UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (date of earliest event reported): April 28, 2015

 

 

Enviva Partners, LP

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   001-37363   46-4097730

(State or Other Jurisdiction of

Incorporation or Organization)

 

(Commission

File Number)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)

 

7200 Wisconsin Ave, Suite 1000

Bethesda, MD

  20814
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)   (Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (301) 657-5560

 

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

 

¨ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

¨ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

 

 


Item 1.01. Entry Into a Material Definitive Agreement.

Underwriting Agreement

On April 28, 2015, Enviva Partners, LP (the “ Partnership ”) entered into an Underwriting Agreement (the “ Underwriting Agreement ”) by and among the Partnership, Enviva Partners GP, LLC (the “ General Partner ”), Enviva GP, LLC (“ Enviva GP ”), Enviva, LP (“ Enviva LP ”), Enviva MLP Holdco, LLC (“ MLP Holdco ”) and Enviva Holdings, LP (the “ Sponsor ,” and together with the Partnership, the General Partner, Enviva GP, Enviva LP and MLP Holdco, the “ Partnership Parties ”) and Barclays Capital Inc., Goldman, Sachs & Co., RBC Capital Markets, LLC and Citigroup Global Markets Inc., as representatives of the several underwriters named therein (the “ Underwriters ”), providing for the offer and sale by the Partnership (the “ Offering ”) and purchase by the Underwriters, of 10,000,000 common units representing limited partner interests in the Partnership (the “ Firm Units ”) at a price to the public of $20.00 per common unit. Pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, the Partnership also granted the Underwriters an option for a period of 30 days to purchase up to an additional 1,500,000 common units (the “ Option Units ,” and together with the Firm Units, the “ Offered Units ”) to cover over-allotments on the same terms, which was exercised in full on April 29, 2015.

The material terms of the Offering are described in the prospectus, dated April 28, 2015 (the “ Prospectus ”), filed by the Partnership with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “ Commission ”) pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “ Securities Act ”). The Offering is registered with the Commission pursuant to a Registration Statement on Form S-1, as amended (File No. 333-199625) (the “ Registration Statement ”).

The Underwriting Agreement contains customary representations, warranties and agreements of the Partnership Parties, and customary conditions to closing, obligations of the parties and termination provisions. The Partnership Parties have agreed to indemnify the Underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.

The Offering of the Offered Units closed on May 4, 2015. At closing, the Partnership received proceeds from the Offering of the Offered Units (net of the underwriting discount and after deducting the structuring fee and certain offering expenses) of approximately $213.6 million. The Partnership intends to use the net proceeds from the sale of the common units to pay, together with borrowings under its senior secured credit facilities, a distribution to MLP Holdco and to repay certain intercompany indebtedness related to the acquisition of the Partnership’s Cottondale wood pellet production plant, and it will retain the remaining amount for general partnership purposes, including future acquisitions.

As more fully described under the caption “Underwriting” in the Prospectus, the underwriters and certain of their affiliates are full service financial institutions engaged in various activities, which may include securities trading, commercial and investment banking, financial advisory, investment management, investment research, principal investment, hedging, financing and brokerage activities. The underwriters and certain of their affiliates have, from time to time, performed, and may in the future perform, various commercial and investment banking and financial advisory services for the Partnership and its affiliates, for which they received or may in the future receive customary fees and expenses.

The foregoing description is not complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Underwriting Agreement, which is filed as Exhibit 1.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.

Contribution Agreement

The description of the Contribution Agreement provided below under Item 2.01 (and as defined therein) is incorporated in this Item 1.01 by reference. The Contribution Agreement is filed as Exhibit 10.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.

Registration Rights Agreement

On May 4, 2015, in connection with the Offering, the Partnership entered into a Registration Rights Agreement (the “ Registration Rights Agreement ”) with MLP Holdco and Acquisition I. Pursuant to the Registration


Rights Agreement, the Partnership is required to file a registration statement to register the common units issued to MLP Holdco, the subordinated units and the common units issuable upon the conversion of the subordinated units (collectively, the “ Registrable Securities ”) upon request of MLP Holdco or Holders owning at least one million then-outstanding Registrable Securities. In addition, the Registration Rights Agreement gives MLP Holdco piggyback registration rights under certain circumstances. The Registration Rights Agreement also includes provisions dealing with holdback agreements, indemnification and contribution and allocation of expenses. These registration rights are transferable to affiliates and, in certain circumstances, to third parties.

The foregoing description is not complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Registration Rights Agreement, which is filed as Exhibit 4.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.

Purchase Rights Agreement

On May 4, 2015, the Partnership and the General Partner entered into a Purchase Rights Agreement (the “ Purchase Rights Agreement ”) with the Sponsor pursuant to which the Sponsor provided to the Partnership, for a period of five years, a right of first offer to purchase the Southampton wood pellet production plant, a wood pellet production plant under construction in Sampson County, NC, a deep-water marine terminal under construction in Wilmington, NC, two other wood pellet production plants under development or any other wood pellet production plant or deep-water marine terminal that the Sponsor, its subsidiaries or any other entity that it controls owns and proposes to sell (each, a “ ROFO Asset ”). The Partnership has 30 days following receipt of the Sponsor entity’s intention to sell a ROFO Asset to propose an offer for the ROFO Asset. If the Partnership submits an offer, the Sponsor will negotiate with the Partnership exclusively and in good faith to enter into a letter of intent or definitive documentation for the purchase of the ROFO Asset on mutually acceptable terms. If they are unable to agree to terms within 45 days, the Sponsor entity will have 150 days to enter into definitive documentation with a third-party purchaser on terms that are, in the good faith judgment of the Sponsor entity selling such ROFO Assets, superior to the most recent offer proposed by the Partnership.

The foregoing description is not complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Purchase Rights Agreement, which is filed as Exhibit 10.2 to this Form 8-K.

 

Item 2.01. Completion of Acquisition or Disposition of Assets.

Contribution Agreement

In connection with the closing of the Offering and pursuant to the Contribution Agreement entered into by and among the Partnership, the Sponsor, MLP Holdco, Enviva LP and Enviva Cottondale Acquisition I, LLC (“ Acquisition I ”) on April 28, 2015 (the “ Contribution Agreement ”), the Partnership recapitalized the outstanding limited partner interests and issued (i) the Sponsor Units (as defined below) to the Sponsor and Acquisition I, (ii) all of the equity interests in the Partnership classified as “incentive distribution rights” under the Partnership Agreement (as defined below) to the General Partner and (iii) the right to receive the Deferred Issuance and Distribution (as defined in the Contribution Agreement) to the Sponsor.

As of the closing of the Offering, MLP Holdco and Acquisition I own an aggregate 405,138 common units and 11,905,138 subordinated units representing limited partner interests in the Partnership (the “ Sponsor Units ”), representing an approximate 51.7% limited partner interest in the Partnership. MLP Holdco also owns and controls the General Partner, which holds a non-economic general partner interest in the Partnership and the incentive distribution rights.

The foregoing description is not complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Contribution Agreement, which is filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Registration Statement.

 

Item 3.02. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities.

The description in Item 2.01 above of the issuances by the Partnership of securities in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Contribution Agreement is incorporated herein by reference. The foregoing transactions were undertaken in reliance upon the exemption from the registration requirements in Section 4(2) of the Securities Act. The Partnership believes that exemptions other than the foregoing exemption may exist for these transactions.

 

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Item 5.02. Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

Appointment of Directors

On April 29, 2014, the day on which the Partnership’s common units first traded on the New York Stock Exchange, John C. Bumgarner, Jr., William K. Reilly and Janet S. Wong were appointed to the Board of Directors of the General Partner (the “ Board ”). Ms. Wong and Mr. Bumgarner were also appointed, together with Ralph C. Alexander, to serve as members of the audit committee. Mr. Bumgarner was also appointed, together with Mr. Alexander and Michael B. Hoffman, to serve as a member of the compensation committee. Mr. Reilly was appointed, together with Robin J. A. Duggan, to serve as a member of the health, safety, sustainability and environmental committee.

On May 4, 2015, in connection with the Offering and pursuant to Phantom Unit Award Grant Notices and Award Agreements in the form previously adopted by the Board (the “ Grant Agreements ”), the Partnership granted 4,704 phantom units to each of Ms. Wong and Messrs. Bumgarner and Reilly under the Enviva Partners, LP Long-Term Incentive Plan (the “ Plan ”). Upon vesting, each phantom unit entitles the holder to receive one common unit of the Partnership. Each phantom unit included a tandem grant of a distribution equivalent right entitling the holder of such phantom unit to receive an amount in cash equal to the value of any cash distributions paid to the holders of the Partnership’s common units during the period in which the phantom unit is outstanding. The foregoing description of the Grant Agreements is not complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the form of the Grant Agreements, which was filed as Exhibit 10.22 to the Registration Statement.

Long-Term Incentive Plan

In connection with the Offering, the Board adopted the Plan, pursuant to which non-employee directors of the General Partner and certain employees and consultants of the General Partner and its affiliates are eligible to receive awards with respect to the Partnership’s common units. The Plan provides for the grant of unit options, unit appreciation rights, restricted units, phantom units, distribution equivalent rights and other unit-based or cash awards. Subject to adjustment in the event of certain transactions or changes in capitalization, the aggregate number of common units that may be delivered pursuant to awards under the LTIP is 2,381,028 common units.

The foregoing description is not complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Plan, which was filed as Exhibit 4.3 to the registration statement on Form S-8 filed by the Partnership on April 30, 2015.

 

Item 5.03. Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Changes in Fiscal Year.

First Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Enviva Partners, LP

On May 4, 2015, in connection with the closing of the Offering, the Partnership amended and restated its agreement of limited partnership (as amended, the “ Partnership Agreement ”). A description of the Partnership Agreement is contained in the sections of the Prospectus entitled “How We Make Distributions to Our Partners” and “The Partnership Agreement” and incorporated in this Item 5.03 by reference.

The foregoing description and the description contained in the Prospectus are not complete and are qualified in their entirety by reference to the full text of the Partnership Agreement, which is filed as Exhibit 3.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.

 

Item 7.01. Regulation FD Disclosure.

On April 28, 2015, the Partnership issued a press release announcing the pricing of its initial public offering, which is filed as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated in this Item 7.01 by reference.

 

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On May 4, 2015, the Partnership issued a press release announcing the closing of its initial public offering, which is filed as Exhibit 99.2 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated in this Item 7.01 by reference.

In accordance with General Instruction B.2 of Form 8-K, the information set forth in this Item 7.01 is deemed to be furnished and shall not be deemed to be “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

Exhibits.

 

Exhibit
Number

  

Description

  1.1    Underwriting Agreement, dated as of April 28, 2015, by and among Enviva Holdings, LP, Enviva MLP Holdco, LLC, Enviva Partners GP, LLC, Enviva Partners, LP, Enviva GP, LLC, Enviva, LP and several underwriters named therein
  3.1    First Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Enviva Partners, LP, dated May 4, 2015, by Enviva Partners GP, LLC
  4.1
   Registration Rights Agreement, dated May 4, 2015, by and among Enviva Partners, LP, Enviva MLP Holdco, LLC and Enviva Cottondale Acquisition I, LLC
10.1    Contribution Agreement, dated April 28, 2015, by and among Enviva Holdings, LP, Enviva MLP Holdco, LLC, Enviva, LP, Enviva Cottondale Acquisition I, LLC and Enviva Partners, LP
10.2    Purchase Rights Agreement, dated May 4, 2015, by and among Enviva Partners, LP, Enviva Partners GP, LLC and Enviva Holdings, LP
10.3    License Agreement, dated April 9, 2015, by and among Enviva Holdings, LP, Enviva Partners GP, LLC and Enviva Partners, LP
10.4    Management Services Agreement, dated April 9, 2015, by and among Enviva Partners, LP, Enviva Partners GP, LLC, Enviva, LP, Enviva GP, LLC, the subsidiaries of Enviva, LP party thereto and Enviva Management Company, LLC (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.12 to the Partnership’s Registration Statement on Form S-1, as amended (File No. 333-199625))
10.5    Contribution Agreement, dated as of April 9, 2015, by and among Enviva Holdings, LP, Enviva MLP Holdco, LLC, Enviva, LP, Enviva Cottondale Acquisition I, LLC and Enviva Partners, LP (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Partnership’s Registration Statement on Form S-1, as amended (File No. 333-199625))
10.6    Enviva Partners, LP Long-Term Incentive Plan (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.3 to the Partnership’s Registration Statement on Form S-8 (File No. 333-203756))
10.7    Terminal Services Agreement, dated April 9, 2015, by and between Enviva Port of Chesapeake, LLC and Enviva Wilmington Holdings, LLC
10.8    Master Biomass Purchase and Sale Agreement, dated as of April 9, 2015, by and between Enviva, LP and Enviva Wilmington Holdings, LLC
99.1    Press Release, dated April 28, 2015
99.2    Press Release, dated May 4, 2015

 

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

ENVIVA PARTNERS, LP
By: Enviva Partners GP, LLC,
its general partner
Date: May 4, 2015
By:

/s/ William H. Schmidt, Jr.

Name: William H. Schmidt, Jr.
Title: Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary


INDEX TO EXHIBITS

 

Exhibit
Number

  

Description

  1.1    Underwriting Agreement, dated as of April 28, 2015, by and among Enviva Holdings, LP, Enviva MLP Holdco, LLC, Enviva Partners GP, LLC, Enviva Partners, LP, Enviva GP, LLC, Enviva, LP and several underwriters named therein
  3.1    First Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Enviva Partners, LP, dated May 4, 2015, by Enviva Partners GP, LLC
  4.1    Registration Rights Agreement, dated May 4, 2015, by and among Enviva Partners, LP, Enviva MLP Holdco, LLC and Enviva Cottondale Acquisition I, LLC
10.1    Contribution Agreement, dated April 28, 2015, by and among Enviva Holdings, LP, Enviva MLP Holdco, LLC, Enviva, LP, Enviva Cottondale Acquisition I, LLC and Enviva Partners, LP
10.2    Purchase Rights Agreement, dated May 4, 2015, by and among Enviva Partners, LP, Enviva Partners GP, LLC and Enviva Holdings, LP
10.3    License Agreement, dated April 9, 2015, by and among Enviva Holdings, LP, Enviva Partners GP, LLC and Enviva Partners, LP
10.4    Management Services Agreement, dated April 9, 2015, by and among Enviva Partners, LP, Enviva Partners GP, LLC, Enviva, LP, Enviva GP, LLC, the subsidiaries of Enviva, LP party thereto and Enviva Management Company, LLC (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.12 to the Partnership’s Registration Statement on Form S-1, as amended (File No. 333-199625))
10.5    Contribution Agreement, dated as of April 9, 2015, by and among Enviva Holdings, LP, Enviva MLP Holdco, LLC, Enviva, LP, Enviva Cottondale Acquisition I, LLC and Enviva Partners, LP (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Partnership’s Registration Statement on Form S-1, as amended (File No. 333-199625))
10.6    Enviva Partners, LP Long-Term Incentive Plan (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.3 to the Partnership’s Registration Statement on Form S-8 (File No. 333-203756))
10.7    Terminal Services Agreement, dated April 9, 2015, by and between Enviva Port of Chesapeake, LLC and Enviva Wilmington Holdings, LLC
10.8    Master Biomass Purchase and Sale Agreement, dated as of April 9, 2015, by and between Enviva, LP and Enviva Wilmington Holdings, LLC
99.1    Press Release, dated April 28, 2015
99.2    Press Release, dated May 4, 2015

Exhibit 1.1

Execution Version

Enviva Partners, LP

10,000,000 Common Units

Representing Limited Partner Interests

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

April 28, 2015

B ARCLAYS C APITAL I NC .

G OLDMAN , S ACHS  & C O .

RBC C APITAL M ARKETS , LLC

C ITIGROUP G LOBAL M ARKETS I NC .

As Representatives of the several

Underwriters named in Schedule I attached hereto,

c/o Barclays Capital Inc.

745 Seventh Avenue

New York, New York 10019

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Enviva Partners, LP, a Delaware limited partnership (the “ Partnership ”), proposes to sell 10,000,000 common units (the “ Firm Units ”) representing limited partner interests in the Partnership (the “ Common Units ”). In addition, the Partnership proposes to grant to the underwriters (the “ Underwriters ”) named in Schedule I attached to this agreement (this “ Agreement ”) an option to purchase up to 1,500,000 additional Common Units on the terms set forth in Section 2 (the “ Option Units ”). The Firm Units and the Option Units, if purchased, are hereinafter collectively called the “ Units ”. This Agreement is to confirm the agreement concerning the purchase of the Units from the Partnership by the Underwriters.

It is understood and agreed to by all parties that as of the date hereof:

(a) Enviva Holdings, LP, a Delaware limited partnership (the “ Sponsor ”), owns 100% of the outstanding limited liability company interests in Enviva MLP Holdco, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ Holdco ”).

(b) The Sponsor owns 100% of the outstanding limited liability company interests in Enviva Cottondale Acquisition I, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ Acquisition I ”).

(c) The Sponsor owns 100% of the outstanding limited liability company interests in Enviva Development Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ Development Holdings ”). Development Holdings owns all of the issued and outstanding Class B Units of Enviva Wilmington Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ Wilmington Holdings ”), and is the managing member of Wilmington Holdings. Wilmington Holdings owns 100% of the limited liability company interests in Enviva Pellets Southampton, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ Southampton ”).


(d) Holdco owns 100% of the outstanding limited liability company interests in Enviva Partners GP, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “ General Partner ”), and a 75.42% limited partner interest in the Partnership.

(e) Acquisition I owns a 24.58% limited partner interest in the Partnership.

(f) The General Partner owns a non-economic general partner interest in the Partnership.

(g) The Partnership owns 100% of the outstanding limited liability company interests in Enviva Cottondale Acquisition II, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ Acquisition II ”). Acquisition II owns 100% of the outstanding limited liability company interests in Enviva Pellets Cottondale, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ Cottondale ”).

(h) The Partnership owns 100% of the outstanding limited liability company interests in Enviva GP, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ Enviva GP ”), and a limited partner interest in Enviva, LP, a Delaware limited partnership (“ Enviva LP ”), having a 99.999% sharing ratio in Enviva LP.

(i) Enviva GP owns a general partner interest in Enviva LP having a 0.001% sharing ratio in Enviva LP.

(j) Enviva LP owns 100% of the limited liability company interests in each of Enviva Pellets Ahoskie, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ Ahoskie ”), Enviva Pellets Amory, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ Amory ”), Enviva Materials, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ Materials ”), Enviva Pellets Northampton, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ Northampton ”), Enviva Port of Chesapeake, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ Chesapeake ”), and Enviva Pellets Perkinston, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ Perkinston ”). Perkinston owns 67% of the limited liability company interests in Enviva Pellets Wiggins, LLC, a Mississippi limited liability company (“ Wiggins ”). Ahoskie, Amory, Materials, Northampton, Chesapeake, Perkinston, Wiggins and Cottondale are collectively referred to herein as the “ Operating Subsidiaries .”

It is understood and agreed by the parties hereto that the following transactions occurred or will occur at or prior to the closing of the offering of the Firm Units on the Initial Delivery Date (as defined in Section 4):

(a) Green Circle Bio Energy, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“ Green Circle ”), was converted into Cottondale;

(b) Chesapeake and Wilmington Holdings entered into the Terminal Services Agreement dated as of November 24, 2014 (the “ Sampson Terminal Services Agreement ”), pursuant to which Chesapeake will provide terminaling services to Wilmington Holdings for production from a wood pellet production facility in Sampson County, North Carolina upon commencement of operations;

 

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(c) the parties thereto consummated the transactions contemplated by the Contribution Agreement by and between Enviva LP and Wilmington Holdings dated as of November 25, 2014 (the “ Southampton Contribution Agreement ”), pursuant to which, inter alia , Enviva LP conveyed all of the outstanding limited liability company interests in Southampton to Wilmington Holdings;

(d) the Partnership entered into a new aggregate $199.5 million senior secured credit facilities (the “ Credit Agreement ”);

(e) the parties thereto consummated the transactions contemplated by the Contribution Agreement by and among the Sponsor, Holdco, Enviva LP, Acquisition I and the Partnership dated as of April 9, 2015 (the “ Contribution Agreement ”), pursuant to which, inter alia :

(i) Enviva C&M Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ C&M Holdings ”), merged with and into the Partnership, with the Partnership continuing as the surviving entity;

(ii) the Sponsor contributed the General Partner and the Partnership to Holdco;

(iii) Holdco contributed Enviva LP and Enviva GP to the Partnership; and

(iv) Acquisition I contributed Acquisition II to the Partnership;

(f) the Partnership, the General Partner, Enviva LP, Enviva GP, certain subsidiaries of Enviva LP (collectively, the “ Services Recipients ”) and Enviva Management Company, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ Management Company ”), entered into the Management Services Agreement dated as of April 9, 2015 (the “ Management Services Agreement ”), pursuant to which the Management Company performs services that are necessary or appropriate to conduct the day-to-day business operations of the Services Recipients;

(g) Enviva LP and Wilmington Holdings entered into the Master Biomass Purchase and Sale Agreement dated as of April 9, 2015 (the “ Biomass Purchase Agreement ”), pursuant to which Enviva LP purchases wood pellets from affiliates of the Sponsor;

(h) Chesapeake and Wilmington Holdings entered into the Terminal Services Agreement dated as of April 9, 2015 (the “ Southampton Terminal Services Agreement ”), pursuant to which Chesapeake provides terminaling services to Wilmington Holdings for production from a wood pellet production facility located in Southampton County, Virginia and owned by Southampton;

(i) the Partnership, the General Partner and the Sponsor entered into the License Agreement dated as of April 9, 2015 (the “ License Agreement ”), pursuant to which the Sponsor granted to the Partnership and the General Partner a nonexclusive and nontransferable right and license to use certain intellectual property owned by the Sponsor;

 

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(j) the parties thereto will consummate the transactions contemplated by the Contribution Agreement to be dated as of April 28, 2015 (the “ IPO Contribution Agreement ”), which provides that, inter alia :

(i) Acquisition II will merge with and into the Partnership, with the Partnership as the surviving entity (the “ Acquisition II Merger ”); and

(ii) the Partnership will contribute Cottondale to Enviva LP.

(k) the Partnership will amend and restate its Agreement of Limited Partnership dated as of November 12, 2013 (as it may be amended from time to time, the “ Partnership Agreement ”);

(l) the General Partner will amend and restate its Limited Liability Company Agreement dated November 12, 2013 (as it may be amended from time to time, the “ General Partner Agreement ”);

(m) the Partnership, the General Partner and the Sponsor will enter into a Purchase Rights Agreement (the “ ROFO Agreement ”);

(n) the Partnership will issue (i) to Holdco an aggregate of 405,138 Common Units (“ Holdco Common Units ”) and 8,510,572 subordinated units representing limited partner interests in the Partnership (“ Holdco Subordinated Units ”) (ii) to Acquisition I an aggregate of 3,394,566 subordinated units representing limited partner interests in the Partnership (“ Acquisition I Subordinated Units ,” and together with the Holdco Subordinated Units, the “ Subordinated Units ,” and together with the Holdco Common Units and Holdco Subordinated Units, the “ Sponsor Units ”);

(o) the Partnership will issue to the General Partner all of the incentive distribution rights representing limited partner interests (“ Incentive Distribution Rights ”) in the Partnership;

(p) the Partnership, Holdco and Acquisition I will enter into a registration rights agreement (the “ Registration Rights Agreement ”), pursuant to which the Partnership will provide certain registration and other rights to Holdco and Acquisition I in connection with the issuance of the Sponsor Units;

(q) the public offering of the Firm Units contemplated hereby (the “ Offering ”) will be consummated; and

(r) the Partnership will use the proceeds of the Offering, after deducting underwriting discounts and offering expenses, (i) to repay, or cause to be repaid, certain indebtedness of Cottondale and Acquisition II, (ii) to make a distribution, together with borrowings under the Credit Agreement, to Holdco and (iii) for general partnership purposes, as described under “Use of Proceeds” in the Pricing Disclosure Package (as defined herein) and the Prospectus (as defined herein).

 

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The transactions contemplated in subsections (a) through (r) above are referred to herein as the “ Transactions .” The Sampson Terminal Services Agreement, the Southampton Contribution Agreement, the Contribution Agreement, the IPO Contribution Agreement, the ROFO Agreement, the Management Services Agreement, the Credit Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement, the Biomass Purchase Agreement, the Southampton Terminal Services Agreement and the License Agreement are collectively referred to herein as the “ Transaction Documents .” The Transaction Documents and the Organizational Documents (as defined herein) are collectively referred to herein as the “ Operative Agreements .” The Sponsor, the Partnership, the General Partner, Holdco, Enviva GP and Enviva LP are collectively referred to herein as the “ Partnership Parties .” The Partnership Parties, Acquisition I and the Operating Subsidiaries are collectively referred to herein as the “ Partnership Entities .”

As used in this Agreement:

(i) “ Applicable Time ” means 4:45p.m. (New York City time) on April 28, 2015;

(ii) “ Effective Date ” means the date and time as of which such registration statement, or the most recent post-effective amendment thereto, was declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “ Commission ”) in accordance with the rules and regulations under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “ Securities Act ”);

(iii) “ Issuer Free Writing Prospectus ” means each “issuer free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act);

(iv) “ Preliminary Prospectus ” means any preliminary prospectus relating to the Units included in such registration statement or filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act;

(v) “ Pricing Disclosure Package ” means, as of the Applicable Time, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, together with the information included in Schedule II hereto and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus filed or used by the Partnership on or before the Applicable Time, other than a road show that is an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus but is not required to be filed under Rule 433 under the Securities Act;

(vi) “ Prospectus ” means the final prospectus relating to the Units, as filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act;

(vii) “ Registration Statement ” means such registration statement, as amended as of the Effective Date, including any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, all exhibits to such registration statement and including the information deemed by virtue of Rule 430A under the Securities Act to be part of such registration statement as of the Effective Date;

 

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(viii) “ Testing-the-Waters Communication ” means any oral or written communication with potential investors undertaken in reliance on Section 5(d) of the Securities Act; and

(ix) “ Written Testing-the-Waters Communication ” means any Testing-the-Waters Communication that is a written communication within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

Any reference to the “ most recent Preliminary Prospectus ” shall be deemed to refer to the latest Preliminary Prospectus included in the Registration Statement or filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act prior to or on the date hereof. Any reference to the term “Registration Statement” shall be deemed to include any abbreviated registration statement to register additional Common Units under Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act (the “ Rule 462(b) Registration Statement ”).

1. Representations, Warranties and Agreements of the Partnership Parties . The Partnership Parties hereby, jointly and severally, represent, warrant and agree that:

(a) A registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-199625) relating to the Units has (i) been prepared by the Partnership in conformity with the requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder; (ii) been filed with the Commission under the Securities Act; and (iii) become effective under the Securities Act. Copies of such registration statement and any amendment thereto have been delivered by the Partnership to the representatives (the “ Representatives ”) of the Underwriters.

(b) The Commission has not issued any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, and no proceeding or examination for such purpose has been instituted or, to the knowledge of any of the Partnership Parties, threatened by the Commission.

(c) From the time of initial confidential submission of the Registration Statement to the Commission through the date hereof, the Partnership has been and is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act (an “ Emerging Growth Company ”).

(d) The Partnership Parties (i) have not engaged in any Testing-the-Waters Communication other than Testing-the-Waters Communications with the consent of the Representatives with entities that are qualified institutional buyers within the meaning of Rule 144A under the Securities Act or institutions that are accredited investors within the meaning of Rule 501 under the Securities Act and (ii) have not authorized anyone other than the Representatives to engage in Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Partnership Parties reconfirm that the Representatives have been authorized to act on their behalf in undertaking Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Partnership Parties have not distributed or approved for distribution any Written Testing-the-Waters Communications other than those listed on Schedule III hereto.

(e) The Partnership was not at the time of initial filing of the Registration Statement and at the earliest time thereafter that the Partnership or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) under the Securities Act) of the Units, is not on the date hereof and will not be on the applicable Delivery Date, an “ineligible issuer” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act).

 

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(f) The Registration Statement conformed and will conform in all material respects on the Effective Date and on the applicable Delivery Date, and any amendment to the Registration Statement filed after the date hereof will conform in all material respects when filed, to the requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder. The most recent Preliminary Prospectus conformed, and the Prospectus will conform, in all material respects when filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act and on the applicable Delivery Date to the requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.

(g) The Registration Statement did not, as of the Effective Date, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; provided that no representation or warranty is made as to information contained in or omitted from the Registration Statement in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Partnership through the Representatives by or on behalf of any Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein, which information is specified in Section 8(e).

(h) The Prospectus will not, as of its date or as of the applicable Delivery Date, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that no representation or warranty is made as to information contained in or omitted from the Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Partnership through the Representatives by or on behalf of any Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein, which information is specified in Section 8(e).

(i) The Pricing Disclosure Package did not, as of the Applicable Time, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that no representation or warranty is made as to information contained in or omitted from the Pricing Disclosure Package in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Partnership through the Representatives by or on behalf of any Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein, which information is specified in Section 8(e).

(j) Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus listed in Schedule IV hereto, when taken together with the Pricing Disclosure Package, did not, as of the Applicable Time, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that no representation or warranty is made as to information contained in or omitted from such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus listed in Schedule IV hereto in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Partnership through the Representatives by or on behalf of any Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein, which information is specified in Section 8(e).

 

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(k) Each Written Testing-the-Waters Communication listed on Schedule III hereto, when taken together with the Pricing Disclosure Package, did not, as of the Applicable Time, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that no representation or warranty is made as to information contained in or omitted from such Written Testing-the-Waters Communication listed on Schedule III hereto in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Partnership through the Representatives by or on behalf of any Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein, which information is specified in Section 8(e); and the Partnership has filed publicly with the Commission at least 21 calendar days prior to any “road show” (as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act), any confidentially submitted registration statement and registration statement amendments relating to the offer and sale of the Units. Each Written Testing-the-Waters Communications did not, as of the Applicable Time, and at all times through the completion of the public offer and sale of the Units will not, include any information that conflicted, conflicts or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus.

(l) Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conformed or will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder on the date of first use, and the Partnership has complied with all prospectus delivery requirements and any filing requirements applicable to such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus pursuant to the Securities Act and rules and regulations thereunder. The Partnership has not made any offer relating to the Units that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus without the prior written consent of the Representatives. The Partnership has retained in accordance with the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder all Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses that were not required to be filed pursuant to the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder. The Partnership has taken all actions necessary so that any “road show” (as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act) in connection with the offering of the Units will not be required to be filed pursuant to the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.

(m) Each of the Partnership Entities has been duly organized, is validly existing and in good standing as a limited partnership or limited liability company, as applicable, under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization and is duly qualified to do business and in good standing as a foreign business entity in each jurisdiction in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its businesses requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing could not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, partners’ capital, properties, business or prospects of the Partnership and its subsidiaries taken as a whole (a “ Material Adverse Effect ”). Each of the Partnership Entities has all power and authority necessary to own or hold its properties and to conduct the businesses in which it is engaged in all material respects. Following the Initial Delivery Date, and after giving effect to the Acquisition II Merger, the Partnership will not own or control, directly or indirectly, any equity or long-term debt securities of any corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, association or other entity other than Enviva LP, Enviva GP and the Operating Subsidiaries.

(n) The General Partner has the requisite limited liability company power and authority to act as the general partner of the Partnership as described in the Registration

 

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Statement and the most recent Preliminary Prospectus. Enviva GP has the requisite limited liability company power and authority to act as the general partner of Enviva LP as described in the Registration Statement and the most recent Preliminary Prospectus.

(o) The Sponsor owns, and at each applicable Delivery Date, after giving effect to the Transactions, will own, 100% of the outstanding limited liability company interests in Holdco; such interests are duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with the limited liability company agreement of Holdco (the “ Holdco LLC Agreement ”) and are fully paid (to the extent required under the Holdco LLC Agreement) and nonassessable (except as such nonassessability may be affected by matters described in Sections 18-607 and 18-804 of the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act (the “ Delaware LLC Act ”)); and the Sponsor owns such interests free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, security interests, charges or claims (“ Liens ”).

(p) At each applicable Delivery Date, after giving effect to the Transactions, Holdco and Acquisition I will own the Sponsor Units; such Sponsor Units and the limited partner interests represented thereby will have been duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with the Partnership Agreement and will be fully paid (to the extent required under the Partnership Agreement) and nonassessable (except as such nonassessability may be affected by matters described in Sections 17-303, 17-607 and 17-804 of the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act (the “ Delaware LP Act ”)); and Holdco and Acquisition I will own such Sponsor Units free and clear of all Liens.

(q) Holdco owns, and at each applicable Delivery Date, after giving effect to the Transactions, will own, 100% of the outstanding limited liability company interests in the General Partner; such interests have been, and at each applicable Delivery Date will be, duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with the General Partner Agreement and fully paid (to the extent required under the General Partner Agreement) and nonassessable (except as such nonassessability may be affected by matters described in Sections 18-607 and 18-804 of the Delaware LLC Act); and Holdco owns, and at each applicable Delivery Date will own, such interests free and clear of all Liens, except as provided for in the Credit Agreement.

(r) The General Partner is, and at each applicable Delivery Date will be, the sole general partner of the Partnership and will own a non-economic general partner interest in the Partnership (the “ GP Interest ); such GP Interest has been, and at each applicable Delivery Date will be, duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with the Partnership Agreement; and the General Partner owns, and at each applicable Delivery Date will own, the GP Interest free and clear of all Liens.

(s) At each applicable Delivery Date, after giving effect to the Transactions, the General Partner will own all of the Incentive Distribution Rights; the Incentive Distribution Rights and the limited partner interest represented thereby will have been duly authorized, and at each applicable Delivery Date will be, validly issued in accordance with the Partnership Agreement and will be fully paid (to the extent required under the Partnership Agreement) and non-assessable (except as such nonassessability may be affected by Sections 17-303, 17-607 and 17-804 of the Delaware LP Act); and, at each applicable Delivery Date, the General Partner will own the Incentive Distribution Rights free and clear of all Liens.

 

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(t) The Partnership owns, and at each applicable Delivery Date will own, a limited partner interest in Enviva LP having a 99.999% sharing ratio in Enviva LP; such limited partner interest has been, and at each applicable Delivery Date will be, duly authorized in accordance with the partnership agreement of Enviva LP (the “ Enviva LP Partnership Agreement ”) and fully paid (to the extent required under the Enviva LP Partnership Agreement) and nonassessable (except as such nonassessability may be affected by Sections 17-303, 17-607 and 17-804 of the Delaware LP Act); and the Partnership owns, and at each applicable Delivery Date will own, such limited partner interest free and clear of all Liens, except as provided for in the Credit Agreement.

(u) The Partnership owns, and at each applicable Delivery Date will own, 100% of the outstanding limited liability company interests in Enviva GP; such interests have been, and at each applicable Delivery Date will be, duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with the limited liability company agreement of Enviva GP (the “ Enviva GP Agreement ”) and fully paid (to the extent required under the Enviva GP Agreement) and nonassessable (except as such nonassessability may be affected by matters described in Sections 18-607 and 18-804 of the Delaware LLC Act); and the Partnership owns, and at each applicable Delivery Date will own, such interests free and clear of all Liens, except as provided for in the Credit Agreement.

(v) Enviva GP owns, and at each applicable Delivery Date, after giving effect to the Transactions, will own a general partner interest in Enviva LP having a 0.001% sharing ratio in Enviva LP (the “ Enviva GP Interest ); such Enviva GP Interest is, and at each applicable Delivery Date will be, duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with the Enviva LP Partnership Agreement; and Enviva GP owns the Enviva GP Interest free and clear of all Liens, except as provided for in the Credit Agreement.

(w) Enviva LP owns, and at each applicable Delivery Date, after giving effect to the Transactions, will own 100% of the outstanding limited liability company interests in each of Ahoskie, Amory, Materials, Northampton, Chesapeake and Perkinston; such interests are, and at each applicable Delivery Date will be, duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with the applicable limited liability company agreement of such entity and fully paid (to the extent required under the applicable limited liability company agreement of such entity) and nonassessable (except as such nonassessability may be affected by matters described in Sections 18-607 and 18-804 of the Delaware LLC Act); and Enviva LP owns, and at each applicable Delivery Date will own, such interests free and clear of all Liens, except as provided for in the Credit Agreement.

(x) At each applicable Delivery Date, after giving effect to the Transactions, Enviva LP will own 100% of the outstanding limited liability company interests in Cottondale; such interests will have been duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with the limited liability company agreement of Cottondale and will be fully paid (to the extent required under the limited liability company agreement of Cottondale) and nonassessable (except as such nonassessability may be affected by matters described in Sections 18-607 and 18-804 of the Delaware LLC Act); and, at each applicable Delivery Date, Enviva LP will own such interests free and clear of all Liens, except as provided for in the Credit Agreement.

 

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(y) Perkinston owns, and at each applicable Delivery Date, after giving effect to the Transactions, will own 20,006,779 Series B Common Units (as defined in the limited liability company agreement of Wiggins (the “ Wiggins LLC Agreement ”)) and 20,006,779 Series A Preferred Units (as defined in the Wiggins LLC Agreement); such interests are, and at each applicable Delivery Date will be, duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with the Wiggins LLC Agreement and are fully paid (to the extent required under the Wiggins LLC Agreement) and nonassessable (except as such nonassessability may be affected by matters described in Sections 79-29-609 and 79-29-813 of the Mississippi Limited Liability Company Act (the “ MS LLC Act ”); and Perkinston owns, and at each applicable Delivery Date will own, such interests free and clear of all Liens, except as provided for in the Credit Agreement.

(z) Other than the GP Interest and the Incentive Distribution Rights, the General Partner does not own, directly or indirectly, any equity or long-term debt securities of any corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, association or other entity.

(aa) At the Initial Delivery Date, after giving effect to the Transactions, the issued and outstanding partnership interests of the Partnership will consist of 10,405,138 Common Units, 11,905,138 Subordinated Units, the GP Interest and the Incentive Distribution Rights.

(bb) The sale and issuance of (i) the Sponsor Units to Holdco and Acquisition I and (ii) the GP Interest and the Incentive Distribution Rights to the General Partner are exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and securities laws of any state having jurisdiction with respect thereto, and none of the Partnership Entities has taken or will take any action that would cause the loss of such exemption.

(cc) Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or as set forth in the Partnership Agreement, there are no (i) preemptive rights or other rights to subscribe for or to purchase, nor any restriction upon the voting or transfer of, any equity securities of any of the Partnership Entities; provided that any such preemptive rights or other rights to purchase any equity securities of any of the Partnership Entities exercisable in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Operative Agreements (including the Transactions) have been waived, or (ii) outstanding options or warrants to purchase any securities of any of the Partnership Entities. None of (A) the filing of the Registration Statement or (B) the offering or sale of the Units as contemplated by this Agreement gives rise to any rights for or relating to the registration of any Common Units or other securities of the Partnership.

(dd) Each of the Partnership Parties has all requisite limited partnership or limited liability company power and authority, as the case may be, to execute, deliver and perform its obligations under this Agreement. The Partnership has all requisite limited partnership power and authority to issue, sell and deliver (i) the Units, in accordance with and upon the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, the Partnership Agreement, the Registration Statement and the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and (ii) the Sponsor Units and the Incentive Distribution Rights, in accordance with and upon the terms and conditions set forth in the Partnership Agreement and the IPO Contribution Agreement. At each Delivery Date, all limited partnership or limited liability company action, as the case may be, required to be taken by any of the Partnership Parties or any of their respective unitholders, members or partners for the

 

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authorization, issuance, sale and delivery of the Units, the Sponsor Units, the GP Interest and the Incentive Distribution Rights, the execution and delivery of the Operative Agreements by the Partnership Entities party thereto and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (including the Transactions) and the Operative Agreements shall have been validly taken.

(ee) This Agreement has been duly authorized and validly executed and delivered by or on behalf of each of the Partnership Parties.

(ff) At or before the Initial Delivery Date:

(i) the Partnership Agreement will have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the General Partner and Holdco, and will be a valid and legally binding agreement of the General Partner and Holdco, enforceable against the General Partner and Holdco in accordance with its terms;

(ii) the General Partner Agreement will have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by Holdco and will be a valid and legally binding agreement of Holdco, enforceable against Holdco in accordance with its terms;

(iii) the Enviva GP Agreement will have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Partnership, and will be a valid and legally binding agreement of the Partnership, enforceable against the Partnership in accordance with its terms;

(iv) the Enviva LP Agreement will have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Partnership and Enviva GP, and will be a valid and legally binding agreement of the Partnership and Enviva GP, enforceable against the Partnership and Enviva GP in accordance with its terms;

(v) the limited liability company agreements of each Operating Subsidiary (other than Wiggins) will have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by Enviva LP, and will be a valid and legally binding agreement of Enviva LP, enforceable against Enviva LP in accordance with its terms;

(vi) the Wiggins LLC Agreement will have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by Perkinston and, to the knowledge of the Partnership Parties, the other parties thereto, and will be a valid and legally binding agreement of Perkinston, enforceable against Perkinston in accordance with its terms;

(vii) each Transaction Document will have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by each Partnership Entity party thereto, and will be a valid and legally binding agreement of each Partnership Entity party thereto, enforceable against each such entity in accordance with its terms;

provided , that with respect to each agreement described in this Section 1(ff), the enforceability thereof may be limited by (A) bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally and by general principles of equity (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) and (B) public policy, applicable law relating to fiduciary duties and indemnification and an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing.

 

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(gg) The IPO Contribution Agreement will be legally sufficient to transfer or convey to the Partnership Entities satisfactory title to, or valid rights to use or manage all properties not already held by it that are, individually or in the aggregate, required to enable the Partnership Entities to conduct operations in all material respects as contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, subject to the conditions, reservations, encumbrances and limitations described therein or contained in the IPO Contribution Agreement.

(hh) The Units, when issued and delivered in accordance with the terms of the Partnership Agreement and this Agreement against payment therefor as provided therein and herein, will conform, and the Sponsor Units and the Incentive Distribution Rights when issued and delivered in accordance with the terms of the Partnership Agreement and the IPO Contribution Agreement, will conform, in all material respects, to the descriptions thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. The GP Interest conforms, in all material respects, to the descriptions thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(ii) The issue and sale of the Units by the Partnership, the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Partnership Parties and the consummation of the Transactions will not (i) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, impose any Lien upon any property or assets of the Partnership Entities, or constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, license, lease or other agreement or instrument to which any of the Partnership Entities is a party or by which any of the Partnership Entities is bound or to which any of the property or assets of any of the Partnership Entities is subject; (ii) result in any violation of the provisions of the organizational documents of any of the Partnership Entities (collectively, the “ Organizational Documents ”); or (iii) result in any violation of any statute or any judgment, order, decree, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Partnership Entities or any of their respective properties or assets in a proceeding to which any of them is a party or their respective properties or assets are bound, except, with respect to clauses (i) and (iii), conflicts or violations that would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(jj) No consent, approval, authorization or order of, or filing, registration or qualification with, any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Partnership Entities or any of their respective properties or assets is required for (i) the issue and sale of the Units by the Partnership, (ii) the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Partnership Parties, (iii) the execution, delivery and performance by the Partnership Entities party thereto of the Operative Agreements or (iv) the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and the Operative Agreements (including the Transactions), except (A) for the registration of the Units under the Securities Act and such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders, filings, registrations or qualifications as may be required under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “ Exchange Act ”), and applicable securities laws of any U.S. state or Canadian province and/or the bylaws and rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (the “ FINRA ”) in connection with the purchase and sale of the Units by

 

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the Underwriters (B) for such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders, filings, registrations or qualifications that have been, or prior to the Initial Delivery Date will be, obtained or made, (C) for any such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders, filings, registrations or qualifications the absence or omission of which would not reasonably be expected to materially impair the ability of any of the Partnership Entities to consummate the Transactions or any other transactions provided for in this Agreement or the Operative Agreements and (D) as described in the Registration Statement and the most recent Preliminary Prospectus.

(kk) The historical financial statements of Enviva LP and its subsidiaries, Green Circle and the Partnership (including the related notes and supporting schedules) included in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of Regulation S-X under the Securities Act and present fairly in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the entities purported to be shown thereby at the dates and for the periods indicated and have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods indicated, except as otherwise disclosed therein.

(ll) The pro forma financial statements (and the related notes thereto) included in the Registration Statement and the most recent Preliminary Prospectus include assumptions that provide a reasonable basis for presenting the significant effects directly attributable to the transactions and events described therein, the related pro forma adjustments give appropriate effect to those assumptions, and the pro forma adjustments reflect the proper application of those adjustments to the historical financial statement amounts in the pro forma financial statements included in the Registration Statement and the most recent Preliminary Prospectus. The pro forma financial statements included in the Registration Statement and the most recent Preliminary Prospectus comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable requirements of Regulation S-X under the Securities Act.

