INTRODUCTION

      Danielson Holding Corporation (“Danielson”) is a holding company incorporated in Delaware on April 16, 1992. Prior to entering the energy business through its acquisition of Covanta Energy Corporation (“Covanta”) in March 2004, substantially all of its operations were conducted in the insurance services industry. Danielson engages in insurance operations through its indirect subsidiaries, National American Insurance Company of California (“NAICC”) and related entities. Throughout 2004, Danielson also held an equity interest in companies engaged in the marine transportation and services industry through its investment in American Commercial Lines, LLC (“ACL”) and related entities.

      Prior to its acquisition of Covanta, Danielson’s strategy has been to grow by making strategic acquisitions. As part of this corporate strategy Danielson has sought acquisition opportunities, such as the acquisition of Covanta, which management believes will enable us to earn an attractive return on our investment.

      As a result of the consummation of the Covanta acquisition on March 10, 2004, Danielson’s future performance will predominantly reflect the performance of Covanta’s operations which are significantly larger than Danielson’s other operations. As a result, the nature of Danielson’s business, the risks attendant to such business and the trends that it will face will be significantly altered by the acquisition of Covanta. Accordingly, Danielson’s prior financial results will not be comparable to future results.

      Danielson acquired its 100% ownership interest in ACL in May 2002. On January 31, 2003, ACL and many of its subsidiaries and its immediate direct parent entity, American Commercial Lines Holdings, LLC (“ACL Holdings”), filed a petition with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court to reorganize under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. ACL Holdings and ACL confirmed a plan of reorganization on December 30, 2004, and emerged from bankruptcy on January 11, 2005. As a result, Danielson’s equity interest in ACL was cancelled, and as a part of ACL’s plan of reorganization it received in January 2005 warrants to purchase 3% of ACL’s new common stock from certain creditors of ACL.

      During 2004, Danielson owned a direct 5.4% interest in Global Materials Services, LLC (“GMS”) and a direct 50% interest in Vessel Leasing, LLC (“Vessel Leasing”). GMS was a joint venture among ACL, Danielson, and a third party, which owned and operated marine terminals and warehouse operations. Vessel Leasing was a joint venture between ACL and Danielson which leases barges to ACL’s barge transportation operations. Neither GMS nor Vessel Leasing filed for Chapter 11 protection. Danielson, GMS and Vessel Leasing were not guarantors of ACL’s debt nor were they liable for any of ACL’s liabilities. On October 6, 2004, Danielson and ACL sold its interests in GMS to the third party joint venture member and on January 13, 2005, Danielson sold its interest in Vessel Leasing to ACL.

      As a result of the ACL bankruptcy filing, while Danielson continued to exercise influence over the operating and financial policies of ACL, it no longer maintained control of ACL. Accordingly, beginning with the year ended December 31, 2003, Danielson accounted for its investments in ACL, GMS and Vessel Leasing using the equity method of accounting. Under the equity method of accounting, Danielson reported its share of the equity investees’ income or loss based on its ownership interest. In determining the proper equity method earnings to be recognized for ACL, Danielson did not recognize losses in excess of its investment’s carrying value of zero at December 31, 2003, as Danielson was not liable either directly or as guarantor for such losses.

      Danielson had cash and investments, including investments in subsidiaries, at the holding company level of $120.9 million at December 31, 2004. Danielson’s cash amounted to $12.9 million. Danielson’s investments consisted of publicly traded bonds of $3.3 million. Danielson had a $85.4 million investment in Covanta. Danielson also had a $16.8 million investment in insurance subsidiaries and a $2.5 million investment in Vessel Leasing. Danielson had liabilities at the holding company level of $5.2 million.

      Danielson estimates as of the end of 2004, that it had aggregate consolidated net operating loss tax carryforwards for federal income tax purposes (“NOLs”) of approximately $516 million. See Note 25 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (hereinafter referred to as “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements”) for more detailed information on Danielson’s NOLs.

Acquisition of Covanta Energy Corporation

      On December 2, 2003, Danielson executed a definitive investment and purchase agreement to acquire Covanta in connection with Covanta’s emergence from Chapter 11 proceedings after the non-core and geothermal assets of Covanta were divested. The primary components of the transaction were: (1) the purchase by Danielson of 100% of the equity of Covanta in consideration for a cash purchase price of approximately $30 million, and (2) agreement as to new letter of credit and revolving credit facilities for Covanta’s domestic and international operations, provided by some of the existing Covanta lenders and a group of additional lenders organized by Danielson.

      This agreement was amended on February 23, 2004 which reduced the purchase price and released from an escrow account $0.2 million to purchase Danielson’s equity interest in Covanta Lake, Inc. A limited liability company was formed by Danielson and one of Covanta’s subsidiaries and this limited liability company acquired an equity interest in Covanta Lake II, Inc., an indirect subsidiary of Covanta, in a transaction separate and distinct from the acquisition of Covanta out of bankruptcy.

      As required by the investment and purchase agreement, Covanta filed a proposed plan of reorganization, a proposed plan of liquidation for specified non-core businesses, and the related draft disclosure statement, each reflecting the transactions contemplated under the investment and purchase agreement, with the Bankruptcy Court. On March 5, 2004, the Bankruptcy Court confirmed the Reorganization Plan (as hereafter defined and more fully discussed under “Description of Danielson’s Business — Energy Services Business.” On March 10, 2004, Danielson acquired 100% of Covanta’s equity in consideration for approximately $30 million.

      With the purchase of Covanta, Danielson acquired a leading provider of waste-to-energy services and independent power production in the United States and abroad. Danielson’s equity investment and ownership provided Covanta’s businesses with improved liquidity and capital resources to finance its business activities and emerge from bankruptcy.

      The aggregate purchase price was $47.5 million which included the cash purchase price of $29.8 million, approximately $6.4 million for professional fees and other estimated costs incurred in connection with the acquisition, and an estimated fair value of $11.3 million for Danielson’s commitment to sell up to 3 million shares of its common stock at $1.53 per share to certain creditors of Covanta, subject to certain limitations.

Financing the Covanta Acquisition

      Danielson obtained the financing necessary for the Covanta acquisition pursuant to a note purchase agreement dated December 2, 2003, with each of SZ Investments, LLC (“SZ Investments”), Third Avenue Trust, LLC on behalf of Third Avenue Value Fund Series (collectively, “TAVF”) and D.E. Shaw Laminar Portfolios, LLC (“Laminar”), referred to collectively as the “Bridge Lenders”. Pursuant to the note purchase agreement, the Bridge Lenders severally provided Danielson with an aggregate of $40 million of bridge financing in exchange for notes which were convertible under certain circumstances into shares of Danielson common stock at a price of $1.53 per share, subject to agreed upon limitations. Danielson used $30 million of the proceeds from the notes to post an escrow deposit prior to the closing of the transactions contemplated by the investment and purchase agreement with Covanta. At closing, the deposit was used to purchase Covanta. The remainder of the proceeds was made available to pay transaction expenses and for general corporate purposes. These notes were repaid on June 11, 2004 from the conversion of a portion of the notes held by Laminar and from the issuance of 8.75 million shares of Danielson Common Stock to Laminar upon such conversion and from the proceeds of a pro rata rights offering made to all stockholders on May 18, 2004.

      Danielson issued to the Bridge Lenders an aggregate of 5,120,853 shares of Danielson’s common stock in consideration for the $40 million of bridge financing. At the time that Danielson entered into the note purchase agreement, agreed to issue the notes convertible into shares of Danielson common stock and issued the equity compensation to the Bridge Lenders, the trading price of the Danielson common stock was below the $1.53 per share conversion price of the notes. On December 1, 2003, the day prior to the announcement of the Covanta acquisition, the closing price of Danielson common stock on the American Stock Exchange was $1.40 per share.

      In addition, under the note purchase agreement, Laminar agreed to convert an amount of notes to acquire up to an additional 8.75 million shares of Danielson common stock at $1.53 per share based upon the levels of public participation in the May 18, 2004 rights offering. Based upon the public participation in the rights offering, Danielson issued the maximum of 8.75 million shares to Laminar pursuant to the conversion of approximately $13.4 million in principal amount of notes. Consequently, the $20 million principal amount of notes held by Laminar plus accrued but unpaid interest was repaid in full on June 11, 2004 through the issuance of 8.75 million shares of Danielson common stock to Laminar and $7.9 million of the proceeds from the rights offering.

      Danielson has agreed to commence an offering of shares to a class of creditors of Covanta that are entitled to participate in an offering of up to 3.0 million shares of Danielson common stock at a price of $1.53 per share pursuant to the Covanta Reorganization Plan. Danielson has filed a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) to register the offering, which registration statement has not yet been declared effective by the SEC.

      As part of Danielson’s negotiations with Laminar and its becoming a five percent stockholder, pursuant to a letter agreement dated December 2, 2003, Laminar has agreed to additional restrictions on the transferability of the shares of Danielson common stock that Laminar holds or will acquire. Further, in accordance with the transfer restrictions contained in Article Fifth of Danielson’s charter restricting the resale of Danielson common stock by five percent stockholders, Danielson has agreed with Laminar to provide it with limited rights to resell the Danielson common stock that it holds. Finally, pursuant to its agreement with the Bridge Lenders on July 28, 2004, Danielson has filed a registration statement with the SEC to register the shares of Danielson common stock issued to or acquired by them under the note purchase agreement. The registration statement was declared effective on August 24, 2004.

      Samuel Zell, Danielson’s former Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors, and William Pate, current Chairman of Danielson, are affiliated with SZ Investments. David Barse, a Director of Danielson, is affiliated with Third Avenue. The note purchase agreement and other transactions involving the Bridge Lenders were negotiated, reviewed and approved by a special committee of Danielson’s Board of Directors composed solely of disinterested directors and advised by independent legal and financial advisors.

DESCRIPTION OF DANIELSON’S BUSINESSES

      Set forth below is a description of Danielson’s business operations as of December 31, 2004, as presented in the Consolidated Financial Statements included in this report. Danielson is engaged in two primary business segments: the Energy Services business of Covanta and the Insurance Services business. Each of these businesses, and the NOLs at the holding company level, are described below.

      Additional information about Danielson’s business segments is included in Item 7, Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations and Note 32 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

      This Annual Report on Form 10-K includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Actual results may differ materially from those contained in such forward-looking statements. See “Forward Looking Statements” below.

(A)     Holding Company Business

      Prior to the Covanta acquisition, Danielson’s strategy had been to grow by developing business partnerships and making strategic acquisitions. Following the Covanta acquisition, Danielson’s strategy has been to concentrate on increasing value in Covanta’s core waste-to-energy business, while ensuring the NOLs at the Danielson level are available to Covanta as contemplated by the Reorganization Plan.

      As of December 31, 2004, Danielson had consolidated NOLs of approximately $516 million. This estimate was based upon federal consolidated income tax losses for the periods through December 31, 2003 and an estimate of the 2004 taxable results. Some or all of the carryforward may be available to offset, for federal income tax purposes, the future taxable income, if any, of Danielson, its wholly-owned subsidiaries and the Mission trusts described in more detail in Note 25 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. The Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) has not audited any of Danielson’s tax returns for any of the years during the carryforward period including those returns for the years in which the losses giving rise to the NOL carryforward were reported.

      Danielson’s NOLs will expire, if not used, in the following approximate amounts in the following years (in thousands of dollars):

      Danielson’s ability to utilize its NOLs would be substantially reduced if Danielson were to undergo an “ownership change” within the meaning of Section 382(g)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code. Danielson will be treated as having had an “ownership change” if there is more than a 50% increase in stock ownership during a three year “testing period” by “5% stockholders”. In an effort to reduce the risk of an ownership change, Danielson has imposed restrictions on the ability of holders of five percent or more of the Common Stock, as well as the ability of others to become five percent stockholders as a result of transfers of Common Stock. The transfer restrictions were implemented in 1992, and Danielson expects that they will remain in force as long as the NOLs are available to Danielson. Notwithstanding such transfer restrictions, there could be circumstances under which an issuance by Danielson of a significant number of new shares of Common Stock or other new class of equity security having certain characteristics (for example, the right to vote or convert into Common Stock) might result in an ownership change under the Internal Revenue Code.

(B)     Energy Services Business

      See Note 33 to the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for financial information about segments and geographic areas.

      Covanta’s domestic business is the design, construction and long-term operation of key infrastructure for municipalities and others in waste-to-energy and independent power production. Covanta’s largest operations are in waste-to-energy projects, and it currently operates 25 waste-to-energy projects, the majority of which were developed and structured contractually as part of competitive procurements conducted by municipal entities. The waste-to-energy plants combust municipal solid waste as a means of environmentally sound disposal and produce energy that is typically sold as electricity to utilities and other electricity purchasers. Covanta processes approximately four percent of the municipal solid waste produced in the United States and therefore represents a vital part of the nation’s solid waste disposal industry.

