such payments to the Administrative Agent and, in the event that the Administrative Agent shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Lenders and the L/C Issuer, to pay to the Administrative Agent any amount due for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Administrative Agent and its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Administrative Agent under Sections 2.10 and 10.04 .
     Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to authorize the Administrative Agent to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Lender or the L/C Issuer any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Obligations or the rights of any Lender or the L/C Issuer to authorize the Administrative Agent to vote in respect of the claim of any Lender or the L/C Issuer in any such proceeding.

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      9.10 Collateral Matters . The Lenders and the L/C Issuer irrevocably authorize the Administrative Agent, at its option and in its discretion,
     (a) to release any Lien on any property granted to or held by the Administrative Agent under any Loan Document (i) upon termination of the Aggregate Commitments and payment in full of all Obligations (other than contingent indemnification obligations) and the expiration or termination of all Letters of Credit (other than Letters of Credit as to which other arrangements satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer shall have been made), (ii) that is sold or to be sold as part of or in connection with any sale permitted hereunder or under any other Loan Document, or (iii) subject to Section 10.01 , if approved, authorized or ratified in writing by the Required Lenders; and
     (b) to subordinate any Lien on any property granted to or held by the Administrative Agent under any Loan Document to the holder of any Lien on such property that is permitted by Section 7.01(i) ;
     Upon request by the Administrative Agent at any time, the Required Lenders will confirm in writing the Administrative Agent’s authority to release or subordinate its interest in particular types or items of property pursuant to this Section 9.10 .
ARTICLE X. MISCELLANEOUS
      10.01 Amendments, Etc . No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, and no consent to any departure by the Borrower or any other Loan Party therefrom, shall be effective unless in writing signed by the Required Lenders and the Borrower or the applicable Loan Party, as the case may be, and acknowledged by the Administrative Agent, and each such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given; provided , however , that no such amendment, waiver or consent shall:
     (a) waive any condition set forth in Section 4.01(a) without the written consent of each Lender;
     (b) extend or increase the Commitment of any Lender (or reinstate any Commitment terminated pursuant to Section 8.02 ) without the written consent of such Lender;
     (c) postpone any date fixed by this Agreement or any other Loan Document for any payment (excluding mandatory prepayments) of principal, interest, fees or other amounts due to the Lenders (or any of them) hereunder or under any other Loan Document without the written consent of each Lender directly affected thereby;
     (d) reduce the principal of, or the rate of interest specified herein on, any Loan or L/C Borrowing, or (subject to clause (iv) of the second proviso to this Section 10.01 ) any fees or other amounts payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document without the written consent of each Lender directly affected thereby; provided , however , that only the consent of the Required Lenders shall be necessary (i) to amend the definition of “Default Rate” or to waive any obligation of the Borrower to pay interest or Letter of Credit Fees at the Default Rate, except

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with respect to interest on past-due principal of any Loan, which shall require the written consent of each Lender, or (ii) to amend any financial covenant hereunder (or any defined term used therein) even if the effect of such amendment would be to reduce the rate of interest on any Loan or L/C Borrowing or to reduce any fee payable hereunder;
     (e) change Section 2.14 or Section 8.03 in a manner that would alter the pro rata sharing of payments required thereby without the written consent of each Lender; or
     (f) change any provision of this Section or the definition of “Required Lenders” or any other provision hereof specifying the number or percentage of Lenders required to amend, waive or otherwise modify any rights hereunder or make any determination or grant any consent hereunder, without the written consent of each Lender;
and, provided further , that (i) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the L/C Issuer in addition to the Lenders required above, affect the rights or duties of the L/C Issuer under this Agreement or any Issuer Document relating to any Letter of Credit issued or to be issued by it; (ii) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the Swing Line Lender in addition to the Lenders required above, affect the rights or duties of the Swing Line Lender under this Agreement; (iii) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the Administrative Agent in addition to the Lenders required above, affect the rights or duties of the Administrative Agent under this Agreement or any other Loan Document; and (iv) the Fee Letters may be amended, or rights or privileges thereunder waived, in a writing executed only by the parties thereto. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, no Defaulting Lender shall have any right to approve or disapprove any amendment, waiver or consent hereunder (and any amendment, waiver or consent which by its terms requires the consent of all Lenders or each affected Lender may be effected with the consent of the applicable Lenders other than Defaulting Lenders), except that (x) the Commitment of any Defaulting Lender may not be increased or extended without the consent of such Lender and (y) any waiver, amendment or modification requiring the consent of all Lenders or each affected Lender that by its terms affects any Defaulting Lender more adversely than other affected Lenders shall require the consent of such Defaulting Lender.
      10.02 Notices; Effectiveness; Electronic Communication .
     (a)  Notices Generally . Except in the case of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone (and except as provided in subsection (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 telecopier as follows, and all notices and other communications expressly permitted hereunder to be given by telephone shall be made to the applicable telephone number, as follows:
     (i) if to the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender, to the address, telecopier number, electronic mail address or telephone number specified for such Person on Schedule 10.02 ; and
     (ii) if to any other Lender, to the address, telecopier number, electronic mail address or telephone number specified in its Administrative Questionnaire (including, as

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appropriate, notices delivered solely to the Person designated by a Lender on its Administrative Questionnaire then in effect for the delivery of notices that may contain material non-public information relating to the Borrower).
Notices and other communications sent by hand or overnight courier service, or mailed by certified or registered mail, shall be deemed to have been given when received; notices and other communications sent by telecopier shall be deemed to have been given when sent (except that, if not given during normal business hours for the recipient, shall be deemed to have been given at the opening of business on the next business day for the recipient). Notices and other communications delivered through electronic communications to the extent provided in subsection (b) below, shall be effective as provided in such subsection (b).
     (b)  Electronic Communications . Notices and other communications to the Lenders and the L/C Issuer hereunder may be delivered or furnished by electronic communication (including e-mail and Internet or intranet websites) pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent, provided that the foregoing shall not apply to notices to any Lender or the L/C Issuer pursuant to Article II if such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as applicable, has notified the Administrative Agent and the Borrower that it is incapable of receiving notices under such Article by electronic communication. 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.
     Unless the Administrative Agent otherwise prescribes, (i) notices and other communications sent to an e-mail address shall be deemed received upon the sender’s receipt of an acknowledgement from the intended recipient (such as by the “return receipt requested” function, as available, return e-mail or other written acknowledgement), provided that if such notice or other communication is not sent during the normal business hours of the recipient, such notice or communication shall be deemed to have been sent at the opening of business on the next business day for the recipient, and (ii) notices or communications posted to an Internet or intranet website shall be deemed received upon the deemed receipt by the intended recipient at its e-mail address as described in the foregoing clause (i) of notification that such notice or communication is available and identifying the website address therefor.
     (c)  The Platform . THE PLATFORM IS PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE.” THE AGENT PARTIES (AS DEFINED BELOW) DO NOT WARRANT THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE BORROWER MATERIALS OR THE ADEQUACY OF THE PLATFORM, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM LIABILITY FOR ERRORS IN OR OMISSIONS FROM THE BORROWER MATERIALS. NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT OF THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR FREEDOM FROM VIRUSES OR OTHER CODE DEFECTS, IS MADE BY ANY AGENT PARTY IN CONNECTION WITH THE BORROWER MATERIALS OR THE PLATFORM. In no event shall the Administrative Agent or any of its Related Parties (collectively, the “ Agent Parties ”) have any liability to the Borrower, any Lender, the L/C Issuer or any other Person for losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses of any kind (whether in tort, contract or otherwise) arising out of the Borrower’s or