(mm) Each of the statements made by the Partnership in the Registration Statement and the Pricing Disclosure Package and to be made in the Prospectus (and any supplements thereto) within the coverage of Rule 175(b) under the Securities Act, including, but not limited to, any statements with respect to projected results of operations, estimated cash available for distribution and future cash distributions of the Partnership, and any statements made in support thereof or related thereto under the heading “Cash Distribution Policy and Restrictions on Distributions” or the anticipated ratio of taxable income to distributions, was made or will be made with a reasonable basis and in good faith.

(nn) KPMG LLP, who have certified certain financial statements of Enviva LP and its subsidiaries and the Partnership, whose report appears in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and who have delivered the initial letter referred to in Section 7(g) hereof, are independent public accountants as required by the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.

(oo) Carr, Riggs & Ingram, LLC, who have certified certain financial statements of Green Circle Bio Energy, Inc., whose report appears in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and who have delivered the initial letter referred to in Section 7(g) hereof, are, to the knowledge of the Partnership Parties, independent public accountants as required by the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.

 

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(pp) The Partnership Entities maintain internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States, including, but not limited to, internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization, (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of the Partnership’s financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States and to maintain accountability for its assets, (iii) access to the Partnership’s assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization, and (iv) the recorded accountability for the Partnership’s assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. As of the date of the most recent balance sheet of the Partnership and its consolidated subsidiaries reviewed or audited by KPMG LLP, there were no material weaknesses in the Partnership Entities’ internal controls.

(qq) (i) The Partnership Entities maintain disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act), (ii) such disclosure controls and procedures are designed to ensure that the information is accumulated and communicated to management of the General Partner, including the principal executive officer and principal financial officer of the General Partner, as appropriate, and (iii) to the extent required by Rule 13a-15 of the Exchange Act, such disclosure controls and procedures are effective in all material respects to perform the functions for which they were established.

(rr) Since the date of the most recent balance sheet of the Partnership reviewed or audited by KPMG, LLP, (i) the Partnership Parties have not been advised of or become aware of (A) any significant deficiencies or any material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal controls that are reasonably likely to adversely affect the ability of the Partnership and its subsidiaries to record, process, summarize and report financial data, and (B) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the internal controls of the Partnership Entities; and (ii) there have been no significant changes in internal controls or in other factors that are reasonably likely to materially affect internal controls, including any corrective actions with regard to significant deficiencies and material weaknesses.

(ss) The section entitled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations – Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates” set forth in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus accurately and fully describes (i) the accounting policies that the Partnership believes are the most important in the portrayal of the Partnership’s financial condition and results of operations and that require management’s most difficult, subjective or complex judgments (“ Critical Accounting Policies ”); (ii) the judgments and uncertainties affecting the application of Critical Accounting Policies; and (iii) the likelihood that materially different amounts would be reported under different conditions or using different assumptions and an explanation thereof.

(tt) There is not and has not been any failure on the part of the Partnership or any of the directors or officers of the General Partner, in their capacities as such, to comply with any provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith.

 

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(uu) Except as described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, since the date of the latest audited financial statements included in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, none of the Partnership Entities has (i) sustained any loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, (ii) issued or granted any securities (other than as contemplated by the Contribution Agreement or IPO Contribution Agreement), (iii) incurred any material liability or obligation, direct or contingent, other than liabilities and obligations that were incurred in the ordinary course of business, (iv) entered into any material transaction not in the ordinary course of business, or (v) made any distribution, and since such date, there has not been any change in the partnership or limited liability company interests, as applicable, or long-term debt of the Partnership Entities or any adverse change, or any development involving a prospective adverse change, in or affecting the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, members’ equity/partners’ capital, properties, management, business or prospects of the Partnership Entities taken as a whole, in each case except as could not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(vv) The Partnership Entities have good and marketable title in fee simple to all real property and good and marketable title to all personal property owned by them, in each case free and clear of all Liens, except such Liens as are described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus or as permitted by the Credit Agreement, or such as do not materially affect the value of such property and do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Partnership Entities. All assets held under lease by the Partnership Entities are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases, with such exceptions as do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such assets by the Partnership Entities.

(ww) The Partnership Entities have such permits, licenses, patents, franchises, certificates of need and other approvals or authorizations of governmental or regulatory authorities (“ Permits ”) as are necessary under applicable law to own their properties and conduct their businesses in the manner described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, except for any of the foregoing that could not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or except as described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus. The Partnership Entities have fulfilled and performed all of their obligations with respect to the Permits, and no event has occurred that allows, or after notice or lapse of time would allow, revocation or termination thereof or results in any other impairment of the rights of the holder or any such Permits, except for any of the foregoing that could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or except as described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus. None of the Partnership Entities has received notice of any revocation or modification of any such Permits or has any reason to believe that any such Permits will not be renewed in the ordinary course, except those that would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(xx) The Partnership Entities own or possess adequate rights to use all material patents, patent applications, trademarks, service marks, trade names, trademark registrations, service mark registrations, copyrights, licenses, know-how, software, systems and technology

 

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(including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures) necessary for the conduct of their respective businesses and have no reason to believe that the conduct of their respective businesses will conflict with, and have not received any notice of any claim of conflict with, any such rights of others, except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(yy) Except as described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, there are no legal or governmental proceedings pending to which any of the Partnership Entities is a party or of which any property or assets of any of the Partnership Entities is the subject that could, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or could, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the performance of this Agreement or the consummation of the Transactions; and to the Partnership Parties’ knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened by governmental authorities or others.

(zz) There are no contracts or other documents required to be described in the Registration Statement or the most recent Preliminary Prospectus or filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement that are not described and filed as required. The statements made in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, insofar as they purport to constitute summaries of the terms of the contracts and other documents described and filed, constitute accurate summaries of the terms of such contracts and documents in all material respects.

(aaa) The statements made in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus under the captions “Cash Distribution Policy and Restrictions on Distributions,” “How We Make Distributions to Our Partners,” “Business—Environmental Matters,” “Business—Safety and Maintenance,” “Certain Relationships and Related Transactions,” “Conflicts of Interest and Fiduciary Duties,” “Description of the Common Units,” “The Partnership Agreement,” and “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences,” and “Investment in Enviva Partners, LP by Employee Benefit Plans,” insofar as they purport to constitute summaries of the terms of certain statutes, rules or regulations, legal or governmental proceedings or contracts and other documents, constitute accurate summaries of the terms of such statutes, rules and regulations, legal and governmental proceedings and contracts and other documents referred to therein in all material respects.

(bbb) The Partnership Entities carry, or are covered by, insurance from reputable insurers in such amounts and covering such risks as is reasonably adequate for the conduct of their respective businesses and the value of their respective properties and as is customary for companies engaged in similar businesses in similar industries. All policies of insurance of the Partnership Entities are in full force and effect; the Partnership Entities are in compliance with the terms of such policies in all material respects; and none of the Partnership Entities has received notice from any insurer or agent of such insurer that capital improvements or other expenditures are required or necessary to be made in order to continue such insurance; there are no material claims by the Partnership Entities under any such policy or instrument as to which any insurance company is denying liability or defending under a reservation of rights clause; and the Partnership Entities have no reason to believe that they will not be able to renew their existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue their business at a cost that could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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(ccc) No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the Partnership, on the one hand, and the directors, officers, unitholders, customers or suppliers of the Partnership or the General Partner, on the other hand, that is required to be described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus which is not so described.

(ddd) No labor disturbance by or dispute with the employees of the Partnership or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Partnership Parties, is imminent that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(eee) None of the Partnership Entities (i) is in violation of its organizational documents, (ii) is in default, and no event has occurred that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default, in the due performance or observance of any term, covenant, condition or other obligation contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, license or other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it is bound or to which any of its properties or assets is subject, or (iii) is in violation of any statute or any order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over it or its property or assets or has failed to obtain any license, permit, certificate, franchise or other governmental authorization or permit necessary to the ownership of its property or to the conduct of its business, except in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii), to the extent any such conflict, breach, violation or default could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(fff) Except as described in the Registration Statement and the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, the Partnership Entities (i) are, and at all times prior hereto were, in compliance with all laws, regulations, ordinances, rules, orders, judgments, decrees, permits or other legal requirements of any governmental authority, including without limitation any international, foreign, national, state, provincial, regional, or local authority, relating to pollution, the protection of human health or safety, the environment, or natural resources, or the use, handling, storage, manufacturing, transportation, treatment, discharge, disposal or release of hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (“ Environmental Laws ”) applicable to such entity, which compliance includes, without limitation, obtaining, maintaining and complying with all permits and authorizations and approvals required by Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses, and (ii) have not received notice or otherwise have knowledge of any actual or alleged violation of Environmental Laws, or of any actual or potential liability for or other obligation concerning the presence, disposal or release of hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants, except in the case of clause (i) or (ii) where such non-compliance, failure to receive the required permits or failure to comply with the terms and conditions of such permits, violation, liability, or other obligation would not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Except as described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, (x) there are no proceedings that are pending, or known to be contemplated, against the Partnership Entities under Environmental Laws in which a governmental authority is also a party, other than such proceedings regarding which it is reasonably believed no monetary sanctions of $100,000 or more will be imposed, (y) the Partnership Parties are not aware of any issues regarding compliance with Environmental Laws, including any pending or proposed Environmental Laws, or liabilities or other obligations under Environmental Laws or concerning hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants, that could reasonably be expected to have a material effect on the capital expenditures, earnings or competitive position of the Partnership Entities, and (z) none of the Partnership Entities anticipates material capital expenditures relating to Environmental Laws.

 

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(ggg) The Partnership Entities have filed all federal, state, local and foreign tax returns required to be filed through the date hereof, subject to permitted extensions, and have paid all taxes due, and no tax deficiency has been determined adversely to the Partnership Entities, nor do the Partnership Parties have any knowledge of any tax deficiencies that have been, or could reasonably be expected to be asserted against any Partnership Entity, that could, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(hhh) (i) Each “employee benefit plan” (within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ ERISA ”)) for which the Partnership or any member of its “Controlled Group” (defined as any organization which is a member of a controlled group of corporations within the meaning of Section 414 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “ Code ”)) would have any liability (each a “ Plan ”) has been maintained in compliance with its terms and with the requirements of all applicable statutes, rules and regulations including ERISA and the Code; (ii) no prohibited transaction, within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, has occurred with respect to any Plan excluding transactions effected pursuant to a statutory or administrative exemption; (iii) with respect to each Plan subject to Title IV of ERISA (A) no “reportable event” (within the meaning of Section 4043(c) of ERISA) has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur, (B) no “accumulated funding deficiency” (within the meaning of Section 302 of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code), whether or not waived, has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur, (C) the fair market value of the assets under each Plan exceeds the present value of all benefits accrued under such Plan (determined based on those assumptions used to fund such Plan), and (D) neither the Partnership nor any member of its Controlled Group has incurred, or reasonably expects to incur, any liability under Title IV of ERISA (other than contributions to the Plan or premiums to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation in the ordinary course and without default) in respect of a Plan (including a “multiemployer plan”, within the meaning of Section 4001(c)(3) of ERISA); and (iv) each Plan that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified and nothing has occurred, whether by action or by failure to act, which would cause the loss of such qualification.

(iii) The statistical and market-related data included in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Partnership believes to be reliable in all material respects.

(jjj) None of the Partnership Entities is, and as of the applicable Delivery Date and, after giving effect to the offer and sale of the Units by the Partnership and the application of the proceeds therefrom as described under “Use of Proceeds” in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, none of them will be, (i) an “investment company” or a company “controlled” by an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “ Investment Company Act ”), and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, or (ii) a “business development company” (as defined in Section 2(a)(48) of the Investment Company Act).

 

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(kkk) Hawkins Wright, whose industry-related data appears in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, was, as of the date of such data, and is, as of the date hereof, an independent market consultant with expertise in the international forest products and bioenergy industries.

(lll) Except as described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between any Partnership Entity and any person granting such person the right to require the Partnership to file a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to any securities of the Partnership owned or to be owned by such person or to require the Partnership to include such securities in the securities registered pursuant to the Registration Statement or in any securities being registered pursuant to any other registration statement filed by the Partnership under the Securities Act.

(mmm) None of the Partnership Entities is a party to any contract, agreement or understanding with any person (other than this Agreement) that would give rise to a valid claim against any of them or the Underwriters for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or like payment in connection with the offering and sale of the Units.

(nnn) The Partnership has not sold or issued any securities that would be integrated with the offering of the Units contemplated by this Agreement pursuant to the Securities Act, the rules and regulations thereunder or the interpretations thereof by the Commission.

(ooo) The Partnership and its affiliates have not taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that has constituted or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Partnership in connection with the offering of the Units.

(ppp) The Units have been approved for listing, subject to official notice of issuance and evidence of satisfactory distribution on, The New York Stock Exchange.

(qqq) The Partnership Entities have not distributed and, prior to the later to occur of any Delivery Date and completion of the distribution of the Units, will not distribute any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Units other than any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication to which the Representatives have consented in accordance with Sections 1(i) and 6(a)(vi).

(rrr) None of the Partnership Entities, nor, to the knowledge of the Partnership Parties, any director, officer, agent, employee or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Partnership Entities, has (i) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity; (ii) made any direct or indirect unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic government official or employee from corporate funds; (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977; or (iv) made any bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment.

(sss) The operations of the Partnership Entities are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the

 

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Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “ Money Laundering Laws ”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving any Partnership Entity with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Partnership Parties, threatened.

(ttt) None of the Partnership Entities nor, to the knowledge of the Partnership Parties, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Partnership Entities is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (“ OFAC ”); and the Partnership will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.

(uuu) The Partnership has no debt securities rated by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization”, as that term is defined by the Commission under Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act.

Any certificate signed by any officer of the Partnership Parties and delivered to the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters in connection with the offering of the Units shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Partnership Parties, as to matters covered thereby, to each Underwriter.

2. Purchase of the Units by the Underwriters . On the basis of the representations, warranties and covenants contained in, and subject to the terms and conditions of, this Agreement, the Partnership agrees to sell 10,000,000 Firm Units to the several Underwriters, and each of the Underwriters, severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase the number of Firm Units set forth opposite that Underwriter’s name in Schedule I hereto. The respective purchase obligations of the Underwriters with respect to the Firm Units shall be rounded among the Underwriters to avoid fractional units, as the Representatives may determine.

In addition, the Partnership grants to the Underwriters an option to purchase up to 1,500,000 additional Option Units. Such option is exercisable in the event that the Underwriters sell more Common Units than the number of Firm Units in the offering and as set forth in Section 4 hereof. Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase the number of Option Units (subject to such adjustments to eliminate fractional units as the Representatives may determine) that bears the same proportion to the total number of Option Units to be sold on such Delivery Date as the number of Firm Units set forth in Schedule I hereto opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Firm Units.

The purchase price payable by the Underwriters for both the Firm Units and any Option Units is $18.80 per unit.

 

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The Partnership is not obligated to deliver any of the Firm Units or Option Units to be delivered on the applicable Delivery Date, except upon payment for all such Units to be purchased on such Delivery Date as provided herein.

3. Offering of Units by the Underwriters . Upon authorization by the Representatives of the release of the Firm Units, the several Underwriters propose to offer the Firm Units for sale upon the terms and conditions to be set forth in the Prospectus.

4. Delivery of and Payment for the Units . Delivery of and payment for the Firm Units shall be made at 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on the third full business day following the date of this Agreement or at such other date or place as shall be determined by agreement between the Representatives and the Partnership. This date and time are sometimes referred to as the “ Initial Delivery Date ”. Delivery of the Firm Units shall be made to the Representatives for the account of each Underwriter against payment by the several Underwriters through the Representatives of the purchase price by wire transfer in immediately available funds to the account specified by the Partnership. Time shall be of the essence, and delivery at the time and place specified pursuant to this Agreement is a further condition of the obligation of each Underwriter hereunder. The Partnership shall deliver the Firm Units through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company (the “ DTC ”) unless the Representatives shall otherwise instruct.

The option granted in Section 2 will expire 30 days after the date of this Agreement and may be exercised in whole or from time to time in part by written notice being given to the Partnership by the Representatives; provided that if such date falls on a day that is not a business day, the option granted in Section 2 will expire on the next succeeding business day. Such notice shall set forth the aggregate number of Option Units as to which the option is being exercised, the names in which the Option Units are to be registered, the denominations in which the Option Units are to be issued and the date and time, as determined by the Representatives, when the Option Units are to be delivered; provided, however , that this date and time shall not be earlier than the Initial Delivery Date nor earlier than the second business day after the date on which the option shall have been exercised nor later than the fifth business day after the date on which the option shall have been exercised. Each date and time the Option Units are delivered is sometimes referred to as an “ Option Units Delivery Date ”, and the Initial Delivery Date and any Option Units Delivery Date are sometimes each referred to as a “ Delivery Date ”.

Delivery of the Option Units by the Partnership and payment for the Option Units by the several Underwriters through the Representatives shall be made at 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on the date specified in the corresponding notice described in the preceding paragraph or at such other date or place as shall be determined by agreement between the Representatives and the Partnership. On each Option Units Delivery Date, the Partnership shall deliver or cause to be delivered the Option Units to the Representatives for the account of each Underwriter against payment by the several Underwriters through the Representatives of the purchase price by wire transfer in immediately available funds to the account specified by the Partnership. Time shall be of the essence, and delivery at the time and place specified pursuant to this Agreement is a further condition of the obligation of each Underwriter hereunder. The Partnership shall deliver the Option Units through the facilities of DTC unless the Representatives shall otherwise instruct.

 

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5. Further Agreements of the Partnership Parties and the Underwriters . The Partnership Parties agree:

(i) To prepare the Prospectus in a form approved by the Representatives and to file such Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act not later than the Commission’s close of business on the second business day following the execution and delivery of this Agreement; to make no further amendment or any supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus prior to the last Delivery Date except as provided herein; to advise the Representatives, promptly after they receive notice thereof, of the time when any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus has been filed and to furnish the Representatives with copies thereof; to advise the Representatives, promptly after they receive notice thereof, of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, of the suspension of the qualification of the Units for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding or examination for any such purpose or of any request by the Commission for the amending or supplementing of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or for additional information; and, in the event of the issuance of any stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or suspending any such qualification, to use promptly their best efforts to obtain its withdrawal.

(ii) To furnish promptly to each of the Representatives and to counsel for the Underwriters a signed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed with the Commission, and each amendment thereto filed with the Commission, including all consents and exhibits filed therewith.

(iii) To deliver promptly to the Representatives such number of the following documents as the Representatives shall reasonably request: (A) conformed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed with the Commission and each amendment thereto (in each case excluding exhibits other than this Agreement), (B) each Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and any amended or supplemented Prospectus, (C) each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and (D) any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication; and, if the delivery of a prospectus is required at any time after the date hereof in connection with the offering or sale of the Units or any other securities relating thereto and if at such time any events shall have occurred as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made when such Prospectus is delivered, not misleading, or, if for any other reason it shall be necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to comply with the Securities Act, to notify the Representatives and, upon their request, to file such document and to prepare and furnish without charge to each Underwriter and to any dealer in securities as many copies as the Representatives may from time to time reasonably request of an amended or supplemented Prospectus that will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance.

 

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(iv) To file promptly with the Commission any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus that may, in the judgment of the Partnership Parties or the Representatives, be required by the Securities Act or requested by the Commission.

(v) Prior to filing with the Commission any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, to furnish a copy thereof to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters and obtain the consent of the Representatives to the filing.

(vi) Not to make any offer relating to the Units that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus without the prior written consent of the Representatives.

(vii) To comply with all applicable requirements of Rule 433 under the Securities Act with respect to any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus. If at any time after the date hereof any events shall have occurred as a result of which any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, would conflict with the information in the Registration Statement, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or, if for any other reason it shall be necessary to amend or supplement any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, to notify the Representatives and, upon their request, to file such document and to prepare and furnish without charge to each Underwriter as many copies as the Representatives may from time to time reasonably request of an amended or supplemented Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that will correct such conflict, statement or omission or effect such compliance.

(viii) As soon as practicable after the Effective Date (it being understood that the Partnership shall have until at least 410 days or, if the fourth quarter following the fiscal quarter that includes the Effective Date is the last fiscal quarter of the Partnership’s fiscal year, 455 days after the end of the Partnership’s current fiscal quarter), to make generally available to the Partnership’s security holders and to deliver to the Representatives an earnings statement of the Partnership and its subsidiaries (which need not be audited) complying with Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder (including, at the option of the Partnership, Rule 158).

(ix) Promptly from time to time to take such action as the Representatives may reasonably request to qualify the Units for offering and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of Canada and such other jurisdictions as the Representatives may request and to comply with such laws so as to permit the continuance of sales and dealings therein in such jurisdictions for as long as may be necessary to complete the distribution of the Units; provided that (i) no sales shall be made by the Underwriters without the Partnership’s prior consent and (ii) the Partnership shall not be required to (a) qualify as a foreign partnership in any jurisdiction in which it would not otherwise be required to so qualify, (b) file a general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction, or (c) subject itself to taxation in any jurisdiction in which it would not otherwise be subject, except in the case of clauses (a), (b) and (c) as may be required under the Limited Partnership Act (Ontario) if the Partnership has consented to sales in Ontario.

 

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(x) For a period commencing on the date hereof and ending on the 180th day after the date of the Prospectus (the “ Lock-Up Period ”), not to, directly or indirectly, (A) offer for sale, sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of (or enter into any transaction or device that is designed to, or could be expected to, result in the disposition by any person at any time in the future of) any Common Units or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Units (other than the (A) the Units or (B) Common Units issued pursuant to employee benefit plans, qualified option plans or other employee compensation plans existing on the date hereof), or sell or grant options, rights or warrants with respect to any Common Units or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Common Units, (B) enter into any swap or other derivatives transaction that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of such Common Units, whether any such transaction described in clause (A) or (B) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Units or other securities, in cash or otherwise, (C) file or cause to be filed a registration statement, including any amendments thereto, with respect to the registration of any Common Units or securities convertible, exercisable or exchangeable into Common Units or any other securities of the Partnership (other than any registration statement on Form S-8), or (D) publicly disclose the intention to do any of the foregoing, in each case without the prior written consent of Barclays Capital Inc., on behalf of the Underwriters, and to cause each officer, director and unitholder of the Partnership set forth on Schedule VI hereto to furnish to the Representatives, prior to the date of this Agreement, a letter or letters, substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto (the “ Lock-Up Agreements ”).

(xi) To apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Units being sold by the Partnership substantially in accordance with the description as set forth in the Prospectus under the caption “Use of Proceeds.”

(xii) To file with the Commission such information on Form 10-Q or Form 10-K as may be required by Rule 463 under the Securities Act.

(xiii) If the Partnership elects to rely upon Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, the Partnership shall file a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement with the Commission in compliance with Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act by 10:00 P.M., Washington, D.C. time, on the date of this Agreement, and the Partnership shall pay the Commission the filing fee for the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement prior to 5:00 P.M. Washington, D.C. time, on the next business day following the date of this Agreement.

(xiv) The Partnership will promptly notify the Representatives if the Partnership ceases to be an Emerging Growth Company at any time prior to the later of (A) the time when a prospectus relating to the offering or sale of the Units or any other securities relating thereto is not required by the Securities Act to be delivered (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172 under the Securities Act or any similar rule) and (B) completion of the Lock-Up Period.

 

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(xv) If at any time following the distribution of any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Written Testing-the-Waters Communication included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Partnership will promptly notify the Representatives and will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Written Testing-the-Waters Communication to eliminate or correct such untrue statement or omission. The Partnership will promptly notify the Representatives of (A) any distribution by the Partnership Entities of Written Testing-the-Waters Communications and (B) any request by the Commission for information concerning the Written Testing-the-Waters Communications.

(xvi) The Partnership and its affiliates will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that has constituted or that reasonably would be expected to cause or result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Partnership in connection with the offering of the Units.

(xvii) The Partnership Parties and their respective affiliates will do and perform all things required or necessary to be done and performed under this Agreement by them prior to each Delivery Date, and to satisfy all conditions precedent to the Underwriters’ obligations hereunder to purchase the Units.

(b) Each Underwriter severally agrees that such Underwriter shall not include any “issuer information” (as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act) in any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) used or referred to by such Underwriter without the prior consent of the Partnership (any such issuer information with respect to whose use the Partnership has given its consent, “ Permitted Issuer Information ”); provided that (i) no such consent shall be required with respect to any such issuer information contained in any document filed by the Partnership with the Commission prior to the use of such free writing prospectus, and (ii) “issuer information”, as used in this Section 5(b), shall not be deemed to include information prepared by or on behalf of such Underwriter on the basis of or derived from issuer information.

6. Expenses . The Partnership agrees, whether or not the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, to pay all expenses, costs, fees and taxes incident to and in connection with (a) the authorization, issuance, sale and delivery of the Units and any stamp duties or other taxes payable in that connection, and the preparation and printing of certificates for the Units; (b) the preparation, printing and filing under the Securities Act of the Registration Statement (including any exhibits thereto), any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, and any amendment or supplement thereto; (c) the distribution of the Registration Statement (including any exhibits thereto), any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, and any amendment or supplement thereto, all as provided in this Agreement; (d) the production and distribution of this Agreement, any supplemental agreement among Underwriters, and any other related documents in connection with the offering, purchase, sale

 

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and delivery of the Units; (e) any required review by FINRA of the terms of sale of the Units (including related fees and expenses of counsel to the Underwriters in an amount that is not greater than $20,000); (f) the listing of the Units on the New York Stock Exchange; (g) the qualification of the Units under the securities laws of the several jurisdictions as provided in Section 5(a)(ix) and the preparation, printing and distribution of a Blue Sky Memorandum (including related fees and expenses of counsel to the Underwriters); (h) the preparation, printing and distribution of one or more versions of the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus for distribution in Canada, including in the form of a Canadian “wrapper” (including related fees and expenses of Canadian counsel to the Underwriters); (i) the investor presentations on any “road show” or any Testing-the-Waters Communication, undertaken in connection with the marketing of the Units, including, without limitation, expenses associated with any electronic road show, travel and lodging expenses of the representatives and officers of the Partnership and one-half of the cost of any aircraft chartered in connection with the road show; and (j) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Partnership Parties under this Agreement; provided that, except as provided in this Section 6 and in Section 11, the Underwriters shall pay their own costs and expenses, including the costs and expenses of their counsel, any transfer taxes on the Units which they may sell and the expenses of advertising any offering of the Units made by the Underwriters.

7. Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations . The respective obligations of the Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy, when made and on each Delivery Date, of the representations and warranties of the Partnership Parties contained herein, to the performance by the Partnership Parties of their obligations hereunder, and to each of the following additional terms and conditions:

(a) The Prospectus shall have been timely filed with the Commission in accordance with Section 5(a)(i). The Partnership shall have complied with all filing requirements applicable to any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus used or referred to after the date hereof; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or preventing or suspending the use of the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall have been issued and no proceeding or examination for such purpose shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission; and any request of the Commission for inclusion of additional information in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or otherwise shall have been complied with. If the Partnership has elected to rely upon Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement shall have become effective by 10:00 P.M., Washington, D.C. time, on the date of this Agreement.

(b) No Underwriter shall have discovered and disclosed to the Partnership on or prior to such Delivery Date that the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the Pricing Disclosure Package, or any amendment or supplement thereto, contains an untrue statement of a fact which, in the opinion of Latham & Watkins LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, is material or omits to state a fact which, in the opinion of such counsel, is material and is required to be stated therein or is necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.

 

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(c) All partnership or limited liability company proceedings, as applicable, and other legal matters incident to the authorization, form and validity of this Agreement, the Units, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, and all other legal matters relating to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be reasonably satisfactory in all material respects to counsel for the Underwriters, and the Partnership shall have furnished to such counsel all documents and information that they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters.

(d) Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. as counsel to the Partnership, shall have furnished to the Representatives its written opinion addressed to the Underwriters and dated such Delivery Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B.

(e) The Representatives shall have received from Latham & Watkins LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, such opinion or opinions, dated such Delivery Date, with respect to the issuance and sale of the Units, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Pricing Disclosure Package and other related matters as the Representatives may reasonably require, and the Partnership shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they reasonably request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters.

(f) At the time of execution of this Agreement, the Representatives shall have received from each of KPMG LLP and Carr, Riggs & Ingram, LLC a letter, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, addressed to the Underwriters and dated the date hereof (i) confirming that they are independent public accountants within the meaning of the Securities Act and are in compliance with the applicable requirements relating to the qualification of accountants under Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X of the Commission, and (ii) stating, as of the date hereof (or, with respect to matters involving changes or developments since the respective dates as of which specified financial information is given in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, as of a date not more than three days prior to the date hereof), the conclusions and findings of such firm with respect to the financial information and other matters ordinarily covered by accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters in connection with registered public offerings.

(g) With respect to the letter of each of KPMG LLP and Carr, Riggs & Ingram, LLC referred to in the preceding paragraph and delivered to the Representatives concurrently with the execution of this Agreement (each, an “ initial letter ”), the Partnership shall have furnished to the Representatives a letter (each, a “ bring-down letter ”) of such accountants, addressed to the Underwriters and dated such Delivery Date (i) confirming that they are independent public accountants within the meaning of the Securities Act and are in compliance with the applicable requirements relating to the qualification of accountants under Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X of the Commission, (ii) stating, as of the date of the applicable bring-down letter (or, with respect to matters involving changes or developments since the respective dates as of which specified financial information is given in the Prospectus, as of a date not more than three days prior to the date of the applicable bring-down letter), the conclusions and findings of such

 

28


firm with respect to the financial information and other matters covered by the applicable initial letter, and (iii) confirming in all material respects the conclusions and findings set forth in the applicable initial letter.

(h) The Partnership Parties shall have furnished to the Representatives a certificate, dated such Delivery Date, of the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer of such Partnership Party as to such matters as the Representatives may reasonably request, including, without limitation, a statement that:

(i) the representations, warranties and agreements of the Partnership Parties in Section 1 are true and correct on and as of such Delivery Date, and the Partnership Parties have complied with all their agreements contained herein and satisfied all the conditions on their part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to such Delivery Date;

(ii) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued; and no proceedings or examination for that purpose have been instituted or, to the knowledge of such officers, threatened; and

(iii) they have examined the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Pricing Disclosure Package, and, in their opinion, (A) (1) the Registration Statement, as of the Effective Date, (2) the Prospectus, as of its date and on the applicable Delivery Date, and (3) the Pricing Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time, did not and do not contain any untrue statement of a material fact and did not and do not omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (except in the case of the Registration Statement, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, and (B) since the Effective Date, no event has occurred that should have been set forth in a supplement or amendment to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that has not been so set forth.

(i) Except as described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, (i) none of the Partnership Entities shall have sustained, since the date of the latest audited financial statements included in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, any loss or interference with their business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, or (ii) since such date there shall not have been any change in the capitalization or long-term debt of the Partnership or any of its subsidiaries or any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in or affecting the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, members’/partners’ capital, properties, management, business or prospects of the Partnership and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, the effect of which, in any such case described in clause (i) or (ii), is, individually or in the aggregate, in the judgment of the Representatives, so material and adverse as to make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the Units being delivered on such Delivery Date on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus.

 

29


(j) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement there shall not have occurred any of the following: (i) (A) trading in securities generally on any securities exchange that has registered with the Commission under Section 6 of the Exchange Act (including the New York Stock Exchange, The NASDAQ Global Select Market, The NASDAQ Global Market or The NASDAQ Capital Market), or (B) trading in any securities of the Partnership on any exchange or in the over-the-counter market, shall have been suspended or materially limited or the settlement of such trading generally shall have been materially disrupted or minimum prices shall have been established on any such exchange or such market by the Commission, by such exchange or by any other regulatory body or governmental authority having jurisdiction, (ii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities shall have been declared by federal or state authorities, (iii) the United States shall have become engaged in hostilities, there shall have been an escalation in hostilities involving the United States or there shall have been a declaration of a national emergency or war by the United States, or (iv) there shall have occurred such a material adverse change in general economic, political or financial conditions, including, without limitation, as a result of terrorist activities after the date hereof (or the effect of international conditions on the financial markets in the United States shall be such), as to make it, in the judgment of the Representatives, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or delivery of the Units being delivered on such Delivery Date on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus.

(k) The New York Stock Exchange shall have approved the Units for listing, subject only to official notice of issuance and evidence of satisfactory distribution.

(l) The Lock-Up Agreements between the Representatives and the officers, directors and unitholders of the Partnership Parties set forth on Schedule VI, delivered to the Representatives on or before the date of this Agreement, shall be in full force and effect on such Delivery Date.

(m) On or prior to each Delivery Date, the Partnership Parties shall have furnished to the Underwriters such further certificates and documents as the Representatives may reasonably request.

All opinions, letters, evidence and certificates mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall be deemed to be in compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters.

8. Indemnification and Contribution .

(a) The Partnership Parties hereby agree to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its directors, officers, employees, and the agents of each Underwriter who have or who are alleged to have participated in the distribution of the Units as underwriters (collectively, the “selling agents”), and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and each affiliate of such Underwriter who has or is alleged to have participated in the offering of the Units (each such affiliate, a “ Participating Affiliate ”) from and against any loss, claim, damage or liability, joint or several, or any action in

 

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respect thereof (including, but not limited to, any loss, claim, damage, liability or action relating to purchases and sales of Units), to which that Underwriter, Participating Affiliate, director, officer, employee, selling agent or controlling person may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or action arises out of, or is based upon, (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in (A) any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto, (B) any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto, (C) any Permitted Issuer Information used or referred to in any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) used or referred to by any Underwriter, (D) any materials or information provided to investors by, or with the approval of, the Partnership in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Units, including any “road show” (as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act) not constituting an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication (“ Marketing Materials ”), or (E) any Blue Sky application or other document prepared or executed by the Partnership (or based upon any written information furnished by any Partnership Party for use therein) specifically for the purpose of qualifying any or all of the Units under the securities laws of any state or other jurisdiction (any such application, document or information being hereinafter called a “ Blue Sky Application ”) or (ii) the omission or alleged omission to state in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any Permitted Issuer Information, any Marketing Materials or any Blue Sky Application, any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (except in the case of the Registration Statement, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, and shall reimburse each Underwriter and each such Participating Affiliate, director, officer, employee, selling agent or controlling person promptly upon demand for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by that Underwriter, Participating Affiliate, director, officer, employee, selling agent or controlling person in connection with investigating or defending or preparing to defend against any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action as such expenses are incurred; provided , however , that the Partnership Parties shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action arises out of, or is based upon, any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any such amendment or supplement thereto or in any Permitted Issuer Information, any Marketing Materials or any Blue Sky Application, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information concerning such Underwriter furnished to the Partnership through the Representatives by or on behalf of any Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein, which information consists solely of the information specified in Section 8(e). The foregoing indemnity agreement is in addition to any liability which the Partnership Parties may otherwise have to any Underwriter or to any Participating Affiliate, director, officer, employee, selling agent or controlling person of that Underwriter.

(b) Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, shall indemnify and hold harmless each Partnership Party, its directors (including director nominees), officers, employees and each person, if any, who controls such Partnership Party within the

 

31


meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any loss, claim, damage or liability, joint or several, or any action in respect thereof, to which such Partnership Party or any such director, officer, employee or controlling person may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or action arises out of, or is based upon, (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any Marketing Materials or Blue Sky Application, or (ii) the omission or alleged omission to state in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any Marketing Materials or Blue Sky Application, any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (except in the case of the Registration Statement, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, but in each case only to the extent that the untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information concerning such Underwriter furnished to the Partnership through the Representatives by or on behalf of that Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein, which information is limited to the information set forth in Section 8(e). The foregoing indemnity agreement is in addition to any liability that any Underwriter may otherwise have to such Partnership Party or any such director, officer, employee or controlling person.

(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 8 of notice of any claim or the commencement of any action, the indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under this Section 8, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the claim or the commencement of that action; provided , however , that the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have under this Section 8 except to the extent it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights and defenses) by such failure and, provided , further , that the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have to an indemnified party otherwise than under this Section 8. If any such claim or action shall be brought against an indemnified party, and it shall notify the indemnifying party thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it wishes, jointly with any other similarly notified indemnifying party, to assume the defense thereof with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party. After notice from the indemnifying party to the indemnified party of its election to assume the defense of such claim or action, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to the indemnified party under this Section 8 for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by the indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation; provided , however , that the indemnified party shall have the right to employ counsel to represent jointly the indemnified party and those other indemnified parties and their respective directors, officers, employees and controlling persons who may be subject to liability arising out of any claim in respect of which indemnity may be sought under this Section 8 if (i) the indemnified party and the indemnifying party shall have so mutually agreed; (ii) the indemnifying party has failed within a reasonable time to retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party; (iii) the indemnified party and its

 

32


directors, officers, employees and controlling persons shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to them that are different from or in addition to those available to the indemnifying party; or (iv) the named parties in any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the indemnified parties or their respective directors, officers, employees or controlling persons, on the one hand, and the indemnifying party, on the other hand, and representation of both sets of parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them, and in any such event the fees and expenses of such separate counsel shall be paid by the indemnifying party; (it being understood, however, that the indemnifying party shall not be liable for the expense of more than one separate counsel (in addition to local counsel) in any one action, suit or proceeding or series of related actions, suits or proceedings in the same jurisdiction representing the indemnified parties who are parties to such action, suit or proceeding). No indemnifying party shall (x) without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any pending or threatened claim, action, suit or proceeding in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties to such claim or action) unless such settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such claim, action, suit or proceeding and does not include a statement as to, or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party, or (y) be liable for any settlement of any such action effected without its written consent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), but if settled with the consent of the indemnifying party or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff in any such action, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify and hold harmless any indemnified party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by Section 8(a) or (b) hereof, the indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 30 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request and (ii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance with such request or disputed in good faith the indemnified party’s entitlement to such reimbursement prior to the date of such settlement.

(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 8 shall for any reason be unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under Section 8(a), 8(b), or 8(f) in respect of any loss, claim, damage or liability, or any action in respect thereof, referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party, contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, (i) in such proportion as shall be appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Partnership Parties, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, from the offering of the Units, or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Partnership Parties, on the

 

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one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, with respect to the statements or omissions that resulted in such loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Partnership Parties, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, with respect to such offering shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering of the Units purchased under this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Partnership Parties, as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus, on the one hand, and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters with respect to the Units purchased under this Agreement, as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus, on the other hand. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Partnership Parties or the Underwriters, the intent of the parties and their relative knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Partnership Parties and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this Section 8(e) were to be determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account the equitable considerations referred to herein. The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, referred to above in this Section 8(e) shall be deemed to include, for purposes of this Section 8(e), any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 8(e), in no event shall an Underwriter be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by such Underwriter with respect to the offering of the Units exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters’ obligations to contribute as provided in this Section 8(e) are several in proportion to their respective underwriting obligations and not joint.

(e) The Underwriters severally confirm and the Partnership Parties acknowledge and agree that the statements regarding delivery of Units by the Underwriters set forth on the cover page of, and the concession and reallowance figures and the paragraph relating to stabilization by the Underwriters appearing under the caption “Underwriting” in, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus are correct and constitute the only information concerning such Underwriters furnished in writing to the Partnership Parties by or on behalf of the Underwriters specifically for inclusion in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any Marketing Materials.

 

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9. Defaulting Underwriters .

(a) If, on any Delivery Date, any Underwriter defaults in its obligations to purchase the Units that it has agreed to purchase under this Agreement, the remaining non-defaulting Underwriters may in their discretion arrange for the purchase of such Units by the non-defaulting Underwriters or other persons satisfactory to the Partnership on the terms contained in this Agreement. If, within 36 hours after any such default by any Underwriter, the non-defaulting Underwriters do not arrange for the purchase of such Units, then the Partnership shall be entitled to a further period of 36 hours within which to procure other persons satisfactory to the non-defaulting Underwriters to purchase such Units on such terms. In the event that within the respective prescribed periods, the non-defaulting Underwriters notify the Partnership that they have so arranged for the purchase of such Units, or the Partnership notifies the non-defaulting Underwriters that it has so arranged for the purchase of such Units, either the non-defaulting Underwriters or the Partnership may postpone such Delivery Date for up to seven full business days in order to effect any changes that in the opinion of counsel for the Partnership or counsel for the Underwriters may be necessary in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or in any other document or arrangement, and the Partnership agrees to promptly prepare any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or in any such other document or arrangement that effects any such changes. As used in this Agreement, the term “Underwriter” includes, for all purposes of this Agreement unless the context requires otherwise, any party not listed in Schedule I hereto that, pursuant to this Section 9, purchases Units that a defaulting Underwriter agreed but failed to purchase.

(b) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Units of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Partnership as provided in paragraph (a) above, the total number of Units that remains unpurchased does not exceed one-eleventh of the total number of Units, then the Partnership shall have the right to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the total number of Units that such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder plus such Underwriter’s pro rata share (based on the total number of Units that such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder) of the Units of such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters for which such arrangements have not been made; provided that the non-defaulting Underwriters shall not be obligated to purchase more than 110% of the total number of Units that it agreed to purchase on such Delivery Date pursuant to the terms of Section 2.

(c) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Units of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Partnership as provided in paragraph (a) above, the total number of Units that remains unpurchased exceeds one-eleventh of the total number of Units, or if the Partnership shall not exercise the right described in paragraph (b) above, then this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of the non-defaulting Underwriters. Any termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 9 shall be without liability on the part of the Partnership Parties, except that the Partnership Parties will continue to be liable for the payment of expenses as set forth in Sections 6 and 11 and except that the provisions of Section 8 shall not terminate and shall remain in effect.

(d) Nothing contained herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter of any liability it may have to the Partnership Parties or any non-defaulting Underwriter for damages caused by its default.

 

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10. Termination . The obligations of the Underwriters hereunder may be terminated by the Representatives by notice given to and received by the Partnership prior to delivery of and payment for the Firm Units if, prior to that time, any of the events described in Sections 7(i) or 7(j) shall have occurred or if the Underwriters shall decline to purchase the Units for any reason permitted under this Agreement.

11. Reimbursement of Underwriters’ Expenses . If (a) the Partnership shall fail to tender the Units for delivery to the Underwriters for any reason, or (b) the Underwriters shall decline to purchase the Units for any reason permitted under this Agreement (other than Sections 7(j)(i)(A), (j)(ii), (j)(iii) or (j)(iv)), the Partnership Parties will reimburse the Underwriters for all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses (including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters) incurred by the Underwriters in connection with this Agreement and the proposed purchase of the Units, and upon demand the Partnership Parties shall pay the full amount thereof to the Representatives; provided, however, that such obligations of the Partnership Parties pursuant to clause (a) hereof shall not extend to a defaulting Underwriter. If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 9 by reason of the default of one or more Underwriters, the Partnership Parties shall not be obligated to reimburse any defaulting Underwriter on account of those expenses.

12. Research Analyst Independence. The Partnership Parties acknowledge that the Underwriters’ research analysts and research departments are required to be independent from their respective investment banking divisions and are subject to certain regulations and internal policies, and that such Underwriters’ research analysts may hold views and make statements or investment recommendations and/or publish research reports with respect to the Partnership and/or the offering that differ from the views of their respective investment banking divisions. The Partnership Parties hereby waive and release, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims that they may have against the Underwriters with respect to any conflict of interest that may arise from the fact that the views expressed by their independent research analysts and research departments may be different from or inconsistent with the views or advice communicated to the Partnership Parties by such Underwriters’ investment banking divisions. The Partnership Parties acknowledge that each of the Underwriters is a full service securities firm and as such from time to time, subject to applicable securities laws, may effect transactions for its own account or the account of its customers and hold long or short positions in debt or equity securities of the companies that may be the subject of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

13. No Fiduciary Duty . The Partnership Parties acknowledge and agree that in connection with this offering, sale of the Units or any other services the Underwriters may be deemed to be providing hereunder, notwithstanding any preexisting relationship, advisory or otherwise, between the parties or any oral representations or assurances previously or subsequently made by the Underwriters: (a) no fiduciary or agency relationship between the Partnership Parties and any other person, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, exists; (b) the Underwriters are not acting as advisors, expert or otherwise, to the Partnership

 

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Parties, including, without limitation, with respect to the determination of the public offering price of the Units, and such relationship between the Partnership Parties, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, is entirely and solely commercial, based on arms-length negotiations; (c) any duties and obligations that the Underwriters may have to the Partnership Parties shall be limited to those duties and obligations specifically stated herein; and (d) the Underwriters and their respective affiliates may have interests that differ from those of the Partnership Parties. The Partnership Parties hereby waive any claims that they may have against the Underwriters with respect to any breach of fiduciary duty in connection with this offering.