      The essential purpose of Covanta’s waste-to-energy projects is to provide waste disposal services, typically to municipal clients who sponsor the projects (“Client Communities”). Generally, Covanta provides these services pursuant to long-term service contracts (“Service Agreements”). The electricity or steam is sold pursuant to long-term power purchase agreements (“Energy Contracts”) with local utilities or industrial customers, with one exception, and most of the resulting revenues reduce the overall cost of waste disposal services to the Client Communities. Each Service Agreement is different to reflect the specific needs and concerns of the Client Community, applicable regulatory requirements and other factors. The original terms of the Service Agreements are each 20 or more years, with the majority now in the second half of the applicable term. Most of Covanta’s Service Agreements may be renewed for varying periods of time, at the option of the client community.

      Covanta currently operates the waste-to-energy projects identified below under “Domestic Project Summaries.” Most of Covanta’s operating waste-to-energy projects were developed and structured contractually as part of competitive procurement conducted by municipal entities. As a result, these projects have many common features, which are described in “Structurally Similar Waste-to-Energy Projects” below. Certain projects which do not follow this model, or have been or may be restructured, are described in “Other Waste-to-Energy Project Structures” and “Project Restructurings during 2004” below.

      Covanta receives its revenue in the form of fees pursuant to Service Agreements, and in some cases Energy Contracts, at facilities it owns. Covanta’s Service Agreements begin to expire in 2007, and Energy Contracts at Company-owned projects generally expire at or after the date on which that project’s Service Agreement expires. As Covanta’s contracts expire it will become subject to greater market risk in maintaining and enhancing its revenues. As its Service Agreements at municipally-owned facilities expire, Covanta intends to seek to enter into renewal or replacement contracts to operate several such facilities. Covanta also will seek to bid competitively in the market for additional contracts to operate other facilities as similar contracts of other vendors expire. As Covanta’s Service Agreements at facilities it owns begin to expire, it intends to seek replacement or additional contracts, and because project debt on these facilities will be paid off at such time Covanta expects to be able to offer rates that will attract sufficient quantities of waste while providing acceptable revenues to Covanta. At Company-owned facilities, the expiration of existing Energy Contracts will require Covanta to sell its output either into the local electricity grid at prevailing rates or pursuant to new contracts. There can be no assurance that Covanta will be able to enter into such renewals, replacement or additional contracts, or that the terms available in the market at the time will be favorable to Covanta.

      Covanta’s opportunities for growth by investing in new projects will be limited by existing non-project debt covenants, as well as by competition from other companies in the waste disposal business. For a discussion of such debt covenants see Note 19 to the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

      Each Service Agreement is different to reflect the specific needs and concerns of the Client Community, applicable regulatory requirements and other factors. However, the following description sets forth terms that are generally common to these agreements:

      Financing for Covanta’s domestic waste-to-energy projects is generally accomplished through tax-exempt and taxable revenue bonds issued by or on behalf of the Client Community. If the facility is owned by a Covanta subsidiary, the Client Community loans the bond proceeds to the subsidiary to pay for facility construction and pays to the subsidiary amounts necessary to pay debt service. For such facilities, project-related debt is included as “project debt (short-and long-term)” in Covanta’s consolidated financial statements. Generally, such debt is secured by the revenues pledged under the respective indentures and is collateralized by the assets of Covanta’s subsidiary with the only recourse to Covanta being related to construction and operating performance defaults.

      Covanta has issued instruments to its Client Communities and other parties which guarantee that Covanta’s operating subsidiaries will perform in accordance with contractual terms including, where required, the payment of damages. Such contractual damages could be material, and in circumstances where one or more subsidiary’s contract has been terminated for its default, such damages could include amounts sufficient to repay project debt. For facilities owned by Client Communities and operated by Covanta subsidiaries, Covanta’s potential maximum liability as of December 31, 2004 associated with the repayment of project debt on such facilities was in excess of $1 billion. If Covanta is asked to perform under one or more of such guarantees, its liability for damages upon contract termination would be reduced by funds held in trust and proceeds from sales of the facilities securing the project debt which is presently not estimable. To date, Covanta has not incurred material liabilities under such guarantees.

      Covanta’s Haverhill, Massachusetts waste-to-energy facility is not operated pursuant to a Service Agreement with a Client Community. In this project, Covanta assumed the project debt and risks relating to waste availability and pricing, risks relating to the continued performance of the electricity purchaser, as well as risks associated with Unforeseen Circumstances. Covanta retains all of the energy revenues from sales of power and disposal fees for waste accepted at this facility. Accordingly, Covanta believes that this project carries both greater risks and greater potential rewards than projects in which there is a Client Community.

      During 2003, US Gen New England, Inc. (“USGenNE”), the power purchaser for the Haverhill project, filed a petition under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code. During the pendency of its bankruptcy, on October 8, 2004, the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maryland entered an order approving the sale by USGenNE of certain of its assets, including its contract to purchase power from the Haverhill project, to Dominion Energy New England, Inc. (“Dominion”). As a result of USGenNE’s sale to Dominion, USGenNE assigned and Dominion assumed such contract and Covanta was paid all outstanding prepetition cure amounts plus interest.

      In Union County, New Jersey, a municipally-owned facility has been leased to Covanta, and the Client Community has agreed to deliver approximately 50% of the facility’s capacity on a put-or-pay basis. The balance of facility capacity is marketed by Covanta at its risk. Covanta guarantees its subsidiary’s contractual obligations to operate and maintain the facility, and on one series of subordinated bonds, its obligations to make lease payments which are the sole source for payment of principal and interest on that series of bonds. As of December 31, 2004, the current outstanding principal amount of the subordinated bonds, sold to refinance a portion of the original bonds used to finance the facility, was $17.7 million. As a part of restructuring of this project, the Client Community assigned to Covanta the long-term power contract with the local utility. As part of this assignment, the power contract was amended to give Covanta the right to sell all or a portion of the plant’s output to other purchasers. Since April 2002, Covanta has sold the majority of its output directly into the regional electricity grid at market pricing with the remainder of the electricity sold under short-term contract when Covanta may enter into contracts with other purchasers if it believes doing so would enhance this project’s revenues.

      Covanta’s Alexandria, Virginia waste-to-energy facility is operated pursuant to a Service Agreement with the City of Alexandria, Virginia and Arlington County, Virginia and authorities established by those communities (the “Virginia Communities”). The Virginia Communities pay a fixed tip fee, subject to certain adjustments, for each ton of waste they are required to deliver on a put-or-pay basis (about 65% of the facility’s capacity). The balance of the waste is obtained by Covanta from private haulers pursuant to short-term contracts or on a spot basis. Covanta’s operating subsidiary receives all of the electricity revenues received under the facility’s power sales agreement and pays the debt service on the bonds issued to finance the facility. The Service Agreement provides that if income available for debt service, as calculated in accordance with the Service Agreement, does not cover debt service, the Virginia Communities will loan Covanta’s operating subsidiary the amount of the shortfall. Any such loan is required to be repaid from the project’s positive cash flow in succeeding years and would have an ultimate maturity in 2023. The interest rate on any such loan is six percent. Since the Alexandria facility began operating in 1988, the Virginia Communities have been required to extend such loans on four occasions, the last of which was with respect to the operating year ending June 1, 2001. All such loans have been fully repaid within six months, and as of December 31, 2004 there were currently no outstanding loans to Covanta’s operating subsidiary.

      The Town of Babylon, New York (“Babylon”) filed a proof of claim against Covanta Babylon, Inc. (“Covanta Babylon”) in its bankruptcy proceeding for approximately $13.4 million in prepetition damages and $5.5 million in postpetition damages, alleging that Covanta Babylon has accepting less waste than required under the Service Agreement between Babylon and Covanta Babylon at the waste-to-energy facility in Babylon and that Covanta Babylon’s Chapter 11 Cases imposed on Babylon additional costs for which Covanta Babylon should be responsible. Covanta filed an objection to Babylon’s claim, asserting that it was in full compliance with the express requirements of the Service Agreement and was entitled to adjust the amount of waste it is required to accept to reflect the energy content of the waste delivered. Covanta Babylon also asserted that the costs arising from its Chapter 11 proceedings are not recoverable by Babylon. After lengthy discussions, Babylon and Covanta Babylon reached a settlement pursuant to which, in part, (i) the parties amended the Service Agreement to adjust Covanta Babylon’s operational procedures for accepting waste, reduce Covanta Babylon’s waste processing obligations, increase Babylon’s additional waste service fee to Covanta Babylon and reduce Babylon’s annual operating and maintenance fee to Covanta Babylon; (ii) Covanta Babylon paid a specified amount to Babylon in consideration for a release of any and all claims (other than its rights under the settlement documents) that Babylon may hold against the Covanta and in satisfaction of Babylon’s administrative expense claims against Covanta Babylon; and (iii) the parties allocated additional costs relating to the project’s swap financing as a result of Covanta Babylon’s Chapter 11 proceedings until such costs are eliminated. Covanta Babylon subsequently emerged from Chapter 11 pursuant to the Reorganization Plan as described below on March 10, 2004, and the restructuring became effective on March 12, 2004.

      In late 2000, Lake County, Florida (“Lake County”) commenced a lawsuit in Florida state court against Covanta Lake, Inc. (“Covanta Lake,”) relating to the waste-to-energy facility operated by Covanta in Lake County, Florida (the “Lake Facility”). In the lawsuit, Lake County sought to have its Service Agreement with Covanta Lake declared void and in violation of the Florida Constitution. That lawsuit was stayed by the commencement of the Chapter 11 Cases. Lake County subsequently filed a proof of claim seeking in excess of $70 million from Covanta Lake and Covanta.

      After months of negotiations that failed to produce a settlement between Covanta Lake and Lake County, on June 20, 2003, Covanta Lake filed a motion with the Bankruptcy Court seeking entry of an order (i) authorizing Covanta Lake to assume, effective upon confirmation of a plan of reorganization for Covanta Lake, its Service Agreement with Lake County, (ii) finding no cure amounts due under the Service Agreement, and (iii) seeking a declaration that the Service Agreement is valid, enforceable and constitutional and remains in full force and effect. Contemporaneously with the filing of the assumption motion, Covanta Lake filed an adversary complaint asserting that Lake County is in arrears to Covanta Lake in the amount of more than $8.5 million. Shortly before trial commenced in these matters, Covanta and Lake County reached a tentative settlement calling for a new agreement specifying the parties’ obligations and restructuring of the project. That tentative settlement and the proposed restructuring involved, among other things, termination of the existing Service Agreement and the execution of a new waste disposal agreement which provides for a put-or-pay obligation on Lake County’s part to deliver 163,000 tons per year of acceptable waste to the Lake Facility and a different fee structure; a replacement guarantee from Covanta in a reduced amount; the payment by Lake County of all amounts due as “pass through” costs with respect to Covanta Lake’s payment of property taxes; the payment by Lake County of a specified amount in 2004, 2005 and 2006 in reimbursement of certain capital costs; the settlement of all pending litigation; and a refinancing of the existing bonds.

      The Lake settlement was contingent upon, among other things, receipt of all necessary approvals, as well as a favorable outcome to the Debtors’ separate objection to the proof of claims filed by F. Browne Gregg, a third-party claiming an interest in the existing Service Agreement that would be terminated under the

proposed settlement. In August 2004, the Bankruptcy Court ruled on the Debtors’ claims objections, finding in favor of the Debtors. Based on the foregoing, the Debtors determined to propose a plan of reorganization for Covanta Lake.

      The Debtors subsequently reached a final settlement with Mr. Gregg, entered into a new long-term waste disposal agreement with Lake County on terms substantially similar to the tentative settlement, refinanced the project debt and confirmed the Covanta Lake plan of reorganization in December 2004. Covanta Lake emerged from bankruptcy on December 12, 2004.

      The Covanta subsidiary (“Covanta Warren”) which operates Covanta’s waste-to-energy facility in Warren County, New Jersey (the “Warren Facility”) and the Pollution Control Financing Authority of Warren County (“Warren Authority”) have been engaged in negotiations for an extended time concerning a potential restructuring of the parties’ rights and obligations under various agreements related to Covanta Warren’s operation of the Warren Facility. Those negotiations were in part precipitated by a 1997 federal court of appeals decision invalidating certain of the State of New Jersey’s waste-flow laws, which resulted in significantly reduced revenues for the Warren Facility. Since 1999, the State of New Jersey has been voluntarily making all debt service payments with respect to the project bonds issued to finance construction of the Warren Facility, and Covanta Warren has been operating the Warren Facility pursuant to an agreement with the Warren Authority which modifies the existing Service Agreement for the Warren Facility.

