Exhibit 3.1

 

FIRST AMENDED AND RESTATED
AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP

 

of

 

EMERGE ENERGY SERVICES LP

 

A Delaware limited partnership

 

Dated as of May 14, 2013

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

		Page
ARTICLE I. DEFINITIONS		6
Section 1.1	Definitions	6
Section 1.2	Construction	17
ARTICLE II. ORGANIZATION		18
Section 2.1	Formation	18
Section 2.2	Name	18
Section 2.3	Registered Office; Registered Agent; Principal Office; Other Offices	18
Section 2.4	Purpose and Business	18
Section 2.5	Powers	19
Section 2.6	Term	19
Section 2.7	Title to Partnership Assets	19
ARTICLE III. RIGHTS OF LIMITED PARTNERS		20
Section 3.1	Limitation of Liability	20
Section 3.2	Management of Business	20
Section 3.3	Outside Activities of the Limited Partners	20
Section 3.4	Rights of Limited Partners	20
ARTICLE IV. CERTIFICATES; RECORD HOLDERS; TRANSFER OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS		21
Section 4.1	Certificates	21
Section 4.2	Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Certificates	22
Section 4.3	Record Holders	22
Section 4.4	Transfer Generally	23
Section 4.5	Registration and Transfer of Limited Partner Interests	23
Section 4.6	Transfer of the General Partner Interest	24
Section 4.7	Restrictions on Transfers	25
Section 4.8	Citizenship Certificates; Non-Citizen Assignees	26
Section 4.9	Redemption of Partnership Interests of Non-Citizen Assignees	27
ARTICLE V. CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS AND ISSUANCE OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS		28
Section 5.1	Contributions Prior to or in Connection with Initial Offering	28
Section 5.2	Interest and Withdrawal	28
Section 5.3	Capital Accounts	29
Section 5.4	Issuances of Additional Partnership Interests	32
Section 5.5	Preemptive Right	33

 

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Section 5.6	Splits and Combinations	33
Section 5.7	Fully Paid and Non-Assessable Nature of Limited Partner Interests	34
ARTICLE VI. ALLOCATIONS AND DISTRIBUTIONS		34
Section 6.1	Allocations for Capital Account Purposes	34
Section 6.2	Allocations for Tax Purposes	37
Section 6.3	Distributions to Record Holders	39
ARTICLE VII. MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION OF BUSINESS		39
Section 7.1	Management	39
Section 7.2	Replacement of Fiduciary Duties	41
Section 7.3	Certificate of Limited Partnership	42
Section 7.4	Restrictions on the General Partner’s Authority	42
Section 7.5	Reimbursement of the General Partner	42
Section 7.6	Outside Activities	43
Section 7.7	Loans from the General Partner; Loans or Contributions from the Partnership or Group Members	45
Section 7.8	Indemnification	45
Section 7.9	Liability of Indemnitees	47
Section 7.10	Resolution of Conflicts of Interest; Standards of Conduct and Modification of Duties	48
Section 7.11	Other Matters Concerning the General Partner	51
Section 7.12	Purchase or Sale of Partnership Interests	52
Section 7.13	Reliance by Third Parties	52
ARTICLE VIII. BOOKS, RECORDS, ACCOUNTING AND REPORTS		52
Section 8.1	Records and Accounting	52
Section 8.2	Fiscal Year	53
Section 8.3	Reports	53
ARTICLE IX. TAX MATTERS		53
Section 9.1	Tax Returns and Information	53
Section 9.2	Tax Elections	54
Section 9.3	Tax Controversies	54
Section 9.4	Withholding	54
ARTICLE X. ADMISSION OF PARTNERS		54
Section 10.1	Admission of Limited Partners	54
Section 10.2	Admission of Successor General Partner	55
Section 10.3	Amendment of Agreement and Certificate of Limited Partnership	55
ARTICLE XI. WITHDRAWAL OR REMOVAL OF PARTNERS		56

 

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Section 11.1	Withdrawal of the General Partner	56
Section 11.2	Removal of the General Partner	57
Section 11.3	Interest of Departing General Partner and Successor General Partner	58
Section 11.4	Withdrawal of Limited Partners	59
ARTICLE XII. DISSOLUTION AND LIQUIDATION		59
Section 12.1	Dissolution	59
Section 12.2	Continuation of the Partnership After Dissolution	60
Section 12.3	Liquidator	60
Section 12.4	Liquidation	61
Section 12.5	Cancellation of Certificate of Limited Partnership	61
Section 12.6	Return of Contributions	62
Section 12.7	Waiver of Partition	62
Section 12.8	Capital Account Restoration	62
ARTICLE XIII. AMENDMENT OF PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT; MEETINGS; RECORD DATE		62
Section 13.1	Amendments to be Adopted Solely by the General Partner	62
Section 13.2	Amendment Procedures	63
Section 13.3	Amendment Requirements	64
Section 13.4	Special Meetings	65
Section 13.5	Notice of a Meeting	65
Section 13.6	Record Date	65
Section 13.7	Adjournment	65
Section 13.8	Waiver of Notice; Approval of Meeting; Approval of Minutes	66
Section 13.9	Quorum and Voting	66
Section 13.10	Conduct of a Meeting	66
Section 13.11	Action Without a Meeting	67
Section 13.12	Right to Vote and Related Matters	67
ARTICLE XIV. MERGER, CONSOLIDATION OR CONVERSION		68
Section 14.1	Authority	68
Section 14.2	Procedure for Merger, Consolidation or Conversion	68
Section 14.3	Approval by Limited Partners	70
Section 14.4	Certificate of Merger or Certificate of Conversion	71
Section 14.5	Amendment of Partnership Agreement	71
Section 14.6	Effect of Merger, Consolidation or Conversion	71
ARTICLE XV. RIGHT TO ACQUIRE LIMITED PARTNER INTERESTS		72
Section 15.1	Right to Acquire Limited Partner Interests	72
ARTICLE XVI. GENERAL PROVISIONS		74

 

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Section 16.1	Addresses and Notices; Written Communications	74
Section 16.2	Further Action	75
Section 16.3	Binding Effect	75
Section 16.4	Integration	75
Section 16.5	Creditors	75
Section 16.6	Waiver	75
Section 16.7	Third-Party Beneficiaries	75
Section 16.8	Counterparts	75
Section 16.9	Applicable Law; Forum, Venue and Jurisdiction	75
Section 16.10	Invalidity of Provisions	77
Section 16.11	Consent of Partners	77
Section 16.12	Facsimile Signatures	77
Exhibit A	Certificate Evidencing Common Units

 

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FIRST AMENDED AND RESTATED AGREEMENT
OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP OF EMERGE ENERGY SERVICES LP

 

THIS FIRST AMENDED AND RESTATED AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP OF EMERGE ENERGY SERVICES LP, dated as of May 14, 2013, is entered into by and among Emerge Energy Services GP LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, as the General Partner, and Superior Silica Resources LLC, a Texas limited liability company, as a Limited Partner, together with any other Persons who become Partners in the Partnership or parties hereto as provided herein.  In consideration of the covenants, conditions and agreements contained herein, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:

 

ARTICLE I.
DEFINITIONS

 

Section 1.1            Definitions.   The following definitions shall be for all purposes, unless otherwise clearly indicated to the contrary, applied to the terms used in this Agreement.

 

“ Adjusted Capital Account ” means the Capital Account maintained for each Partner as of the end of each taxable period of the Partnership, (a) increased by any amounts that such Partner is obligated to restore under the standards set by Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(c) (or is deemed obligated to restore under Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-2(g)(1) and 1.704-2(i)(5)) and (b) decreased by (i) the amount of all losses and deductions that, as of the end of such taxable period, are reasonably expected to be allocated to such Partner in subsequent taxable periods under Sections 704(e)(2) and 706(d) of the Code and Treasury Regulation Section 1.751-1(b)(2)(ii), and (ii) the amount of all distributions that, as of the end of such taxable period, are reasonably expected to be made to such Partner in subsequent taxable periods in accordance with the terms of this Agreement or otherwise to the extent they exceed offsetting increases to such Partner’s Capital Account that are reasonably expected to occur during (or prior to) the taxable period in which such distributions are reasonably expected to be made (other than increases as a result of a minimum gain chargeback pursuant to Section 6.1(b)(i) or 6.1(b)(ii)).  The foregoing definition of Adjusted Capital Account is intended to comply with the provisions of Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d) and shall be interpreted consistently therewith.  The “Adjusted Capital Account” of a Partner in respect of any Partnership Interest shall be the amount that such Adjusted Capital Account would be if such Partnership Interest were the only interest in the Partnership held by such Partner from and after the date on which such Partnership Interest was first issued.

 

“ Adjusted Property ” means any property the Carrying Value of which has been adjusted pursuant to Section 5.3(d)(i) or 5.3(d)(ii).

 

“ Affiliate ” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person that directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries Controls, is Controlled by or is under common Control with, the Person in question. Without limiting the foregoing, for purposes of this Agreement, any Person that, individually or together with its Affiliates, has the direct or indirect right to designate or cause the designation of at least one member to the Board of Directors, and any such Person’s Affiliates, shall be deemed to be Affiliates of the General Partner.

 

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“ Agreed Allocation ” means any allocation, other than a Required Allocation, of an item of income, gain, loss or deduction pursuant to the provisions of Section 6.1, including a Curative Allocation (if appropriate to the context in which the term “Agreed Allocation” is used).

 

“ Agreed Value ” of any Contributed Property means the fair market value of such property or other consideration at the time of contribution and in the case of an Adjusted Property, the fair market value of such Adjusted Property on the date of the revaluation event as described in Section 5.3(d), in both cases as determined by the General Partner.  The General Partner shall use such method as it determines to be appropriate to allocate the aggregate Agreed Value of Contributed Properties contributed to the Partnership in a single or integrated transaction among each separate property on a basis proportional to the fair market value of each Contributed Property.

 

“ Agreement ” means this First Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Emerge Energy Services LP, as it may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to time.

 

“ Associate ” means, when used to indicate a relationship with any Person, (a) any corporation or organization of which such Person is a director, officer, manager, general partner or managing member or is, directly or indirectly, the owner of 20% or more of any class of voting stock or other voting interest; (b) any trust or other estate in which such Person has at least a 20% beneficial interest or as to which such Person serves as trustee or in a similar fiduciary capacity; and (c) any relative or spouse of such Person, or any relative of such spouse, who has the same principal residence as such Person.

 

“ Board of Directors ” means, with respect to the General Partner, its board of directors or board of managers, as applicable, if a corporation or limited liability company, or if a limited partnership, the board of directors or board of managers of the general partner of the General Partner.

 

“ Book-Tax Disparity ” means with respect to any item of Contributed Property or Adjusted Property, as of the date of any determination, the difference between the Carrying Value of such Contributed Property or Adjusted Property and the adjusted basis thereof for U.S. federal income tax purposes as of such date.  A Partner’s share of the Partnership’s Book-Tax Disparities in all of its Contributed Property and Adjusted Property will be reflected by the difference between such Partner’s Capital Account balance as maintained pursuant to Section 5.3 and the hypothetical balance of such Partner’s Capital Account computed as if it had been maintained strictly in accordance with U.S. federal income tax accounting principles.

 

“ Business Day ” means Monday through Friday of each week, except that a legal holiday recognized as such by the government of the United States of America or the State of Texas shall not be regarded as a Business Day.

 

“ Capital Account ” means the capital account maintained for a Partner pursuant to Section 5.3.  The “Capital Account” of a Partner in respect of a Partnership Interest shall be the amount that such Capital Account would be if such Partnership Interest were the only interest in the

 

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Partnership held by such Partner from and after the date on which such Partnership Interest was first issued.

 

” Capital Contribution ” means any cash, cash equivalents or the Net Agreed Value of Contributed Property that a Partner contributes to the Partnership or that is contributed or deemed contributed to the Partnership on behalf of a Partner (including, in the case of an underwritten offering of Units, the amount of any underwriting discounts or commissions).

 

“ Carrying Value ” means (a) with respect to a Contributed Property or Adjusted Property, the Agreed Value of such property reduced (but not below zero) by all depreciation, amortization and cost recovery deductions charged to the Partners’ Capital Accounts in respect of such property, and (b) with respect to any other Partnership property, the adjusted basis of such property for U.S. federal income tax purposes, all as of the time of determination.  The Carrying Value of any property shall be adjusted from time to time in accordance with Section 5.3(d), and to reflect changes, additions or other adjustments to the Carrying Value for dispositions and acquisitions of Partnership properties, as deemed appropriate by the General Partner.

 

“ Cause ” means a court of competent jurisdiction has entered a final, non-appealable judgment finding the General Partner liable for actual fraud or willful misconduct in its capacity as a general partner of the Partnership.

 

“ Certificate ” means a certificate in such form (including global form if permitted by applicable rules and regulations) as may be adopted by the General Partner, issued by the Partnership evidencing ownership of one or more Partnership Interests.  The initial form of Certificate approved by the General Partner for Common Units is attached as Exhibit A to this Agreement.  Any modification to or replacement of such form of Certificate adopted by the General Partner shall not constitute an amendment to this Agreement.

 

“ Certificate of Limited Partnership ” means the Certificate of Limited Partnership of the Partnership filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware as referenced in Section 7.3, as such Certificate of Limited Partnership may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to time.

 

“ Citizenship Certification ” means a properly completed certificate in such form as may be specified by the General Partner by which a Limited Partner certifies that he (and if he is a nominee holding for the account of another Person, that to the best of his knowledge such other Person) is an Eligible Citizen.

 

“ Closing Date ” means the first date on which Common Units are sold by the Partnership to the Underwriters pursuant to the provisions of the Underwriting Agreement.

 

“ Closing Price ” means, in respect of any class of Limited Partner Interests, as of the date of determination, the last sale price on such day, regular way, or in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices on such day, regular way, in either case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the principal National Securities Exchange on which the respective Limited Partner Interests are listed or admitted to trading or, if such Limited Partner Interests are not listed or admitted to trading on any National Securities Exchange, the

 

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last quoted price on such day or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices on such day in the over-the-counter market, as reported by the primary reporting system then in use in relation to such Limited Partner Interests of such class, or, if on any such day such Limited Partner Interests of such class are not quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices on such day as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in such Limited Partner Interests of such class selected by the General Partner, or if on any such day no market maker is making a market in such Limited Partner Interests of such class, the fair value of such Limited Partner Interests on such day as determined by the General Partner.

 

” Code ” means the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended and in effect from time to time.  Any reference herein to a specific section or sections of the Code shall be deemed to include a reference to any corresponding provision of any successor law.

 

“ Combined Interest ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 11.3(a).

 

“ Commission ” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

“ Common Unit ” means a Unit representing, when outstanding, a fractional part of the Partnership Interests of all Limited Partners, and having the rights and obligations specified with respect to Common Units in this Agreement.

 

“ Conflicts Committee ” means a committee of the Board of Directors composed entirely of one or more directors, each of whom (a) is not an officer or employee of the General Partner, (b) is not an officer, director or employee of any Affiliate of the General Partner, (c) is not a holder of any ownership interest in the General Partner or its Affiliates or the Partnership Group, other than Common Units and other awards that are granted to such director under the LTIP and (d) meets the independence standards required of directors who serve on an audit committee of a board of directors established by the Securities Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and by the National Securities Exchange on which any class of Partnership Interests is listed or admitted to trading.

 

“ Consenting Party ” or “ Consenting Parties ” is defined in Section 16.9(b).

 

“ Contributed Property ” means each property or other consideration, in such form as may be permitted by the Delaware Act, but excluding cash, contributed to the Partnership.  Once the Carrying Value of a Contributed Property is adjusted pursuant to Section 5.3(d), such property or other consideration shall no longer constitute a Contributed Property, but shall be deemed an Adjusted Property.

 

“ Contribution Agreement ” means that certain Contribution, Conveyance and Assignment Agreement, dated as of May 14, 2013, among the Partnership, the General Partner, Emerge Energy Services Operating LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “ Operating Company ”), AEC Holdings LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ AEC ”), Direct Fuels Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (“ DF ”), Superior Silica Holdings LLC, a Texas limited liability company (“ SSH ,” and, together with AEC and DF, the “ Ownership Group ”), and certain other parties thereto, together with the additional conveyance documents and instruments contemplated or referenced thereunder.

 

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“ Control ” means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.

 

“ Curative Allocation ” means any allocation of an item of income, gain, deduction, loss or credit pursuant to the provisions of Section 6.1(b)(xi).

 

“ Current Market Price ” means, in respect of any class of Partnership Interests, as of the date of determination, the average of the daily Closing Prices per Partnership Interest of such class for the 20 consecutive Trading Days immediately prior to such date.

 

“ Delaware Act ” means the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act, 6 Del C.  Section 17-101, et seq., as amended, supplemented or restated from time to time, and any successor to such statute.

 

“ Departing General Partner ” means a former General Partner from and after the effective date of any withdrawal or removal of such former General Partner pursuant to Section 11.1 or 11.2.

 

“ Economic Risk of Loss ” has the meaning set forth in Treasury Regulation Section 1.752-2(a).

 

“ Eligible Citizen ” means a Person qualified to own interests in real property in jurisdictions in which any Group Member does business or proposes to do business from time to time, and whose status as a Limited Partner the General Partner determines does not or would not subject such Group Member to a significant risk of cancellation or forfeiture of any of its properties or any interest therein.

 

“ Event of Withdrawal ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 11.1(a).

 

“ General Partner ” means Emerge Energy Services GP LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, and its successors and permitted assigns that are admitted to the Partnership as general partner of the Partnership, in its capacity as the general partner of the Partnership (except as the context otherwise requires).

 

“ General Partner Interest ” means the non-economic management interest of the General Partner in the Partnership (in its capacity as general partner without reference to any Limited Partner Interest), which includes any and all rights, powers and benefits to which the General Partner is entitled as provided in this Agreement, together with all obligations of the General Partner to comply with the terms and provisions of this Agreement.  The General Partner Interest does not include any rights to ownership or profits or losses or any rights to receive distributions from operations or upon the liquidation or winding-up of the Partnership.

 

“ Gross Liability Value ” means, with respect to any Liability of the Partnership described in Treasury Regulation Section 1.752-7(b)(3)(i), the amount of cash that a willing assignor would pay to a willing assignee to assume such Liability in an arm’s-length transaction.

 

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“ Group ” means a Person that with or through any of its Affiliates or Associates has any contract, arrangement, understanding or relationship for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except voting pursuant to a revocable proxy or consent given to such Person in response to a proxy or consent solicitation made to 10 or more Persons), exercising investment power or disposing of any Partnership Interests with any other Person that beneficially owns, or whose Affiliates or Associates beneficially own, directly or indirectly, Partnership Interests.

 

“ Group Member ” means a member of the Partnership Group.

 

“ Group Member Agreement ” means the partnership agreement of any Group Member, other than the Partnership, that is a limited or general partnership, the limited liability company agreement of any Group Member that is a limited liability company, the certificate of incorporation and bylaws or similar organizational documents of any Group Member that is a corporation, the joint venture agreement or similar governing document of any Group Member that is a joint venture and the governing or organizational or similar documents of any other Group Member that is a Person other than a limited or general partnership, limited liability company, corporation or joint venture, as such may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to time.

 

“ Indemnitee ” means (a) any General Partner, (b) any Departing General Partner, (c) any Person who is or was an Affiliate of the General Partner or any Departing General Partner, (d) any Person who is or was a manager, managing member, director, officer, employee, agent, fiduciary or trustee of any Group Member, a General Partner, any Departing General Partner or any of their respective Affiliates, (e) any Person who is or was serving at the request of a General Partner, any Departing General Partner or any of their respective Affiliates as an officer, director, manager, managing member, employee, agent, fiduciary or trustee of another Person owing a fiduciary duty to any Group Member; provided that a Person shall not be an Indemnitee by reason of providing, on a fee-for-services basis, trustee, fiduciary or custodial services, (f) any Person who controls a General Partner or Departing General Partner and (g) any Person the General Partner designates as an “Indemnitee” for purposes of this Agreement because such Person’s service, status or relationship exposes such Person to potential claims, demands, actions, suits or proceedings relating to the Partnership Group’s business and affairs.

 

“ Initial General Partner Interest ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.1.

 

“ Initial Limited Partner Interest ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.1.

 

“ Initial Limited Partners ” means Superior Silica Resources LLC and, upon being admitted to the Partnership in accordance with Section 10.1, the Underwriters.

 

“ Initial Offering ” means the initial offering and sale of Common Units to the public, as described in the Registration Statement, including Common Units issued pursuant to the Underwriters’ option to purchase additional Common Units.

 

“ Initial Unit Price ” means (a) with respect to the Common Units, the initial public offering price per Common Unit at which the Underwriters offered the Common Units to the public for sale as set forth on the cover page of the prospectus included as part of the Registration Statement and first issued at or after the time the Registration Statement first

 

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became effective or (b) with respect to any other class or series of Units, the price per Unit at which such class or series of Units is initially sold by the Partnership, as determined by the General Partner, in each case adjusted as the General Partner determines to be appropriate to give effect to any distribution, subdivision or combination of Units.

 

” Liability ” means any liability or obligation of any nature, whether accrued, contingent or otherwise.

 

“ Limited Partner ” means, unless the context otherwise requires, each Initial Limited Partner, each additional Person that becomes a Limited Partner pursuant to the terms of this Agreement and any Departing General Partner upon the change of its status from General Partner to Limited Partner pursuant to Section 11.3, in each case in such Person’s capacity as a limited partner of the Partnership.  For purposes of the Delaware Act, the Limited Partners shall constitute a single class or group of limited partners.

 

“ Limited Partner Interest ” means the ownership interest of a Limited Partner in the Partnership, which may be evidenced by Common Units or other Units or a combination thereof or interest therein, and includes any and all benefits to which such Limited Partner is entitled as provided in this Agreement, together with all obligations of such Limited Partner to comply with the terms and provisions of this Agreement.

 

“ Liquidator ” means one or more Persons selected pursuant to Section 12.3 to perform the functions described in Section 12.4 as liquidating trustee of the Partnership within the meaning of the Delaware Act.

 

“ LTIP ” means the Long-Term Incentive Plan of the General Partner, as may be amended, or any equity compensation plan successor thereto.

 

“ Merger Agreement ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 14.1.

 

“ National Securities Exchange ” means an exchange registered with the Commission under Section 6(a) of the Securities Exchange Act (or any successor to such Section) and any other securities exchange (whether or not registered with the Commission under Section 6(a) (or successor to such Section) of the Securities Exchange Act) that the General Partner shall designate as a National Securities Exchange for purposes of this Agreement.

 

“ Net Agreed Value ” means, (a) in the case of any Contributed Property, the Agreed Value of such property or other consideration reduced by any Liabilities either assumed by the Partnership upon such contribution or to which such property or other consideration is subject when contributed and (b) in the case of any property distributed to a Partner by the Partnership, the Partnership’s Carrying Value of such property (as adjusted pursuant to Section 5.3(d)(ii)) at the time such property is distributed, reduced by any Liability either assumed by such Partner upon such distribution or to which such property is subject at the time of distribution in each case as determined and required by the Treasury Regulations promulgated under Section 752 of the Code.

 

“ Net Income ” means, for any taxable period, the excess, if any, of the Partnership’s items of income and gain for such taxable period over the Partnership’s items of loss and deduction for

 

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such taxable period.  The items included in the calculation of Net Income shall be determined in accordance with Section 5.3(b) and shall not include any items specially allocated under Section 6.1(b).

 

” Net Loss ” means, for any taxable period, the excess, if any, of the Partnership’s items of loss and deduction for such taxable period over the Partnership’s items of income and gain and for such taxable period.  The items included in the calculation of Net Loss shall be determined in accordance with Section 5.3(b) and shall not include any items specially allocated under Section 6.1(b).

 

“ Non-Citizen Assignee ” means a Person whom the General Partner has determined does not constitute an Eligible Citizen and as to whose Partnership Interest the General Partner has become the Limited Partner, pursuant to Section 4.8.

 

“ Nonrecourse Built-in Gain ” means with respect to any Contributed Properties or Adjusted Properties that are subject to a mortgage or pledge securing a Nonrecourse Liability, the amount of any taxable gain that would be allocated to the Partners pursuant to Section 6.2(b) if such properties were disposed of in a taxable transaction in full satisfaction of such liabilities and for no other consideration.

 

“ Nonrecourse Deductions ” means any and all items of loss, deduction or expenditure (including any expenditure described in Section 705(a)(2)(B) of the Code) that, in accordance with the principles of Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(b), are attributable to a Nonrecourse Liability.

 

“ Nonrecourse Liability ” has the meaning set forth in Treasury Regulation Section 1.752-1(a)(2).

 

“ Notice of Election to Purchase ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 15.1(b).

 

“ Opinion of Counsel ” means a written opinion of counsel (who may be regular counsel to the Partnership or the General Partner or any of its Affiliates) acceptable to the General Partner.

 

“ Other Entity ” is defined in Section 14.1.

 

“ Outstanding ” means, with respect to Partnership Interests, all Partnership Interests that are issued by the Partnership and reflected as outstanding on the Partnership’s books and records as of the date of determination; provided , however , that if at any time any Person or Group (other than the General Partner or its Affiliates) beneficially owns 20% or more of the Outstanding Limited Partner Interests of any class then Outstanding, none of the Limited Partner Interests owned by such Person or Group shall be voted on any matter and shall not be considered to be Outstanding when sending notices of a meeting of Limited Partners to vote on any matter (unless otherwise required by law), calculating required votes, determining the presence of a quorum or for other similar purposes under this Agreement, except that Limited Partner Interests so owned shall be considered to be Outstanding for purposes of Section 11.1(b)(iv) (such Partnership Interests shall not, however, be treated as a separate class or group of Partnership Interests for purposes of this Agreement or the Delaware Act); provided , further , that the foregoing limitation

 

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on voting of Partnership Interests shall not apply to (i) any Person or Group who acquired 20% or more of the Outstanding Limited Partner Interests of any class then Outstanding directly from the General Partner or its Affiliates (other than the Partnership), (ii) any Person or Group who acquired 20% or more of the Outstanding Limited Partner Interests of any class then Outstanding directly or indirectly from a Person or Group described in clause (i)  provided that, at or prior to such acquisition, the General Partner, acting in its sole discretion, shall have notified such Person or Group in writing that such limitation shall not apply, or (iii) any Person or Group who acquired 20% or more of any Limited Partner Interests issued by the Partnership provided that, at or prior to such acquisition, the General Partner shall have notified such Person or Group in writing that such limitation shall not apply.

 

” Partner Nonrecourse Debt ” has the meaning given to such term in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(b)(4).

 

“ Partner Nonrecourse Debt Minimum Gain ” has the meaning given to such term in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(i)(2).