14. Notices, etc . All statements, requests, notices and agreements hereunder shall be in writing, and:

(a) if to the Underwriters, shall be delivered or sent by mail or facsimile transmission to Barclays Capital Inc., 745 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York 10019, Attention: Syndicate Registration (Fax: (646) 834-8133), with a copy, in the case of any notice pursuant to Section 8(c), to the Director of Litigation, Office of the General Counsel, Barclays Capital Inc., 745 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York 10019; and

(b) if to any Partnership Party, shall be delivered or sent by mail or facsimile transmission to the address of the Partnership set forth in the Registration Statement, Attention: General Counsel (Fax: (240) 482-3774).

Any such statements, requests, notices or agreements shall take effect at the time of receipt thereof. The Partnership Parties shall be entitled to act and rely upon any request, consent, notice or agreement given or made on behalf of the Underwriters by Barclays Capital Inc. on behalf of the Representatives.

15. Persons Entitled to Benefit of Agreement . This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Underwriters, the Partnership Parties and their respective successors. This Agreement and the terms and provisions hereof are for the sole benefit of only those persons, except that (a) the representations, warranties, indemnities and agreements of the Partnership Parties contained in this Agreement shall also be deemed to be for the benefit of the directors, officers and employees of the Underwriters and each person or persons, if any, who control any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act, and (b) the indemnity agreement of the Underwriters contained in Section 8(b) of this Agreement shall be deemed to be for the benefit of the directors of the Partnership Parties, the officers of the General Partner who have signed the Registration Statement and any person controlling the Partnership Parties within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act. Nothing in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person, other than the persons referred to in this Section 15, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision contained herein.

16. Survival . The respective indemnities, rights of contribution, representations, warranties and agreements of the Partnership Parties and the Underwriters contained in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of them, respectively, pursuant to this Agreement, shall survive the delivery of and payment for the Units and shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any of them or any person controlling any of them.

 

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17. Definition of the Terms “Business Day”, “Affiliate” and “Subsidiary” . For purposes of this Agreement, (a) “ business day ” means each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday that is not a day on which banking institutions in New York are generally authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close, and (b) “ affiliate ” and “ subsidiary ” have the meanings set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

18. Governing Law . This Agreement and any claim, controversy or dispute arising under or related to this Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York without regard to conflict of laws principles (other than Section 5-1401 of the General Obligations Law).

19. Waiver of Jury Trial . The Partnership Parties and the Underwriters hereby irrevocably waive, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

20. Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts and, if executed in more than one counterpart, the executed counterparts shall each be deemed to be an original but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument.

21. Headings . The headings herein are inserted for convenience of reference only and are not intended to be part of, or to affect the meaning or interpretation of, this Agreement.

[Signature pages follow.]

 

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If the foregoing correctly sets forth the agreement among the Partnership Parties and the Underwriters, please indicate your acceptance in the space provided for that purpose below.

 

Very truly yours,
ENVIVA HOLDINGS, LP
By: Enviva Holdings GP, LLC, as its sole general partner
By:

/s/ William H. Schmidt, Jr.

Name: William H. Schmidt, Jr.
Title: Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
ENVIVA MLP HOLDCO, LLC
By:

/s/ William H. Schmidt, Jr.

Name: William H. Schmidt, Jr.
Title: Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
ENVIVA PARTNERS GP, LLC
By:

/s/ William H. Schmidt, Jr.

Name: William H. Schmidt, Jr.
Title: Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
ENVIVA PARTNERS, LP
By: Enviva Partners GP, LLC, as its sole general partner
By:

/s/ William H. Schmidt, Jr.

Name: William H. Schmidt, Jr.
Title: Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

 

[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]


ENVIVA GP, LLC
By:

/s/ William H. Schmidt, Jr.

Name: William H. Schmidt, Jr.
Title: Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
ENVIVA, LP
By: Enviva GP, LLC, as its sole general partner
By:

/s/ William H. Schmidt, Jr.

Name: William H. Schmidt, Jr.
Title: Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

 

[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]


Accepted:
B ARCLAYS C APITAL I NC .
G OLDMAN , S ACHS  & C O .
RBC C APITAL M ARKETS , LLC
C ITIGROUP G LOBAL M ARKETS I NC .
For themselves and as Representatives of the several Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto
By: B ARCLAYS C APITAL I NC .
By:

/s/ Victoria Hale

Name: Victoria Hale
Title: Vice President
By: G OLDMAN , S ACHS  & C O .
By:

/s/ Adam Greene

Name: Adam Greene
Title: Vice President
By: RBC C APITAL M ARKETS , LLC
By:

/s/ Jennifer Caruso

Name: Jennifer Caruso
Title: Managing Director
By: C ITIGROUP G LOBAL M ARKETS I NC .
By:

/s/ Michael Dorenfeld

Name: Michael Dorenfeld
Title: Director

 

[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]


SCHEDULE I

 

Underwriters

   Number of Firm Units  

Barclays Capital Inc.

     2,650,000   

Goldman, Sachs & Co.

     2,650,000   

RBC Capital Markets, LLC

     1,500,000   

Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

     1,500,000   

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

     500,000   

Raymond James & Associates, Inc.

     500,000   

Mitsubishi UFJ Securities (USA), Inc.

     350,000   

USCA Securities LLC

     350,000   
  

 

 

 

Total

  10,000,000   
  

 

 

 

 

Schedule I


SCHEDULE II

ORALLY CONVEYED PRICING INFORMATION

1. Public offering price : 20.00

2. Number of Common Units offered : 10,000,000

 

Schedule II


SCHEDULE III

WRITTEN TESTING-THE-WATERS COMMUNICATIONS

 

1. Enviva Partners, LP Testing the Waters Presentation dated January 2015

 

Schedule III


SCHEDULE IV

ISSUER FREE WRITING PROSPECTUSES – ROAD SHOW MATERIALS

Electronic roadshow as made available on http://www.netroadshow.com.

 

Schedule IV


SCHEDULE VI

PERSONS DELIVERING LOCK-UP AGREEMENTS

Directors/Director Nominees

Ralph C. Alexander

Robin J. A. Duggan

John C. Bumgarner, Jr.

Michael B. Hoffman

John K. Keppler

William K. Reilly

Carl L. Williams

Janet S. Wong

Officers

James P. Geraghty

John K. Keppler

Thomas Meth

Stephen F. Reeves

William H. Schmidt, Jr.

E. Royal Smith

 

Schedule VI


EXHIBIT A

FORM OF LOCK-UP LETTER AGREEMENT

B ARCLAYS C APITAL I NC .

G OLDMAN , S ACHS  & C O .

RBC C APITAL M ARKETS , LLC

C ITIGROUP G LOBAL M ARKETS I NC .

As Representatives of the several

Underwriters named in Schedule I to the Underwriting Agreement,

c/o Barclays Capital Inc.

745 Seventh Avenue

New York, New York 10019

Ladies and Gentlemen:

The undersigned understands that you and certain other firms (the “ Underwriters ”) propose to enter into an Underwriting Agreement (the “ Underwriting Agreement ”) providing for the purchase by the Underwriters of common units representing limited partner interests (“ Common Units ”) in Enviva Partners, LP, a Delaware limited partnership (the “ Partnership ”), and that the Underwriters propose to reoffer the Common Units to the public (the “ Offering ”).

In consideration of the execution of the Underwriting Agreement by the Underwriters, and for other good and valuable consideration, the undersigned hereby irrevocably agrees that, without the prior written consent of Barclays Capital Inc., on behalf of the Underwriters, the undersigned will not, directly or indirectly, (1) offer for sale, sell, pledge, or otherwise dispose of (or enter into any transaction or device that is designed to, or could be expected to, result in the disposition by any person at any time in the future of) any Common Units (including, without limitation, Common Units that may be deemed to be beneficially owned by the undersigned in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and Common Units that may be issued upon exercise of any options or warrants) or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Units, (2) enter into any swap or other derivatives transaction that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of Common Units, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Units or other securities, in cash or otherwise, (3) make any demand for or exercise any right or cause to be filed a registration statement, including any amendments thereto, with respect to the registration of any Common Units or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Units or any other securities of the Partnership or (4) publicly disclose the intention to do any of the foregoing for a period commencing on the date hereof and ending on the 180th day after the date of the Prospectus relating to the Offering (such 180-day period, the “ Lock-Up Period ”).

 

Exhibit A-1


The foregoing paragraph shall not apply to (a) transactions relating to Common Units or other securities acquired in the open market after the completion of the offering, (b) bona fide gifts, sales or other dispositions of any class of the Partnership’s capital stock, in each case that are made exclusively between and among the undersigned or members of the undersigned’s family, or affiliates of the undersigned, including its partners (if a partnership) or members (if a limited liability company); provided that it shall be a condition to any transfer pursuant to this clause (b) that (i) the transferee/donee agrees to be bound by the terms of this Lock-Up Letter Agreement (including, without limitation, the restrictions set forth in the preceding sentence) to the same extent as if the transferee/donee were a party hereto, (ii) each party (donor, donee, transferor or transferee) shall not be required by law (including without limitation the disclosure requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act ”), and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “ Exchange Act ”) to make, and shall agree to not voluntarily make, any filing or public announcement of the transfer or disposition prior to the expiration of the Lock-Up Period, and (iii) the undersigned notifies Barclays Capital Inc. at least two business days prior to the proposed transfer or disposition, (c) the exercise of warrants or the exercise of options granted pursuant to the Partnership’s option/incentive plans or otherwise outstanding on the date hereof; provided , that the restrictions shall apply to Common Units issued upon such exercise or conversion, (d) the establishment of any contract, instruction or plan that satisfies all of the requirements of Rule 10b5-1 (a “ Rule 10b5-1 Plan ”) under the Exchange Act; provided , however , that no sales of Common Units or securities convertible into, or exchangeable or exercisable for, Common Units, shall be made pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 Plan prior to the expiration of the Lock-Up Period; provided further , that the Partnership is not required to report the establishment of such Rule 10b5-1 Plan in any public report or filing with the Commission under the Exchange Act during the Lock-Up Period and does not otherwise voluntarily effect any such public filing or report regarding such Rule 10b5-1 Plan, and (e) any demands or requests for, any exercise of any right with respect to, or the taking of any action in preparation of, the registration by the Partnership under the Securities Act of the undersigned’s Common Units; provided that no transfer of the undersigned’s Common Units registered pursuant to the exercise of any such right and no registration statement shall be filed under the Securities Act with respect to any of the undersigned’s Common Units during the Lock-Up Period.

If the undersigned is an officer or director of the Partnership’s general partner, the undersigned agrees that the foregoing provisions shall be equally applicable to any issuer-directed Common Units, as referred to in FINRA Rule 5131(d)(2)(A) that the undersigned may purchase in the Offering pursuant to an allocation of Common Units that is directed in writing by the Partnership.

In furtherance of the foregoing, the Partnership and its transfer agent are hereby authorized to decline to make any transfer of securities if such transfer would constitute a violation or breach of this Lock-Up Letter Agreement.

It is understood that, if the Partnership notifies the Underwriters that it does not intend to proceed with the Offering, if the Underwriting Agreement does not

 

Exhibit A-2


become effective, or if the Underwriting Agreement (other than the provisions thereof which survive termination) shall terminate or be terminated prior to payment for and delivery of the Common Units, the undersigned will be released from its obligations under this Lock-Up Letter Agreement.

The undersigned understands that the Partnership and the Underwriters will proceed with the Offering in reliance on this Lock-Up Letter Agreement.

Whether or not the Offering actually occurs depends on a number of factors, including market conditions. Any Offering will only be made pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement, the terms of which are subject to negotiation between the Partnership and the Underwriters.

This Lock-Up Letter Agreement shall automatically terminate upon the termination of the Underwriting Agreement before the sale of any Common Units to the Underwriters.

[Signature page follows]

 

Exhibit A-3


The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that the undersigned has full power and authority to enter into this Lock-Up Letter Agreement and that, upon request, the undersigned will execute any additional documents necessary in connection with the enforcement hereof. Any obligations of the undersigned shall be binding upon the heirs, personal representatives, successors and assigns of the undersigned.

 

Very truly yours,
By:

 

Name:
Title:

 

Dated:

 

 

Exhibit A-4

Exhibit 3.1

 

 

 

FIRST AMENDED AND RESTATED

AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP

OF

ENVIVA PARTNERS, LP

 

 

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

 

Section 1.1

Definitions

  1   

Section 1.2

Construction

  24   
ARTICLE II   
ORGANIZATION   

Section 2.1

Formation

  24   

Section 2.2

Name

  25   

Section 2.3

Registered Office; Registered Agent; Principal Office; Other Offices

  25   

Section 2.4

Purpose and Business

  25   

Section 2.5

Powers

  25   

Section 2.6

Term

  25   

Section 2.7

Title to Partnership Assets

  26   
ARTICLE III   
RIGHTS OF LIMITED PARTNERS   

Section 3.1

Limitation of Liability

  26   

Section 3.2

Management of Business

  26   

Section 3.3

Outside Activities of the Limited Partners

  27   

Section 3.4

Rights of Limited Partners

  27   
ARTICLE IV   
CERTIFICATES; RECORD HOLDERS; TRANSFER OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS; REDEMPTION OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS    

Section 4.1

Certificates

  28   

Section 4.2

Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Certificates

  28   

Section 4.3

Record Holders

  29   

Section 4.4

Transfer Generally

  29   

Section 4.5

Registration and Transfer of Limited Partner Interests

  30   

Section 4.6

Transfer of the General Partner’s General Partner Interest

  31   

Section 4.7

Restrictions on Transfers

  31   

Section 4.8

Eligibility Certificates; Ineligible Holders

  32   

Section 4.9

Redemption of Partnership Interests of Ineligible Holders

  33   

 

-i-


ARTICLE V   
CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS AND ISSUANCE OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS   

Section 5.1

Organizational Contributions

  34   

Section 5.2

Contributions by the General Partner and its Affiliates

  35   

Section 5.3

Recapitalization by the Partnership

  35   

Section 5.4

Contributions by Initial Limited Partners

  35   

Section 5.5

Interest and Withdrawal

  35   

Section 5.6

Capital Accounts

  35   

Section 5.7

Issuances of Additional Partnership Interests and Derivative Instruments

  39   

Section 5.8

Conversion of Subordinated Units

  40   

Section 5.9

Limited Preemptive Right

  40   

Section 5.10

Splits and Combinations

  40   

Section 5.11

Fully Paid and Non-Assessable Nature of Limited Partner Interests

  41   

Section 5.12

Issuance of Common Units in Connection with Reset of Incentive Distribution Rights

  41   
ARTICLE VI   
ALLOCATIONS AND DISTRIBUTIONS   

Section 6.1

Allocations for Capital Account Purposes

  43   

Section 6.2

Allocations for Tax Purposes

  54   

Section 6.3

Distributions; Characterization of Distributions; Distributions to Record Holders

  56   

Section 6.4

Distributions from Operating Surplus

  57   

Section 6.5

Distributions from Capital Surplus

  58   

Section 6.6

Adjustment of Target Distribution Levels

  58   

Section 6.7

Special Provisions Relating to the Holders of Subordinated Units

  59   

Section 6.8

Special Provisions Relating to the Holders of IDR Reset Common Units

  59   

Section 6.9

Entity-Level Taxation

  60   
ARTICLE VII   
MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION OF BUSINESS   

Section 7.1

Management

  61   

Section 7.2

Replacement of Fiduciary Duties

  63   

Section 7.3

Certificate of Limited Partnership

  63   

Section 7.4

Restrictions on the General Partner’s Authority

  63   

Section 7.5

Reimbursement of the General Partner

  64   

Section 7.6

Outside Activities

  65   

Section 7.7

Indemnification

  65   

Section 7.8

Limitation of Liability of Indemnitees

  67   

Section 7.9

Resolution of Conflicts of Interest; Standards of Conduct and Modification of Duties

  68   

Section 7.10

Other Matters Concerning the General Partner

  70   

 

-ii-


Section 7.11

Purchase or Sale of Partnership Interests

  70   

Section 7.12

Registration Rights of the General Partner and its Affiliates

  71   

Section 7.13

Reliance by Third Parties

  73   
ARTICLE VIII   
BOOKS, RECORDS, ACCOUNTING AND REPORTS   

Section 8.1

Records and Accounting

  74   

Section 8.2

Fiscal Year

  74   

Section 8.3

Reports

  74   
ARTICLE IX   
TAX MATTERS   

Section 9.1

Tax Returns and Information

  75   

Section 9.2

Tax Elections

  75   

Section 9.3

Tax Controversies

  75   

Section 9.4

Withholding; Tax Payments

  76   
ARTICLE X   
ADMISSION OF PARTNERS   

Section 10.1

Admission of Limited Partners

  76   

Section 10.2

Admission of Successor General Partner

  77   

Section 10.3

Amendment of Agreement and Certificate of Limited Partnership

  77   
ARTICLE XI   
WITHDRAWAL OR REMOVAL OF PARTNERS   

Section 11.1

Withdrawal of the General Partner

  78   

Section 11.2

Removal of the General Partner

  79   

Section 11.3

Interest of Departing General Partner and Successor General Partner

  80   

Section 11.4

Conversion of Subordinated Units

  81   

Section 11.5

Withdrawal of Limited Partners

  82   
ARTICLE XII   
DISSOLUTION AND LIQUIDATION   

Section 12.1

Dissolution

  82   

Section 12.2

Continuation of the Business of the Partnership After Dissolution

  82   

Section 12.3

Liquidator

  83   

Section 12.4

Liquidation

  84   

Section 12.5

Cancellation of Certificate of Limited Partnership

  84   

Section 12.6

Return of Contributions

  84   

Section 12.7

Waiver of Partition

  85   

Section 12.8

Capital Account Restoration

  85   

 

-iii-


ARTICLE XIII   
AMENDMENT OF PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT; MEETINGS; RECORD DATE   

Section 13.1

Amendments to be Adopted Solely by the General Partner

  85   

Section 13.2

Amendment Procedures

  86   

Section 13.3

Amendment Requirements

  87   

Section 13.4

Special Meetings

  88   

Section 13.5

Notice of a Meeting

  88   

Section 13.6

Record Date

  88   

Section 13.7

Postponement and Adjournment

  89   

Section 13.8

Waiver of Notice; Approval of Meeting; Approval of Minutes

  89   

Section 13.9

Quorum and Voting

  89   

Section 13.10

Conduct of a Meeting

  90   

Section 13.11

Action Without a Meeting

  90   

Section 13.12

Right to Vote and Related Matters

  91   

Section 13.13

Voting of Incentive Distribution Rights

  91   
ARTICLE XIV   
MERGER OR CONSOLIDATION   

Section 14.1

Authority

  92   

Section 14.2

Procedure for Merger or Consolidation

  92   

Section 14.3

Approval by Limited Partners

  93   

Section 14.4

Certificate of Merger

  95   

Section 14.5

Effect of Merger or Consolidation

  95   
ARTICLE XV   
RIGHT TO ACQUIRE LIMITED PARTNER INTERESTS   

Section 15.1

Right to Acquire Limited Partner Interests

  95   
ARTICLE XVI   
GENERAL PROVISIONS   

Section 16.1

Addresses and Notices; Written Communications

  97   

Section 16.2

Further Action

  98   

Section 16.3

Binding Effect

  98   

Section 16.4

Integration

  98   

Section 16.5

Creditors

  98   

Section 16.6

Waiver

  98   

Section 16.7

Third-Party Beneficiaries

  98   

Section 16.8

Counterparts

  98   

Section 16.9

Applicable Law; Forum; Venue and Jurisdiction Waiver of Trial by Jury

  98   

Section 16.10

Invalidity of Provisions

  99   

Section 16.11

Consent of Partners

  100   

Section 16.12

Facsimile Signatures

  100   

 

-iv-


FIRST AMENDED AND RESTATED AGREEMENT

OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP OF ENVIVA PARTNERS, LP

THIS FIRST AMENDED AND RESTATED AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP OF ENVIVA PARTNERS, LP, dated as of May 4, 2015, is entered into by Enviva Partners GP, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, as the General 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.

Additional Book Basis ” means, with respect to any Adjusted Property, the portion of the Carrying Value of such Adjusted Property that is attributable to positive adjustments made to such Carrying Value, as determined in accordance with the provisions set forth below in this definition of Additional Book Basis. For purposes of determining the extent to which Carrying Value constitutes Additional Book Basis:

(a) Any negative adjustment made to the Carrying Value of an Adjusted Property as a result of either a Book-Down Event or a Book-Up Event shall first be deemed to offset or decrease that portion of the Carrying Value of such Adjusted Property that is attributable to any prior positive adjustments made thereto pursuant to a Book-Up Event or Book-Down Event.

(b) If Carrying Value that constitutes Additional Book Basis is reduced as a result of a Book-Down Event (an “ Additional Book Basis Reduction ”) and the Carrying Value of other property is increased as a result of such Book-Down Event (a “ Carrying Value Increase ”), then any such Carrying Value Increase shall be treated as Additional Book Basis in an amount equal to the lesser of (a) the amount of such Carrying Value Increase and (b) the amount determined by proportionately allocating the Carrying Value Increases resulting from such Book-Down Event the lesser of (I) the aggregate Additional Book Basis Reductions resulting from such Book-Down Event and (II) the amount by which the Aggregate Remaining Net Positive Adjustments after such Book-Down Event exceed the remaining Additional Book Basis attributable to all of the Partnership’s Adjusted Property after such Book-Down Event (determined without regard to the application of this clause (b) to such Book-Down Event).

Additional Book Basis Derivative Items ” means any Book Basis Derivative Items that are computed with reference to Additional Book Basis. To the extent that the Additional Book Basis attributable to all of the Partnership’s Adjusted Property as of the beginning of any taxable period exceeds the Aggregate Remaining Net Positive Adjustments as of the beginning of such period (the “ Excess Additional Book Basis ”), the Additional Book Basis Derivative Items for

 

E NVIVA P ARTNERS , LP

F IRST A MENDED AND R ESTATED A GREEMENT OF L IMITED P ARTNERSHIP

 

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such period shall be reduced by the amount that bears the same ratio to the amount of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items determined without regard to this sentence as the Excess Additional Book Basis bears to the Additional Book Basis as of the beginning of such period. With respect to a Disposed of Adjusted Property, the Additional Book Basis Derivative Items shall be the amount of Additional Book Basis taken into account in computing gain or loss from the disposition of such Disposed of Adjusted Property; provided that the provisions of the immediately preceding sentence shall apply to the determination of the Additional Book Basis Derivative Items attributable to Disposed of Adjusted Property.

Adjusted Capital Account ” means, with respect to any Partner, the balance in such Partner’s Capital Account at the end of each taxable period of the Partnership, after giving effect to the following adjustments:

(a) Credit to such Capital Account any amounts which such Partner is (x) obligated to restore under the standards set by Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(c) or (y) deemed obligated to restore pursuant to the penultimate sentences of Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-2(g)(1) and 1.704-2(i)(5); and

(b) Debit to such Capital Account the items described in Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(4), 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(5) and 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(6).

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 Operating Surplus ” means, with respect to any period, (a) Operating Surplus generated with respect to such period; (b) less (i) the amount of any net increase during such period in Working Capital Borrowings (or the Partnership’s proportionate share of any net increase in Working Capital Borrowings in the case of Subsidiaries that are not wholly owned); and (ii) the amount of any net decrease during such period in cash reserves (or the Partnership’s proportionate share of any net decrease in cash reserves in the case of Subsidiaries that are not wholly owned) for Operating Expenditures not relating to an Operating Expenditure made during such period; and (c) plus (i) the amount of any net decrease during such period in Working Capital Borrowings (or the Partnership’s proportionate share of any net decrease in Working Capital Borrowings in the case of Subsidiaries that are not wholly owned); (ii) the amount of any net increase during such period in cash reserves (or the Partnership’s proportionate share of any net increase in cash reserves in the case of Subsidiaries that are not wholly owned) for Operating Expenditures required by any debt instrument for the repayment of principal, interest or premium; and (iii) the amount of any net decrease made in subsequent periods in cash reserves for Operating Expenditures initially established during such period to the extent such decrease results in a reduction in Adjusted Operating Surplus in subsequent periods pursuant to clause (b)(ii) above. Adjusted Operating Surplus does not include that portion of Operating Surplus

 

E NVIVA P ARTNERS , LP

F IRST A MENDED AND R ESTATED A GREEMENT OF L IMITED P ARTNERSHIP

 

2


included in clause (a)(i) of the definition of Operating Surplus, but does include that portion of Operating Surplus included in clause (a)(iv) of the definition of Operating Surplus. To the extent that disbursements made, cash received or cash reserves established, increased or reduced after the end of a period are included in the determination of Operating Surplus for such period (as contemplated by the proviso in the definition of “Operating Surplus”) such disbursements, cash receipts and changes in cash reserves shall be deemed to have occurred in such period (and not in any future period) for purposes of calculating increases or decreases in Working Capital Borrowings or cash reserves during such period.

Adjusted Property ” means any property the Carrying Value of which has been adjusted pursuant to Section 5.6(d).

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.

Aggregate Quantity of IDR Reset Common Units ” is defined in Section 5.12(a).

Aggregate Remaining Net Positive Adjustments ” means, as of the end of any taxable period, the sum of the Remaining Net Positive Adjustments of all the Partners.

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

Agreed Value ” of (a) a Contributed Property means the fair market value of such property at the time of contribution and (b) an Adjusted Property means the fair market value of such Adjusted Property on the date of the Revaluation Event, in each case as determined by the General Partner.

Agreement ” means this First Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Enviva Partners, 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.

Bad Faith ” means, with respect to any determination, action or omission, of any Person, board or committee, that such Person, board or committee reached such determination, or engaged in or failed to engage in such act or omission, with the belief that such determination, action or omission was adverse to the interest of the Partnership.

 

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F IRST A MENDED AND R ESTATED A GREEMENT OF L IMITED P ARTNERSHIP

 

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Board of Directors ” means the board of directors of the General Partner.

Book Basis Derivative Items ” means any item of income, deduction, gain or loss that is computed with reference to the Carrying Value of an Adjusted Property (e.g., depreciation, depletion, or gain or loss with respect to an Adjusted Property).

Book-Down Event ” means a Revaluation Event that gives rise to a Revaluation Loss.

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 5.6 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.

Book-Up Event ” means a Revaluation Event that gives rise to a Revaluation Gain.

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

Capital Account ” means the capital account maintained for a Partner pursuant to Section 5.6. The “Capital Account” of a Partner in respect of any Partnership Interest shall be the amount that such Capital Account would be if such Partnership Interest were the only interest in the Partnership held by 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).

Capital Improvement ” means any (a) addition or improvement to the assets owned by any Group Member, (b) acquisition (through an asset acquisition, merger, stock acquisition or other form of investment) of existing, or the construction or development of new, assets by any Group Member, or (c) capital contribution by a Group Member to a Person that is not a Subsidiary of a Group Member, in which a Group Member has, or after such capital contribution will have, an equity interest to fund the Group Member’s pro rata share of the cost of the acquisition of existing, or the construction or development of new or the improvement of existing, assets, in each case if such addition, improvement, acquisition, construction or development is made to increase the long-term operating capacity or net income of the

 

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4


Partnership Group from the long-term operating capacity or net income of the Partnership Group, in the case of clauses (a) and (b), or such Person, in the case of clause (c), from that existing immediately prior to such addition, improvement, acquisition or construction.

Capital Surplus ” means cash and cash equivalents distributed by the Partnership in excess of Operating Surplus, as described in Section 6.3(b).

Carrying Value ” means (a) with respect to a Contributed Property or an Adjusted Property, the Agreed Value of such property reduced (but not below zero) by all depreciation, amortization and other 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 5.6(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 is liable to the Partnership or any Limited Partner for actual fraud or willful misconduct in its capacity as a general partner of the Partnership.

Certificate ” means a certificate in such form (including in 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.

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 Eligibility Trigger ” is defined in Section 4.8(a)(ii).

claim ” (as used in Section 7.12(c)) is defined in Section 7.12(c).

Closing Date ” means the first date on which Common Units are issued and delivered 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 such 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 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

 

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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 ” is defined in Section 11.3(a).

Commences Commercial Service ” means a Capital Improvement or replacement asset is first put into commercial service by a Group Member (or other Person that is not a Subsidiary of a Group Member, as contemplated in the definition of “Capital Improvement”) following, if applicable, completion of construction, acquisition, development and testing.

Commission ” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

Common Unit ” means a Partnership Interest having the rights and obligations specified with respect to Common Units in this Agreement. The term “Common Unit” does not refer to or include any Subordinated Unit prior to its conversion into a Common Unit pursuant to the terms hereof.

Common Unit Arrearage ” means, with respect to any Common Unit, whenever issued, with respect to any Quarter wholly within the Subordination Period, the excess, if any, of (a) the Minimum Quarterly Distribution with respect to a Common Unit in respect of such Quarter over (b) the sum of all cash and cash equivalents distributed with respect to a Common Unit in respect of such Quarter pursuant to Section 6.4(a)(i).

Conflicts Committee ” means a committee of the Board of Directors composed entirely of one or more directors, each of whom is determined by the Board of Directors, after reasonable inquiry, (a) to not be an officer or employee of the General Partner (b) to not be an officer or employee of any Affiliate of the General Partner or a director of any Affiliate of the General Partner (other than any Group Member), (c) to not be a holder of any ownership interest in the General Partner or any of its Affiliates, including any Group Member, that would be likely to have an adverse impact on the ability of such director to act in an independent manner with respect to the matter submitted to the Conflicts Committee, other than Common Units and awards that are granted to such director under the LTIP, and (d) to be independent under the independence standards for 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.

 

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Construction Debt ” means debt incurred to fund (a) all or a portion of a Capital Improvement, (b) interest payments (including periodic net payments under related interest rate swap agreements) and related fees on other Construction Debt or (c) distributions paid in respect of Construction Equity, and incremental Incentive Distributions in respect thereof.

Construction Equity ” means equity issued to fund (a) all or a portion of a Capital Improvement, (b) interest payments (including periodic net payments under related interest rate swap agreements) and related fees on Construction Debt or (c) distributions paid in respect of Construction Equity, and incremental Incentive Distributions in respect thereof. Construction Equity does not include equity issued in the Initial Offering.

Construction Period ” means the period beginning on the date that a Group Member (or other Person that is not a Subsidiary of a Group Member, as contemplated in the definition of “Capital Improvement”) enters into a binding obligation to commence a Capital Improvement and ending on the earlier to occur of the date that such Capital Improvement Commences Commercial Service and the date that the Group Member (or other Person that is not a Subsidiary of a Group Member, as contemplated in the definition of “Capital Improvement”) abandons or disposes of such Capital Improvement.

Contributed Property ” means each property, 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 5.6(d), such property shall no longer constitute a Contributed Property, but shall be deemed an Adjusted Property.

Contribution Agreement ” means that certain Contribution Agreement, dated as of April 28, 2015, among the Partnership, Enviva Holdings, LP, the Organizational Limited Partner, Enviva, LP and Enviva Cottondale Acquisition I, LLC, together with the additional conveyance documents and instruments contemplated or referenced thereunder, as such may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to time.

Cumulative Common Unit Arrearage ” means, with respect to any Common Unit, whenever issued, and as of the end of any Quarter, the excess, if any, of (a) the sum of the Common Unit Arrearages with respect to an Initial Common Unit for each of the Quarters wholly within the Subordination Period ending on or before the last day of such Quarter over (b) the sum of any distributions theretofore made pursuant to Section 6.4(a)(ii) and Section 6.5(b) with respect to an Initial Common Unit (including any distributions to be made in respect of the last of such Quarters).

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

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

 

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Deferred Issuance and Distribution ” means both (a) the issuance by the Partnership of a number of additional Common Units that is equal to the excess, if any, of (x) 1,500,000 Common Units over (y) the aggregate number, if any, of Common Units actually purchased by and issued to the Underwriters pursuant to the Over-Allotment Option on the Option Closing Date(s), and (b) a reimbursement of preformation capital expenditures in an amount equal to the aggregate amount of cash, if any, contributed by the Underwriters to the Partnership on the Option Closing Date(s) with respect to Common Units issued by the Partnership upon each exercise of the Over-Allotment Option as described in Section 5.4(b), if any.

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.

Derivative Instruments ” means options, rights, warrants, appreciation rights, tracking, profit and phantom interests and other derivative instruments (other than equity interests in the Partnership) relating to, convertible into or exchangeable for Partnership Interests.

Disposed of Adjusted Property ” is defined in Section 6.1(d)(xii)(B).

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

Eligibility Certificate ” is defined in Section 4.8(b).

Eligible Holder ” means a Limited Partner, or type of Limited Partners, whose (a) U.S. federal income tax status (or lack of proof thereof), in the determination of the General Partner, does not create and is not reasonably likely to create a substantial risk of the adverse effect described in Section 4.8(a)(i) or (b) nationality, citizenship or other related status does not, in the determination of the General Partner, create a substantial risk of cancellation or forfeiture as described in Section 4.8(a)(ii). The General Partner may adopt policies and procedures for determining whether types or categories of Persons are or are not Eligible Holders. The General Partner may determine that certain Persons, or types or categories of Persons, are Eligible Holders based on its determination that (a) their U.S. federal income tax status, nationality, citizenship or other related status (or lack of proof thereof) is unlikely to create the substantial risk referenced or (b) it is in the best interest of the Partnership to permit such Persons or types or categories of Persons to own Partnership Interests notwithstanding any such risk. Any such determination may be changed by the General Partner from time to time in its discretion, and any Limited Partner may be treated as an Ineligible Holder notwithstanding that it was in a type or category of Persons determined by the General Partner to be Eligible Holders at the time such Limited Partner acquired its Limited Partner Interest.

 

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Estimated Incremental Quarterly Tax Amount ” is defined in Section 6.9.

Event Issue Value ” means, with respect to any Common Unit as of any date of determination, (i) in the case of a Revaluation Event that includes the issuance of Common Units pursuant to a public offering and solely for cash, the price paid for such Common Units, or (ii) in the case of any other Revaluation Event, the Closing Price of the Common Units on the date of such Revaluation Event or, if the General Partner determines that a value for the Common Unit other than such Closing Price more accurately reflects the Event Issue Value, the value determined by the General Partner.

Event of Withdrawal ” is defined in Section 11.1(a).

Excess Additional Book Basis ” is defined in the definition of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items.

Excess Distribution ” is defined in Section 6.1(d)(iii)(A).

Excess Distribution Unit ” is defined in Section 6.1(d)(iii)(A).

Expansion Capital Expenditures ” means cash expenditures (including transaction expenses) for Capital Improvements, and shall not include Maintenance Capital Expenditures or Investment Capital Expenditures. Expansion Capital Expenditures shall include interest payments (including periodic net payments under related interest rate swap agreements) and related fees on Construction Debt and paid in respect of the Construction Period. Where cash expenditures are made in part for Expansion Capital Expenditures and in part for other purposes, the General Partner shall determine the allocation between the amounts paid for each.

Final Subordinated Units ” is defined in Section 6.1(d)(x)(A).

First Liquidation Target Amount ” is defined in Section 6.1(c)(i)(D).

First Target Distribution ” means $0.4744 per Unit per Quarter (or, with respect to periods of less than a full fiscal quarter, it means the product of such amount multiplied by a fraction of which the numerator is the number of days in such period, and the denominator is the total number of days in such fiscal quarter), subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 5.12, Section 6.6 and Section 6.9.

Fully Diluted Weighted Average Basis ” means, when calculating the number of Outstanding Units for any period, the sum of (1) the weighted average number of Outstanding Units during such period plus (2) all Partnership Interests and Derivative Instruments (a) that are convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Units or for which Units are issuable, in each case that are senior to or pari passu with the Subordinated Units, (b) whose conversion, exercise or exchange price is less than the Current Market Price on the date of such calculation, (c) that may be converted into or exercised or exchanged for such Units prior to or during the Quarter immediately following the end of the period for which the calculation is being made without the satisfaction of any contingency beyond the control of the holder other than the payment of

 

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consideration and the compliance with administrative mechanics applicable to such conversion, exercise or exchange and (d) that were not converted into or exercised or exchanged for such Units during the period for which the calculation is being made; provided , however , that for purposes of determining the number of Outstanding Units on a Fully Diluted Weighted Average Basis when calculating whether the Subordination Period has ended or the Subordinated Units are entitled to convert into Common Units pursuant to Section 5.8, such Partnership Interests and Derivative Instruments shall be deemed to have been Outstanding Units only for the four Quarters that comprise the last four Quarters of the measurement period; provided , further , that if consideration will be paid to any Group Member in connection with such conversion, exercise or exchange, the number of Units to be included in such calculation shall be that number equal to the difference between (i) the number of Units issuable upon such conversion, exercise or exchange and (ii) the number of Units that such consideration would purchase at the Current Market Price.

General Partner ” means Enviva Partners 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 their capacities as general partner of the Partnership (except as the context otherwise requires).

General Partner Interest ” means the management and ownership interest of the General Partner in the Partnership (in its capacity as a general partner and without reference to any Limited Partner Interest held by it) and 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 profits or losses or any rights to receive distributions from operations or upon the liquidation or winding-up of the Partnership.

Good Faith ” means, with respect to any determination, action or omission, of any Person, board or committee, that such determination, action or omission was not taken in Bad Faith.

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.

Group ” means two or more Persons that with or through any of their respective Affiliates or Associates have 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.

 

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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.

Hedge Contract ” means any exchange, swap, forward, cap, floor, collar, option or other similar agreement or arrangement entered into for the purpose of reducing the exposure of the Partnership Group to fluctuations in the price of hydrocarbons, interest rates, basis differentials or currency exchange rates in their operations or financing activities, in each case, other than for speculative purposes.

Holder ” as used in Section 7.12, is defined in Section 7.12(a).

IDR Reset Common Unit ” is defined in Section 5.12(a).

IDR Reset Election ” is defined in Section 5.12(a).

Incentive Distribution Right ” means a Limited Partner Interest having the rights and obligations specified with respect to Incentive Distribution Rights in this Agreement.

Incentive Distributions ” means any amount of cash distributed to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights pursuant to Section 6.4.

Incremental Income Taxes ” is defined in Section 6.9.

Indemnified Persons ” is defined in Section 7.12(c).

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, general partner, director, officer, 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, general partner, employee, agent, fiduciary or trustee of another Person owing a fiduciary or similar 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.

 

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Ineligible Holder ” is defined in Section 4.8(c).

Initial Common Units ” means the Common Units sold in the Initial Offering.

Initial Contribution Agreement ” means that certain Contribution Agreement, dated as of April 9, 2015, among the Partnership, Enviva Holdings, LP, the Organizational Limited Partner, Enviva, LP and Enviva Cottondale Acquisition I, LLC, together with the additional conveyance documents and instruments contemplated or referenced thereunder, as such may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to time.

Initial Limited Partners ” means the Organizational Limited Partner (with respect to the Common Units and Subordinated Units received by it as described in Section 5.2), Enviva Cottondale Acquisition I, LLC (with respect to the Common Units received by it as described in Section 5.2), the General Partner (with respect to the Incentive Distribution Rights received by it as described in Section 5.1) and the Underwriters, in each case upon being admitted to the Partnership in accordance with Section 10.1(a).

Initial Offering ” means the initial offering and sale of Common Units to the public, as described in the Registration Statement, including any offer and sale of Common Units pursuant to the exercise of the Over-Allotment Option.

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

Interim Capital Transactions ” means the following transactions if they occur prior to the Liquidation Date: (a) borrowings, including sales of debt securities and other incurrences of indebtedness for borrowed money, by any Group Member, other than Working Capital Borrowings; (b) sales of equity interests of any Group Member (including the Common Units sold to the Underwriters pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement) and (c) sales or other dispositions of any assets of any Group Member other than (i) sales or other dispositions of inventory, accounts receivable and other assets in the ordinary course of business, and (ii) sales or other dispositions of assets as part of normal retirements or replacements.

Investment Capital Expenditures ” means capital expenditures other than Maintenance Capital Expenditures and Expansion Capital Expenditures.

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

 

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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.

Limited Partner Interest ” means the ownership interest of a Limited Partner in the Partnership, which may be evidenced by Common Units, Subordinated Units, Incentive Distribution Rights or other Partnership Interests or a combination thereof or interest therein (but excluding Derivative Instruments), 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 hereunder.

Liquidation Date ” means (a) in the case of an event giving rise to the dissolution of the Partnership of the type described in clauses (a) and (b) of the first sentence of Section 12.2, the date on which the applicable time period during which the holders of Outstanding Units have the right to elect to continue the business of the Partnership has expired without such an election being made, and (b) in the case of any other event giving rise to the dissolution of the Partnership, the date on which such event occurs.

Liquidation Gain ” is defined in the definition of Net Termination Gain.

Liquidation Loss ” is defined in the definition of Net Termination Loss.

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

LTIP ” means benefit plans, programs and practices adopted by the General Partner pursuant to Section 7.5(c).

Maintenance Capital Expenditures ” means cash expenditures (including expenditures for the replacement, improvement or expansion of the assets owned by any Group Member or for the acquisition of existing, or the construction or development of new, assets) made to maintain the long-term operating capacity or net income of the Partnership Group.

Merger Agreement ” is defined in Section 14.1.

Minimum Quarterly Distribution ” means $0.4125 per Unit per Quarter (or, with respect to periods of less than a full fiscal quarter, it means the product of such amount multiplied by a fraction of which the numerator is the number of days in such period and the denominator is the total number of days in such fiscal quarter), subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 5.12, Section 6.6 and Section 6.9.

National Securities Exchange ” means an exchange registered with the Commission under Section 6(a) of the Securities Exchange Act (or any successor to such Section) and any

 

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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 reduced by any Liabilities either assumed by the Partnership upon such contribution or to which such property is subject when contributed and (b) in the case of any property distributed to a Partner by the Partnership, the Partnership’s Carrying Value of such property (as adjusted pursuant to Section 5.6(d)(ii)) at the time such property is distributed, reduced by any Liabilities either assumed by such Partner upon such distribution or to which such property is subject at the time of distribution.

Net Income ” means, for any taxable period, the excess, if any, of the Partnership’s items of income and gain (other than those items taken into account in the computation of Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss) for such taxable period over the Partnership’s items of loss and deduction (other than those items taken into account in the computation of Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss) for such taxable period. The items included in the calculation of Net Income shall be determined in accordance with Section 5.6 but shall not include any items specially allocated under Section 6.1(d); provided , that the determination of the items that have been specially allocated under Section 6.1(d) shall be made without regard to any reversal of such items under Section 6.1(d)(xii).

Net Loss ” means, for any taxable period, the excess, if any, of the Partnership’s items of loss and deduction (other than those items taken into account in the computation of Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss) for such taxable period over the Partnership’s items of income and gain (other than those items taken into account in the computation of Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss) for such taxable period. The items included in the calculation of Net Loss shall be determined in accordance with Section 5.6 but shall not include any items specially allocated under Section 6.1(d); provided , that the determination of the items that have been specially allocated under Section 6.1(d) shall be made without regard to any reversal of such items under Section 6.1(d)(xii).

Net Positive Adjustments ” means, with respect to any Partner, the excess, if any, of the total positive adjustments over the total negative adjustments made to the Capital Account of such Partner pursuant to Book-Up Events and Book-Down Events.

Net Termination Gain ” means, as applicable, (a) the sum, if positive, of all items of income, gain, loss or deduction (determined in accordance with Section 5.6) that are recognized (i) after the Liquidation Date (“ Liquidation Gain ”) or (ii) upon the sale, exchange or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Partnership Group, taken as a whole, in a single transaction or a series of related transactions (excluding any disposition to a member of the Partnership Group) (“ Sale Gain ”), or (b) the excess, if any, of the aggregate amount of Unrealized Gain over the aggregate amount of Unrealized Loss deemed recognized by the Partnership pursuant to Section 5.6(d) on the date of a Revaluation Event (“ Revaluation Gain ”); provided , however , the items included in the determination of Net Termination Gain shall not

 

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include any items of income, gain or loss specially allocated under Section 6.1(d); and provided , further , that Sale Gain shall not include any items of income, gain, loss or deduction that are recognized during any portion of the taxable period during which such Sale Gain occurs other than those included in Sale Gain, and Revaluation Gain shall not include any items of income, gain, loss or deduction that are recognized during any portion of the taxable period during which such Revaluation Gain occurs.