      Although discussions continue, to date Covanta Warren and the Warren Authority have been unable to reach an agreement to restructure the contractual arrangements governing Covanta Warren’s operation of the Warren Facility. Based upon the foregoing, Covanta has not yet determined to propose a plan of reorganization or plan of liquidation for Covanta Warren at this time, and instead has determined that Covanta Warren should remain a debtor-in-possession.

      In order to emerge from bankruptcy without uncertainty concerning potential claims against Covanta related to the Warren Facility, Covanta rejected its guarantees of Covanta Warren’s obligations relating to the operation and maintenance of the Warren Facility. Covanta anticipates that if a restructuring is consummated, Covanta may at that time issue a new parent guarantee in connection with that restructuring and emergence from bankruptcy.

      In the event the parties are unable to timely reach agreement upon and consummate a restructuring of the contractual arrangements governing Covanta Warren’s operation of the Warren Facility, Covanta may, among other things, elect to litigate with counterparties to certain agreements with Covanta Warren, assume or reject one or more executory contracts related to the Warren Facility, attempt to file a plan of reorganization on a non-consensual basis, or liquidate Covanta Warren. In such an event, creditors of Covanta Warren may not receive any recovery on account of their claims.

      Covanta expects that the outcome of this restructuring will not negatively affect its ability to implement its business plan or have a material impact on its operating results and financial position.

      Covanta designed, constructed and now operates and maintains this 1,200 ton per day mass burn waste-to-energy facility located in and owned by Hillsborough County. Due to the growth in the amount of solid waste generated in Hillsborough County, Hillsborough County has informed Covanta of its desire to expand the facility’s waste processing and electricity generation capacities, a possibility contemplated by the existing contract between Covanta and Hillsborough County. As part of the proposed agreement to implement this expansion Covanta would receive a long-term operating contract extension. Negotiations are ongoing and contracts for construction of the expansion and operation and maintenance of the expanded facility are still to be finalized and approved by the parties. In addition, environmental and other project related permits will need to be secured and financing completed. At this time, there can be no assurance that any definitive agreements

will be finalized or approved by the parties, the relevant permits will be received or that Hillsborough County will, in fact, expand the facility.

      Covanta designed, constructed and now operates and maintains this 1,200 ton per day mass burn waste-to-energy facility located in and owned by Lee County. Due to the growth in the amount of solid waste generated in Lee County, Lee County has informed Covanta of its desire to enlist Covanta to manage the expansion of the facility’s waste processing and electricity generation capacities, a possibility contemplated by the existing contract between Covanta and Lee County. As part of the proposed agreement to implement this expansion Covanta would receive a long term operating contract extension. Negotiations are ongoing and contracts for construction of the expansion and operation and maintenance of the expanded facility are still to be finalized and approved by the parties. In addition, financing for the expansion project must be completed. Lee County has received the principal environmental permit for the expansion. At this time, there can be no assurance that any definitive agreements will be finalized or approved by the parties or that Lee County will, in fact, expand the facility.

      This 2,160 ton per day refuse derived fuel facility was designed and constructed by an entity not related to Covanta. Subsequently, Covanta purchased the rights to operate and maintain the facility on behalf of the City and County of Honolulu. The City and County of Honolulu have informed Covanta of their desire to expand the facility’s waste processing capacity, a possibility contemplated by the existing contract between Covanta and the City and the County of Honolulu. As part of the proposed agreement to implement the expansion Covanta would receive a long-term operating contract extension. Negotiations are ongoing and contracts for construction of the expansion and operation and maintenance of the expanded facility are still to be finalized and approved by the parties. In addition, environmental and other project related permits will need to be secured and financing completed. At this time, there can be no assurance that any definitive agreements will be finalized or approved by the parties, the relevant permits will be received or that the City and the County of Honolulu will, in fact, expand the facility

      Since 1989, Covanta has been engaged in developing, owning and/or operating independent power production facilities utilizing a variety of energy sources including water (hydroelectric), natural gas, coal, waste wood (biomass), landfill gas, heavy fuel oil and diesel fuel. Covanta currently owns, has ownership in and operates 13 such facilities. The electrical output from each facility, with one exception, is sold to local utilities. Covanta’s revenue from the independent power production facilities is derived primarily from the sale of energy and capacity under energy contracts. During 2003, Covanta sold its interests in its Geothermal Energy Project Business.

      The regulatory framework for selling power to utilities from independent power facilities (including waste-to-energy facilities) after current contracts expire is in flux, given the energy crisis in California in 2000 and 2001, the over-capacity of generation at the present time in many markets and the uncertainty as to the adoption of new federal energy legislation. Various states and Congress are considering a wide variety of changes to regulatory frameworks, but none has been established definitively at present.

      Covanta owns a 50% equity interest in two run-of-river hydroelectric facilities, Koma Kulshan and Weeks Falls, which have a combined gross capacity of 17 MW. Both Koma Kulshan and Weeks Falls are located in Washington State and both sell energy and capacity to Puget Sound Power & Light Company under long-term energy contracts. A subsidiary of Covanta provides operation and maintenance services to the Koma Kulshan partnership under a cost plus fixed fee agreement.

      During the first quarter of 2004, Covanta operated the New Martinsville facility in West Virginia, a 40 MW run-of-river project pursuant to a short-term Interim Operations and Maintenance Agreement which expired March 31, 2004. Covanta chose not to renew the lease on the project, the term of which expired in October 2003.

      Covanta owns 100% interests in Burney Mountain Power, Mt. Lassen Power, and Pacific Oroville Power, three wood-fired generation facilities in northern California. A fourth facility, Pacific Ultrapower Chinese Station, is owned by a partnership in which the Company holds a 50% interest. Fuel for the facilities is procured from local sources primarily through short-term supply agreements. The price of the fuel varies depending on time of year, supply and price of energy. These projects have a gross generating capacity of 67 MW and sell energy and capacity to Pacific Gas & Electric under energy contracts. Until July 2001 these facilities were receiving Pacific Gas & Electric’s short run avoided cost for energy delivered. However, beginning in July 2001 these facilities entered into five-year fixed-price periods pursuant to energy contract amendments.

      Covanta has interests in and/or operates seven landfill gas projects which produce electricity by burning methane gas produced in landfills. The Otay, Oxnard, Salinas, Stockton, Toyon and Santa Clara projects are located in California, and the Gude project is located in Maryland. The seven projects have a total gross capacity of 19.9 MW. The Gude facility energy contract has expired and the facility is currently selling its output into the regional utility grid. The remaining six projects sell energy and contracted capacity to various California utilities. The Salinas, Stockton and Santa Clara energy contracts expire in 2007. The Otay and Oxnard energy contracts expire in 2011. Upon the expiration of the energy contracts, it is expected that these projects will enter into new power off take arrangements or the projects will be shut down. During the fourth quarter of 2004, Covanta sold its interests in the Penrose and Toyon landfill gas projects, located in California and a subsidiary of Covanta will continue to operate the Toyon project under an agreement which expires in 2007.

      Covanta designed, built and now continues to operate and maintain a 24 million gallon per day (“mgd”) potable water treatment facility and associated transmission and pumping equipment that supplies water to residents and businesses in Bessemer, Alabama, a suburb of Birmingham. Under a long-term contract with the Governmental Services Corporation of Bessemer, Covanta received a fixed price for design and construction of the facility, and it is paid a fixed fee plus pass-through costs for delivering processed water to Bessemer’s water distribution system.

      Between 2000 and 2002, Covanta was awarded contracts to supply its patented DualSand™microfiltration system (“DSS”) to twelve municipalities in upstate New York as the primary technological improvement necessary to upgrade their existing water and wastewater treatment systems. Five of these upgrades were made in connection with the United States Environmental Protection Agency and New York City Department of Environmental Protection (“NYCDEP”), a $1.4 billion program to protect and enhance the drinking water supply, or watershed, for New York City. These DSS contracts for upgrades have been completed and non-material payment issues are currently being discussed by, and may be litigated between, Covanta and NYCDEP in order to close out these contracts. Covanta does not expect to enter into further contracts for such projects in the New York City watershed.

      During 2003, Covanta Tampa Construction, Inc. (“CTC”) completed construction of a 25 mgd desalination-to-drinking water facility under a contract with Tampa Bay Water (“TBW”) near Tampa,

Florida. Covanta Energy Group, Inc. guaranteed CTC’s performance under its construction contract with TBW. A separate subsidiary, Covanta Tampa Bay, Inc. (“CTB”), entered into a contract with TBW to operate the Tampa Water Facility after construction and testing is completed by CTC. As construction of the Tampa Water Facility neared completion, the parties had material disputes between them. These disputes led to TBW issuing a default notice to CTC and shortly thereafter CTC filed a voluntary petition for relief under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code.

      In February 2004, Covanta and TBW reached a tentative compromise of their disputes which was approved by the Bankruptcy Court. On July 14, 2004, the Bankruptcy Court confirmed a plan of reorganization for CTC and CTB, which incorporated the terms of the settlement between Covanta and TBW. That plan became effective on August 6, 2004 when CTC and CTB emerged from bankruptcy. After payment of certain creditor claims under the CTC and CTB plan, Covanta realized approximately $4 million of the proceeds from the settlement with TBW. Under the terms of The Plan CTB will not operate the Tampa Water Facility, and the Company will have no continuing obligations with respect to this project.

      Covanta formerly operated and maintained wastewater treatment facilities on behalf of seven small municipal and industrial customers in upstate New York. During 2004, Covanta disposed of these assets through assignment, transfer or contract expiration. In addition, some of these contracts are short-term agreements which were by their terms terminated by the counterparty on notice that the counterparty no longer desired to continue receiving service from Covanta.

      During the fourth quarter of 2004, Covanta sold its ownership interests in two small landfill gas projects, the Penrose project and the Toyon project, located in southern California. These sales occurred following a determination by Covanta that it would either cease operating these projects or sell them to third parties who would upgrade them to meet new regulatory requirements and run them to generate renewable energy. Covanta received a total of approximately $0.5 million for the two projects.

      A discussion regarding adverse development by line recorded in 2004, 2003 and 2002 is set forth above in the prior table and narrative. The adverse development for the years ended 1996 through 2001 was related to both commercial auto and workers’ compensation. The commercial auto was most significantly impacted by case strengthening related to a change in claims administration, coupled with the recognition that development factors of prior years were not as indicative of the business written for those respective years due to changes in risk profile and limits. Workers’ compensation was most affected by changes in legislation that occurred in 1995 that took several years to develop, with such development being different than the experience prior to 1995.

      The development for the years ended 1994 and 1995 was due in part to the strengthening of the unpaid losses and LAE of property and casualty businesses assumed by NAICC in 1985 and workers’ compensation written prior to 1991. NAICC has continued to post additional incurred but not reported losses (“IBNR”) despite negotiations on several commutations of assumed excess of loss reinsurance contracts that indicated previous estimates of IBNR.

      Conditions and trends that have affected the development of these liabilities in the past may not necessarily recur in the future especially considering that those ongoing lines that have experienced the greatest adverse development have been placed in run-off in 2001 and 2003. Reliance on this cumulative history may not be indicative of future performance.

      In its normal course of business, NAICC reinsures a portion of its exposure with other insurance companies so as to effectively limit its maximum loss arising out of any one occurrence. Contracts of reinsurance do not legally discharge the original insurer from its primary liability. Estimated reinsurance receivables arising from these contracts of reinsurance are reported separately as assets in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States.

      As of December 31, 2004 General Reinsurance Corporation (“GenRe”) was the only reinsurer that comprised more than 10% of NAICC’s reinsurance recoverable on paid and unpaid balances. NAICC monitors all reinsurers, by reviewing A.M. Best reports and ratings, information obtained from reinsurance intermediaries and analyzing financial statements. At December 31, 2004, NAICC had reinsurance recover-

able on paid and unpaid balances from GenRe of $12.4 million. GenRe has an A.M. Best rating of A++. See Note 10 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for further information on reinsurance.

      NAICC and two of its subsidiaries participate in an inter-company pooling and reinsurance agreement. Under this agreement DICO and DNIC cede 100% of their net liability, defined to include premiums, losses and LAE, to NAICC to be combined with the net liability for policies of NAICC in formation of the “pool”. NAICC simultaneously cedes to DICO and DNIC 10% of the net liability of the pool. DNIC commenced participation in July 1993 and DICO commenced in January 1994. Additionally, DICO, DNIC and Valor reimburse NAICC for executive services, professional services, and administrative expenses based primarily on designated percentages of net written premiums and other cost determiners for each line of business.