 

“ Partner Nonrecourse Deductions ” means any and all items of loss, deduction or expenditure (including any expenditure described in Section 705(a)(2)(B) of the Code) that, in accordance with the principles of Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(i)(1), are attributable to a Partner Nonrecourse Debt.

 

“ Partners ” means the General Partner and the Limited Partners.

 

“ Partnership ” means Emerge Energy Services LP, a Delaware limited partnership.

 

“ Partnership Group ” means the Partnership and its Subsidiaries treated as a single consolidated entity.

 

“ Partnership Interest ” means an interest in the Partnership, which shall include any General Partner Interest and Limited Partner Interests but shall exclude any options, rights, warrants and appreciation rights relating to an equity interest in the Partnership.  For purposes of this Agreement, the Partnership Interests constitute a single class or series of interests unless any Partnership Interests are designated in writing as a separate class or series by the General Partner in its sole discretion.

 

“ Partnership Minimum Gain ” means the amount of “partnership minimum gain” determined in accordance with the principles of Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-2(b)(2) and 1.704-2(d).

 

“ Percentage Interest ” means as of any date of determination (a) as to any Unitholder with respect to Units, the product obtained by multiplying (i) 100% less the percentage applicable to clause (b) below by (ii) the quotient obtained by dividing (A) the number of Units held by such Unitholder, by (B) the total number of all Outstanding Units, and (b) as to the holders of other Partnership Interests issued by the Partnership in accordance with Section 5.4, the percentage established (or determined as established) as a part of such issuance.  The Percentage Interest with respect to the General Partner Interest, and the Percentage Interest of the Partnership with respect to Partnership Interests held by it in treasury, shall at all times be zero.

 

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“ Person ” means an individual or a corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, unincorporated organization, association, government agency or political subdivision thereof or other entity.

 

“ Plan of Conversion ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 14.1.

 

“ Pro Rata ” means (a) when used with respect to Units or any class thereof, apportioned equally among all designated Units in accordance with their relative Percentage Interests and (b) when used with respect to Partners or Record Holders, apportioned among all Partners or Record Holders in accordance with their relative Percentage Interests.

 

“ Purchase Date ” means the date determined by the General Partner as the date for purchase of all Outstanding Limited Partner Interests of a certain class (other than Limited Partner Interests owned by the General Partner and its Affiliates) pursuant to Article XV.

 

“ Quarter ” means, unless the context requires otherwise, a fiscal quarter of the Partnership or, with respect to the fiscal quarter of the Partnership that includes the Closing Date, the portion of such fiscal quarter after the Closing Date.

 

“ Recapture Income ” means any gain recognized by the Partnership (computed without regard to any adjustment required by Section 734 or 743 of the Code) upon the disposition of any property or asset of the Partnership, which gain is characterized as ordinary income because it represents the recapture of deductions previously taken with respect to such property or asset.

 

“ Record Date ” means the date established by the General Partner or otherwise in accordance with this Agreement for determining (a) the identity of the Record Holders entitled to notice of, or to vote at, any meeting of Limited Partners or entitled to vote by ballot or give approval of Partnership action in writing or by electronic transmission without a meeting or entitled to exercise rights in respect of any lawful action of Limited Partners or (b) the identity of Record Holders entitled to receive any report or distribution or to participate in any offer.

 

“ Record Holder ” means (a) with respect to Partnership Interests of any class of Partnership Interests for which a Transfer Agent has been appointed, the Person in whose name a Partnership Interest of such class is registered on the books of the Transfer Agent as of the opening of business on a particular Business Day, or (b) with respect to other classes of Partnership Interests, the Person in whose name any such other Partnership Interest is registered on the books that the General Partner has caused to be kept as of the opening of business on such Business Day.

 

“ Redeemable Interests ” means any Partnership Interests for which a redemption notice has been given, and has not been withdrawn, pursuant to Section 4.9.

 

“ Registration Statement ” means the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333- 187487) as it has been or as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time, filed by the Partnership with the Commission under the Securities Act to register the offering and sale of the Common Units in the Initial Offering, including any related registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act.

 

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“ Required Allocations ” means any allocation of an item of income, gain, loss or deduction pursuant to Section 6.1(b)(i), 6.1(b)(ii), 6.1(b)(iv), 6.1(b)(v), 6.1(b)(vi), 6.1(b)(vii) or 6.1(b)(ix).

 

“ Securities Act ” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, supplemented or restated from time to time and any successor to such statute.

 

“ Securities Exchange Act ” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, supplemented or restated from time to time and any successor to such statute.

 

“ Services Agreement ” means that certain Administrative Services Agreement, dated as of May 14, 2013, among Insight Equity Management Company LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, the Partnership and the General Partner, as such agreement may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to time.

 

“ Special Approval ” means approval by a majority of the members of the Conflicts Committee.

 

“ Subsidiary ” means, with respect to any Person, (a) a corporation of which more than 50% of the voting power of shares entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors or other governing body of such corporation is owned, directly or indirectly, at the date of determination, by such Person, by one or more Subsidiaries of such Person or a combination thereof, (b) a partnership (whether general or limited) in which such Person or a Subsidiary of such Person is, at the date of determination, a general or limited partner of such partnership, but only if more than 50% of the partnership interests of such partnership (considering all of the partnership interests of the partnership as a single class) are owned, directly or indirectly, at the date of determination, by such Person, by one or more Subsidiaries of such Person, or a combination thereof, or (c) any other Person (other than a corporation or a partnership) in which such Person, one or more Subsidiaries of such Person, or a combination thereof, directly or indirectly, at the date of determination, has (i) at least a majority ownership interest or (ii) the power to elect or direct the election of a majority of the directors or other governing body of such Person.

 

“ Superior Silica Resources ” means Superior Silica Resources LLC, a Texas limited liability company.

 

“ Surviving Business Entity ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 14.2(b)(ii).

 

“ Trading Day ” means, for the purpose of determining the Current Market Price of any class of Limited Partner Interests, a day on which the principal National Securities Exchange on which such class of Limited Partner Interests is listed or admitted to trading is open for the transaction of business or, if Limited Partner Interests of a class are not listed or admitted to trading on any National Securities Exchange, a day on which banking institutions in New York City generally are open.

 

“ Transaction Documents ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 7.1(b).

 

“ transfer ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 4.4(a).

 

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“ Transfer Agent ” means, with respect to any class of Partnership Interests, such bank, trust company or other Person (including the General Partner or one of its Affiliates) as may be appointed from time to time by the Partnership to act as registrar and transfer agent for such class of Partnership Interests; provided that if no Transfer Agent is specifically designated for such class of Partnership Interests, the General Partner shall act in such capacity.

 

“ Underwriter ” means each Person named as an underwriter in Schedule I to the Underwriting Agreement who purchases Common Units pursuant thereto.

 

“ Underwriting Agreement ” means that certain Underwriting Agreement dated May 8, 2013, among the Partnership, the General Partner, the Operating Company and the Underwriters, providing for the purchase of Common Units by the Underwriters.

 

“ Unit ” means a Partnership Interest that is designated as a “Unit” and shall include Common Units.

 

“ Unitholders ” means the holders of Units.

 

“ Unit Majority ” means at least a majority of the Outstanding Common Units.

 

“ Unrealized Gain ” attributable to any item of Partnership property means, as of any date of determination, the excess, if any, of (a) the fair market value of such property as of such date (as determined under Section 5.3(d)) over (b) the Carrying Value of such property as of such date (prior to any adjustment to be made pursuant to Section 5.3(d) as of such date).

 

“ Unrealized Loss ” attributable to any item of Partnership property means, as of any date of determination, the excess, if any, of (a) the Carrying Value of such property as of such date (prior to any adjustment to be made pursuant to Section 5.3(d) as of such date) over (b) the fair market value of such property as of such date (as determined under Section 5.3(d)).

 

“ Unrestricted Person ” means (a) each Indemnitee, (b) each Partner, (c) each Person who is or was a member, partner, director, officer, employee or agent of any Group Member, a General Partner or any Departing General Partner or any Affiliate of any Group Member, a General Partner or any Departing General Partner and (d) any Person the General Partner designates as an “Unrestricted Person” for purposes of this Agreement.

 

“ U.S. GAAP ” means United States generally accepted accounting principles, as in effect from time to time, consistently applied.

 

“ Withdrawal Opinion of Counsel ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 11.1(b).

 

Section 1.2            Construction.   Unless the context requires otherwise:  (a) any pronoun used in this Agreement shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine or neuter forms; (b) references to Articles and Sections refer to Articles and Sections of this Agreement; (c) the terms “include,” “includes,” “including” or words of like import shall be deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation”; and (d) the terms “hereof,” “herein” or “hereunder” refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement.  The table of

 

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contents and headings contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes only, and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.

 

ARTICLE II.
ORGANIZATION

 

Section 2.1            Formation.   The General Partner and Superior Silica Resources, as the limited partner of the Partnership, previously formed the Partnership as a limited partnership pursuant to the provisions of the Delaware Act. The General Partner and Superior Silica Resources hereby amend and restate the Limited Partnership Agreement of Emerge Energy Services LP, dated April 27, 2012, as amended, in its entirety.  This amendment and restatement shall become effective on the date of this Agreement.  Except as expressly provided to the contrary in this Agreement, the rights, duties, liabilities and obligations of the Partners and the administration, dissolution and termination of the Partnership shall be governed by the Delaware Act.  All Partnership Interests shall constitute personal property of the owner thereof for all purposes.

 

Section 2.2            Name.   The name of the Partnership shall be “Emerge Energy Services LP”.  The Partnership’s business may be conducted under any other name or names as determined by the General Partner, including the name of the General Partner.  The words “Limited Partnership,” the letters “LP,” or “Ltd.” or similar words or letters shall be included in the Partnership’s name where necessary for the purpose of complying with the laws of any jurisdiction that so requires.  The General Partner may change the name of the Partnership at any time and from time to time and shall notify the Partners of such change in the next regular communication to the Partners.

 

Section 2.3            Registered Office; Registered Agent; Principal Office; Other Offices .   Unless and until changed by the General Partner, the registered office of the Partnership in the State of Delaware shall be located at 1675 South State St., Suite B, Dover, Delaware 19901, and the registered agent for service of process on the Partnership in the State of Delaware at such registered office shall be Capitol Services, Inc.  The principal office of the Partnership shall be located at 1400 Civic Place, Suite 250, Southlake, Texas 76092, or such other place as the General Partner may from time to time designate by notice to the Partners.  The Partnership may maintain offices at such other place or places within or outside the State of Delaware as the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate.  The address of the General Partner shall be 1400 Civic Place, Suite 250, Southlake, Texas 76092, or such other place as the General Partner may from time to time designate by notice to the Partners.

 

Section 2.4            Purpose and Business.   The purpose and nature of the business to be conducted by the Partnership shall be to (a) engage directly in, or enter into or form, hold and dispose of any corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other arrangement to engage indirectly in, any business activity that is approved by the General Partner, in its sole discretion, and that lawfully may be conducted by a limited partnership organized pursuant to the Delaware Act and, in connection therewith, to exercise all of the rights and powers conferred upon the Partnership pursuant to the agreements relating to such business activity, and (b) do anything necessary or appropriate to the foregoing, including the making of capital contributions or loans to a Group Member; provided , however , that the General Partner

 

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shall not cause the Partnership to engage, directly or indirectly, in any business activity that the General Partner determines would be reasonably likely to cause the Partnership to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise taxable as an entity for federal income tax purposes.  To the fullest extent permitted by law, the General Partner shall have no duty or obligation to propose or approve, and may, in its sole discretion, decline to propose or approve, the conduct by the Partnership of any business and may decline to do so free of any fiduciary duty or obligation whatsoever to the Partnership or any Limited Partner and, in declining to so propose or approve, shall not be required to act in good faith or pursuant to any other standard imposed by this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, any other agreement contemplated hereby or under the Delaware Act or any other law, rule or regulation or at equity and the General Partner in determining whether to propose or approve the conduct by the Partnership of any business shall be permitted to do so in its sole and absolute discretion.

 

Section 2.5            Powers.   The Partnership shall be empowered to do any and all acts and things necessary, appropriate, proper, advisable, incidental to or convenient for the furtherance and accomplishment of the purposes and business described in Section 2.4 and for the protection and benefit of the Partnership.

 

Section 2.6            Term.   The term of the Partnership commenced upon the filing of the Certificate of Limited Partnership in accordance with the Delaware Act and shall continue until the dissolution of the Partnership in accordance with the provisions of Article XII.  The existence of the Partnership as a separate legal entity shall continue until the cancellation of the Certificate of Limited Partnership as provided in the Delaware Act.

 

Section 2.7            Title to Partnership Assets.   Title to Partnership assets, whether real, personal or mixed and whether tangible or intangible, shall be deemed to be owned by the Partnership as an entity or its Subsidiaries, and no Partner, individually or collectively, shall have any ownership interest in such Partnership assets or any portion thereof.  Title to any or all of the Partnership assets may be held in the name of the Partnership, the General Partner, one or more of its Affiliates or one or more nominees, as the General Partner may determine.  The General Partner hereby declares and warrants that any Partnership assets for which record title is held in the name of the General Partner or one or more of its Affiliates or one or more nominees shall be held by the General Partner or such Affiliate or nominee for the use and benefit of the Partnership in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement; provided, however, that the General Partner shall use reasonable efforts to cause record title to such assets (other than those assets in respect of which the General Partner determines that the expense and difficulty of conveyancing makes transfer of record title to the Partnership impracticable) to be vested in the Partnership as soon as reasonably practicable; provided, further, that, prior to the withdrawal or removal of the General Partner or as soon thereafter as practicable, the General Partner shall use reasonable efforts to effect the transfer of record title to the Partnership and, prior to any such transfer, will provide for the use of such assets in a manner satisfactory to the successor General Partner.  All Partnership assets shall be recorded as the property of the Partnership in its books and records, irrespective of the name in which record title to such Partnership assets is held.

 

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ARTICLE III.
RIGHTS OF LIMITED PARTNERS

 

Section 3.1            Limitation of Liability.   The Limited Partners shall have no liability under this Agreement except as expressly provided in this Agreement or the Delaware Act.

 

Section 3.2            Management of Business.   No Limited Partner, in its capacity as such, shall participate in the operation, management or control (within the meaning of the Delaware Act) of the Partnership’s business, transact any business in the Partnership’s name or have the power to sign documents for or otherwise bind the Partnership.  Any action taken by any Affiliate of the General Partner or any officer, director, employee, manager, member, general partner, agent or trustee of the General Partner or any of its Affiliates, or any officer, director, employee, manager, member, general partner, agent or trustee of a Group Member, in its capacity as such, shall not be deemed to be participation in the control of the business of the Partnership by a limited partner of the Partnership (within the meaning of Section 17-303(a) of the Delaware Act) and shall not affect, impair or eliminate the limitations on the liability of the Limited Partners under this Agreement.

 

Section 3.3            Outside Activities of the Limited Partners.   Subject to the provisions of Section 7.6, which shall continue to be applicable to the Persons referred to therein, regardless of whether such Persons shall also be Limited Partners, each Limited Partner shall be entitled to and may have any business interests and engage in any business activities in addition to those relating to the Partnership, including business interests and activities in direct competition with the Partnership Group.  Neither the Partnership nor any of the other Partners shall have any rights by virtue of this Agreement in any business ventures of any Limited Partner.

 

Section 3.4            Rights of Limited Partners.

 

(a)           In addition to other rights provided by this Agreement or by applicable law (other than Section 17-305(a) of the Delaware Act, the obligations of which are to the fullest extent permitted by law expressly replaced in their entirety by the provisions below), and except as limited by Sections 3.4(b) and 3.4(c), each Limited Partner shall have the right, for a purpose that is reasonably related, as determined by the General Partner, to such Limited Partner’s interest as a Limited Partner in the Partnership, upon reasonable written demand stating the purpose of such demand and at such Limited Partner’s own expense to obtain:

 

(i)            true and full information regarding the status of the business and financial condition of the Partnership (provided that the requirements of this Section 3.4(a)(i) shall be satisfied to the extent the Limited Partner is furnished the Partnership’s most recent annual report and any subsequent quarterly or periodic reports required to be filed (or which would be required to be filed) with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 of the Securities Exchange Act);

 

(ii)           a current list of the name and last known business, residence or mailing address of each Record Holder;

 

(iii)          a copy of this Agreement and the Certificate of Limited Partnership and all amendments thereto, together with copies of the executed copies of all powers of attorney

 

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pursuant to which this Agreement, the Certificate of Limited Partnership and all amendments thereto have been executed (provided that the requirements of this Section 3.4(a)(iii) shall be satisfied to the extent that true and correct copies of such documents are publicly available with the Commission via its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system or any successor thereto); and

 

(iv)          such other information regarding the affairs of the Partnership as the General Partner determines in its sole discretion is just and reasonable.

 

(b)           The General Partner may keep confidential from the Limited Partners, for such period of time as the General Partner deems reasonable in its sole discretion, (i) any information that the General Partner reasonably believes to be in the nature of trade secrets or (ii) other information the disclosure of which the General Partner believes (A) is not in the best interests of the Partnership Group, (B) could damage the Partnership Group or its business or (C) that any Group Member is required by law or by agreement with any third party to keep confidential (other than agreements with Affiliates of the Partnership the primary purpose of which is to circumvent the obligations set forth in this Section 3.4).

 

(c)           Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement or Section 17-305 of the Delaware Act, each of the Partners, each other Person who acquires a Partnership Interest and each other Person bound by this Agreement hereby agrees to the fullest extent permitted by law that they do not have rights to receive information from the Partnership or any Indemnitee for the purpose of determining whether to pursue litigation or assist in pending litigation against the Partnership or any Indemnitee relating to the affairs of the Partnership except pursuant to the applicable rules of discovery relating to litigation commenced by such Person.

 

ARTICLE IV.

CERTIFICATES; RECORD HOLDERS; TRANSFER OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS

 

Section 4.1            Certificates.   Notwithstanding anything otherwise to the contrary herein, unless the General Partner shall determine otherwise in respect of some or all of any or all classes of Partnership Interests, Partnership Interests shall not be evidenced by certificates.  Certificates that may be issued shall be executed on behalf of the General Partner on behalf of the Partnership by the Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, President, Chief Financial Officer or any Vice President of the General Partner and the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the General Partner or any other authorized officer or director of the General Partner.  If a Transfer Agent has been appointed for a class of Partnership Interests, no Certificate for such class of Partnership Interests shall be valid for any purpose until it has been countersigned by the Transfer Agent; provided , however , that if the General Partner elects to cause the Partnership to issue Partnership Interests of such class in global form, the Certificate shall be valid upon receipt of a certificate from the Transfer Agent certifying that the Partnership Interests have been duly registered in accordance with the directions of the Partnership.

 

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Section 4.2            Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Certificates.

 

(a)           If any mutilated Certificate is surrendered to the Transfer Agent, the officers of the General Partner specified in Section 4.1 on behalf of the Partnership shall execute, and the Transfer Agent shall countersign and deliver in exchange therefor, a new Certificate evidencing the same number and type of Partnership Interests as the Certificate so surrendered.

 

(b)           The officers of the General Partner specified in Section 4.1 on behalf of the Partnership shall execute and deliver, and the Transfer Agent shall countersign, a new Certificate in place of any Certificate previously issued if the Record Holder of the Certificate:

 

(i)            makes proof by affidavit, in form and substance satisfactory to the General Partner, that a previously issued Certificate has been lost, destroyed or stolen;

 

(ii)           requests the issuance of a new Certificate before the General Partner has notice that the Certificate has been acquired by a purchaser for value in good faith and without notice of an adverse claim;

 

(iii)          if requested by the General Partner, delivers to the General Partner and the Transfer Agent a bond, in form and substance satisfactory to the General Partner, with surety or sureties and with fixed or open penalty as the General Partner may direct, to indemnify the Partnership, the Partners, the General Partner and the Transfer Agent against any claim that may be made on account of the alleged loss, destruction or theft of the Certificate; and

 

(iv)          satisfies any other reasonable requirements imposed by the General Partner.

 

If a Partner fails to notify the General Partner within a reasonable period of time after such Partner has notice of the loss, destruction or theft of a Certificate, and a transfer of the Partnership Interests represented by the Certificate is registered before the Partnership, the General Partner or the Transfer Agent receives such notification, the Partner shall be precluded from making any claim against the Partnership, the General Partner or the Transfer Agent for such transfer or for a new Certificate.

 

(c)           As a condition to the issuance of any new Certificate under this Section 4.2, the General Partner may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Transfer Agent) reasonably connected therewith.

 

Section 4.3            Record Holders.   The Partnership shall be entitled to recognize the Record Holder as the Partner with respect to any Partnership Interest and, accordingly, shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to, or interest in, such Partnership Interest on the part of any other Person, regardless of whether the Partnership shall have actual or other notice thereof, except as otherwise provided by law or any applicable rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of any National Securities Exchange on which such Partnership Interests are listed or admitted to trading.  Without limiting the foregoing, when a Person (such as a broker, dealer, bank, trust company or clearing corporation or an agent of any of the foregoing) is acting as

 

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nominee, agent or in some other representative capacity for another Person in acquiring and/or holding Partnership Interests, as between the Partnership on the one hand, and such other Persons on the other, such representative Person shall be (a) the Record Holder of such Partnership Interest and (b) bound by this Agreement and shall have the rights and obligations of a Partner hereunder as, and to the extent, provided herein.

 

Section 4.4            Transfer Generally.

 

(a)           The term “transfer,” when used in this Agreement with respect to a Partnership Interest, shall mean a transaction (i) by which the General Partner assigns its General Partner Interest to another Person, and includes a transfer, sale, assignment, gift, pledge, grant of security interest, encumbrance, hypothecation, mortgage, exchange or any other disposition by law or otherwise, or (ii) by which the holder of a Limited Partner Interest assigns such Limited Partner Interest to another Person who is or becomes a Limited Partner, and includes a transfer, sale, assignment, gift, exchange or any other disposition by law or otherwise (but not a pledge, grant of security interest, encumbrance, hypothecation or mortgage), including any transfer upon foreclosure or other exercise of remedies of any pledge, security interest, encumbrance, hypothecation or mortgage.

 

(b)           No Partnership Interest shall be transferred, in whole or in part, except in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in this Article IV.  Any transfer or purported transfer of a Partnership Interest not made in accordance with this Article IV shall be, to the fullest extent permitted by law, null and void.

 

(c)           Nothing contained in this Agreement shall be construed to prevent a disposition by any stockholder, member, partner or other owner of any Partner of any or all of the shares of stock, membership interests, partnership interests or other ownership interests in such Partner and the term “transfer” shall not mean any such disposition.

 

Section 4.5            Registration and Transfer of Limited Partner Interests.

 

(a)           The General Partner shall keep or cause to be kept on behalf of the Partnership a register in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe and subject to the provisions of Section 4.5(b), the Partnership will provide for the registration and transfer of Limited Partner Interests.

 

(b)           The Partnership shall not recognize any transfer of Limited Partner Interests evidenced by Certificates until the Certificates evidencing such Limited Partner Interests are surrendered for registration of transfer.  No charge shall be imposed by the General Partner for such transfer; provided , that as a condition to the issuance of any new Certificate under this Section 4.5, the General Partner may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed with respect thereto.  Upon surrender of a Certificate for registration of transfer of any Limited Partner Interests evidenced by a Certificate, and subject to the provisions hereof, the officers of the General Partner specified in Section 4.1 on behalf of the General Partner on behalf of the Partnership shall execute and deliver, and in the case of Certificates evidencing Limited Partner Interests, the Transfer Agent shall countersign and deliver, in the name of the holder or the designated transferee or transferees, as required

 

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pursuant to the holder’s instructions, one or more new Certificates evidencing the same aggregate number and type of Limited Partner Interests as was evidenced by the Certificate so surrendered.

 

(c)           By acceptance of the transfer of any Limited Partner Interests in accordance with this Section 4.5 and except as provided in Section 4.8, each transferee of a Limited Partner Interest (including any nominee holder or an agent or representative acquiring such Limited Partner Interests for the account of another Person) acknowledges and agrees to the provisions of Section 10.1(a).

 

(d)           Subject to (i) the foregoing provisions of this Section 4.5, (ii) Section 4.3, (iii) Section 4.7, (iv) with respect to any class or series of Limited Partner Interests, the provisions of any statement of designations or amendment of this Agreement establishing such class or series, (v) any contractual provisions binding on any Limited Partner and (vi) provisions of applicable law including the Securities Act, Limited Partner Interests shall be freely transferable.

 

(e)           The General Partner and its Affiliates shall have the right at any time to transfer any Common Units they hold to one or more Persons.

 

Section 4.6            Transfer of the General Partner Interest.

 

(a)           Subject to Section 4.6(c) below, prior to June 30, 2023, the General Partner shall not transfer all or any part of its General Partner Interest to a Person unless such transfer (i) has been approved by the prior written consent or vote of Partners (excluding the General Partner and its Affiliates) holding a majority of the Percentage Interests of all Partners (excluding the Percentage Interests of the General Partner and its Affiliates) or (ii) is of all, but not less than all, of its General Partner Interest to (A) an Affiliate of the General Partner (other than an individual) or (B) another Person (other than an individual) in connection with the merger or consolidation of the General Partner with or into such other Person or the transfer by the General Partner of all or substantially all of its assets to such other Person.

 

(b)           Subject to Section 4.6(c) below, on or after June 30, 2023, the General Partner may at its option transfer all or any part of its General Partner Interest without Unitholder approval.

 

(c)           Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, no transfer by the General Partner of all or any part of its General Partner Interest to another Person shall be permitted unless (i) the transferee agrees to assume the rights and duties of the General Partner under this Agreement and to be bound by the provisions of this Agreement, (ii) the Partnership receives an Opinion of Counsel that such transfer would not result in the loss of limited liability under the Delaware Act of any Limited Partner or cause the Partnership to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise to be taxed as an entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes (to the extent not already so treated or taxed) and (iii) such transferee also agrees to purchase all (or the appropriate portion thereof, if applicable) of the partnership or membership interest of the General Partner as the general partner or managing member, if any, of each other Group Member.  In the case of a transfer pursuant to and in compliance with this Section 4.6, the transferee or successor (as the case may be) shall, subject to compliance with the terms of

 

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Section 10.2, be admitted to the Partnership as the General Partner effective immediately prior to the transfer of the General Partner Interest, and the business of the Partnership shall continue without dissolution.

 

Section 4.7            Restrictions on Transfers.

 

(a)           Except as provided in Section 4.7(c) below, but notwithstanding the other provisions of this Article IV, no transfer of any Partnership Interests shall be made if such transfer would (i) violate the then applicable U.S. federal or state securities laws or rules and regulations of the Commission, any state securities commission or any other governmental authority with jurisdiction over such transfer, (ii) terminate the existence or qualification of the Partnership under the laws of the jurisdiction of its formation, or (iii) cause the Partnership to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise to be taxed as an entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes (to the extent not already so treated or taxed).