Net Termination Loss ” means, as applicable, (a) the sum, if negative, of all items of income, gain, loss or deduction (determined in accordance with Section 5.6) that are recognized (i) after the Liquidation Date (“ Liquidation Loss ”) or (ii) upon the sale, exchange or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Partnership Group, taken as a whole, in a single transaction or a series of related transactions (excluding any disposition to a member of the Partnership Group) (“ Sale Loss ”), or (b) the excess, if any, of the aggregate amount of Unrealized Loss over the aggregate amount of Unrealized Gain deemed recognized by the Partnership pursuant to Section 5.6(d) on the date of a Revaluation Event (“ Revaluation Loss ”); provided , however , items included in the determination of Net Termination Loss shall not include any items of income, gain or loss specially allocated under Section 6.1(d)); and provided, further , that Sale Loss shall not include any items of income, gain, loss or deduction that are recognized during any portion of the taxable period during which such Sale Loss occurs other than those included in Sale Loss, and Revaluation Loss shall not include any items of income, gain, loss or deduction that are recognized during any portion of the taxable period during which such Revaluation Loss occurs.

Noncompensatory Option ” has the meaning set forth in Treasury Regulation Section 1.721-2(f).

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 ” is defined in Section 15.1(b).

Operating Expenditures ” means all Partnership Group cash expenditures (or the Partnership’s proportionate share of expenditures in the case of Subsidiaries that are not wholly owned), including taxes, reimbursements of expenses of the General Partner and its Affiliates,

 

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payments made under any Hedge Contracts, officer compensation, repayment of Working Capital Borrowings, interest and principal payments on indebtedness and capital expenditures, subject to the following:

(a) repayments of Working Capital Borrowings deducted from Operating Surplus pursuant to clause (b)(iii) of the definition of “Operating Surplus” shall not constitute Operating Expenditures when actually repaid;

(b) payments (including prepayments and prepayment penalties and the purchase price of indebtedness that is repurchased and cancelled) of principal of and premium on indebtedness other than Working Capital Borrowings shall not constitute Operating Expenditures;

(c) Operating Expenditures shall not include (i) Expansion Capital Expenditures, (ii) Investment Capital Expenditures, (iii) payment of transaction expenses (including taxes) relating to Interim Capital Transactions, (iv) distributions to Partners or (v) repurchases of Partnership Interests, other than repurchases of Partnership Interests to satisfy obligations under employee benefit plans, or reimbursements of expenses of the General Partner for such purchases. Where cash expenditures are made in part for Maintenance Capital Expenditures and in part for other purposes, the General Partner shall determine the allocation between the amounts paid for each; and

(d) (i) payments made in connection with the initial purchase of any Hedge Contract shall be amortized over the life of such Hedge Contract and (ii) payments made in connection with the termination of any Hedge Contract prior to its scheduled settlement or termination date shall be included in equal quarterly installments over what would have been the remaining scheduled term of such Hedge Contract had it not been so terminated.

Operating Surplus ” means, with respect to any period ending prior to the Liquidation Date, on a cumulative basis and without duplication,

(a) the sum of (i) $39.3 million, (ii) all cash receipts of the Partnership Group (or the Partnership’s proportionate share of cash receipts in the case of Subsidiaries that are not wholly owned) for the period beginning on the Closing Date and ending on the last day of such period, but excluding cash receipts from Interim Capital Transactions and provided that cash receipts from the termination of any Hedge Contract prior to its scheduled settlement or termination date shall be included in equal quarterly installments over what would have been the remaining scheduled life of such Hedge Contract had it not been so terminated, (iii) the amount of cash distributions paid in respect of Construction Equity (and incremental Incentive Distributions in respect thereof) and paid in respect of the Construction Period and (iv) an amount equal to the net proceeds of the Initial Offering and borrowings prior to the Initial Offering retained for general partnership purposes, up to the amount of accounts receivable of the Partnership Group distributed prior to the closing of the Initial Offering, as described in the Registration Statement, less

 

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(b) the sum of (i) Operating Expenditures for the period beginning on the Closing Date and ending on the last day of such period; (ii) the amount of cash reserves established by the General Partner (or the Partnership’s proportionate share of cash reserves in the case of Subsidiaries that are not wholly owned) to provide funds for future Operating Expenditures; (iii) all Working Capital Borrowings not repaid within twelve (12) months after having been incurred or repaid within such twelve month period with the proceeds of additional Working Capital Borrowings and (iv) any cash loss realized on disposition of an Investment Capital Expenditure;

provided , however , that disbursements made (including contributions to a Group Member or disbursements on behalf of a Group Member), cash received or cash reserves established, increased or reduced after the end of such period but on or before the date on which cash or cash equivalents will be distributed with respect to such period shall be deemed to have been made, received, established, increased or reduced, for purposes of determining Operating Surplus, within such period if the General Partner so determines.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, (x) “ Operating Surplus ” with respect to the Quarter in which the Liquidation Date occurs and any subsequent Quarter shall equal zero; and (y) cash receipts from an Investment Capital Expenditure shall be treated as cash receipts only to the extent they are a return on principal, but in no event shall a return of principal be treated as cash receipts.

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.

Option Closing Date ” means the date or dates on which any Common Units are sold by the Partnership to the Underwriters upon exercise of the Over-Allotment Option.

Organizational Limited Partner ” means Enviva MLP Holdco, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.

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 Partnership Interests of any class, none of the Partnership Interests owned by such Person or Group shall be entitled to be voted on any matter or be considered to be Outstanding when sending notices of a meeting of Limited Partners to vote on any matter (unless otherwise required by law), calculating required votes, determining the presence of a quorum or for other similar purposes under this Agreement, except that Partnership Interests so owned shall be considered to be Outstanding for purposes of Section 11.1(b)(iv) (such Partnership Interests shall not, however, be treated as a separate class of Partnership Interests for purposes of this Agreement or the Delaware Act); provided , further , that the foregoing limitation shall not apply to (i) any Person or Group who acquired 20% or more of the Partnership Interests of any class directly from the General Partner or its Affiliates (other than the Partnership), (ii) any Person or Group who acquired 20% or more of the Partnership Interests of any class directly or indirectly from a Person or Group described

 

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in clause (i)  provided that the General Partner shall have notified such Person or Group in writing that such limitation shall not apply, or (iii) any Person or Group who acquired 20% or more of any Partnership Interests issued by the Partnership provided that the General Partner shall have notified such Person or Group in writing that such limitation shall not apply; provided , further , however that Restricted Common Units shall not be treated as Outstanding for purposes of Section 6.1.

Over-Allotment Option ” means the over-allotment option granted to the Underwriters by the Partnership pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement.

Partner Nonrecourse Debt ” has the meaning set forth in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(b)(4).

Partner Nonrecourse Debt Minimum Gain ” has the meaning set forth in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(i)(2).

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

Partners ” means the General Partner and the Limited Partners.

Partnership ” means Enviva Partners, LP, a Delaware limited partnership.

Partnership Group ” means, collectively, the Partnership and its Subsidiaries.

Partnership Interest ” means any class or series of equity interest (or, in the case of the General Partner, management interest) in the Partnership, which shall include any General Partner Interest and Limited Partner Interests but shall exclude all Derivative Instruments.

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

Percentage Interest ” means as of any date of determination and as to any Unitholder with respect to Units, the quotient obtained by dividing (A) the number of Units held by such Unitholder by (B) the total number of Outstanding Units. The Percentage Interest with respect to an Incentive Distribution Right shall at all times be zero. The Percentage Interest with respect to the General Partner Interest shall at all times be zero.

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

 

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Per Unit Capital Amount ” means, as of any date of determination, the Capital Account, stated on a per Unit basis, underlying any class of Units held by a Person other than the General Partner or any Affiliate of the General Partner who holds Units.

Privately Placed Units ” means any Common Units issued for cash or property other than pursuant to a public offering.

Pro Rata ” means when used with respect to (a) Units or any class thereof, apportioned among all designated Units in accordance with their relative Percentage Interests, (b) Partners or Record Holders, apportioned among all Partners or Record Holders in accordance with their relative Percentage Interests and (c) holders of Incentive Distribution Rights, apportioned among all holders of Incentive Distribution Rights in accordance with the relative number or percentage of Incentive Distribution Rights held by each such holder.

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

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

Rate Eligibility Trigger ” is defined in Section 4.8(a)(i).

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

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

Record Holder ” means (a) with respect to 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 closing 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 closing 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.

 

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Registration Statement ” means the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (Registration No. 333 - 199625) as it has been or as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time, filed by the Partnership with the Commission under the Securities Act to register the offering and sale of the Common Units in the Initial Offering.

Remaining Net Positive Adjustments ” means as of the end of any taxable period, (i) with respect to the Unitholders, the excess of (a) the Net Positive Adjustments of the Unitholders as of the end of such period over (b) the sum of those Unitholders’ Share of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items for each prior taxable period and (ii) with respect to the holders of Incentive Distribution Rights, the excess of (a) the Net Positive Adjustments of the holders of Incentive Distribution Rights as of the end of such period over (b) the sum of the Share of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items of the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights for each prior taxable period.

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

Reset MQD ” is defined in Section 5.12(a).

Reset Notice ” is defined in Section 5.12(b).

Restricted Common Unit ” means a Common Unit (i) that was granted to the holder thereof in connection with such holder’s performance of services for the Partnership, (ii) that remains subject to a “substantial risk of forfeiture” within the meaning of Section 83 of the Code and (iii) with respect to which no election was made pursuant to Section 83(b) of the Code. As set forth in the final proviso in the definition of “Outstanding,” Restricted Common Units are not treated as Outstanding for purposes of Section 6.1. Upon the lapse of the “substantial risk of forfeiture” with respect to a Restricted Common Unit, for U.S. federal income tax purposes such Common Unit will be treated as having been newly issued in consideration for the performance of services and will thereafter be considered to be Outstanding for purposes of Section 6.1.

Revaluation Event ” means an event that results in adjustment of the Carrying Value of each Partnership property pursuant to Section 5.6(d).

Revaluation Gain ” is defined in the definition of Net Termination Gain.

Revaluation Loss ” is defined in the definition of Net Termination Loss.

Sale Gain ” is defined in the definition of Net Termination Gain.

Sale Loss ” is defined in the definition of Net Termination Loss.

Second Liquidation Target Amount ” is defined in Section 6.1(c)(i)(E).

 

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Second Target Distribution ” means $0.5156 per Unit per Quarter (or, with respect to periods of less than a full fiscal quarter, it means the product of such amount multiplied by a fraction of which the numerator is the number of days in such period, and the denominator is the total number of days in such fiscal quarter), subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 5.12, Section 6.6 and Section 6.9.

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.

Share of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items ” means in connection with any allocation of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items for any taxable period, (i) with respect to the Unitholders, the amount that bears the same ratio to such Additional Book Basis Derivative Items as the Unitholders’ Remaining Net Positive Adjustments as of the end of such taxable period bears to the Aggregate Remaining Net Positive Adjustments as of that time and (ii) with respect to the holders of Incentive Distribution Rights, the amount that bears the same ratio to such Additional Book Basis Derivative Items as the Remaining Net Positive Adjustments of the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights as of the end of such period bears to the Aggregate Remaining Net Positive Adjustments as of that time.

Special Approval ” means approval by a majority of the members of the Conflicts Committee or, if the Conflicts Committee has only one member, the sole member of the Conflicts Committee.

Subordinated Unit ” means a Partnership Interest having the rights and obligations specified with respect to Subordinated Units in this Agreement. The term “Subordinated Unit” does not refer to or include a Common Unit. A Subordinated Unit that is convertible into a Common Unit shall not constitute a Common Unit until such conversion occurs.

Subordination Period ” means the period commencing on the Closing Date and ending on the first to occur of the following dates:

(a) the first Business Day following the distribution pursuant to Section 6.3(a) in respect of any Quarter beginning with the Quarter ending March 31, 2018, in respect of which (i) (A) aggregate distributions from Operating Surplus on the Outstanding Common Units and Subordinated Units and any other Outstanding Units that are senior or equal in right of distribution to the Subordinated Units with respect to each of the three consecutive, non-overlapping four-Quarter periods immediately preceding such Business Day equaled or exceeded the sum of the Minimum Quarterly Distribution on all such Outstanding Common Units, Subordinated Units and other Outstanding Units in each respective period and (B) the Adjusted Operating Surplus for each of such periods equaled or exceeded the sum of the Minimum Quarterly Distribution on all of the Common Units, Subordinated Units and any other Units that are senior or equal in right of distribution to the Subordinated Units that were Outstanding during each such period on a Fully Diluted Weighted Average Basis, and (ii) there are no Cumulative Common Unit Arrearages; and

 

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(b) the first Business Day following the distribution pursuant to Section 6.3(a) in respect of any Quarter in respect of which (i) (A) aggregate distributions from Operating Surplus on the Outstanding Common Units and Subordinated Units and any other Outstanding Units that are senior or equal in right of distribution to the Subordinated Units with respect to the four-Quarter period immediately preceding such Business Day, equaled or exceeded 150% of the Minimum Quarterly Distribution on all such Outstanding Common Units, Subordinated Units and other Outstanding Units and (B) the Adjusted Operating Surplus for such period equaled or exceeded 150% of the sum of the Minimum Quarterly Distribution on all of the Common Units and Subordinated Units and any other Units that are senior or equal in right of distribution to the Subordinated Units that were Outstanding during such period on a Fully Diluted Weighted Average Basis and the corresponding Incentive Distributions and (ii) there are no Cumulative Common Unit Arrearages.

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 partner of such partnership, but only if such Person, directly or by one or more Subsidiaries of such Person, or a combination thereof, controls such partnership on the date of determination or (c) any other Person 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) a majority ownership interest or (ii) the power to elect or direct the election of a majority of the directors or other governing body of such Person.

Surviving Business Entity ” is defined in Section 14.2(b)(ii).

Target Distribution ” means each of the Minimum Quarterly Distribution, the First Target Distribution, Second Target Distribution and Third Target Distribution.

Third Target Distribution ” means $0.6188 per Unit per Quarter (or, with respect to periods of less than a full fiscal quarter, it means the product of such amount multiplied by a fraction of which the numerator is the number of days in such period, and the denominator is the total number of days in such fiscal quarter), subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 5.12, Section 6.6 and Section 6.9.

Trading Day ” means a day on which the principal National Securities Exchange on which the referenced Partnership Interests of any class are listed or admitted to trading is open for the transaction of business or, if such Partnership Interests 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.

 

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transfer ” is defined in Section 4.4(a).

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

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

Underwriting Agreement ” means that certain Underwriting Agreement, dated as of April 28, 2015, among the Underwriters, the Partnership, the General Partner and the other parties thereto, providing for the purchase of Common Units by the Underwriters.

Unit ” means a Partnership Interest that is designated as a “Unit” and shall include Common Units and Subordinated Units but shall not include (i) the General Partner Interest or (ii) Incentive Distribution Rights.

Unitholders ” means the Record Holders of Units.

Unit Majority ” means (i) during the Subordination Period, a majority of the Outstanding Common Units (excluding Common Units whose voting power is, for purposes of the applicable matter for which a vote of Unitholders is being taken, beneficially owned by the General Partner or its Affiliates), voting as a class, and a majority of the Outstanding Subordinated Units, voting as a class, and (ii) after the end of the Subordination Period, a majority of the Outstanding Common Units.

Unpaid MQD ” is defined in Section 6.1(c)(i)(B).

Unrealized Gain ” attributable to any item of Partnership property means, as of any date of determination, the excess, if any, of (a) the fair market value of such property as of such date (as determined under Section 5.6(d)) over (b) the Carrying Value of such property as of such date (prior to any adjustment to be made pursuant to Section 5.6(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 5.6(d) as of such date) over (b) the fair market value of such property as of such date (as determined under Section 5.6(d)).

Unrecovered Initial Unit Price ” means at any time, with respect to a Unit, the Initial Unit Price less the sum of all distributions constituting Capital Surplus theretofore made in respect of an Initial Common Unit and any distributions of cash (or the Net Agreed Value of any distributions in kind) in connection with the dissolution and liquidation of the Partnership theretofore made in respect of an Initial Common Unit, adjusted as the General Partner determines to be appropriate to give effect to any distribution, subdivision, or combination of such Units.

 

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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 ” is defined in Section 11.1(b).

Working Capital Borrowings ” means borrowings used solely for working capital purposes or to pay distributions to Partners, made pursuant to a credit facility, commercial paper facility or other similar financing arrangement; provided that when incurred it is the intent of the borrower to repay such borrowings within 12 months from sources other than additional Working Capital Borrowings.

Section 1.2 Construction . Unless the context requires otherwise: (a) any pronoun used in this Agreement shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine or neuter forms; (b) references to Articles and Sections refer to Articles and Sections of this Agreement; (c) the terms “include”, “includes”, “including” and words of like import shall be deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation”; and (d) the terms “hereof”, “herein” and “hereunder” refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement. The table of contents and headings contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes only, and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement. The General Partner has the power to construe and interpret this Agreement and to act upon any such construction or interpretation. Any construction or interpretation of this Agreement by the General Partner and any action taken pursuant thereto and any determination made by the General Partner in good faith shall, in each case, be conclusive and binding on all Record Holders and all other Persons for all purposes.

ARTICLE II

ORGANIZATION

Section 2.1 Formation . The General Partner and the Organizational Limited Partner have previously formed the Partnership as a limited partnership pursuant to the provisions of the Delaware Act. This amendment and restatement shall become effective on the date of this Agreement. Except as expressly provided to the contrary in this Agreement, the rights, duties (including fiduciary duties), liabilities and obligations of the Partners and the administration, dissolution and termination of the Partnership shall be governed by the Delaware Act.

 

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

Section 2.3 Registered Office; Registered Agent; Principal Office; Other Offices . Unless and until changed by the General Partner, the registered office of the Partnership in the State of Delaware shall be located at Corporation Trust Center, 1209 Orange Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19801, and the registered agent for service of process on the Partnership in the State of Delaware at such registered office shall be The Corporation Trust Company. The principal office of the Partnership shall be located at 7200 Wisconsin Ave, Suite 1000, Bethesda, MD 20814, or such other place as the General Partner may from time to time designate by notice to the Limited Partners. The Partnership may maintain offices at such other place or places within or outside the State of Delaware as the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate. The address of the General Partner shall be 7200 Wisconsin Ave, Suite 1000, Bethesda, MD 20814, or such other place as the General Partner may from time to time designate by notice to the Limited Partners.

Section 2.4 Purpose and Business . The purpose and nature of the business to be conducted by the Partnership shall be to (a) engage directly in, or enter into or form, hold and dispose of any corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other arrangement to engage indirectly in, any business activity that is approved by the General Partner, 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 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 U.S. 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 Group of any business.

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

Section 2.6 Term . The term of the Partnership commenced upon the filing of the Certificate of Limited Partnership in accordance with the Delaware Act and shall continue in

 

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existence until the dissolution of the Partnership in accordance with the provisions of Article XII. The existence of the Partnership as a separate legal entity shall continue until the cancellation of the Certificate of Limited Partnership as provided in the Delaware Act.

Section 2.7 Title to Partnership Assets . Title to Partnership assets, whether real, personal or mixed and whether tangible or intangible, shall be deemed to be owned by the Partnership as an entity, and no Partner, individually or collectively, shall have any ownership interest in such Partnership assets or any portion thereof. Title to any or all of the Partnership assets may be held in the name of the Partnership, the General Partner, one or more of its Affiliates or one or more nominees, as the General Partner may determine. The General Partner hereby declares and warrants that any Partnership assets for which record title is held in the name of the General Partner or one or more of its Affiliates or one or more nominees shall be held by the General Partner or such Affiliate or nominee for the use and benefit of the Partnership in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement; provided , however , that the General Partner shall use reasonable efforts to cause record title to such assets (other than those assets in respect of which the General Partner determines that the expense and difficulty of conveyancing makes transfer of record title to the Partnership impracticable) to be vested in the Partnership or one or more of the Partnership’s designated Affiliates 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 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.

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. No 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 be considered participating 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) nor shall any such action affect, impair or eliminate the limitations on the liability of the Limited Partners under this Agreement.

 

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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 business interests and engage in business activities in addition to those relating to the Partnership, including business interests and activities in direct competition with the Partnership Group. Neither the Partnership nor any of the other Partners shall have any rights by virtue of this Agreement in any business ventures of any Limited Partner.

Section 3.4 Rights of Limited Partners .

(a) 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 if 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 Exchange Act);

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

(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 pursuant to which this Agreement, the Certificate of Limited Partnership and all amendments thereto have been executed.

(b) The rights pursuant to Section 3.4(a) replace in their entirety any rights to information provided for in Section 17-305(a) of the Delaware Act and each of the Partners, each other Person who acquires an interest in 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 any rights as Partners to receive any information either pursuant to Sections 17-305(a) of the Delaware Act or otherwise except for the information identified in Section 3.4(a).

(c) The General Partner may keep confidential from the Limited Partners, for such period of time as the General Partner deems reasonable, (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.

(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement or Section 17-305 of the Delaware Act, each of the Partners, each other Person who acquires an interest in a Partnership

 

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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; REDEMPTION OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS

Section 4.1 Certificates . Notwithstanding anything 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. Any Certificates that are issued shall be executed on behalf of the Partnership by the Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, President or any Executive Vice President or Vice President and the Chief Financial Officer or the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the General Partner. No Certificate for a class of Partnership Interests shall be valid for any purpose until it has been countersigned by the Transfer Agent for such class of Partnership Interests; 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. Subject to the requirements of Section 6.7(c), if Common Units are evidenced by Certificates, on or after the date on which Subordinated Units are converted into Common Units, the Record Holders of such Subordinated Units (i) if the Subordinated Units are evidenced by Certificates, may exchange such Certificates for Certificates evidencing Common Units or (ii) if the Subordinated Units are not evidenced by Certificates, shall be issued Certificates evidencing Common Units.

Section 4.2 Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Certificates .

(a) If any mutilated Certificate is surrendered to the Transfer Agent, the appropriate officers of the General Partner on behalf of the Partnership shall execute, and the Transfer Agent 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 appropriate officers of the General Partner 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;

 

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(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 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 or the Transfer Agent.

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

(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 and the General Partner 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 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 by which the holder of a Partnership Interest assigns such Partnership Interest to another Person who is or becomes a Partner, and includes a sale, assignment, gift, exchange or any other disposition by law or otherwise, excluding a pledge, encumbrance, hypothecation or mortgage but including any transfer upon foreclosure of any pledge, encumbrance, hypothecation or mortgage.

 

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(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 appropriate officers 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 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 an amendment to this Agreement establishing such class or series, (v) any contractual provisions binding on any Limited Partner and (vi) provisions of applicable law including the Securities Act, Limited Partner Interests shall be freely transferable.

(e) The General Partner and its Affiliates shall have the right at any time to transfer their Subordinated Units, Common Units and Incentive Distribution Rights to one or more Persons.

 

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Section 4.6 Transfer of the General Partner’s General Partner Interest .

(a) The General Partner may at its option transfer all or any part of its General Partner Interest without approval from any other Partner.

(b) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, no transfer by the General Partner of all or any part of its General Partner Interest to another Person shall be permitted unless (i) the transferee agrees to assume the rights and duties of the General Partner under this Agreement and to be bound by the provisions of this Agreement, (ii) the Partnership receives an Opinion of Counsel that such transfer would not result in the loss of limited liability 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 held by the General Partner as the general partner or managing member, if any, of each other Group Member. In the case of a transfer pursuant to and in compliance with this Section 4.6, the transferee or successor (as the case may be) shall, subject to compliance with the terms of Section 10.2, be admitted to the Partnership as the General Partner effective immediately prior to the transfer of the General Partner Interest, and the business of the Partnership shall continue without dissolution.

Section 4.7 Restrictions on Transfers .

(a) 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 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 it 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 the 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 a majority of the Outstanding Limited Partner Interests of such class.

(c) Nothing contained in this Agreement, other than Section 4.7(a), 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.

 

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Section 4.8 Eligibility Certificates; Ineligible Holders.

(a) If at any time the General Partner determines, with the advice of counsel, that:

(i) the U.S. federal income tax status (or lack of proof of the U.S. federal income tax status) of one or more Limited Partners (or type of Limited Partners) or their owners creates or is reasonably likely to create a substantial risk of an adverse effect on the rates that can be charged to customers by any Group Member with respect to assets that are subject to regulation by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission or similar regulatory body (a “ Rate Eligibility Trigger ”); or

(ii) the nationality, citizenship or other related status (or lack of proof thereof) of one or more Limited Partners (or type of Limited Partners) or their owners creates or is reasonably likely to create a substantial risk of cancellation or forfeiture of any property in which the Group Member has an interest under any federal, state or local law or regulation (a “ Citizenship Eligibility Trigger ”);

then, the General Partner may adopt such amendments to this Agreement as it determines to be necessary or appropriate to (x) in the case of a Rate Eligibility Trigger, obtain such proof of the U.S. federal income tax status of the Limited Partners and, to the extent relevant, their owners, as the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate to reduce the risk of occurrence of a material adverse effect on the rates that can be charged to customers by any Group Member or (y) in the case of a Citizenship Eligibility Trigger, obtain such proof of the nationality, citizenship or other related status of the Limited Partners and, to the extent relevant, their owners as the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate to eliminate or mitigate the risk of cancellation or forfeiture of any properties or interests therein.

(b) Such amendments may include provisions requiring all Partners to certify as to their (and their owners’) status as Eligible Holders upon demand and on a regular basis, as determined by the General Partner, and may require transferees of Units to so certify prior to being admitted to the Partnership as Partners (any such required certificate, an “ Eligibility Certificate ”).

(c) Such amendments may provide that any Partner who fails to furnish to the General Partner within a reasonable period requested proof of its (and its owners’) status as an Eligible Holder or if upon receipt of such Eligibility Certificate or other requested information

 

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the General Partner determines that a Limited Partner (or its owner) is not an Eligible Holder (an “ Ineligible Holder ”), the Partnership 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 shall be substituted and treated as the owner of all Partnership Interests owned by an Ineligible Holder.

(d) The General Partner shall, in exercising voting rights in respect of Partnership Interests held by it on behalf of Ineligible Holders, cast such votes in the same manner and in the same ratios as the votes of Partners (including the General Partner and its Affiliates) in respect of Partnership Interests other than those of Ineligible Holders are cast.

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

(f) At any time after he can and does certify that he has become an Eligible Holder, an Ineligible Holder may, upon application to the General Partner, request that with respect to any Partnership Interests of such Ineligible Holder not redeemed pursuant to Section 4.9, such Ineligible Holder be admitted as a Partner, and upon approval of the General Partner, such Ineligible Holder shall be admitted as a Partner and shall no longer constitute an Ineligible Holder and the General Partner shall cease to be deemed to be the owner in respect of such Ineligible Holder’s Partnership Interests.

Section 4.9 Redemption of Partnership Interests of Ineligible Holders .

(a) If at any time a Partner fails to furnish an Eligibility Certificate or other information requested within the period of time specified in amendments adopted pursuant to Section 4.8 or if upon receipt of such Eligibility Certificate, the General Partner determines, with the advice of counsel, that a Partner is an Ineligible Holder, the Partnership may, unless the Partner establishes to the satisfaction of the General Partner that such Partner is an Eligible Holder or has transferred his Limited Partner Interests to a Person who is an Eligible Holder and who furnishes an Eligibility Certificate 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, as applicable, by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid. The notice shall be deemed to have been given when so mailed. The notice shall specify the Redeemable Interests, the date fixed for redemption, the place of payment, that payment of the redemption price will be made upon redemption of the Redeemable Interests (or, if later in the case of Redeemable Interests evidenced by Certificates, upon surrender of the Certificate evidencing the Redeemable

 

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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 5% annually and payable in three equal annual installments of principal together with accrued interest, commencing one year after the redemption date.

(iii) The Partner or his duly authorized representative shall be entitled to receive the payment for the Redeemable Interests at the place of payment specified in the notice of redemption on the redemption date (or, if later in the case of Redeemable Interests evidenced by Certificates, upon surrender by or on behalf of the 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).

(iv) After the redemption date, Redeemable Interests shall no longer constitute issued and Outstanding Limited Partner 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 an Ineligible Holder.

(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 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 Holder. If the transferee fails to make such certification, such redemption will be effected from the transferee on the original redemption date.

ARTICLE V

CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS AND ISSUANCE OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS

Section 5.1 Organizational Contributions . In connection with the formation of the Partnership under the Delaware Act, the General Partner has been admitted as the General Partner of the Partnership. The Organizational Limited Partner made an initial Capital Contribution to the Partnership in the amount of $1,000.00 in exchange for a Limited Partner Interest equal to a 100% Percentage Interest and has been admitted as a Limited Partner of the Partnership.

 

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Section 5.2 Contributions by the General Partner and its Affiliates. On April 9, 2015 and pursuant to the Initial Contribution Agreement, the Organizational Limited Partner contributed to the Partnership, as a Capital Contribution, the limited liability company interests in Enviva and Enviva GP (each as defined in the Initial Contribution Agreement) in exchange for a Limited Partner Interest. On the Closing Date and pursuant to the Contribution Agreement, the General Partner shall be issued the Incentive Distribution Rights. On April 9, 2015 and pursuant to the Initial Contribution Agreement, Enviva Cottondale Acquisition I, LLC contributed to the Partnership, as a Capital Contribution, the limited liability company interest in Enviva Cottondale Acquisition II, LLC in exchange for a Limited Partner Interest.

Section 5.3 Recapitalization by the Partnership. On the Closing Date, the Partnership recapitalized the outstanding Limited Partner Interests into 405,138 Common Units and 11,905,138 Subordinated Units.

Section 5.4 Contributions by Initial Limited Partners .

(a) On the Closing Date and pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, each Underwriter shall contribute 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.

(b) Upon the exercise, if any, of the Over-Allotment Option, each Underwriter shall contribute 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.

Section 5.5 Interest and Withdrawal . No interest shall be paid by the Partnership on Capital Contributions. No Partner shall be entitled to the withdrawal or return of its Capital Contribution, except to the extent, if any, that distributions made pursuant to this Agreement or upon liquidation of the Partnership may be considered as such by law and then only to the extent provided for in this Agreement. Except to the extent expressly provided in this Agreement, no Partner shall have priority over any other Partner either as to the return of Capital Contributions or as to profits, losses or distributions.

Section 5.6 Capital Accounts .

(a) The Partnership shall maintain for each Partner (or a beneficial owner of Partnership Interests held by a nominee in any case in which the nominee has furnished the identity of such owner to the Partnership in accordance with Section 6031(c) of the Code or any other method acceptable to the General Partner) owning a Partnership Interest a separate Capital Account with respect to such Partnership Interest in accordance with the rules of Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv). Such Capital Account shall be increased by (i) the amount of all Capital Contributions with respect to such Partnership Interest and (ii) all items of

 

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Partnership income and gain computed in accordance with Section 5.6(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 to the Partner with respect to such Partnership Interest, provided that the Capital Account of a Partner shall not be reduced by the amount of any distributions made with respect to Restricted Common Units held by such Partner and (y) all items of Partnership deduction and loss computed in accordance with Section 5.6(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 5.6, the Partnership shall be treated as owning directly its proportionate share (as determined by the General Partner based upon the provisions of the applicable Group Member Agreement) of all property owned by (x) any other Group Member that is classified as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes and (y) any other partnership, limited liability company, unincorporated business or other entity classified as a partnership 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.

(iii) The computation of all items of income, gain, loss and deduction shall be made (x) except as otherwise provided in this Agreement and Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(m), without regard to any election under Section 754 of the Code that may be made by the Partnership, and (y) 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.

(iv) To the extent an adjustment to the adjusted tax basis of any Partnership asset pursuant to Section 734(b) of the Code (including pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.734-2(b)(1)) 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.

 

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(v) In the event the Carrying Value of Partnership property is adjusted pursuant to Section 5.6(d)(i), any Unrealized Gain resulting from such adjustment shall be treated as an item of gain and any Unrealized Loss resulting from such adjustment shall be treated as an item of loss.

(vi) 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 property’s Carrying Value as of such date.

(vii) Any deductions for depreciation, cost recovery or amortization attributable to any Contributed Property or Adjusted Property shall be determined under the rules prescribed by Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-3(d) as if the adjusted basis of such property were equal to the Carrying Value of such property.

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

(c) (i) Except as otherwise provided in this Section 5.6(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.

(ii) Subject to Section 6.7(b), immediately prior to the transfer of a Subordinated Unit or of a Subordinated Unit that has converted into a Common Unit pursuant to Section 5.8 by a holder thereof (in each case, other than a transfer to an Affiliate unless the General Partner elects to have this subparagraph 5.6(c)(ii) apply), the Capital Account maintained for such Person with respect to its Subordinated Units or converted Subordinated Units will (A) first, be allocated to the Subordinated Units or converted Subordinated Units to be transferred in an amount equal to the product of (x) the number of such Subordinated Units or converted Subordinated Units to be transferred and (y) the Per Unit Capital Amount for a Common Unit, and (B) second, any remaining balance in such Capital Account will be retained by the transferor, regardless of whether it has retained any Subordinated Units or converted Subordinated Units. Following any such allocation, the transferor’s Capital Account, if any, maintained with respect to the retained Subordinated Units or retained converted Subordinated Units, if any, will have a balance equal to the amount allocated under clause (B) above, and the transferee’s Capital Account established with respect to the transferred Subordinated Units or transferred converted Subordinated Units will have a balance equal to the amount allocated under clause (A) above.

 

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(iii) Subject to Section 6.8(b), immediately prior to the transfer of an IDR Reset Common Unit by a holder thereof (other than a transfer to an Affiliate unless the General Partner elects to have this subparagraph 5.6(c)(iii) apply), the Capital Account maintained for such Person with respect to its IDR Reset Common Units will (A) first, be allocated to the IDR Reset Common Units to be transferred in an amount equal to the product of (x) the number of such IDR Reset Common Units to be transferred and (y) the Per Unit Capital Amount for a Common Unit, and (B) second, any remaining balance in such Capital Account will be retained by the transferor, regardless of whether it has retained any IDR Reset Common Units. Following any such allocation, the transferor’s Capital Account, if any, maintained with respect to the retained IDR Reset Common Units, if any, will have a balance equal to the amount allocated under clause (B) above, and the transferee’s Capital Account established with respect to the transferred IDR Reset Common Units will have a balance equal to the amount allocated under clause (A) above.

(d) (i) Consistent with Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(f) and 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(h)(2), on an issuance of additional Partnership Interests for cash or Contributed Property, the issuance of a Noncompensatory Option, the issuance of Partnership Interests as consideration for the provision of services (including upon the lapse of a “substantial risk of forfeiture” with respect to a Restricted Common Unit), the issuance of IDR Reset Common Units pursuant to Section 5.12, or the conversion of the Combined Interest to Common Units pursuant to Section 11.3(b), the Carrying Value of each Partnership property immediately prior to such issuance shall be adjusted upward or downward to reflect any Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss attributable to such Partnership property; provided , however , that in the event of the issuance of a Partnership Interest pursuant to the exercise of a Noncompensatory Option where the right to share in Partnership capital represented by such Partnership Interest differs from the consideration paid to acquire and exercise such option, the Carrying Value of each Partnership property immediately after the issuance of such Partnership Interest shall be adjusted upward or downward to reflect any Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss attributable to such Partnership property and the Capital Accounts of the Partners shall be adjusted in a manner consistent with Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(s); provided further , however , that in the event of an issuance of Partnership Interests for a de minimis amount of cash or Contributed Property, in the event of an issuance of a Noncompensatory Option to acquire a de minimis Partnership Interest 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. If, upon the occurrence of a Revaluation Event described in this Section 5.6(d)(i), a Noncompensatory Option of the Partnership is outstanding, the Partnership shall adjust the Carrying Value of each Partnership property in accordance with Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(f)(1) and 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(h)(2). 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 (or, in the case of a Revaluation Event resulting from the exercise of a Noncompensatory Option, immediately after the issuance of the Partnership Interest acquired pursuant to the exercise of such Noncompensatory Option) 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

 

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properties, the General Partner may first determine an aggregate value for the assets of the Partnership that takes into account the current trading price of the Common Units, the fair market value of all other Partnership Interests at such time and the amount of Partnership Liabilities. The General Partner may allocate such aggregate value among the individual properties of the Partnership (in such manner as it determines appropriate). Absent a contrary determination by the General Partner, the aggregate fair market value of all Partnership assets (including, without limitation, cash or cash equivalents) immediately prior to a Revaluation Event shall be the value that would result in the Capital Account for each Common Unit that is Outstanding prior to such Revaluation Event being equal to the Event Issue Value.

(ii) In accordance with Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(f), immediately prior to any distribution to a Partner of any Partnership property (other than a distribution of cash that is not in redemption or retirement of a Partnership Interest), the Carrying Value of all Partnership property shall be adjusted upward or downward to reflect any Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss attributable to such Partnership property. 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 a distribution other than one made pursuant to Section 12.4, be determined in the same manner as that provided in Section 5.6(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 5.7 Issuances of Additional Partnership Interests and Derivative Instruments .

(a) The Partnership may issue additional Partnership Interests and Derivative Instruments for any Partnership purpose at any time and from time to time to such Persons for such consideration and on such terms and conditions as the General Partner shall determine, all without the approval of any Limited Partners.

(b) Each additional Partnership Interest authorized to be issued by the Partnership pursuant to Section 5.7(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 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 each such Partnership Interest to vote on Partnership matters, including matters relating to the relative rights, preferences and privileges of such Partnership Interest.

 

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(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 Derivative Instruments pursuant to this Section 5.7, (ii) the conversion of the Combined Interest into Units pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, (iii) the issuance of Common Units pursuant to Section 5.12, (iv) reflecting admission of such additional Limited Partners in the books and records of the Partnership as the Record Holders of such Limited Partner Interests and (v) 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 Combined Interest into Units pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, including compliance with any statute, rule, regulation or guideline of any federal, state or other governmental agency or any National Securities Exchange on which the Units or other Partnership Interests are listed or admitted to trading.

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

Section 5.8 Conversion of Subordinated Units .

(a) All of the Subordinated Units shall convert into Common Units on a one-for-one basis on the first Business Day following the distribution pursuant to Section 6.3(a) in respect of the final full Quarter of the Subordination Period.

(b) The Subordinated Units may convert into Common Units on a one-for-one basis as set forth in, and pursuant to the terms of, Section 11.4.

Section 5.9 Limited Preemptive Right . Except as provided in this Section 5.9 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, to purchase Partnership Interests from the Partnership whenever, and on the same terms that, the Partnership issues Partnership Interests to Persons other than the General Partner and its Affiliates, to the extent necessary to maintain the Percentage Interests of the General Partner and its Affiliates equal to that which existed immediately prior to the issuance of such Partnership Interests. The determination by the General Partner to exercise (or refrain from exercising) its right pursuant to the immediately preceding sentence shall be a determination made in its individual capacity.

Section 5.10 Splits and Combinations .

(a) The Partnership may make a distribution of Partnership Interests to all Record Holders or may effect a subdivision or combination of Partnership Interests. Upon any such event, each Partner shall have the same Percentage Interest in the Partnership as before such

 

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event (subject to the effect of Section 5.10(d)), and any amounts calculated on a per Unit basis (including any Common Unit Arrearage or Cumulative Common Unit Arrearage) or stated as a number of Units shall be proportionately adjusted retroactive to the beginning 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.

(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 such new Certificate, the surrender of any Certificate held by such Record Holder immediately prior to such Record Date.

(d) The Partnership shall not issue fractional Units upon any distribution, subdivision or combination of Units. If a distribution, subdivision or combination of Units would result in the issuance of fractional Units but for the provisions of Section 5.7(d) and this Section 5.10(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 5.11 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.

Section 5.12 Issuance of Common Units in Connection with Reset of Incentive Distribution Rights .

(a) Subject to the provisions of this Section 5.12, the holder of the Incentive Distribution Rights (or, if there is more than one holder of the Incentive Distribution Rights, the holders of a majority in interest of the holders of Incentive Distribution Rights) shall have the option, at any time when there are no Subordinated Units outstanding and the Partnership has made a distribution pursuant to Section 6.4(a)(vii) or Section 6.4(b)(v) for each of the four most recently completed Quarters, to make an election (the “ IDR Reset Election ”) to cause the Target Distributions to be reset in accordance with the provisions of Section 5.12(e) and, in connection therewith, the holder or holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights will become entitled to receive their Pro Rata share of a number of Common Units (the “ IDR Reset Common Units ”) equal to the result of dividing (i) the amount of cash distributions made by the Partnership for the Quarter immediately preceding the giving of the Reset Notice in respect of the Incentive

 

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Distribution Rights by (ii) the cash distribution made by the Partnership in respect of each Common Unit for the Quarter immediately preceding the giving of the Reset Notice (the “ Reset MQD ”) (the number of Common Units determined by such quotient is referred to herein as the “ Aggregate Quantity of IDR Reset Common Units ”). The making of the IDR Reset Election in the manner specified in Section 5.12(b) shall cause the Target Distributions to be reset in accordance with the provisions of Section 5.12(e) and, in connection therewith, the holder or holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights will become entitled to receive Common Units on the basis specified above, without any further approval required by the General Partner or the Unitholders, at the time specified in Section 5.12(c) unless the IDR Reset Election is rescinded pursuant to Section 5.12(d).

(b) To exercise the right specified in Section 5.12(a), the holder of the Incentive Distribution Rights (or, if there is more than one holder of the Incentive Distribution Rights, the holders of a majority in interest of the Incentive Distribution Rights) shall deliver a written notice (the “ Reset Notice ”) to the Partnership. Within 10 Business Days after the receipt by the Partnership of such Reset Notice, the Partnership shall deliver a written notice to the holder or holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights of the Partnership’s determination of the aggregate number of Common Units that each holder of Incentive Distribution Rights will be entitled to receive.

(c) The holder or holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights will be entitled to receive the Aggregate Quantity of IDR Reset Common Units on the fifteenth Business Day after receipt by the Partnership of the Reset Notice; provided , however , that the issuance of Common Units to the holder or holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights shall not occur prior to the approval of the listing or admission for trading of such Common Units by the principal National Securities Exchange upon which the Common Units are then listed or admitted for trading if any such approval is required pursuant to the rules and regulations of such National Securities Exchange.

(d) If the principal National Securities Exchange upon which the Common Units are then traded has not approved the listing or admission for trading of the Common Units to be issued pursuant to this Section 5.12 on or before the 30th calendar day following the Partnership’s receipt of the Reset Notice and such approval is required by the rules and regulations of such National Securities Exchange, then the holder of the Incentive Distribution Rights (or, if there is more than one holder of the Incentive Distribution Rights, the holders of a majority in interest of the Incentive Distribution Rights) shall have the right to either rescind the IDR Reset Election or elect to receive other Partnership Interests having such terms as the General Partner may approve that will provide (i) the same economic value, in the aggregate, as the Aggregate Quantity of IDR Reset Common Units would have had at the time of the Partnership’s receipt of the Reset Notice, as determined by the General Partner, and (ii) for the subsequent conversion (on terms acceptable to the National Securities Exchange upon which the Common Units are then traded) of such Partnership Interests into Common Units within not more than 12 months following the Partnership’s receipt of the Reset Notice upon the satisfaction of one or more conditions that are reasonably acceptable to the holder of the Incentive Distribution Rights (or, if there is more than one holder of the Incentive Distribution Rights, the holders of a majority in interest of the Incentive Distribution Rights).

 

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(e) The Target Distributions shall be adjusted at the time of the issuance of Common Units or other Partnership Interests pursuant to this Section 5.12 such that (i) the Minimum Quarterly Distribution shall be reset to be equal to the Reset MQD, (ii) the First Target Distribution shall be reset to equal 115% of the Reset MQD, (iii) the Second Target Distribution shall be reset to equal 125% of the Reset MQD and (iv) the Third Target Distribution shall be reset to equal 150% of the Reset MQD.

(f) Upon the issuance of IDR Reset Common Units pursuant to Section 5.12(a) (or other Partnership Interests as described in Section 5.12(d)), the Capital Account maintained with respect to the Incentive Distribution Rights shall (i) first, be allocated to IDR Reset Common Units (or other Partnership Interests) in an amount equal to the product of (A) the Aggregate Quantity of IDR Reset Common Units (or other Partnership Interests) and (B) the Per Unit Capital Amount for an Initial Common Unit, and (ii) second, any remaining balance in such Capital Account will be retained by the holder(s) of the Incentive Distribution Rights. If there is not a sufficient Capital Account associated with the Incentive Distribution Rights to allocate the full Per Unit Capital Amount for an Initial Common Unit to the IDR Reset Common Units in accordance with clause (i) of this Section 5.12(f), the IDR Reset Common Units shall be subject to Sections 6.1(d)(x)(B) and (C).