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the Administrative Agent’s transmission of Borrower Materials through the Internet, except to the extent that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses have resulted from such Agent Party’s gross negligence, willful misconduct or material breach of any of its obligations under any Loan Document; provided , however , that in no event shall any party hereto, Related Party of any party hereto or Agent Party have any liability to each other party hereto, its Related Parties, any Agent Party or any other Person for indirect, special, incidental, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages).
     (d)  Change of Address, Etc . Each of the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Swing Line Lender may change its address, telecopier or telephone number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto. Each other Lender may change its address, telecopier or telephone number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Swing Line Lender. In addition, each Lender agrees to notify the Administrative Agent from time to time to ensure that the Administrative Agent has on record (i) an effective address, contact name, telephone number, telecopier number and electronic mail address to which notices and other communications may be sent and (ii) accurate wire instructions for such Lender. Furthermore, each Public Lender agrees to cause at least one individual at or on behalf of such Public Lender to at all times have selected the “Private Side Information” or similar designation on the content declaration screen of the Platform in order to enable such Public Lender or its delegate, in accordance with such Public Lender’s compliance procedures and applicable Law, including United States Federal and state securities Laws, to make reference to Borrower Materials that are not made available through the “Public Side Information” portion of the Platform and that may contain material non-public information with respect to the Borrower or its securities for purposes of United States Federal or state securities laws.
     (e)  Reliance by Administrative Agent, L/C Issuer and Lenders . The Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Lenders shall be entitled to rely and act upon any notices (including telephonic Committed Loan Notices and Swing Line Loan Notices) purportedly given by or on behalf of the Borrower even if (i) such notices were not made in a manner specified herein, were incomplete or were not preceded or followed by any other form of notice specified herein, or (ii) the terms thereof, as understood by the recipient, varied from any confirmation thereof. The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer, each Lender and the Related Parties of each of them from all losses, costs, expenses and liabilities resulting from the reliance by such Person on each notice purportedly given by or on behalf of the Borrower, as provided in Section 10.04(b) . All telephone notices to and other telephonic communications with the Administrative Agent may be recorded by any person a party thereto, and each of the parties hereto consent to such recording.
      10.03 No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies; Enforcement . No failure by any Lender, the L/C Issuer or the Administrative Agent to exercise, and no delay by any such Person in exercising, any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, remedy, power or privilege. The rights, remedies, powers and privileges herein provided are cumulative and not exclusive of any rights, remedies, powers and privileges provided by law.

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     Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein or in any other Loan Document, the authority to enforce rights and remedies hereunder and under the other Loan Documents against the Loan Parties or any of them shall be vested exclusively in, and all actions and proceedings at law in connection with such enforcement shall be instituted and maintained exclusively by, the Administrative Agent in accordance with Section 8.02 for the benefit of all the Lenders and the L/C Issuer; provided , however , that the foregoing shall not prohibit (a) the Administrative Agent from exercising on its own behalf the rights and remedies that inure to its benefit (solely in its capacity as Administrative Agent) hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, (b) the L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender from exercising the rights and remedies that inure to its benefit (solely in its capacity as L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender, as the case may be) hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, (c) any Lender from exercising setoff rights in accordance with Section 10.08 (subject to the terms of Section 2.14 ), or (d) any Lender from filing proofs of claim or appearing and filing pleadings on its own behalf during the pendency of a proceeding relative to any Loan Party under any Debtor Relief Law; and provided , further , that if at any time there is no Person acting as Administrative Agent hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, then (i) the Required Lenders shall have the rights otherwise ascribed to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 8.02 and (ii) in addition to the matters set forth in clauses (b), (c) and (d) of the preceding proviso and subject to Section 2.14 , any Lender may, with the consent of the Required Lenders, enforce any rights and remedies available to it and as authorized by the Required Lenders.
      10.04 Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver .
     (a)  Costs and Expenses . 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 preparation, negotiation, execution, delivery and administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents or any amendments, modifications or waivers of the provisions hereof or thereof (whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be consummated), (ii) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the L/C Issuer in connection with the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or any demand for payment thereunder and (iii) all out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the L/C Issuer (including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the L/C Issuer), in connection with the enforcement or protection of its rights (A) in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, including its rights under this Section, or (B) in connection with the Loans made or Letters of Credit issued hereunder, including all such out-of-pocket expenses incurred during any workout, restructuring or negotiations in respect of such Loans or Letters of Credit.
     (b)  Indemnification by the Borrower . The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent (and any sub-agent thereof), each Lender and the L/C Issuer (each such Person being called an “ Indemnitee ”) against any and all liabilities, obligations, claims, losses, damages, penalties, fines, actions, judgments, suits, settlements, costs, expenses or disbursements (including reasonable fees of attorneys, accountants, experts and advisors) of any kind or nature whatsoever (in this section collectively called “liabilities and costs”) which to any extent (in whole or in part) may be imposed on, incurred by, or asserted against such Lender Party growing out of, resulting from or in any other way associated with the Loan Documents and the