 

(b)           The General Partner may impose restrictions on the transfer of Partnership Interests if the General Partner determines, with the advice of counsel, that such restrictions are necessary or advisable to (i) avoid a significant risk of the Partnership becoming taxable as a corporation or otherwise becoming taxable as an entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes or (ii) preserve the uniformity of Limited Partner Interests (or any class or classes thereof).  The General Partner may impose such restrictions by amending this Agreement; provided , however , that any amendment that would result in the delisting or suspension of trading of any class of Limited Partner Interests on the principal National Securities Exchange on which such class of Limited Partner Interests is then listed or admitted to trading must be approved, prior to such amendment being effected, by the holders of at least a majority of the Outstanding Limited Partner Interests of such class.

 

(c)           Nothing contained in this Article IV, or elsewhere in this Agreement, shall preclude the settlement of any transactions involving Partnership Interests entered into through the facilities of any National Securities Exchange on which such Partnership Interests are listed or admitted to trading.

 

(d)           Each Certificate evidencing Partnership Interests shall bear a conspicuous legend in substantially the following form:

 

THE HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY ACKNOWLEDGES FOR THE BENEFIT OF EMERGE ENERGY SERVICES LP THAT THIS SECURITY MAY NOT BE SOLD, OFFERED, RESOLD, PLEDGED OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED IF SUCH TRANSFER WOULD (A) VIOLATE THE THEN APPLICABLE FEDERAL OR STATE SECURITIES LAWS OR RULES AND REGULATIONS OF THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION, ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION OR ANY OTHER GOVERNMENTAL AUTHORITY WITH JURISDICTION OVER SUCH TRANSFER, (B) TERMINATE THE EXISTENCE OR QUALIFICATION OF EMERGE ENERGY SERVICES LP UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE, OR (C) CAUSE EMERGE ENERGY SERVICES LP TO BE TREATED AS AN ASSOCIATION TAXABLE AS A CORPORATION OR OTHERWISE TO BE TAXED AS AN ENTITY FOR FEDERAL INCOME TAX PURPOSES (TO THE EXTENT NOT ALREADY SO TREATED OR

 

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TAXED). EMERGE ENERGY SERVICES GP LLC, THE GENERAL PARTNER OF EMERGE ENERGY SERVICES LP, MAY IMPOSE ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS ON THE TRANSFER OF THIS SECURITY IF IT RECEIVES AN OPINION OF COUNSEL THAT SUCH RESTRICTIONS ARE NECESSARY TO AVOID A SIGNIFICANT RISK OF EMERGE ENERGY SERVICES LP BECOMING TAXABLE AS A CORPORATION OR OTHERWISE BECOMING TAXABLE AS AN ENTITY FOR FEDERAL INCOME TAX PURPOSES.  THE RESTRICTIONS SET FORTH ABOVE SHALL NOT PRECLUDE THE SETTLEMENT OF ANY TRANSACTIONS INVOLVING THIS SECURITY ENTERED INTO THROUGH THE FACILITIES OF ANY NATIONAL SECURITIES EXCHANGE ON WHICH THIS SECURITY IS LISTED OR ADMITTED TO TRADING.

 

Section 4.8            Citizenship Certificates; Non-Citizen Assignees.

 

(a)           If any Group Member is or becomes subject to any federal, state or local law or regulation that the General Partner determines would create a substantial risk of cancellation or forfeiture of any property in which the Group Member has an interest based on the nationality, citizenship or other related status of a Limited Partner, the General Partner may request any Limited Partner to furnish to the General Partner, within 30 days after receipt of such request, an executed Citizenship Certification or such other information concerning his nationality, citizenship or other related status (or, if the Limited Partner is a nominee holding for the account of another Person, the nationality, citizenship or other related status of such Person) as the General Partner may request.  If a Limited Partner fails to furnish to the General Partner within the aforementioned 30-day period such Citizenship Certification or other requested information or if upon receipt of such Citizenship Certification or other requested information the General Partner determines that a Limited Partner is not an Eligible Citizen, the Limited Partner Interests owned by such Limited Partner shall be subject to redemption in accordance with the provisions of Section 4.9.  In addition, the General Partner may require that the status of any such Limited Partner be changed to that of a Non-Citizen Assignee and, thereupon, the General Partner shall be substituted for such Non-Citizen Assignee as the Limited Partner in respect of the Non-Citizen Assignee’s Limited Partner Interests.

 

(b)           The General Partner shall, in exercising voting rights in respect of Limited Partner Interests held by it on behalf of Non-Citizen Assignees, distribute the votes in the same ratios as the votes of Partners (including the General Partner) in respect of Limited Partner Interests other than those of Non-Citizen Assignees are cast, either for, against or abstaining as to the matter.

 

(c)           Upon dissolution of the Partnership, a Non-Citizen Assignee shall have no right to receive a distribution in kind pursuant to Section 12.4 but shall be entitled to the cash equivalent thereof, and the Partnership shall provide cash in exchange for an assignment of the Non-Citizen Assignee’s share of any distribution in kind. Such payment and assignment shall be treated for Partnership purposes as a purchase by the Partnership from the Non-Citizen Assignee of his Limited Partner Interest (representing his right to receive his share of such distribution in kind).

 

(d)           At any time after he can and does certify that he has become an Eligible Citizen, a Non-Citizen Assignee may, upon application to the General Partner, request that with respect to any Limited Partner Interests of such Non-Citizen Assignee not redeemed pursuant to Section 4.9, such Non-Citizen Assignee be admitted as a Limited Partner, and upon approval of the

 

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General Partner, such Non-Citizen Assignee shall be admitted as a Limited Partner and shall no longer constitute a Non-Citizen Assignee and the General Partner shall cease to be deemed to be the Limited Partner in respect of the Non-Citizen Assignee’s Limited Partner Interests.

 

Section 4.9            Redemption of Partnership Interests of Non-Citizen Assignees.

 

(a)           If at any time a Partner fails to furnish a Citizenship Certification or other information requested within the 30-day period specified in Section 4.8(a), or if upon receipt of such Citizenship Certification or other information the General Partner determines, with the advice of counsel, that a Partner is not an Eligible Citizen, the Partnership may, unless the Partner establishes to the satisfaction of the General Partner that such Partner is an Eligible Citizen or has transferred his Partnership Interests to a Person who is an Eligible Citizen and who furnishes a Citizenship Certification to the General Partner prior to the date fixed for redemption as provided below, redeem the Partnership Interest of such Partner as follows:

 

(i)            The General Partner shall, not later than the 30th day before the date fixed for redemption, give notice of redemption to the Partner, at his last address designated on the records of the Partnership or the Transfer Agent, by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid. The notice shall be deemed to have been given when so mailed.  The notice shall specify the Redeemable Interests, the date fixed for redemption, the place of payment, that payment of the redemption price will be made upon surrender of the Certificate evidencing the Redeemable Interests and that on and after the date fixed for redemption no further allocations or distributions to which the Partner would otherwise be entitled in respect of the Redeemable Interests will accrue or be made.

 

(ii)           The aggregate redemption price for Redeemable Interests shall be an amount equal to the Current Market Price (the date of determination of which shall be the date fixed for redemption) of Partnership Interests of the class to be so redeemed multiplied by the number of Partnership Interests of each such class included among the Redeemable Interests.  The redemption price shall be paid, as determined by the General Partner, in cash or by delivery of a promissory note of the Partnership in the principal amount of the redemption price, bearing interest at the rate of 10% annually and payable in three equal annual installments of principal together with accrued interest, commencing one year after the redemption date.

 

(iii)          Upon surrender by or on behalf of the Partner, at the place specified in the notice of redemption, of the Certificate evidencing the Redeemable Interests, duly endorsed in blank or accompanied by an assignment duly executed in blank, the Partner or his duly authorized representative shall be entitled to receive the payment therefor.

 

(iv)          After the redemption date, Redeemable Interests shall no longer constitute issued and Outstanding Partnership Interests.

 

(b)           The provisions of this Section 4.9 shall also be applicable to Partnership Interests held by a Partner as nominee of a Person determined to be other than an Eligible Citizen.

 

(c)           Nothing in this Section 4.9 shall prevent the recipient of a notice of redemption from transferring his Partnership Interest before the redemption date if such transfer is otherwise

 

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permitted under this Agreement.  Upon receipt of notice of such a transfer, the General Partner shall withdraw the notice of redemption, provided the transferee of such Partnership Interest certifies to the satisfaction of the General Partner that he is an Eligible Citizen.  If the transferee fails to make such certification, such redemption shall be effected from the transferee on the original redemption date.

 

ARTICLE V.
CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS AND ISSUANCE OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS

 

Section 5.1            Contributions Prior to or in Connection with Initial Offering (a)

 

(a)           Prior to the Closing Date, the General Partner acquired all of the general partner interests in the Partnership (the “ Initial General Partner Interest ”) and was admitted as the general partner of the Partnership, and Superior Silica Resources acquired all of the limited partner interests in the Partnership (the “ Initial Limited Partner Interest ”) and was admitted as a limited partner of the Partnership.

 

(b)           Immediately prior to and contingent upon the closing of the Initial Offering, pursuant to this Agreement and without any further action by the General Partner or the Partnership, the Initial General Partner Interest shall automatically be converted into the General Partner Interest.

 

(c)           On the Closing Date and pursuant to the Contribution Agreement, each member of the Ownership Group contributed the limited liability company interest in its operating subsidiary to the Partnership in exchange for the issuance by the Partnership of Common Units to such member of the Ownership Group, all as set forth in the Contribution Agreement.

 

(d)           On the Closing Date and pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, each Underwriter contributed cash to the Partnership in exchange for the issuance by the Partnership of Common Units to each Underwriter, all as set forth in the Underwriting Agreement.

 

(e)           Upon the exercise, if any, of the Underwriters’ option to purchase additional Common Units, each Underwriter shall contribute cash to the Partnership in exchange for the issuance by the Partnership of Common Units to each Underwriter, and the Partnership shall distribute a portion of such cash to the members of the Ownership Group, all as set forth in the Underwriting Agreement.

 

(f)            No Limited Partner will be required to make any additional Capital Contribution to the Partnership pursuant to this Agreement.

 

Section 5.2            Interest and Withdrawal.  No interest on Capital Contributions shall be paid by the Partnership.  No Partner shall be entitled to the withdrawal or return of its Capital Contribution, except to the extent, if any, that distributions made pursuant to this Agreement or upon dissolution of the Partnership may be considered as the withdrawal or return of its Capital Contribution by law and then only to the extent provided for in this Agreement.  Except to the extent expressly provided in this Agreement, no Partner shall have priority over any other Partner either as to the return of Capital Contributions or as to profits, losses or distributions.

 

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Any such return shall be a compromise to which all Partners agree within the meaning of Section 17-502(b) of the Delaware Act.

 

Section 5.3            Capital Accounts .

 

(a)           The Partnership shall maintain for each Partner (or a beneficial owner of Partnership Interests held by a nominee in any case in which the nominee has furnished the identity of such owner to the Partnership in accordance with Section 6031(c) of the Code or any other method acceptable to the General Partner) owning a Partnership Interest a separate Capital Account with respect to such Partnership Interest in accordance with the rules of Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv).  The initial Capital Account balance attributable to the Common Units to be issued to the Underwriters pursuant to Section 5.1(d) shall equal the product of the number of Common Units so issued to the Underwriters and the Initial Unit Price for each such Common Unit (and the initial Capital Account balance attributable to each such Common Unit shall equal its Initial Unit Price).  Such Capital Account shall be increased by (i) the amount of all Capital Contributions made to the Partnership with respect to such Partnership Interest and (ii) all items of Partnership income and gain (including income and gain exempt from tax) computed in accordance with Section 5.3(b) and allocated with respect to such Partnership Interest pursuant to Section 6.1, and decreased by (x) the amount of cash or Net Agreed Value of all actual and deemed distributions of cash or property made with respect to such Partnership Interest and (y) all items of Partnership deduction and loss computed in accordance with Section 5.3(b) and allocated with respect to such Partnership Interest pursuant to Section 6.1.

 

(b)           For purposes of computing the amount of any item of income, gain, loss or deduction that is to be allocated pursuant to Article VI and is to be reflected in the Partners’ Capital Accounts, the determination, recognition and classification of any such item shall be the same as its determination, recognition and classification for U.S. federal income tax purposes (including any method of depreciation, cost recovery or amortization used for that purpose), provided, that:

 

(i)            Solely for purposes of this Section 5.3, the Partnership shall be treated as owning directly its proportionate share (as determined by the General Partner based upon the provisions of the applicable Group Member Agreement) of all property owned by (x) any other Group Member that is classified as a partnership or is disregarded for U.S. federal income tax purposes and (y) any other partnership, limited liability company, unincorporated business or other entity that is classified as a partnership or is disregarded for U.S. federal income tax purposes of which a Group Member is, directly or indirectly, a partner, member or other equity holder.

 

(ii)           All fees and other expenses incurred by the Partnership to promote the sale of (or to sell) a Partnership Interest that can neither be deducted nor amortized under Section 709 of the Code, if any, shall, for purposes of Capital Account maintenance, be treated as an item of deduction at the time such fees and other expenses are incurred and shall be allocated among the Partners pursuant to Section 6.1.

 

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(iii)          Except as otherwise provided in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(m), the computation of all items of income, gain, loss and deduction shall be made without regard to any election under Section 754 of the Code that may be made by the Partnership and, as to those items described in Section 705(a)(1)(B) or 705(a)(2)(B) of the Code, without regard to the fact that such items are not includable in gross income or are neither currently deductible nor capitalized for U.S. federal income tax purposes.  To the extent an adjustment to the adjusted tax basis of any Partnership asset pursuant to Section 734(b) or 743(b) of the Code is required, pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(m), to be taken into account in determining Capital Accounts, the amount of such adjustment in the Capital Accounts shall be treated as an item of gain or loss.

 

(iv)          Any income, gain or loss attributable to the taxable disposition of any Partnership property shall be determined as if the adjusted basis of such property as of such date of disposition were equal in amount to the Partnership’s Carrying Value with respect to such property as of such date.

 

(v)           An item of income of the Partnership that is described in Section 705(a)(1)(B) of the Code (with respect to items of income that are exempt from tax) shall be treated as an item of income for the purpose of this Section 5.3(b), and an item of expense of the Partnership that is described in Section 705(a)(2)(B) of the Code (with respect to expenditures that are not deductible and not chargeable to capital accounts), shall be treated as an item of deduction for the purpose of this Section 5.3(b).

 

(vi)          In accordance with the requirements of Section 704(b) of the Code, any deductions for depreciation, cost recovery or amortization attributable to any Contributed Property shall be determined as if the adjusted basis of such property on the date it was acquired by the Partnership were equal to the Agreed Value of such property.  Upon an adjustment pursuant to Section 5.3(d) to the Carrying Value of any Partnership property subject to depreciation, cost recovery or amortization, any further deductions for such depreciation, cost recovery or amortization attributable to such property shall be determined under the rules prescribed by Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-3(d)(2) as if the adjusted basis of such property were equal to the Carrying Value of such property immediately following such adjustment.

 

(vii)         If the Partnership’s adjusted basis in a depreciable or cost recovery property is reduced for U.S. federal income tax purposes pursuant to Section 50(c)(1) or 50(c)(3) of the Code, the amount of such reduction shall, solely for purposes hereof, be deemed to be an additional depreciation or cost recovery deduction in the taxable period such property is placed in service and shall be allocated among the Partners pursuant to Section 6.1.  Any restoration of such basis pursuant to Section 50(c)(2) of the Code shall, to the extent possible, be allocated in the same manner to the Partners to whom such deemed deduction was allocated.

 

(viii)        The Gross Liability Value of each Liability of the Partnership described in Treasury Regulation Section 1.752-7(b)(3)(i) shall be adjusted at such times as provided in this Agreement for an adjustment to Carrying Values.  The amount of any such

 

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adjustment shall be treated for purposes hereof as an item of loss (if the adjustment increases the Carrying Value of such Liability of the Partnership) or an item of gain (if the adjustment decreases the Carrying Value of such Liability of the Partnership).

 

(c)           A transferee of a Partnership Interest shall succeed to a pro rata portion of the Capital Account of the transferor relating to the Partnership Interest so transferred.

 

(d)           (i) In accordance with Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(f), upon an issuance of additional Partnership Interests for cash or Contributed Property, the issuance of Partnership Interests as consideration for the provision of services or the conversion of the General Partner’s (and its Affiliates’) Combined Interest to Common Units pursuant to Section 11.3(b), the Capital Account of each Partner and the Carrying Value of each Partnership property immediately prior to such issuance shall be adjusted upward or downward to reflect any Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss attributable to such Partnership property, and any such Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss shall be treated, for purposes of maintaining Capital Accounts, as if it had been recognized on an actual sale of each such property for an amount equal to its fair market value immediately prior to such issuance and had been allocated among the Partners at such time pursuant to Section 6.1 in the same manner as any item of gain or loss actually recognized during such period would have been allocated; provided , however , that in the event of an issuance of Partnership Interests for a de minimis amount of cash or Contributed Property, or in the event of an issuance of a de minimis amount of Partnership Interests as consideration for the provision of services, the General Partner may determine that such adjustments are unnecessary for the proper administration of the Partnership.  In determining such Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss, the aggregate fair market value of all Partnership property (including cash or cash equivalents) immediately prior to the issuance of additional Partnership Interests shall be determined by the General Partner using such method of valuation as it may adopt.  In making its determination of the fair market values of individual properties, the General Partner may determine that it is appropriate to first determine an aggregate value for the Partnership, based on the current trading price of the Common Units, taking fully into account the fair market value of the Partnership Interests of all Partners at such time, and then allocate such aggregate value among the individual properties of the Partnership (in such manner as it determines is appropriate).

 

(ii)           In accordance with Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(f), immediately prior to any actual or deemed distribution to a Partner of any Partnership property (other than a distribution of cash that is not in redemption or retirement of a Partnership Interest), the Capital Accounts of all Partners and the Carrying Value of all Partnership property shall be adjusted upward or downward to reflect any Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss attributable to such Partnership property, and any such Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss shall be treated, for the purposes of maintaining Capital Accounts, as if it had been recognized on an actual sale of each such property immediately prior to such distribution for an amount equal to its fair market value, and had been allocated to the Partners, at such time, pursuant to Section 6.1 in the same manner as any item of gain or loss actually recognized during such period would have been allocated.  In determining such Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss, the aggregate fair market value of all Partnership property (including cash or cash equivalents) immediately prior to a distribution shall (A) in the case of an actual distribution that is not

 

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made pursuant to Section 12.4 or in the case of a deemed distribution, be determined in the same manner as that provided in Section 5.3(d)(i) or (B) in the case of a liquidating distribution pursuant to Section 12.4, be determined by the Liquidator using such method of valuation as it may adopt.

 

Section 5.4            Issuances of Additional Partnership Interests.

 

(a)           The Partnership may issue additional Partnership Interests and options, rights, warrants, appreciation rights and phantom or tracking interests relating to the Partnership Interests (including as described in Section 7.5(d)) for any Partnership purpose at any time and from time to time to such Persons for such consideration and on such terms and conditions as the General Partner shall determine in its sole discretion, all without the approval of any Partners.  The Partnership may reissue any Partnership Interests and options, rights, warrants, appreciation rights and phantom or tracking interests relating to Partnership Interests held by the Partnership in treasury for any Partnership purpose at any time and from time to time to such Persons for such consideration and on such terms and conditions as the General Partner shall determine in its sole discretion, all without the approval of any Partners.

 

(b)           Each additional Partnership Interest authorized to be issued by the Partnership pursuant to Section 5.4(a) may be issued in one or more classes, or one or more series of any such classes, with such designations, preferences, rights, powers and duties (which may be senior or junior to existing classes and series of Partnership Interests), as shall be fixed by the General Partner, including (i) the right to share in Partnership profits and losses or items thereof; (ii) the right to share in Partnership distributions; (iii) the rights upon dissolution and liquidation of the Partnership; (iv) whether, and the terms and conditions upon which, the Partnership may, or shall be required to, redeem the Partnership Interest (including sinking fund provisions); (v) whether such Partnership Interest is issued with the privilege of conversion or exchange and, if so, the terms and conditions of such conversion or exchange; (vi) the terms and conditions upon which each Partnership Interest will be issued, evidenced by certificates and assigned or transferred; (vii) the method for determining the Percentage Interest as to such Partnership Interest; and (viii) the right, if any, of the holder of each such Partnership Interest to vote on Partnership matters, including matters relating to the relative rights, preferences and privileges of such Partnership Interest.

 

(c)           The General Partner shall take all actions that it determines to be necessary or appropriate in connection with (i) each issuance of Partnership Interests and options, rights, warrants, appreciation rights and phantom or tracking interests relating to Partnership Interests pursuant to this Section 5.4 or Section 7.5(d), (ii) the conversion of the General Partner’s (and its Affiliates’) Combined Interest to Common Units pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, (iii) reflecting the admission of such additional Partners in the books and records of the Partnership as the Record Holder of such Partnership Interests, and (iv) all additional issuances of Partnership Interests.  The General Partner shall determine the relative rights, powers and duties of the holders of the Units or other Partnership Interests being so issued.  The General Partner shall do all things necessary to comply with the Delaware Act and is authorized and directed to do all things that it determines to be necessary or appropriate in connection with any future issuance of Partnership Interests or in connection with the conversion of the General Partner’s (and its Affiliates’) Combined Interest into Common Units pursuant to the terms of this

 

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Agreement, including compliance with any statute, rule, regulation or guideline of any federal, state or other governmental agency or any National Securities Exchange on which the Units or other Partnership Interests are listed or admitted to trading.

 

(d)           No fractional Units shall be issued by the Partnership.

 

Section 5.5            Preemptive Right.  Except as provided in this Section 5.5 or as otherwise provided in a separate agreement by the Partnership, no Person shall have any preemptive, preferential or other similar right with respect to the issuance of any Partnership Interest, whether unissued, held in the treasury or hereafter created.  The General Partner shall have the right, which it may from time to time assign in whole or in part to any of its Affiliates or the beneficial owners thereof or any of their respective Affiliates, to purchase Partnership Interests from the Partnership whenever, and on the same terms that, the Partnership issues Partnership Interests to Persons other than the General Partner and its Affiliates or such beneficial owners thereof or any of their respective Affiliates, to the extent necessary to maintain the Percentage Interests of the General Partner and its Affiliates and such beneficial owners or any of their respective Affiliates equal to that which existed immediately prior to the issuance of such Partnership Interests.

 

Section 5.6            Splits and Combinations.

 

(a)           Subject to Section 5.6(d), the Partnership may make a Pro Rata distribution of Partnership Interests to all Record Holders or may effect a subdivision or combination of Partnership Interests so long as, after any such event, each Partner shall have the same Percentage Interest in the Partnership as before such event, and any amounts calculated on a per Unit basis or stated as a number of Units are proportionately adjusted retroactively to the beginning of the term of the Partnership.

 

(b)           Whenever such a distribution, subdivision or combination of Partnership Interests is declared, the General Partner shall select a Record Date as of which the distribution, subdivision or combination shall be effective and shall send notice thereof at least 20 days prior to such Record Date to each Record Holder as of a date not less than 10 days prior to the date of such notice.  The General Partner also may cause a firm of independent public accountants selected by it to calculate the number of Partnership Interests to be held by each Record Holder after giving effect to such distribution, subdivision, combination or reorganization.  The General Partner shall be entitled to rely on any certificate provided by such firm as conclusive evidence of the accuracy of such calculation.

 

(c)           Promptly following any such distribution, subdivision, or combination, the Partnership may issue Certificates to the Record Holders of Partnership Interests as of the applicable Record Date representing the new number of Partnership Interests held by such Record Holders, or the General Partner may adopt such other procedures that it determines to be necessary or appropriate to reflect such changes.  If any such combination results in a smaller total number of Partnership Interests Outstanding, the Partnership shall require, as a condition to the delivery to a Record Holder of any such new Certificate, the surrender of any Certificate held by such Record Holder immediately prior to such Record Date.

 

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(d)           The Partnership shall not issue fractional Units upon any distribution, subdivision, or combination of Partnership Interests.  If a distribution, subdivision, combination or reorganization of Partnership Interests would result in the issuance of fractional Units but for the provisions of Section 5.4(d) and this Section 5.6(d), each fractional Unit shall be rounded to the nearest whole Unit (and a 0.5 Unit shall be rounded to the next higher Unit).

 

Section 5.7            Fully Paid and Non-Assessable Nature of Limited Partner Interests.  All Limited Partner Interests issued pursuant to, and in accordance with the requirements of, this Article V shall be fully paid and non-assessable Limited Partner Interests in the Partnership, except as such non-assessability may be affected by Section 17-607 or 17-804 of the Delaware Act.

 

ARTICLE VI.
ALLOCATIONS AND DISTRIBUTIONS

 

Section 6.1            Allocations for Capital Account Purposes.  For purposes of maintaining the Capital Accounts and in determining the rights of the Partners among themselves, the Partnership’s items of income, gain, loss and deduction (computed in accordance with Section 5.3(b)) for each taxable period shall be allocated among the Partners as provided herein below.

 

(a)           Net Income and Net Loss .  After giving effect to the special allocations set forth in Section 6.1(b), Net Income and Net Loss for each taxable period and all items of income, gain, loss and deduction taken into account in computing Net Income and Net Loss for such taxable period shall be allocated to all Unitholders, Pro Rata.

 

(b)           Special Allocations .  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 6.1, the following special allocations shall be made for such taxable period:

 

(i)            Partnership Minimum Gain Chargeback .  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 6.1, if there is a net decrease in Partnership Minimum Gain during any Partnership taxable period, each Partner shall be allocated items of Partnership income and gain for such period (and, if necessary, subsequent periods) in the manner and amounts provided in Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-2(f)(6), 1.704-2(g)(2) and 1.704-2(j)(2)(i), or any successor provision.  For purposes of this Section 6.1(b), each Partner’s Adjusted Capital Account balance shall be determined, and the allocation of income or gain required hereunder shall be effected, prior to the application of any other allocations pursuant to this Section 6.1(b) with respect to such taxable period (other than an allocation pursuant to Sections 6.1(b)(vi) and 6.1(b)(vii)).  This Section 6.1(b)(i) is intended to comply with the Partnership Minimum Gain chargeback requirement in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(f) and shall be interpreted consistently therewith.