MARKETS, COMPETITION AND BUSINESS CONDITIONS

      Covanta’s business can be adversely affected by general economic conditions, war, inflation, adverse competitive conditions, governmental restrictions and controls, change in law, natural disasters, energy shortages, fuel cost and availability, weather, the adverse financial condition of customers and suppliers, various technological changes and other factors over which Covanta has no control.

      Covanta expects in the foreseeable future that competition for new contracts and projects will be intense in all domestic markets in which Covanta conducts or intends to conduct its businesses, and its businesses will be subject to a variety of competitive and market influences.

      With respect to its waste-to-energy business, Covanta competes in two principal markets, both of which are highly competitive. The first market in which it competes is the market for waste disposal. While Covanta currently processes for disposal approximately four percent of the municipal solid waste in the United States, the market for waste disposal is almost entirely price-driven and is greatly influenced by economic factors within regional “waste sheds.” These factors include:

      In this market, Covanta competes on disposal price (usually on a per-ton basis) with other disposal service providers seeking to obtain waste supplies to their facilities. At most of its facilities, Covanta is unable to compete in this market because it does not have the contractual right to solicit waste; at these facilities it is the Client Community which is responsible for obtaining the waste, if necessary by competing on price to obtain the tons of waste it has contractually promised to deliver to Covanta’s facility. At all but three of its facilities, Covanta is unable to offer material levels of disposal capacity to the market because of existing long-term contractual commitments. At these projects plant capacity is contractually committed and therefore unable to be offered to the market. At three of its facilities, in Haverhill, Massachusetts, Union County, New Jersey, and Alexandria, Virginia Covanta is responsible for obtaining material amounts of waste supply and so is actively competing in these markets to enter into spot medium- and long-term contracts. All of these projects are in densely populated areas, with high waste generation rates and numerous large and small participants in the regional market.

      Once a long-term contract expires and is not renewed or extended by a Client Community, Covanta’s percentage of contracted disposal capacity will decrease, and it will need to compete in the regional market for waste disposal. At that point, it will compete on price with landfills, transfer stations, other waste-to-energy facilities, and other waste disposal technologies that are then offering disposal service in the region. See

discussion below under Part II, Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” for additional information concerning the expiration of existing contracts.

      The second market in which Covanta competes related to its waste-to-energy projects is the market for obtaining new contracts to operate waste-to-energy facilities, either through greenfield development or through competing to be selected by project owners soliciting bids for new operators. In this market, there are fewer competitors than in the broader waste disposal market. This market for new waste-to-energy facilities is anticipated to be very limited with few opportunities for the foreseeable future.

      Since before its bankruptcy filing in 2002, Covanta has not engaged in material development activity with respect to its independent power business. Covanta may consider developing additional renewable energy projects in the future, and if it were to do so would face competition from a large number of independent energy companies.

      With respect to its sales of electricity from its waste-to-energy projects and independent power projects Covanta primarily sells its output pursuant to long-term contract. Accordingly, it generally does not sell its output into markets where it must compete on price. As these contracts expire, Covanta will participate in such markets if it is unable to enter into new or renewed long-term contracts. See discussion below under Part II, Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” for additional information concerning the expiration of existing contracts.

      Once a contract is awarded or a project is financed and constructed, Covanta’s business can be impacted by a variety of risk factors which can affect profitability over the life of a project. Some of these risks are at least partially within Covanta’s control, such as successful operation in compliance with law and the presence or absence of labor difficulties or disturbances. Other risk factors, described above, are largely out of Covanta’s control and may have an adverse impact on a project over a long-term operation.

      Covanta has the exclusive right to market in the United States the proprietary mass-burn technology of Martin GmbH für Umwelt und Energietechnik (“Martin”). All of the waste-to-energy projects that Covanta has constructed use the Martin technology, although Covanta does own and/or operate some projects using other technologies. The principal feature of the Martin technology is the reverse-reciprocating stoker grate upon which the waste is burned. The patent for the basic stoker grate technology used in the Martin technology expired in 1989, and there are various other expired and unexpired patents relating to the Martin technology. Covanta believes that it is Martin’s know-how and worldwide reputation in the waste-to-energy field, and Covanta’s know-how in designing, constructing and operating waste-to-energy facilities, rather than the use of patented technology, that is important to Covanta’s competitive position in the waste-to-energy industry in the United States. Covanta does not believe that the expiration of the patent covering the basic stoker grate technology or patents on other portions of the Martin technology will have a material adverse effect on Covanta’s financial condition or competitive position.

      Covanta believes that mass-burn technology is now the predominant technology used for the combustion of solid waste. Covanta believes that the Martin technology is a proven and reliable mass-burn technology, and that its association with Martin has created significant name recognition and value for Covanta’s domestic waste-to-energy business.

      Since 1984, Covanta’s rights to the Martin technology have been provided pursuant to a cooperation agreement with Martin which gives Covanta exclusive rights to market, and distribute parts and equipment for the Martin technology in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and certain Caribbean countries. Martin is obligated to assist Covanta in installing, operating and maintaining facilities incorporating the Martin technology. The cooperation agreement renews automatically each year unless notice of termination is given, in which case the cooperation agreement would terminate 10 years after such notice. Any termination would not affect the rights of Covanta to design, construct, operate, maintain or repair waste-to-energy facilities for which contracts have been entered into or proposals made prior to the date of termination.

Insurance Services

      The property and casualty insurance industry is highly competitive. The insurance industry consists of a large number of companies, many of which operate in more than one state, offering automobile, homeowners and commercial property insurance, as well as insurance coverage in other lines. Many of NAICC’s competitors have larger volumes of business, greater financial resources and higher financial strength ratings. NAICC’s competitors having greater shares of the California market sell automobile insurance either directly to consumers, through independent agents and brokers or through exclusive agency arrangements similar to SCJ.

      The principal means by which Insurance Service’s competes with other automobile insurers is by its focus on meeting the needs of the non-standard private passenger automobile market in California where it believes it has competitive pricing, underwriting and service capabilities. Insurance Services also competes by using niche marketing efforts of its products through SCJ.

      The operating results of a property and casualty insurer are influenced by a variety of factors including general economic conditions, competition, regulation of insurance rates, weather, frequency and severity of losses. The California non-standard personal auto market in which NAICC operates has experienced a recovery of rate adequacy coupled with stable competition. Frequency of claims improved from 2002 to 2003 and remained stable in 2004, while the average cost of settling claims has steadily improved from 2002 to 2004.

REGULATION OF DANIELSON’S BUSINESSES

      Danielson’s Energy and Insurance Service Businesses are highly regulated.

      Covanta’s business activities in the United States are pervasively regulated pursuant to federal, state and local environmental laws. Federal laws, such as the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act, and their state counterparts, govern discharges of pollutants to air and water. Other federal, state and local laws comprehensively govern the generation, transportation, storage, treatment and disposal of solid and hazardous waste and also regulate the storage and handling of chemicals and petroleum products (such laws and the regulations thereunder, “Environmental Regulatory Laws”).

      Other federal, state and local laws, such as the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act (“CERCLA”) (collectively, “Environmental Remediation Laws”) make Covanta potentially liable on a joint and several basis for any onsite or offsite environmental contamination which may be associated with Covanta’s activities and the activities at sites, including but not limited to landfills that Covanta’s subsidiaries have owned, operated or leased or, at which there has been disposal of residue or other waste generated, handled or processed by such subsidiaries. Some state and local laws also impose liabilities for injury to persons or property caused by site contamination. Some Service Agreements provide for indemnification of operating subsidiaries from some such liabilities. In addition, other subsidiaries involved in landfill gas projects have access rights to landfill sites pursuant to certain leases that permit the installation, operation and maintenance of landfill gas collection systems. A portion of these landfill sites is and has been a federally-designated “Superfund” site. Each of these leases provide for indemnification of Covanta subsidiary from some liabilities associated with these sites.

      The Environmental Regulatory Laws require that many permits be obtained before the commencement of construction and operation of any waste-to-energy, independent power project or water facility, and further requires that permits be maintained throughout the operating life of the facility. There can be no assurance that all required permits will be issued or re-issued, and the process of obtaining such permits can often cause lengthy delays, including delays caused by third-party appeals challenging permit issuance. Failure to meet conditions of these permits or of the Environmental Regulatory Laws can subject an operating subsidiary to regulatory enforcement actions by the appropriate governmental unit, which could include fines, penalties,

damages or other sanctions, such as orders requiring certain remedial actions or limiting or prohibiting operation. To date, Covanta has not incurred material penalties, been required to incur material capital costs or additional expenses, nor been subjected to material restrictions on its operations as a result of violations of Environmental Regulatory Laws or permit requirements.

      Although Covanta’s operations are occasionally subject to proceedings and orders pertaining to emissions into the environment and other environmental violations, which may result in fines, penalties, damages or other sanctions, Covanta believes that it is in substantial compliance with existing environmental laws and regulations. Covanta may be identified, along with other entities, as being among parties potentially responsible for contribution to costs associated with the correction and remediation of environmental conditions at disposal sites subject to CERCLA and/or analogous state laws. In certain instances Covanta may be exposed to joint and several liabilities for remedial action or damages. Covanta’s ultimate liability in connection with such environmental claims will depend on many factors, including its volumetric share of waste, the total cost of remediation, and the financial viability of other companies that also sent waste to a given site and, in the case of divested operations, its contractual arrangement with the purchaser of such operations.

      The Environmental Regulatory Laws are subject to revision. New technology may be required or stricter standards may be established for the control of discharges of air or water pollutants for storage and handling of petroleum products or chemicals or for solid or hazardous waste or ash handling and disposal. Thus, as new technology is developed and proven, it may be required to be incorporated into new facilities or major modifications to existing facilities. This new technology may often be more expensive than that used previously.

      The Environmental Remediation Laws prohibit disposal of regulated hazardous waste at Covanta’s municipal solid waste facilities. The Service Agreements recognize the potential for improper deliveries of hazardous wastes and specify procedures for dealing with hazardous waste that is delivered to a facility. Although certain Service Agreements require Covanta’s subsidiary to be responsible for some costs related to hazardous waste deliveries, to date no operating subsidiary has incurred material hazardous waste disposal costs.

      Domestic drinking water facilities are subject to regulation of water quality by the state and federal agencies under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act and by similar state laws. These laws provide for the establishment of uniform minimum national water quality standards, as well as governmental authority to specify the type of treatment processes to be used for public drinking water. Under the federal Clean Water Act, Covanta may be required to obtain and comply with National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permits for discharges from its treatment stations. Generally, under its current contracts, Covanta is not responsible for fines and penalties resulting from the delivery to Covanta’s treatment facility of water not meeting standards set forth in those contracts.

      Covanta aims to provide energy generating and other infrastructure through environmentally protective project designs, regardless of the location of a particular project. This approach is consistent with the stringent environmental requirements of multilateral financing institutions, such as the World Bank, and also with Covanta’s experience in domestic waste-to-energy projects, where environmentally protective facility design and performance is required. Compliance with environmental standards comparable to those of the United States may be conditions to the provision of credit by multilateral banking agencies as well as other lenders or credit providers. The laws of other countries also may require regulation of emissions into the environment, and provide governmental entities with the authority to impose sanctions for violations, although these requirements are generally not as rigorous as those applicable in the United States. As with domestic project development, there can be no assurance that all required permits will be issued, and the process can often cause lengthy delays.

      Covanta’s businesses are subject to the provisions of federal, state and local energy laws applicable to the development, ownership and operation of their domestic facilities and to similar laws applicable to their foreign operations. Federal laws and regulations applicable to many of Covanta’s domestic energy businesses impose limitations on the types of fuel used, prescribe the degree to which these businesses are subject to federal and state utility-type regulation and restrict the extent to which these businesses may be owned by one or more electric utilities. State regulatory regimes govern rate approval and the other terms and conditions pursuant to which utilities purchase electricity from independent power producers, except to the extent such regulation is governed by federal law.

      Pursuant to the federal Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (“PURPA”), the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (the “FERC”) has promulgated regulations that exempt qualifying facilities (“QFs”) (facilities meeting certain size, fuel and ownership requirements) from compliance with certain provisions of the Federal Power Act (the “FPA”), the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 (“PUHCA”), and certain state laws regulating the rates charged by, or the financial and organizational activities of, electric utilities. PURPA was enacted in 1978 to encourage the development of cogeneration facilities and other facilities making use of non-fossil fuel power sources, including waste-to-energy facilities. The exemptions afforded by PURPA to QFs from regulation under the FPA and PUHCA and most aspects of state electric utility regulation are of great importance to Covanta and its competitors in the waste-to-energy and independent power industries.