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transactions and events (including the enforcement or defense thereof) at any time associated therewith or contemplated therein and the Borrower’s use of Loan proceeds (whether arising in contract or in tort or otherwise and including any violation or noncompliance with any Environmental Laws by any Indemnitee or any other Person or any liabilities or duties of any Indemnitee or any other Person with respect to Hazardous Materials found in or released into the environment). In the case of an investigation, litigation or proceeding to which the indemnity in this Section 10.04 applies, such indemnity shall be effective whether or not such investigation, litigation or proceeding is brought by the Borrower, any of its equity holders, Affiliates or creditors or an Indemnitee or any third party and whether or not an Indemnitee is otherwise a party thereto.
     (c)  THE FOREGOING INDEMNIFICATION SHALL APPLY WHETHER OR NOT SUCH LIABILITIES AND COSTS ARE IN ANY WAY OR TO ANY EXTENT OWED, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, UNDER ANY CLAIM OR THEORY OF STRICT LIABILITY OR CAUSED, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, BY ANY NEGLIGENT ACT OR OMISSION OF ANY KIND BY ANY INDEMNITEE , provided only that no Indemnitee shall be entitled under this section to receive indemnification for that portion, if any, of any liabilities and costs which (i) is proximately caused by its own (A) individual gross negligence or willful misconduct, as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in a final judgment, or (B) material breach of any of its obligations hereunder or under any other Loan Documents, as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in a final judgment or (ii) arises by reason of a claim (A) by any one or more Indemnitees against any one or more other Indemnitees or (B) by an equity-interest owner of any Indemnitee against any one or more Indemnitees, so long as in either such case, such claim is not proximately caused solely by the breach hereunder or under any other Loan Document by the Borrower or its Affiliates. If any Person (including the Borrower or any of its Affiliates) ever alleges gross negligence or willful misconduct pursuant to the preceding clause (i)(A) (but, for the avoidance of doubt, not with respect to an allegation of a material breach pursuant to the preceding clause (i)(B)) by any Indemnitee, the indemnification provided for in this section shall nonetheless be paid upon demand, subject to later adjustment or reimbursement, until such time as a court of competent jurisdiction enters a final judgment as to the extent and effect of the alleged gross negligence or willful misconduct. As used in this section the term “Indemnitee” shall refer not only to each Person designated as a Lender Party in Section 1.01 but also to each director, officer, trustee, agent, attorney, employee, representative and Affiliate of such Persons. So long as no Default has occurred and is continuing and the Borrower is financially solvent, no Indemnitee may settle any claim to be indemnified without the consent of the Borrower, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld; provided that the Borrower may not reasonably withhold consent to any settlement that an Indemnitee proposes, if the Borrower does not have the financial ability to pay all its obligations outstanding and asserted against the Borrower at that time, including the maximum potential claims against the Indemnitee to be indemnified pursuant to this Section 10.04 .
     (d)  Reimbursement by Lenders . To the extent that the Borrower for any reason fails to indefeasibly pay any amount required under subsection (a) or (b) of this Section to be paid by it to the Administrative Agent (or any sub-agent thereof), the L/C Issuer or any applicable Related Party of any of the foregoing, without affecting the Borrower’s payment obligations with respect thereto, each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent), the L/C Issuer or such Related Party, as the case may be, such Lender’s Applicable

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Percentage (determined as of the time that the applicable unreimbursed expense or indemnity payment is sought) of such unpaid amount, provided that the unreimbursed expense or indemnified loss, claim, damage, liability or related expense, as the case may be, was incurred by or asserted against the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent) or the L/C Issuer in its capacity as such, or against any Related Party of any of the foregoing acting for the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent) or L/C Issuer in connection with such capacity. The obligations of the Lenders under this subsection (d) are subject to the provisions of Section 2.13(d) .
     (e)  Waiver of Consequential Damages, Etc. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, no party hereto or Related Party of any party hereto shall assert, and hereby waives, any claim against each other party hereto and its Related Parties (including, as applicable, each 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, any other Loan Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby, the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds thereof. No Indemnitee referred to in subsection (b) above shall be liable for any damages arising from the use by unintended recipients of any information or other materials distributed by it through telecommunications, electronic or other information transmission systems in connection with this Agreement or the other Loan Documents or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby other than as a result of such Indemnitee’s gross negligence, willful misconduct or material breach of any of its obligations under any Loan Document.
     (f)  Payments . All amounts due under this Section shall be payable not later than ten Business Days after demand therefor and the Borrower’s receipt of reasonably detailed invoices or statements related thereto.
     (g)  Survival . The agreements in this Section shall survive the resignation of the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Swing Line Lender, the replacement of any Lender, the termination of the Aggregate Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all the other Obligations.
      10.05 Payments Set Aside . To the extent that any payment by or on behalf of the Borrower is made to the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or any Lender, or the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or any Lender exercises its right of setoff, and such payment or the proceeds of such setoff or any part thereof is subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside or required (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or such Lender in its discretion) to be repaid to a trustee, receiver or any other party, in connection with any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law or otherwise, then (a) to the extent of such recovery, the obligation or part thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued in full force and effect as if such payment had not been made or such setoff had not occurred, and (b) each Lender and the L/C Issuer severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent upon demand its applicable share (without duplication) of any amount so recovered from or repaid by the Administrative Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such payment is made at a rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds Rate from time to time in effect. The obligations of

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the Lenders and the L/C Issuer under clause (b) of the preceding sentence shall survive the payment in full of the Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.
      10.06 Successors and Assigns .
     (a)  Successors and Assigns Generally . The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, except that the Borrower may not assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent and each Lender and no Lender may assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder except (i) to an assignee in accordance with the provisions of subsection (b) of this Section, (ii) by way of participation in accordance with the provisions of subsection (d) of this Section, or (iii) by way of pledge or assignment of a security interest subject to the restrictions of subsection (f) of this Section (and any other attempted assignment or transfer by any party hereto shall be null and void). Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, Participants to the extent provided in subsection (d) of this Section and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related Parties of each of the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Lenders) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.
     (b)  Assignments by Lenders . Any Lender may at any time assign to one or more Eligible Assignees all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans (including for purposes of this subsection (b), participations in L/C Obligations and in Swing Line Loans) at the time owing to it); provided that any such assignment shall be subject to the following conditions:
     (i) Minimum Amounts .
     (A) in the case of an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender’s Commitment and the Loans at the time owing to it or in the case of an assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund, no minimum amount need be assigned; and
     (B) in any case not described in subsection (b)(i)(A) of this Section, the aggregate amount of the Commitment (which for this purpose includes Loans outstanding thereunder) or, if the Commitment is not then in effect, the principal outstanding balance of the Loans of the assigning Lender subject to each such assignment, determined as of the date the Assignment and Assumption with respect to such assignment is delivered to the Administrative Agent or, if “Trade Date” is specified in the Assignment and Assumption, as of the Trade Date, shall not be less than $5,000,000 unless each of the Administrative Agent and, so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Borrower otherwise consents (each such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed); provided , however , that concurrent assignments to members of an Assignee Group and concurrent assignments from members of an Assignee Group to a single Eligible Assignee (or to an Eligible Assignee and members of its Assignee