 

(ii)           Chargeback of Partner Nonrecourse Debt Minimum Gain .  Notwithstanding the other provisions of this Section 6.1 (other than Section 6.1(b)(i)), except as provided in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(i)(4), if there is a net decrease in Partner Nonrecourse Debt Minimum Gain during any Partnership taxable period, any Partner with a share of Partner Nonrecourse Debt Minimum Gain at the beginning of

 

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such taxable period shall be allocated items of Partnership income and gain for such period (and, if necessary, subsequent periods) in the manner and amounts provided in Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-2(i)(4) and 1.704-2(j)(2)(ii), or any successor provisions.  For purposes of this Section 6.1(b), each Partner’s Adjusted Capital Account balance shall be determined, and the allocation of income or gain required hereunder shall be effected, prior to the application of any other allocations pursuant to this Section 6.1(b), other than Section 6.1(b)(i), Sections 6.1(b)(vi) and 6.1(b)(vii), with respect to such taxable period.  This Section 6.1(b)(ii) is intended to comply with the chargeback of items of income and gain requirement in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(i)(4) and shall be interpreted consistently therewith.

 

(iii)          Priority Allocations .  If the amount of cash or the Net Agreed Value of any property distributed (except cash or property distributed pursuant to Section 12.4) with respect to a Unit exceeds the amount of cash or the Net Agreed Value of property distributed with respect to another Unit, each Unitholder receiving such greater cash or property distribution shall be allocated gross income in an amount equal to the product of (A) the amount by which the distribution (on a per Unit basis) to such Unitholder exceeds the distribution with respect to the Unit receiving the smallest distribution and (B) the number of Units owned by the Unitholder receiving the greater distribution.

 

(iv)          Qualified Income Offset .  In the event any Partner unexpectedly receives any adjustments, allocations or distributions described in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(4), 1.704-1 (b)(2)(ii)(d)(5), or 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(6), items of Partnership gross income and gain shall be specially allocated to such Partner in an amount and manner sufficient to eliminate, to the extent required by the Treasury Regulations promulgated under Section 704(b) of the Code, the deficit balance, if any, in its Adjusted Capital Account created by such adjustments, allocations or distributions as quickly as possible; provided , that an allocation pursuant to this Section 6.1(b)(iv) shall be made only if and to the extent that such Partner would have a deficit balance in its Adjusted Capital Account as adjusted after all other allocations provided for in this Section 6.1 have been tentatively made as if this Section 6.1(b)(iv) were not in this Agreement.

 

(v)           Gross Income Allocations .  In the event any Partner has a deficit balance in its Capital Account at the end of any taxable period in excess of the sum of (A) the amount such Partner is required to restore pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement and (B) the amount such Partner is deemed obligated to restore pursuant to Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-2(g) and 1.704-2(i)(5), such Partner shall be specially allocated items of Partnership gross income and gain in the amount of such excess as quickly as possible; provided , that an allocation pursuant to this Section 6.1(b)(v) shall be made only if and to the extent that such Partner would have a deficit balance in its Capital Account as so adjusted after all other allocations provided for in this Section 6.1 have been tentatively made as if Section 6.1(b)(iv) and this Section 6.1(b)(v) were not in this Agreement.

 

(vi)          Nonrecourse Deductions .  Nonrecourse Deductions for any taxable period shall be allocated to the Partners, Pro Rata.  If the General Partner determines that the

 

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Partnership’s Nonrecourse Deductions should be allocated in a different ratio to satisfy the safe harbor requirements of the Treasury Regulations promulgated under Section 704(b) of the Code, the General Partner is authorized, upon notice to the other Partners, to revise the prescribed ratio to the numerically closest ratio that does satisfy such requirements.

 

(vii)         Partner Nonrecourse Deductions .  Partner Nonrecourse Deductions for any taxable period shall be allocated 100% to the Partner that bears the Economic Risk of Loss with respect to the Partner Nonrecourse Debt to which such Partner Nonrecourse Deductions are attributable in accordance with Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(i).  If more than one Partner bears the Economic Risk of Loss with respect to a Partner Nonrecourse Debt, such Partner Nonrecourse Deductions attributable thereto shall be allocated between or among such Partners in accordance with the ratios in which they share such Economic Risk of Loss.

 

(viii)        Nonrecourse Liabilities .  For purposes of Treasury Regulation Section 1.752-3(a)(3), the Partners agree that Nonrecourse Liabilities of the Partnership in excess of the sum of (A) the amount of Partnership Minimum Gain and (B) the total amount of Nonrecourse Built-in Gain shall be allocated as determined by the General Partner in accordance with any permissible method under Treasury Regulation Section 1.752-3(a)(3).

 

(ix)          Code Section 754 Adjustments .  To the extent an adjustment to the adjusted tax basis of any Partnership asset pursuant to Section 734(b) or 743(b) of the Code is required, pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(m), to be taken into account in determining Capital Accounts, the amount of such adjustment to the Capital Accounts shall be treated as an item of gain (if the adjustment increases the basis of the asset) or loss (if the adjustment decreases such basis), and such item of gain or loss shall be specially allocated to the Partners in a manner consistent with the manner in which their Capital Accounts are required to be adjusted pursuant to such section of the Treasury Regulations.

 

(x)           Economic Uniformity; Changes in Law .  For the proper administration of the Partnership and for the preservation of uniformity of the Limited Partner Interests (or any class or classes thereof), the General Partner shall (i) adopt such conventions as it deems appropriate in determining the amount of depreciation, amortization and cost recovery deductions; (ii) make special allocations of income, gain, loss or deduction, including Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss; and (iii) amend the provisions of this Agreement as appropriate (x) to reflect the proposal or promulgation of Treasury Regulations under Section 704(b) or 704(c) of the Code or (y) otherwise to preserve or achieve uniformity of the Limited Partner Interests (or any class or classes thereof).  The General Partner may adopt such conventions, make such allocations and make such amendments to this Agreement as provided in this Section 6.1(b)(x) only if such conventions, allocations or amendments would not have a material adverse effect on the Partners, the holders of any class or classes of Outstanding Limited Partner Interests or the Partnership, and if such allocations are consistent with the principles of Section 704 of the Code.

 

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(xi)          Curative Allocation .

 

(A)          Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 6.1, other than the Required Allocations, the Required Allocations shall be taken into account in making the Agreed Allocations so that, to the extent possible, the net amount of items of gross income, gain, loss and deduction allocated to each Partner pursuant to the Required Allocations and the Agreed Allocations, together, shall be equal to the net amount of such items that would have been allocated to each such Partner under the Agreed Allocations had the Required Allocations and the related Curative Allocation not otherwise been provided in this Section 6.1.  Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, Required Allocations relating to (1) Nonrecourse Deductions shall not be taken into account except to the extent that there has been a decrease in Partnership Minimum Gain and (2) Partner Nonrecourse Deductions shall not be taken into account except to the extent that there has been a decrease in Partner Nonrecourse Debt Minimum Gain.  In exercising its discretion under this Section 6.1(b)(xi)(A), the General Partner may take into account future Required Allocations that, although not yet made, are likely to offset other Required Allocations previously made.  Allocations pursuant to this Section 6.1(b)(xi)(A) shall only be made with respect to Required Allocations to the extent the General Partner determines that such allocations will otherwise be inconsistent with the economic agreement among the Partners.  Further, allocations pursuant to this Section 6.1(b)(xi)(A) shall be deferred with respect to allocations pursuant to clauses (1) and (2) of the second sentence of this Section 6.1(b)(xi)(A) to the extent the General Partner determines that such allocations are likely to be offset by subsequent Required Allocations.

 

(B)          The General Partner shall, with respect to each taxable period, (1) apply the provisions of Section 6.1(b)(xi)(A) in whatever order is most likely to minimize the economic distortions that might otherwise result from the Required Allocations, and (2) divide all allocations pursuant to Section 6.1(b)(xi)(A) among the Partners in a manner that is likely to minimize such economic distortions.

 

Section 6.2            Allocations for Tax Purposes.

 

(a)           Except as otherwise provided herein, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, each item of income, gain, loss and deduction shall be allocated among the Partners in the same manner as its correlative item of “book” income, gain, loss or deduction is allocated pursuant to Section 6.1.

 

(b)           In an attempt to eliminate Book-Tax Disparities attributable to a Contributed Property or Adjusted Property, items of income, gain, loss, depreciation, amortization and cost recovery deductions shall be allocated for U.S. federal income tax purposes among the Partners in the manner provided under Section 704(c) of the Code, and the Treasury Regulations promulgated under Section 704(b) and 704(c) of the Code, as determined appropriate by the General Partner (taking into account the General Partner’s discretion under Section 6.1(b)(x)); provided that the General Partner shall apply the principles of Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-3(d) in all events.

 

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(c)           The General Partner may determine to depreciate or amortize the portion of an adjustment under Section 743(b) of the Code attributable to unrealized appreciation in any Adjusted Property (to the extent of the unamortized Book-Tax Disparity) using a predetermined rate derived from the depreciation or amortization method and useful life applied to the unamortized Book-Tax Disparity of such property, despite any inconsistency of such approach with Treasury Regulation Section 1.167(c)-l(a)(6) or any successor regulations thereto.  If the General Partner determines that such reporting position cannot reasonably be taken, the General Partner may adopt depreciation and amortization conventions under which all purchasers acquiring Limited Partner Interests in the same month would receive depreciation and amortization deductions, based upon the same applicable rate as if they had purchased a direct interest in the Partnership’s property.  If the General Partner chooses not to utilize such aggregate method, the General Partner may use any other depreciation and amortization conventions to preserve the uniformity of the intrinsic tax characteristics of any Units, so long as such conventions would not have a material adverse effect on the Limited Partners or Record Holders of any class or classes of Limited Partner Interests.

 

(d)           In accordance with Treasury Regulation Sections 1.1245-1(e) and 1.1250-1(f), any gain allocated to the Partners upon the sale or other taxable disposition of any Partnership asset shall, to the extent possible, after taking into account other required allocations of gain pursuant to this Section 6.2, be characterized as Recapture Income in the same proportions and to the same extent as such Partners (or their predecessors in interest) have been allocated any deductions directly or indirectly giving rise to the treatment of such gains as Recapture Income.

 

(e)           All items of income, gain, loss, deduction and credit recognized by the Partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes and allocated to the Partners in accordance with the provisions hereof shall be determined without regard to any election under Section 754 of the Code that may be made by the Partnership; provided , however , that such allocations, once made, shall be adjusted (in the manner determined by the General Partner) to take into account those adjustments permitted or required by Sections 734 and 743 of the Code.

 

(f)            Each item of Partnership income, gain, loss and deduction shall, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, be determined for each taxable period and prorated on a monthly basis and shall be allocated to the Partners as of the opening of the National Securities Exchange on which Partnership Interests are listed or admitted to trading on the first Business Day of each month; provided, however, such items for the period beginning on the Closing Date and ending on the last day of the month in which the Closing Date occurs shall be allocated to the Partners who are issued Units as a result of the transactions contemplated by the Contribution Agreement or the Underwriting Agreement; and provided, further, that gain or loss on a sale or other disposition of any assets of the Partnership or any other extraordinary item of income, gain, loss or deduction as determined by the General Partner, shall be allocated to the Partners as of the opening of the National Securities Exchange on which Partnership Interests are listed or admitted to trading on the first Business Day of the month in which such item is recognized for federal income tax purposes. The General Partner may revise, alter or otherwise modify such methods of allocation to the extent the General Partner determines necessary or appropriate to comply with Section 706 of the Code and the regulations or rulings promulgated thereunder or for the proper administration of the Partnership.

 

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(g)           Allocations that would otherwise be made to a Partner under the provisions of this Article VI shall instead be made to the beneficial owner of Partnership Interests held by a nominee in any case in which the nominee has furnished the identity of such owner to the Partnership in accordance with Section 6031(c) of the Code or any other method determined by the General Partner.

 

Section 6.3            Distributions to Record Holders.

 

(a)           The Board of Directors may adopt a cash distribution policy, which it may change from time to time without amendment to this Agreement.

 

(b)           The Partnership will make distributions, if any, to Unitholders Pro Rata.

 

(c)           All distributions required to be made under this Agreement shall be made subject to Sections 17-607 and 17-804 of the Delaware Act.

 

(d)           Notwithstanding Section 6.3(b), in the event of the dissolution and liquidation of the Partnership, Partnership assets shall be applied and distributed solely in accordance with, and subject to the terms and conditions of, Section 12.4.

 

(e)           The General Partner may treat taxes paid by the Partnership on behalf of, or amounts withheld with respect to, all or less than all of the Partners, as a distribution of cash to such Partners, as determined appropriate under the circumstances by the General Partner.

 

(f)            Each distribution in respect of a Partnership Interest shall be paid by the Partnership, directly or through any Transfer Agent or through any other Person or agent, only to the Record Holder of such Partnership Interest as of the Record Date set for such distribution.  Such payment shall constitute full payment and satisfaction of the Partnership’s liability in respect of such payment, regardless of any claim of any Person who may have an interest in such payment by reason of an assignment or otherwise.

 

ARTICLE VII.
MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION OF BUSINESS

 

Section 7.1            Management.

 

(a)           The General Partner shall conduct, direct and manage all activities of the Partnership.  Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement, all management powers over the business and affairs of the Partnership shall be exclusively vested in the General Partner and no other Partner shall have any management power over the business and affairs of the Partnership.  In addition to the powers now or hereafter granted to a general partner of a limited partnership under applicable law or that are granted to the General Partner under any other provision of this Agreement, the General Partner, subject to Section 7.4, shall have full power and authority to do all things and on such terms as it determines to be necessary or appropriate to conduct the business of the Partnership, to exercise all powers set forth in Section 2.5 and to effectuate the purposes set forth in Section 2.4, including the following:

 

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(i)            the making of any expenditures, the lending or borrowing of money, the assumption or guarantee of, or other contracting for, indebtedness and other liabilities, the issuance of evidences of indebtedness, including indebtedness that is convertible or exchangeable into Partnership Interests, and the incurring of any other obligations;

 

(ii)           the making of tax, regulatory and other filings, or rendering of periodic or other reports to governmental or other agencies having jurisdiction over the business or assets of the Partnership;

 

(iii)          the acquisition, disposition, mortgage, pledge, encumbrance, hypothecation or exchange of any or all of the assets of the Partnership or the merger or other combination of the Partnership with or into another Person (the matters described in this clause (iii) being subject however to any prior approval that may be required by Section 7.4 or Article XIV);

 

(iv)          the use of the assets of the Partnership (including cash on hand) for any purpose consistent with the terms of this Agreement, including the financing of the conduct of the operations of the Partnership Group; subject to Section 7.7(a), the lending of funds to other Persons (including other Group Members); the repayment or guarantee of obligations of any Group Member; and the making of capital contributions to any Group Member;

 

(v)           the negotiation, execution and performance of any contracts, conveyances or other instruments (including instruments that limit the liability of the Partnership under contractual arrangements to all or particular assets of the Partnership, with the other party to the contract to have no recourse against the General Partner or its assets other than its interest in the Partnership, even if the same results in the terms of the transaction being less favorable to the Partnership than would otherwise be the case);

 

(vi)          the distribution of Partnership cash;

 

(vii)         the selection and dismissal of employees (including employees having titles such as “chief executive officer,” “president,” “chief financial officer,” “chief operating officer,” “general counsel,” “vice president,” “secretary” and “treasurer”) and agents, outside attorneys, accountants, consultants and contractors and the determination of their compensation and other terms of employment or hiring;

 

(viii)        the maintenance of insurance for the benefit of the Partnership Group, the Partners and Indemnitees;

 

(ix)          the formation of, or acquisition of an interest in, and the contribution of property and the making of loans to, any further limited or general partnerships, joint ventures, corporations, limited liability companies or other Persons (including the acquisition of interests in, and the contributions of property to, any Group Member from time to time) subject to the restrictions set forth in Section 2.4;

 

(x)           the control of any matters affecting the rights and obligations of the Partnership, including the bringing and defending of actions at law or in equity and

 

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otherwise engaging in the conduct of litigation, arbitration or mediation and the incurring of legal expenses and the settlement of claims and litigation;

 

(xi)          the indemnification of any Person against liabilities and contingencies to the extent permitted by law;

 

(xii)         the entering into of listing agreements with any National Securities Exchange and the delisting of some or all of the Partnership Interests from, or requesting that trading be suspended on, any such exchange (subject to any prior approval that may be required under Section 4.7);

 

(xiii)        the purchase, sale or other acquisition or disposition of Partnership Interests, or the issuance of options, rights, warrants, appreciation rights and phantom or tracking interests relating to Partnership Interests;

 

(xiv)        the undertaking of any action in connection with the Partnership’s participation in the management of any Group Member; and

 

(xv)         the entering into of agreements with any of its Affiliates to render services to a Group Member or to itself in the discharge of its duties as General Partner of the Partnership.

 

(b)           Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, the Delaware Act or any applicable law, rule or regulation, each of the Limited Partners and each other Person who may acquire an interest in Partnership Interests or in the Partnership or is otherwise bound by this Agreement hereby (i) approves, ratifies and confirms the execution, delivery and performance by the parties thereto of this Agreement, the Underwriting Agreement, the Contribution Agreement, the Services Agreement and the other agreements described in or filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement that are related to the transactions contemplated by the Registration Statement (collectively, the “ Transaction Documents ”) (in each case other than this Agreement, without giving effect to any amendments, supplements or restatements after the date hereof); (ii) agrees that the General Partner (on its own or on behalf of the Partnership) is authorized to execute, deliver and perform the agreements referred to in clause (i) of this sentence and the other agreements, acts, transactions and matters described in or contemplated by the Registration Statement on behalf of the Partnership without any further act, approval or vote of the Partners or the other Persons who may acquire an interest in Partnership Interests or are otherwise bound by this Agreement; and (iii) agrees that the execution, delivery or performance by the General Partner, any Group Member or any Affiliate of any of them of this Agreement or any agreement authorized or permitted under this Agreement (including the exercise by the General Partner or any Affiliate of the General Partner of the rights accorded pursuant to Article XV) shall not constitute a breach by the General Partner of any duty that the General Partner may owe the Partnership or the Partners or any other Persons under this Agreement (or any other agreements) or of any duty existing at law, in equity or otherwise.

 

Section 7.2            Replacement of Fiduciary Duties .  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, to the extent that any provision of this Agreement (i) replaces, restricts or

 

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eliminates the duties (including fiduciary duties) that might otherwise, as a result of Delaware or other applicable law, be owed by the General Partner, the Board of Directors, any committee thereof or any other Indemnitee to the Partnership, the Partners, any other Person who acquires an interest in a Partnership Interest or any other Person who is bound by this Agreement, or (ii) constitutes a waiver or consent by the Partnership, the Partners, any other Person who acquires an interest in a Partnership Interest or any other Person who is bound by this Agreement to any such replacement, restriction or elimination, such provision is hereby approved by the Partnership, all the Partners, each other Person who acquires an interest in a Partnership Interest and each other Person who is bound by this Agreement.

 

Section 7.3            Certificate of Limited Partnership .  The General Partner has caused the Certificate of Limited Partnership to be filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware as required by the Delaware Act.  The General Partner shall use all reasonable efforts to cause to be filed such other certificates or documents that the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate for the formation, continuation, qualification and operation of a limited partnership (or a partnership in which the limited partners have limited liability) in the State of Delaware or any other state in which the Partnership may elect to do business or own property.  To the extent the General Partner determines such action to be necessary or appropriate, the General Partner shall file amendments to and restatements of the Certificate of Limited Partnership and do all things to maintain the Partnership as a limited partnership (or a partnership or other entity in which the limited partners have limited liability) under the laws of the State of Delaware or of any other state in which the Partnership may elect to do business or own property.  Subject to the terms of Section 3.4(a), the General Partner shall not be required, before or after filing, to deliver or mail a copy of the Certificate of Limited Partnership, any qualification document or any amendment thereto to any Partner.

 

Section 7.4            Restrictions on the General Partner’s Authority .  Except as provided in Articles XII and XIV, the General Partner may not sell, exchange or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of the assets of the Partnership Group, taken as a whole, in a single transaction or a series of related transactions without the approval of holders of a Unit Majority; provided , however , that this provision shall not preclude or limit the General Partner’s ability to mortgage, pledge, hypothecate or grant a security interest in all or substantially all of the assets of the Partnership Group and shall not apply to any forced sale of any or all of the assets of the Partnership Group pursuant to the foreclosure of, or other realization upon, any such encumbrance.

 

Section 7.5            Reimbursement of the General Partner.

 

(a)           Except as provided in this Section 7.5 and elsewhere in this Agreement, the General Partner shall not be compensated for its services as a general partner or managing member of any Group Member.

 

(b)           The General Partner shall be reimbursed on a monthly basis, or such other basis as the General Partner may determine, for (i) all direct and indirect expenses it incurs or payments it makes on behalf of the Partnership Group (including salary, bonus, incentive compensation and other amounts paid to any Person, including Affiliates of the General Partner, to perform services for the Partnership Group or for the General Partner in the discharge of its

 

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duties to the Partnership Group), and (ii) all other expenses reasonably allocable to the Partnership Group or otherwise incurred by the General Partner in connection with operating the Partnership Group’s business (including expenses allocated to the General Partner by its Affiliates).  The General Partner shall determine the expenses that are allocable to the Partnership Group.  Reimbursements pursuant to this Section 7.5 shall be in addition to any reimbursement to the General Partner as a result of indemnification pursuant to Section 7.8.

 

(c)           The General Partner and its Affiliates may charge any member of the Partnership Group a management fee to the extent necessary to allow the Partnership Group to reduce the amount of any state franchise or income tax or any tax based upon the revenues or gross margin of any member of the Partnership Group if the tax benefit produced by the payment of such management fee or fees exceeds the amount of such fee or fees.

 

(d)           The General Partner, without the approval of the other Partners (who shall have no right to vote in respect thereof), may propose and adopt on behalf of the Partnership benefit plans, programs and practices (including plans, programs and practices involving the issuance of Partnership Interests or options to purchase or rights, warrants or appreciation rights or phantom or tracking interests relating to Partnership Interests), or cause the Partnership to issue Partnership Interests in connection with, or pursuant to, any benefit plan, program or practice maintained or sponsored by the General Partner or any of its Affiliates, in each case for the benefit of employees and directors of the General Partner or any of its Affiliates, in respect of services performed, directly or indirectly, for the benefit of the Partnership Group.  The Partnership agrees to issue and sell to the General Partner or any of its Affiliates any Partnership Interests that the General Partner or such Affiliates are obligated to provide to any employees and directors pursuant to any such benefit plans, programs or practices.  Expenses incurred by the General Partner in connection with any such plans, programs and practices (including the net cost to the General Partner or such Affiliates of Partnership Interests purchased by the General Partner or such Affiliates, from the Partnership, to fulfill options or awards under such plans, programs and practices) shall be reimbursed in accordance with Section 7.5(b).  Any and all obligations of the General Partner under any benefit plans, programs or practices adopted by the General Partner as permitted by this Section 7.5(d) shall constitute obligations of the General Partner hereunder and shall be assumed by any successor General Partner approved pursuant to Section 11.1 or 11.2 or the transferee of or successor to all of the General Partner’s General Partner Interest pursuant to Section 4.6.

 

Section 7.6            Outside Activities.

 

(a)           The General Partner, for so long as it is the General Partner of the Partnership (i) agrees that its sole business will be to act as a general partner or managing member, as the case may be, of the Partnership and any other partnership or limited liability company of which the Partnership is, directly or indirectly, a partner or member and to undertake activities that are ancillary or related thereto (including being a limited partner in the Partnership) and (ii) shall not engage in any business or activity or incur any debts or liabilities except in connection with or incidental to (A) its performance as general partner or managing member, if any, of one or more Group Members or as described in or contemplated by the Registration Statement, (B) the acquiring, owning or disposing of debt securities or equity interests in any Group Member, or

 

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(C) the guarantee of, and mortgage, pledge or encumbrance of any or all of its assets in connection with, any indebtedness of any Affiliate of the General Partner.

 

(b)           Each Unrestricted Person (other than the General Partner) shall have the right to engage in businesses of every type and description and other activities for profit and to engage in and possess an interest in other business ventures of any and every type or description, whether in businesses engaged in or anticipated to be engaged in by any Group Member, independently or with others, including business interests and activities in direct competition with the business and activities of any Group Member, and none of the same shall constitute a breach of this Agreement or any duty otherwise existing at law, in equity or otherwise, to any Group Member, any Partner or any other Person bound by this Agreement.  None of any Group Member, any Partner or any other Person shall have any rights by virtue of this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, or the partnership relationship established hereby in any business ventures of any Unrestricted Person.

 

(c)           Subject to the terms of Sections 7.6(a) and (b), but otherwise notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, (i) the engaging in competitive activities by any Unrestricted Person (other than the General Partner) in accordance with the provisions of this Section 7.6 is hereby approved by the Partnership, all Partners, and all other Persons bound by this Agreement, (ii) it shall not be a breach of any fiduciary duty or any other obligation of any type whatsoever of the General Partner or any other Unrestricted Person for the Unrestricted Persons (other than the General Partner) to engage in such business interests and activities in preference to or to the exclusion of the Partnership or any other Group Member and (iii) the Unrestricted Persons shall have no obligation hereunder or as a result of any duty otherwise existing at law, in equity or otherwise, to present business opportunities to the Partnership or any other Group Member. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the doctrine of corporate opportunity, or any analogous doctrine, shall not apply to any Unrestricted Person (including the General Partner).  No Unrestricted Person (including the General Partner) who acquires knowledge of a potential transaction, agreement, arrangement or other matter that may be an opportunity for any Group Member shall have any duty to communicate or offer such opportunity to any Group Member, and such Unrestricted Person (including the General Partner) shall not be liable to the Partnership, any Limited Partner, any other Person who acquires a Partnership Interest or any other Person who is bound by this Agreement for breach of any fiduciary or other duty existing at law, in equity or otherwise by reason of the fact that such Unrestricted Person (including the General Partner) pursues or acquires such opportunity for itself, directs such opportunity to another Person or does not communicate such opportunity or information to any Group Member; provided such Unrestricted Person does not engage in such business or activity as a result of or using confidential or proprietary information provided by or on behalf of the Partnership to such Unrestricted Person.

 

(d)           The General Partner and each of its Affiliates may acquire Partnership Interests in addition to any acquired on the Closing Date and, except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement, shall be entitled to exercise, at their option, all rights relating to all Partnership Interests acquired by them.  The term “Affiliates” when used in this Section 7.6(d) with respect to the General Partner shall not include any Group Member.

 

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(e)           Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, nothing in this Agreement shall limit or otherwise affect any separate contractual obligations outside of this Agreement of any Person (including any Unrestricted Person) to the Partnership or any of its Affiliates.

 

Section 7.7            Loans from the General Partner; Loans or Contributions from the Partnership or Group Members.