ARTICLE VI

ALLOCATIONS AND DISTRIBUTIONS

Section 6.1 Allocations for Capital Account Purposes . For purposes of maintaining the Capital Accounts and in determining the rights of the Partners among themselves, the Partnership’s items of income, gain, loss and deduction (computed in accordance with Section 5.6(b)) for each taxable period shall be allocated among the Partners as provided herein below. As set forth in the definition of “Outstanding,” Restricted Common Units shall not be considered to be Outstanding Common Units for purposes of this Section 6.1 and references herein to Unitholders holding Common Units shall be to such Unitholders solely with respect to their Common Units other than Restricted Common Units.

(a) Net Income . Net Income for each taxable period (including a pro rata part of each item of income, gain, loss and deduction taken into account in computing Net Income for such taxable period) shall be allocated as follows:

(i) First, to the General Partner until the aggregate amount of Net Income allocated to the General Partner pursuant to this Section 6.1(a)(i) for the current and all previous taxable periods is equal to the aggregate amount of Net Loss allocated to the General Partner pursuant to Section 6.1(b)(ii) for all previous taxable periods; and

(ii) Second, the balance, if any, 100% to the Unitholders, Pro Rata.

 

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(b) Net Loss . Net Loss for each taxable period (including a pro rata part of each item of income, gain, loss and deduction taken into account in computing Net Loss for such taxable period) shall be allocated as follows:

(i) First, to the Unitholders, Pro Rata; provided , that Net Loss shall not be allocated pursuant to this Section 6.1(b)(i) to the extent that such allocation would cause any Unitholder to have a deficit balance in its Adjusted Capital Account at the end of such taxable period (or increase any existing deficit balance in its Adjusted Capital Account); and

(ii) Second, the balance, if any, 100% to the General Partner.

(c) Net Termination Gains and Losses . Any Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss occurring during a taxable period shall be allocated in the manner set forth in this Section 6.1(c). All allocations under this Section 6.1(c) shall be made after Capital Account balances have been adjusted by all other allocations provided under this Section 6.1 and after all distributions of cash and cash equivalents provided under Section 6.4 and Section 6.5 have been made; provided , however , that solely for purposes of this Section 6.1(c), Capital Accounts shall not be adjusted for distributions made pursuant to Section 12.4; and provided, further, that Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss attributable to (i) Liquidation Gain or Liquidation Loss shall be allocated on the last day of the taxable period during which such Liquidation Gain or Liquidation Loss occurred, (ii) Sale Gain or Sale Loss shall be allocated as of the time of the sale or disposition giving rise to such Sale Gain or Sale Loss and allocated to the Partners consistent with the second proviso set forth in Section 6.2(f) and (iii) Revaluation Gain or Revaluation Loss shall be allocated on the date of the Revaluation Event giving rise to such Revaluation Gain or Revaluation Loss.

(i) Except as provided in Section 6.1(c)(iv) and subject to the provisions set forth in the last sentence of this Section 6.1(c)(i), Net Termination Gain (including a pro rata part of each item of income, gain, loss, and deduction taken into account in computing Net Termination Gain) shall be allocated in the following order and priority:

(A) First, to each Partner having a deficit balance in its Adjusted Capital Account, in the proportion that such deficit balance bears to the total deficit balances in the Adjusted Capital Accounts of all Partners, until each such Partner has been allocated Net Termination Gain equal to any such deficit balance in its Adjusted Capital Account;

(B) Second, to all Unitholders holding Common Units, Pro Rata, until the Capital Account in respect of each Common Unit then Outstanding is equal to the sum of (1) its Unrecovered Initial Unit Price, (2) if the Net Termination Gain is attributable to Liquidation Gain, the Minimum Quarterly Distribution for the Quarter during which the Liquidation Date occurs, reduced by any distribution pursuant to Section 6.4(a)(i) or Section 6.4(b)(i) with respect to such Common Unit for such Quarter (the amount determined pursuant to this clause (2) is hereinafter referred to as the “ Unpaid MQD ”) and (3) any then existing Cumulative Common Unit Arrearage;

 

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(C) Third, if such Net Termination Gain is recognized (or is deemed to be recognized) prior to the conversion of the last Outstanding Subordinated Unit into a Common Unit, to all Unitholders holding Subordinated Units, Pro Rata, until the Capital Account in respect of each Subordinated Unit then Outstanding equals the sum of (1) its Unrecovered Initial Unit Price, determined for the taxable period (or portion thereof) to which this allocation of gain relates, and (2) if the Net Termination Gain is attributable to Liquidation Gain, the Minimum Quarterly Distribution for the Quarter during which the Liquidation Date occurs, reduced by any distribution pursuant to Section 6.4(a)(iii) with respect to such Subordinated Unit for such Quarter;

(D) Fourth, to all Unitholders, Pro Rata, until the Capital Account in respect of each Common Unit then Outstanding is equal to the sum of (1) its Unrecovered Initial Unit Price, (2) the Unpaid MQD, if applicable, (3) any then existing Cumulative Common Unit Arrearage, and (4) the excess of (aa) the First Target Distribution less the Minimum Quarterly Distribution for each Quarter after the Closing Date or the date of the most recent IDR Reset Election, if any, over (bb) the cumulative per Unit amount of any distributions of cash or cash equivalents that are deemed to be Operating Surplus made pursuant to Section 6.4(a)(iv) and Section 6.4(b)(ii) with respect to such Common Unit for such period (the sum of (1), (2), (3) and (4) is hereinafter referred to as the “ First Liquidation Target Amount ”);

(E) Fifth, 15% to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata, and 85.0% to all Unitholders, Pro Rata, until the Capital Account in respect of each Common Unit then Outstanding is equal to the sum of (1) the First Liquidation Target Amount, and (2) the excess of (aa) the Second Target Distribution less the First Target Distribution for each Quarter after the Closing Date or the date of the most recent IDR Reset Election, if any, over (bb) the cumulative per Unit amount of any distributions of cash or cash equivalents that are deemed to be Operating Surplus made pursuant to Section 6.4(a)(v) and Section 6.4(b)(iii) with respect to such Common Unit for such period (the sum of (1) and (2) is hereinafter referred to as the “ Second Liquidation Target Amount ”);

(F) Sixth, 25% to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata, and 75% to all Unitholders, Pro Rata, until the Capital Account in respect of each Common Unit then Outstanding is equal to the sum of (1) the Second Liquidation Target Amount, and (2) the excess of (aa) the Third Target Distribution less the Second Target Distribution for each Quarter after the Closing Date or the date of the most recent IDR Reset Election, if any, over (bb) the cumulative per Unit amount of any distributions of cash or cash equivalents that are deemed to be Operating Surplus made pursuant to Section 6.4(a)(vi) and Section 6.4(b)(iv) with respect to such Common Unit for such period; and

(G) Finally, 50% to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata, and 50% to all Unitholders, Pro Rata.

 

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Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions in this Section 6.1(c)(i), the General Partner may adjust the amount of any Net Termination Gain arising in connection with a Revaluation Event that is allocated to the holders of Incentive Distribution Rights in a manner that will result (1) in the Capital Account for each Common Unit that is Outstanding prior to such Revaluation Event being equal to the Event Issue Value and (2) to the greatest extent possible, the Capital Account with respect to the Incentive Distribution Rights that are Outstanding prior to such Revaluation Event being equal to the amount of Net Termination Gain that would be allocated to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights pursuant to this Section 6.1(c)(i) if (i) the Capital Accounts with respect to all Partnership Interests that were Outstanding immediately prior to such Revaluation Event were equal to zero and (ii) the aggregate Carrying Value of all Partnership property equaled the aggregate amount of all Partnership Liabilities.

(ii) Except as otherwise provided by Section 6.1(c)(iii) or Section 6.1(c)(iv), Net Termination Loss (including a pro rata part of each item of income, gain, loss and deduction taken into account in computing Net Termination Loss) shall be allocated:

(A) First, if Subordinated Units remain Outstanding, to all Unitholders holding Subordinated Units, Pro Rata, until the Adjusted Capital Account in respect of each Subordinated Unit then Outstanding has been reduced to zero;

(B) Second, to all Unitholders holding Common Units, Pro Rata, until the Adjusted Capital Account in respect of each Common Unit then Outstanding has been reduced to zero; and

(C) Third, the balance, if any, 100% to the General Partner.

(iii) Net Termination Loss attributable to Revaluation Loss and deemed recognized prior to the conversion of the last Outstanding Subordinated Unit and prior to the Liquidation Date shall be allocated:

(A) First, to the Unitholders, Pro Rata, until the Capital Account in respect of each Common Unit then Outstanding equals the Event Issue Value; provided that Net Termination Loss shall not be allocated pursuant to this Section 6.1(c)(iii)(A) to the extent such allocation would cause any Unitholder to have a deficit balance in its Adjusted Capital Account at the end of such taxable period (or increase any existing deficit in its Adjusted Capital Account);

(B) Second, to all Unitholders holding Subordinated Units, Pro Rata; provided that Net Termination Loss shall not be allocated pursuant to this Section 6.1(c)(iii)(B) to the extent such allocation would cause any Unitholder to have a deficit balance in its Adjusted Capital Account at the end of such taxable period (or increase any existing deficit in its Adjusted Capital Account); and

(C) Third, the balance, if any, to the General Partner.

 

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(iv) If (A) a Net Termination Loss has been allocated pursuant to Section 6.1(c)(iii), (B) a Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss subsequently occurs (other than as a result of a Revaluation Event) prior to the conversion of the last Outstanding Subordinated Unit and (C) after tentatively making all allocations of such Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss provided for in Section 6.1(c)(i) or Section 6.1(c)(ii), as applicable, the Capital Account in respect of each Common Unit does not equal the amount such Capital Account would have been if Section 6.1(c)(iii) had not been part of this Agreement and all prior allocations of Net Termination Gain and Net Termination Loss had been made pursuant to Section 6.1(c)(i) or Section 6.1(c)(ii), as applicable, then items of income, gain, loss and deduction included in such Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss, as applicable, shall be specially allocated to the General Partner and all Unitholders in a manner that will, to the maximum extent possible, cause the Capital Account in respect of each Common Unit to equal the amount such Capital Account would have been if all allocations of Net Termination Gain and Net Termination Loss had been made pursuant to Section 6.1(c)(i) or Section 6.1(c)(ii), as applicable.

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

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

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

 

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

(iii) Priority Allocations .

(A) If the amount of cash or the Net Agreed Value of any property distributed (except cash or property distributed pursuant to Section 12.4) with respect to a Unit for a taxable period exceeds the amount of cash or the Net Agreed Value of property distributed with respect to another Unit for the same taxable period (the amount of the excess, an “ Excess Distribution ” and the Unit with respect to which the greater distribution is paid, an “ Excess Distribution Unit ”), then there shall be allocated gross income and gain to each Unitholder receiving an Excess Distribution with respect to the Excess Distribution Unit until the aggregate amount of such items allocated with respect to such Excess Distribution Unit pursuant to this Section 6.1(d)(iii)(A) for the current taxable period and all previous taxable periods is equal to the amount of the Excess Distribution.

(B) After the application of Section 6.1(d)(iii)(A), the remaining items of Partnership gross income or gain for the taxable period, if any, shall be allocated to the holders of Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata, until the aggregate amount of such items allocated to the holders of Incentive Distribution Rights pursuant to this Section 6.1(d)(iii)(B) for the current taxable period and all previous taxable periods is equal to the cumulative amount of all Incentive Distributions made to the holders of Incentive Distribution Rights from the Closing Date to a date 45 days after the end of the current taxable period.

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

 

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(v) Gross Income Allocation . 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(d)(v) shall be made only if and to the extent that such Partner would have a deficit balance in its Capital Account after all other allocations provided for in this Section 6.1 have been tentatively made as if Section 6.1(d)(iv) and this Section 6.1(d)(v) were not in this Agreement.

(vi) Nonrecourse Deductions . Nonrecourse Deductions for any taxable period shall be allocated to the Partners Pro Rata. If the General Partner determines that the Partnership’s Nonrecourse Deductions should be allocated in a different ratio to satisfy the safe harbor requirements of the Treasury Regulations promulgated under Section 704(b) of the Code, the General Partner is authorized 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, the 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 first, to any Partner that contributed property to the Partnership in proportion to and to the extent of the amount by which each such Partner’s share of any Section 704(c) built-in gains exceeds such Partner’s share of Nonrecourse Built-in Gain, and second, among the Partners Pro Rata.

(ix) Code Section 754 Adjustments . To the extent an adjustment to the adjusted tax basis of any Partnership asset pursuant to Section 734(b) of the Code (including pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.734-2(b)(1)) is required, pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(m), to be taken into account in determining Capital Accounts as a result of a distribution to a Partner in complete liquidation of such Partner’s interest in the Partnership, the amount of such adjustment to the Capital Accounts shall be treated as an item of gain (if the adjustment increases the

 

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basis of the asset) or loss (if the adjustment decreases such basis) taken into account pursuant to Section 5.6, and such item of gain or loss shall be specially allocated to the Partners in a manner consistent with the manner in which their Capital Accounts are required to be adjusted pursuant to such Section of the Treasury Regulations.

(x) Economic Uniformity; Changes in Law .

(A) At the election of the General Partner with respect to any taxable period ending upon, or after, the termination of the Subordination Period, all or a portion of the remaining items of Partnership gross income or gain for such taxable period, after taking into account allocations pursuant to Section 6.1(d)(iii), shall be allocated 100% to each Partner holding Subordinated Units that are Outstanding as of the termination of the Subordination Period (“ Final Subordinated Units ”) in the proportion of the number of Final Subordinated Units held by such Partner to the total number of Final Subordinated Units then Outstanding, until each such Partner has been allocated an amount of gross income or gain that increases the Capital Account maintained with respect to such Final Subordinated Units to an amount that after taking into account the other allocations of income, gain, loss and deduction to be made with respect to such taxable period will equal the product of (1) the number of Final Subordinated Units held by such Partner and (2) the Per Unit Capital Amount for a Common Unit. The purpose of this allocation is to establish uniformity between the Capital Accounts underlying Final Subordinated Units and the Capital Accounts underlying Common Units held by Persons other than the General Partner and its Affiliates immediately prior to the conversion of such Final Subordinated Units into Common Units. This allocation method for establishing such economic uniformity will be available to the General Partner only if the method for allocating the Capital Account maintained with respect to the Subordinated Units between the transferred and retained Subordinated Units pursuant to Section 5.6(c)(ii) does not otherwise provide such economic uniformity to the Final Subordinated Units.

(B) Prior to making any allocations pursuant to Section 6.1(d)(xii)(C), if a Revaluation Event occurs during any taxable period of the Partnership ending upon, or after, the issuance of IDR Reset Common Units pursuant to Section 5.12, after the application of Section 6.1(d)(x)(A), any Unrealized Gains and Unrealized Losses shall be allocated among the Partners in a manner that to the nearest extent possible results in the Capital Accounts maintained with respect to such IDR Reset Common Units issued pursuant to Section 5.12 equaling the product of (1) the Aggregate Quantity of IDR Reset Common Units and (2) the Per Unit Capital Amount for an Initial Common Unit.

(C) Prior to making any allocations pursuant to Section 6.1(d)(xii)(C), if a Revaluation Event occurs, and after the application of Section 6.1(d)(x)(A) – (B), then any remaining Unrealized Gains and Unrealized Losses shall be

 

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allocated to the holders of (A) Outstanding Privately Placed Units, Pro Rata, or (B) Outstanding Common Units (other than Privately Placed Units), Pro Rata, as applicable, in a manner that to the nearest extent possible results in the Capital Accounts maintained with respect to each Privately Placed Unit equaling the Per Unit Capital Amount for an Initial Common Unit.

(D) With respect to any taxable period during which an IDR Common Reset Unit is transferred to any Person who is not an Affiliate of the transferor, all or a portion of the remaining items of Partnership gross income or gain for such taxable period shall be allocated 100% to the transferor Partner of such transferred IDR Reset Common Unit until such transferor Partner has been allocated an amount of gross income or gain that increases the Capital Account maintained with respect to such transferred IDR Reset Common Unit to an amount equal to the Per Unit Capital Amount for an Initial Common Unit.

(E) For the proper administration of the Partnership and for the preservation of uniformity of the Limited Partner Interests (or any class or classes thereof) that are publicly traded as a single class, the General Partner shall (1) adopt such conventions as it deems appropriate in determining the amount of depreciation, amortization and cost recovery deductions; (2) make special allocations of income, gain, loss, deduction, Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss; and (3) amend the provisions of this Agreement as appropriate (x) to reflect the proposal or promulgation of Treasury Regulations under Section 704(b) or Section 704(c) of the Code or (y) otherwise to preserve or achieve uniformity of the Limited Partner Interests (or any class or classes thereof). The General Partner may adopt such conventions, make such allocations and make such amendments to this Agreement as provided in this Section 6.1(d)(x)(E) only if such conventions, allocations or amendments would not have a material adverse effect on the Partners, the holders of any class or classes of Outstanding Limited Partner Interests or the Partnership.

(xi) Curative Allocation .

(A) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 6.1 (other than the Required Allocations), the Required Allocations shall be taken into account in making the Agreed Allocations so that, to the extent possible, the net amount of items of gross income, gain, loss and deduction allocated to each Partner pursuant to the Required Allocations and the Agreed Allocations, together, shall be equal to the net amount of such items that would have been allocated to each such Partner under the Agreed Allocations had the Required Allocations and the related Curative Allocation not otherwise been provided in this Section 6.1. In exercising its discretion under this Section 6.1(d)(xi)(A), the General Partner may take into account future Required Allocations that, although not yet made, are likely to offset other Required Allocations previously made. Allocations pursuant to this Section 6.1(d)(xi)(A) shall only be made with respect to Required Allocations to the extent the General Partner determines that such allocations will otherwise be inconsistent with the economic agreement among the Partners.

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

 

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(xii) Corrective and Other Allocations . In the event of any allocation of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items or a Net Termination Loss, the following rules shall apply:

(A) The General Partner shall allocate Additional Book Basis Derivative Items consisting of depreciation, amortization, depletion or any other form of cost recovery (other than Additional Book Basis Derivative Items included in Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss) with respect to any Adjusted Property to the Unitholders, Pro Rata, to the holders of Incentive Distribution Rights and to the General Partner, all in the same proportion as the Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss resulting from the Revaluation Event that gave rise to such Additional Book Basis Derivative Items was allocated to them pursuant to Section 6.1(c).

(B) If a sale or other taxable disposition of an Adjusted Property, including, for this purpose, inventory (“Disposed of Adjusted Property”) occurs other than in connection with an event giving rise to Sale Gain or Sale Loss, the General Partner shall allocate (1) items of gross income and gain (x) away from the holders of Incentive Distribution Rights and the General Partner and (y) to the Unitholders, or (2) items of deduction and loss (x) away from the Unitholders and (y) to the holders of Incentive Distribution Rights and the General Partner, to the extent that the Additional Book Basis Derivative Items with respect to the Disposed of Adjusted Property (determined in accordance with the last sentence of the definition of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items) treated as having been allocated to the Unitholders pursuant to this Section 6.1(d)(xii)(B) exceed their Share of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items with respect to such Disposed of Adjusted Property. For purposes of this Section 6.1(d)(xii)(B), the Unitholders shall be treated as having been allocated Additional Book Basis Derivative Items to the extent that such Additional Book Basis Derivative Items have reduced the amount of income that would otherwise have been allocated to the Unitholders under the Partnership Agreement (e.g., Additional Book Basis Derivative Items taken into account in computing cost of goods sold would reduce the amount of book income otherwise available for allocation among the Partners). Any allocation made pursuant to this Section 6.1(d)(xii)(B) shall be made after all of the other Agreed Allocations have been made as if this Section 6.1(d)(xii) were not in this Agreement and, to the extent necessary, shall require the reallocation of items that have been allocated pursuant to such other Agreed Allocations.

 

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(C) Net Termination Loss in an amount equal to the lesser of (1) such Net Termination Loss and (2) the Aggregate Remaining Net Positive Adjustments shall be allocated in such manner as is determined by the General Partner that to the extent possible, the Capital Account balances of the Partners will equal the amount they would have been had no prior Book-Up Events occurred, and any remaining Net Termination Loss shall be allocated pursuant to Section 6.1(c) hereof. In allocating Net Termination Loss pursuant to this Section 6.1(d)(xii)(C), the General Partner shall attempt, to the extent possible, to cause the Capital Accounts of the Unitholders, on the one hand, and holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, on the other hand, to equal the amount they would equal if (i) the Carrying Values of the Partnership’s property had not been previously adjusted in connection with any prior Book-Up Events, (ii) Unrealized Gain and Unrealized Loss (or, in the case of a liquidation, Liquidation Gain or Liquidation Loss) with respect to such Partnership Property were determined with respect to such unadjusted Carrying Values, and (iii) any resulting Net Termination Gain had been allocated pursuant to Section 6.1(c)(i) (including, for the avoidance of doubt, taking into account the provisions set forth in the last sentence of Section 6.1(c)(i)).

(D) In making the allocations required under this Section 6.1(d)(xii), the General Partner may apply whatever conventions or other methodology it determines will satisfy the purpose of this Section 6.1(d)(xii). Without limiting the foregoing, if an Adjusted Property is contributed by the Partnership to another entity classified as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes (the “lower tier partnership”), the General Partner may make allocations similar to those described in Section 6.1(d)(xii)(A), (B) and (C) to the extent the General Partner determines such allocations are necessary to account for the Partnership’s allocable share of income, gain, loss and deduction of the lower tier partnership that relate to the contributed Adjusted Property in a manner that is consistent with the purpose of this Section 6.1(d)(xii).

(xiii) Special Curative Allocation in Event of Liquidation Prior to Conversion of the Last Outstanding Subordinated Unit . Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 6.1 (other than the Required Allocations), if (A) the Liquidation Date occurs prior to the conversion of the last Outstanding Subordinated Unit and (B) after having made all other allocations provided for in this Section 6.1 for the taxable period in which the Liquidation Date occurs, the Capital Account in respect of each Common Unit does not equal the amount such Capital Account would have been if Section 6.1(c)(iii) and Section 6.1(c)(iv) had not been part of this Agreement and all prior allocations of Net Termination Gain and Net Termination Loss had been made pursuant to Section 6.1(c)(i) or Section 6.1(c)(ii), as applicable, then items of income, gain, loss and deduction for such taxable period shall be reallocated among all Unitholders in a manner determined

 

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appropriate by the General Partner so as to cause, to the maximum extent possible, the Capital Account in respect of each Common Unit to equal the amount such Capital Account would have been if all prior allocations of Net Termination Gain and Net Termination Loss had been made pursuant to Section 6.1(c)(i) or Section 6.1(c)(ii), as applicable. For the avoidance of doubt, the reallocation of items set forth in the immediately preceding sentence provides that, to the extent necessary to achieve the Capital Account balances described above, (x) items of income and gain that would otherwise be included in Net Income or Net Loss, as the case may be, for the taxable period in which the Liquidation Date occurs shall be reallocated from Unitholders holding Subordinated Units to Unitholders holding Common Units and (y) items of deduction and loss that would otherwise be included in Net Income or Net Loss, as the case may be, for the taxable period in which the Liquidation Date occurs shall be reallocated from Unitholders holding Common Units to Unitholders holding Subordinated Units. In the event that (1) the Liquidation Date occurs on or before the date (not including any extension of time prescribed by law) for the filing of the Partnership’s federal income tax return for the taxable period immediately prior to the taxable period in which the Liquidation Date occurs and (2) the reallocation of items for the taxable period in which the Liquidation Date occurs as set forth above in this Section 6.1(d)(xiii) fails to achieve the Capital Account balances described above, items of income, gain, loss and deduction that would otherwise be included in the Net Income or Net Loss, as the case may be, for such prior taxable period shall be reallocated among the General Partner and all Unitholders in a manner that will, to the maximum extent possible and after taking into account all other allocations made pursuant to this Section 6.1(d)(xiii), cause the Capital Account in respect of each Common Unit to equal the amount such Capital Account would have been if all prior allocations of Net Termination Gain and Net Termination Loss had been made pursuant to Section 6.1(c)(i) or Section 6.1(c)(ii), as applicable.

Section 6.2 Allocations for Tax Purposes .

(a) Except as otherwise provided herein, for 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(d)(x)(E)); provided , that in all events the General Partner shall apply the “remedial allocation method” in accordance with the principles of Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-3(d).

 

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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 Limited Partner Interests, so long as such conventions would not have a material adverse effect on the Limited Partners or the Record Holders of any class or classes of Limited Partner Interests.

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

(e) All items of income, gain, loss, deduction and credit recognized by the Partnership for 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 (including all Persons who acquire Units pursuant to the Contribution Agreement) as of the closing of the National Securities Exchange on which Partnership Interests are listed or admitted to trading on the last Business Day of the next succeeding month; and provided, further, that gain or loss on a sale or other disposition of any assets of the Partnership or any other extraordinary item of income, gain, loss or deduction as determined by the General Partner, shall be allocated to the Partners as of the opening of the National Securities Exchange on which Partnership Interests are listed or admitted to trading on the first Business Day of the month in which such item is recognized for federal income tax purposes. The General Partner may revise, alter or otherwise modify such methods of allocation to the extent permitted or required by Section 706 of the Code and the regulations or rulings promulgated thereunder.

 

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

(h) If, as a result of an exercise of a Noncompensatory Option, a Capital Account reallocation is required under Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(s)(3), the General Partner shall make corrective allocations pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(4)(x).

Section 6.3 Distributions; Characterization of Distributions; Distributions to Record Holders .

(a) The General Partner has adopted a cash distribution policy, which it may change from time to time without amendment to this Agreement. Distributions will be made as and when declared by the General Partner.

(b) All amounts of cash and cash equivalents distributed by the Partnership on any date from any source shall be deemed to be Operating Surplus until the sum of all amounts of cash and cash equivalents theretofore distributed by the Partnership to the Partners pursuant to Section 6.4 equals the Operating Surplus from the Closing Date through the close of the immediately preceding Quarter. Any remaining amounts of cash and cash equivalents distributed by the Partnership on such date shall, except as otherwise provided in Section 6.5, be deemed to be “ Capital Surplus .” All distributions required to be made under this Agreement or otherwise made by the Partnership shall be made subject to Sections 17-607 and 17-804 of the Delaware Act.

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

(d) 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.

 

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Section 6.4 Distributions from Operating Surplus .

(a) During Subordination Period . Cash and cash equivalents distributed in respect of any Quarter wholly within the Subordination Period that is deemed to be Operating Surplus pursuant to the provisions of Section 6.3 or 6.5 shall be distributed as follows:

(i) First, to all Unitholders holding Common Units, Pro Rata, until there has been distributed in respect of each Common Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to the Minimum Quarterly Distribution for such Quarter;

(ii) Second, to all Unitholders holding Common Units, Pro Rata, until there has been distributed in respect of each Common Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to the Cumulative Common Unit Arrearage existing with respect to such Quarter;

(iii) Third, to all Unitholders holding Subordinated Units, Pro Rata, until there has been distributed in respect of each Subordinated Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to the Minimum Quarterly Distribution for such Quarter;

(iv) Fourth, to all Unitholders, Pro Rata, until there has been distributed in respect of each Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to the excess of the First Target Distribution over the Minimum Quarterly Distribution for such Quarter;

(v) Fifth, (A) 15% to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata; and (B) 85% to all Unitholders, Pro Rata, until there has been distributed in respect of each Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to the excess of the Second Target Distribution over the First Target Distribution for such Quarter;

(vi) Sixth, (A) 25% to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata; and (B) 75% to all Unitholders, Pro Rata, until there has been distributed in respect of each Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to the excess of the Third Target Distribution over the Second Target Distribution for such Quarter; and

(vii) Thereafter, (A) 50% to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata; and (B) 50% to all Unitholders, Pro Rata;

provided , however , if the Target Distributions have been reduced to zero pursuant to the second sentence of Section 6.6(a), the distribution of cash and cash equivalents that are deemed to be Operating Surplus with respect to any Quarter will be made solely in accordance with Section 6.4(a)(vii).

 

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(b) After Subordination Period . Cash and cash equivalents distributed in respect of any Quarter ending after the Subordination Period has ended that is deemed to be Operating Surplus pursuant to the provisions of Section 6.3 or Section 6.5 shall be distributed as follows:

(i) First, to all Unitholders, Pro Rata, until there has been distributed in respect of each Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to the Minimum Quarterly Distribution for such Quarter;

(ii) Second, to all Unitholders, Pro Rata, until there has been distributed in respect of each Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to the excess of the First Target Distribution over the Minimum Quarterly Distribution for such Quarter;

(iii) Third, (A) 15% to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata; and (B) 85% to all Unitholders, Pro Rata, until there has been distributed in respect of each Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to the excess of the Second Target Distribution over the First Target Distribution for such Quarter;

(iv) Fourth, (A) 25% to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata; and (B) 75% to all Unitholders, Pro Rata, until there has been distributed in respect of each Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to the excess of the Third Target Distribution over the Second Target Distribution for such Quarter; and

(v) Thereafter, (A) 50% to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata; and (B) 50% to all Unitholders, Pro Rata;

provided , however , if the Target Distributions have been reduced to zero pursuant to the second sentence of Section 6.6(a), the distribution of cash or cash equivalents that are deemed to be Operating Surplus with respect to any Quarter will be made solely in accordance with Section 6.4(b)(v).

Section 6.5 Distributions from Capital Surplus . Cash and cash equivalents that are distributed and deemed to be Capital Surplus pursuant to the provisions of Section 6.3(b) shall be distributed, unless the provisions of Section 6.3 require otherwise:

(a) First, 100% to the Unitholders, Pro Rata, until the Minimum Quarterly Distribution has been reduced to zero pursuant to the second sentence of Section 6.6(a);

(b) Second, 100% to all Unitholders holding Common Units, Pro Rata, until there has been distributed in respect of each Common Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to the Cumulative Common Unit Arrearage; and

(c) Thereafter, all cash and cash equivalents that are distributed shall be distributed as if it were Operating Surplus and shall be distributed in accordance with Section 6.4.

Section 6.6 Adjustment of Target Distribution Levels .

(a) The Target Distributions, Common Unit Arrearages and Cumulative Common Unit Arrearages shall be proportionately adjusted in the event of any distribution, combination or subdivision (whether effected by a distribution payable in Units or otherwise) of Units or other Partnership Interests. In the event of a distribution of cash or cash equivalents that is deemed to

 

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be from Capital Surplus, the then applicable Target Distributions shall be reduced in the same proportion that the distribution had to the Current Market Price of the Common Units immediately prior to the declaration of the distribution.

(b) The Target Distributions shall also be subject to adjustment pursuant to Section 5.12 and Section 6.9.

Section 6.7 Special Provisions Relating to the Holders of Subordinated Units .

(a) Except with respect to the right to vote on or approve matters requiring the vote or approval of a percentage of the holders of Outstanding Common Units and the right to participate in allocations of income, gain, loss and deduction and distributions made with respect to Common Units, the holder of a Subordinated Unit shall have all of the rights and obligations of a Unitholder holding Common Units hereunder; provided , however , that immediately upon the conversion of Subordinated Units into Common Units pursuant to Section 5.8, the Unitholder holding Subordinated Units shall possess all of the rights and obligations of a Unitholder holding Common Units hereunder with respect to such converted Subordinated Units, including the right to vote as a Common Unitholder and the right to participate in allocations of income, gain, loss and deduction and distributions made with respect to Common Units; provided , however , that such converted Subordinated Units shall remain subject to the provisions of Section 5.6(c)(ii), Section 6.1(d)(x), and Section 6.7(b) and (c).

(b) A Unitholder shall not be permitted to transfer a Subordinated Unit or a Subordinated Unit that has converted into a Common Unit pursuant to Section 5.8 (other than a transfer to an Affiliate) if the remaining balance in the transferring Unitholder’s Capital Account with respect to the retained Subordinated Units or retained converted Subordinated Units would be negative after giving effect to the allocation under Section 5.6(c)(ii)(B).

(c) The Unitholder holding a Common Unit that has resulted from the conversion of a Subordinated Unit pursuant to Section 5.8 shall not be permitted to transfer such Common Unit to a Person that is not an Affiliate of the holder until such time as the General Partner determines, based on advice of counsel, that each such Common Unit should have, as a substantive matter, like intrinsic economic and federal income tax characteristics, in all material respects, to the intrinsic economic and federal income tax characteristics of an Initial Common Unit. In connection with the condition imposed by this Section 6.7(c), the General Partner may take whatever steps are required to provide economic uniformity to such Common Units in preparation for a transfer of such Common Units, including the application of Sections 5.6(c)(ii) and 6.1(d)(x); provided , however , that no such steps may be taken that would have a material adverse effect on the Unitholders holding Common Units.

Section 6.8 Special Provisions Relating to the Holders of IDR Reset Common Units .

(a) A Unitholder shall not be permitted to transfer an IDR Reset Common Unit (other than a transfer to an Affiliate) if the remaining balance in the transferring Unitholder’s Capital Account with respect to the retained IDR Reset Common Units would be negative after giving effect to the allocation under Section 5.6(c)(iii).

 

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(b) A Unitholder holding an IDR Reset Common Unit shall not be permitted to transfer such Common Unit to a Person that is not an Affiliate of the holder until such time as the General Partner determines, based on advice of counsel, that upon transfer each such Common Unit should have, as a substantive matter, like intrinsic economic and U.S. federal income tax characteristics to the transferee, in all material respects, to the intrinsic economic and U.S. federal income tax characteristics of an Initial Common Unit to such transferee. In connection with the condition imposed by this Section 6.8(b), the General Partner may apply Sections 5.6(c)(iii), 6.1(d)(x) and 6.8(a) or, to the extent not resulting in a material adverse effect on the Unitholders holding Common Units, take whatever steps are required to provide economic uniformity to such Common Units in preparation for a transfer of such IDR Reset Common Units.

Section 6.9 Entity-Level Taxation . If legislation is enacted or the official interpretation of existing legislation is modified by a governmental authority, which after giving effect to such enactment or modification, results in a Group Member becoming subject to federal, state or local or non-U.S. income or withholding taxes in excess of the amount of such taxes due from the Group Member prior to such enactment or modification (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any increase in the rate of such taxation applicable to the Group Member), then the General Partner may, in its sole discretion, reduce the Target Distributions by the amount of income or withholding taxes that are payable by reason of any such new legislation or interpretation (the “ Incremental Income Taxes ”), or any portion thereof selected by the General Partner, in the manner provided in this Section 6.9. If the General Partner elects to reduce the Target Distributions for any Quarter with respect to all or a portion of any Incremental Income Taxes, the General Partner shall estimate for such Quarter the Partnership Group’s aggregate liability (the “ Estimated Incremental Quarterly Tax Amount ”) for all (or the relevant portion of) such Incremental Income Taxes; provided that any difference between such estimate and the actual liability for Incremental Income Taxes (or the relevant portion thereof) for such Quarter may, to the extent determined by the General Partner, be taken into account in determining the Estimated Incremental Quarterly Tax Amount with respect to each Quarter in which any such difference can be determined. For each such Quarter, the Target Distributions, shall be the product obtained by multiplying (a) the amounts therefor that are set out herein prior to the application of this Section 6.9 times (b) the quotient obtained by dividing (i) cash and cash equivalents with respect to such Quarter by (ii) the sum of cash and cash equivalents with respect to such Quarter and the Estimated Incremental Quarterly Tax Amount for such Quarter, as determined by the General Partner. For purposes of the foregoing, cash and cash equivalents with respect to a Quarter will be deemed reduced by the Estimated Incremental Quarterly Tax Amount for that Quarter.

 

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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, but without limitation on the ability of the General Partner to delegate its rights and power to other Persons, 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:

(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; 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);

 

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(vi) the distribution of cash or cash equivalents by the Partnership;

(vii) the selection, employment, retention and dismissal of employees (including employees having titles such as “president,” “vice president,” “secretary” and “treasurer”) and agents, outside attorneys, accountants, consultants and contractors of the General Partner or the Partnership Group 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 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);

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

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

(xii) the entering into listing agreements with any National Securities Exchange and the delisting of some or all of the Limited Partner Interests from, or requesting that trading be suspended on, any such exchange;

(xiii) the purchase, sale or other acquisition or disposition of Partnership Interests, or the issuance of Derivative Instruments;

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

(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, the Delaware Act or any applicable law, rule or regulation, each of the Partners, each other Person who acquires an interest in a Partnership Interest and each other Person 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 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 (in the case of each agreement other than this Agreement, without giving effect to any

 

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amendments, supplements or restatements after the date hereof); (ii) agrees that the General Partner (on its own behalf 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, at law or in equity, the General Partner or any other Indemnitee would have duties (including fiduciary duties) to the Partnership, to another Partner, to any Person who acquires an interest in a Partnership Interest or to any other Person bound by this Agreement, all such duties (including fiduciary duties) are hereby eliminated, to the fullest extent permitted by law, and replaced with the duties expressly set forth herein. The elimination of duties (including fiduciary duties) and replacement thereof with the duties expressly set forth herein are approved by the Partnership, each of the Partners, each other Person who acquires an interest in a Partnership Interest and each other Person 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 Article XII and Article XIV, the General Partner may not sell, exchange or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of the assets of the Partnership Group, taken as a whole, in a single transaction or a series of related transactions without the approval of a Unit Majority; provided , however , that this provision shall not preclude or limit the General Partner’s ability to mortgage,

 

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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 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) The General Partner shall be reimbursed on a monthly basis, or such other basis as the General Partner may determine, for (i) all direct and indirect expenses it incurs or payments it makes on behalf of the Partnership Group (including salary, bonus, incentive compensation and other amounts paid to any Person (including Affiliates of the General Partner) to perform services for the Partnership Group or for the General Partner in the discharge of its duties to the Partnership Group), and (ii) all other expenses allocable to the Partnership Group or 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 7.7.

(b) 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 for such management fee of such management fee or fees exceeds the amount of such fee or fees.

(c) The General Partner, without the approval of the Limited Partners (who shall have no right to vote in respect thereof), may propose and adopt on behalf of the Partnership benefit plans, programs and practices (including plans, programs and practices involving the issuance of 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, any Group Member or their Affiliates, or any of them, in each case for the benefit of employees, officers, consultants and directors of the General Partner or 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, officers, consultants 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 or otherwise, to fulfill awards under such plans, programs and practices) shall be reimbursed in accordance with Section 7.5(a). 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(c) shall constitute obligations of the General Partner hereunder and shall be assumed by any successor General Partner approved pursuant to Section 11.1 or Section 11.2 or the transferee of or successor to all of the General Partner’s General Partner Interest pursuant to Section 4.6.

 

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Section 7.6 Outside Activities .

(a) The General Partner, for so long as it is the General Partner of the Partnership, shall not engage in any business or activity or incur any debts or liabilities except in connection with or incidental to (i) 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, (ii) the acquiring, owning or disposing of debt securities or equity interests in any Group Member or (iii) the direct or indirect provision of management, advisory, and administrative services to its Affiliates or to other Persons.

(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. No such business interest or activity shall constitute a breach of this Agreement, any fiduciary or other duty existing at law, in equity or otherwise, or obligation of any type whatsoever to the Partnership or other Group Member, to another Partner, to any Person who acquires an interest in a Partnership Interest or to any other Person bound by this Agreement.

(c) 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 the Partnership, 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 or other Group Member, to another Partner, to any Person who acquires an interest in a Partnership Interest or to any other Person 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.

(d) The General Partner and each of its Affiliates may acquire Units or other Partnership Interests in addition to those acquired on the Closing Date and, except as otherwise expressly provided in Section 7.11, shall be entitled to exercise, at their option, all rights relating to all Units or other Partnership Interests acquired by them.

Section 7.7 Indemnification .

(a) To the fullest extent permitted by law, all Indemnitees shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Partnership from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities (joint or several), expenses (including legal fees and expenses), judgments, fines, penalties, interest, settlements or other amounts arising from any and all threatened, pending or completed

 

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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; provided , that the Indemnitee shall not be indemnified and held harmless if there has been a final and non-appealable judgment entered by a court of competent jurisdiction determining that, in respect of the matter for which the Indemnitee is seeking indemnification pursuant to this Agreement, the Indemnitee acted in Bad Faith or, in the case of a criminal matter, acted with knowledge that the Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful. Any indemnification pursuant to this Section 7.7 shall be made only out of the assets of the Partnership, it being agreed that the General Partner shall not be personally liable for such indemnification and shall have no obligation to contribute or loan any monies or property to the Partnership to enable it to effectuate such indemnification.

(b) To the fullest extent permitted by law, expenses (including legal fees and expenses) incurred by an Indemnitee who is entitled to be indemnified pursuant to Section 7.7(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 7.7, the Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified upon receipt by the Partnership of any undertaking by or on behalf of the Indemnitee to repay such amount if it shall be ultimately determined that the Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified as authorized by this Section 7.7.

(c) The indemnification provided by this Section 7.7 shall be in addition to any other rights to which an Indemnitee may be entitled under any agreement, pursuant to any vote of the holders of Outstanding Limited Partner Interests, as a matter of law, in equity or otherwise, both as to actions in the Indemnitee’s capacity as an Indemnitee and as to actions in any other capacity, 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 activities or such Person’s activities on behalf of the Partnership, regardless of whether the Partnership would have the power to indemnify such Person against such liability under the provisions of this Agreement.

(e) For purposes of this Section 7.7, the Partnership shall be deemed to have requested an Indemnitee to serve as fiduciary of an employee benefit plan whenever the performance by it of its duties to the Partnership also imposes duties on, or otherwise involves services by, it to the plan or participants or beneficiaries of the plan; excise taxes assessed on an Indemnitee with respect to an employee benefit plan pursuant to applicable law shall constitute “fines” within the meaning of Section 7.7(a); and action taken or omitted by 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 7.7 because the Indemnitee had an interest in the transaction with respect to which the indemnification applies if the transaction was otherwise permitted by the terms of this Agreement.

(h) The provisions of this Section 7.7 are for the benefit of the Indemnitees 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 7.7 or any provision hereof shall in any manner terminate, reduce or impair the right of any past, present or future Indemnitee to be indemnified by the Partnership, nor the obligations of the Partnership to indemnify any such Indemnitee under and in accordance with the provisions of this Section 7.7 as in effect immediately prior to such amendment, modification or repeal with respect to claims arising from or relating to matters occurring, in whole or in part, prior to such amendment, modification or repeal, regardless of when such claims may arise or be asserted.

Section 7.8 Limitation of Liability of Indemnitees .

(a) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, or under the Delaware Act or any other law, rule or regulation or at equity, no Indemnitee shall be liable for monetary damages or otherwise to the Partnership, to another Partner, to any other Person who acquires an interest in a Partnership Interest or to any other Person bound by this Agreement, for losses sustained or liabilities incurred, of any kind or character, as a result of its or any of any other Indemnitee’s determinations, act(s) or omission(s) in their capacities as Indemnitees; provided however, that an Indemnitee shall be liable for losses or liabilities sustained or incurred by the Partnership, the other Partners, any other Persons who acquire an interest in a Partnership Interest or any other Person bound by this Agreement, if it is determined by a final and non-appealable judgment entered by a court of competent jurisdiction that such losses or liabilities were the result of the conduct of that Indemnitee engaged in by it in Bad Faith or with respect to any criminal conduct, with the knowledge that its conduct was unlawful.

(b) The General Partner may exercise any of the powers granted to it by this Agreement and perform any of the duties imposed upon it hereunder either directly or by or through its agents, and the General Partner shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any such agent appointed by the General Partner if such appointment was not made in Bad Faith.

 

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(c) To the extent that, at law or in equity, an Indemnitee has duties (including fiduciary duties) and liabilities relating thereto to the Partnership, to the Partners, to any Person who acquires an interest in a Partnership Interest or to any other Person 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, to any Partner, to any Person who acquires an interest in a Partnership Interest or to any other Person bound by this Agreement for its reliance on the provisions of this Agreement.

(d) Any amendment, modification or repeal of this Section 7.8 or any provision hereof shall be prospective only and shall not in any way affect the limitations on the liability of the Indemnitees under this Section 7.8 as in effect immediately prior to such amendment, modification or repeal with respect to claims arising from or relating to matters occurring, in whole or in part, prior to such amendment, modification or repeal, regardless of when such claims may arise or be asserted.

Section 7.9 Resolution of Conflicts of Interest; Standards of Conduct and Modification of Duties .