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Group) will be treated as a single assignment for purposes of determining whether such minimum amount has been met.
     (ii) Proportionate Amounts . Each partial assignment shall be made as an assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement with respect to the Loans or the Commitment assigned, except that this clause (ii) shall not apply to rights in respect of the Swing Line Lender’s rights and obligations in respect of Swing Line Loans;
     (iii) Required Consents . No consent shall be required for any such assignment except to the extent required by subsection (b)(i)(B) of this Section and, in addition:
     (A) the consent of the Borrower (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld) shall be required unless (1) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing at the time of such assignment or (2) such assignment is to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund; provided that the Borrower shall be deemed to have consented to any such assignment unless it shall object thereto by written notice to the Administrative Agent within five (5) Business Days after having received notice thereof;
     (B) the consent of the Administrative Agent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required if such assignment is to a Person that is not a Lender, an Affiliate of such Lender or an Approved Fund with respect to such Lender;
     (C) the consent of the L/C Issuer (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required for any assignment that increases the obligation of such assignee to participate in exposure under one or more Letters of Credit (whether or not then outstanding); and
     (D) the consent of the Swing Line Lender (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required for any assignment.
     (iv) Assignment and Assumption . The parties to each assignment permitted by Section 10.06(b) shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Assignment and Assumption, together with a processing and recordation fee in the amount of $3,500; provided , however , that the Administrative Agent may, in its sole discretion, elect to waive such processing and recordation fee in the case of any assignment. The assignee, if it is not a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent an Administrative Questionnaire.
     (v) No Assignment to Certain Persons . No such assignment shall be made (A) to the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries, or (B) to any Defaulting Lender or any of its Subsidiaries, or any Person who, upon becoming a Lender hereunder, would constitute any of the foregoing Persons described in this clause (B), or (C) to a natural person.

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     (vi) Certain Additional Payments . In connection with any assignment of rights and obligations of any Defaulting Lender hereunder, no such assignment shall be effective unless and until, in addition to the other conditions thereto set forth herein, the parties to the assignment shall make such additional payments to the Administrative Agent in an aggregate amount sufficient, upon distribution thereof as appropriate (which may be outright payment, purchases by the assignee of participations or subparticipations, or other compensating actions, including funding, with the consent of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, the applicable pro rata share of Loans previously requested but not funded by the Defaulting Lender, to each of which the applicable assignee and assignor hereby irrevocably consent), to (x) pay and satisfy in full all payment liabilities then owed by such Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent or any Lender hereunder (and interest accrued thereon) and (y) acquire (and fund as appropriate) its full pro rata share of all Loans and participations in Letters of Credit and Swing Line Loans in accordance with its Applicable Percentage. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that any assignment of rights and obligations of any Defaulting Lender hereunder shall become effective under applicable Law without compliance with the provisions of this paragraph, then the assignee of such interest shall be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender for all purposes of this Agreement until such compliance occurs.
Subject to acceptance and recording thereof by the Administrative Agent pursuant to subsection (c) of this Section, from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Assumption, the assignee thereunder shall be a party to this Agreement and, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, have the rights and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Assumption covering all of the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto) but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of Sections 3.01 , 3.04 , 3.05 , and 10.04 with respect to facts and circumstances occurring prior to the effective date of such assignment. Upon request, the Borrower (at its expense) shall execute and deliver a Note to the assignee Lender. Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this subsection shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a sale by such Lender of a participation in such rights and obligations in accordance with subsection (d) of this Section.
     (c)  Register . The Administrative Agent, acting solely for this purpose as an agent of the Borrower (and such agency being solely for tax purposes), shall maintain at the Administrative Agent’s Office a copy of each Assignment and Assumption delivered to it and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Commitments of, and principal amounts of the Loans and L/C Obligations owing to, each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time and recordation of Assignments and Assumptions (the “ Register ”). The entries in the Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders may treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register pursuant to the terms hereof as a Lender hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement, notwithstanding notice to the contrary. In addition, the Administrative Agent shall maintain on the Register information regarding the designation, and revocation of

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designation, of any Lender as a Defaulting Lender. The Register shall be available for inspection by the Borrower and any Lender, at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.
     (d)  Participations . Any Lender may at any time, without the consent of, or notice to, the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, sell participations to any Person (other than a natural person, a Defaulting Lender or the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries) (each, a “ Participant ”) in all or a portion of such Lender’s rights and/or obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and/or the Loans (including such Lender’s participations in L/C Obligations and/or Swing Line Loans) owing to it); provided that (i) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged, (ii) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations and (iii) the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement.
     Any agreement or instrument pursuant to which a Lender sells such a participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce this Agreement and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement; provided that such agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, waiver or other modification described in the first proviso to Section 10.01 that affects such Participant. Subject to subsection (e) of this Section, the Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 3.01 , 3.04 and 3.05 and the obligations imposed by such Sections and shall be subject to replacement pursuant to Section 3.06 to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to subsection (b) of this Section. To the extent permitted by law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 10.08 as though it were a Lender, provided such Participant agrees to be subject to Section 2.14 as though it were a Lender.
     (e)  Limitations upon Participant Rights . A Participant shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Section 3.01 , 3.04 or 3.05 than the applicable Lender would have been entitled to receive with respect to the participation sold to such Participant, unless the sale of the participation to such Participant is made with the Borrower’s prior written consent. A Participant that would be a Foreign Lender if it were a Lender shall not be entitled to the benefits of Section 3.01 unless the Borrower is notified of the participation sold to such Participant and such Participant agrees, for the benefit of the Borrower, to comply with Section 3.01(e) as though it were a Lender.
     (f)  Certain Pledges . Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement (including under its Note, if any) to secure obligations of such Lender, including any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank or any central bank having jurisdiction over such Lender; provided that no such pledge or assignment shall release such Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender as a party hereto.
     (g)  Resignation as L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender after Assignment . Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, if at any time Bank of America