 

(a)           The General Partner or any of its Affiliates may, but shall be under no obligation to, lend to any Group Member, and any Group Member may borrow from the General Partner or any of its Affiliates, funds needed or desired by the Group Member for such periods of time and in such amounts as the General Partner may determine; provided , however , that in any such case the lending party may not charge the borrowing party interest at a rate greater than the rate that would be charged the borrowing party or impose terms materially less favorable to the borrowing party than would be charged or imposed on the borrowing party by unrelated lenders on comparable loans made on an arm’s length basis (without reference to the lending party’s financial abilities or guarantees), all as determined by the General Partner.  The borrowing party shall reimburse the lending party for any costs (other than any additional interest costs) incurred by the lending party in connection with the borrowing of such funds.  For purposes of this Section 7.7(a) and Section 7.7(b), the term “Group Member” shall include any Affiliate of a Group Member that is Controlled by the Group Member.

 

(b)           The Partnership may lend or contribute to any Group Member, and any Group Member may borrow from the Partnership, funds on terms and conditions determined by the General Partner.

 

(c)           No borrowing by any Group Member or the approval thereof by the General Partner shall be deemed to constitute a breach of any duty, expressed or implied, of the General Partner or its Affiliates to the Partnership or the Partners by reason of the fact that the purpose or effect of such borrowing is directly or indirectly to enable distributions to the General Partner or its Affiliates (including in their capacities, if applicable, as Limited Partners).

 

Section 7.8            Indemnification.

 

(a)           To the fullest extent permitted by law but subject to the limitations expressly provided in this Agreement, all Indemnitees shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Partnership on an after tax basis from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, joint or several, expenses (including legal fees and expenses), judgments, fines, penalties, interest, settlements or other amounts arising from any and all threatened, pending or completed claims, demands, actions, suits or proceedings, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, and whether formal or informal and including appeals, in which any Indemnitee may be involved, or is threatened to be involved, as a party or otherwise, by reason of its status as an Indemnitee and acting (or refraining to act) in such capacity on behalf of or for the benefit of the Partnership; provided , that the Indemnitee shall not be indemnified and held harmless pursuant to this Agreement if there has been a final and non-appealable judgment entered by a court of competent jurisdiction determining that, in respect of the matter for which the Indemnitee is seeking indemnification pursuant to this Agreement, the Indemnitee acted in bad

 

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faith or engaged in fraud, willful misconduct or, in the case of a criminal matter, acted with knowledge that the Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful; provided , further , no indemnification pursuant to this Section 7.8 shall be available to any Affiliate of the General Partner (other than a Group Member), or to any other Indemnitee, with respect to any such Affiliate’s obligations pursuant to the Transaction Documents.  Any indemnification pursuant to this Section 7.8 shall be made only out of the assets of the Partnership, it being agreed that the General Partner shall not be personally liable for such indemnification and shall have no obligation to contribute or loan any monies or property to the Partnership to enable it to effectuate such indemnification.

 

(b)           To the fullest extent permitted by law, expenses (including legal fees and expenses) incurred by an Indemnitee who is indemnified pursuant to Section 7.8(a) in appearing at, participating in or defending any claim, demand, action, suit or proceeding shall, from time to time, be advanced by the Partnership prior to a final and non-appealable judgment entered by a court of competent jurisdiction determining that, in respect of the matter for which the Indemnitee is seeking indemnification pursuant to this Section 7.8, the Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified, upon receipt by the Partnership of any undertaking by or on behalf of the Indemnitee, to repay such amount if it shall be ultimately determined that the Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified as authorized by this Section 7.8.

 

(c)           The indemnification provided by this Section 7.8 shall be in addition to any other rights to which an Indemnitee may be entitled under any agreement, pursuant to any vote of the holders of Outstanding Limited Partner Interests, as a matter of law, in equity or otherwise, both as to actions in the Indemnitee’s capacity as an Indemnitee and as to actions in any other capacity (including any capacity under the Underwriting Agreement), and shall continue as to an Indemnitee who has ceased to serve in such capacity and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, successors, assigns and administrators of the Indemnitee.

 

(d)           The Partnership may purchase and maintain (or reimburse the General Partner or its Affiliates for the cost of) insurance, on behalf of the General Partner, its Affiliates, the Indemnitees and such other Persons as the General Partner shall determine, against any liability that may be asserted against, or expense that may be incurred by, such Person in connection with the Partnership’s or any other Group Member’s activities or such Person’s activities on behalf of the Partnership or any other Group Member, regardless of whether the Partnership would have the power to indemnify such Person against such liability under the provisions of this Agreement.  In addition, the Partnership may enter into additional indemnification agreements with any Indemnitee.

 

(e)           For purposes of this Section 7.8, the Partnership shall be deemed to have requested an Indemnitee to serve as fiduciary of an employee benefit plan whenever the performance by it of its duties to the Partnership also imposes duties on, or otherwise involves services by, it to the plan or participants or beneficiaries of the plan; excise taxes assessed on an Indemnitee in such Indemnitee’s capacity as a fiduciary or administrator of an employee benefit plan pursuant to applicable law shall constitute “fines” within the meaning of Section 7.8(a); and action taken or omitted by an Indemnitee with respect to any employee benefit plan in the performance of its duties for a purpose reasonably believed by it to be in the best interest of the participants and beneficiaries of the plan shall be deemed to be for a purpose that is in the best interests of the Partnership.

 

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(f)            In no event may an Indemnitee subject the Limited Partners to personal liability by reason of the indemnification provisions set forth in this Agreement.

 

(g)           An Indemnitee shall not be denied indemnification in whole or in part under this Section 7.8 because the Indemnitee had an interest in the transaction with respect to which the indemnification applies if the transaction was otherwise permitted by the terms of this Agreement.

 

(h)           The provisions of this Section 7.8 are for the benefit of the Indemnitees and their heirs, successors, assigns, executors and administrators and shall not be deemed to create any rights for the benefit of any other Persons.

 

(i)            No amendment, modification or repeal of this Section 7.8 or any provision hereof shall in any manner terminate, reduce or impair the right of any past, present or future Indemnitee to be indemnified by the Partnership, nor the obligations of the Partnership to indemnify any such Indemnitee under and in accordance with the provisions of this Section 7.8 as in effect immediately prior to such amendment, modification or repeal with respect to claims arising from or relating to matters occurring, in whole or in part, prior to such amendment, modification or repeal, regardless of when such claims may arise or be asserted.

 

(j)            If a claim for indemnification (following the final disposition of the action, suit or proceeding for which indemnification is being sought) or advancement of expenses under this Section 7.8 is not paid in full within thirty (30) days after a written claim therefor by any Indemnitee has been received by the Partnership, such Indemnitee may file suit to recover the unpaid amount of such claim and, if successful in whole or in part, shall be entitled to be paid the expenses of prosecuting such claim, including reasonable attorneys’ fees. In any such action the Partnership shall have the burden of proving that such Indemnitee is not entitled to the requested indemnification or advancement of expenses under applicable law.

 

(k)           This Section 7.8 shall not limit the right of the Partnership, to the extent and in the manner permitted by law, to indemnify and to advance expenses to, and purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of, Persons other than Indemnitees.

 

Section 7.9            Liability of Indemnitees.

 

(a)           Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Agreement, to the fullest extent permitted by law, no Indemnitee shall be liable for monetary damages to the Partnership, the Partners, any other Persons who have acquired interests in the Partnership Interests or any other Person who is bound by this Agreement, for losses sustained or liabilities incurred as a result of any act or omission of an Indemnitee, including any breach of contract (including breach of this Agreement) or any breach of duties (including breach of fiduciary duties) whether arising hereunder, at law, in equity or otherwise unless there has been a final and non-appealable judgment entered by a court of competent jurisdiction determining that, in respect of the matter in question, the Indemnitee acted in bad faith or engaged in fraud, willful misconduct or, in the case of a criminal matter, acted with knowledge that the Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Limited Partners, any other Person who acquires an interest in a Partnership Interest or any other Person who is bound by this Agreement waives any

 

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and all rights to claim punitive damages or damages based upon the Federal, State or other income taxes paid or payable by any such Limited Partner or other Person.

 

(b)           Subject to its obligations and duties as General Partner set forth in Section 7.1(a), the General Partner may exercise any of the powers granted to it by this Agreement and perform any of the duties imposed upon it hereunder either directly or by or through its agents, and neither the General Partner nor any other Indemnitee shall be responsible for any misconduct, negligence or wrong doing on the part of any such agent appointed by the General Partner or any such Indemnitee in good faith.

 

(c)           To the extent that, at law or in equity, the General Partner and any other Indemnitee has duties (including fiduciary duties) and liabilities relating thereto to the Partnership, the Partners or any other Person who is bound by this Agreement, the General Partner and any other Indemnitee acting in connection with the Partnership’s business or affairs shall not be liable to the Partnership, any Partner or any other Person who is bound by this Agreement for its good faith reliance on the provisions of this Agreement.

 

(d)           Any amendment, modification or repeal of this Section 7.9 or any provision hereof shall be prospective only and shall not in any way affect the limitations on the liability of the Indemnitees under this Section 7.9 as in effect immediately prior to such amendment, modification or repeal with respect to claims arising from or relating to matters occurring, in whole or in part, prior to such amendment, modification or repeal, regardless of when such claims may arise or be asserted.

 

Section 7.10          Resolution of Conflicts of Interest; Standards of Conduct and Modification of Duties.

 

(a)           Unless otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement or any Group Member Agreement, whenever a potential conflict of interest exists or arises between the General Partner (in its individual capacity or in its capacity as the General Partner or a Partner) or any of its Affiliates or Associates or any Indemnitee, on the one hand, and the Partnership, any Group Member or any Partner, on the other, any resolution or course of action by the General Partner or any of its Affiliates or Associates or any Indemnitee in respect of such conflict of interest shall be permitted and deemed approved by all Partners, and shall not constitute a breach of this Agreement, of any Group Member Agreement, of any agreement contemplated herein or therein, or of any duty hereunder or existing at law, in equity or otherwise, if the resolution or course of action in respect of such conflict of interest is (i) approved by Special Approval, (ii) approved by the vote of holders of a majority of the Common Units (excluding Common Units owned by the General Partner and its Affiliates), (iii) determined by the Board of Directors to be on terms no less favorable to the Partnership than those generally being provided to or available from unrelated third parties or (iv) determined by the Board of Directors to be fair and reasonable to the Partnership, taking into account the totality of the relationships between the parties involved (including other transactions that may be particularly favorable or advantageous to the Partnership). The General Partner shall be authorized but not required in connection with its resolution of such conflict of interest to seek Special Approval or Unitholder approval of such resolution, and the General Partner may also adopt a resolution or course of action that has not received Special Approval or Unitholder approval. Notwithstanding any other provision of this

 

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Agreement, any Group Member Agreement or applicable law, whenever the General Partner makes a determination to refer any potential conflict of interest to the Conflicts Committee for Special Approval or seek Unitholder approval, then the General Partner shall be entitled, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to make such determination free of any duty or obligation whatsoever to the Partnership or any Partner, and the General Partner shall not, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be required to act in good faith or pursuant to any other standard imposed by this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, any other agreement contemplated hereby or under the Delaware Act or any other law, rule or regulation or at equity, and the General Partner in making such determination shall be permitted to do so in its sole discretion. If Special Approval is sought or obtained, then it shall be conclusively deemed that, in making its decision, the Conflicts Committee acted in good faith, and if neither Special Approval nor Unitholder approval is sought or obtained and the Board of Directors determines that the resolution or course of action taken with respect to a conflict of interest satisfies either of the standards set forth in clauses (iii) or (iv) above, then it shall be presumed that, in making its decision, the Board of Directors acted in good faith, and in any proceeding brought by any Partner or by or on behalf of such Partner or any other Partner or the Partnership challenging such approval, the Person bringing or prosecuting such proceeding shall have the burden of overcoming such presumption. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement or any duty otherwise existing at law or equity, the existence of the conflicts of interest described in the Registration Statement and any actions of the General Partner or any of its Affiliates or Associates or any other Indemnitee taken in connection therewith are hereby approved by all Partners and shall not constitute a breach of this Agreement or of any duty hereunder or existing at law, in equity or otherwise.

 

(b)           Whenever the General Partner, the Board of Directors or any committee thereof (including the Conflicts Committee), makes a determination or takes or declines to take any other action, or any Affiliate, Associate or Indemnitee of the General Partner causes the General Partner to do so, in its capacity as the general partner of the Partnership as opposed to in its individual capacity, whether under this Agreement or any other agreement contemplated hereby or otherwise, then, unless another express standard is provided for in this Agreement, the General Partner, the Board of Directors, such committee, or such Affiliate, Associate or Indemnitee causing the General Partner to do so, shall make such determination or take or decline to take such other action in good faith and shall not be subject to any other or different standards (including fiduciary standards) imposed by this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, any other agreement contemplated hereby or under the Delaware Act or any other law, rule or regulation or at equity. A determination or other action or inaction will conclusively be deemed to be in “good faith” for all purposes of this Agreement, if the Person or Persons making such determination or taking or declining to take such other action subjectively believe that the determination or other action or inaction is in the best interests of the Partnership Group; provided, that if the Board of Directors is making a determination or taking or declining to take an action pursuant to clause (iii) or clause (iv) of the first sentence of Section 7.10(a), then in lieu thereof, such determination or other action or inaction will conclusively be deemed to be in “good faith” for all purposes of this Agreement if the members of the Board of Directors making such determination or taking or declining to take such other action subjectively believe that the determination or other action or inaction meets the standard set forth in clause (iii) or clause (iv) of the first sentence of Section 7.10(a), as applicable; provided further, that if the Board of Directors is making a determination that a director satisfies the eligibility requirements to be a

 

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member of a Conflicts Committee, then in lieu thereof, such determination will conclusively be deemed to be in “good faith” for all purposes of this Agreement if the members of the Board of Directors making such determination subjectively believe that the director satisfies the eligibility requirements to be a member of the Conflicts Committee. In any proceeding brought by the Partnership, any Partner or any Person who acquires an interest in a Partnership Interest or any other Person who is bound by this Agreement challenging such action, determination or inaction, the Person bringing or prosecuting such proceeding shall have the burden of proving that such determination, action or inaction was not in good faith.

 

(c)           Whenever the General Partner (including the Board of Directors or any committee thereof) makes a determination or takes or declines to take any other action, or any of its Affiliates or Associates or any Indemnitee causes it to do so, in its individual capacity as opposed to in its capacity as the general partner of the Partnership, whether under this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement or any other agreement contemplated hereby or otherwise, then the General Partner, the Board of Directors or any committee thereof, or such Affiliates or Associates or any Indemnitee causing it to do so, are entitled, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to make such determination or to take or decline to take such other action free of any duty (including any fiduciary or other duty) existing at law, in equity or otherwise or obligation whatsoever to the Partnership, any Partner, any other Person who acquires an interest in a Partnership Interest and any other Person bound by this Agreement, and the General Partner, the Board of Directors or any committee thereof, or such Affiliates or Associates or any Indemnitee causing it to do so, shall not, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be required to act in good faith or pursuant to any other standard imposed by this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, any other agreement contemplated hereby or under the Delaware Act or any other law, rule or regulation or at equity. By way of illustration and not of limitation, whenever the phrases, “at the option of the General Partner,” “in its sole discretion” or some variation of those phrases, are used in this Agreement, it indicates that the General Partner is acting in its individual capacity. For the avoidance of doubt, whenever the General Partner votes or transfers its Partnership Interests, or refrains from voting or transferring its Partnership Interests, or otherwise acts in its capacity as a Limited Partner or holder of Partnership Interests, it shall be acting in its individual capacity.

 

(d)           The General Partner’s organizational documents may provide that determinations to take or decline to take any action in its individual, rather than representative, capacity may or shall be determined by its members, if the General Partner is a limited liability company, stockholders, if the General Partner is a corporation, or the members or stockholders of the General Partner’s general partner, if the General Partner is a limited partnership.

 

(e)           Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the General Partner or any other Indemnitee shall have no duty or obligation, express or implied, to (i) sell or otherwise dispose of any asset of the Partnership Group other than in the ordinary course of business or (ii) permit any Group Member to use any facilities or assets of the General Partner and its Affiliates, except as may be provided in contracts entered into from time to time specifically dealing with such use. Any determination by the General Partner or any of its Affiliates to enter into such contracts shall be in its sole discretion.

 

(f)            Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement or

 

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otherwise applicable provision of law or in equity, except as expressly set forth in this Agreement, to the fullest extent permitted by law, none of the General Partner, the Board of Directors, any committee thereof or any other Indemnitee shall have any duties or liabilities, including fiduciary duties, to the Partnership, any Partner or any other Person bound by this Agreement, and the provisions of this Agreement, to the extent that they restrict, eliminate or otherwise modify the duties and liabilities, including fiduciary duties, of the General Partner or any other Indemnitee otherwise existing at law or in equity, are agreed by the Partners to replace such other duties and liabilities of the General Partner or such other Indemnitee.

 

(g)           The Partners, each Person who acquires an interest in a Partnership Interest and each other Person who is bound by this Agreement, hereby authorize the General Partner, on behalf of the Partnership as a partner or member of a Group Member, to approve actions by the general partner or managing member of such Group Member similar to those actions permitted to be taken by the General Partner pursuant to this Section 7.10.

 

(h)           The Limited Partners expressly acknowledge and agree that none of the General Partner, the Board of Directors or any committee thereof is under any obligation to consider the separate interests of the Limited Partners (including, without limitation, the tax consequences to Limited Partners) in deciding whether to cause the Partnership to take (or decline to take) any actions, and that none of the General Partner or any other Indemnitee shall be liable to the Limited Partners for monetary damages or equitable relief or losses sustained, liabilities incurred or benefits not derived by Limited Partners in connection with such decisions.

 

Section 7.11          Other Matters Concerning the General Partner.

 

(a)           The General Partner, the Board of Directors (or any committee thereof) and any other Indemnitee may rely upon, and shall be protected from liability to the Partnership, any Partner, any Person who acquires an interest in a Partnership Interest, and any other Person bound by this Agreement in acting or refraining from acting upon, any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, consent, order, bond, debenture or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties.

 

(b)           The General Partner, the Board of Directors (or any committee thereof) and any other Indemnitee may consult with legal counsel, accountants, appraisers, management consultants, investment bankers and other consultants and advisers selected by it, and any act taken or omitted to be taken in reliance upon the advice or opinion (including an Opinion of Counsel) of such Persons as to matters that the General Partner or such Indemnitee reasonably believes to be within such Person’s professional or expert competence shall be conclusively presumed to have been done or omitted in good faith and in accordance with such advice or opinion.

 

(c)           The General Partner shall have the right, in respect of any of its powers or obligations hereunder, to act through any of its or the Partnership’s duly authorized officers, a duly appointed attorney or attorneys-in-fact.

 

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Section 7.12          Purchase or Sale of Partnership Interests .  The General Partner may cause the Partnership to purchase or otherwise acquire Partnership Interests.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement or otherwise applicable provision of law or equity, any Partnership Interests or options, rights, warrants, appreciation rights or phantom or tracking interests relating to Partnership Interests that are purchased or otherwise acquired by the Partnership or any Group Member may, in the sole discretion of the General Partner, be canceled or held by the Partnership in treasury and, if so held in treasury, shall no longer be deemed to be Outstanding for any purpose.  For the avoidance of doubt, Partnership Interests or options, rights, warrants, appreciation rights or phantom or tracking interests relating to Partnership Interests that are canceled or held by the Partnership in treasury (i) shall not be allocated Net Income (Loss) pursuant to Article VI, (ii) shall not be entitled to distributions pursuant to Article VI, and (iii) shall neither be entitled to vote nor be counted for quorum purposes.

 

Section 7.13          Reliance by Third Parties .  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, any Person dealing with the Partnership shall be entitled to assume that the General Partner and any officer of the General Partner authorized by the General Partner to act on behalf of and in the name of the Partnership has full power and authority to encumber, sell or otherwise use in any manner any and all assets of the Partnership and to enter into any authorized contracts on behalf of the Partnership, and such Person shall be entitled to deal with the General Partner or any such officer as if it were the Partnership’s sole party in interest, both legally and beneficially.  Each Partner hereby waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any and all defenses or other remedies that may be available to such Partner to contest, negate or disaffirm any action of the General Partner or any such officer in connection with any such dealing.  In no event shall any Person dealing with the General Partner or any such officer or its representatives be obligated to ascertain that the terms of this Agreement have been complied with or to inquire into the necessity or expedience of any act or action of the General Partner or any such officer or its representatives.  Each and every certificate, document or other instrument executed on behalf of the Partnership by the General Partner or its representatives shall be conclusive evidence in favor of any and every Person relying thereon or claiming thereunder that (a) at the time of the execution and delivery of such certificate, document or instrument, this Agreement was in full force and effect, (b) the Person executing and delivering such certificate, document or instrument was duly authorized and empowered to do so for and on behalf of the Partnership and (c) such certificate, document or instrument was duly executed and delivered in accordance with the terms and provisions of this Agreement and is binding upon the Partnership.

 

ARTICLE VIII.
BOOKS, RECORDS, ACCOUNTING AND REPORTS

 

Section 8.1            Records and Accounting .  The General Partner shall keep or cause to be kept at the principal office of the Partnership appropriate books and records with respect to the Partnership’s business, including all books and records necessary to provide to the Partners any information required to be provided pursuant to Section 3.4(a).  Any books and records maintained by or on behalf of the Partnership in the regular course of its business, including the record of the Record Holders of Units or other Partnership Interests, books of account and records of Partnership proceedings, may be kept on, or be in the form of, computer disks, hard drives, magnetic tape, photographs, micrographics or any other information storage device; provided , that the books and records so maintained are convertible into clearly legible written

 

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form within a reasonable period of time.  The books of the Partnership shall be maintained, for financial reporting purposes, on an accrual basis in accordance with U.S. GAAP.

 

Section 8.2            Fiscal Year .  The fiscal year of the Partnership shall be a fiscal year ending December 31.

 

Section 8.3            Reports.

 

(a)           As soon as practicable, but in no event later than 105 days after the close of each fiscal year of the Partnership, the General Partner shall cause to be mailed or made available, by any reasonable means, to each Record Holder of a Unit or other Partnership Interest as of a date selected by the General Partner, an annual report containing financial statements of the Partnership for such fiscal year of the Partnership, presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP, including a balance sheet and statements of operations, Partnership equity and cash flows, such statements to be audited by a firm of independent public accountants selected by the General Partner.

 

(b)           As soon as practicable, but in no event later than 50 days after the close of each Quarter except the last Quarter of each fiscal year, the General Partner shall cause to be mailed or made available, by any reasonable means, to each Record Holder of a Unit or other Partnership Interest, as of a date selected by the General Partner, a report containing unaudited financial statements of the Partnership and such other information as may be required by applicable law, regulation or rule of any National Securities Exchange on which the Units are listed or admitted to trading, or as the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate.

 

(c)           The General Partner shall be deemed to have made a report available to each Record Holder as required by this Section 8.3 if it has either (i) filed such report with the Commission via its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system and such report is publicly available on such system or (ii) made such report available on any publicly available website maintained by the Partnership.

 

ARTICLE IX.
TAX MATTERS

 

Section 9.1            Tax Returns and Information .  The Partnership shall timely file all returns of the Partnership that are required for U.S. federal, state and local income tax purposes on the basis of the accrual method and the taxable period or years that it is required by law to adopt, from time to time, as determined by the General Partner.  In the event the Partnership is required to use a taxable period other than a year ending on December 31, the General Partner shall use reasonable efforts to change the taxable period of the Partnership to a year ending on December 31.  The tax information reasonably required by Record Holders for federal, state and local income tax reporting purposes with respect to a taxable period shall be furnished to them within 90 days of the close of the calendar year in which the Partnership’s taxable period ends.  The classification, realization and recognition of income, gain, losses and deductions and other items shall be on the accrual method of accounting for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

 

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Section 9.2            Tax Elections.

 

(a)           The Partnership shall make the election under Section 754 of the Code in accordance with applicable regulations thereunder, subject to the reservation of the right to seek to revoke any such election upon the General Partner’s determination that such revocation is in the best interests of the Partners.  Notwithstanding any other provision herein contained, for the purposes of computing the adjustments under Section 743(b) of the Code, the General Partner shall be authorized (but not required) to adopt a convention whereby the price paid by a transferee of a Partnership Interest will be deemed to be the lowest quoted closing price of the Partnership Interests on any National Securities Exchange on which such Partnership Interests are listed or admitted to trading during the calendar month in which such transfer is deemed to occur pursuant to Section 6.2(f) without regard to the actual price paid by such transferee.

 

(b)           Except as otherwise provided herein, the General Partner shall determine whether the Partnership should make any other elections permitted by the Code.

 

Section 9.3            Tax Controversies .  Subject to the provisions hereof, the General Partner shall designate the Tax Matters Partner (as defined in the Code) and is authorized and required to represent the Partnership (at the Partnership’s expense) in connection with all examinations of the Partnership’s affairs by tax authorities, including resulting administrative and judicial proceedings, and to expend Partnership funds for professional services and costs associated therewith.  Each Partner agrees to cooperate with the Tax Matters Partner and to do or refrain from doing any or all things reasonably required by the Tax Matters Partner to conduct such proceedings.

 

Section 9.4            Withholding .  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the General Partner is authorized to take any action that may be required to cause the Partnership and other Group Members to comply with any withholding requirements established under the Code or any other U.S. federal, state or local law, including pursuant to Sections 1441, 1442, 1445 and 1446 of the Code or established by any foreign law.  To the extent that the Partnership is required or elects to withhold and pay over to any taxing authority any amount resulting from the allocation or distribution of income to any Partner (including by reason of Section 1446 of the Code), the General Partner may treat the amount withheld as a distribution of cash pursuant to Section 6.3 or 12.4(c) in the amount of such withholding from such Partner.

 

ARTICLE X.
ADMISSION OF PARTNERS

 

Section 10.1          Admission of Limited Partners.

 

(a)           By acceptance of the transfer of any Limited Partner Interests in accordance with this Section 10.1 or the issuance of any Limited Partner Interests in accordance herewith, and except as provided in Sections 4.8 and 7.12, each transferee or other recipient of a Limited Partner Interest (including any nominee holder or an agent or representative acquiring such Limited Partner Interests for the account of another Person) (i) shall be admitted to the Partnership as a Limited Partner with respect to the Limited Partner Interests so transferred or issued to such Person when any such transfer or issuance is reflected in the books and records of

 

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the Partnership, (ii) shall become bound by the terms of, and shall be deemed to have agreed to be bound by, this Agreement, (iii) shall become the Record Holder of the Limited Partner Interests so transferred or issued, (iv) represents that the transferee or other recipient has the capacity, power and authority to enter into this Agreement, and (v) makes the consents, acknowledgements and waivers contained in this Agreement, all with or without execution of this Agreement.  The transfer of any Limited Partner Interests and/or the admission of any new Limited Partner shall not constitute an amendment to this Agreement.  A Person may become a Record Holder without the consent or approval of any of the Partners.  A Person may not become a Limited Partner without acquiring a Limited Partner Interest.  The rights and obligations of a Person who is a Non-Citizen Assignee shall be determined in accordance with Section 4.8.