      Except with respect to waste-to-energy facilities with a net power production capacity in excess of 30 MW (where rates are set by the FERC), state public utility commissions must approve the rates, and in some instances other contract terms, by which public utilities purchase electric power from QFs. PURPA requires that electric utilities purchase electric energy produced by QFs at negotiated rates or at a price equal to the incremental or “avoided” cost that would have been incurred by the utility if it were to generate the power itself or purchase it from another source. PURPA does not expressly require public utilities to enter into long-term contracts to purchase the output supplied by QFs. Many state public utility commissions have approved longer-term energy contracts as part of their implementation of PURPA.

      Under PUHCA, any entity owning or controlling 10% or more of the voting securities of a “public utility company” or company which is a “holding company” of a public utility company is subject to registration with the SEC and regulation by the SEC unless exempt from registration. Under PURPA, most projects that satisfy the definition of a “qualifying facility” are exempt from regulation under PUHCA. Under the Energy Policy Act of 1992, projects that are not QFs under PURPA but satisfy the definition of an “exempt wholesale generator” are not deemed to be public utility companies under PUHCA. Finally, projects that satisfy the definition of “foreign utility companies” are exempt from regulation under PUHCA. Covanta believes that all of its operating projects involved in the generation, transmission and/or distribution of electricity, both domestically and internationally, qualify for an exemption from PUHCA and that it is not and will not be required to register with the SEC under PUHCA.

      Congress continues from time to time to consider energy legislation to repeal both PURPA and PUHCA. Repeal of PUHCA would allow both independent power producers and vertically integrated utilities to acquire electric assets throughout the United States that are geographically widespread, eliminating the current requirement that the utility’s electric assets be capable of physical integration. Also, registered holding companies would be free to acquire non-utility businesses, which they may not do now, with certain limited exceptions. With the repeal of PURPA or PUHCA, competition for independent power generators from utilities would likely increase. This is likely to have little or no impact on Covanta’s existing projects, but may mean additional competition from highly capitalized companies seeking to develop projects in the U.S.

      Covanta presently has ownership and operating interests in electric generating projects outside the United States. Most countries have expansive systems for the regulation of the power business. These generally include provisions relating to ownership, licensing, rate setting and financing of generating and transmission facilities.

Insurance Services Business

      Insurance companies are subject to insurance laws and regulations established by the states in which they transact business. The agencies established pursuant to these state laws have broad administrative and supervisory powers relating to the granting and revocation of licenses to transact business, regulation of trade practices, establishment of guaranty associations, licensing of agents, approval of policy forms, premium rate filing requirements, reserve requirements, the form and content of required regulatory financial statements, capital and surplus requirements and the maximum concentrations of certain classes of investments. Most states also have enacted legislation regulating insurance holding company systems, including acquisitions, extraordinary dividends, the terms of affiliate transactions and other related matters. Danielson and its insurance subsidiaries have registered as holding company systems pursuant to such legislation in California and Montana, and routinely report to other jurisdictions. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (the “Association”) has formed committees and appointed advisory groups to study and formulate regulatory proposals on such diverse issues as the use of surplus debentures, accounting for reinsurance transactions and the adoption of risk based capital requirements. It is not possible to predict the impact of future state and federal regulation on the operations of Danielson or its Insurance Services business.

      Effective January 1, 2001, the Association’s codified statutory accounting principles (“SAP”) had been adopted by all U.S. insurance companies. The purpose of such codification is to provide a comprehensive basis of accounting and reporting to insurance departments. Although codification is expected to be the foundation of a state’s statutory accounting practice, it may be subject to modification by practices prescribed or permitted by a state’s insurance commissioner. Therefore, statutory financial statements will continue to be prepared on the basis of accounting practice prescribed or permitted by the insurance department of the state of domicile.

      NAICC is an insurance company domiciled in the State of California and is regulated by the California Department of Insurance for the benefit of policyholders. The California Insurance Code does not permit the payment of an extraordinary shareholder dividend without prior approval from the California Insurance Commissioner. Dividends are considered extraordinary if they exceed the greater of net income or 10% of statutory surplus as of the preceding December 31st. At this time and into the foreseeable future NAICC does not have sufficient accumulated earned surplus to pay further ordinary dividends.

      A model for determining the risk-based capital (“RBC”) requirements for property and casualty insurance companies was adopted in December 1993. The model generally assesses Danielson’s assets at risk and underwriting operations and determines policyholders’ surplus levels necessary to support such activity. NAICC has calculated its RBC requirement under the most recent RBC model and, as of December 31, 2004, it had capital in excess of any regulatory action level.

      The RBC model sets forth four levels of increasing regulatory intervention: (1) Company Action Level (200% of an insurer’s Authorized Control Level) at which the insurer must submit to the regulator a plan for increasing such insurer’s capital; (2) Regulatory Action Level (150% of an insurer’s Authorized Control Level), at which the insurer must submit a plan for increasing its capital to the regulator and the regulator may issue corrective orders; (3) Authorized Control Level, a multi-step calculation based upon information derived from an insurer’s most recent filed statutory annual statement, at which the regulator may take action to rehabilitate or liquidate the insurer; and (4) Mandatory Control Level (70% of an insurer’s Authorized Control Level), at which the regulator must rehabilitate or liquidate the insurer. At December 31, 2004, the RBC of NAICC improved to 361% compared to 252% in 2003.

      As discussed further in this Report at Part 1, Item 1,” Business — Introduction”, ACL filed for protection under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code. As a result, it was determined that NAICC’s investment in ACL was fully impaired for statutory accounting purposes. At December 31, 2002, NAICC recognized a statutory charge to its surplus of $7.4 million. This charge, when combined with NAICC’s

underwriting results and investment losses, reduced its statutory surplus level below the Company Action Level of NAICC’s RBC calculation. In response, Danielson repaid a $4.0 million note due May 2004 to NAICC, and further contributed $4.0 million to NAICC to increase its statutory capital during February 2003. With permission from the California Department of Insurance, these amounts were recorded as admitted assets for statutory accounting purposes at December 31, 2002. After consideration for the $8.0 million noted above, NAICC’s reported capital and surplus as of December 31, 2002 was above the Company Action Level of NAICC’s RBC calculation.

      In December 2003, Danielson contributed $2.0 million to NAICC to increase its statutory capital. No contributions were made by Danielson to its insurance operations in 2004.

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

Acquisition of American Ref-Fuel Holdings Corp.

      On January 31, 2005, Danielson entered into a stock purchase agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”) with American Ref-Fuel Holdings Corp. (“Ref-Fuel”), an owner and operator of waste-to-energy facilities in the northeast United States, and Ref-Fuel’s stockholders to purchase 100% of the issued and outstanding shares of American Ref-Fuel capital stock. Under the terms of the Purchase Agreement, Danielson will pay $740 million in cash for the stock of Ref-Fuel and will assume the consolidated net debt of Ref-Fuel, which as of December 31, 2004, was approximately $1.2 billion. After the transaction is completed, Ref-Fuel will be a wholly-owned subsidiary of Covanta.

      The acquisition is expected to close when all of the closing conditions to the Purchase Agreement have been satisfied or waived. These closing conditions include the receipt of approvals, clearances and the satisfaction of all waiting periods as required under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Act of 1976 and as required by certain governmental authorities such as the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and other applicable regulatory authorities. Other closing conditions of the transaction include the following: Danielson’s completion of debt financing and an equity Ref-Fuel Rights Offering, as further described below; Danielson arranging letters of credit or other financial accommodations in the aggregate amount of $100 million to replace two currently outstanding letters of credit that have been entered into by two respective subsidiaries of Ref-Fuel and issued in favor of a third subsidiary of Ref-Fuel; and other customary closing conditions. While it is anticipated that all of the applicable conditions will be satisfied, there can be no assurance as to whether or when all of those conditions will be satisfied or, where permissible, waived.

      Either Danielson or the selling stockholders of Ref-Fuel may terminate the Purchase Agreement if the acquisition does not occur on or before June 30, 2005. If a required governmental or regulatory approval has not been received by such date, however, then either party may extend the closing to a date that is no later than the later of August 31, 2005 or the date 25 days after which Ref-Fuel has provided to Danielson certain financial statements described in the Purchase Agreement.

      If the Purchase Agreement is terminated because of Danielson’s failure to complete the rights offering and financing as described below, and all other closing conditions are capable of being satisfied, Danielson must pay to the selling stockholders of Ref-Fuel a termination fee of $25 million, of which no less than $10 million shall be paid in cash and of which up to $15 million may be paid in shares of Danielson’s common stock, at its election, calculated based on $8.13 per share. As of the date of the Purchase Agreement, Danielson entered into a registration rights agreement granting registration rights to the selling stockholders of Ref-Fuel with respect to such termination fee stock and Danielson has deposited $10 million in cash in an escrow account pursuant to the terms of an escrow agreement.

Financing the Ref-Fuel Acquisition

      Danielson intends to finance this transaction through a combination of debt and equity financing. The equity component of the financing is expected to consist of an approximately $400 million offering of warrants or other rights to purchase Danielson’s common stock to all of Danielson’s existing stockholders at $6.00 per share (the “Ref-Fuel Rights Offering”). In the Ref-Fuel Rights Offering Danielson’s existing stockholders

will be issued rights to Danielson’s stock on a pro rata basis, with each holder entitled to purchase approximately 0.9 shares of Danielson’s common stock at an exercise price of $6.00 per full share for each share of Danielson’s common stock then held. Danielson will file a registration statement with the SEC with respect to such rights offering and the statements contained herein shall not constitute an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy shares of Danielson’s common stock. Any such offer or solicitation will be made in compliance with all applicable securities laws.

      Three of Danielson’s largest stockholders, SZ Investments (together with its affiliate, EGI-Fund (05-07) Investors, L.L.C. to which it transferred a portion of it shares), TAVF and Laminar, representing ownership of approximately 40% of Danielson’s outstanding common stock, have committed to participate in the Ref-Fuel Rights Offering and acquire their pro rata portion of the shares. As consideration for their commitments, Danielson will pay each of these four stockholders an amount equal to 1.5% to 2.25% of their respective equity commitments, depending on the timing of the transaction. Danielson agreed to amend an existing registration rights agreement to provide these stockholders with the right to demand that Danielson undertake an underwritten offering within twelve months of the closing of the acquisition of Ref-Fuel in order to provide such stockholders with liquidity.

      Danielson also expects to complete its previously announced rights offering for up to 3.0 million shares of its common stock to certain holders of 9.25% debentures issued by Covanta at a purchase price of $1.53 per share (the “9.25% Offering”). Danielson has executed a letter agreement with Laminar pursuant to which Danielson agreed to restructure the 9.25% Offering if that offering has not closed prior to the record date for the Ref-Fuel Rights Offering so that the holders that participate in the 9.25% Offering are offered additional shares of Danielson common stock at the same purchase price as in the Ref-Fuel Rights Offering and in an amount equal to the number of shares of common stock that such holders would have been entitled to purchase in the Ref-Fuel Rights Offering if the 9.25% Offering was consummated on or prior to the record date for the Ref-Fuel Rights Offering.

      Assuming exercise of all rights in the Ref-Fuel Rights Offering and the purchase of three million shares in the 9.25% Offering, the Company estimates that it will have approximately 144 million shares outstanding following the consummation of both rights offerings.

      Danielson has received a commitment from Goldman Sachs Credit Partners, L.P. and Credit Suisse First Boston for a debt financing package for Covanta necessary to finance the acquisition, as well as to refinance the existing recourse debt of Covanta and provide additional liquidity. It is currently expected that this financing shall consist of two tranches, each of which is secured by pledges of the stock of Covanta’s subsidiaries that has not otherwise been pledged, guarantees from certain of Covanta’s subsidiaries and all other available assets of Covanta’s subsidiaries. The first tranche, a first priority senior secured bank facility, shall be made up of a $250 million term loan facility, a $100 million revolving credit facility and a $340 million letter of credit facility. The second tranche, a second priority senior secured term loan facility, shall consist of a $450 million term loan facility.

      Danielson estimates that there will be approximately $45 million in aggregate transaction expenses (including customary underwriting and commitment fees relating to the financing).

      Immediately upon closing of the acquisition, Ref-Fuel will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Covanta, and Covanta will control the management and operations of the Ref-Fuel facilities. The current project and other debt of Ref-Fuel subsidiaries will be unaffected by the acquisition, except that the revolving credit and letter of credit facility of American Ref-Fuel Company LLC (the direct parent of each Ref-Fuel project company) will be cancelled and replaced with new facilities at the Covanta level. For additional information concerning the combined capital structure of Covanta and Ref-Fuel following the acquisition, see Part II, Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.”