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assigns all of its Commitment and Loans pursuant to subsection (b) above, Bank of America may, (i) upon 30 days’ notice to the Borrower and the Lenders, resign as L/C Issuer and/or (ii) upon 30 days’ notice to the Borrower, resign as Swing Line Lender. In the event of any such resignation as L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender, the Borrower shall be entitled to appoint from among the Lenders a successor L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender hereunder; provided , however , that no failure by the Borrower to appoint any such successor shall affect the resignation of Bank of America as L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender, as the case may be. If Bank of America resigns as L/C Issuer, it shall retain all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the L/C Issuer hereunder with respect to all Letters of Credit outstanding as of the effective date of its resignation as L/C Issuer and all L/C Obligations with respect thereto (including the right to require the Lenders to make Base Rate Committed Loans or fund risk participations in Unreimbursed Amounts pursuant to Section 2.04(c) ). If Bank of America resigns as Swing Line Lender, it shall retain all the rights of the Swing Line Lender provided for hereunder with respect to Swing Line Loans made by it and outstanding as of the effective date of such resignation, including the right to require the Lenders to make Base Rate Committed Loans or fund risk participations in outstanding Swing Line Loans pursuant to Section 2.05(c) . Upon the appointment of a successor L/C Issuer and/or Swing Line Lender, (a) such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender, as the case may be, and (b) the successor L/C Issuer shall issue letters of credit in substitution for the Letters of Credit, if any, outstanding at the time of such succession or make other arrangements satisfactory to Bank of America to effectively assume the obligations of Bank of America with respect to such Letters of Credit.
      10.07 Treatment of Certain Information; Confidentiality . Each of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer (for itself and each of its Related Parties) agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information (as defined below), except that Information may be disclosed (a) to its Affiliates and to its and its Affiliates’ respective partners, directors, officers, employees, agents, trustees, advisors and representatives (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 and will maintain such confidences), (b) to the extent requested or required by applicable laws or regulations or by any subpoena or similar legal process, including in connection with any pledge or assignment made pursuant to Section 10.06(f) , (c) subject to this Section 10.07 , to any other party hereto, (d) in connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or under any other Loan Document or any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or in connection with any Default or anticipated Default, the enforcement of rights hereunder or thereunder, (e) 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 any Proposed Lender invited to be a Lender pursuant to Section 2.16(c) or (ii) any actual or prospective counterparty (or its advisors) to any swap or derivative transaction relating to, and requested by, the Borrower and its obligations, (f) with the consent of the Borrower or (g) to the extent such Information (x) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section or (y) becomes available to the Administrative Agent, any Lender, the L/C Issuer or any of their respective Affiliates on a nonconfidential basis from a source other than the Borrower.

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     For purposes of this Section, “Information” means all information received from the Borrower or any Subsidiary relating to the Borrower or any Subsidiary or any Affiliate of any of them, or any of their respective businesses, other than any such information that is available to the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the L/C Issuer on a nonconfidential basis prior to disclosure by the Borrower or any Subsidiary, provided that, in the case of information received from the Borrower or any Subsidiary 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.
     Each of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer acknowledges that (a) the Information may include material non-public information concerning the Borrower or a Subsidiary, as the case may be, (b) it has developed compliance procedures regarding the use of material non-public information and (c) it will handle such material non-public information in accordance with applicable Law, including United States Federal and state securities Laws.
      10.08 Right of Setoff. If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, each Lender, the L/C Issuer and each of their respective Affiliates is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final, in whatever currency) at any time held and other obligations (in whatever currency) at any time owing by such Lender, the L/C Issuer or any such Affiliate to or for the credit or the account of the Borrower against any and all of the obligations of the Borrower now or hereafter existing under this Agreement or any other Loan Document to such Lender or the L/C Issuer, irrespective of whether or not such Lender or the L/C Issuer shall have made any demand under this Agreement or any other Loan Document and although such obligations of the Borrower may be contingent or unmatured or are owed to a branch or office of such Lender or the L/C Issuer different from the branch or office holding such deposit or obligated on such indebtedness; provided, that in the event that any Defaulting Lender shall exercise any such right of setoff, (x) all amounts so set off shall be paid over immediately to the Administrative Agent for further application in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.18 and, pending such payment, shall be segregated by such Defaulting Lender from its other funds and deemed held in trust for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, and (y) the Defaulting Lender shall provide promptly to the Administrative Agent a statement describing in reasonable detail the Obligations owing to such Defaulting Lender as to which it exercised such right of setoff. The rights of each Lender, the L/C Issuer and their respective Affiliates under this Section are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) that such Lender, the L/C Issuer or their respective Affiliates may have. Each Lender and the L/C Issuer agrees to notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent promptly after any such setoff and application, provided that the failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such setoff and application.
      10.09 Interest Rate Limitation . Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in any Loan Document, the interest paid or agreed to be paid under the Loan Documents shall not exceed the maximum rate of non-usurious interest permitted by applicable Law (the “ Maximum Rate ”). If the Administrative Agent or any Lender shall receive interest in an amount that exceeds the Maximum Rate, the excess interest shall be applied to the principal of

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the Loans or, if it exceeds such unpaid principal, refunded to the Borrower. In determining whether the interest contracted for, charged, or received by the Administrative Agent or a Lender exceeds the Maximum Rate, such Person may, to the extent permitted by applicable Law, (a) characterize any payment that is not principal as an expense, fee, or premium rather than interest, (b) exclude voluntary prepayments and the effects thereof, and (c) amortize, prorate, allocate, and spread in equal or unequal parts the total amount of interest throughout the contemplated term of the Obligations hereunder.
      10.10 Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto in different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. This Agreement and the other Loan Documents 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 that, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties hereto. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Agreement by telecopy or other electronic imaging means shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement.
      10.11 Survival of Representations and Warranties. All representations and warranties made hereunder and in any other Loan Document or other document delivered pursuant hereto or thereto or in connection herewith or therewith shall survive the execution and delivery hereof and thereof. Such representations and warranties have been or will be relied upon by the Administrative Agent and each Lender, regardless of any investigation made by the Administrative Agent or any Lender or on their behalf and notwithstanding that the Administrative Agent or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of any Default at the time of any Credit Extension, and shall continue in full force and effect as long as any Loan or any other Obligation hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied or any Letter of Credit shall remain outstanding.
      10.12 Severability . If any provision of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents is held to be illegal, invalid or unenforceable, (a) the legality, validity and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall not be affected or impaired thereby and (b) the parties shall endeavor in good faith negotiations to replace the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions. The invalidity of a provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction. Without limiting the foregoing provisions of this Section 10.12 , if and to the extent that the enforceability of any provisions in this Agreement relating to Defaulting Lenders shall be limited by Debtor Relief Laws, as determined in good faith by the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender, as applicable, then such provisions shall be deemed to be in effect only to the extent not so limited.
      10.13 Replacement of Lenders . If any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.04 or gives a notice pursuant to Section 3.02 (which notice is not given by other similarly

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situated Lenders) and does not subsequently designate a different Lending Office or assign its rights and obligations hereunder to another of its offices, branches or affiliates as provided in Section 3.06(a) , 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 3.01 , or if any Lender is a Defaulting Lender, or if any other circumstance exists hereunder that gives the Borrower the right to replace a Lender as a party hereto, 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, and consents required by, Section 10.06 ), all of its interests, rights and obligations under this Agreement and the related Loan Documents to an assignee that shall assume such obligations (which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment), provided that:
     (a) the Borrower shall have paid to the Administrative Agent the assignment fee specified in Section 10.06(b) ;
     (b) such Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to 100% of the outstanding principal of its Loans and L/C Advances, accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other amounts payable to it hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (including any amounts under Section 3.05 ) 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);
     (c) in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 3.04 or payments required to be made pursuant to Section 3.01 , such assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation or payments thereafter; and
     (d) such assignment does not conflict with applicable Laws.
     A Lender shall not be required to make any such assignment or 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.
      10.14 Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Etc .
     (a)  GOVERNING LAW . THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, WITHOUT REGARD TO PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAWS.
     (b)  SUBMISSION TO JURISDICTION . THE BORROWER IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY SUBMITS, FOR ITSELF AND ITS PROPERTY, TO THE NONEXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF THE COURTS 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 ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT, OR FOR RECOGNITION OR ENFORCEMENT OF ANY JUDGMENT, AND EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO 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 COURT OR, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY

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APPLICABLE 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 OR IN ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT SHALL AFFECT ANY RIGHT THAT THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, ANY LENDER OR THE L/C ISSUER MAY OTHERWISE HAVE TO BRING ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT AGAINST THE BORROWER OR ITS PROPERTIES IN THE COURTS OF ANY JURISDICTION.
     (c)  WAIVER OF VENUE . THE BORROWER IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY OBJECTION THAT IT MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE TO THE LAYING OF VENUE OF ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT 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 APPLICABLE LAW, THE DEFENSE OF AN INCONVENIENT FORUM TO THE MAINTENANCE OF SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING IN ANY SUCH COURT.
     (d)  SERVICE OF PROCESS . EACH PARTY HERETO IRREVOCABLY CONSENTS TO SERVICE OF PROCESS IN THE MANNER PROVIDED FOR NOTICES IN SECTION 10.02 . NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT WILL AFFECT THE RIGHT OF ANY PARTY HERETO TO SERVE PROCESS IN ANY OTHER MANNER PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW.
      10.15 Waiver of Jury Trial. EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY 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 ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY). EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PERSON HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PERSON 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 AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION.
      10.16 No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility . In connection with all aspects of each transaction contemplated hereby (including in connection with any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Loan Document), the Borrower acknowledges and agrees, and acknowledges its Affiliates’ understanding, that: (a) (i) the arranging and other services regarding this Agreement provided by the Administrative Agent, the Arrangers and the Lenders are arm’s-length commercial transactions between the Borrower and its Affiliates, on

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the one hand, and the Administrative Agent, the Arrangers and the Lenders, on the other hand, (ii) the Borrower has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it has deemed appropriate, and (iii) the Borrower is capable of evaluating, and understands and accepts, the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the other Loan Documents; (b) (i) the Administrative Agent and the Arrangers each is and has been acting solely as a principal and, except as expressly agreed in writing by the relevant parties, has not been, is not, and will not be acting as an advisor, agent or fiduciary for the Borrower or any of its Affiliates, or any other Person and (ii) none of the Administrative Agent, any Arranger nor any Lender has any obligation to the Borrower or any of its Affiliates with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby except those obligations expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents; and (c) the Administrative Agent, the Arrangers, the Lenders and their respective Affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Borrower and its Affiliates, and none of the Administrative Agent, any Arranger nor any Lender has any obligation to disclose any of such interests to the Borrower or its Affiliates. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Borrower hereby waives and releases any claims that it may have against the Administrative Agent and the Arrangers with respect to any breach or alleged breach of agency or fiduciary duty in connection with any aspect of any transaction contemplated hereby.
      10.17 No Recourse to Other Persons . No past, present or future director, officer, partner, employee, incorporator, manager, stockholder, unitholder or member of the Borrower, General Partner, PAA, PAA GP LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, Plains AAP, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, or Plains All American GP LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, and no past, present or future director, officer, partner, employee, incorporator, manager, stockholder, unitholder or member of any Subsidiary of the Borrower or PAA shall have any liability for any Obligations or for any claim based on, in respect of, or by reason of, the Obligations or their creation. Each party hereto, for itself and each of its Related Parties, waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for the incurrence of Indebtedness by the Borrower hereunder and, as applicable, the making of the Notes.
      10.18 Electronic Execution of Assignments and Certain Other Documents. The words “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” and words of like import in any Assignment and Assumption or in any amendment or other modification hereof (including waivers and consents) shall be deemed to include electronic signatures or the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, to the extent and as provided for in any applicable law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act, or any other similar state laws based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act.
      10.19 USA PATRIOT Act. Each Lender that is subject to the Act (as hereinafter defined) and the Administrative Agent (for itself and not on behalf of any Lender) hereby notifies the Borrower that pursuant to the requirements of the USA PATRIOT Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)) (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 or the Administrative

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Agent, as applicable, to identify the Borrower in accordance with the Act. The Borrower shall, promptly following a request by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, provide all documentation and other information that is in its or any of its Subsidiary’s possession or control which the Administrative Agent or such Lender requests in order to comply with its ongoing obligations under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including the Act (and if any of such requested documentation and other information is not in the Borrower’s or any of its Subsidiary’s possession or control, will use its commercially reasonable efforts to obtain such information and other documentation).
      10.20 Time of the Essence . Time is of the essence of the Loan Documents.
      10.21 ENTIRE AGREEMENT . THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS REPRESENT THE FINAL AGREEMENT AMONG THE PARTIES AND MAY NOT BE CONTRADICTED BY EVIDENCE OF PRIOR, CONTEMPORANEOUS, OR SUBSEQUENT ORAL AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES. THERE ARE NO UNWRITTEN ORAL AGREEMENTS AMONG THE PARTIES.

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      IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first above written.
         
  PAA NATURAL GAS STORAGE, L.P.
By: PNGS GP LLC, its general partner
 
 
  By:    /s/ Al Swanson  
    Name:   Al Swanson   
    Title:   Chief Financial Officer   

S - 1


 

         
         
  BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as
Administrative Agent
 
 
  By:    /s/ Bridgett J. Manduk  
    Name:    Bridgett J. Manduk  
    Title:    Assistant Vice President  
 

S - 2


 

                 
    BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as a Lender, L/C Issuer and Swing Line Lender    
 
               
 
  By:        /s/ Christen A. Lacey    
             
 
               
    Name:    Christen A. Lacey    
 
         
 
   
 
               
    Title:    Senior Vice President    
 
         
 
   

S - 3


 

                 
    DNB NOR BANK ASA , as a Lender    
 
               
 
  By:        /s/ Philip F. Kurpiewski    
             
 
               
    Name:    Philip F. Kurpiewski    
 
         
 
   
 
               
    Title:    Senior Vice President    
 
         
 
   
 
               
 
  By:        /s/ Kristin Riise    
             
 
               
    Name:    Kristin Riise    
 
         
 
   
 
               
    Title:    First Vice President    
 
         
 
   

S - 4


 

                 
    WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION , as a Lender    
 
               
 
  By:        /s/ Shannan Townsend    
             
 
               
    Name:    Shannan Townsend    
 
         
 
   
 