 

(b)           The name and mailing address of each Limited Partner shall be listed on the books and records of the Partnership maintained for such purpose by the General Partner or the Transfer Agent.  The General Partner shall update its books and records from time to time as necessary to reflect accurately the information therein (or shall cause the Transfer Agent to do so, as applicable).  A Limited Partner Interest may be represented by a Certificate, as provided in Section 4.1.

 

(c)           Any transfer of a Limited Partner Interest shall not entitle the transferee to share in the profits and losses, to receive distributions, to receive allocations of income, gain, loss, deduction or credit or any similar item or to any other rights to which the transferor was entitled until the transferee becomes a Limited Partner pursuant to Section 10.1(a).

 

Section 10.2          Admission of Successor General Partner .  A successor General Partner approved pursuant to Section 11.1 or 11.2 or the transferee of or successor to all of the General Partner Interest pursuant to Section 4.6 who is proposed to be admitted as a successor General Partner shall be admitted to the Partnership as the General Partner, effective immediately prior to the withdrawal or removal of the predecessor or transferring General Partner, pursuant to Section 11.1 or 11.2 or the transfer of the General Partner Interest pursuant to Section 4.6, provided, however, that no such successor shall be admitted to the Partnership until compliance with the terms of Section 4.6 has occurred and such successor has executed and delivered such other documents or instruments as may be required to effect such admission.  Any such successor is hereby authorized to and shall, subject to the terms hereof, carry on the business of the members of the Partnership Group without dissolution.

 

Section 10.3          Amendment of Agreement and Certificate of Limited Partnership .  To effect the admission to the Partnership of any Partner, the General Partner shall take all steps necessary or appropriate under the Delaware Act to amend the records of the Partnership to reflect such admission and, if necessary, to prepare as soon as practicable an amendment to this Agreement and, if required by law, the General Partner shall prepare and file an amendment to the Certificate of Limited Partnership.

 

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ARTICLE XI.
WITHDRAWAL OR REMOVAL OF PARTNERS

 

Section 11.1          Withdrawal of the General Partner.

 

(a)           The General Partner shall be deemed to have withdrawn from the Partnership upon the occurrence of any one of the following events (each such event herein referred to as an “ Event of Withdrawal ”):

 

(i)            the General Partner voluntarily withdraws from the Partnership by giving written notice to the other Partners;

 

(ii)           the General Partner transfers all of its rights as General Partner pursuant to Section 4.6;

 

(iii)          the General Partner is removed pursuant to Section 11.2;

 

(iv)          the General Partner (A) makes a general assignment for the benefit of creditors; (B) files a voluntary bankruptcy petition for relief under Chapter 7 of the United States Bankruptcy Code; (C) files a petition or answer seeking for itself a liquidation, dissolution or similar relief (but not a reorganization) under any law; (D) files an answer or other pleading admitting or failing to contest the material allegations of a petition filed against the General Partner in a proceeding of the type described in clauses (A) through (C) of this Section 11.1(a)(iv); or (E) seeks, consents to or acquiesces in the appointment of a trustee (but not a debtor-in-possession), receiver or liquidator of the General Partner or of all or any substantial part of its properties;

 

(v)           a final and non-appealable order of relief under Chapter 7 of the United States Bankruptcy Code is entered by a court with appropriate jurisdiction pursuant to a voluntary or involuntary petition by or against the General Partner; or

 

(vi)          (A) in the event the General Partner is a corporation, a certificate of dissolution or its equivalent is filed for the General Partner, or 90 days expire after the date of notice to the General Partner of revocation of its charter without a reinstatement of its charter, under the laws of its state of incorporation; (B) in the event the General Partner is a limited liability company or a partnership, the dissolution and commencement of winding up of the General Partner; (C) in the event the General Partner is acting in such capacity by virtue of being a trustee of a trust, the termination of the trust; (D) in the event the General Partner is a natural person, his death or adjudication of incompetency; and (E) otherwise in the event of the termination of the General Partner.

 

If an Event of Withdrawal specified in Section 11.1(a)(iv), (v) or (vi)(A), (B), (C) or (E) occurs, the withdrawing General Partner shall give notice to the Partners within 30 days after such occurrence.  The Partners hereby agree that only the Events of Withdrawal described in this Section 11.1 shall result in the withdrawal of the General Partner from the Partnership.

 

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(b)           Withdrawal of the General Partner from the Partnership upon the occurrence of an Event of Withdrawal shall not constitute a breach of this Agreement under the following circumstances:  (i) at any time during the period beginning on the Closing Date and ending at 11:59 pm, prevailing Central Time, on June 30, 2023, the General Partner voluntarily withdraws by giving at least 90 days’ advance notice of its intention to withdraw to the Partners; provided , that prior to the effective date of such withdrawal, the withdrawal is approved by Unitholders holding at least a majority of the Outstanding Common Units (excluding Common Units held by the General Partner and its Affiliates) and the General Partner delivers to the Partnership an Opinion of Counsel (“ Withdrawal Opinion of Counsel ”) that such withdrawal (following the selection of the successor General Partner) would not result in the loss of the limited liability of any Limited Partner under the Delaware Act or cause any Group Member to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise to be taxed as an entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes (to the extent not previously so treated or taxed); (ii) at any time after 11:59 pm, prevailing Central Time, on June 30, 2023, the General Partner voluntarily withdraws by giving at least 90 days’ advance notice to the Partners, such withdrawal to take effect on the date specified in such notice; (iii) at any time that the General Partner ceases to be the General Partner pursuant to Section 11.1(a)(ii) or is removed pursuant to Section 11.2; or (iv) notwithstanding clause (i) of this sentence, at any time that the General Partner voluntarily withdraws by giving at least 90 days’ advance notice of its intention to withdraw to the other Partners, such withdrawal to take effect on the date specified in the notice, if at the time such notice is given one Person and its Affiliates (other than the General Partner and its Affiliates) own beneficially or of record or control at least 50% of the Outstanding Units.  The withdrawal of the General Partner from the Partnership upon the occurrence of an Event of Withdrawal shall also constitute the withdrawal of the General Partner as general partner or managing member, if any, to the extent applicable, of the other Group Members.  If the General Partner gives notice of withdrawal pursuant to Section 11.1(a)(i), the holders of a Unit Majority, may, prior to the effective date of such withdrawal, elect a successor General Partner who shall be admitted as a general partner of the Partnership upon the effective date of such withdrawal.  The Person so elected as successor General Partner shall automatically become the successor general partner or managing member, to the extent applicable, of the other Group Members of which the General Partner is a general partner or a managing member.  If, prior to the effective date of the General Partner’s withdrawal, a successor is not selected by the Partners as provided herein or the Partnership does not receive a Withdrawal Opinion of Counsel, the Partnership shall be dissolved in accordance with Section 12.1, unless the Partnership is continued without dissolution pursuant to Section 12.2.  Any successor General Partner elected in accordance with the terms of this Section 11.1 shall be subject to the provisions of Section 10.2.

 

Section 11.2          Removal of the General Partner .  The General Partner may be removed if such removal is approved by the Partners holding at least 66-2/3% of the Outstanding Units (including Units held by the General Partner and its Affiliates) voting as a single class.  Any such action by such holders for removal of the General Partner must also provide for the election of a successor General Partner by the Partners holding a majority of the Outstanding Common Units (including Common Units held by the General Partner and its Affiliates).  Such removal shall be effective immediately following the admission of a successor General Partner pursuant to Section 10.2.  The removal of the General Partner shall also automatically constitute the removal of the General Partner as general partner or managing member, to the extent applicable, of the other Group Members of which the General Partner is a general partner or a managing member.

 

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If a Person is elected as a successor General Partner in accordance with the terms of this Section 11.2, such Person shall, upon admission pursuant to Section 10.2, automatically become a successor general partner or managing member, to the extent applicable, of the other Group Members of which the General Partner is a general partner or a managing member.  The right of the Partners to remove the General Partner shall not exist or be exercised unless the Partnership has received an opinion opining as to the matters covered by a Withdrawal Opinion of Counsel.  Any successor General Partner elected in accordance with the terms of this Section 11.2 shall be subject to the provisions of Section 10.2.

 

Section 11.3  Interest of Departing General Partner and Successor General Partner.

 

(a)           In the event of (i) withdrawal of the General Partner under circumstances where such withdrawal does not violate this Agreement or (ii) removal of the General Partner by the Partners under circumstances where Cause does not exist, if the successor General Partner is elected in accordance with the terms of Section 11.1 or 11.2, the Departing General Partner shall have the option, exercisable prior to the effective date of the withdrawal or removal of such Departing General Partner, to require its successor to purchase its General Partner Interest and its or its Affiliates’ general partner interest (or equivalent interest), if any, in the other Group Members (collectively, the “ Combined Interest ”) in exchange for an amount in cash equal to the fair market value of such Combined Interest, such amount to be determined and payable as of the effective date of its withdrawal or removal.  If the General Partner is removed by the Partners under circumstances where Cause exists or if the General Partner withdraws under circumstances where such withdrawal violates this Agreement, and if a successor General Partner is elected in accordance with the terms of Section 11.1 or 11.2 (or if the Partnership is continued without dissolution pursuant to Section 12.2 and the successor General Partner is not the former General Partner), such successor shall have the option, exercisable prior to the effective date of the departure of such Departing General Partner (or, in the event the Partnership is continued without dissolution pursuant to Section 12.2, prior to the date the Partnership is continued), to purchase the Combined Interest for such fair market value of such Combined Interest.  In either event, the Departing General Partner shall be entitled to receive all reimbursements due such Departing General Partner pursuant to Section 7.5, including any employee related liabilities (including severance liabilities), incurred in connection with the termination of any employees employed by the Departing General Partner or its Affiliates (other than any Group Member) for the benefit of the Partnership or the other Group Members.

 

For purposes of this Section 11.3(a), the fair market value of the Combined Interest shall be determined by agreement between the Departing General Partner and its successor or, failing agreement within 30 days after the effective date of such Departing General Partner’s withdrawal or removal, by an independent investment banking firm or other independent expert selected by the Departing General Partner and its successor, which, in turn, may rely on other experts, and the determination of which shall be conclusive as to such matter.  If such parties cannot agree upon one independent investment banking firm or other independent expert within 45 days after the effective date of such withdrawal or removal, then the Departing General Partner shall designate an independent investment banking firm or other independent expert, the Departing General Partner’s successor shall designate an independent investment banking firm or other independent expert, and such firms or experts shall mutually select a third independent investment banking firm or independent expert, which third independent investment banking

 

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firm or other independent expert shall determine the fair market value of the Combined Interest.  In making its determination, such third independent investment banking firm or other independent expert may consider the then current trading price of Units on any National Securities Exchange on which Units are then listed or admitted to trading, the value of the Partnership’s assets, the rights and obligations of the Departing General Partner and other factors it may deem relevant.

 

(b)           If the Combined Interest is not purchased in the manner set forth in Section 11.3(a), the Departing General Partner (or its transferee) shall become a Limited Partner and the Combined Interest shall be converted into Common Units pursuant to a valuation made by an investment banking firm or other independent expert selected pursuant to Section 11.3(a), without reduction in such Partnership Interest (but subject to proportionate dilution by reason of the admission of its successor).  Any successor General Partner shall indemnify the Departing General Partner (or its transferee) as to all debts and liabilities of the Partnership arising on or after the date on which the Departing General Partner (or its transferee) becomes a Limited Partner.  For purposes of this Agreement, conversion of the Combined Interest to Common Units will be characterized as if the Departing General Partner (or its Affiliates) contributed the Combined Interest to the Partnership in exchange for the newly issued Common Units.

 

Section 11.4          Withdrawal of Limited Partners .  No Limited Partner shall have any right to withdraw from the Partnership; provided , however , that when a transferee of a Limited Partner’s Partnership Interest becomes a Record Holder of the Partnership Interest so transferred, such transferring Limited Partner shall cease to be a Limited Partner with respect to the Partnership Interest so transferred.

 

ARTICLE XII.
DISSOLUTION AND LIQUIDATION

 

Section 12.1          Dissolution .  The Partnership shall not be dissolved by the admission of additional Partners or by the admission of a successor General Partner in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.  Upon the removal or withdrawal of the General Partner, if a successor General Partner is elected pursuant to Section 11.1, 11.2 or 12.2, the Partnership shall not be dissolved and such successor General Partner is hereby authorized to, and shall, continue the business of the Partnership.  Subject to Section 12.2, the Partnership shall dissolve, and its affairs shall be wound up, upon:

 

(a)           an Event of Withdrawal of the General Partner as provided in Section 11.1(a) (other than Section 11.1(a)(ii)), unless a successor is elected pursuant to this Agreement and such successor is admitted to the Partnership pursuant to Section 10.2;

 

(b)           an election to dissolve the Partnership by the General Partner that is approved by the holders of a Unit Majority;

 

(c)           the entry of a decree of judicial dissolution of the Partnership pursuant to the provisions of the Delaware Act; or

 

(d)           at any time there are no Limited Partners, unless the Partnership is continued without dissolution in accordance with the Delaware Act.

 

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Section 12.2          Continuation of the Partnership After Dissolution .  Upon (a) an Event of Withdrawal caused by the withdrawal or removal of the General Partner as provided in Section 11.1(a)(i) or (iii) and the failure of the Partners to select a successor to such Departing General Partner pursuant to Section 11.1 or 11.2, then within 90 days thereafter, or (b) an event constituting an Event of Withdrawal as defined in Section 11.1(a)(iv), (v) or (vi), then, to the maximum extent permitted by law, within 180 days thereafter, the holders of a Unit Majority may elect to continue the business of the Partnership on the same terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement by appointing, effective as of the date of the Event of Withdrawal, as the successor General Partner a Person approved by the holders of a Unit Majority.  Unless such an election is made within the applicable time period as set forth above, the Partnership shall conduct only activities necessary to wind up its affairs.  If such an election is so made, then:

 

(i)            the Partnership shall continue without dissolution unless earlier dissolved in accordance with this Article XII;

 

(ii)           if the successor General Partner is not the former General Partner, then the interest of the former General Partner shall be treated in the manner provided in Section 11.3; and

 

(iii)          the successor General Partner shall be admitted to the Partnership as General Partner, effective as of the Event of Withdrawal, by agreeing in writing to be bound by this Agreement;

 

provided , that the right of the holders of a Unit Majority to approve a successor General Partner and to continue the business of the Partnership shall not exist and may not be exercised unless the Partnership has received an Opinion of Counsel that (x) the exercise of the right would not result in the loss of the limited liability of any Limited Partner under the Delaware Act and (y) neither the Partnership nor any successor limited partnership would be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise be taxable as an entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes upon the exercise of such right to continue (to the extent not already so treated or taxed).

 

Section 12.3          Liquidator .  Upon dissolution of the Partnership, the General Partner shall select one or more Persons to act as Liquidator (which may be the General Partner).  The Liquidator (if other than the General Partner) shall be entitled to receive such compensation for its services as may be approved by holders of at least a majority of the Outstanding Common Units voting as a single class.  The Liquidator (if other than the General Partner) shall agree not to resign at any time without 15 days’ prior notice and may be removed at any time, with or without cause, by notice of removal approved by holders of at least a majority of the Outstanding Common Units.  Upon dissolution, removal or resignation of the Liquidator, a successor and substitute Liquidator (who shall have and succeed to all rights, powers and duties of the original Liquidator) shall within 30 days thereafter be approved by holders of at least a majority of the Outstanding Common Units.  The right to approve a successor or substitute Liquidator in the manner provided herein shall be deemed to refer also to any such successor or substitute Liquidator approved in the manner herein provided.  Except as expressly provided in this Article XII, the Liquidator approved in the manner provided herein shall have and may exercise, without further authorization or consent of any of the parties hereto, all of the powers conferred upon the General Partner under the terms of this Agreement (but subject to all of the applicable

 

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limitations, contractual and otherwise, upon the exercise of such powers, other than the limitation on sale set forth in Section 7.4) necessary or appropriate to carry out the duties and functions of the Liquidator hereunder for and during the period of time required to complete the winding up and liquidation of the Partnership as provided for herein.

 

Section 12.4                              Liquidation .  The Liquidator shall proceed to dispose of the assets of the Partnership, discharge its liabilities, and otherwise wind up its affairs in such manner and over such period as determined by the Liquidator, subject to Section 17-804 of the Delaware Act and the following:

 

(a)                                  The assets may be disposed of by public or private sale or by distribution in kind to one or more Partners on such terms as the Liquidator and such Partner or Partners may agree.  If any property is distributed in kind, the Partner receiving the property shall be deemed for purposes of Section 12.4(c) to have received cash equal to its fair market value; and contemporaneously therewith, appropriate cash distributions must be made to the other Partners.  The Liquidator may defer liquidation or distribution of the Partnership’s assets for a reasonable time if it determines that an immediate sale or distribution of all or some of the Partnership’s assets would be impractical or would cause undue loss to the Partners.  The Liquidator may distribute the Partnership’s assets, in whole or in part, in kind if it determines that a sale would be impractical or would cause undue loss to the Partners.

 

(b)                                  Liabilities of the Partnership include amounts owed to the Liquidator as compensation for serving in such capacity (subject to the terms of Section 12.3) and amounts to Partners otherwise than in respect of their distribution rights under Article VI.  With respect to any Liability that is contingent, conditional or unmatured or is otherwise not yet due and payable, the Liquidator shall either settle such claim for such amount as it thinks appropriate or establish a reserve of cash or other assets to provide for its payment.  When paid, any unused portion of the reserve shall be distributed as additional liquidation proceeds.

 

(c)                                   All property and all cash in excess of that required to discharge liabilities as provided in Section 12.4(b) shall be distributed to the Partners in accordance with, and to the extent of, the positive balances in their respective Capital Accounts, as determined after taking into account all Capital Account adjustments (other than those made by reason of distributions pursuant to this Section 12.4(c)) for the taxable period of the Partnership during which the liquidation of the Partnership occurs (with such date of occurrence being determined pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(g)), and, to the extent reasonably practicable, such distribution shall be made by the end of such taxable period (or, if later, within 90 days after said date of such occurrence).

 

Section 12.5                              Cancellation of Certificate of Limited Partnership .  Upon the completion of the distribution of Partnership cash and property as provided in Section 12.4 in connection with the winding up of the Partnership, the Certificate of Limited Partnership and all qualifications of the Partnership as a foreign limited partnership in jurisdictions other than the State of Delaware shall be canceled and such other actions as may be necessary to terminate the Partnership shall be taken.

 

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Section 12.6                              Return of Contributions .  The General Partner shall not be personally liable for, and shall have no obligation to contribute or loan any monies or property to the Partnership to enable it to effectuate, the return of the Capital Contributions of the Partners or Unitholders, or any portion thereof, it being expressly understood that any such return shall be made solely from Partnership assets.

 

Section 12.7                              Waiver of Partition .  To the maximum extent permitted by law, each Partner hereby waives any right to partition of the Partnership property.

 

Section 12.8                              Capital Account Restoration .  No Limited Partner shall have any obligation to restore any negative balance in its Capital Account upon liquidation of the Partnership.

 

ARTICLE XIII.
AMENDMENT OF PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT; MEETINGS; RECORD DATE

 

Section 13.1                              Amendments to be Adopted Solely by the General Partner .  Each Partner agrees that the General Partner, without the approval of any other Partner, may amend any provision of this Agreement and execute, swear to, acknowledge, deliver, file and record whatever documents may be required in connection therewith, to reflect:

 

(a)                                  a change in the name of the Partnership, the location of the principal place of business of the Partnership, the registered agent of the Partnership or the registered office of the Partnership;

 

(b)                                  the admission, substitution, withdrawal or removal of Partners in accordance with this Agreement;

 

(c)                                   a change that the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate to qualify or continue the qualification of the Partnership as a limited partnership or a partnership in which the Limited Partners have limited liability under the laws of any state or to ensure that the Group Members will not be treated as associations taxable as corporations or otherwise taxed as entities for U.S. federal income tax purposes;

 

(d)                                  a change that the General Partner determines (i) does not adversely affect the Partners (including any particular class of Partnership Interests as compared to other classes of Partnership Interests) in any material respect, (ii) to be necessary or appropriate to (A) satisfy any requirements, conditions or guidelines contained in any opinion, directive, order, ruling or regulation of any federal or state agency or judicial authority or contained in any federal or state statute (including the Delaware Act) or (B) facilitate the trading of the Units (including the division of any class or classes of Outstanding Units into different classes to facilitate uniformity of tax consequences within such classes of Units) or comply with any rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of any National Securities Exchange on which any class of Partnership Interests are or will be listed or admitted to trading, (iii) to be necessary or appropriate in connection with action taken by the General Partner pursuant to Section 5.6 or (iv) is required to effect the intent expressed in the Registration Statement or the intent of the provisions of this Agreement or is otherwise contemplated by this Agreement;

 

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(e)                                   a change in the fiscal year or taxable period of the Partnership and any other changes that the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate as a result of a change in the fiscal year or taxable period of the Partnership including, if the General Partner shall so determine, a change in the definition of “Quarter” and the dates on which distributions are to be made by the Partnership;

 

(f)                                    an amendment that is necessary, in the Opinion of Counsel, to prevent the Partnership, or the General Partner or its directors, officers, trustees or agents from in any manner being subjected to the provisions of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, or “plan asset” regulations adopted under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, regardless of whether such are substantially similar to plan asset regulations currently applied or proposed by the United States Department of Labor;

 

(g)                                   an amendment that the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate in connection with the creation, authorization or issuance of any class or series of Partnership Interests or any options, rights, warrants, appreciation rights or phantom or tracking interests relating to an equity interest in the Partnership pursuant to Section 5.4;

 

(h)                                  any amendment expressly permitted in this Agreement to be made by the General Partner acting alone;

 

(i)                                      an amendment effected, necessitated or contemplated by a Merger Agreement approved in accordance with Section 14.3;

 

(j)                                     an amendment that the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate to reflect and account for the formation by the Partnership of, or investment by the Partnership in, any corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other entity, in connection with the conduct by the Partnership of activities permitted by the terms of Section 2.4;

 

(k)                                  a merger, conveyance or conversion pursuant to Section 14.3(d) or an amendment effected in accordance with Section 14.5; or

 

(l)                                      any other amendments substantially similar to the foregoing.

 

Section 13.2                              Amendment Procedures .  Amendments to this Agreement may be proposed only by the General Partner.  To the fullest extent permitted by law, the General Partner shall have no duty or obligation to propose or approve any amendment to this Agreement and may decline to do so in its sole discretion and, in declining to propose or approve an amendment, to the fullest extent permitted by law shall not be required to act in good faith or pursuant to any other standard imposed by this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, any other agreement contemplated hereby or under the Delaware Act or any other law, rule or regulation or at equity.  An amendment shall be effective upon its approval by the General Partner and, except as provided by Section 13.1 or 13.3, the holders of a Unit Majority, unless a greater or different percentage is required under this Agreement.  Each proposed amendment that requires the approval of Partners holding a specified Percentage Interest shall be set forth in a writing that contains the text of the proposed amendment.  If such an amendment is proposed, the

 

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General Partner shall seek the written approval of Partners holding the specified Percentage Interest or call a meeting of the Partners to consider and vote on such proposed amendment.  The General Partner shall notify all Record Holders upon final adoption of any such proposed amendments.  The General Partner shall be deemed to have notified all Record Holders as required by this Section 13.2 if it has either (i) filed such amendment with the Commission via its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system and such amendment is publicly available on such system or (ii) made such amendment available on any publicly available website maintained by the Partnership.

 

Section 13.3                              Amendment Requirements.

 

(a)                                  Notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 13.1 and 13.2, no provision of this Agreement that requires a vote or approval of Partners (or a subset of the Partners) holding a specified Percentage Interest to take any action shall be amended, altered, changed, repealed or rescinded in any respect that would have the effect of, in the case of any provision of this Agreement other than Section 11.2 or 13.4, reducing such percentage unless such amendment is approved by the written consent or the affirmative vote of Partners whose aggregate Percentage Interest constitutes not less than the voting requirement sought to be reduced.

 

(b)                                  Notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 13.1 and 13.2, no amendment to this Agreement may (i) enlarge the obligations of any Partner without its consent, unless such shall be deemed to have occurred as a result of an amendment approved pursuant to Section 13.3(c), or (ii) enlarge the obligations of, restrict, change or modify in any way any action by or rights of, or reduce in any way the amounts distributable, reimbursable or otherwise payable to, the General Partner or any of its Affiliates without its consent, which consent may be given or withheld in its sole discretion.

 

(c)                                   Except as provided in Section 14.3 or 13.1 (this Section 13.3(c) being subject to the General Partner’s authority to approve an amendment to this Agreement without the approval of any other Partners (as contemplated by Section 13.1)), any amendment that would have a material adverse effect on the rights or preferences of any class of Partnership Interests in relation to other classes of Partnership Interests must be approved by the holders of not less than a majority of the Outstanding Partnership Interests of the class affected.  If the General Partner determines an amendment does not satisfy the requirements of Section 13.1(d)(i) because it adversely affects one or more classes of Partnership Interests, as compared to other classes of Partnership Interests, in any material respect, such amendment shall only be required to be approved by the adversely affected class or classes.

 

(d)                                  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, except for amendments pursuant to Section 13.1 and except as otherwise provided by Section 14.3(b), no amendments shall become effective without the approval of the holders of at least 90% of the Percentage Interests of all Partners voting as a single class unless the Partnership obtains an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that such amendment will not affect the limited liability of any Limited Partner under applicable partnership law of the state under whose laws the Partnership is organized.

 

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(e)                                   Except as provided in Section 13.1, this Section 13.3 shall only be amended with the approval of Partners (including the General Partner and its Affiliates) holding at least 90% of the Percentage Interests of all Partners.