      There can be no assurance that Danielson will be able to complete the Ref-Fuel Rights Offering, obtain the credit facilities or complete the acquisition of Ref-Fuel. See “Risks Related to the Ref-Fuel Acquisition” in Part I.

RISK FACTORS

      The following risk factors could have a material adverse effect on Danielson’s business, financial condition and results of operations.

Danielson-Specific Risks

      The volume of trading in our stock has historically been low. In the last six months, the daily trading volume for our stock has been approximately 270,352 shares. Having a market for shares without substantial liquidity can adversely affect the price of the stock at a time an investor might want to sell his, her or its shares.

      Although our common stock is listed on the AMEX, there can be no assurance as to the liquidity of an investment in our common stock or as to the price an investor may realize upon the sale of our common stock. These prices are determined in the marketplace and may be influenced by many factors, including the liquidity of the market for our common stock, the market price of our common stock, investor perception and general economic and market conditions.

      Assuming the issuance of 3.0 million shares of our common stock in the 9.25% Offering SZ Investments (together with its affiliate EGI Fund (05-07) Investors), TAVF and Laminar separately own or will have the right to acquire approximately 15.5%, 6.0% and 18.4%, respectively, or when aggregated, 39.9% of our outstanding common stock. These stockholders have each separately committed to participate in the Ref-Fuel Rights Offering to finance the Company’s acquisition of Ref-Fuel and acquire their pro rata portion of shares in the Ref-Fuel Rights Offering. Although there are no agreements among SZ Investments, TAVF and Laminar regarding their voting or disposition of shares of our common stock, the level of their combined ownership of shares of common stock could have the effect of discouraging or impeding an unsolicited acquisition proposal. In addition, the change in ownership limitations contained in Article Fifth of our charter could have the effect of discouraging or impeding an unsolicited takeover proposal.

      No prediction can be made as to the effect, if any, that future sales of our common stock, or the availability of our common stock for future sales, will have on the market price of our common stock. Sales in the public market of substantial amounts of our common stock, or the perception that such sales could occur, could adversely affect prevailing market prices for our common stock. In addition, in connection with the Covanta acquisition financing, we have filed a registration statement on Form S-3 to register the resale of 17,711,491 shares of our common stock held by Laminar, TAVF and SZ Investments and in connection with our proposed acquisition of Ref-Fuel we intend to register additional shares to be offered in a pro rata rights offering and have agreed to register the resale of certain shares held or acquired by Laminar, TAVF and SZ Investments in an underwritten public offering. We have also agreed to register any shares issuable to current shareholders of Ref-Fuel in the event the purchase agreement we entered into with Ref-Fuel stockholders is terminated due to our failure to complete the equity and debt financing for such acquisition. The potential effect of these shares being sold may be to depress the price at which our common stock trades.

      Our disclosure controls and procedures are designed to reasonably assure that information required to be disclosed by us in reports we file or submit under the Securities Exchange Act is accumulated and

communicated to management recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms.

      Our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, believes that any disclosure controls and procedures or internal controls and procedures, no matter how well conceived and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the objectives of the control system are met. Further, the design of a control system must reflect the fact that there are resource constraints, and the benefits of controls must be considered relative to their costs. Because of the inherent limitations in all control systems, they cannot provide absolute assurance that all control issues and instances of fraud, if any, within our companies have been prevented or detected. These inherent limitations include the realities that judgments in decision-making can be faulty, and that breakdowns can occur because of simple error or mistake. Additionally, controls can be circumvented by the individual acts of some persons, by collusion of two or more people, or by an unauthorized override of the controls. The design of any systems of controls also is based in part upon certain assumptions about the likelihood of future events, and we cannot assure you that any design will succeed in achieving its stated goals under all potential future conditions. Accordingly, because of the inherent limitations in a cost effective control system, misstatements due to error or fraud may occur and not be detected.

      Pursuant to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, (“Section 404”) and the rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC to implement Section 404, we are required to furnish a report to include in our Form 10-K an annual report by our management regarding the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting. The report includes, among other things, an assessment of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of the end of our fiscal year, including a statement as to whether or not our internal control over financial reporting is effective. This assessment must include disclosure of any material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting identified by management.

      We have in the past, and in the future may discover, areas of our internal control over financial reporting which may require improvement. For example, during the course of its audit of our 2004 financial statements, our independent auditors, Ernst & Young LLP identified errors, principally related to complex manual “fresh start” accounting calculations, predominantly effecting Covanta’s investments in its international businesses. These errors, the net effect of which was immaterial (less than $2 million, pretax), have been corrected in our 2004 consolidated financial statements. Management determined that errors in complex fresh start and other technical accounting areas originally went undetected due to insufficient technical in-house expertise necessary to provide sufficiently rigorous review. As a result, management has concluded that Danielson’s internal control over financial reporting was not effective as of December 31, 2004. The Company has identified and undertaken steps necessary in order to address this material weakness, but the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting in the future will depend on our effectiveness in fulfilling these steps to address this material weakness. If we are unable to assert that our internal control over financial reporting is effective now or in any future period, or if our auditors are unable to express an opinion on the effectiveness of our internal controls, we could lose investor confidence in the accuracy and completeness of our financial reports, which could have an adverse effect in our stock price.

      As of December 31, 2004, we had approximately $516 million of NOLs. In order to utilize the NOLs, we must generate taxable income which can offset such carryforwards. The NOLs are also utilized by income from certain grantor trusts that were established as part of the Mission Insurance reorganization. The NOLs will expire if not used. The availability of NOLs to offset taxable income would be substantially reduced if we were to undergo an “ownership change” within the meaning of Section 382(g)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code. We will be treated as having had an “ownership change” if there is more than a 50% increase in stock ownership during a three year “testing period” by “5% stockholders”.

      In order to help us preserve the NOLs, our certificate of incorporation contains stock transfer restrictions designed to reduce the risk of an ownership change for purposes of Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code. The transfer restrictions were implemented in 1990, and we expect that the restrictions will remain in force as long as the NOLs are available. We cannot assure you, however, that these restrictions will prevent an ownership change.

      The NOLs will expire in various amounts, if not used, between 2005 and 2023. The Internal Revenue Service has not audited any of our tax returns for any of the years during the carryforward period including those returns for the years in which the losses giving rise to the NOLs were reported. We cannot assure you that we would prevail if the IRS were to challenge the availability of the NOLs. If the IRS was successful in challenging our NOLs, all or some portion of the NOLs would not be available to offset our future consolidated income and we may not be able to satisfy our obligations to Covanta under a tax sharing agreement described below, or to pay taxes that may be due from our consolidated tax group.

      Reductions in our NOLs could occur in connection with the emergence from bankruptcy of the Mission Insurance entities. While we will attempt to manage the tax consequences of that transaction, taxable income could result which could materially reduce our NOLs. For a more detailed discussion of the Mission Insurance entities, please see Note 25 to Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

      In addition, if our existing Insurance Services business were to require capital infusions from us in order to meet certain regulatory capital requirements, and were we to fail to provide such capital, some or all of our subsidiaries comprising our Insurance Services business could enter insurance insolvency proceedings. In such event, such subsidiaries would no longer be included in our consolidated tax return, and a portion, which could constitute a significant portion, of our remaining NOLs would no longer be available to us.

Covanta-Specific Risks

      As of December 31, 2004, Covanta’s outstanding domestic corporate debt was $236 million. Covanta’s ability to service its domestic debt will depend upon:

      Covanta is currently in compliance with all of its domestic debt covenants. For a more detailed discussion of Covanta’s domestic debt covenants please see Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.”

      In connection with Covanta’s emergence from bankruptcy, Covanta authorized the issuance of $50 million of unsecured notes under an indenture. Although Covanta estimates that it will issue such notes in an amount less than $30 million, the ultimate amount of unsecured notes will not be determined until remaining claims are resolved through settlement or litigation in Bankruptcy Court. We cannot assure you that the final amount of such notes issued will be less than Covanta’s estimate, or that the ultimate resolution of such claims will result in liabilities of less than $50 million.

      Covanta issued high yield notes, which mature in 2011. Prior to maturity, Covanta is obligated to pay only interest, and no principal, with respect to these notes. Covanta’s cash flow may be insufficient to pay the principal at maturity, which will be $230 million at such time. Consequently, Covanta may be obligated to refinance these notes prior to maturity. Covanta may refinance the notes during the first two years after issuance without paying a premium, and thereafter may refinance these notes but must pay a premium to do so.

      Several of Covanta’s contracts require it to provide certain letters of credit to contract counterparties. The aggregate stated amount of these letters declines materially each year, particularly prior to 2010. Covanta’s financing arrangements under which these letters of credit are issued expire in 2009, and so it must refinance these arrangements in order to allow Covanta to continue to provide the letters of credit beyond the current expiration date.

      Although the Company has received a commitment from Goldman Sachs Credit Partners, L.P. and Credit Suisse First Boston for a debt financing package for Covanta necessary to finance the proposed acquisition of Ref-Fuel, as well as to refinance the existing recourse debt of Covanta, such refinancing is contingent upon consummation of the Ref-Fuel acquisition.

      We cannot assure you that Covanta will be able to obtain refinancing on acceptable terms, or at all, either in conjunction with the Ref-Fuel acquisition or otherwise.

      Covanta’s ability to grow its domestic business by investing in new projects will be limited by debt covenants in its principal financing agreements, unless such financing agreements are refinanced, and from potentially fewer market opportunities for new waste-to-energy facilities. Covanta’s business is based upon building and operating municipal solid waste processing and energy generating projects, which are capital intensive businesses that require financing through direct investment and the incurrence of debt. When we acquired Covanta and it emerged from bankruptcy proceedings in March 2004, Covanta entered into financing arrangements with restrictive covenants typical of financings for companies emerging from bankruptcy. These covenants essentially prohibit investments in new projects or acquisitions of new businesses and place restrictions on Covanta’s ability to expand existing projects. The covenants prohibit borrowings to finance new construction, except in limited circumstances related to specifically identified expansions of existing facilities. The covenants also limit spending for new business development and require that excess cash flow be trapped to collateralize outstanding letters of credit.

      Although the Company will be negotiating debt covenants for the refinancing of Covanta’s debt in connection with the Ref-Fuel acquisition, such financing is contingent upon consummation of the Ref-Fuel acquisition. We cannot assure you that, when it seeks to refinance its domestic debt agreements, Covanta will be able to negotiate covenants that will provide it with more flexibility to grow its business.

      Covanta believes that its cash flow from domestic operations will be sufficient to pay for its domestic cash needs, including debt service on its domestic corporate debt, and that its revolving credit facility will provide a

secondary source of liquidity. For the period March 11 through December 31, 2004, Covanta’s cash flow from operating activities for domestic operations was $85.3 million. We cannot assure you, however, that Covanta’s cash flow from domestic operations will not be adversely affected by adverse economic conditions or circumstances specific to one or more projects or that if such conditions or circumstances do occur, its revolving credit facility will provide Covanta with access to sufficient cash for such purposes.

      The operation of Covanta’s facilities and the construction of new or expanded facilities involve many risks, including:

      We cannot predict the impact of these risks on Covanta’s business or operations.

      Expansions of existing plants and construction of new plants may require that Covanta incorporate recently developed and technologically complex equipment, especially in the case of newer environmental emission control technology. Inclusion of such new technology may materially increase the cost of construction.

      Although Covanta maintains insurance, obtains warranties from vendors, obligates contractors to meet certain performance levels and attempts, where feasible, to pass risks Covanta cannot control to the service recipient or output purchaser, the proceeds of such insurance, warranties, performance guarantees or risk sharing arrangements may not be adequate to cover lost revenues, increased expenses or liquidated damages payments.

      Any of the risks described in this Annual Report on Form 10-K or unforeseen problems could cause Covanta’s projects to operate below expected levels, which in turn could result in lost revenues, increased expenses, higher maintenance costs and penalties for defaults under Covanta’s service agreements and operating contracts. As a result, a project may operate at less than expected levels of profit or at a loss.

      Most of Covanta’s Service Agreements for waste-to-energy facilities provide for limitations on damages and cross-indemnities among the parties for damages that such parties may incur in connection with their performance under the contract. Such contractual provisions excuse Covanta from performance obligations to the extent affected by uncontrollable circumstances and provide for service fee adjustments if uncontrollable

circumstances increase its costs. We cannot assure you that these provisions will prevent Covanta from incurring losses upon the occurrence of uncontrollable circumstances or that if Covanta were to incur such losses it would continue to be able to service its debt.