               
    Title:    Managing Director    
 
         
 
   

S - 5


 

                 
    UBS LOAN FINANCE LLC , as a Lender    
 
               
 
  By:        /s/ Irja R. Otsa    
             
 
               
    Name:    Irja R. Otsa    
 
         
 
   
 
               
    Title:    Associate Director Banking Products Services, US    
 
         
 
   
 
               
 
  By:        /s/ Mary E. Evans    
             
 
               
    Name:    Mary E. Evans    
 
         
 
   
 
               
    Title:    Associate Director Banking Products Services, US    
 
         
 
   

S - 6


 

                 
    CITIBANK, N.A. , as a Lender    
 
               
 
  By:        /s/ John E. Miller    
             
 
               
    Name:    John E. Miller    
 
         
 
   
 
               
    Title:    Attorney-in-Fact    
 
         
 
   

S - 7


 

                 
    BARCLAYS BANK PLC , as a Lender    
 
               
 
  By:        /s/ Sam Yoo    
             
 
               
    Name:    Sam Yoo    
 
         
 
   
 
               
    Title:    Assistant Vice President    
 
         
 
   

S - 8


 

                 
    JPMORGAN CHASE BANK , as a Lender    
 
               
 
  By:        /s/ Stephanie Balette    
             
 
               
    Name:    Stephanie Balette    
 
         
 
   
 
               
    Title:    Vice President    
 
         
 
   

S - 9


 

                 
    BNP PARIBAS , as a Lender    
 
               
 
  By:        /s/ Greg Smothers    
             
 
               
    Name:    Greg Smothers    
 
         
 
   
 
               
    Title:    Director    
 
         
 
   
 
               
 
  By:        /s/ Edward Pak    
             
 
               
    Name:    Edward Pak    
 
         
 
   
 
               
    Title:    Vice President    
 
         
 
   

S - 10


 

                 
    SUNTRUST BANK , as a Lender    
 
               
 
  By:        /s/ Yann Pirio    
             
 
               
    Name:    Yann Pirio    
 
         
 
   
 
               
    Title:    Director    
 
         
 
   

S - 11


 

                 
    MIZUHO CORPORATE BANK, LTD. , as a Lender    
 
               
 
  By:        /s/ Raymond Ventura    
             
 
               
    Name:    Raymond Ventura    
 
         
 
   
 
               
    Title:    Deputy General Manager    
 
         
 
   

S - 12


 

                 
    SUMITOMO MITSUI BANKING CORPORATION , as a Lender    
 
               
 
  By:        /s/ Masakazu Hasegawa    
             
 
               
    Name:    Masakazu Hasegawa    
 
         
 
   
 
               
    Title:    General Manager    
 
         
 
   

S - 13


 

                 
    ING CAPITAL LLC , as a Lender    
 
               
 
  By:        /s/ Cheryl Labelle    
             
 
               
    Name:    Cheryl Labelle    
 
         
 
   
 
               
    Title:    Managing Director    
 
         
 
   

S - 14


 

                 
    SOCIETE GENERALE , as a Lender    
 
               
 
  By:        /s/ Barbara Paulson    
             
 
               
    Name:    Barbara Paulson    
 
         
 
   
 
               
    Title:    Managing Director    
 
         
 
   
 
               
 
  By:        /s/ Chung-Taek Oh    
             
 
               
    Name:    Chung-Taek Oh    
 
         
 
   
 
               
    Title:    Director    
 
         
 
   

S - 15


 

                 
    U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION , as a Lender    
 
               
 
  By:        /s/ Justin M. Alexander    
             
 
               
    Name:    Justin M. Alexander    
 
         
 
   
 
               
    Title:    Vice President    
 
         
 
   

S - 16


 

                 
    ROYAL BANK OF CANADA , as a Lender    
 
               
 
  By:        /s/ Don J. McKinnerney    
             
 
               
    Name:    Don J. McKinnerney    
 
         
 
   
 
               
    Title:    Authorized Signatory    
 
         
 
   

S - 17


 

                 
    COMERICA BANK , as a Lender    
 
               
 
  By:        /s/ Greg Smith    
             
 
               
    Name:    Greg Smith    
 
         
 
   
 
               
    Title:    Senior Vice President    
 
         
 
   

S - 18


 

                 
    COMPASS BANK , as a Lender    
 
               
 
  By:        /s/ Dorothy Marchand    
             
 
               
    Name:    Dorothy Marchand    
 
         
 
   
 
               
    Title:    Senior Vice President    
 
         
 
   

S - 19


 

                 
    REGIONS BANK , as a Lender    
 
               
 
  By:        /s/ Randy Petersen    
             
 
               
    Name:    Randy Petersen    
 
       
 
   
 
               
    Title:    SVP    
 
       
 
   

S - 20


 

                 
    NATIXIS , as a Lender    
 
               
 
  By:        /s/ Louis P. Laville, III    
             
 
               
    Name:    Louis P. Laville, III    
 
         
 
   
 
               
    Title:    Managing Director    
 
         
 
   
 
               
 
  By:        /s/ Daniel Payer    
             
 
               
    Name:    Daniel Payer    
 
         
 
   
 
               
    Title:    Director    
 
         
 
   

S - 21


 

                 
    RAYMOND JAMES BANK, FSB , as a Lender    
 
               
 
  By:        /s/ Garrett McKinnon    
             
 
               
    Name:    Garrett McKinnon    
 
         
 
   
 
               
    Title:    Senior Vice President    
 
         
 
   

S - 22


 

                 
    MORGAN STANLEY BANK, N.A. , as a Lender    
 
               
 
  By:        /s/ Ryan Vetsch    
             
 
               
    Name:    Ryan Vetsch    
 
         
 
   
 
               
    Title:    Authorized Signatory    
 
         
 
   

S - 23


 

SCHEDULE 2.01
COMMITMENTS
AND APPLICABLE PERCENTAGES
                 
            Applicable  
Lender   Commitment     Percentage  
 
Bank of America, N.A.
  $ 20,000,000.01       5.000000003 %
DnB NOR Bank ASA
  $ 20,000,000.01       5.000000003 %
Wells Fargo Bank, National Association
  $ 20,000,000.00       5.000000000 %
UBS Loan Finance LLC
  $ 20,000,000.00       5.000000000 %
Citibank, N.A.
  $ 20,000,000.00       5.000000000 %
Barclays Bank PLC
  $ 20,000,000.00       5.000000000 %
JPMorgan Chase Bank
  $ 20,000,000.00       5.000000000 %
BNP Paribas
  $ 18,571,428.57       4.642857143 %
SunTrust Bank
  $ 18,571,428.57       4.642857143 %
Mizuho Corporate Bank, Ltd.
  $ 18,571,428.57       4.642857143 %
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation
  $ 18,571,428.57       4.642857143 %
ING Capital LLC
  $ 18,571,428.57       4.642857143 %
Societe Generale
  $ 18,571,428.57       4.642857143 %
U.S. Bank National Association
  $ 18,571,428.57       4.642857143 %
Royal Bank of Canada
  $ 18,571,428.57       4.642857143 %
Comerica Bank
  $ 18,571,428.57       4.642857143 %
Compass Bank
  $ 18,571,428.57       4.642857143 %
Regions Bank
  $ 18,571,428.57       4.642857143 %
Natixis
  $ 18,571,428.57       4.642857143 %