 

Section 13.4                              Special Meetings .  All acts of Partners to be taken pursuant to this Agreement shall be taken in the manner provided in this Article XIII.  Special meetings of the Partners may be called by the General Partner or by Limited Partners owning 20% or more of the Outstanding Units of the class or classes for which a meeting is proposed.  Limited Partners shall call a special meeting by delivering to the General Partner one or more requests in writing stating that the signing Partners wish to call a special meeting and indicating the general or specific purposes for which the special meeting is to be called.  Within 60 days after receipt of such a call from Partners or within such greater time as may be reasonably necessary for the Partnership to comply with any statutes, rules, regulations, listing agreements or similar requirements governing the holding of a meeting or the solicitation of proxies for use at such a meeting, the General Partner shall send a notice of the meeting to the Partners either directly or indirectly through the Transfer Agent.  A meeting shall be held at a time and place determined by the General Partner on a date not less than 10 days nor more than 60 days after the mailing of notice of the meeting.  Limited Partners shall not vote on matters that would cause the Limited Partners to be deemed to be taking part in the management and control of the business and affairs of the Partnership so as to jeopardize the Limited Partners’ limited liability under the Delaware Act or the law of any other state in which the Partnership is qualified to do business.

 

Section 13.5                              Notice of a Meeting .  Notice of a meeting called pursuant to Section 13.4 shall be given to the Record Holders of the class or classes of Partnership Interests for which a meeting is proposed in writing by mail or other means of written communication in accordance with Section 16.1.  The notice shall be deemed to have been given at the time when deposited in the mail or sent by other means of written communication.

 

Section 13.6                              Record Date .  For purposes of determining the Partners entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of the Partners or to give approvals without a meeting as provided in Section 13.11 the General Partner may set a Record Date, which shall not be less than 10 nor more than 60 days before (a) in the event that a meeting is to be held for a vote or approvals,  the date of the meeting (unless such requirement conflicts with any rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of any National Securities Exchange on which the Partnership Interests are listed or admitted to trading or U.S. federal securities laws, in which case the rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of such National Securities Exchange or U.S. federal securities laws shall govern) or (b) in the event that approvals are to be sought without a meeting, the date by which Partners are requested in writing by the General Partner to give such approvals.  If the General Partner does not set a Record Date, then (a) the Record Date for determining the Partners entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of the Partners shall be the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which notice is given, and (b) the Record Date for determining the Partners entitled to give approvals without a meeting shall be the date the first written approval is deposited with the Partnership in care of the General Partner in accordance with Section 13.11.

 

Section 13.7                              Adjournment .  When a meeting is adjourned to another time or place, notice need not be given of the adjourned meeting and a new Record Date need not be fixed, if the time and place thereof are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken,

 

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unless such adjournment shall be for more than 45 days.  At the adjourned meeting, the Partnership may transact any business which might have been transacted at the original meeting.  If the adjournment is for more than 45 days or if a new Record Date is fixed for the adjourned meeting, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given in accordance with this Article XIII.

 

Section 13.8                              Waiver of Notice; Approval of Meeting; Approval of Minutes .  The transaction of business at any meeting of Partners, however called and noticed, and whenever held, shall be as valid as if it had occurred at a meeting duly held after regular call and notice, if a quorum is present either in person or by proxy.  Attendance of a Partner at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of the meeting, except (i) when the Partner attends the meeting for the express purpose of objecting, at the beginning of the meeting, to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened and (ii) that attendance at a meeting is not a waiver of any right to disapprove the consideration of matters required to be included in the notice of the meeting, but not so included, if the disapproval is expressly made at the meeting.

 

Section 13.9                              Quorum and Voting .  The holders of a majority, by Percentage Interest, of the Partnership Interests of the class or classes for which a meeting has been called (including Partnership Interests deemed owned by the General Partner) represented in person or by proxy shall constitute a quorum at a meeting of Partners of such class or classes unless any such action by the Partners requires approval by holders of a greater Percentage Interest, in which case the quorum shall be such greater Percentage Interest.  At any meeting of the Partners duly called and held in accordance with this Agreement at which a quorum is present, the act of Partners holding Partnership Interests that in the aggregate represent a majority of the Percentage Interest of those present in person or by proxy at such meeting shall be deemed to constitute the act of all Partners, unless a greater or different percentage is required with respect to such action under the provisions of this Agreement, in which case the act of the Partners holding Partnership Interests that in the aggregate represent at least such greater or different percentage shall be required.  The Partners present at a duly called or held meeting at which a quorum is present may continue to transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal of enough Partners to leave less than a quorum, if any action taken (other than adjournment) is approved by Partners holding the required Percentage Interest specified in this Agreement.  In the absence of a quorum any meeting of Partners may be adjourned from time to time by the affirmative vote of Partners with at least a majority, by Percentage Interest, of the Partnership Interests entitled to vote at such meeting (including Partnership Interests deemed owned by the General Partner) represented either in person or by proxy, but no other business may be transacted, except as provided in Section 13.7.

 

Section 13.10                       Conduct of a Meeting .  The General Partner shall have full power and authority concerning the manner of conducting any meeting of the Partners or solicitation of approvals in writing, including the determination of Persons entitled to vote, the existence of a quorum, the satisfaction of the requirements of Section 13.4, the conduct of voting, the validity and effect of any proxies and the determination of any controversies, votes or challenges arising in connection with or during the meeting or voting.  The General Partner shall designate a Person to serve as chairman of any meeting and shall further designate a Person to take the minutes of any meeting.  All minutes shall be kept with the records of the Partnership maintained by the General Partner.  The General Partner may make such other regulations consistent with

 

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applicable law and this Agreement as it may deem advisable concerning the conduct of any meeting of the Partners or solicitation of approvals in writing, including regulations in regard to the appointment of proxies, the appointment and duties of inspectors of votes and approvals, the submission and examination of proxies and other evidence of the right to vote, and the revocation of approvals in writing.

 

Section 13.11                       Action Without a Meeting .  If authorized by the General Partner, any action that may be taken at a meeting of the Partners may be taken without a meeting, without a vote and without prior notice, if consented to in writing or by electronic transmission by Partners owning Partnership Interests representing not less than the minimum Percentage Interest that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all the Partners entitled to vote thereon were present and voted (unless such provision conflicts with any rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of any National Securities Exchange on which Partnership Interests are listed or admitted to trading, in which case the rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of such National Securities Exchange shall govern).  Prompt notice of the taking of action without a meeting shall be given to the Partners who have not consented.  The General Partner may specify that any written ballot submitted to Partners for the purpose of taking any action without a meeting shall be returned to the Partnership within the time period, which shall be not less than 20 days, specified by the General Partner.  If a ballot returned to the Partnership does not vote all of the Partnership Interests held by the Partners, the Partnership shall be deemed to have failed to receive a ballot for the Partnership Interests that were not voted.  If approval of the taking of any action by the Partners is solicited by any Person other than by or on behalf of the General Partner, the written approvals or approvals transmitted by electronic transmission shall have no force and effect unless and until (a) they are deposited with the Partnership in care of the General Partner and (b) an Opinion of Counsel is delivered to the General Partner to the effect that the exercise of such right and the action proposed to be taken with respect to any particular matter (i) will not cause the Limited Partners to be deemed to be taking part in the management and control of the business and affairs of the Partnership so as to jeopardize the Limited Partners’ limited liability, and (ii) is otherwise permissible under the state statutes then governing the rights, duties and liabilities of the Partnership and the Partners.  Nothing contained in this Section 13.11 shall be deemed to require the General Partner to solicit all Partners in connection with a matter approved by the requisite percentage of Partnership Interests acting by written consent or consent by electronic transmission without a meeting.

 

Section 13.12                       Right to Vote and Related Matters.

 

(a)                                  Only those Record Holders of Partnership Interests on the Record Date set pursuant to Section 13.6 (and also subject to the limitations contained in the definition of “Outstanding”) shall be entitled to notice of, and to vote at, a meeting of Partners or to act with respect to matters as to which the Partners have the right to vote or to act.  All references in this Agreement to votes of, or other acts that may be taken by, the Partners shall be deemed to be references to the votes or acts of the Record Holders of Partnership Interests.

 

(b)                                  With respect to Partnership Interests that are held for a Person’s account by another Person (such as a broker, dealer, bank, trust company or clearing corporation, or an agent of any of the foregoing), in whose name such Partnership Interests are registered, such other Person shall, in exercising the voting rights in respect of such Partnership Interests on any

 

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matter, and unless the arrangement between such Persons provides otherwise, vote such Partnership Interests in favor of, and at the direction of, the Person who is the beneficial owner, and the Partnership shall be entitled to assume it is so acting without further inquiry.  The provisions of this Section 13.12(b) (as well as all other provisions of this Agreement) are subject to the provisions of Section 4.3.

 

ARTICLE XIV.
MERGER, CONSOLIDATION OR CONVERSION

 

Section 14.1                              Authority .  The Partnership may merge or consolidate with or into one or more corporations, limited liability companies, statutory trusts, business trusts, associations, real estate investment trusts, common law trusts or unincorporated businesses or entities, including a partnership (whether general or limited (including a limited liability partnership or a limited liability limited partnership)) (each an “ Other Entity ”) or convert into any such Other Entity, whether such Other Entity is formed under the laws of the State of Delaware or any other state of the United States of America, pursuant to a written plan of merger or consolidation (“ Merger Agreement ”) or a written plan of conversion (“ Plan of Conversion ”), as the case may be, in accordance with this Article XIV.

 

Section 14.2                              Procedure for Merger, Consolidation or Conversion.

 

(a)                                  Merger, consolidation or conversion of the Partnership pursuant to this Article XIV requires the prior consent of the General Partner, provided, however, that, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the General Partner shall have no duty or obligation to consent to any merger, consolidation or conversion of the Partnership and may decline to do so free of any fiduciary duty or obligation whatsoever to the Partnership or any Partner and, in declining to consent to a merger, consolidation or conversion, shall not be required to act in good faith or pursuant to any other standard imposed by this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, any other agreement contemplated hereby or under the Delaware Act or any other law, rule or regulation or at equity.

 

(b)                                  If the General Partner shall determine to consent to the merger or consolidation, the General Partner shall approve the Merger Agreement, which shall set forth:

 

(i)                                      the names and jurisdictions of formation or organization and type of entity of each of the business entities proposing to merge or consolidate;

 

(ii)                                   the name and jurisdiction of formation or organization of the business entity that is to survive the proposed merger or consolidation (the “ Surviving Business Entity ”);

 

(iii)                                the terms and conditions of the proposed merger or consolidation;

 

(iv)                               the manner and basis of exchanging or converting the equity interests of each constituent business entity for, or into, cash, property or general or limited partner interests, rights, securities or obligations of the Surviving Business Entity; and (i) if any general or limited partner interests, securities or rights of any constituent business entity are not to be exchanged or converted solely for, or into, cash, property or general or

 

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limited partner interests, rights, securities or obligations of the Surviving Business Entity, then the cash, property or general or limited partner interests, rights, securities or obligations of any Other Entity (other than the Surviving Business Entity) which the holders of such general or limited partner interests, securities or rights are to receive in exchange for, or upon conversion of their general or limited partner interests, securities or rights, and (ii) in the case of equity interests represented by certificates, upon the surrender of such certificates, which cash, property or general or limited partner interests, rights, securities or obligations of the Surviving Business Entity or any Other Entity (other than the Surviving Business Entity), or evidences thereof, are to be delivered;

 

(v)                                  a statement of any changes in the constituent documents or the adoption of new constituent documents (the articles or certificate of incorporation, articles or certificate of trust, declaration of trust, certificate or agreement of limited partnership, certificate of formation or limited liability company agreement or other similar charter or governing document) of the Surviving Business Entity to be effected by such merger or consolidation;

 

(vi)                               the effective time of the merger, which may be the date of the filing of the certificate of merger pursuant to Section 14.4 or a later date specified in or determinable in accordance with the Merger Agreement (provided, that if the effective time of the merger is to be later than the date of the filing of the certificate of merger, the effective time shall be fixed no later than the time of the filing of the certificate of merger and stated therein); and

 

(vii)                            such other provisions with respect to the proposed merger or consolidation that the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate.

 

(c)                                   If the General Partner shall determine to consent to the conversion, the General Partner shall approve the Plan of Conversion, which shall set forth:

 

(i)                                      the name of the converting entity and the converted entity;

 

(ii)                                   a statement that the Partnership is continuing its existence in the organizational form of the converted entity;

 

(iii)                                a statement as to the type of entity that the converted entity is to be and the state or country under the laws of which the converted entity or an Other Entity, or for the cancellation of such equity securities;

 

(iv)                               the manner and basis of exchanging or converting the equity securities of each constituent business entity for, or into, cash, property or interests, rights, securities or obligations of the converted entity or another Person;

 

(v)                                  in an attachment or exhibit, the certificate of limited partnership of the Partnership;

 

(vi)                               in an attachment or exhibit, the certificate of limited partnership, articles of incorporation or other organizational documents of the converted entity;

 

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(vii)                            the effective time of the conversion, which may be the date of the filing of the certificate of conversion or a later date specified in or determinable in accordance with the Plan of Conversion (provided, that if the effective time of the conversion is to be later than the date of the filing of such certificate of conversion, the effective time shall be fixed at a date or time certain at or prior to the time of the filing of such certificate of conversion and stated therein); and

 

(viii)                         such other provisions with respect to the proposed conversion that the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate.

 

Section 14.3                              Approval by Limited Partners.

 

(a)                                  Except as provided in Section 14.3(d), the General Partner, upon its approval of the Merger Agreement or the Plan of Conversion, as the case may be, shall direct that the Merger Agreement or the Plan of Conversion and the merger, consolidation or conversion contemplated thereby, as applicable, be submitted to a vote of Limited Partners, whether at a special meeting or by written consent or consent by electronic transmission, in any case in accordance with the requirements of Article XIII.  A copy or a summary of the Merger Agreement or the Plan of Conversion, as the case may be, shall be included in or enclosed with the notice of a special meeting or the solicitation of written consent or consent by electronic transmission.

 

(b)                                  Except as provided in Section 14.3(d) or 14.3(e), the Merger Agreement or the Plan of Conversion, as the case may be, shall be approved upon receiving the affirmative vote or consent of a Unit Majority unless the Merger Agreement or the Plan of Conversion, as the case may be, contains any provision that, if contained in an amendment to this Agreement, the provisions of this Agreement or the Delaware Act would require for its approval the vote or consent of Partners holding a greater Percentage Interest or the vote or consent of a specified percentage of any class of Partners, in which case such greater Percentage Interest or percentage vote or consent shall be required for approval of the Merger Agreement or the Plan of Conversion, as the case may be.

 

(c)                                   Except as provided in Section 14.3(d) or 14.3(e), after such approval by vote or consent of the Partners, and at any time prior to the filing of the certificate of merger or certificate of conversion pursuant to Section 14.4, the merger, consolidation or conversion may be abandoned pursuant to provisions therefor, if any, set forth in the Merger Agreement or the Plan of Conversion, as the case may be.

 

(d)                                  Notwithstanding anything else contained in this Article XIV or in this Agreement, the General Partner is permitted, without Partner approval, to convert the Partnership or any Group Member into a new limited liability entity, to merge the Partnership or any Group Member into, or convey all of the Partnership’s assets to, another limited liability entity that shall be newly formed and shall have no assets, liabilities or operations at the time of such conversion, merger or conveyance other than those it receives from the Partnership or other Group Member if (i) the General Partner has received an Opinion of Counsel that the conversion, merger or conveyance, as the case may be, would not result in the loss of the limited liability of any Limited Partner or any Group Member under the Delaware Act or cause the Partnership or any Group Member to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise to be taxed

 

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as an entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes (to the extent not already treated as such), (ii) the sole purpose of such conversion, merger or conveyance is to effect a mere change in the legal form of the Partnership into another limited liability entity and (iii) the governing instruments of the new entity provide the Partners and the General Partner with substantially the same rights and obligations as are herein contained.

 

(e)                                   Additionally, notwithstanding anything else contained in this Article XIV or in this Agreement, the General Partner is permitted, without Partner approval, to merge or consolidate the Partnership with or into an Other Entity if (A) the General Partner has received an Opinion of Counsel that the merger or consolidation, as the case may be, would not result in the loss of the limited liability under the Delaware Act of any Limited Partner or cause the Partnership or any Group Member to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise to be taxed as an entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes (to the extent not already treated as such), (B) the merger or consolidation would not result in an amendment to this Agreement, other than any amendments that could be adopted pursuant to Section 13.1, (C) the Partnership is the Surviving Business Entity in such merger or consolidation, (D) each Partnership Interest Outstanding immediately prior to the effective date of the merger or consolidation is to be an identical Partnership Interest of the Partnership after the effective date of the merger or consolidation, and (E) the number of Partnership Interests to be issued by the Partnership in such merger or consolidation does not exceed 20% of the Partnership Interests Outstanding immediately prior to the effective date of such merger or consolidation.

 

Section 14.4                              Certificate of Merger or Certificate of Conversion .  Upon the required approval by the General Partner and the Partners of a Merger Agreement or a Plan of Conversion, as the case may be, a certificate of merger or certificate of conversion, as applicable, shall be executed and filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware in conformity with the requirements of the Delaware Act.

 

Section 14.5                              Amendment of Partnership Agreement .  Pursuant to Section 17-211(g) of the Delaware Act, an agreement of merger or consolidation approved in accordance with this Article XIV may (a) effect any amendment to this Agreement or (b) effect the adoption of a new partnership agreement for the Partnership if it is the Surviving Business Entity.  Any such amendment or adoption made pursuant to this Section 14.5 shall be effective at the effective time or date of the merger or consolidation.

 

Section 14.6                              Effect of Merger, Consolidation or Conversion.

 

(a)                                  At the effective time of the certificate of merger:

 

(i)                                      all of the rights, privileges and powers of each of the business entities that has merged or consolidated, and all property, real, personal and mixed, and all debts due to any of those business entities and all other things and causes of action belonging to each of those business entities, shall be vested in the Surviving Business Entity and after the merger or consolidation shall be the property of the Surviving Business Entity to the extent they were of each constituent business entity;

 

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(ii)                                   the title to any real property vested by deed or otherwise in any of those constituent business entities shall not revert and is not in any way impaired because of the merger or consolidation;

 

(iii)                                all rights of creditors and all liens on or security interests in property of any of those constituent business entities shall be preserved unimpaired; and

 

(iv)                               all debts, liabilities and duties of those constituent business entities shall attach to the Surviving Business Entity and may be enforced against it to the same extent as if the debts, liabilities and duties had been incurred or contracted by it.

 

(b)                                  At the effective time of the certificate of conversion, for all purposes of the laws of the State of Delaware:

 

(i)                                      the Partnership shall continue to exist, without interruption, but in the organizational form of the converted entity rather than in its prior organizational form;

 

(ii)                                   all rights, title, and interests to all real estate and other property owned by the Partnership shall continue to be owned by the converted entity in its new organizational form without reversion or impairment, without further act or deed, and without any transfer or assignment having occurred, but subject to any existing liens or other encumbrances thereon;

 

(iii)                                all liabilities and obligations of the Partnership shall continue to be liabilities and obligations of the converted entity in its new organizational form without impairment or diminution by reason of the conversion;

 

(iv)                               allrights of creditors or other parties with respect to or against the prior interest holders or other owners of the Partnership in their capacities as such in existence as of the effective time of the conversion will continue in existence as to those liabilities and obligations and are enforceable against the converted entity by such creditors and obligees to the same extent as if the liabilities and obligations had originally been incurred or contracted by the converted entity; and

 

(v)                                  the Partnership Interests that are to be converted into partnership interests, shares, evidences of ownership, or other securities in the converted entity as provided in the Plan of Conversion shall be so converted, and Partners shall be entitled only to the rights provided in the Plan of Conversion.

 

ARTICLE XV.
RIGHT TO ACQUIRE LIMITED PARTNER INTERESTS

 

Section 15.1                              Right to Acquire Limited Partner Interests.

 

(a)                                  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, if at any time the General Partner and its Affiliates hold more than 80% of the total Limited Partner Interests of any class then Outstanding, the General Partner shall then have the right, which right it may assign and transfer in whole or in part to the Partnership or any Affiliate of the General Partner, exercisable

 

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in its sole discretion, to purchase all, but not less than all, of such Limited Partner Interests of such class then Outstanding held by Persons other than the General Partner and its Affiliates, at the greater of (x) the Current Market Price as of the date three days prior to the date that the notice described in Section 15.1(b) is mailed and (y) the highest price paid by the General Partner or any of its Affiliates for any such Limited Partner Interest of such class purchased during the 90-day period preceding the date that the notice described in Section 15.1(b) is mailed.

 

(b)                                  If the General Partner, any Affiliate of the General Partner or the Partnership elects to exercise the right to purchase Limited Partner Interests granted pursuant to Section 15.1(a), the General Partner shall deliver to the Transfer Agent notice of such election to purchase (the “ Notice of Election to Purchase ”) and shall cause the Transfer Agent to mail a copy of such Notice of Election to Purchase to the Record Holders of Limited Partner Interests of such class (as of a Record Date selected by the General Partner) at least 10, but not more than 60, days prior to the Purchase Date.  Such Notice of Election to Purchase shall also be published for a period of at least three consecutive days in at least two daily newspapers of general circulation printed in the English language and circulated in the Borough of Manhattan, New York.  The Notice of Election to Purchase shall specify the Purchase Date and the price (determined in accordance with Section 15.1(a)) at which Limited Partner Interests will be purchased and state that the General Partner, its Affiliate or the Partnership, as the case may be, elects to purchase such Limited Partner Interests, upon surrender of Certificates representing such Limited Partner Interests in exchange for payment (in the case of Limited Partner Interests evidenced by Certificates), at such office or offices of the Transfer Agent as the Transfer Agent may specify, or as may be required by any National Securities Exchange on which such Limited Partner Interests are listed or admitted to trading.  Any such Notice of Election to Purchase mailed to a Record Holder of Limited Partner Interests at his address as reflected in the records of the Transfer Agent shall be conclusively presumed to have been given regardless of whether the owner receives such notice.  On or prior to the Purchase Date, the General Partner, its Affiliate or the Partnership, as the case may be, shall deposit with the Transfer Agent cash in an amount sufficient to pay the aggregate purchase price of all of such Limited Partner Interests to be purchased in accordance with this Section 15.1.  If the Notice of Election to Purchase shall have been duly given as aforesaid at least 10 days prior to the Purchase Date, and if on or prior to the Purchase Date the deposit described in the preceding sentence has been made for the benefit of the holders of Limited Partner Interests subject to purchase as provided herein, then from and after the Purchase Date, notwithstanding that any Certificate shall not have been surrendered for purchase, all rights of the holders of such Limited Partner Interests (including any rights pursuant to Articles III, IV, V, VI, and XII) shall thereupon cease, except the right to receive the purchase price (determined in accordance with Section 15.1(a)) for Limited Partner Interests therefor, without interest, upon surrender to the Transfer Agent of the Certificates representing such Limited Partner Interests (in the case of Limited Partner Interests evidenced by Certificates), and such Limited Partner Interests shall thereupon be deemed to be transferred to the General Partner, its Affiliate or the Partnership, as the case may be, on the record books of the Transfer Agent and the Partnership, and the General Partner or any Affiliate of the General Partner, or the Partnership, as the case may be, shall be deemed to be the owner of all such Limited Partner Interests from and after the Purchase Date and shall have all rights as the owner of such Limited Partner Interests (including all rights as owner of such Limited Partner Interests pursuant to Articles III, IV, V, VI, and XII).

 

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(c)                                   In the case of Partnership Interests evidenced by Certificates, at any time from and after the Purchase Date, a holder of an Outstanding Partnership Interest subject to purchase as provided in this Section 15.1 may surrender his Certificate evidencing such Partnership Interest to the Transfer Agent in exchange for payment of the amount described in Section 15.1(a), therefor, without interest thereon.

 

ARTICLE XVI.
GENERAL PROVISIONS

 

Section 16.1                              Addresses and Notices; Written Communications .

 

(a)                                  Any notice, demand, request, report or proxy materials required or permitted to be given or made to a Partner under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed given or made when delivered in person or when sent by first class United States mail or by other means of written communication to the Partner at the address described below.

 

(b)                                  Any notice, payment or report to be given or made to a Partner hereunder shall be deemed conclusively to have been given or made, and the obligation to give such notice or report or to make such payment shall be deemed conclusively to have been fully satisfied, upon sending of such notice, payment or report to the Record Holder of such Partnership Interests at his address as shown on the records of the Transfer Agent or as otherwise shown on the records of the Partnership, regardless of any claim of any Person who may have an interest in such Partnership Interests by reason of any assignment or otherwise.

 

(c)                                   Notwithstanding the foregoing, if (i) a Partner shall consent to receiving notices, demands, requests, reports or proxy materials via electronic mail or by the Internet or (ii) the rules of the Commission shall permit any report or proxy materials to be delivered electronically or made available via the Internet, any such notice, demand, request, report or proxy materials shall be deemed given or made when delivered or made available via such mode of delivery.

 

(d)                                  An affidavit or certificate of making of any notice, payment or report in accordance with the provisions of this Section 16.1 executed by the General Partner, the Transfer Agent or the mailing organization shall be prima facie evidence of the giving or making of such notice, payment or report.  If any notice, payment or report given or made in accordance with the provisions of this Section 16.1 is returned marked to indicate that such notice, payment or report was unable to be delivered, such notice, payment or report and, in the case of notices, payments or reports returned by the United States Postal Service (or other physical mail delivery mail service outside the United States of America), any subsequent notices, payments and reports shall be deemed to have been duly given or made without further mailing (until such time as such Record Holder or another Person notifies the Transfer Agent or the Partnership of a change in his address) or other delivery if they are available for the Partner at the principal office of the Partnership for a period of one year from the date of the giving or making of such notice, payment or report to the other Partners.  Any notice to the Partnership shall be deemed given if received by the General Partner at the principal office of the Partnership designated pursuant to Section 2.3.  The General Partner may rely and shall be protected in relying on any notice or other document from a Partner or other Person if believed by it to be genuine.

 

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(e)                                   The terms “in writing,” “written communications,” “written notice” and words of similar import shall be deemed satisfied under this Agreement by use of e-mail and other forms of electronic communication.

 

Section 16.2                              Further Action .  The parties shall execute and deliver all documents, provide all information and take or refrain from taking action as may be necessary or appropriate to achieve the purposes of this Agreement.

 

Section 16.3                              Binding Effect .  This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their heirs, executors, administrators, successors, legal representatives and permitted assigns.

 

Section 16.4                              Integration .  This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement among the parties hereto pertaining to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings pertaining thereto.

 

Section 16.5                              Creditors .  None of the provisions of this Agreement shall be for the benefit of, or shall be enforceable by, any creditor of the Partnership.

 

Section 16.6                              Waiver .  No failure by any party to insist upon the strict performance of any covenant, duty, agreement or condition of this Agreement or to exercise any right or remedy consequent upon a breach thereof shall constitute waiver of any such breach of any other covenant, duty, agreement or condition.