(a) Whenever the General Partner, acting in its capacity as the general partner of the Partnership, or the Board of Directors or any committee of the Board of Directors (including the Conflicts Committee) or any Affiliates of the General Partner cause the General Partner to make a determination or take or omit to take any action in such capacity, whether or not under this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement or any other agreement contemplated hereby, then, unless another lesser standard is provided for in this Agreement, the General Partner, the Board of Directors, such committee or such Affiliates, shall not make such determination, or take or omit to take such action, in Bad Faith. The foregoing and other lesser standards provided for in this Agreement are the sole and exclusive standards governing any such determinations, actions and omissions of the General Partner, the Board of Directors, any committee of the Board of Directors (including the Conflicts Committee) and any Affiliate of the General Partner and no such Person shall be subject to any fiduciary duty or other duty or obligation, or any other, different or higher standard (all of which duties, obligations and standards are hereby waived and disclaimed), under this Agreement any Group Member Agreement or any other agreement contemplated hereby, or under the Delaware Act or any other law, rule or regulation or at equity. Any such determination, action or omission by the General Partner, the Board of Directors of the General Partner or any committee thereof (including the Conflicts Committee) or of any Affiliates of the General Partner, will for all purposes be presumed to have been in Good Faith. In any proceeding brought by or on behalf of the Partnership, any Limited Partner, or any other Person who acquires an interest in a Partnership Interest or any other Person who is bound by this Agreement, challenging such determination, act or omission, the Person bringing or prosecuting such proceeding shall have the burden of proving that such determination, action or omission was not in Good Faith.

(b) Whenever the General Partner makes a determination or takes or omits to take any action, or any of its Affiliates causes it to do so, not acting in its capacity as the general partner of the Partnership, whether or not under this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement

 

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or any other agreement contemplated hereby, then the General Partner, or such Affiliates causing it to do so, are entitled, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to make such determination or to take or omit to take such action free of any fiduciary duty or duty of Good Faith, or other duty or obligation existing at law, in equity or otherwise whatsoever to the Partnership, to another Partner, to any Person who acquires an interest in a Partnership Interest or to any other Person bound by this Agreement, and the General Partner, or such Affiliates causing it to do so, shall not, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be required to act in Good Faith or pursuant to any fiduciary or other duty or standard imposed by this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement or any other agreement contemplated hereby or under the Delaware Act or any other law, rule or regulation or at equity.

(c) For purposes of Sections 7.9(a) and (b) of this Agreement, “acting in its capacity as the general partner of the Partnership” means and is solely limited to, the General Partner exercising its authority as a general partner under this Agreement, other than when it is “acting in its individual capacity.” For purposes of this Agreement, “acting in its individual capacity” means: (i) any action by the General Partner or its Affiliates other than through the exercise of the General Partner of its authority as a general partner under this Agreement; and (ii) any action or inaction by the General Partner by the exercise (or failure to exercise) of its rights, powers or authority under this Agreement that are modified by: (A) the phrase “at the option of the General Partner,” (B) the phrase “in its sole discretion” or “in its discretion” or (iii) some variation of the phrases set forth in clauses (i) and (ii). For the avoidance of doubt, whenever the General Partner votes, acquires Partnership Interests or transfers its Partnership Interests, or refrains from voting or transferring its Partnership Interests, it shall be and be deemed to be “acting in its individual capacity.”

(d) Whenever a potential conflict of interest exists or arises between the General Partner or any of its Affiliates, on the one hand, and the Partnership, any Group Member or any Partner, any other Person who acquires an interest in a Partnership Interest or any other Person who is bound by this Agreement on the other hand, the General Partner may in its discretion (i) submit any resolution, course of action with respect to or causing such conflict of interest or transaction for Special Approval or for approval by the vote of a majority of the Common Units (excluding Common Units owned by the General Partner or its Affiliates) or (ii) adopt a resolution or course of action that has not received Special Approval or Unitholder approval. The General Partner is not required in connection with its resolution of any conflict of interest to seek Special Approval or Unitholder approval of such resolution and may determine not to do so in its sole discretion. If any resolution, course of action or transaction: (A) receives Special Approval; or (B) receives approval of a majority of the Common Units (excluding Common Units owned by the General Partner or its Affiliates), then such resolution, course of action or transaction shall be conclusively deemed to be approved by the Partnership, all the Partners, each Person who acquires an interest in a Partnership Interest and each other Person who is bound by this Agreement, and shall not constitute a breach of this Agreement, of any Group Member Agreement, of any agreement contemplated herein or therein, or of any fiduciary or other duty or obligation existing at law, in equity or otherwise.

 

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(e) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the General Partner and its Affiliates 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 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 or transactions shall be in its sole discretion.

(f) The Partners, and each Person who acquires an interest in a Partnership Interest or is otherwise 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 7.9.

(g) For the avoidance of doubt, whenever the Board of Directors, any committee of the Board of Directors (including the Conflicts Committee), the officers of the General Partner or any Affiliates of the General Partner make a determination on behalf of the General Partner, or cause the General Partner to take or omit to take any action, whether in the General Partner’s capacity as the general partner of the Partnership or in its individual capacity, the standards of care applicable to the General Partner shall apply to such Persons, and such Persons shall be entitled to all benefits and rights of the General Partner hereunder, including waivers and modifications of duties, protections and presumptions, as if such Persons were the General Partner hereunder.

Section 7.10 Other Matters Concerning the General Partner .

(a) The General Partner may rely, and shall be protected in acting or refraining from acting upon, any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, consent, order, bond, debenture or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties.

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

Section 7.11 Purchase or Sale of Partnership Interests . The General Partner may cause the Partnership to purchase or otherwise acquire Partnership Interests. As long as any Partnership Interests are held by any Group Member, such Partnership Interests shall not be entitled to any vote and shall not be considered to be Outstanding.

 

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Section 7.12 Registration Rights of the General Partner and its Affiliates .

(a) If (i) the General Partner or any of its Affiliates (including for purposes of this Section 7.12, any Person that is an Affiliate of the General Partner at the date hereof notwithstanding that it may later cease to be an Affiliate of the General Partner) holds Partnership Interests that it desires to sell and (ii) Rule 144 of the Securities Act (or any successor rule or regulation to Rule 144) or another exemption from registration is not available to enable such holder of Partnership Interests (the “ Holder ”) to dispose of the number of Partnership Interests it desires to sell at the time it desires to do so without registration under the Securities Act, then at the option and upon the request of the Holder, the Partnership shall file with the Commission as promptly as practicable after receiving such request, and use all commercially reasonable efforts to cause to become effective and remain effective for a period of not less than six months following its effective date or such shorter period as shall terminate when all Partnership Interests covered by such registration statement have been sold, a registration statement under the Securities Act registering the offering and sale of the number of Partnership Interests specified by the Holder; provided , however , that the Partnership shall not be required to effect more than two registrations pursuant to this Section 7.12(a) in any twelve-month period; and provided further , however , that if the General Partner determines that a postponement of the requested registration would be in the best interests of the Partnership and its Partners due to a pending transaction, investigation or other event, the filing of such registration statement or the effectiveness thereof may be deferred for up to six months, but not thereafter. In connection with any registration pursuant to the immediately preceding sentence, the Partnership shall (A) promptly prepare and file (1) such documents as may be necessary to register or qualify the securities subject to such registration under the securities laws of such states as the Holder shall reasonably request; provided , however , that no such qualification shall be required in any jurisdiction where, as a result thereof, the Partnership would become subject to general service of process or to taxation or qualification to do business as a foreign corporation or partnership doing business in such jurisdiction solely as a result of such registration, and (2) such documents as may be necessary to apply for listing or to list the Partnership Interests subject to such registration on such National Securities Exchange as the Holder shall reasonably request, and (B) do any and all other acts and things that may be necessary or appropriate to enable the Holder to consummate a public sale of such Partnership Interests in such states. Except as set forth in Section 7.12(c), all costs and expenses of any such registration and offering (other than the underwriting discounts and commissions) shall be paid by the Partnership, without reimbursement by the Holder.

(b) If the Partnership shall at any time propose to file a registration statement under the Securities Act for an offering of Partnership Interests for cash (other than an offering relating solely to a benefit plan), the Partnership shall use all commercially reasonable efforts to include such number or amount of Partnership Interests held by any Holder in such registration statement as the Holder shall request; provided , that the Partnership is not required to make any effort or take any action to so include the Partnership Interests of the Holder once the registration

 

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statement becomes or is declared effective by the Commission, including any registration statement providing for the offering from time to time of Partnership Interests pursuant to Rule 415 of the Securities Act. If the proposed offering pursuant to this Section 7.12(b) shall be an underwritten offering, then, in the event that the managing underwriter or managing underwriters of such offering advise the Partnership and the Holder that in their opinion the inclusion of all or some of the Holder’s Partnership Interests would adversely and materially affect the timing or success of the offering, the Partnership shall include in such offering only that number or amount, if any, of Partnership Interests held by the Holder that, in the opinion of the managing underwriter or managing underwriters, will not so adversely and materially affect the offering. Except as set forth in Section 7.12(c), all costs and expenses of any such registration and offering (other than the underwriting discounts and commissions) shall be paid by the Partnership, without reimbursement by the Holder.

(c) If underwriters are engaged in connection with any registration referred to in this Section 7.12, the Partnership shall provide indemnification, representations, covenants, opinions and other assurance to the underwriters in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such underwriters. Further, in addition to and not in limitation of the Partnership’s obligation under Section 7.7, the Partnership shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, indemnify and hold harmless the Holder, its officers, directors and each Person who controls the Holder (within the meaning of the Securities Act) and any agent thereof (collectively, “ Indemnified Persons ”) from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, joint or several, expenses (including legal fees and expenses), judgments, fines, penalties, interest, settlements or other amounts arising from any and all claims, demands, actions, suits or proceedings, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, in which any Indemnified Person may be involved, or is threatened to be involved, as a party or otherwise, under the Securities Act or otherwise (hereinafter referred to in this Section 7.12(c) as a “claim” and in the plural as “claims”) based upon, arising out of or resulting from any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in any registration statement under which any Partnership Interests were registered under the Securities Act or any state securities or Blue Sky laws, in any preliminary prospectus (if used prior to the effective date of such registration statement), or in any summary or final prospectus or issuer free writing prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto (if used during the period the Partnership is required to keep the registration statement current), or arising out of, based upon or resulting from the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements made therein not misleading; provided , however , that the Partnership shall not be liable to any Indemnified Person to the extent that any such claim arises out of, is based upon or results from an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in such registration statement, such preliminary, summary or final prospectus or free writing prospectus or such amendment or supplement, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Partnership by or on behalf of such Indemnified Person specifically for use in the preparation thereof.

(d) The provisions of Section 7.12(a) and Section 7.12(b) shall continue to be applicable with respect to the General Partner (and any of the General Partner’s Affiliates) after it ceases to be a general partner of the Partnership, during a period of two years subsequent to the

 

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effective date of such cessation and for so long thereafter as is required for the Holder to sell all of the Partnership Interests with respect to which it has requested during such two-year period inclusion in a registration statement otherwise filed or that a registration statement be filed; provided, however, that the Partnership shall not be required to file successive registration statements covering the same Partnership Interests for which registration was demanded during such two-year period. The provisions of Section 7.12(c) shall continue in effect thereafter.

(e) The rights to cause the Partnership to register Partnership Interests pursuant to this Section 7.12 may be assigned (but only with all related obligations) by a Holder to a transferee or assignee of such Partnership Interests, provided (i) the Partnership is, within a reasonable time after such transfer, furnished with written notice of the name and address of such transferee or assignee and the Partnership Interests with respect to which such registration rights are being assigned; and (ii) such transferee or assignee agrees in writing to be bound by and subject to the terms set forth in this Section 7.12.

(f) Any request to register Partnership Interests pursuant to this Section 7.12 shall (i) specify the Partnership Interests intended to be offered and sold by the Person making the request, (ii) express such Person’s present intent to offer such Partnership Interests for distribution, (iii) describe the nature or method of the proposed offer and sale of Partnership Interests, and (iv) contain the undertaking of such Person to provide all such information and materials and take all action as may be required in order to permit the Partnership to comply with all applicable requirements in connection with the registration of such Partnership Interests.

Section 7.13 Reliance by Third Parties . Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, any Person dealing with the Partnership shall be entitled to assume that the General Partner and any officer of the General Partner authorized by the General Partner to act on behalf of and in the name of the Partnership has full power and authority to encumber, sell or otherwise use in any manner any and all assets of the Partnership and to enter into any authorized contracts on behalf of the Partnership, and such Person shall be entitled to deal with the General Partner or any such officer as if it were the Partnership’s sole party in interest, both legally and beneficially. Each Limited Partner, each other Person who acquires an interest in a Partnership Interest and each other Person bound by this Agreement hereby waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any and all defenses or other remedies that may be available to such Person or 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.

 

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ARTICLE VIII

BOOKS, RECORDS, ACCOUNTING AND REPORTS

Section 8.1 Records and Accounting . The General Partner shall keep or cause to be kept at the principal office of the Partnership appropriate books and records with respect to the Partnership’s business, including all books and records necessary to provide to the Limited Partners any information required to be provided pursuant to Section 3.4(a). Any books and records maintained by or on behalf of the Partnership in the regular course of its business, including the record of the Record Holders of Units or other Partnership Interests, books of account and records of Partnership proceedings, may be kept on, or be in the form of, computer disks, hard drives, magnetic tape, photographs, micrographics or any other information storage device; provided , that the books and records so maintained are convertible into clearly legible written form within a reasonable period of time. The books of the Partnership shall be maintained, for financial reporting purposes, on an accrual basis in accordance with U.S. GAAP. The Partnership shall not be required to keep books maintained on a cash basis and the General Partner shall be permitted to calculate cash-based measures, including Operating Surplus and Adjusted Operating Surplus, by making such adjustments to its accrual basis books to account for non-cash items and other adjustments as the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate.

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, 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.

(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.

 

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(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 federal, state and local income tax purposes on the basis of the accrual method and the taxable period or year that it is required by law to adopt, from time to time, as determined by the General Partner. If 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.

Section 9.2 Tax Elections .

(a) The Partnership shall make the election under Section 754 of the Code in accordance with applicable regulations thereunder, subject to the reservation of the right to seek to revoke any such election upon the General Partner’s determination that such revocation is in the best interests of the Limited Partners. Notwithstanding any other provision herein contained, for the purposes of computing the adjustments under Section 743(b) of the Code, the General Partner shall be authorized (but not required) to adopt a convention whereby the price paid by a transferee of a Limited Partner Interest will be deemed to be the lowest Closing Price of the Limited Partner Interests on any National Securities Exchange on which such Limited Partner 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 is designated as the Tax Matters Partner (as defined in the Code) and is authorized and required to represent the Partnership (at the Partnership’s expense) in connection with all examinations of

 

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the Partnership’s affairs by tax authorities, including resulting administrative and judicial proceedings, and to expend Partnership funds for professional services and costs associated therewith. Each Partner agrees to cooperate with the General Partner and to do or refrain from doing any or all things reasonably required by the General Partner to conduct such proceedings. Each Partner agrees that notice of or updates regarding tax controversies shall be deemed conclusively to have been given or made by the Tax Matters Partner if the Partnership has either (i) filed the information for which notice is required with the Commission via its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system and such information is publicly available on such system or (ii) made the information for which notice is required available on any publicly available website maintained by the Partnership, whether or not such Partner remains a Partner in the Partnership at the time such information is made publicly available.

Section 9.4 Withholding; Tax Payments .

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

(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the General Partner is authorized to take any action that may be required to cause the Partnership and other Group Members to comply with any withholding requirements established under the Code or any other federal, state or local law including pursuant to Sections 1441, 1442, 1445 and 1446 of the Code. 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 or from a distribution 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 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 Article IV or the acceptance of any Limited Partner Interests issued pursuant to Article V or pursuant to a merger or consolidation or conversion pursuant to Article XIV, and except as provided in Section 4.8, each transferee of, or other such Person acquiring, a Limited Partner Interest (including any nominee holder or an agent or representative acquiring such Limited Partner Interests for the account of another Person) (i) shall be admitted to the Partnership as a Limited Partner with respect to the Limited Partner Interests so transferred or issued to such Person when any such transfer or issuance is reflected in the books and records of the Partnership and such Limited Partner becomes the Record Holder of the Limited Partner Interests so transferred or issued, (ii) shall become bound, and shall be deemed to have agreed to be bound,

 

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by the terms of this Agreement, (iii) represents that the transferee or other recipient has the capacity, power and authority to enter into this Agreement and (iv) makes the consents, acknowledgements and waivers contained in this Agreement, all with or without execution of this Agreement by such Person. The transfer of any Limited Partner Interests and the admission of any new Limited Partner shall not constitute an amendment to this Agreement. A Person may become a Limited Partner or Record Holder of a Limited Partner Interest without the consent or approval of any of the Partners. A Person may not become a Limited Partner without acquiring a Limited Partner Interest and until such Person is reflected in the books and records of the Partnership as the Record Holder of such Limited Partner Interest. The rights and obligations of a Person who is an Ineligible Holder shall be determined in accordance with Section 4.8.

(b) The name and mailing address of each Record Holder shall be listed on the books and records of the Partnership maintained for such purpose by the Partnership or the Transfer Agent. The General Partner shall update the books and records of the Partnership from time to time as necessary to reflect accurately the information therein (or shall cause the Transfer Agent to do so, as applicable).

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

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

 

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ARTICLE XI

WITHDRAWAL OR REMOVAL OF PARTNERS

Section 11.1 Withdrawal of the General Partner .

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

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

(ii) The General Partner transfers all of its General Partner Interest pursuant to Section 4.6;

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

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

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

(vi) (A) if 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) if the General Partner is a partnership or a limited liability company, the dissolution and commencement of winding up of the General Partner; (C) if the General Partner is acting in such capacity by virtue of being a trustee of a trust, the termination of the trust; and (D) if the General Partner is a natural person, his death or adjudication of incompetency.

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

 

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(b) Withdrawal of the General Partner from the Partnership upon the occurrence of an Event of Withdrawal shall not constitute a breach of this Agreement under the following circumstances: (i) at any time during the period beginning on the Closing Date and ending at 11:59 pm, prevailing Eastern Time, on March 31, 2025, the General Partner voluntarily withdraws by giving at least 90 days’ advance notice of its intention to withdraw to the Limited Partners; provided , that prior to the effective date of such withdrawal, the withdrawal is approved by Unitholders holding 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 under the Delaware Act of any Limited Partner 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 already so treated or taxed); (ii) at any time after 11:59 pm, prevailing Eastern Time, on March 31, 2025, the General Partner voluntarily withdraws by giving at least 90 days’ advance notice to the Unitholders, such withdrawal to take effect on the date specified in such notice; (iii) at any time that the General Partner ceases to be the General Partner pursuant to Section 11.1(a)(ii) or is removed pursuant to Section 11.2; or (iv) notwithstanding clause (i) of this sentence, at any time that the General Partner voluntarily withdraws by giving at least 90 days’ advance notice of its intention to withdraw to the Limited Partners, such withdrawal to take effect on the date specified in the notice, if at the time such notice is given one Person and its Affiliates (other than the General Partner and its Affiliates) own beneficially or of record or control at least 50% of the Outstanding Units. The withdrawal of the General Partner from the Partnership upon the occurrence of an Event of Withdrawal shall also constitute the withdrawal of the General Partner as general partner or managing member, if any, to the extent applicable, of the other Group Members. If the General Partner gives a notice of withdrawal pursuant to Section 11.1(a)(i), a Unit Majority may, prior to the effective date of such withdrawal, elect a successor General Partner. The Person so elected as successor General Partner shall automatically become the successor general partner or managing member, to the extent applicable, of the other Group Members of which the General Partner is a general partner or a managing member. If, prior to the effective date of the General Partner’s withdrawal pursuant to Section 11.1(a)(i), a successor is not selected by the Unitholders as provided herein or the Partnership does not receive a Withdrawal Opinion of Counsel, the Partnership shall be dissolved in accordance with Section 12.1 unless the business of the Partnership is continued 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 Unitholders holding at least 66 2/3% of the Outstanding Units (including Units held by the General Partner and its Affiliates) voting as a single class. Any such action by such holders for removal of the General Partner must also provide for the election of a successor General Partner by the Unitholders holding a majority of the Outstanding Common Units, voting as a class, and a majority of the Outstanding Subordinated Units, voting as a class (including, in each case, Units held by the General Partner and its Affiliates). Such removal shall be effective immediately following the admission of a successor General Partner pursuant to Section 10.2. The removal of the General Partner shall also automatically constitute the

 

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

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

(a) In the event of (i) withdrawal of the General Partner under circumstances where such withdrawal does not violate this Agreement or (ii) removal of the General Partner by the holders of Outstanding Units under circumstances where Cause does not exist, if the successor General Partner is elected in accordance with the terms of Section 11.1 or Section 11.2, the Departing General Partner shall have the option, exercisable prior to the effective date of the withdrawal or removal of such Departing General Partner, to require its successor to purchase its General Partner Interest and its or its Affiliates’ general partner interest (or equivalent interest), if any, in the other Group Members and all of its or its Affiliates’ Incentive Distribution Rights (collectively, the “ Combined Interest ”) in exchange for an amount in cash equal to the fair market value of such Combined Interest, such amount to be determined and payable as of the effective date of its withdrawal or removal. If the General Partner is removed by the Unitholders under circumstances where Cause exists or if the General Partner withdraws under circumstances where such withdrawal violates this Agreement, and if a successor General Partner is elected in accordance with the terms of Section 11.1 or Section 11.2 (or if the business of the Partnership is continued pursuant to Section 12.2 and the successor General Partner is not the former General Partner), such successor shall have the option, exercisable prior to the effective date of the withdrawal or removal of such Departing General Partner (or, in the event the business of the Partnership is continued, prior to the date the business of the Partnership is continued), to purchase the Combined Interest for such fair market value of such Combined Interest. In either case, 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

 

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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 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 value of the Units, including 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, the value of the Incentive Distribution Rights and the General Partner Interest 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 (and its Affiliates, if applicable) 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 as to all debts and liabilities of the Partnership arising on or after the date on which the Departing General Partner 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 (and its Affiliates, if applicable) contributed the Combined Interest to the Partnership in exchange for the newly issued Common Units.

(c) If a successor General Partner is elected in accordance with the terms of Section 11.1 or Section 11.2 (or if the business of the Partnership is continued pursuant to Section 12.2 and the successor General Partner is not the former General Partner) and the option described in Section 11.3(a) is not exercised by the party entitled to do so, the successor General Partner shall, at the effective date of its admission to the Partnership, contribute to the Partnership cash in the amount equal to the product of (x) the quotient obtained by dividing (A) the Percentage Interest of the General Partner Interest of the Departing General Partner by (B) a percentage equal to 100% less the Percentage Interest of the General Partner Interest of the Departing General Partner and (y) the Net Agreed Value of the Partnership’s assets on such date. In such event, such successor General Partner shall, subject to the following sentence, be entitled to its Percentage Interest of all Partnership allocations and distributions to which the Departing General Partner was entitled. In addition, the successor General Partner shall cause this Agreement to be amended to reflect that, from and after the date of such successor General Partner’s admission, the successor General Partner’s interest in all Partnership distributions and allocations shall be its Percentage Interest.

Section 11.4 Conversion of Subordinated Units . Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement, if the General Partner is removed as general partner of the Partnership under circumstances where Cause does not exist, the Subordinated Units held by any Person will immediately and automatically convert into Common Units on a one-for-one basis, provided (i)

 

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neither such Person nor any of its Affiliates voted any of its Units in favor of the removal and (ii) such Person is not an Affiliate of the successor General Partner; provided , however , that such converted Subordinated Units shall remain subject to the provisions of Section 5.6(c)(ii), Section 6.1(d)(x), Section 6.7(b) and Section 6.7(c).

Section 11.5 Withdrawal of Limited Partners . No Limited Partner shall have any right to withdraw from the Partnership; provided , however , that when a transferee of a Limited Partner’s Limited Partner Interest becomes a Record Holder of the Limited Partner Interest so transferred, such transferring Limited Partner shall cease to be a Limited Partner with respect to the Limited Partner Interest so transferred.

ARTICLE XII

DISSOLUTION AND LIQUIDATION

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

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

(b) an election to dissolve the Partnership by the General Partner that is approved by 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.

Section 12.2 Continuation of the Business 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 Section 11.2, then within 90 days thereafter, or (b) an event constituting an Event of Withdrawal as defined in Section 11.1(a)(iv), (v) or (vi), then, to the maximum extent permitted by law, within 180 days thereafter, a Unit Majority may elect to continue the business of the Partnership on the same terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement by appointing as a successor General Partner a Person approved by 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;

 

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(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 a Unit Majority to approve a successor General Partner and to continue the business of the Partnership shall not exist and may not be exercised unless the Partnership has received an Opinion of Counsel that (x) the exercise of the right would not result in the loss of limited liability under the Delaware Act of any Limited Partner and (y) neither the Partnership nor any Group Member would be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise be taxable as an entity for 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, unless the business of the Partnership is continued pursuant to Section 12.2, the General Partner shall select one or more Persons to act as Liquidator. The Liquidator (if other than the General Partner) shall be entitled to receive such compensation for its services as may be approved by holders of a majority of the Outstanding Common Units and Subordinated Units, voting as a single class. The Liquidator (if other than the General Partner) shall agree not to resign at any time without 15 days’ prior notice and may be removed at any time, with or without cause, by notice of removal approved by holders of a majority of the Outstanding Common Units and Subordinated Units, voting as a single class. Upon dissolution, removal or resignation of the Liquidator, a successor and substitute Liquidator (who shall have and succeed to all rights, powers and duties of the original Liquidator) shall within 30 days thereafter be approved by holders of a majority of the Outstanding Common Units and Subordinated Units, voting as a single class. The right to approve a successor or substitute Liquidator in the manner provided herein shall be deemed to refer also to any such successor or substitute Liquidator approved in the manner herein provided. Except as expressly provided in this Article XII, the Liquidator approved in the manner provided herein shall have and may exercise, without further authorization or consent of any of the parties hereto, all of the powers conferred upon the General Partner under the terms of this Agreement (but subject to all of the applicable limitations, contractual and otherwise, upon the exercise of such powers, other than the limitation on sale set forth in Section 7.4) 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.

 

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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 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 liquidation of the Partnership, the Certificate of Limited Partnership and all qualifications of the Partnership as a foreign limited partnership in jurisdictions other than the State of Delaware shall be canceled and such other actions as may be necessary to terminate the Partnership shall be taken.

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

 

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

Section 12.8 Capital Account Restoration . No Limited Partner shall have any obligation to restore any negative balance in its Capital Account upon liquidation of the Partnership. The General Partner shall be obligated to restore any negative balance in its Capital Account upon liquidation of its interest in the Partnership by the end of the taxable period of the Partnership during which such liquidation occurs, or, if later, within 90 days after the date of such liquidation.

ARTICLE XIII

AMENDMENT OF PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT; MEETINGS; RECORD DATE

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

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

(b) 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 Limited Partners (including any particular class of Partnership Interests as compared to other classes of Partnership Interests) in any material respect, (ii) to be necessary or appropriate to (A) satisfy any requirements, conditions or guidelines contained in any opinion, directive, order, ruling or regulation of any federal or state agency or judicial authority or contained in any federal or state statute (including the Delaware Act) or (B) facilitate the trading of the Units (including the division of any class or classes of Outstanding Units into different classes to facilitate uniformity of tax consequences within such classes of Units) or comply with any rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of any National Securities Exchange on which the Units are or will be listed or admitted to trading, (iii) to be necessary or appropriate in connection with action taken by the General Partner pursuant to Section 5.10 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 and Derivative Instruments pursuant to Section 5.7;

(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 or Section 7.1(a);

(k) a merger, conveyance or conversion pursuant to Section 14.3(d); or

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

Section 13.2 Amendment Procedures . 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. An amendment shall be effective upon its approval by the General Partner and, except as otherwise provided by Section 13.1 or 13.3, a Unit Majority, unless a greater or different percentage is required under this Agreement or by Delaware law. Each proposed amendment that requires the approval of the holders of a specified percentage of Outstanding Units shall be set forth in a writing that contains the text of the proposed amendment. If such an amendment is proposed, the General Partner shall seek the written approval of the requisite percentage of Outstanding Units or call a meeting of the Unitholders to consider and vote on such proposed amendment. The General Partner shall notify

 

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all Record Holders upon final adoption of any amendments. The General Partner shall be deemed to have notified all Record Holders as required by this Section 13.2 if it has either (a) 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 (b) made such amendment available on any publicly available website maintained by the Partnership.

Section 13.3 Amendment Requirements .

(a) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 13.1 (other than Section 13.1(d)(iv)) and Section 13.2, no provision of this Agreement (other than Section 11.2 or Section 13.4) that establishes a percentage of Outstanding Units (including Units deemed owned by the General Partner) or requires a vote or approval of Partners (or a subset of 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 reducing or increasing such percentage, unless such amendment is approved by the written consent or the affirmative vote of holders of Outstanding Units whose aggregate Outstanding Units constitute not less than the voting requirement sought to be reduced or increased, as applicable, or the affirmative vote of Partners whose aggregate Percentage Interests constitute not less than the voting requirement sought to be reduced or increased, as applicable.

(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 13.1 (other than Section 13.1(d)(iv)) and Section 13.2, no amendment to this Agreement may (i) enlarge the obligations of (including requiring any holder of a class of Partnership Interests to make additional Capital Contributions to the Partnership) any Limited Partner without its consent, unless such shall be deemed to have occurred as a result of an amendment approved pursuant to Section 13.3(c), or (ii) enlarge the obligations of, restrict, 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 at its option.

(c) Except as provided in Section 14.3 or 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 Limited 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.

(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 Limited Partners.

 

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Section 13.4 Special Meetings . All acts of Limited Partners to be taken pursuant to this Agreement shall be taken in the manner provided in this Article XIII. Special meetings of the Limited Partners may be called by the General Partner or by Limited Partners owning 20% or more of the Outstanding Units of the class or classes for which a meeting is proposed. Limited Partners shall call a special meeting by delivering to the General Partner one or more requests in writing stating that the signing Limited Partners wish to call a special meeting and indicating the specific purposes for which the special meeting is to be called and the class or classes of Units for which the meeting is proposed. No business may be brought by any Limited Partner before such special meeting except the business listed in the related request. Within 60 days after receipt of such a call from Limited Partners or within such greater time as may be reasonably necessary for the Partnership to comply with any statutes, rules, regulations, listing agreements or similar requirements governing the holding of a meeting or the solicitation of proxies for use at such a meeting, the General Partner shall send a notice of the meeting to the Limited Partners either directly or indirectly through the Transfer Agent. A meeting shall be held at a time and place determined by the General Partner on a date not less than 10 days nor more than 60 days after the time notice of the meeting is given as provided in Section 16.1. Limited Partners shall not vote on matters that would cause the Limited Partners to be deemed to be taking part in the management and control of the business and affairs of the Partnership so as to jeopardize the Limited Partners’ limited liability under the Delaware Act or the law of any other state in which the Partnership is qualified to do business.

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

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

 

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Section 13.7 Postponement and Adjournment . Prior to the date upon which any meeting of Limited Partners is to be held, the General Partner may postpone such meeting one or more times for any reason by giving notice to each Limited Partner entitled to vote at the meeting so postponed of the place, date and hour at which such meeting would be held. Such notice shall be given not fewer than two days before the date of such meeting and otherwise in accordance with this Article XIII. When a meeting is postponed, a new Record Date need not be fixed unless such postponement shall be for more than 45 days. Any meeting of Limited Partners may be adjourned by the General Partner one or more times for any reason, including the failure of a quorum to be present at the meeting with respect to any proposal or the failure of any proposal to receive sufficient votes for approval. No Limited Partner vote shall be required for any adjournment. A meeting of Limited Partners may be adjourned by the General Partner as to one or more proposals regardless of whether action has been taken on other matters. When a meeting is adjourned to another time or place, notice need not be given of the adjourned meeting and a new Record Date need not be fixed, if the time and place thereof are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken, unless such adjournment shall be for more than 45 days. At the adjourned meeting, the Partnership may transact any business which might have been transacted at the original meeting. If the adjournment is for more than 45 days or if a new Record Date is fixed for the adjourned meeting, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given in accordance with this Article XIII.

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

 

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the aggregate represent at least such greater or different percentage shall be required; provided , however , that if, as a matter of law or provision of this Agreement, approval by plurality vote of Partners (or any class thereof) is required to approve any action, no minimum quorum 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 holders of the required Percentage Interest specified in this Agreement.

Section 13.10 Conduct of a Meeting . The General Partner shall have full power and authority concerning the manner of conducting any meeting of the Limited Partners or solicitation of approvals in writing, including the determination of Persons entitled to vote, the existence of a quorum, the satisfaction of the requirements of Section 13.4, the conduct of voting, the validity and effect of any proxies and the determination of any controversies, votes or challenges arising in connection with or during the meeting or voting. The General Partner shall designate a Person to serve as chairman of any meeting and shall further designate a Person to take the minutes of any meeting. All minutes shall be kept with the records of the Partnership maintained by the General Partner. The General Partner may make such other regulations consistent with applicable law and this Agreement as it may deem advisable concerning the conduct of any meeting of the Limited Partners or solicitation of approvals in writing, including regulations in regard to the appointment of proxies, the appointment and duties of inspectors of votes and approvals, the submission and examination of proxies and other evidence of the right to vote, and the revocation of approvals 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 Limited Partners may be taken without a meeting, without a vote and without prior notice, if an approval in writing setting forth the action so taken is signed by Limited Partners owning not less than the minimum percentage, 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), as the case may be, that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all the Limited Partners entitled to vote at such meeting were present and voted (unless such provision conflicts with any rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of any National Securities Exchange on which the Units are listed or admitted to trading, in which case the rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of such National Securities Exchange shall govern). Prompt notice of the taking of action without a meeting shall be given to the Limited Partners who have not approved in writing. The General Partner may specify that any written ballot submitted to Limited Partners for the purpose of taking any action without a meeting shall be returned to the Partnership within the time period, which shall be not less than 20 days, specified by the General Partner. If a ballot returned to the Partnership does not vote all of the Units held by the Limited Partners, the Partnership shall be deemed to have failed to receive a ballot for the Units that were not voted. If approval of the taking of any action by the Limited Partners is solicited by any Person other than by or on behalf of the General Partner, the written approvals shall have no force and effect unless and until (a) they are deposited with the Partnership in care of the General Partner 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

 

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Limited Partners to be deemed to be taking part in the management and control of the business and affairs of the Partnership so as to jeopardize the Limited Partners’ limited liability, and (ii) is otherwise permissible under the state statutes then governing the rights, duties and liabilities of the Partnership and the Partners. Nothing contained in this Section 13.11 shall be deemed to require the General Partner to solicit all Limited Partners in connection with a matter approved by the holders of the requisite percentage of Units acting by written consent without a meeting.

Section 13.12 Right to Vote and Related Matters .

(a) Only those Record Holders of the Outstanding Units on the Record Date set pursuant to Section 13.6 shall be entitled to notice of, and to vote at, a meeting of Limited Partners or to act with respect to matters as to which the holders of the Outstanding Units have the right to vote or to act. All references in this Agreement to votes of, or other acts that may be taken by, the Outstanding Units shall be deemed to be references to the votes or acts of the Record Holders of such Outstanding Units.

(b) With respect to Units that are held for a Person’s account by another Person (such as a broker, dealer, bank, trust company or clearing corporation, or an agent of any of the foregoing), in whose name such Units are registered, such other Person shall, in exercising the voting rights in respect of such Units on any matter, and unless the arrangement between such Persons provides otherwise, vote such Units in favor of, and at the direction of, the Person who is the beneficial owner, and the Partnership shall be entitled to assume it is so acting without 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.

Section 13.13 Voting of Incentive Distribution Rights .

(a) For so long as a majority of the Incentive Distribution Rights are held by the General Partner and its Affiliates, the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights shall not be entitled to vote such Incentive Distribution Rights on any Partnership matter except as may otherwise be required by law and the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, in their capacity as such, shall be deemed to have approved any matter approved by the General Partner.

(b) If less than a majority of the Incentive Distribution Rights are held by the General Partner and its Affiliates, the Incentive Distribution Rights will be entitled to vote on all matters submitted to a vote of Unitholders, other than amendments and other matters that the General Partner determines do not adversely affect the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights as a whole in any material respect. On any matter in which the holders of Incentive Distribution Rights are entitled to vote, such holders will vote together with the Subordinated Units, prior to the end of the Subordination Period, or together with the Common Units, thereafter, in either case as a single class except as otherwise required by Section 13.3(c), and such Incentive Distribution Rights shall be treated in all respects as Subordinated Units or Common Units, as applicable, 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. The relative voting power of the Incentive

 

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Distribution Rights and the Subordinated Units or Common Units, as applicable, will be set in the same proportion as cumulative cash distributions, if any, in respect of the Incentive Distribution Rights for the four consecutive Quarters prior to the record date for the vote bears to the cumulative cash distributions in respect of such class of Units for such four Quarters.

(c) In connection with any equity financing, or anticipated equity financing, by the Partnership of an Expansion Capital Expenditure, the General Partner may, without the approval of the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, temporarily or permanently reduce the amount of Incentive Distributions that would otherwise be distributed to such holders, provided that in the judgment of the General Partner, such reduction will be in the long-term best interest of such holders.

ARTICLE XIV

MERGER OR CONSOLIDATION

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

Section 14.2 Procedure for Merger or Consolidation .

(a) Merger or consolidation 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, in declining to consent to a merger or consolidation, may act in its sole discretion.

(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 name and jurisdiction of formation or organization of each of the business entities proposing to merge or consolidate;

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

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

(iv) the manner and basis of exchanging or converting the equity interests of each constituent business entity for, or into, cash, property or interests, rights, securities or obligations of the Surviving Business Entity; and (A) if any interests, securities or

 

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rights of any constituent business entity are not to be exchanged or converted solely for, or into, cash, property or interests, rights, securities or obligations of the Surviving Business Entity, then the cash, property or interests, rights, securities or obligations of any general or limited partnership, corporation, trust, limited liability company, unincorporated business or other entity (other than the Surviving Business Entity) which the holders of such interests, securities or rights are to receive in exchange for, or upon conversion of their interests, securities or rights, and (B) in the case of equity interests represented by certificates, upon the surrender of such certificates, which cash, property or interests, rights, securities or obligations of the Surviving Business Entity or any general or limited partnership, corporation, trust, limited liability company, unincorporated business or other entity (other than the Surviving Business Entity), or evidences thereof, are to be delivered;

(v) a statement of any changes in the constituent documents or the adoption of new constituent documents (the articles or certificate of incorporation, articles of trust, declaration of trust, certificate or agreement of limited partnership, 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 such certificate of merger, the effective time shall be fixed at a date or time certain and stated in the certificate of merger); and

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

Section 14.3 Approval by Limited Partners .

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

(b) Except as provided in Sections 14.3(d) and 14.3(e), the Merger Agreement shall be approved upon receiving the affirmative vote or consent of the holders of a Unit Majority unless the Merger Agreement 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 a greater percentage of the Outstanding Units or of any class of Limited Partners, in which case such greater percentage vote or consent shall be required for approval of the Merger Agreement.

 

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

(d) Notwithstanding anything else contained in this Article XIV or in this Agreement, the General Partner is permitted, without Limited Partner approval, to convert the Partnership or any Group Member into a new limited liability entity, to merge the Partnership or any Group Member into, or convey all of the Partnership’s assets to, another limited liability entity that shall be newly formed and shall have no assets, liabilities or operations at the time of such 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 merger or conveyance, as the case may be, would not result in the loss of the limited liability under the Delaware Act of any Limited Partner or cause the Partnership or any Group Member to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise to be taxed as an entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes (to the extent not already treated as such), (ii) the sole purpose of such merger, or conveyance is to effect a mere change in the legal form of the Partnership into another limited liability entity and (iii) the governing instruments of the new entity provide the Limited Partners and the General Partner with 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 Limited Partner approval, to merge or consolidate the Partnership with or into another entity if (i) the General Partner has received an Opinion of Counsel that the merger or consolidation, as the case may be, would not result in the loss of the limited liability under the Delaware Act of any Limited Partner or cause the Partnership or any Group Member to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise to be taxed as an entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes (to the extent not already treated as such), (ii) the merger or consolidation would not result in an amendment to this Agreement, other than any amendments that could be adopted pursuant to Section 13.1, (iii) the Partnership is the Surviving Business Entity in such merger or consolidation, (iv) each 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 (v) the number of Partnership Interests to be issued by the Partnership in such merger or consolidation does not exceed 20% of the Partnership Interests (other than Incentive Distribution Rights) Outstanding immediately prior to the effective date of such merger or consolidation.

(f) Pursuant to Section 17-211(g) of the Delaware Act, an agreement of merger or consolidation approved in accordance with this Article XIV may (i) effect any amendment to this Agreement or (ii) effect the adoption of a new partnership agreement for the Partnership if it is the Surviving Business Entity. Any such amendment or adoption made pursuant to this Section 14.3 shall be effective at the effective time or date of the merger or consolidation.

 

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Section 14.4 Certificate of Merger . Upon the required approval by the General Partner and the Unitholders of a Merger Agreement, a certificate of merger shall be executed and filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware in conformity with the requirements of the Delaware Act.

Section 14.5 Effect of Merger or Consolidation .

(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;

(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.

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 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.

 

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(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 filed and distributed as may be required by the Commission or any National Securities Exchange on which such Limited Partner Interests are listed. 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 the case of Limited Partner Interests evidenced by Certificates, in exchange for payment, at such office or offices of the Transfer Agent as the Transfer Agent may specify, or as may be required by any National Securities Exchange on which such Limited Partner Interests are listed 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 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.

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

 

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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. 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. 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. 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), 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 sent to the attention of the General Partner and 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.

(b) 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.

 

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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 Limited Partner Interest, pursuant to Section 10.1(a) without execution hereof.

Section 16.9 Applicable Law; Forum; Venue and Jurisdiction Waiver of Trial by Jury .

(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) Each of the Partners and each Person holding any 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):

(i) irrevocably agrees that any claims, suits, actions or proceedings (A) arising out of or relating in any way to this Agreement (including any claims, suits or actions to interpret, apply or enforce the provisions of this Agreement or the duties,

 

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obligations or liabilities among Partners or of Partners to the Partnership, or the rights or powers of, or restrictions on, the Partners or the Partnership), (B) brought in a derivative manner on behalf of the Partnership, (C) asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary or other duty owed by any director, officer, or other employee of the Partnership or the General Partner, or owed by the General Partner, to the Partnership or the Partners, (D) asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the Delaware Act or (E) asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine 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), in each case regardless of whether such claims, suits, actions or proceedings sound in contract, tort, fraud or otherwise, are based on common law, statutory, equitable, legal or other grounds, or are derivative or direct claims;

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

(iii) agrees not to, and waives any right to, assert in any such claim, suit, action or proceeding that (A) it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware or of any other court to which proceedings in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware 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) 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) shall affect or limit any right to serve process in any other manner permitted by law; and

(vi) IRREVOCABLY WAIVES THE RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY SUCH CLAIM, SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING.

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/or parts 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.

 

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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 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.

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the General Partner has executed this Agreement as of the date first written above.

 

GENERAL PARTNER:
Enviva Partners GP, LLC
By:

/s/ William H. Schmidt, Jr.

Name: William H. Schmidt, Jr.
Title: Executive Vice President, General Counsel
and Secretary

 

S IGNATURE P AGE

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Exhibit 4.1

REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

THIS REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (this “ Agreement ”) is made and entered into as of May 4, 2015, by and between Enviva Partners, LP, a Delaware limited partnership (the “ Partnership ”), Enviva MLP Holdco, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ MLP Holdco ”), and Enviva Cottondale Acquisition I, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ Acquisition I ”).

WHEREAS, this Agreement is made in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Contribution Agreement by and among Enviva Holdings, LP, MLP Holdco, Enviva, LP, Acquisition I and the Partnership dated as of April 28, 2015 (the “ Contribution Agreement ”); and

WHEREAS, the Partnership has agreed to provide the registration and other rights set forth in this Agreement for the benefit of MLP Holdco and Acquisition I pursuant to the Contribution Agreement.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements set forth herein and for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged by each party hereto, the parties hereby agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

Section 1.01. Definitions . Capitalized terms used herein without definition shall have the meanings given to them in the First Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of the Partnership dated May 4, 2015, as amended from time to time (the “ Partnership Agreement ”). The terms set forth below are used herein as so defined:

Acquisition I ” has the meaning given to such term in the introductory paragraph.