1


 

                 
            Applicable  
Lender   Commitment     Percentage  
 
Raymond James Bank, FSB
  $ 18,571,428.57       4.642857143 %
Morgan Stanley Bank, N.A.
  $ 18,571,428.57       4.642857143 %
Total
  $ 400,000,000.00       100.000000000 %

2


 

SCHEDULE 5.03
GOVERNMENTAL AUTHORIZATION; OTHER CONSENTS
None.

1


 

SCHEDULE 5.06
LITIGATION
None.

1


 

SCHEDULE 5.07
NO DEFAULT
None.

1


 

SCHEDULE 5.09
ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS
None.

1


 

SCHEDULE 5.12
ERISA MATTERS
None.

1


 

SCHEDULE 5.13
SUBSIDIARIES;
OTHER EQUITY INVESTMENTS
Closing Date:
Part (a).   Subsidiaries .
 
    None.
 
Part (b).   Other Equity Investments .
 
    None.
IPO Closing Date:
Part (a).   Subsidiaries .
 
    To be provided on a supplemental Schedule 5.13 on the IPO Closing Date.
 
Part (b).   Other Equity Investments .
 
    To be provided on a supplemental Schedule 5.13 on the IPO Closing Date.
As of the Closing Date, the Borrower contemplates that on the IPO Closing Date it will conduct its business activities through its wholly owned Subsidiaries, Bluewater and Pine Prairie, and their respective Subsidiaries, as described in the Registration Statement.

1


 

SCHEDULE 5.16
COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS
     None.

1


 

SCHEDULE 10.02
ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT’S OFFICE;
CERTAIN ADDRESSES FOR NOTICES
BORROWER:
PAA Natural Gas Storage, L.P.
333 Clay Street, Suite 1100
Houston, TX 77002
Attention: Chief Financial Officer
Telephone: 713-646-4100
Telecopier: (713) 646-4313
U.S. Taxpayer Identification Number: 27-1679071
ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT:
Administrative Agent’s Office
(for payments and Requests for Credit Extensions):
Bank of America, N.A.
Building B
2001 Clayton Road
Mail Code: CA4-702-02-25
Concord, CA 94520-2405
Attention: Anthony Salvador
Telephone: 925-675-8101
Telecopier: 415-249-5033
Electronic Mail: anthony.salvador@baml.com
Account No.: 1366212250600
Ref: PAA Natural Gas Storage, L.P.
ABA# 026009593
Other Notices as Administrative Agent :
Bank of America, N.A.
Agency Management
1455 Market Street, 5 th Floor
Mail Code: CA5-701-05-19
San Francisco, CA 94103
Attention: Bridgett J. Manduk
Telephone: 415-436-1097
Telecopier: 415-503-5011
Electronic Mail: bridgett.manduk@baml.com

1


 

L/C ISSUER:
Bank of America, N.A.
Trade Operations
1 Fleet Way
Mail Code: PA6-580-02-30
Scranton, PA 18507
Attention: David J. Carey
Telephone: 570-330-4316
Telecopier: 570-330-3573
Electronic Mail: david.carey@baml.com
SWING LINE LENDER:
Bank of America, N.A.
Building B
2001 Clayton Road
Mail Code: CA4-702-02-25
Concord, CA 94520-2405
Attention: Anthony Salvador
Telephone: 925-675-8101
Telecopier: 415-249-5033
Electronic Mail: anthony.salvador@baml.com
Account No.: 1366212250600
Ref: PAA Natural Gas Storage, L.P.
ABA# 026009593

2

Exhibit 99.1
(NEWS RELEASE LOGO)
         
Contacts:
  Roy I. Lamoreaux   A. Patrick Diamond
 
  Director, Investor Relations   Vice President
 
  713-646-4222 — 800-564-3036   Plains All American Pipeline, L.P.
 
      713-646-4487 — 800-564-3036
     
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
      PAA Natural Gas Storage, L.P. Completes Initial Public Offering
HOUSTON, May 5, 2010 — PAA Natural Gas Storage, L.P. (NYSE: PNG) today announced that it has completed its initial public offering of 13,478,000 common units representing limited partner interests at $21.50 per common unit. The number of units issued at closing included 1,758,000 additional common units issued pursuant to the full exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option.
Net proceeds received by PAA Natural Gas Storage from the sale of the 13,478,000 common units were approximately $269 million. PNG expects to use these net proceeds, together with $200 million of borrowings under its new credit facility, to repay intercompany indebtedness owed to Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. (NYSE: PAA). PAA expects to use all or a portion of these proceeds to repay amounts outstanding under its credit facilities and for general partnership purposes.
The common units offered represent approximately 23.2 percent of the outstanding equity of PNG. Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. owns the remaining equity interests in PNG.
Barclays Capital, UBS Investment Bank, Citi, and Wells Fargo Securities acted as joint book-running managers for the offering. BofA Merrill Lynch, J.P. Morgan, Raymond James, Madison Williams, Morgan Keegan & Company, Inc., RBC Capital Markets, and Stifel Nicolaus acted as co-managers for the offering.
This offering of common units will be made only by means of a prospectus. A copy of the final written prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, may be obtained from the offices of:
     
Barclays Capital
  UBS Investment Bank
c/o Broadridge Integrated Distribution Services
  Attn: Prospectus Department
1155 Long Island Avenue
  299 Park Avenue
Edgewood, New York 11717
  New York, New York 10171
Toll free: 1-888-603-5847
  Toll free: 1-888-827-7275
Barclaysprospectus@broadridge.com
   

 


 

     
Citi
  Wells Fargo Securities
Brooklyn Army Terminal
  Attn: Equity Syndicate Dept.
Attention: Prospectus Dept.
  375 Park Avenue New York
140 58th Street, 8th floor,
  New York 10152
Brooklyn, NY, 11220
  Telephone: (800) 326-5897
Toll-free number: (800) 831-9146
  equity.syndicate@wellsfargo.com
batprospectusdept@citi.com
   
A registration statement relating to these securities has been filed with, and declared effective by, the Securities and Exchange Commission. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state in which such offer, sale or solicitation would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities law in any such state.
###