      Covanta and certain of its subsidiaries have issued or are party to performance guarantees and related contractual obligations undertaken mainly pursuant to agreements to construct and operate certain energy and water facilities. With respect to its domestic businesses, Covanta has issued guarantees to its municipal clients and other parties that Covanta’s subsidiaries will perform in accordance with contractual terms, including, where required, the payment of damages or other obligations. The obligations guaranteed will depend upon the contract involved. Many of Covanta’s subsidiaries have contracts to operate and maintain waste-to-energy facilities. In these contracts the subsidiary typically commits to operate and maintain the facility in compliance with legal requirements; to accept minimum amounts of solid waste; to generate a minimum amount of electricity per ton of waste; and to pay damages to contract counterparties under specified circumstances, including those where the operating subsidiary’s contract has been terminated for default. In its operating history, Covanta has not incurred liability to pay material amounts under these guarantees, and has incurred no liability to repay project debt. Such contractual damages or other obligations could be material, and in circumstances where one or more subsidiary’s contract has been terminated for its default, such damages could include amounts sufficient to repay project debt. Additionally, damages payable under such guarantees on Company-owned waste-to-energy facilities could expose Covanta to recourse liability on project debt. Covanta may not have sufficient sources of cash to pay such damages or other obligations. Although it has not incurred material liability under energy, water and waste-to-energy guarantees previously and has incurred no liability to repay project debt, we cannot assure you that Covanta will be able to continue to avoid incurring material payment obligations under such guarantees or that if it did incur such obligations that it would have the cash resources to pay them.

      With respect to the international projects, CPIH, Covanta and certain of Covanta’s domestic subsidiaries have issued guarantees of CPIH’s operating obligations. The potential damages that may be owed under these guarantees may be material. Covanta is generally entitled to be reimbursed by CPIH for any payments it may make under guarantees related to international projects.

      Covanta must satisfy its performance and other obligations under its contracts to operate waste-to-energy facilities. These contracts typically require Covanta to meet certain performance criteria relating to amounts of waste processed, energy generation rates per ton of waste processed, residue quantity, and environmental standards. Covanta’s failure to satisfy these criteria may subject it to termination of its Operating Contracts. If such a termination were to occur, Covanta would lose the cash flow related to the project, and incur material termination damage liability. In circumstances where the contract of one or more subsidiaries has been terminated due to Covanta’s default, Covanta may not have sufficient sources of cash to pay such damages.

      None of Covanta’s operating contracts for its waste-to-energy facilities previously have been terminated for Covanta’s default. We cannot assure you, however, that Covanta will be able to continue to be able to perform its obligations under such contracts in order to avoid such contract terminations, or damages related to any such contract termination, or that if it could not avoid such terminations that it would have the cash resources to pay amounts that may then become due.

      Covanta’s contracts to operate waste-to-energy projects begin to expire in 2007, and its contracts to sell energy output generally expire when the project’s operating contract expires. One of Covanta’s contracts will expire in 2007. During the nine month period January 1 to December 31, 2004, this contract contributed $12.5 million in revenues. Expiration of these contracts will subject Covanta to greater market risk in maintaining and enhancing its revenues. As its operating contracts at municipally-owned projects approach expiration, Covanta will seek to enter into renewal or replacement contracts to continue operating such

projects. Covanta will seek to bid competitively in the market for additional contracts to operate other facilities as similar contracts of other vendors expire. The expiration of Covanta’s existing energy sales contracts, if not renewed, will require Covanta to sell project energy output either into the electricity grid or pursuant to new contracts.

      At some of Covanta’s facilities, market conditions may allow Covanta to effect extensions of existing operating contracts along with facility expansions which would increase the waste processing capacity of these projects. Such extensions and expansions are currently being considered at a limited number of Covanta’s facilities in conjunction with its municipal clients. If Covanta were unable to reach agreement with its municipal clients on the terms under which it would implement such extensions and expansions, or if the implementation of these extensions and expansions is materially delayed, this may adversely affect Covanta’s cash flow and profitability.

      Covanta’s cash flow and profitability may be adversely affected if it is unable to obtain contracts acceptable to it for such renewals, replacements or additional contracts, or extension and expansion contracts. We cannot assure you that Covanta will be able to enter into such contracts or that the terms available in the market at the time will be favorable to Covanta.

      Covanta often relies on single suppliers and single customers at Covanta’s facilities, exposing such facilities to financial risks if any supplier or customer should fail to perform its obligations.

      Covanta often relies on a single supplier to provide waste, fuel, water and other services required to operate a facility and on a single customer or a few customers to purchase all or a significant portion of a facility’s output or capacity. In most cases, Covanta has long-term agreements with such suppliers and customers in order to mitigate the risk of supply interruption. The financial performance of these facilities depends on such customers and suppliers continuing to perform their obligations under their long-term agreements. A facility’s financial results could be materially and adversely affected if any one customer or supplier fails to fulfill its contractual obligations and Covanta is unable to find other customers or suppliers to produce the same level of profitability. We cannot assure you that such performance failures by third parties will not occur, or that if they do occur, such failures will not adversely affect Covanta’s cash flow or profitability.

      In addition, for its waste-to-energy facilities, Covanta relies on its municipal clients as a source not only of waste for fuel but also of revenue from fees for disposal services Covanta provides. Because Covanta’s contracts with its municipal clients are generally long term (none expires prior to 2007), Covanta may be adversely affected if the credit quality of one or more of its municipal clients were to decline materially. We cannot assure you that such credit quality will not decline, or that if one or more of Covanta’s municipal clients’ credit quality does decline, that it would not adversely affect Covanta’s domestic cash flow or profitability.

      Covanta’s subsidiary holding the equity interests in its international businesses, CPIH, is also highly leveraged, and its debt will be serviced solely from the cash generated from the international operations. Cash distributions from international projects are typically less dependable as to timing and amount than distributions from domestic projects, and we cannot assure you that CPIH will have sufficient cash flow from operations or other sources to pay the principal or interest due on its debt. As of December 31, 2004, Covanta’s outstanding international debt was $180 million, consisting of $77 million of CPIH recourse debt and $103 million of project debt.

      CPIH’s ability to service its debt will depend upon:

      Covanta believes that cash from CPIH’s operations, together with liquidity available under CPIH’s revolving credit facility, will provide CPIH with sufficient liquidity to meet its needs for cash, including cash to pay debt service on CPIH’s debt prior to maturity in March 2007. Covanta believes that CPIH will not have sufficient cash from its operations and its revolving credit facility to pay off its debt at maturity, and so if it is unable to generate sufficient additional cash from asset sales or other sources, CPIH will need to refinance its debt at or prior to maturity. While CPIH’s debt is non-recourse to Covanta, it is secured by a pledge of Covanta’s stock in CPIH and CPIH’s equity interests in certain of its subsidiaries. While we have financing commitments to refinance Covanta’s debt, and to repay CPIH’s debt entirely, in connection with the acquisition of Ref-Fuel, such financing is contingent upon consummation of the Ref-Fuel acquisition. We cannot assure you that such additional cash will be available to CPIH, or that it will be able to refinance its debt on acceptable terms, or at all.

      Although CPIH’s results of operations are consolidated with Danielson’s and Covanta’s for financial reporting purposes, as long as the existing CPIH term loan and revolver remain outstanding, CPIH is restricted under its existing credit agreements from distributing cash to Covanta. Under these agreements, CPIH’s cash may only be used for CPIH’s purposes and to service CPIH’s debt. Accordingly, although reported on Danielson’s and Covanta’s consolidated financial statements, Covanta does not have access to CPIH’s revenues or cash flows and will have access only to Covanta’s domestically generated cash flows.

      Although CPIH’s results of operations are consolidated with Danielson’s and Covanta’s for financial reporting purposes, due to CPIH’s indebtedness and the terms of Covanta’s credit agreements, CPIH’s cash flow is available only to repay CPIH’s debt. Similarly, in the event that CPIH determines that it is desirable to sell or transfer all or any portion of its assets or business, the proceeds would first be applied to reduce CPIH’s debt. We cannot assure you that the proceeds of any such sale would be sufficient to repay all of CPIH’s debt, consisting of principal and accrued interest or, if sufficient to repay CPIH’s debt, that such proceeds would offset the loss of CPIH’s revenues and earnings as reported by Danielson and Covanta in their respective consolidated financial statements.

      Although Danielson has received a commitment from Goldman Sachs Credit Partners, L.P. and Credit Suisse First Boston for a debt financing package for Covanta necessary to finance the acquisition of Ref-Fuel, as well as to refinance the existing recourse debt of Covanta and repay all of CPIH’s recourse debt, such financing is contingent upon consummation of the Ref-Fuel acquisition. We cannot assure you that this financing will close. In the absence of a successful closing of the Ref-Fuel acquisition and its related financing, we cannot assure you that CPIH will be able to obtain refinancing on acceptable terms, or at all.

      CPIH’s operations are entirely outside the United States and expose it to legal, tax, currency, inflation, convertibility and repatriation risks, as well as potential constraints on the development and operation of potential business, any of which can limit the benefits to CPIH of a foreign project.

      CPIH’s projected cash distributions from existing facilities over the next five years comes from facilities located in countries having sovereign ratings below investment grade, including Bangladesh, the Philippines and India. In addition, Covanta continues to provide operating guarantees and letters of credit for certain of CPIH’s projects, which if drawn upon would require CPIH to reimburse Covanta for any related payments it may be required to make. The financing, development and operation of projects outside the United States can entail significant political and financial risks, which vary by country, including:

      The legal and financial environment in foreign countries in which CPIH currently owns assets or projects also could make it more difficult for it to enforce its rights under agreements relating to such projects.

      The occurrence of any of these risks could substantially delay the receipt of cash distributions from international projects or reduce the value of the project concerned. In addition, the existence of the operating guarantees and letters of credit provided by Covanta for CPIH projects could expose it to any or all of the risks identified above with respect to the CPIH projects, particularly if CPIH’s cash flow or other sources of liquidity are insufficient to reimburse Covanta for amounts due under such instruments. As a result, these risks may have a material adverse effect on Covanta’s business, consolidated financial condition and results of operations and on CPIH’s ability to service its debt.

      CPIH sought to participate in projects in jurisdictions where limitations on the convertibility and expatriation of currency have been lifted by the host country and where such local currency is freely exchangeable on the international markets. In most cases, components of project costs incurred or funded in the currency of the United States are recovered with limited exposure to currency fluctuations through negotiated contractual adjustments to the price charged for electricity or service provided. This contractual structure may cause the cost in local currency to the project’s power purchaser or service recipient to rise from time to time in excess of local inflation. As a result, there is a risk in such situations that such power purchaser or service recipient will, at least in the near term, be less able or willing to pay for the project’s power or service.

      Changes in the market prices and availability of fuel supplies to generate electricity may increase CPIH’s cost of producing power, which could adversely impact our profitability and financial performance.

      The market prices and availability of fuel supplies of some of CPIH’s facilities fluctuate. Although CPIH believes that it has adequate and reliable fuel supplies and that its suppliers have adequate production and transportation systems to comply with their contractual requirements to supply CPIH’s facilities, any price increase, delivery disruption or reduction in the availability of such supplies could affect CPIH’s ability to operate CPIH’s facilities and impair its cash flow and profitability. CPIH may be subject to further exposure if any of its future operations are concentrated in facilities using fuel types subject to fluctuating market prices and availability. Covanta may not be successful in its efforts to mitigate its exposure to supply and price swings.

      Covanta’s waste-to-energy facilities depend on solid waste both for fuel and as a source of revenue. For most of Covanta’s facilities, the prices it charges for disposal of solid waste are fixed under long-term contracts and the supply is guaranteed by sponsoring municipalities. However, for some of Covanta’s waste-to-energy facilities, the availability of solid waste to Covanta, as well as the tipping fee that Covanta must charge to attract solid waste to its facilities, depends upon competition from a number of sources such as other waste-to-energy facilities, landfills and transfer stations competing for waste in the market area. In addition, Covanta may need to obtain waste on a short-term competitive basis as its long-term contracts expire at its owned facilities. There has been and may be further consolidation in the solid waste industry which would reduce the number of solid waste collectors or haulers that are competing for disposal facilities or enable such collectors or haulers to use wholesale purchasing to negotiate favorable below-market disposal rates. The consolidation in the solid waste industry has resulted in companies with vertically integrated collection activities and disposal facilities. Such consolidation may result in economies of scale for those companies as well as the use of disposal capacity at facilities owned by such companies or by affiliated companies. Such activities can affect both the availability of waste to Covanta for disposal at some of Covanta’s waste-to-energy facilities and market pricing.