Affiliate ” means, with respect to a specified Person, any other Person that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person. For the purposes of this definition, “control” means the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.

Agreement ” has the meaning given to such term in the introductory paragraph.

Commission ” has the meaning given to such term in Section 1.02 .

Contribution Agreement ” has the meaning given to such term in the recitals of this Agreement.

Effectiveness Period ” has the meaning given to such term in Section 2.01 .

Exchange Act ” has the meaning given to such term in Section 2.08(a) .

Holder ” means the record holder of any Registrable Securities.


Included Registrable Securities ” has the meaning given to such term in Section 2.03(a) .

Losses ” has the meaning given to such term in Section 2.08(a) .

Managing Underwriter(s) ” means, with respect to any Underwritten Offering, the book-running lead manager(s) of such Underwritten Offering.

MLP Holdco ” has the meaning given to such term in the introductory paragraph.

Notice ” has the meaning given to such term in Section 2.01 .

Partnership ” has the meaning given to such term in the introductory paragraph.

Person ” means any individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, voluntary association, joint venture, trust, limited liability partnership, unincorporated organization, government or any agency, instrumentality or political subdivision thereof, or any other form of entity.

Registrable Securities ” means the aggregate number of (i) Common Units issued (or issuable) to MLP Holdco pursuant to the Contribution Agreement; (ii) Subordinated Units; and (iii) Common Units issuable upon conversion of the Subordinated Units pursuant to the terms of the Partnership Agreement, which Registrable Securities are subject to the rights provided herein until such rights terminate pursuant to the provisions hereof.

Registration Expenses ” means all expenses (other than Selling Expenses) incident to the Partnership’s performance under or compliance with this Agreement to effect the registration of Registrable Securities on a Registration Statement pursuant to Section 2.01 or in connection with an Underwritten Offering pursuant to Section 2.02(a) or Section 2.03(a) , and the disposition of such Registrable Securities, including, without limitation, all registration, filing, securities exchange listing and securities exchange fees, all registration, filing, qualification and other fees and expenses of complying with securities or blue sky laws, fees of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, fees of transfer agents and registrars, all word processing, duplicating and printing expenses, any transfer taxes and the fees and disbursements of counsel and independent public accountants for the Partnership, including the expenses of any special audits or “cold comfort” letters required by or incident to such performance and compliance.

Registration Statement ” has the meaning given to such term in Section 2.01 .

Securities Act ” has the meaning given to such term in Section 1.02 .

Selling Expenses ” means all underwriting fees, discounts and selling commissions applicable to the sale of Registrable Securities.

Selling Holder ” means a Holder who is selling Registrable Securities pursuant to a registration statement.

Shelf Registration Statement ” has the meaning given to such term in Section 2.01 .

 

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Testing-the-Waters Communication ” means any oral or written communication with potential investors undertaken in reliance on Section 5(d) of the Securities Act.

Underwritten Offering ” means an offering (including an offering pursuant to a Registration Statement) in which Common Units are sold to an underwriter on a firm commitment basis for reoffering to the public or an offering that is a “bought deal” with one or more investment banks.

Written Testing-the-Waters Communication ” means any Testing-the-Waters Communication that is a written communication within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

Section 1.02. Registrable Securities . Any Registrable Security will cease to be a Registrable Security (a) at the time a Registration Statement covering such Registrable Security has been declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “ Commission ”), or otherwise has become effective, and such Registrable Security has been sold or disposed of pursuant to such Registration Statement; (b) at the time such Registrable Security has been disposed of pursuant to Rule 144 (or any similar provision then in effect under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the “ Securities Act ”)); (c) ten years after the General Partner ceases to be the general partner of the Partnership; (d) if the Registrable Security is held by MLP Holdco, ten years after MLP Holdco ceases to be an Affiliate of the General Partner; (e) if the Registrable Security is held by Acquisition I, ten years after Acquisition I ceases to be an Affiliate of the General Partner; (f) if such Registrable Security is held by the Partnership or one of its subsidiaries; (g) at the time such Registrable Security has been sold in a private transaction in which the transferor’s rights under this Agreement are not assigned to the transferee of such securities; or (h) if such Registrable Security has been sold in a private transaction in which the transferor’s rights under this Agreement are assigned to the transferee and such transferee is not an Affiliate of the General Partner, at the time that is two years following the later of: (i) if the Registrable Security is a Subordinated Unit, the conversion of the Subordinated Units into Common Units and (ii) the transfer of such Registrable Security to such transferee.

ARTICLE II

REGISTRATION RIGHTS

Section 2.01. Demand Registration . Upon the written request (a “ Notice ”) by MLP Holdco or by Holders owning at least one million then-outstanding Registrable Securities (subject to adjustment pursuant to Section 3.04 ), the Partnership shall file with the Commission, as soon as reasonably practicable, but in no event more than 90 days following the receipt of the Notice, a registration statement (each, a “ Registration Statement ”) under the Securities Act providing for the resale of the Registrable Securities (which may, at the option of the Holders giving such Notice, be a registration statement under the Securities Act that provides for the resale of the Registrable Securities pursuant to Rule 415 from time to time by the Holders (a “ Shelf Registration Statement ”)). The Partnership shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause each Registration Statement to be declared effective by the Commission as soon as reasonably practicable after the initial filing of the Registration Statement. Any Registration Statement shall provide for the resale pursuant to any method or combination of methods legally

 

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available to, and requested by, the Holders of any and all Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement. The Partnership shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause each Registration Statement filed pursuant to this Section 2.01 to be continuously effective, supplemented and amended to the extent necessary to ensure that it is available for the resale of all Registrable Securities by the Holders until all Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement have ceased to be Registrable Securities (the “ Effectiveness Period ”). Each Registration Statement when effective (and the documents incorporated therein by reference) shall comply as to form in all material respects with all applicable requirements of the Securities Act and shall not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. There shall be no limit on the number of Registration Statements that may be required by the Holders hereunder.

Section 2.02. Underwritten Offerings .

(a) Request for Underwritten Offering . In the event that one or more Holders collectively elect to dispose of at least two million Registrable Securities (subject to adjustment pursuant to Section 3.04 ) under a Registration Statement pursuant to an Underwritten Offering, the Partnership shall, upon written request by such Holders, retain underwriters in order to permit such Holders to effect such sale through an Underwritten Offering. The obligation of the Partnership to retain underwriters shall include entering into an underwriting agreement in customary form with the Managing Underwriter(s), which shall include, among other provisions, indemnities to the effect and to the extent provided in Section 2.08 and taking all reasonable actions as are requested by the Managing Underwriter(s) to expedite or facilitate the disposition of such Registrable Securities. The Partnership shall, upon request of the Holders, cause its management to participate in a roadshow or similar marketing effort on behalf of the Holders.

(b) Limitation on Underwritten Offerings . In no event shall the Partnership be required under Section 2.02(a) to participate in more than two Underwritten Offerings in any twelve-month period.

(c) General Procedures . In connection with any Underwritten Offering under this Agreement, the Holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities being sold in such Underwritten Offering shall be entitled, subject to the Partnership’s consent (which is not to be unreasonably withheld), to select the Managing Underwriter(s). In connection with any Underwritten Offering under this Agreement, each Selling Holder and the Partnership shall be obligated to enter into an underwriting agreement that contains such representations and warranties, covenants, indemnities and other rights and obligations as are customary in underwriting agreements for firm commitment offerings of securities. No Selling Holder may participate in such Underwritten Offering unless such Selling Holder agrees to sell its Registrable Securities on the basis provided in such underwriting agreement and completes and executes all questionnaires, powers of attorney, indemnities and other documents reasonably required under the terms of such underwriting agreement. Each Selling Holder may, at its option, require that any or all of the representations and warranties by, and the other agreements on the part of, the Partnership to and for the benefit of such underwriters also be made to and for such Selling Holder’s benefit and that any or all of the conditions precedent to the obligations of such underwriters under such underwriting agreement also be conditions precedent to such

 

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Selling Holder’s obligations. If any Selling Holder disapproves of the terms of an underwriting, such Selling Holder may elect to withdraw from the Underwritten Offering by notice to the Partnership and the Managing Underwriter(s); provided , however , that such withdrawal must be made at a time prior to the time of pricing of such Underwritten Offering. No such withdrawal shall affect the Partnership’s obligation to pay Registration Expenses.

Section 2.03. Piggyback Rights.

(a) Participation . If the Partnership proposes to file (i) a registration statement or (ii) a prospectus supplement to an effective Shelf Registration Statement and Holders may be included in the offering to which such prospectus supplement relates without the filing of a post-effective amendment to such Shelf Registration Statement, in each case, for the sale of Common Units in an Underwritten Offering for its own account and/or another Person, then as soon as practicable following the engagement of counsel by the Partnership to prepare the documents to be used in connection with such Underwritten Offering, the Partnership shall give notice (including notification by electronic mail) of such proposed Underwritten Offering to each Holder holding at least 5% of the then-outstanding Registrable Securities and such notice shall offer such Holders the opportunity to include in such Underwritten Offering such number of Registrable Securities (the “ Included Registrable Securities ”) as each such Holder may request in writing; provided , however , that if the Partnership has been advised by the Managing Underwriter(s) that the inclusion of Registrable Securities for sale for the benefit of the Holders will have an adverse effect on the price, timing or distribution of the Common Units in the Underwritten Offering, then (A) if no Registrable Securities can be included in the Underwritten Offering in the opinion of the Managing Underwriter(s), the Partnership shall not be required to offer such opportunity to the Holders or (B) if any Registrable Securities can be included in the Underwritten Offering in the opinion of the Managing Underwriter(s), then the amount of Registrable Securities to be offered for the accounts of Holders shall be determined based on the provisions of Section 2.03(b) . Subject to Section 2.03(b) , the Partnership shall include in such Underwritten Offering all included Registrable Securities with respect to which the Partnership has received requests within two (2) Business Days (or one (1) Business Day in connection with a “bought deal” or an “overnight” Underwritten Offering) after the Partnership’s notice has been delivered in accordance with Section 3.01 . If no written request for inclusion from a Holder is received within the specified time, each such Holder shall have no further right to participate in such Underwritten Offering. If, at any time after giving written notice of its intention to undertake an Underwritten Offering and prior to the closing of such Underwritten Offering, the Partnership shall determine for any reason not to undertake or to delay such Underwritten Offering, the Partnership may, at its election, give written notice of such determination to the Selling Holders and, (x) in the case of a determination not to undertake such Underwritten Offering, shall be relieved of its obligation to sell any Included Registrable Securities in connection with such terminated Underwritten Offering and (y) in the case of a determination to delay such Underwritten Offering, shall be permitted to delay offering any Included Registrable Securities for the same period as the delay in the Underwritten Offering. Any Selling Holder shall have the right to withdraw such Selling Holder’s request for inclusion of such Selling Holder’s Registrable Securities in such Underwritten Offering by giving written notice to the Partnership of such withdrawal at or prior to the time of pricing of such Underwritten Offering.

 

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(b) Priority of Registration . If the Managing Underwriter(s) of any proposed Underwritten Offering advises the Partnership that the total amount of Registrable Securities that the Selling Holders and any other Persons intend to include in such offering exceeds the number that can be sold in such offering without being likely to have an adverse effect in any material respect on the price, timing or distribution of the Common Units offered or the market for the Common Units, then the Common Units to be included in such Underwritten Offering shall include the number of Units that such Managing Underwriter(s) advises the Partnership can be sold without having such adverse effect, with such number to be allocated (i) first, to the Partnership unless a Holder initiates the Underwritten Offering, in which case it shall be to the Holders, and (ii) second, and if any, the number of included Registrable Securities that, in the opinion of such Managing Underwriter(s), can be sold without having such adverse effect, with such number to be allocated pro rata among the Holders (or the Partnership if a Holder initiates the Underwritten Offering) that have requested to participate in such Underwritten Offering based on the relative number of Registrable Securities then held by each such Holder (provided that any securities thereby allocated to a Holder that exceed such Holder’s request shall be reallocated among the remaining requesting Holders in like manner).

Section 2.04. Delay Rights . If the General Partner determines that the Partnership’s compliance with its obligations under this Article II would be materially detrimental to the Partnership and its Partners because such registration would (a) materially interfere with a significant acquisition, reorganization, financing or other similar transaction involving the Partnership, (b) require premature disclosure of material information that the Partnership has a bona fide business purpose for preserving as confidential or (c) render the Partnership unable to comply with applicable securities laws, then the Partnership shall have the right to postpone compliance with its obligations under this Article II for a period of not more than three months, provided, that such right pursuant to this Section 2.04 may not be utilized more than twice in any twelve-month period.

Section 2.05. Sale Procedures . In connection with its obligations under this Article II , the Partnership will, as expeditiously as possible:

(a) prepare and file with the Commission such amendments and supplements to each Registration Statement and the prospectus used in connection therewith as may be necessary to keep each Registration Statement effective for the Effectiveness Period and as may be necessary to comply with the provisions of the Securities Act with respect to the disposition of all Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement;

(b) if a prospectus supplement will be used in connection with the marketing of an Underwritten Offering and the Managing Underwriter(s) notifies the Partnership in writing that, in the sole judgment of such Managing Underwriter(s), inclusion of detailed information in such prospectus supplement is of material importance to the success of the Underwritten Offering of such Registrable Securities, use its commercially reasonable efforts to include such information in such prospectus supplement;

(c) furnish to each Selling Holder (i) as far in advance as reasonably practicable before filing a Registration Statement or any supplement or amendment thereto, upon request, copies of reasonably complete drafts of all such documents proposed to be filed (including

 

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exhibits and each document incorporated by reference therein to the extent then required by the rules and regulations of the Commission), and provide each such Selling Holder the opportunity to object to any information pertaining to such Selling Holder and its plan of distribution that is contained therein and make the corrections reasonably requested by such Selling Holder with respect to such information prior to filing a Registration Statement or supplement or amendment thereto, and (ii) such number of copies of such Registration Statement and the prospectus included therein and any supplements and amendments thereto as such Persons may reasonably request in order to facilitate the public sale or other disposition of the Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement;

(d) if applicable, use its commercially reasonable efforts to register or qualify the Registrable Securities covered by a Registration Statement under the securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Selling Holders or, in the case of an Underwritten Offering, the Managing Underwriter(s), shall reasonably request; provided , however , that the Partnership will not be required to qualify generally to transact business in any jurisdiction where it is not then required to so qualify or to take any action that would subject it to general service of process in any jurisdiction where it is not then so subject;

(e) promptly notify each Selling Holder and each underwriter, at any time when a prospectus is required to be delivered under the Securities Act, of (i) the filing of a Registration Statement or any prospectus or prospectus supplement to be used in connection therewith, or any amendment or supplement thereto, and, with respect to such Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, when the same has become effective; and (ii) any written comments from the Commission with respect to any filing referred to in clause (i) and any written request by the Commission for amendments or supplements to a Registration Statement or any prospectus or prospectus supplement thereto;

(f) immediately notify each Selling Holder and each underwriter, at any time when a prospectus is required to be delivered under the Securities Act, of (i) the happening of any event as a result of which the prospectus or prospectus supplement contained in a Registration Statement, as then in effect, includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading (in the case of the prospectus contained therein, in the light of the circumstances under which a statement is made); (ii) the issuance or threat of issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement, or the initiation of any proceedings for that purpose; or (iii) the receipt by the Partnership of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of any Registrable Securities for sale under the applicable securities or blue sky laws of any jurisdiction. Following the provision of such notice, the Partnership agrees to, as promptly as practicable, amend or supplement the prospectus or prospectus supplement or take other appropriate action so that the prospectus or prospectus supplement does not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances then existing and to take such other reasonable action as is necessary to remove a stop order, suspension, threat thereof or proceedings related thereto;

(g) upon request and subject to appropriate confidentiality obligations, furnish to each Selling Holder copies of any and all transmittal letters or other correspondence with the

 

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Commission or any other governmental agency or self-regulatory body or other body having jurisdiction (including any domestic or foreign securities exchange) relating to any offering of Registrable Securities;

(h) in the case of an Underwritten Offering, furnish upon request, (i) an opinion of counsel for the Partnership dated the date of the closing under the underwriting agreement and (ii) a “cold comfort” letter, dated the pricing date of such Underwritten Offering (to the extent available) and a letter of like kind dated the date of the closing under the underwriting agreement, in each case, signed by the independent public accountants who have certified the Partnership’s financial statements included or incorporated by reference into the applicable registration statement, and each of the opinion and the “cold comfort” letter shall be in customary form and covering substantially the same matters with respect to such registration statement (and the prospectus and any prospectus supplement included therein) as have been customarily covered in opinions of issuer’s counsel and in accountants’ letters delivered to the underwriters in Underwritten Offerings of securities by the Partnership and such other matters as such underwriters and Selling Holders may reasonably request;

(i) otherwise use its commercially reasonable efforts to comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the Commission, and make available to its security holders, as soon as reasonably practicable, an earnings statement, which earnings statement shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 promulgated thereunder;

(j) make available to the appropriate representatives of the Managing Underwriter(s) and Selling Holders access to such information and Partnership personnel as is reasonable and customary to enable such parties to establish a due diligence defense under the Securities Act;

(k) cause all Registrable Securities registered pursuant to this Agreement to be listed on each securities exchange or nationally recognized quotation system on which similar securities issued by the Partnership are then listed;

(l) use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Registrable Securities to be registered with or approved by such other governmental agencies or authorities as may be necessary by virtue of the business and operations of the Partnership to enable the Selling Holders to consummate the disposition of the Registrable Securities;

(m) provide a transfer agent and registrar for all Registrable Securities covered by a Registration Statement not later than the effective date of such registration statement; and

(n) enter into customary agreements and take such other actions as are reasonably requested by the Selling Holders or the underwriters, if any, in order to expedite or facilitate the disposition of the Registrable Securities.

Each Selling Holder, upon receipt of notice from the Partnership of the happening of any event of the kind described in subsection (f) of this Section 2.05 , shall forthwith discontinue disposition of the Registrable Securities by means of a prospectus or prospectus supplement until such Selling Holder’s receipt of the copies of the supplemented or amended prospectus contemplated by subsection (f) of this Section 2.05 or until it is advised in writing by the Partnership that the use of the prospectus may be resumed, and has received copies of any additional or supplemental filings incorporated by reference in the prospectus.

 

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Section 2.06. Cooperation by Holders . The Partnership shall have no obligation to include in a Registration Statement, or in an Underwritten Offering pursuant to Section 2.02(a) , Registrable Securities of a Selling Holder who has failed to timely furnish such information that, in the opinion of counsel to the Partnership, is reasonably required in order for the registration statement or prospectus supplement, as applicable, to comply with the Securities Act.

Section 2.07. Expenses . The Partnership will pay all reasonable Registration Expenses, including in the case of an Underwritten Offering, regardless of whether any sale is made in such Underwritten Offering. Each Selling Holder shall pay all Selling Expenses in connection with any sale of its Registrable Securities hereunder. In addition, except as otherwise provided in Section 2.08 , the Partnership shall not be responsible for legal fees incurred by Holders in connection with the exercise of such Holders’ rights hereunder.

Section 2.08. Indemnification .

(a) By the Partnership . In the event of a registration of any Registrable Securities under the Securities Act pursuant to this Agreement, the Partnership will indemnify and hold harmless each Selling Holder participating therein, its directors, officers, employees and agents, and each Person, if any, who controls such Selling Holder within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the “ Exchange Act ”), and its directors, officers, employees or agents, against any losses, claims, damages, expenses or liabilities (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses) (collectively, “ Losses ”), joint or several, to which such Selling Holder, director, officer, employee, agent or controlling Person may become subject under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, insofar as such Losses (or actions or proceedings, whether commenced or threatened, in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact (in the case of any prospectus or any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, in the light of the circumstances under which such statement is made) contained in any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, a Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or prospectus supplement, free writing prospectus or final prospectus or prospectus supplement contained therein, or any amendment or supplement thereof, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of a prospectus or any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, and will reimburse each such Selling Holder, its directors, officers, employee and agents, and each such controlling Person for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by them in connection with investigating or defending any such Loss or actions or proceedings as such expenses are incurred; provided, however , that the Partnership will not be liable in any such case if and to the extent that any such Loss arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission so made in conformity with information furnished by such Selling Holder, its directors, officers, employees and agents or such controlling Person in writing specifically for use in any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, a Registration Statement, or prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, as applicable. Such indemnity shall remain in full

 

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force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of such Selling Holder or any such directors, officers, employees agents or controlling Person, and shall survive the transfer of such securities by such Selling Holder.

(b) By Each Selling Holder . Each Selling Holder agrees severally and not jointly to indemnify and hold harmless the Partnership, its directors, officers, employees and agents and each Person, if any, who controls the Partnership within the meaning of the Securities Act or of the Exchange Act, and its directors, officers, employees and agents, to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity from the Partnership to the Selling Holders, but only with respect to information regarding such Selling Holder furnished in writing by or on behalf of such Selling Holder expressly for inclusion in any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, a Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or prospectus supplement, free writing prospectus or final prospectus or prospectus supplement contained therein, or any amendment or supplement thereof; provided, however , that the liability of each Selling Holder shall not be greater in amount than the dollar amount of the proceeds (net of any Selling Expenses) received by such Selling Holder from the sale of the Registrable Securities giving rise to such indemnification.

(c) Notice . Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party hereunder of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party hereunder, notify the indemnifying party in writing thereof, but the omission to so notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve the indemnifying party from any liability that it may have to any indemnified party, except to the extent that the indemnifying party is materially prejudiced by such failure to give notice. In any action brought against any indemnified party, the indemnified party shall notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof. The indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate in and, to the extent it shall wish, to assume and undertake the defense thereof with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party and, after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its election so to assume and undertake the defense thereof, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to such indemnified party under this Section 2.08 for any legal expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation and of liaison with counsel so selected; provided, however , that, (i) if the indemnifying party has failed to assume the defense or employ counsel reasonably acceptable to the indemnified party or (ii) if the defendants in any such action include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying party and counsel to the indemnified party shall have concluded that there may be reasonable defenses available to the indemnified party that are different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party, or if the interests of the indemnified party reasonably may be deemed to conflict with the interests of the indemnifying party, then the indemnified party shall have the right to select a separate counsel and to assume such legal defense and otherwise to participate in the defense of such action, with the reasonable expenses and fees of such separate counsel and other reasonable expenses related to such participation to be reimbursed by the indemnifying party as incurred. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, no indemnified party shall settle any action brought against it with respect to which it is entitled to indemnification hereunder without the consent of the indemnifying party, unless the settlement thereof imposes no liability or obligation on, and includes a complete and unconditional release from all liability of, the indemnifying party.

 

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(d) Contribution . If the indemnification provided for in this Section 2.08 is held by a court or government agency of competent jurisdiction to be unavailable to any indemnified party or is insufficient to hold them harmless in respect of any Losses, then each indemnifying party, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such Loss in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the indemnifying party on the one hand and of such indemnified party on the other in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such Losses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations; provided, however , that in no event shall the Selling Holder be required to contribute an aggregate amount in excess of the dollar amount of proceeds (net of Selling Expenses) received by such Selling Holder from the sale of Registrable Securities giving rise to such indemnification. The relative fault of the indemnifying party on the one hand and the indemnified party on the other shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact has been made by, or relates to, information supplied by such party, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The parties hereto agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this paragraph were to be determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to herein. The amount paid by an indemnified party as a result of the Losses referred to in the first sentence of this paragraph shall be deemed to include any legal and other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any Loss that is the subject of this paragraph. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any Person who is not guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation.

(e) Other Indemnification . The provisions of this Section 2.08 shall be in addition to any other rights to indemnification or contribution that an indemnified party may have pursuant to law, equity, contract or otherwise.

Section 2.09. Rule 144 Reporting . With a view to making available the benefits of certain rules and regulations of the Commission that may permit the sale of the Registrable Securities to the public without registration, the Partnership agrees to use its commercially reasonable efforts to:

(a) make and keep public information regarding the Partnership available, as those terms are understood and defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act, at all times from and after the date hereof;

(b) file with the Commission in a timely manner all reports and other documents required of the Partnership under the Exchange Act at all times from and after the date hereof; and

(c) so long as a Holder owns any Registrable Securities, furnish to such Holder forthwith upon request a copy of the most recent annual or quarterly report of the Partnership, and such other reports and documents so filed as such Holder may reasonably request in availing itself of any rule or regulation of the Commission allowing such Holder to sell any such securities without registration.

 

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Section 2.10. Transfer or Assignment of Registration Rights . The rights to cause the Partnership to register Registrable Securities granted to a Holder by the Partnership under this Article II may be transferred or assigned by such Holder to one or more transferee(s) or assignee(s) of such Registrable Securities (or Subordinated Units prior to conversion); provided, however , that (a) unless such transferee or assignee is an Affiliate of MLP Holdco, each such transferee or assignee holds Registrable Securities (or Subordinated Units prior to conversion) representing at least one million then-outstanding Registrable Securities (subject to adjustment pursuant to Section 3.04) , (b) the Partnership is given written notice prior to any said transfer or assignment, stating the name and address of each such transferee and identifying the Registrable Securities with respect to which such registration rights are being transferred or assigned, and (c) each such transferee agrees to be bound by this Agreement.

Section 2.11. Restrictions on Public Sale by Holders of Registrable Securities . Each Holder who, along with its Affiliates, holds at least one million then-outstanding Registrable Securities (subject to adjustment pursuant to Section 3.04) , agrees to enter into a customary letter agreement with underwriters providing such Holder will not effect any public sale or distribution of the Registrable Securities during the 90 calendar day period beginning on the date of a prospectus or prospectus supplement filed with the Commission with respect to the pricing of an Underwritten Offering, provided that (i) the duration of the foregoing restrictions shall be no longer than the duration of the shortest restriction generally imposed by the underwriters on the Partnership or the officers, directors or any other unitholder of the Partnership on whom a restriction is imposed and (ii) the restrictions set forth in this Section 2.11 shall not apply to any Registrable Securities that are included in such Underwritten Offering by such Holder.

ARTICLE III

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 3.01. Communications . All notices and other communications provided for or permitted hereunder shall be made in writing by facsimile, electronic mail, courier service or personal delivery:

(a) if to MLP Holdco:

Enviva MLP Holdco, LLC

7200 Wisconsin Ave, Suite 1000

Bethesda, MD 20814

Attention: General Counsel

Facsimile: (240) 482-3774

Electronic Mail: William.Schmidt@envivabiomass.com

(b) if to Acquisition I:

Enviva Cottondale Acquisition I, LLC

7200 Wisconsin Ave, Suite 1000

Bethesda, MD 20814

Attention: General Counsel

Facsimile: (240) 482-3774

Electronic Mail: William.Schmidt@envivabiomass.com

 

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(c) if to a transferee of MLP Holdco or Acquisition I, to such Holder at the address provided pursuant to Section 2.10 ; and

(d) if to the Partnership:

Enviva Partners, LP

7200 Wisconsin Ave, Suite 1000

Bethesda, MD 20814

Attention: General Counsel

Facsimile: (240) 482-3774

Electronic Mail: William.Schmidt@envivabiomass.com

All such notices and communications shall be deemed to have been received at the time delivered by hand, if personally delivered; when receipt acknowledged, if sent via facsimile or sent via electronic mail; and when actually received, if sent by courier service or any other means.

Section 3.02. Successor and Assigns . This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors and assigns of each of the parties, including subsequent Holders of Registrable Securities to the extent permitted herein.

Section 3.03. Assignment of Rights . All or any portion of the rights and obligations of the Holders under this Agreement may be transferred or assigned by the Holders in accordance with Section 2.10 hereof.

Section 3.04. Recapitalization, Exchanges, Etc. Affecting the Registrable Securities . The provisions of this Agreement shall apply to the full extent set forth herein with respect to any and all securities of the Partnership or any successor or assign of the Partnership (whether by merger, consolidation, sale of assets or otherwise) that may be issued in respect of, in exchange for or in substitution of, the Registrable Securities, and shall be appropriately adjusted for combinations, splits, recapitalizations, pro rata distributions and the like occurring after the date of this Agreement.

Section 3.05. Specific Performance . Damages in the event of breach of this Agreement by a party hereto may be difficult, if not impossible, to ascertain, and it is therefore agreed that each party, in addition to and without limiting any other remedy or right it may have, will have the right to an injunction or other equitable relief in any court of competent jurisdiction, enjoining any such breach, and enforcing specifically the terms and provisions hereof, and each of the parties hereto hereby waives any and all defenses it may have on the ground of lack of jurisdiction or competence of the court to grant such an injunction or other equitable relief. The existence of this right will not preclude any such party from pursuing any other rights and remedies at law or in equity that such party may have.

Section 3.06. Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts with the same effect as if all Parties had signed the same document. All

 

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counterparts shall be construed together and shall constitute one and the same instrument. The delivery of an executed counterpart copy of this Agreement by facsimile or electronic transmission in PDF format shall be deemed to be the equivalent of delivery of the originally executed copy thereof.

Section 3.07. Headings . The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.

Section 3.08. Governing Law . The law of the State of New York shall govern this Agreement.

Section 3.09. Severability of Provisions . Any provision of this Agreement that is prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or unenforceability without invalidating the remaining provisions hereof or affecting or impairing the validity or enforceability of such provision in any other jurisdiction.

Section 3.10. Scope of Agreement . The rights granted pursuant to this Agreement are intended to supplement and not to reduce or replace any rights any Holders may have under the Partnership Agreement with respect to the Registrable Securities. This Agreement is intended by the parties as a final expression of their agreement and intended to be a complete and exclusive statement of the agreement and understanding of the parties hereto in respect of the subject matter contained herein. Except as provided in the Partnership Agreement, there are no restrictions, promises, warranties or undertakings, other than those set forth or referred to herein with respect to the rights granted by the Partnership set forth herein. Except as provided in the Partnership Agreement, this Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings between the parties with respect to such subject matter.

Section 3.11. Amendment . This Agreement may be amended only by means of a written amendment signed by the Partnership and the Holders of a majority of the then outstanding Registrable Securities; provided, however , that no such amendment shall materially and adversely affect the rights of any Holder hereunder without the consent of such Holder.

Section 3.12. No Presumption . If any claim is made by a party relating to any conflict, omission, or ambiguity in this Agreement, no presumption or burden of proof or persuasion shall be implied by virtue of the fact that this Agreement was prepared by or at the request of a particular party or its counsel.

Section 3.13. Aggregation of Registrable Securities . All Registrable Securities held or acquired by Persons who are Affiliates of one another shall be aggregated together for the purpose of determining the availability of any rights under this Agreement.

Section 3.14. Obligations Limited to Parties to Agreement . Each of the parties hereto covenants, agrees and acknowledges that no Person other than the Partnership and the Holders shall have any obligation hereunder and that, notwithstanding that one or more of the Holders may be a corporation, partnership or limited liability company, no recourse under this Agreement or under any documents or instruments delivered in connection herewith or therewith shall be had against any former, current or future director, officer, employee, agent, general or limited

 

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partner, manager, member, stockholder or Affiliate of any of the Holders or any former, current or future director, officer, employee, agent, general or limited partner, manager, member, stockholder or Affiliate of any of the foregoing, whether by the enforcement of any assessment or by any legal or equitable proceeding, or by virtue of any applicable law, it being expressly agreed and acknowledged that no personal liability whatsoever shall attach to, be imposed on or otherwise be incurred by any former, current or future director, officer, employee, agent, general or limited partner, manager, member, stockholder or Affiliate of any of the Holders or any former, current or future director, officer, employee, agent, general or limited partner, manager, member, stockholder or Affiliate of any of the foregoing, as such, for any obligations of the Holders under this Agreement or any documents or instruments delivered in connection herewith or therewith or for any claim based on, in respect of or by reason of such obligation or its creation, except in each case for any assignee of the Holders hereunder.

Section 3.15. Interpretation . All references to “Articles” and “Sections” shall be deemed to be references to Articles and Sections of this Agreement, unless otherwise specified. All references to instruments, documents, contracts and agreements are references to such instruments, documents, contracts and agreements as the same may be amended, supplemented and otherwise modified from time to time, unless otherwise specified. The word “including” shall mean “including but not limited to.” Whenever any determination, consent or approval is to be made or given by the Holders under this Agreement, such action shall be in the Holders’ sole discretion unless otherwise specified.

[Signature page follows]

 

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

 

ENVIVA PARTNERS, LP

By: Enviva Partners GP, LLC,

as its sole general partner

By:

/s/ William H. Schmidt, Jr.

Name: William H. Schmidt, Jr.
Title: Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
ENVIVA MLP HOLDCO, LLC
By:

/s/ William H. Schmidt, Jr.

Name: William H. Schmidt, Jr.
Title: Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
ENVIVA COTTONDALE ACQUISITION I, LLC
By:

/s/ William H. Schmidt, Jr.

Name: William H. Schmidt, Jr.
Title: Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

S IGNATURE P AGE

TO

R EGISTRATION R IGHTS A GREEMENT

Exhibit 10.1

CONTRIBUTION AGREEMENT

BY AND AMONG

ENVIVA HOLDINGS, LP

ENVIVA MLP HOLDCO, LLC

ENVIVA, LP

ENVIVA COTTONDALE ACQUISITION I, LLC

AND

ENVIVA PARTNERS, LP

DATED AS OF APRIL 28, 2015


CONTRIBUTION AGREEMENT

This Contribution Agreement, dated as of April 28, 2015 (this “ Agreement ”), is entered into by and among Enviva Holdings, LP, a Delaware limited partnership (“ Enviva Holdings ”), Enviva MLP Holdco, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ MLP Holdco ”), Enviva, LP, a Delaware limited partnership (“ Enviva ”), Enviva Cottondale Acquisition I, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ Acquisition I ”), and Enviva Partners, LP, a Delaware limited partnership (“ MLP ”). The above named entities are sometimes referred to herein as a “ Party ” and collectively as the “ Parties .”

RECITALS

WHEREAS , Enviva Holdings owns a 100% limited liability company interest in MLP Holdco;

WHEREAS , MLP Holdco owns a 75.42% limited partner interest in MLP and a 100% limited liability company interest in Enviva Partners GP, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ MLP GP ”) and the general partner of MLP;

WHEREAS , Enviva Holdings owns a 100% limited liability company interest in Acquisition I;

WHEREAS , Acquisition I owns a 24.58% limited partner interest in MLP;

WHEREAS , MLP owns a 100% limited partner interest in Enviva and a 100% limited liability company interest in Enviva GP, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ Enviva GP ”) and the general partner of Enviva;

WHEREAS , Enviva Holdings and MLP GP entered into an Agreement of Limited Partnership of MLP, effective as of November 12, 2013 (the “ Original LPA ”);

WHEREAS , the Parties entered into the Contribution Agreement, dated as of April 9, 2015 (the “ Initial Contribution Agreement ”), pursuant to which, among other things, the following actions have been taken prior to the date hereof:

 

  1. Enviva distributed, and caused its subsidiaries to distribute, all cash and cash equivalents, including accounts receivable, to MLP Holdco;

 

  2. Enviva Holdings contributed a 100% limited partner interest in MLP and a 100% limited liability company interest in MLP GP to MLP Holdco;

 

  3. MLP Holdco contributed a partnership interest in Enviva with a 99.999% sharing ratio and a 100% limited liability company interest in Enviva GP to MLP;

 

  4. Acquisition I contributed a 100% limited liability company interest in Enviva Cottondale Acquisition II, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ Acquisition II ”), to MLP;


  5. MLP issued a 24.58% limited partner interest in MLP to Acquisition I; and

 

  6. MLP borrowed $172.5 million under the New MLP Credit Agreement (i) to repay, or cause to be repaid, all outstanding indebtedness under the Enviva LP Credit Agreement, (ii) to retain funds for a future distribution to MLP Holdco in connection with the Offering and (iii) to retain funds for general partnership purposes;

WHEREAS , each of the following actions will occur at the times specified hereafter:

 

  1. MLP Holdco and MLP GP will amend and restate the Original LPA by executing the A&R LPA;

 

  2. MLP shall issue (i) to MLP Holdco the Sponsor Units and the right to receive the Deferred Issuance and Distribution and (ii) to MLP GP the Incentive Distribution Rights;

 

  3. MLP shall issue to Acquisition I 3,394,566 Subordinated Units;

 

  4. In connection with a firm commitment underwritten offering of the Firm Units (the “ Offering ”), the public, through the Underwriters, will contribute cash to MLP pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, net of the Underwriters’ Spread, in exchange for the Firm Units;

 

  5. MLP will use the proceeds of the Offering, net of the Underwriters’ Spread and estimated expenses incurred in connection with the Offering (the “ Firm Net Proceeds ”), (i) to repay, or cause to be repaid, certain indebtedness of Cottondale and Acquisition II, (ii) to make a distribution (including funds borrowed under the New MLP Credit Agreement and retained pursuant to the Initial Contribution Agreement) to MLP Holdco and (iii) for general partnership purposes;

 

  6. MLP shall cause Acquisition II to merge with and into MLP, with MLP continuing as the surviving Delaware limited partnership; and

 

  7. MLP shall contribute, assign, transfer, convey and deliver a 100% limited liability company interest in Cottondale to Enviva.

WHEREAS , each of the Parties and the stockholders, members, partners, boards of directors or managers of the Parties, as the case may be, have taken all corporate, partnership, limited liability company or other action, as the case may be, required to be taken to approve the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; and

WHEREAS , MLP may adjust upward or downward the number of Firm Units, with corresponding adjustments to the total number of Common Units to be offered to the public through the Underwriters.

 

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NOW THEREFORE , in consideration of the foregoing and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, and intending to be legally bound hereby, the Parties hereto hereby agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

The following defined terms will have the meaning given below:

Acquisition I ” has the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement.

Acquisition II ” has the meaning set forth in the Recitals of this Agreement.

A&R LPA ” means the First Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of MLP, substantially in the form attached as Appendix A to the prospectus constituting part of the Registration Statement.

Common Units ” has the meaning set forth in the A&R LPA.

Cottondale ” has the meaning set forth in the Recitals of this Agreement.

Deferred Issuance and Distribution ” has the meaning set forth in Article III .

Effective Time ” means the date and time of the delivery of the Firm Units and payment therefor as set forth in the Underwriting Agreement.

Enviva ” has the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement.

Enviva GP ” has the meaning set forth in the Recitals of this Agreement.

Enviva Holdings ” has the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement.

Enviva LP Credit Agreement ” means the Credit and Guaranty Agreement, dated as of November 9, 2012, among MLP Holdco, Enviva GP, Enviva, as Borrower, certain subsidiaries of Enviva as Guarantors, the Lenders party thereto, the LC Facility Issuing Banks party thereto, Barclays Bank PLC, as collateral agent, and Barclays Bank PLC, as administrative agent.

Firm Net Proceeds ” has the meaning set forth in the Recitals of this Agreement.

Firm Units ” means the Common Units to be sold to the Underwriters pursuant to the terms of the Underwriting Agreement, excluding the Option Units.

Incentive Distribution Rights ” has the meaning set forth in the A&R LPA.

Initial Contribution Agreement ” has the meaning set forth in the Recitals of this Agreement.

 

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MLP ” has the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement.

MLP GP ” has the meaning set forth in the Recitals of this Agreement.

MLP Holdco ” has the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement.

New MLP Credit Agreement ” means the Credit Agreement, dated as of April 9, 2015, among MLP, as Borrower, certain subsidiaries of MLP, as Guarantors, the Lenders party thereto, the LC Facility Issuing Banks party thereto, Barclays Bank PLC, as collateral agent, and Barclays Bank PLC, as administrative agent.

Offering ” has the meaning set forth in the Recitals of this Agreement.

Option Units ” means the Common Units subject to the Over-Allotment Option.

Original LPA ” has the meaning set forth in the Recitals of this Agreement.

Over-Allotment Option ” means the Underwriter’s option to purchase a number of Common Units up to 15% of the Firm Units pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement.

Registration Statement ” means the Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (Registration No. 333-199625), as amended.

Sponsor Common Units ” means 405,138 Common Units; provided that if MLP increases the number of Firm Units, the Sponsor Common Units will be decreased by a number of Common Units equal to 115% (to accommodate the corresponding increase in the number of Option Units and Deferred Issuance and Distribution) of such increase and if MLP decreases the number of Firm Units, the Sponsor Common Units will be increased by a number of Common Units equal to 115% of such decrease.

Sponsor Subordinated Units ” means 8,510,572 Subordinated Units.

Sponsor Units ” means the Sponsor Common Units and Sponsor Subordinated Units.

Structuring Fee ” means a structuring fee equal to 0.50% of the gross proceeds of the sale of the Firm Units payable by MLP to Barclays Capital Inc. and Goldman, Sachs & Co.

Subordinated Unit ” has the meaning set forth in the A&R LPA.

Underwriters ” means the underwriting syndicate listed in Schedule I of the Underwriting Agreement.

Underwriters’ Spread ” means the Underwriters’ discount as set forth in the Underwriting Agreement plus the Structuring Fee.

Underwriting Agreement ” means a firm commitment underwriting agreement to be entered into among MLP GP, MLP, MLP Holdco, Enviva Holdings and the Underwriters, in substantially the form attached as Exhibit 1.1 to the Registration Statement.

 

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ARTICLE II

CONTRIBUTIONS AND OTHER MATTERS

Concurrently with the Effective Time, the following distributions, capital contributions and other transactions shall be completed in the order set forth below:

Section 2.1 Execution of A&R LPA .

MLP Holdco and MLP GP shall amend and restate the Original LPA by executing the A&R LPA, with such changes as MLP Holdco and MLP GP may deem necessary or advisable.

Section 2.2 Issuance of Consideration to MLP Holdco for Contribution of Interests in Enviva and Enviva GP.

MLP shall issue (i) to MLP Holdco the Sponsor Units, the right to receive a cash distribution in the amount of $160.1 million and the right to receive the Deferred Issuance and Distribution, and (ii) to MLP GP the Incentive Distribution Rights.

Section 2.3 Issuance of Consideration to Acquisition I for Contribution of Interest in Acquisition II.

MLP shall issue to Acquisition I 3,394,566 Subordinated Units.

Section 2.4 Underwriter Cash Contribution.

The Parties acknowledge that MLP is undertaking the Offering, and the public through the Underwriters, pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, will make a capital contribution to MLP in cash in an amount determined pursuant to the terms of the Underwriting Agreement in exchange for the issuance by MLP to the Underwriters of the Firm Units.

Section 2.5 Execution of Registration Rights Agreement.

MLP Holdco, Acquisition I and MLP shall execute a Registration Rights Agreement in substantially the form attached as Exhibit 4.1 to the Registration Statement.

Section 2.6 Payment Obligation and Use of Offering Proceeds.

MLP agrees to use, or cause to be used, the Firm Net Proceeds to (i) repay $81.9 million of intercompany indebtedness of Cottondale and Acquisition II, (ii) pay, together with borrowings of $85.9 million under the New MLP Credit Agreement, a $144.5 million distribution to MLP Holdco, a portion of which is intended as a reimbursement of capital expenditures, and (iii) retain $45.0 million for general partnership purposes.

Section 2.7 Merger of Acquisition II with MLP.

MLP shall cause Acquisition II to merge with and into MLP, with MLP continuing as the surviving Delaware limited partnership.

 

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Section 2.8 Contribution of Interest in Cottondale.

MLP shall contribute, assign, transfer, convey and deliver a 100% limited liability company interest in Cottondale to Enviva, and Enviva hereby accepts such interest.

ARTICLE III

DEFERRED ISSUANCE AND DISTRIBUTION

Upon the earlier to occur of the expiration of the Over-Allotment Option period or the exercise in full of the Over-Allotment Option, MLP shall issue to MLP Holdco a number of additional Common Units that is equal to the excess, if any, of (x) the total number of Option Units over (y) the aggregate number of Common Units, if any, actually purchased by and issued to the Underwriters pursuant to the exercise(s) of the Over-Allotment Option. Upon each exercise of the Over-Allotment Option, MLP shall distribute to MLP Holdco an amount of cash equal to the net proceeds (after Underwriter’s Spread) of each such exercise (such net proceeds, together with any Common Units issued to MLP Holdco pursuant to the preceding sentence, the “ Deferred Issuance and Distribution ”).

ARTICLE IV

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 4.1 Further Assurances.