 

Section 16.7                              Third-Party Beneficiaries .  Each Partner agrees that (a) any Indemnitee shall be entitled to assert rights and remedies hereunder as a third-party beneficiary hereto with respect to those provisions of this Agreement affording a right, benefit or privilege to such Indemnitee and (b) any Unrestricted Person shall be entitled to assert rights and remedies hereunder as a third-party beneficiary hereto with respect to those provisions of this Agreement affording a right, benefit or privilege to such Unrestricted Person.

 

Section 16.8                              Counterparts .  This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, all of which together shall constitute an agreement binding on all the parties hereto, notwithstanding that all such parties are not signatories to the original or the same counterpart.  Each party shall become bound by this Agreement immediately upon affixing its signature hereto or, in the case of a Person acquiring a Partnership Interest, pursuant to Section 10.1(a) without execution hereof.

 

Section 16.9                              Applicable Law; Forum, Venue and Jurisdiction.

 

(a)                                  This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to the principles of conflicts of law.

 

(b)                                  The Partnership, each Partner, each Record Holder, each other Person who acquires any legal or beneficial interest in the Partnership (whether through a broker, dealer, bank, trust company or clearing corporation or an agent of any of the foregoing or otherwise) and each other Person who is bound by this Agreement (collectively, the “ Consenting Parties ” and each a “ Consenting Party ”):

 

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(i)                                      irrevocably agrees that, unless the General Partner shall otherwise agree in writing, any claims, suits, actions or proceedings arising out of or relating in any way to this Agreement or any Partnership Interest (including, without limitation, any claims, suits or actions under or to interpret, apply or enforce (A) the provisions of this Agreement, including without limitation the validity, scope or enforceability of this Section 16.9, (B) the duties, obligations or liabilities of the Partnership to the Limited Partners or the General Partner, or of Limited Partners or the General Partner to the Partnership, or among Partners, (C) the rights or powers of, or restrictions on, the Partnership, the Limited Partners or the General Partner, (D) any provision of the Delaware Act or other similar applicable statutes, (E) any other instrument, document, agreement or certificate contemplated either by any provision of the Delaware Act relating to the Partnership or by this Agreement or (F) the federal securities laws of the United States or the securities or antifraud laws of any international, national, state, provincial, territorial, local or other governmental or regulatory authority, including, in each case, the applicable rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (regardless of whether such Disputes (x) sound in contract, tort, fraud or otherwise, (y) are based on common law, statutory, equitable, legal or other grounds, or (z) are derivative or direct claims)) (a “ Dispute ”), shall be exclusively brought in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware or, if such court does not have subject matter jurisdiction thereof, any other court located in the State of Delaware with subject matter jurisdiction;

 

(ii)                                   irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of such courts in connection with any such claim, suit, action or proceeding;

 

(iii)                                irrevocably agrees not to, and, to the fullest extent permitted by law, waives any right to, assert in any such claim, suit, action or proceeding that (A) it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of such courts or of any other court to which proceedings in such courts may be appealed, (B) such claim, suit, action or proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum, or (C) the venue of such claim, suit, action or proceeding is improper;

 

(iv)                               to the fullest extent permitted by law, expressly waives any requirement for the posting of a bond by a party bringing such claim, suit, action or proceeding;

 

(v)                                  consents to process being served in any such claim, suit, action or proceeding by mailing, certified mail, return receipt requested, a copy thereof to such party at the address in effect for notices hereunder, and agrees that such services shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof; provided , nothing in this clause (v) hereof shall affect or limit any right to serve process in any other manner permitted by law; and

 

(vi)                               IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY SUCH CLAIM, SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING;

 

(vii)                            agrees that proof shall not be required that monetary damages for breach of the provisions of this Agreement would be difficult to calculate and that remedies at law would be inadequate; and

 

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(viii)                         agrees that if a Dispute that would be subject to this Section 16.9 if brought against a Consenting Party is brought against an employee, officer, director, agent or indemnitee of such Consenting Party or its Affiliates (other than Disputes brought by the employer or principal of any such employee, officer, director, agent or indemnitee) for alleged actions or omissions of such employee, officer, director, agent or indemnitee undertaken as an employee, officer, director, agent or indemnitee of such Consenting Party or its Affiliates, such employee, officer, director, agent or indemnitee shall be entitled to invoke this Section 16.9.

 

Section 16.10                       Invalidity of Provisions .  If any provision or part of a provision of this Agreement is or becomes, for any reason, invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions and part thereof contained herein shall not be affected thereby, and this Agreement shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be reformed and construed as if such invalid, illegal or unenforceable provision, or part of a provision, had never been contained herein, and such provision or part reformed so that it would be valid, legal and enforceable to the maximum extent possible.

 

Section 16.11                       Consent of Partners .  Each Partner hereby expressly consents and agrees that, whenever in this Agreement it is specified that an action may be taken upon the affirmative vote or consent of less than all of the Partners, such action may be so taken upon the concurrence of less than all of the Partners and each Partner and each other Person bound by this Agreement shall be bound by the results of such action.

 

Section 16.12                       Facsimile Signatures .  The use of facsimile signatures affixed in the name and on behalf of the transfer agent and registrar of the Partnership on Certificates representing Units is expressly permitted by this Agreement.

 

[REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK.]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the date first written above.

 

	GENERAL PARTNER:
	EMERGE ENERGY SERVICES GP LLC
	By:	/s/ Warren Bonham
		Name:	Warren Bonham
		Title:	Vice President
	SUPERIOR SILICA RESOURCES :
	SUPERIOR SILICA RESOURCES LLC
	By:	/s/ Ted W. Benski
		Name:	Ted W. Beneski
		Title:	Chairman of the Board

 

[FIRST AMENDED AND RESTATED PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT]

 

 

EXHIBIT A

 

to the First Amended and Restated
Agreement of Limited Partnership of
Emerge Energy Services LP

 

Certificate Evidencing Common Units
Representing Limited Partner Interests in
Emerge Energy Services LP

 

No.

Common Units

 

In accordance with Section 4.1 of the First Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Emerge Energy Services LP, as amended, supplemented or restated from time to time (the “ Partnership Agreement ”), Emerge Energy Services LP, a Delaware limited partnership (the “ Partnership ”), hereby certifies that                                (the “ Holder ”) is the registered owner of  Common Units representing limited partner interests in the Partnership (the “ Common Units ”) transferable on the books of the Partnership, in person or by duly authorized attorney, upon surrender of this Certificate properly endorsed.  The rights, preferences and limitations of the Common Units are set forth in, and this Certificate and the Common Units represented hereby are issued and shall in all respects be subject to the terms and provisions of, the Partnership Agreement.  Copies of the Partnership Agreement are on file at, and will be furnished without charge on delivery of written request to the Partnership at, the principal office of the Partnership located at 1400 Civic Place, Suite 250, Southlake, Texas 76092.  Capitalized terms used herein but not defined shall have the meanings given them in the Partnership Agreement.

 

THE HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY ACKNOWLEDGES FOR THE BENEFIT OF EMERGE ENERGY SERVICES LP THAT THIS SECURITY MAY NOT BE SOLD, OFFERED, RESOLD, PLEDGED OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED IF SUCH TRANSFER WOULD (A) VIOLATE THE THEN APPLICABLE FEDERAL OR STATE SECURITIES LAWS OR RULES AND REGULATIONS OF THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION, ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION OR ANY OTHER GOVERNMENTAL AUTHORITY WITH JURISDICTION OVER SUCH TRANSFER, (B) TERMINATE THE EXISTENCE OR QUALIFICATION OF EMERGE ENERGY SERVICES LP UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE, OR (C) CAUSE EMERGE ENERGY SERVICES LP TO BE TREATED AS AN ASSOCIATION TAXABLE AS A CORPORATION OR OTHERWISE TO BE TAXED AS AN ENTITY FOR FEDERAL INCOME TAX PURPOSES (TO THE EXTENT NOT ALREADY SO TREATED OR TAXED). EMERGE ENERGY SERVICES GP LLC, THE GENERAL PARTNER OF EMERGE ENERGY SERVICES LP, MAY IMPOSE ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS ON THE TRANSFER OF THIS SECURITY IF IT RECEIVES AN OPINION OF COUNSEL THAT SUCH RESTRICTIONS ARE NECESSARY TO AVOID A SIGNIFICANT RISK OF EMERGE ENERGY SERVICES LP BECOMING TAXABLE AS A CORPORATION OR OTHERWISE BECOMING TAXABLE AS AN ENTITY FOR FEDERAL INCOME TAX PURPOSES.  THE RESTRICTIONS SET FORTH ABOVE SHALL NOT PRECLUDE THE SETTLEMENT OF ANY TRANSACTIONS INVOLVING THIS SECURITY ENTERED INTO THROUGH THE FACILITIES OF ANY NATIONAL SECURITIES EXCHANGE ON WHICH THIS SECURITY IS LISTED OR ADMITTED TO TRADING.

 

The Holder, by accepting this Certificate, is deemed to have (i) requested admission as, and agreed to become, a Limited Partner and to have agreed to comply with and be bound by and to have executed the Partnership Agreement, (ii) represented and warranted that the Holder has all right, power

 

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and authority and, if an individual, the capacity necessary to enter into the Partnership Agreement and (iii) made the waivers and given the consents and approvals contained in the Partnership Agreement.

 

[REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK.]

 

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This Certificate shall not be valid for any purpose unless it has been countersigned and registered by the Transfer Agent.  This Certificate shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware.

 

			Emerge Energy Services LP
Dated:
			By:	Emerge Energy Services GP LLC
Countersigned and Registered by:
[                                                  ],			By:
As Transfer Agent			Name:
			By:
					Secretary

 

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[Reverse of Certificate]

 

ABBREVIATIONS

 

The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on the face of this Certificate, shall be construed as follows according to applicable laws or regulations:

 

TEN COM — as tenants in common		UNIF GIFT/TRANSFERS MIN ACT
TEN ENT — as tenants by the entireties			Custodian
JT TEN — as joint tenants with right of survivorship and not as tenants in common		(Cust) (Minor)
		Under Uniform Gifts/Transfers to CD Minors Act
		(State)

 

Additional abbreviations, though not in the above list, may also be used.

 

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ASSIGNMENT OF COMMON UNITS OF
EMERGE ENERGY SERVICES LP

 

FOR VALUE RECEIVED,            hereby assigns, conveys, sells and transfers unto

 

(Please print or typewrite name and address of assignee)		(Please insert Social Security or other identifying number of assignee)

 

Common Units representing limited partner interests evidenced by this Certificate, subject to the Partnership Agreement, and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint                            as its attorney-in-fact with full power of substitution to transfer the same on the books of Emerge Energy Services LP.

 

 

Date:			NOTE: The signature to any endorsement hereon must correspond
			with the name as written upon the face of this Certificate in every
			particular without alteration, enlargement or change.
THE SIGNATURE(S) MUST BE GUARANTEED BY AN			(Signature)
ELIGIBLE GUARANTOR INSTITUTION (BANKS,
STOCKBROKERS, SAVINGS AND LOAN			(Signature)
ASSOCIATIONS AND CREDIT UNIONS WITH
MEMBERSHIP IN AN APPROVED SIGNATURE
GUARANTEE MEDALLION PROGRAM), PURSUANT TO
S.E.C. RULE 17Ad-15

 

No transfer of the Common Units evidenced hereby will be registered on the books of the Partnership, unless the Certificate evidencing the Common Units to be transferred is surrendered for registration or transfer.

 

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Exhibit 3.2

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED
LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

 

of

 

EMERGE ENERGY SERVICES GP LLC

 

A Delaware Limited Liability Company

 

Dated as of May 14, 2013

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

		Page
ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS		1
Section 1.1	Definitions	2
Section 1.2	Construction	7
ARTICLE II ORGANIZATION		7
Section 2.1	Formation	7
Section 2.2	Name	7
Section 2.3	Registered Office; Registered Agent; Principal Office; Other Offices	7
Section 2.4	Purposes	8
Section 2.5	Term	8
Section 2.6	No State Law Partnership	8
Section 2.7	Certain Undertakings Relating to Separateness	8
ARTICLE III MEMBERSHIP		10
Section 3.1	Membership Interests; Additional Members	10
Section 3.2	Access to Information	10
Section 3.3	Liability	10
Section 3.4	Withdrawal	11
Section 3.5	Meetings	11
Section 3.6	Action by Members	11
Section 3.7	Conference Telephone Meetings	11
Section 3.8	Quorum	11
ARTICLE IV DISPOSITION OF MEMBERSHIP INTERESTS; ADMISSION OF ASSIGNEES		11
Section 4.1	Assignment; Admission of Assignee as a Member	11
Section 4.2	Requirements Applicable to All Dispositions and Admissions	12
ARTICLE V CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS		12
Section 5.1	Initial Capital Contributions	12
Section 5.2	Additional Capital Contributions	12
Section 5.3	Loans	12
Section 5.4	Return of Contributions	12
Section 5.5	Fully Paid and Non-Assessable Nature of Membership Interests	13
ARTICLE VI DISTRIBUTIONS AND ALLOCATIONS		13
Section 6.1	Distributions	13
Section 6.2	Allocations of Profits and Losses	13

 

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Section 6.3	Limitations on Distributions	13
ARTICLE VII MANAGEMENT		13
Section 7.1	Management by Board of Directors	13
Section 7.2	Number; Qualification; Tenure	15
Section 7.3	Regular Meetings	16
Section 7.4	Special Meetings	16
Section 7.5	Notice	16
Section 7.6	Action by Consent of Board	16
Section 7.7	Conference Telephone Meetings	16
Section 7.8	Quorum and Action	17
Section 7.9	Vacancies; Increases in the Number of Directors	17
Section 7.10	Committees	17
Section 7.11	Removal	18
Section 7.12	Compensation of Directors	18
Section 7.13	Responsibility and Authority of the Board; Standards of Conduct of Directors	18
Section 7.14	Other Business of Members, Directors and Affiliates	19
ARTICLE VIII OFFICERS; CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD		20
Section 8.1	Officers	20
Section 8.2	Election and Term of Office	21
Section 8.3	Chairman of the Board	21
Section 8.4	Chief Executive Officer	21
Section 8.5	President	21
Section 8.6	Vice Presidents	22
Section 8.7	Chief Financial Officer	22
Section 8.8	General Counsel	22
Section 8.9	Secretary	22
Section 8.10	Responsibility and Authority of Officers; Officer Standards of Conduct	23
Section 8.11	Removal	24
Section 8.12	Vacancies	24
ARTICLE IX INDEMNITY AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITY		24
Section 9.1	Indemnification	24
Section 9.2	Liability of Indemnitees	26
ARTICLE X TAXES		27
Section 10.1	Taxes	27
ARTICLE XI BOOKS; RECORDS; REPORTS; BANK ACCOUNTS		27
Section 11.1	Maintenance of Books	27

 

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Section 11.2	Reports	27
Section 11.3	Bank Accounts	27
ARTICLE XII DISSOLUTION, WINDING-UP, TERMINATION AND CONVERSION		28
Section 12.1	Dissolution	28
Section 12.2	Winding-Up and Termination	28
Section 12.3	Deficit Capital Accounts	29
Section 12.4	Certificate of Cancellation	29
ARTICLE XIII MERGER, CONSOLIDATION OR CONVERSION		29
Section 13.1	Authority	29
Section 13.2	Procedure for Merger, Consolidation or Conversion	29
Section 13.3	Certificate of Merger; Consolidation or Conversion	31
ARTICLE XIV GENERAL PROVISIONS		31
Section 14.1	Offset	31
Section 14.2	Notices	31
Section 14.3	Entire Agreement; Superseding Effect	32
Section 14.4	Effect of Waiver or Consent	32
Section 14.5	Amendment or Restatement	32
Section 14.6	Binding Effect	32
Section 14.7	Governing Law; Severability	32
Section 14.8	Venue	33
Section 14.10	Further Assurances	33
Section 14.11	Waiver of Certain Rights	33
Section 14.12	Counterparts	33

 

Exhibit A		Members
Exhibit B		Directors
Exhibit C		Officers

 

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AMENDED AND RESTATED
LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT
OF
EMERGE ENERGY SERVICES GP LLC

 

This AMENDED AND RESTATED LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT (this “ Agreement ”) of Emerge Energy Services GP LLC (the “ Company ”), a limited liability company formed under the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act, 6 Del. C. § 18-101, et seq ., as amended (the “ Act ”), is made and entered into as of this 14th day of May, 2013 by Emerge Energy Services Holdings LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ Emerge Holdings ”), the sole member of the Company.

 

RECITALS:

 

WHEREAS, Superior Silica Resources LLC (the “ SSR ”), a Texas limited liability company, formed the Company as a limited liability company under the Act by filing a Certificate of Formation (as amended or restated from time to time, the “ Delaware Certificate ”) with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on April 27, 2012 and entering into that certain Limited Liability Company Agreement of the Company, dated as of April 27, 2012 (the “ Original Agreement ”);

 

WHEREAS, on July 20, 2012, SSR filed a Certificate of Amendment to the Delaware Certificate to reflect the change in the name of the Company from “Emergent Energy Services GP LLC” to “Emerge Energy Services GP LLC”;

 

WHEREAS, pursuant to that certain Contribution, Conveyance and Assumption Agreement, dated the date hereof, SSR assigned all of the issued and outstanding limited liability company interests in the Company to Superior Silica Holdings LLC, a Texas limited liability company (“ SSH ”), SSH was admitted to the Company as a member of the Company, SSR ceased to be a member of the Company and the Company continued without dissolution;

 

WHEREAS, pursuant to that certain Contribution, Conveyance and Assumption Agreement, dated the date hereof, SSH assigned all of the issued and outstanding limited liability company interests in the Company to Emerge Holdings, Emerge Holdings was admitted to the Company as a member of the Company, SSH ceased to be a member of the Company and the Company continued without dissolution; and

 

WHEREAS, Emerge Holdings, as the sole member of the Company, deems it advisable to amend and restate the Original Agreement in its entirety as set forth herein.

 

NOW THEREFORE, for and in consideration of the premises, the covenants and agreements set forth herein and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, Emerge Holdings, as the sole member of the Company, hereby amends and restates the Original Agreement in its entirety as follows:

 

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ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS

 

Section 1.1                                     Definitions .

 

(a)                                  As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the respective meanings set forth below or set forth in the Sections referred to below:

 

“ Act ” has the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph.  All references in this Agreement to provisions of the Act shall be deemed to refer, if applicable, to their successor statutory provisions to the extent appropriate in light of the context herein in which such references are used.

 

“ Affiliate ” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person that directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries controls, is controlled by or is under common control with, the Person in question.  As used herein, the term “control” means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms “controlling” and “controlled” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.

 

“ Agreement ” is defined in the introductory paragraph, as the same may be amended, modified, supplemented or restated from time to time.

 

“ Applicable Law ” means (a) any United States federal, state or local law, statute or ordinance or any rule, regulation, order, writ, injunction, judgment, decree or permit of any Governmental Authority and (b) any rule or listing requirement of any national securities exchange or trading market recognized by the Commission on which securities issued by the Partnership are listed or quoted.

 

“ Assignee ” means any Person that acquires a Member’s share of the income, gain, loss, deduction and credits of, and the right to receive distributions from, the Company or any portion thereof through a Disposition of all or part of a Membership Interest; provided, however, that an Assignee shall have no right to be admitted to the Company as a Member except in accordance with Article IV .  The Assignee of a dissolved Member shall be the shareholder, partner, member or other equity owner or owners of the dissolved Member or such other Persons to whom such Member’s Membership Interest is assigned by the Person conducting the liquidation or winding up of such Member.

 

“ Audit Committee ” is defined in Section 7.10(b) .

 

“ Audit Committee Independent Director ” means a Director who meets the independence standards required of directors who serve on an audit committee of a board of directors as established by the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and by the New York Stock Exchange or any other national securities exchange on which the Common Units are listed.

 

“ Bankruptcy ” means, with respect to any Person, that (a) such Person (i) makes a general assignment for the benefit of creditors; (ii) files a voluntary bankruptcy petition; (iii) becomes the subject of an order for relief or is declared insolvent in any federal or state bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings; (iv) files a petition or answer seeking for such Person a reorganization, arrangement, composition, readjustment, liquidation, dissolution, or similar relief under any

 

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Applicable Law; (v) files an answer or other pleading admitting or failing to contest the material allegations of a petition filed against such Person in a proceeding of the type described in subclauses (i)  through (iv)  of this clause (a) ; or (vi) seeks, consents to, or acquiesces in the appointment of a trustee, receiver, or liquidator of such Person or of all or any substantial part of such Person’s properties or (b) a proceeding seeking reorganization, arrangement, composition, readjustment, liquidation, dissolution, or similar relief under any Applicable Law has been commenced against such Person and 120 days have expired without dismissal thereof or with respect to which, without such Person’s consent or acquiescence, a trustee, receiver, or liquidator of such Person or of all or any substantial part of such Person’s properties has been appointed and 90 days have expired without the appointment having been vacated or stayed, or 90 days have expired after the date of expiration of a stay, if the appointment has not previously been vacated.  The foregoing definition of “Bankruptcy” is intended to replace and shall supersede and replace the definition of “Bankruptcy” set forth in the Act.

 

” Board ” is defined in Section 7.1(c) .

 

“ Board Majority ” means a majority of all of the Directors constituting the Board.

 

“ Business Day ” means (a) any day on which the national securities exchange upon which securities of the Partnership are listed is open for trading or (b) in the event that no Partnership securities are listed on a national securities exchange, any day on which the New York Stock Exchange is open for trading.

 

“ Capital Contribution ” means, with respect to any Member, the amount of money and the net agreed value of any property (other than money) contributed to the Company by such Member.  Any reference in this Agreement to the Capital Contribution of a Member shall include any Capital Contribution of its predecessors in interest.

 

“ Chairman ” is defined in Section 8.1(c) .

 

“ Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended and in effect from time to time.  Any reference herein to a specific section or sections of the Code shall be deemed to include a reference to any corresponding provision of any successor law.

 

“ Commission ” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

“ Common Unit ” is defined in the Partnership Agreement.

 

“ Company ” is defined in the introductory paragraph.

 

“ Conflicts Committee ” is defined in the Partnership Agreement.

 

“ Conflicts Committee Independent Director ” means a Director who meets the requirements set forth in the definition of “Conflicts Committee” in the Partnership Agreement.

 

“ Delaware Certificate ” is defined in the recitals.

 

“ Director ” or “ Directors ” means a member or members of the Board.

 

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“ Dispose ” or “ Disposition ” means with respect to any asset (including a Membership Interest or any portion thereof), a sale, assignment, transfer, conveyance, gift, exchange or other disposition of such asset, whether such disposition is voluntary, involuntary or by operation of Applicable Law.

 

“ Disposing Member ” is defined in Section 4.1 .

 

“ Dissolution Event ” is defined in Section 12.1(a) .

 

“ Emerge Holdings ” is defined in the introductory paragraph.

 

“ Emerge Holdings Entities ” means Emerge Holdings and its Affiliates (other than the Company and the Partnership Group).

 

“ Governmental Authority ” means any federal, state or local court or governmental or regulatory agency or authority or any arbitration board, tribunal or mediator having jurisdiction over the Company or its assets or Members.

 

“ Group Member ” is defined in the Partnership Agreement.

 

“ Group Member Agreement ” is defined in the Partnership Agreement.

 

“ Indebtedness ” as applied to any Person as of any time of determination, means, without duplication:

 

(a)                                  all indebtedness for borrowed money of such Person;

 

(b)                                  that portion of obligations with respect to capital leases that is properly classified as a liability on a balance sheet of such Person in conformity with GAAP;

 

(c)                                   notes payable and drafts accepted representing extensions of credit to such Person whether or not representing obligations for borrowed money;

 

(d)                                  any obligation owed by such Person for all or any part of the deferred purchase price of property or services, which purchase price is properly classified as a liability on a balance sheet of such Person in conformity with GAAP;

 

(e)                                   all indebtedness secured by any lien on any property or asset owned or held by such Person regardless of whether the indebtedness secured thereby will have been assumed by such Person or is non-recourse to the credit of such Person;

 

(f)                                    the face amount of any letter of credit issued for the account of such Person or as to which such Person is otherwise liable for reimbursement of drawings;

 

(g)                                   the direct or indirect guaranty, endorsement (other than for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business), co-making, discounting with recourse or sale with recourse by such Person of Indebtedness referred to in clauses (a) through (f) above;

 

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(h)                                  any liability of such Person for an obligation of another through any agreement (contingent or otherwise) (i) to purchase, repurchase or otherwise acquire such obligation or any security therefor, or to provide funds for the payment or discharge of such obligation (whether in the form of loans, advances, stock purchases, capital contributions or otherwise) or (ii) to maintain the solvency or any balance sheet item, level of income or financial condition of another if, in the case of any agreement described under sub-clause (i) or (ii) of this clause (h), the primary purpose or intent thereof is as described in clause (g) above; and

 

(i)                                      the amount such Person would be required to pay under any exchange traded or over the counter derivative transaction, including any commodity hedging agreement or interest rate hedging agreement, whether entered into for hedging or speculative purposes, if such transaction were terminated as a result of such Person’s default at such time.

 

“ Indemnitee ” means any of (a) the Members, (b) any Person who is or was an Affiliate of the Company (other than any Group Member), (c) any Person who is or was a member, partner, director, officer, fiduciary or trustee of the Company or any Affiliate of the Company (other than any Group Member), (d) any Person who is or was serving at the request of the Company or any Affiliate of the Company as an officer, director, member, manager, partner, fiduciary or trustee of another Person; provided, however, that a Person shall not be an Indemnitee by reason of providing, on a fee-for-services basis, trustee, fiduciary or custodial services and (e) any Person the Board designates as an “Indemnitee” for purposes of this Agreement.

 

“ Limited Partner ” and “ Limited Partners ” are defined in the Partnership Agreement.

 

“ Majority Interest ” means Membership Interests in the Company entitled to more than 50% of the Sharing Ratios.

 

“ Material Agreement ” means any contract or agreement entered into by the Company or the Partnership other than any contract or agreement which provides for payments of less than $50,000, or such other amount as set by the Board from time to time, to be made or received by the Company or the Partnership. For the purposes of this definition, any series of related contracts or agreements shall be deemed to be a single contract or agreement.

 

“ Member ” means Emerge Holdings, as the sole member of the Company, and includes any Person hereafter admitted to the Company as a member as provided in this Agreement, each in its capacity as a member of the Company, but such term does not include any Person (including, without limitation, SSR) that has ceased to be a member of the Company.

 

“ Membership Interest ” means, with respect to any Member, that Member’s limited liability company interests in the Company, including its share of the income, gain, loss, deduction and credits of, and the right to receive distributions from, the Company.

 

“ Merger Agreement ” is defined in Section 13.1 .

 

“ Notices ” is defined in Section 14.2 .

 

“ Officer ” or “ Officers ” is defined in Section 8.1(a).

 

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