      Costs of compliance with existing and future environmental regulations by federal, state and local authorities could adversely affect Covanta’s cash flow and profitability. Covanta’s business is subject to extensive environmental regulation by federal, state and local authorities, primarily relating to air, waste (including residual ash from combustion) and water. Covanta is required to comply with numerous environmental laws and regulations and to obtain numerous governmental permits in operating Covanta’s facilities. Covanta may incur significant additional costs to comply with these requirements. Environmental regulations may also limit Covanta’s ability to operate Covanta’s facilities at maximum capacity, or at all. If Covanta fails to comply with these requirements, Covanta could be subject to civil or criminal liability, damages and fines. Existing environmental regulations could be revised or reinterpreted and new laws and regulations could be adopted or become applicable to Covanta or its facilities, and future changes in environmental laws and regulations could occur. This may materially increase the amount Covanta must invest to bring its facilities into compliance. In addition, lawsuits by the Environmental Protection Agency, commonly referred to as the EPA, and various states highlight the environmental risks faced by generating facilities. Stricter environmental regulation of air emissions, solid waste handling or combustion, residual ash handling and disposal, and waste water discharge could materially affect Covanta’s cash flow and profitability.

      Covanta may not be able to obtain or maintain, from time to time, all required environmental regulatory approvals. If there is a delay in obtaining any required environmental regulatory approvals or if Covanta fails to obtain and comply with them, the operation of Covanta’s facilities could be jeopardized or become subject to additional costs.

      Covanta’s business is subject to extensive energy regulations by federal and state authorities. The economics, including the costs, of operating Covanta’s generating facilities may be adversely affected by any changes in these regulations or in their interpretation or implementation or any future inability to comply with existing or future regulations or requirements.

      The Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 and the Federal Power Act, regulate public utility holding companies and their subsidiaries and place constraints on the conduct of their business. The FPA regulates wholesale sales of electricity and the transmission of electricity in interstate commerce by public utilities. Under the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978, Covanta’s domestic facilities are qualifying facilities (facilities meeting statutory size, fuel and ownership requirements), which are exempt from regulations under PUHCA, most provisions of the FPA and state rate regulation. Covanta’s foreign projects are exempt from regulation under PUHCA.

      If Covanta becomes subject to either the FPA or PUHCA, the economics and operations of Covanta’s energy projects could be adversely affected, including rate regulation by the Federal Energy Regulation Commission, with respect to its output of electricity. If an alternative exemption from PUHCA was not available, Covanta could be subject to regulation by the SEC as a public utility holding company. In addition, depending on the terms of the project’s power purchase agreement, a loss of Covanta’s exemptions could allow the power purchaser to cease taking and paying for electricity or to seek refunds of past amounts paid. Such results could cause the loss of some or all contract revenues or otherwise impair the value of a project and could trigger defaults under provisions of the applicable project contracts and financing agreements. Defaults under such financing agreements could render the underlying debt immediately due and payable. Under such circumstances, Covanta cannot assure you that revenues received, the costs incurred, or both, in connection with the project could be recovered through sales to other purchasers.

      Covanta is continually in the process of obtaining or renewing federal, state and local approvals required to operate Covanta’s facilities. While Covanta currently has all necessary operating approvals, Covanta may not always be able to obtain all required regulatory approvals, and Covanta may not be able to obtain any necessary modifications to existing regulatory approvals or maintain all required regulatory approvals. If there is a delay in obtaining any required regulatory approvals or if Covanta fails to obtain and comply with any required regulatory approvals, the operation of Covanta’s facilities or the sale of electricity to third parties could be prevented, made subject to additional regulation or subject Covanta to additional costs.

      Covanta may not be able to respond in a timely or effective manner to the changes resulting in increased competition in the energy industry in both domestic and international markets. These changes may include deregulation of the electric utility industry in some markets, privatization of the electric utility industry in other markets and increasing competition in all markets. To the extent U.S. competitive pressures increase and the pricing and sale of electricity assumes more characteristics of a commodity business, the economics of Covanta’s business may come under increasing pressure. Regulatory initiatives in foreign countries where Covanta has or will have operations involve the same types of risks.

      Covanta’s business is highly regulated. Covanta cannot predict whether the federal or state governments or foreign governments will adopt legislation or regulations relating to the solid waste or energy industries. These laws and regulations can result in increased capital, operating and other costs to Covanta, particularly with regard to enforcement efforts. The introduction of new laws or other future regulatory developments that

increase the costs of operation or capital to Covanta may have a material adverse effect on Covanta’s business, financial condition or results of operations.

Insurance Services — Specific Risks

      The insurance industry is highly regulated. NAICC is subject to regulation by state and federal regulators, and a significant portion of NAICC’s operations are subject to regulation by the state of California. Changes in existing insurance regulations or adoption of new regulations or laws which could affect NAICC’s results of operations and financial condition may include, without limitation, proposed changes to California regulations regarding a broker’s fiduciary duty to select the best carrier for an insured, extension of California’s Low Cost Automobile Program beyond Los Angeles and San Francisco counties and changes to California’s workers’ compensation laws. We cannot predict the impact of changes in existing insurance regulations or adoption of new regulations or laws on NAICC’s results of operations and financial condition.

      The insurance products sold by NAICC are subject to intense competition from many competitors, many of whom have substantially greater resources than NAICC. The California non-standard personal automobile marketplace consists of over 100 carriers.

      In order to decrease rates, insurers in California must obtain the prior permission for rate reductions from the California Department of Insurance. In lieu of requesting rate decreases, competitors may soften underwriting standards as an alternative means of attracting new business. Such tactics, should they occur, would introduce new levels of risk for NAICC and could limit NAICC’s ability to write new policies or renew existing profitable policies. We cannot assure you that NAICC will be able to successfully compete in these markets and generate sufficient premium volume at attractive prices to be profitable. This risk is enhanced by the reduction in lines of business NAICC writes as a result of its decision to reduce underwriting operations.

      Unpaid losses and LAE are based on estimates of reported losses, historical company experience of losses reported for reinsurance assumed, and historical company experience for unreported claims. Such liability is, by necessity, based on estimates that may change in the near term. NAICC cannot assure you that the ultimate liabilities will not exceed, or even materially exceed, the amounts estimated. If the ultimate liability materially exceeds estimates, then additional capital may be required to be contributed to some of our insurance subsidiaries. NAICC and the other insurance subsidiaries received additional capital contributions from Danielson in 2003 and 2002 and NAICC cannot provide any assurance that it and its subsidiaries will be able to obtain such additional capital on commercially reasonable terms or at all.

      In addition, due to the fact that NAICC and its other insurance subsidiaries are in the process of running off several significant lines of business, the risk of adverse development and the subsequent requirement to obtain additional capital is heightened.

      NAICC is subject to regulatory risk-based capital requirements. Depending on its risk-based capital, NAICC could be subject to four levels of increasing regulatory intervention ranging from company action to mandatory control. NAICC’s capital and surplus is also one factor used to determine its ability to distribute or loan funds to us. If NAICC has insufficient capital and surplus, as determined under the risk-based capital test, it will need to obtain additional capital to establish additional reserves. NAICC cannot provide any assurance that it will be able to obtain such additional capital on commercially reasonable terms or at all.

Risks Related to the Ref-Fuel Acquisition

      Achieving the anticipated benefits of the transaction will depend in part upon our ability to integrate the two companies’ businesses in an efficient and effective manner. Our attempt to integrate two companies that have previously operated independently may result in significant challenges, and we may be unable to accomplish the integration smoothly or successfully. In particular, the necessity of coordinating organizations in additional locations and addressing possible differences in corporate cultures and management philosophies may increase the difficulties of integration. The integration will require the dedication of significant management resources, which may temporarily distract management’s attention from the day-to-day operations of the businesses of the combined company. The process of integrating operations after the transaction could cause an interruption of, or loss of momentum in, the activities of one or more of the combined company’s businesses and the loss of key personnel. Employee uncertainty and lack of focus during the integration process may also disrupt the businesses of the combined company. Any inability of management to integrate the operations of Ref-Fuel and Danielson successfully could have a material adverse effect on the business and financial condition of Danielson.

      If the proposed transaction with Ref-Fuel closes, we expect that Danielson will be obligated to pay transaction fees and other expenses related to the transaction of approximately $45 million, including financial advisors’ fees, legal and accounting fees, and fees and expenses to refinance the existing Covanta recourse debt. Furthermore, we expect to incur significant costs, which we currently estimate to be approximately $20 million, associated with combining the operations of the two companies. However, we cannot predict the specific size of those charges before we begin the integration process. Although we expect that the elimination of duplicative costs, as well as the realization of other efficiencies related to the integration of the businesses, we cannot give any assurance that this net benefit will be achieved as planned in the near future, or at all.

      If Danielson is unable to consummate its planned acquisition of Ref-Fuel, Danielson will have incurred substantial transaction fees and other expenses in connection with its pursuit of the transaction, without achieving the benefits of the acquisition. If Danielson’s failure to close the Ref-Fuel acquisition is due to Danielson’s failure to complete the Ref-Fuel Rights Offering and the related financing for the transaction, and all other closing conditions are capable of being satisfied, then Danielson must pay the selling stockholders of Ref-Fuel a termination fee of $25 million, no less than $10 million of which must be paid in cash. In addition, if we fail to close the transaction, the refinancing of Covanta’s existing recourse debt which is contemplated in connection with the acquisition will not occur. Covanta’s and CPIH’s need to either satisfy their debts upon maturity or refinance them will continue and there can be no assurance that Covanta or CPIH will be able to refinance their respective debts on acceptable terms, or at all, or obtain sufficient cash to satisfy their debts at maturity.

      If Danielson fails to close the Ref-Fuel acquisition due to Danielson’s failure to complete the Ref-Fuel Rights Offering and the related financing for the transaction, and all other closing conditions are capable of being satisfied, then Danielson must pay the selling stockholders of Ref-Fuel a termination fee of $25 million. No less than $10 million of this termination fee must be paid in cash and up to $15 million the fee may be paid in stock at Danielson’s election, at price of $8.13 per share. In addition, in connection with their commitments to participate in the Ref Fuel Rights Offering and acquire their respective pro rata portions of the shares in the Ref-Fuel Rights Offering, Danielson has agreed to pay each of SZ Investments, TAVF and Laminar an amount equal to 1.5% to 2.25% of their respective equity commitments depending upon the timing of the transaction. If the Ref-Fuel Rights Offering is terminated or is not commenced before August 15, 2005,

Danielson may elect to pay this amount to SZ Investments, TAVF and Laminar in the form of stock at a price based upon the 10-day average closing price of Danielson’s stock following termination of the Ref-Fuel Rights Offering or August 16, 2005 if the Ref-Fuel Rights Offering has not commenced. Payment of these fees in Danielson’s common stock will have a dilutive effect on your relative ownership interest in our stock.

      While Covanta and Ref-Fuel both sell energy pursuant to long term contracts, Covanta typically sells a greater proportion of its aggregate waste processing capacity under long-term contracts than does Ref-Fuel. Consequently, more of Ref-Fuel’s revenue from its waste-to-energy facilities is subject to market risk from fluctuations in waste market prices than Covanta’s, and short-term fluctuations in the waste markets may have a greater impact on the combined company’s waste-to-energy revenues than on those of Covanta alone.

EMPLOYEES

      As of December 31, 2004, Danielson employed 1,837 full-time employees worldwide, of which a majority is employed in the United States

      Of Danielson’s employees in the United States, approximately 16% are unionized. Currently, Covanta is party to seven collective bargaining agreements: one of these agreements is scheduled to expire in 2005, two in 2006, and one in 2008. With respect to the remaining three agreements which have recently expired, the Company is in negotiations with the applicable collective bargaining representatives and Covanta currently expects to reach an agreement with such representative to extend such agreement on its current or similar terms.

      Danielson considers relations with its employees to be good and does not anticipate any significant labor disputes in 2005.

AVAILABILITY OF INFORMATION

      Danielson’s Internet site (www.danielsonholding.com) makes available free of charge to interested parties Danielson’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and Current Reports on Form 8-K, and all amendments and exhibits to those reports, all reports filed on Forms 3, 4 and 5 with respect to Danielson’s common stock, as well as all other reports and schedules Danielson files electronically with the SEC, as soon as reasonably practicable after such material is electronically filed with or furnished to the SEC. Interested parties may also find reports, proxy and information statements and other information on issuers that file electronically with the SEC at the SEC’s Internet site at www.sec.gov.