From time to time, and without any further consideration, the Parties agree to execute, acknowledge and deliver all such additional deeds, assignments, bills of sale, conveyances, instruments, notices, releases, acquittances and other documents, and to do all such other acts and things, all in accordance with applicable law, as may be reasonably necessary or appropriate (a) more fully to assure that the applicable Parties own all of the properties, rights, titles, interests, estates, remedies, powers and privileges granted by this Agreement, or which are intended to be so granted, (b) more fully and effectively to vest in the applicable Parties and their respective successors and assigns beneficial and record title to the interests contributed and assigned by this Agreement or intended to be so and (c) more fully and effectively carry out the purposes and intent of this Agreement.

Section 4.2 Successors and Assigns.

The Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Parties and their respective successors and assigns.

Section 4.3 No Third Party Rights.

The provisions of this Agreement are intended to bind the Parties as to each other and are not intended to and do not create rights in any other person or entity or confer upon any other person or entity any benefits, rights or remedies, and no person or entity is or is intended to be a third party beneficiary of any of the provisions of this Agreement.

 

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Section 4.4 Severability.

If any of the provisions of this Agreement are held by any court of competent jurisdiction to contravene, or to be invalid under, the laws of any political body having jurisdiction over the subject matter hereof, such contravention or invalidity shall not invalidate the entire Agreement. Instead, this Agreement shall be construed as if it did not contain the particular provision or provisions held to be invalid, and an equitable adjustment shall be made and necessary provision added so as to give effect to the intention of the Parties as expressed in this Agreement at the time of execution of this Agreement to the greatest extent possible.

Section 4.5 Entire Agreement.

This Agreement and the instruments referenced herein supersede all previous understandings or agreements among the Parties, whether oral or written, with respect to the subject matter of this Agreement and such instruments. This Agreement and such instruments contain the entire understanding of the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof. No understanding, representation, promise or agreement, whether oral or written, is intended to be or shall be included in or form part of this Agreement unless it is contained in a written amendment hereto after the date of this Agreement pursuant to Section 4.6.

Section 4.6 Amendment or Modification.

This Agreement may be amended or modified at any time or from time to time only by a written instrument, specifically stating that such written instrument is intended to amend or modify this Agreement, signed by each of the Parties.

Section 4.7 Construction.

All Article and Section headings in this Agreement are for convenience only and shall not be deemed to control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions hereof. All references herein to Articles and Sections shall, unless the context requires a different construction, be deemed to be references to the Articles and Sections of this Agreement. The words “hereof,” “herein” and “hereunder” and words of similar import, when used in this Agreement, shall refer to this Agreement as a whole, and not to any particular provision of this Agreement. All personal pronouns used in this Agreement, whether used in the masculine, feminine or neuter gender, shall include all other genders, and the singular shall include the plural and vice versa. The use herein of the word “including” following any general statement, term or matter shall not be construed to limit such statement, term or matter to the specific items or matters set forth immediately following such word or to similar items or matters, whether or not non-limiting language (such as “without limitation”, “but not limited to”, or words of similar import) is used with reference thereto, but rather shall be deemed to refer to all other items or matters that could reasonably fall within the broadest possible scope of such general statement, term or matter.

Section 4.8 Counterparts.

This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts with the same effect as if all Parties had signed the same document. All counterparts shall be construed together and

 

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shall constitute one and the same instrument. The delivery of an executed counterpart copy of this Agreement by facsimile or electronic transmission in PDF format shall be deemed to be the equivalent of delivery of the originally executed copy thereof.

Section 4.9 Deed; Bill of Sale; Assignment.

To the extent required and permitted by applicable law, this Agreement shall also constitute a “deed,” “bill of sale” or “assignment” of the assets and interests referenced herein.

Section 4.10 Applicable Law.

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

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF , this Agreement has been duly executed by the Parties as of the date first written above.

 

ENVIVA HOLDINGS, LP
By: Enviva Holdings GP, LLC, as its sole general partner
By:

/s/ William H. Schmidt, Jr.

Name: William H. Schmidt, Jr.
Title: Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
ENVIVA MLP HOLDCO, LLC
By:

/s/ William H. Schmidt, Jr.

Name: William H. Schmidt, Jr.
Title: Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
ENVIVA, LP
By: Enviva GP, LLC, as its sole general partner
By:

/s/ William H. Schmidt, Jr.

Name: William H. Schmidt, Jr.
Title: Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
ENVIVA PARTNERS, LP
By: Enviva Partners GP, LLC, as its sole general partner
By:

/s/ William H. Schmidt, Jr.

Name: William H. Schmidt, Jr.
Title: Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

S IGNATURE P AGE

C ONTRIBUTION A GREEMENT


ENVIVA COTTONDALE ACQUISITION I, LLC
By:

/s/ William H. Schmidt, Jr.

Name: William H. Schmidt, Jr.
Title: Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

S IGNATURE P AGE

C ONTRIBUTION A GREEMENT

Exhibit 10.2

PURCHASE RIGHTS AGREEMENT

This PURCHASE RIGHTS AGREEMENT (this “ Agreement ”) is entered into effective as of May 4, 2015 (the “ Effective Date ”) by and among Enviva Partners, LP, a Delaware limited partnership (the “ Partnership ”), Enviva Partners GP, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and the general partner of the Partnership (the “ General Partner ,” and together with the Partnership and the Subsidiaries of the Partnership, the “ Partnership Group ”), and Enviva Holdings, LP, a Delaware limited partnership (the “ Sponsor ” and together with its Subsidiaries other than the Partnership Group, the “ Sponsor Entities ”). The above-named entities are sometimes referred to in this Agreement each as a “ Party ” and collectively as the “ Parties .”

RECITALS:

WHEREAS, concurrently with the execution of this Agreement, Enviva MLP Holdco, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and a wholly-owned Subsidiary of the Sponsor (“ MLP Holdco ”), will contribute all of its equity interests in certain subsidiaries of the Sponsor to the Partnership (the “ Contribution ”), including all of the limited partnership interests in Enviva, LP, a Delaware limited partnership, and all of the limited liability company interests in Enviva GP, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, in exchange for limited partner interests in the Partnership; and

WHEREAS, in connection with the Contribution, the Parties desire by their execution of this Agreement to evidence their understanding, as more fully set forth in this Agreement, with respect to the Partnership’s right of first offer with respect to the ROFO Assets (as defined herein).

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the covenants, conditions and agreements contained herein, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Parties hereby agree as follows:

ARTICLE 1

DEFINITIONS

1.1 Definitions . As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the respective meanings set forth below:

Affiliate ” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person who directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under direct or indirect common control with, such Person, and includes any Person in like relation to an Affiliate. A Person shall be deemed to “ control ” another Person if such Person possesses, directly or indirectly, the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such other Person, whether through the ownership of Voting Securities, by contract or otherwise; and the term “ controlled ” shall have a similar meaning. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, it is agreed that any Person that owns or controls, directly or indirectly, 50% or more of the Voting Securities of another Person shall be deemed for purposes of this Agreement to control such other Person.

Agreement ” has the meaning given such term in the introduction to this Agreement.


Arbitration Award ” has the meaning given such term in Section 3.16 .

Cause ” has the meaning given such term in the Partnership Agreement.

Change of Control ” means, with respect to any Person (the “ Applicable Person ”), any of the following events:

(a) any sale, lease, exchange or other transfer (in one transaction or a series of related transactions) of all or substantially all of the Applicable Person’s assets to any other Person, unless immediately following such sale, lease, exchange or other transfer such assets are owned, directly or indirectly, by the Applicable Person;

(b) the dissolution or liquidation of the Applicable Person;

(c) the consolidation or merger of the Applicable Person with or into another Person, other than any such transaction where:

(i) the outstanding Voting Securities of the Applicable Person are changed into or exchanged for Voting Securities of the surviving Person or its parent; and

(ii) the holders of the Voting Securities of the Applicable Person immediately prior to such transaction own, directly or indirectly, not less than a majority of the outstanding Voting Securities of the surviving Person or its parent immediately after such transaction; and

(d) a “person” or “group” (within the meaning of Sections 13(d) or 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act) being or becoming the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the Exchange Act) of more than 50% of all of the then outstanding Voting Securities of the Applicable Person, except in a merger or consolidation that would not constitute a Change of Control under clause (c) above.

Common Units ” has the meaning given such term in the Partnership Agreement.

Contribution ” has the meaning given such term in the Recitals.

Contribution Agreement ” means that certain Contribution Agreement dated , 2015, by and among the Sponsor, MLP Holdco, the Partnership and Enviva, LP, a Delaware limited partnership, pursuant to which MLP Holdco will make the Contribution to the Partnership.

Discussion Date ” has the meaning given such term in Section 3.17 .

Effective Date ” has the meaning given such term in the introduction to this Agreement.

Exchange Act ” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

General Partner ” has the meaning given such term in the introduction to this Agreement.

 

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Governmental Authority ” means:

(a) any domestic or foreign government, whether national, federal, state provincial, territorial, municipal or local (whether administrative, legislative, executive or otherwise);

(b) any agency, authority, ministry, department, regulatory body, court, central bank, bureau, board or other instrumentality having legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory, prosecutorial or administrative powers or functions of, or pertaining to, government;

(c) any court, tribunal, commission, individual, arbitrator, arbitration panel or other body having adjudicative, regulatory, judicial, quasi-judicial, administrative or similar functions; and

(d) any other body or entity created under the authority of or otherwise subject to the jurisdiction of any of the foregoing, including any stock or other securities exchange or professional association.

MLP Holdco ” has the meaning given such term in the Recitals.

Partnership ” has the meaning given such term in the introduction to this Agreement.

Partnership Agreement ” means the First Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Enviva Partners, LP dated as of the Effective Date, as it may be amended from time to time.

Partnership Entities ” means any of the entities that are part of the Partnership Group.

Partnership Group ” has the meaning given such term in the introduction to this Agreement.

Party ” or “ Parties ” have the meaning given such term in the introduction to this Agreement.

Person ” is to be construed broadly and includes an individual, partnership, corporation, business trust, limited liability company, limited liability partnership, joint stock company, trust, unincorporated association, joint venture or other entity or a Governmental Authority.

Proposed Transaction ” has the meaning given such term in Section 2.2(a) .

ROFO ” has the meaning given such term in Section 2.1(a) .

ROFO Assets ” means the assets listed on Schedule I of this Agreement, as well as any other wood pellet processing plant or wood pellet export terminal that any Sponsor Entity owns at any time during the term of the Agreement, in each case only if and when the construction of such asset is substantially complete.

 

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ROFO Notice ” has the meaning given such term in Section 2.2(a) .

ROFO Period ” has the meaning given such term in Section 2.1(a) .

ROFO Response ” has the meaning given such term in Section 2.2(a) .

Sponsor ” has the meaning given such term in the introduction to this Agreement.

Sponsor Entities ” has the meaning given such term in the introduction to this Agreement.

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 by a combination thereof, (b) a partnership (whether general or limited) or limited liability company in which such Person or a Subsidiary of such Person is, at the date of determination, a general partner of such partnership or managing member of such limited liability company or (c) any other Person 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.

Transfer ” means to, directly or indirectly, sell, assign, lease, convey, transfer or otherwise dispose of, whether in one or a series of transactions; provided , however , that in no event shall a Change of Control of the Sponsor be deemed a Transfer.

Voting Securities ” of a Person means securities of any class of such Person entitling the holders thereof to vote in the election of, or to appoint, members of the board of directors or other similar governing body of the Person; provided that, if such Person is a limited partnership, Voting Securities of such Person shall be the general partner interest in such Person.

ARTICLE 2

RIGHT OF FIRST OFFER

2.1 Right of First Offer to Purchase Certain Assets Owned by the Sponsor Entities .

(a) The Sponsor hereby grants to the Partnership a right of first offer (the “ ROFO ”) for a period of five years from the Effective Date (the “ ROFO Period ”) on each ROFO Asset to the extent that any Sponsor Entity proposes to Transfer any ROFO Asset (other than to an Affiliate of the Sponsor Entities who agrees in writing that such ROFO Asset remains subject to the provisions of this Article 2 and assumes the obligations under this Article 2 with respect to such ROFO Asset).

(b) The Parties acknowledge that any Transfer of ROFO Assets pursuant to the ROFO is subject to the terms of all existing agreements with respect to the ROFO Assets and shall be subject to and conditioned on the obtaining of any and all necessary consents of security holders, joint venture partners, governmental authorities, lenders or other third parties.

 

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2.2 Procedures .

(a) If any Sponsor Entity proposes to Transfer any ROFO Asset (other than to an Affiliate as described in Section 2.1(a) ) during the ROFO Period (a “ Proposed Transaction ”), the Sponsor shall, or shall cause such Sponsor Entity to, prior to entering into any such Proposed Transaction, first give notice in writing to the Partnership (the “ ROFO Notice ”) of its intention to enter into such Proposed Transaction. The ROFO Notice shall include any material terms, conditions and other details as would be reasonably necessary for the Partnership to make a responsive offer to enter into the Proposed Transaction with the applicable Sponsor Entity, which terms, conditions and details shall include any material terms, condition or other details that such Sponsor Entity would propose to provide to non-Affiliates in connection with the Proposed Transaction.

(b) The Partnership shall have 30 days following receipt of the ROFO Notice to propose an offer to enter into the Proposed Transaction with Sponsor or the Sponsor Entity that provided such ROFO Notice (the “ ROFO Response ”). The ROFO Response shall set forth the terms and conditions (including, without limitation, the purchase price the Partnership proposes to pay for the ROFO Asset and the other terms of the purchase) pursuant to which the Partnership would be willing to enter into a binding agreement for the Proposed Transaction. If no ROFO Response is delivered by the Partnership within such 30-day period, then the Partnership shall be deemed to have waived the ROFO with respect to such ROFO Asset, and Sponsor or the applicable Sponsor Entity shall be free to enter into the Proposed Transaction with any third party on terms and conditions determined in the sole discretion of Sponsor or the applicable Sponsor Entity.

(c) If the Partnership submits a ROFO Response, the Sponsor shall, or shall cause such Sponsor Entity to negotiate exclusively and in good faith with the Partnership for a period of 45 days in order to give the Partnership an opportunity to enter into a letter of intent or definitive documentation for the purchase and sale of such ROFO Asset on terms that are mutually acceptable to the Sponsor Entity and the Partnership. If the Sponsor Entity and the Partnership have not entered into a letter of intent or a definitive purchase and sale agreement with respect to such ROFO Asset within such time period, or if any such letter of intent or agreement is entered into but subsequently terminated, the Sponsor Entity may, at any time during the succeeding 150-day period, enter into a definitive purchase and sale agreement with any third party with respect to such ROFO Asset on terms and conditions that, when taken as a whole, are superior, in the good faith determination of such Sponsor Entity, to those set forth in the last written offer proposed by the Partnership during negotiations between the Partnership and the Sponsor Entity pursuant to this Section 2.2(c) , and may Transfer the ROFO Asset pursuant to such purchase and sale agreement. If Sponsor or any Sponsor Entity does not enter into a definitive agreement with a third party with respect to the Proposed Transaction within such 150-day period, the Sponsor shall, or shall cause such Sponsor Entity to, comply with the provisions of this Article 2 again prior to entering into any Proposed Transaction with respect to such ROFO Asset.

 

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ARTICLE 3

MISCELLANEOUS

3.1 Choice of Law; Submission to Jurisdiction . This Agreement shall be subject to and governed by the laws of the State of New York, excluding any conflicts-of-law rule or principle that might refer the construction or interpretation of this Agreement to the laws of another state. Each Party hereby submits to the jurisdiction of the state and federal courts in the State of New York and to venue in New York.

3.2 Notice . All notices, requests or consents provided for or permitted to be given pursuant to this Agreement must be in writing and must be given by depositing same in the United States mail, addressed to the Person to be notified, postpaid, and registered or certified with return receipt requested or by delivering such notice in person or by telegram to such Party. Notice given by personal delivery or mail shall be effective upon actual receipt. Notice given by telegram shall be effective upon actual receipt if received during the recipient’s normal business hours, or at the beginning of the recipient’s next business day after receipt if not received during the recipient’s normal business hours. All notices to be sent to a Party pursuant to this Agreement shall be sent to or made at the address set forth below or at such other address as such Party may stipulate to the other Parties in the manner provided in this Section 3.2 .

For notices to any of the Sponsor Entities :

Enviva Holdings, LP

7200 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 1000

Bethesda, Maryland 20814

Phone: (301) 657-5560

Attention: General Counsel

For notices to any of the Partnership Entities :

Enviva Partners, LP

7200 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 1000

Bethesda, Maryland 20814

Phone: (301) 657-5560

Attention: General Counsel

3.3 Entire Agreement . This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement of the Parties relating to the matters contained herein, superseding all prior contracts or agreements, whether oral or written, relating to the matters contained herein, other than the Contribution Agreement.

3.4 Termination . This Agreement shall terminate upon the earlier to occur of (i) the fifth anniversary of the Effective Date and (ii) a Change of Control of the General Partner or the Partnership, other than any Change of Control of the General Partner or the Partnership deemed to have occurred pursuant to clause (d) of the definition of Change of Control solely as a result of

 

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a Change of Control of the Sponsor. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, if the General Partner is removed as general partner of the Partnership under circumstances where Cause does not exist and the Common Units held by the General Partner and its Affiliates are not voted in favor of such removal, this Agreement may immediately thereupon be terminated by the Sponsor.

3.5 Effect of Waiver or Consent . No waiver or consent, express or implied, by any Party to or of any breach or default by any Person in the performance by such Person of its obligations hereunder shall be deemed or construed to be a consent or waiver to or of any other breach or default in the performance by such Person of the same or any other obligations of such Person hereunder. Failure on the part of a Party to complain of any act of any Person or to declare any Person in default, irrespective of how long such failure continues, shall not constitute a waiver by such Party of its rights hereunder until the applicable statute of limitations period has run.

3.6 Amendment or Modification . This Agreement may be amended or modified from time to time only by the written agreement of all the Parties. Each such instrument shall be reduced to writing and shall be designated on its face an “Amendment” or an “Addendum” to this Agreement.

3.7 Assignment; Third Party Beneficiaries . No Party may assign its rights or obligations under this Agreement without the consent of the other Parties. Each of the Parties hereto specifically intends that each entity comprising the Sponsor Entities and each entity comprising the Partnership Entities, as applicable, whether or not a Party to this Agreement, shall be entitled to assert rights and remedies hereunder as third-party beneficiaries hereto with respect to those provisions of this Agreement affording a right, benefit or privilege to any such entity.

3.8 Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which shall constitute one and the same agreement. The delivery of an executed counterpart copy of this Agreement by facsimile or electronic transmission in PDF format shall be deemed to be the equivalent of delivery of the originally executed copy thereof.

3.9 Severability . If any term or other provision of this Agreement is invalid, illegal or incapable of being enforced by any applicable rule of law or public policy, all other conditions and provisions of this Agreement shall nevertheless remain in full force and effect so long as the economic or legal substance of the transactions contemplated hereby is not affected in any manner materially adverse to any Party. Upon such determination that any term or other provision is invalid, illegal or incapable of being enforced, the Parties hereto shall negotiate in good faith to modify this Agreement so as to effect the original intent of the Parties as closely as possible in an acceptable manner to the end that transactions contemplated hereby are fulfilled to the extent possible.

3.10 Gender, Parts, Articles and Sections . Whenever the context requires, the gender of all words used in this Agreement shall include the masculine, feminine and neuter, and the number of all words shall include the singular and plural. All references to Article numbers and Section numbers refer to Articles and Sections of this Agreement.

 

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3.11 Further Assurances . In connection with this Agreement and all transactions contemplated by this Agreement, each Party agrees to execute and deliver such additional documents and instruments and to perform such additional acts as may be necessary or appropriate to effectuate, carry out and perform all of the terms, provisions and conditions of this Agreement and all such transactions.

3.12 Withholding or Granting of Consent . Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement, each Party may, with respect to any consent or approval that it is entitled to grant pursuant to this Agreement, grant or withhold such consent or approval in its sole and uncontrolled discretion, with or without cause, and subject to such conditions as it shall deem appropriate.

3.13 Laws and Regulations . Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, no Party shall be required to take any act, or fail to take any act, under this Agreement if the effect thereof would be to cause such Party to be in violation of any applicable law, statute, rule or regulation.

3.14 Negation of Rights of Limited Partners, Assignees and Third Parties . Except as set forth in Section 3.7 , the provisions of this Agreement are enforceable solely by the Parties, and no shareholder, limited partner, member, or assignee of the Sponsor, the General Partner, the Partnership or other Person shall have the right, separate and apart from the Sponsor, the General Partner or the Partnership, to enforce any provision of this Agreement or to compel any Party to comply with the terms of this Agreement.

3.15 No Recourse Against Officers and Directors . For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of this Agreement shall not give rise to any right of recourse against any officer or director of any Sponsor Entity or any Partnership Entity.

3.16 Arbitration . Any dispute, controversy or claim arising out of or in connection with this Agreement shall be settled by final and binding arbitration conducted in Bethesda, Maryland in accordance with the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association by one or more arbitrators designated in accordance with said Rules. The Parties agree that the award of the arbitral tribunal (the “ Arbitration Award ”) shall be: (a) conclusive, final and binding upon the Parties; and (b) the sole and exclusive remedy between the Parties regarding any and all claims and counterclaims presented to the arbitral tribunal. All notices to be given in connection with the arbitration shall be as provided in Section 3.2 of this Agreement. The Arbitration Award shall include interest, at a rate determined as appropriate by the arbitrators, from the date of any breach or other violation of this Agreement to the date when the Arbitration Award is paid in full. The Arbitration Award shall also include the fixing of the expense of the arbitration and the assessment of the same, as is appropriate in the opinion of the arbitrators, against either or both Parties hereto. Each Party shall otherwise bear its cost for its respective legal fees, witnesses, depositions and other out-of-pocket expenses incurred in the course of the arbitration.

3.17 Dispute Resolution . If there is a material breach of this Agreement that has not been corrected within thirty (30) days of receipt of notice of such breach, representatives of each of the Parties in dispute shall meet promptly to review and resolve such issues and breaches in

 

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good faith (the date on which such Persons first so meet, the “ Discussion Date ”). If such Persons are unable to fully resolve any such issues and breaches in good faith within fifteen days after the Discussion Date, a Party shall be entitled to pursue any right or remedy available at law or in equity.

[ Signature pages follow .]

 

9


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have executed this Agreement on, and effective as of, the Effective Date.

 

ENVIVA PARTNERS, LP
By: Enviva Partners GP, LLC,
as its sole general partner
By:

/s/ William H. Schmidt, Jr.

Name: William H. Schmidt, Jr.
Title: Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
ENVIVA PARTNERS GP, LLC
By:

/s/ William H. Schmidt, Jr.

Name: William H. Schmidt, Jr.
Title: Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
ENVIVA HOLDINGS, LP
By: Enviva Holdings GP, LLC,
as its sole general partner
By:

/s/ William H. Schmidt, Jr.

Name: William H. Schmidt, Jr.
Title: Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

[Signature Page to Purchase Rights Agreement]


Schedule I

ROFO Assets

 

Asset

  

Owner

A 510,000 metric ton per year (“ MTPY ”) wood pellet production plant located in Southampton County, Virginia    Enviva Pellets Southampton, LLC
A 500,000 MTPY wood pellet production plant located in Richmond County, North Carolina    Enviva Pellets Hamlet, LLC
A 500,000 MTPY wood pellet production plant located in Sampson County, North Carolina    Enviva Pellets Sampson, LLC
A 500,000 MTPY wood pellet production plant located in Laurens County, South Carolina    Enviva Pellets Laurens, LLC
A deep-water marine wood pellet export terminal located at the Port of Wilmington in Wilmington, North Carolina    Enviva Port of Wilmington, LLC

Exhibit 10.3

Execution Version

LICENSE AGREEMENT

THIS LICENSE AGREEMENT, including all Exhibits hereto (this “ Agreement ”), is entered into and effective as of April 9, 2015 (the “ Effective Date ”), by and among Enviva Holdings, LP, a Delaware limited partnership (“ Licensor ”), Enviva Partners GP, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, and Enviva Partners, LP, a Delaware limited partnership (collectively, the “ Licensees ”). Licensor and the Licensees are sometimes hereinafter referred to individually as a “ Party ” and collectively as the “ Parties .”

WHEREAS, Licensor and the Licensees have entered into that certain Contribution Agreement dated April 9, 2015 (the “ Contribution Agreement ”);

WHEREAS, Licensor has certain rights in and to the names and marks listed on Exhibit A hereto (such marks, singularly and collectively, are referred to as the “ Marks ”);

WHEREAS, the Licensees wish to engage in the business of the utility-grade wood pellet supply business (the “ Business ”) transferred to them in the Contribution Agreement and desire to obtain a nonexclusive, royalty-free license to use the Marks in connection with the Business (the “ Licensed Uses ”), and Licensor is willing to permit such use by the Licensees, subject to the terms of this Agreement; and

WHEREAS, Licensor also has certain ownership rights in and to certain unregistered intellectual property (other than trademarks, service marks and other source identifiers) that Licensor has used in the Business (collectively the “ Licensed Intellectual Property ”);

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual agreements and promises expressed in this Agreement, and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt, sufficiency and adequacy of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties have agreed as follows:

1. License Grant . Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, Licensor grants to each of the Licensees, who hereby accept: (a) a nonexclusive and nontransferable right and license to use the Marks solely in connection with the Licensed Uses; and (b) a nonexclusive and nontransferable right and license to use, copy, prepare derivative works, and modify the Licensed Intellectual Property for internal use in connection with the Business conducted by the Licensees. Except for such license, all other rights are hereby reserved to Licensor. The Licensees shall not sell, lease, transfer, or otherwise distribute any items bearing or provide any services in connection with the Marks except Licensed Uses. From the Effective Date, the Licensees shall not register any domain name containing any of the Marks or any portion or derivative thereof or any term confusingly similar thereto.

2. Use of the Marks . All uses of and references to the Marks by the Licensees shall conform with such instructions therefor as Licensor from time to time may provide the Licensees. As soon as reasonably practicable after any request therefor made by Licensor, the Licensees shall place the following notice (or such other notice as Licensor may reasonably request) in a prominent place on each of the Licensed Uses and, if the Licensed Uses include services, on each copy of any promotional or advertising materials or media which contain, embody, or mention the Marks:

 

  ENVIVA HOLDINGS, LP

As to those Marks which have been registered in the U.S.A., the Licensees shall use the “®” symbol. Otherwise, the Licensees shall use the symbol “ ”.

 

1


3. Ownership . The Marks and the Licensed Intellectual Property, and all rights relating thereto, shall remain the sole and exclusive property of Licensor. All uses of the Marks, and all promotional, advertising, and packaging materials used in connection with the Licensed Uses, by the Licensees, their subsidiaries, officers, agents, servants, employees (including employees of affiliates of Licensor performing services for the Licensees under a services or similar agreement), and representatives shall be in accordance with the standards of quality as shall be set by Licensor from time to time and all such uses shall inure solely to the benefit of Licensor. Nothing in this Agreement or otherwise shall give the Licensees or others any right, title, or interest whatsoever in and to the Marks and the Licensed Intellectual Property other than the rights expressly granted hereunder. The Licensees agree that they shall not attack or dispute Licensor’s title or rights in and to the Marks and the Licensed Intellectual Property or the validity thereof.

4. Use by Others . Licensor, and its other licensees, shall have the right to use the Marks simultaneously with the use of the Marks by the Licensees. Licensor does not warrant or represent that the Licensees will have the sole and exclusive right to use the Marks. Licensor is not obliged to indemnify or reimburse the Licensees for any expenses by the Licensees in connection with the Licensees’ use of the Marks.

5. Modifications . The Licensees recognize and agree that from time to time, Licensor may change or modify the Marks. The Licensees agree that they shall accept and promptly use such changes and modifications as if they were a part of this Agreement at the time of the execution hereof, and to make any and all expenditures that such changes or modifications may require. The Licensees shall not modify or alter the Marks and shall not use the Marks in connection or combination with any other trademark or service mark without the prior written approval of Licensor. The Licensees may not use the Marks on any new products, goods, promotional materials, or any other items without first submitting two (2) actual specimens of same to Licensor and obtaining Licensor’s prior written consent to such proposed usage, which consent shall be deemed given unless Licensor notifies Licensee otherwise within five business days of Licensees’ submission of such specimens.

6. Quality Control . The quality of the Licensed Uses, as well as the quality of all promotional and advertising materials using the Marks, shall meet or exceed the quality of the corresponding goods, services, and promotional and advertising materials of Licensor prior to the Effective Date. The Licensees shall cooperate with Licensor in facilitating Licensor’s control of the nature and quality of the Licensed Uses, and all promotional, advertising, and packaging materials therefor, and to permit the reasonable inspection of the Licensees’ operations, and to supply Licensor with specimens of use of the Marks promptly upon Licensor’s request therefor. The Licensees shall sell only those Licensed Uses which have been previously authorized by Licensor and which meet or exceed Licensor’s quality standards.

7. Protection of the Marks . The Licensees shall cooperate with Licensor in connection with efforts to protect the Marks. The Licensees shall promptly comply with Licensor’s reasonable requests for information, specimens of usage, and the like, and shall promptly execute such lawful instruments as Licensor may reasonably request. In the event of any actual or suspected infringement or piracy of any aspect of the Marks, the Licensees shall immediately report the same to Licensor in writing. Licensor shall have the sole and exclusive right to institute any claim, demand, or cause of action with respect to any such suspected or actual infringement or piracy. Licensor shall have no obligation or duty, however, to institute any such claim, demand, or cause of action. The Licensees shall furnish Licensor full cooperation in connection with any such claim, demand, or cause of action. If requested by Licensor to do so, either or both of the Licensees shall join as a party to or shall file in their own name such claim to, demand, or cause of action and, in such situations, shall be entitled to recover any damages suffered by the Licensees as a result of such infringement or piracy.

 

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8. Confidentiality .

(a) The Licensees shall maintain the Licensor’s Confidential Information in confidence and not disclose the same to any third party nor use the same, except as authorized by Licensor in writing or as expressly permitted in this Section 8 . The Licensees further agree to take the same care with the Licensor’s Confidential Information as they do with their own, but in no event less than a reasonable degree of care. Excepted from these obligations of confidence and non-use is that information which: (i) is available, or becomes available, to the general public without fault of the Licensees; (ii) was in the possession of the Licensees on a non-confidential basis prior to receipt of the same from Licensor; (iii) is obtained by the Licensees without an obligation of confidence from a third party who is rightfully in possession of such information and, to Licensees’ knowledge, is under no obligation of confidentiality to Licensor; or (iv) is independently developed by the Licensees without reference to or use of Licensor’s Confidential Information. For the purpose of this Section 8(a), a specific item of Confidential Information shall not be deemed to be within the foregoing exceptions merely because it is embraced by, or underlies, more general information in the public domain or in the possession of the receiving Party.

(b) Notwithstanding Section 8(a), if either of the Licensees becomes legally compelled to disclose, or is required to disclose by the listing standards of the New York Stock Exchange, any of the Licensor’s Confidential Information, such Licensee shall promptly advise Licensor of such requirement to disclose Confidential Information, in order that, where possible, Licensor may seek a protective order or such other remedy as the Licensor may consider appropriate in the circumstances. The applicable Licensee shall disclose only that portion of Licensor’s Confidential Information that it is required to disclose.

(c) The Licensees will limit access to the Confidential Information of Licensor to those employees (including employees of affiliates of Licensor performing services for the Licensees under a services or similar agreement) and contractors that have a need to know such information in order for the Licensees to exercise or perform their rights and obligations under this Agreement (the “ Licensee Personnel ”). The Licensee Personnel who have access to any Confidential Information of Licensor will be made aware of the confidentiality provision of this Agreement, and will be required to abide by the terms thereof. Any third party contractors that are given access to Confidential Information of a disclosing Party pursuant to the terms hereof shall be required to sign a written agreement pursuant to which such Licensee Personnel agree to be bound by the provisions of this Agreement, which written agreement will expressly state that it is enforceable against such Licensee Personnel by Licensor.

9. Independent Contractor Relationship . Each Licensee hereby certifies that it is an independent contractor and not the agent or legal representative of Licensor and that any representation made or agreement executed by such Licensee shall be such Licensee’s sole responsibility. Each Licensee shall conduct its business for the promotion and provision of services and uses within the Licensed Uses as a principal solely for its own account and at its own expense and risk. Each Licensee shall be solely responsible for all commitments incurred or assumed by it during the term of this Agreement or thereafter, and Licensor shall not be held responsible in any manner therefor, irrespective of any suggestion or recommendation with respect thereto by Licensor or its employees or representatives. Each Licensee represents that it will not act or represent itself directly or by implication as an agent for Licensor and will not attempt to create any obligation, or make any representation, on behalf of or in the name of Licensor. Each Licensee further shall not have authority to and shall not appoint any licensee, associate licensee or sublicensee of the Marks without the prior written approval of an authorized officer of Licensor. All financial and other obligations associated with each Licensee’s business are and will remain the sole responsibility of such Licensee. Because Licensor and the Licensees are independent contractors, nothing contained in this Agreement shall be construed to (i) give any Party the power to direct or control the activities of the other; (ii) constitute the Parties as principal and agent, partners, joint

 

3


venturers, or co-owners or otherwise as participants in a joint undertaking; or (iii) allow either Licensee to create or assume any obligation on behalf of Licensor for any purpose whatsoever. THIS IS NOT A FRANCHISE (OR BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY) RELATIONSHIP.

10. Protection of Goodwill . Each Licensee at all times shall use its best efforts to act and operate in a manner consistent with good business ethics, and in a manner that will reflect favorably on the Licensed Uses and on the goodwill and reputation of Licensor and the Marks. Each Licensee’s best efforts shall include at a bare minimum, but are not limited to, the prompt performance of all of its obligations under this Agreement. Each Licensee at all times shall refrain from engaging in any illegal, unethical, unfair or deceptive practices, whether with respect to the Licensed Uses or otherwise. Licensor may immediately terminate this Agreement if either Licensee does anything which in Licensor’s opinion may tarnish or diminish the goodwill associated with the Marks and/or the goodwill or reputation of Licensor.

11. Taxes . Each Licensee shall pay all license fees, sales, use, occupation, personal property, transportation and excise taxes and any other fees, assessments or taxes which may be assessed or levied by any national, state or local government and any departments and subdivisions thereof, on or against any of the Licensed Uses or in connection with this Agreement and/or the Licensees’ business.

12. Disclaimers; Limits of Liability . LICENSOR MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AND EXPRESSLY EXCLUDES AND DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, THAT MIGHT OTHERWISE ARISE INCLUDING THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF (1) MERCHANTABILITY; AND (2) FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE; AND (3) THAT THE LICENSED USES AND/OR EACH LICENSEE’S USE OF THE MARKS ARE FREE FROM INFRINGEMENT OF PATENTS, COPYRIGHTS, TRADEMARKS, OR PROPRIETARY RIGHTS OF THIRD PARTIES. NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE LICENSEES AS TO THEIR EARNINGS, SUCCESS, REVENUES, PROFITS OR LOSSES PURSUANT TO THIS AGREEMENT AND LICENSOR HEREBY EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO ANY EARNINGS, SUCCESS, REVENUES, PROFIT, LOSS, OR FAILURE OF THE LICENSEES HEREUNDER. LICENSOR’S ENTIRE LIABILITY AND EACH LICENSEE’S SOLE AND EXCLUSIVE REMEDY FOR DAMAGES FROM ANY CAUSE WHATSOEVER, WHETHER SOUNDING IN CONTRACT, TORT, UNDER STATUTE, OR OTHERWISE (INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION ANY NONPERFORMANCE OR MISREPRESENTATION) SHALL BE LIMITED TO THE AGGREGATE SUM OF U.S. $10,000. IN NO EVENT WILL LICENSOR BE LIABLE FOR (i) ANY DAMAGES CAUSED, IN WHOLE OR PART, BY LICENSEE, OR FOR (ii) ANY LOST REVENUES, LOST PROFITS, LOST SAVINGS OR OTHER INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES INCURRED BY ANY PERSON EVEN IF LICENSOR HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES OR CLAIMS.

13. Term and Termination . Unless previously terminated as provided for herein, this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect until 20 years from the Effective Date. Licensor may terminate this Agreement upon one (1) year written notice to the Licensees, with the license to terminate at the end of such year, and either party may terminate this Agreement in the event of a material breach by the other upon fifteen (15) days prior written notice thereof to the other, with the license to terminate at the end of such fifteen (15) days.

14. Post-Terminations Rights/Duties . Upon termination of this Agreement, each Licensee shall promptly cease all use of the Marks and shall not thereafter adopt or use in any manner any name, trademark, service mark, logo, device, or the like which is or may be confusingly similar to the Marks.

 

4


Licensor shall have no responsibility to reimburse the Licensees for any costs or expenses in connection with relabeling or removing the Marks in use by the Licensees or with respect to any Licensed Uses remaining in Licensees’ inventory at the date this Agreement is terminated and shall have no liability to the Licensees for such inventory. Upon the termination hereof, each Licensee shall destroy or sell to Licensor at Licensor’s option all materials in such Licensee’s possession, custody, or control which bear the Marks. Neither Licensor nor the Licensees shall by reason of the termination or nonrenewal of this Agreement be liable to the other for compensation, reimbursement or damages on account of the loss of prospective profits, or anticipated sales or on account of expenditures, investments, leases, property improvements or commitments. Upon termination of this Agreement, the Licensees shall thereafter refrain from operating or doing business under any name or in any manner that might tend to give the general public the impression that the license granted pursuant to this Agreement is still in force or that the Licensees are in any way connected or affiliated with or sponsored by Licensor. In addition, upon written request by Licensor, all of Licensor’s Confidential Information in whatever form shall be returned to Licensor upon termination of this Agreement, without the Licensees retaining copies thereof except that one copy of all such Confidential Information may be retained by the Licensees’ legal department solely to the extent that the Licensees are required to keep a copy of such Confidential Information pursuant to applicable law. The provisions of Sections 3, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, and 19 shall survive the termination or expiration of this Agreement.

15. Indemnity . The Licensees, jointly and severally, shall be solely responsible for and shall defend, indemnify, and hold Licensor harmless from and against any and all claims or causes of action whatsoever, and any and all liabilities and every loss, cost, and expense, including the cost of investigating the claim and reasonable attorneys’ fees incurred by Licensor, brought by the Licensees’ employees (including employees of affiliates of Licensor performing services for the Licensees under a services or similar agreement), agents, subcontractors, sublicensees, and representatives, or any other third party, caused by, arising out of, or relating to the exercise or practice of the rights granted hereunder by Licensor to the Licensees. This contractual obligation of indemnification shall extend to and cover the manufacture, use, sale, lease, rental or other providing or marketing of any Licensed Uses and any other goods or services in connection with which the Licensees have used the Marks. This contractual obligation of indemnification shall extend in favor of the officers, employees, agents, and representatives of Licensor. This contractual obligation of indemnification shall include claims, demands, or causes of action on account of any death or bodily injury to person or injury to property or economic loss. THIS CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATION OF INDEMNIFICATION SHALL INCLUDE CLAIMS, DEMANDS, OR CAUSES OF ACTION ALLEGING SOLE OR CONCURRENT NEGLIGENCE OR OTHER FAULT ON THE PART OF LICENSOR.

16. Amendment; Waiver; Modification . No amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement and no consent to any departure therefrom, shall be effective unless in writing and signed by duly authorized representatives of each party. No notice to or demand on the Licensees shall entitle them to any other or further notice or demand in similar or other circumstances. No failure or delay on the part of Licensor in exercising any right, power or remedy hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right, power or remedy preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or remedy hereunder.

17. Assignment . This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns, except that each Licensee shall not grant any sublicenses or assign, delegate or otherwise transfer its rights or obligations hereunder or any interest herein (including any assignment or transfer occurring by operation of law) without the prior written consent of Licensor. Notwithstanding the foregoing or anything to the contrary in this Agreement, each Licensee may (a) sublicense the licenses granted pursuant to Section 1(i) to such Licensee’s subsidiaries,

 

5


(ii) to any other affiliates of such Licensee who are guarantors under any loan facility of such Licensee, and/or (iii) to such Licensee’s lenders or other financing sources at such times as such lenders or other financing sources are entitled under the relevant loan and/or security documentation to exercise rights and remedies thereunder during an event of default, and (b) assign or otherwise transfer (including by way of a pledge) to such Licensee’s lenders or other financing sources any or all of such Licensee’s rights hereunder or interest herein as collateral security, which, for the avoidance of doubt, includes an assignment or other transfer to such lenders or other financing sources and subsequent assignment or other transfer by such lenders or other financing sources to enable such lenders and financing sources to exercise their rights and remedies under the relevant loan and/or security documentation during an event of default. Licensor may freely assign or transfer any or all of its rights, obligations, or interest herein.

18. Compliance with Laws . Each Licensee shall, at all times hereunder, comply with any and all applicable laws, including without limitation all applicable export and import laws and regulations, with respect to the use of the Marks.

19. Notices . All notices, communications and deliveries under this Agreement will be made in writing signed by or on behalf of the Party making the same, will specify the Section of this Agreement pursuant to which it is given or being made, and will be delivered personally or by facsimile transmission or sent by registered or certified mail (return receipt requested) or by nationally recognized overnight courier (with evidence of delivery and postage and other fees prepaid) as follows:

if to Licensor:

Enviva Holdings, LP

7200 Wisconsin Ave, Suite 1000

Bethesda, MD 20814

Attention:

Facsimile:

General Counsel

(240) 482-3774

Electronic Mail: William.Schmidt@envivabiomass.com

if to either Licensee:

Enviva Partners GP, LLC

7200 Wisconsin Ave, Suite 1000

Bethesda, MD 20814

Attention:

Facsimile:

General Counsel

(240) 482-3774

Electronic Mail: William.Schmidt@envivabiomass.com

or to such other representative or at such other address or facsimile number of a Party as such Party may furnish to the other Parties in writing. Any such notice, communication or delivery will be deemed given or made upon the date of receipt by the applicable Party.

20. Choice of Law . This Agreement will be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, excluding any choice of law rules which may direct the application of the laws of another jurisdiction.

21. Consent to Jurisdiction, Etc.; Waiver of Jury Trial . Each of the Parties hereby irrevocably consents and agrees that any dispute arising out of or relating to this Agreement or any related document shall exclusively be brought in the courts of the State of New York, in New York County or the

 

6


federal courts located in the Southern District of the State of New York. The Parties agree that, after such a dispute is before a court as specified in this Section 21 and during the pendency of such dispute before such court, all actions with respect to such dispute, including any counterclaim, cross-claim or interpleader, shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of such court. Each of the Parties hereby waives, and agrees not to assert, as a defense in any legal dispute, that it is not subject thereto or that such dispute may not be brought or is not maintainable in such court or that its property is exempt or immune from execution, that the dispute is brought in an inconvenient forum or that the venue of the dispute is improper. Each Party agrees that a final judgment in any dispute described in this Section 21 after the expiration of any period permitted for appeal and subject to any stay during appeal shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by laws. THE PARTIES HEREBY WAIVE IRREVOCABLY ANY AND ALL RIGHTS TO DEMAND A TRIAL BY JURY IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT, THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR ANY DOCUMENT CONTEMPLATED HEREIN OR OTHERWISE RELATED HERETO.

22. Reformation; Severability . Any provision of this Agreement which is prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction will, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or unenforceability without invalidating the remaining provisions of this Agreement, and any such prohibition or unenforceability in any jurisdiction will not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction. To the extent permitted by law, the Parties waive any provision of law which renders any such provision prohibited or unenforceable in any respect.

23. Force Majeure . Licensor shall not be responsible for any delay or failure in performance hereunder due to fire, flood, or other natural catastrophe, Act of God, governmental action, war or civil disturbance, strike, manufacturer’s or supplier’s nondelivery or any other cause beyond Licensor’s reasonable control, whether similar or dissimilar to any of the foregoing.

24. Sole and Entire Agreement . Each of the parties hereto agrees that there are no other agreements, understandings, or representations, oral or written, other than as set forth herein, that this Agreement supersedes and replaces any and all prior and contemporaneous agreements, understandings, representations, statements, or other communications, relating to the subject matter hereof, and that each Party is not relying on any prior understanding or representation, oral or written, that is not included or reflected in this Agreement. The parties hereto further agree that this Agreement constitutes the sole and entire agreement between the parties relating to the subject matter hereof.

25. No Third-Party Beneficiaries . Subject to Section 17 , nothing expressed or implied in this Agreement is intended, or will be construed, to confer upon or give any Person other than the Parties, and their successors or permitted assigns, any rights, remedies, obligations or liabilities under or by reason of this Agreement, or result in such Person being deemed a third party beneficiary of this Agreement.

26. Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts with the same effect as if all Parties had signed the same document. All counterparts shall be construed together and shall constitute one and the same instrument. The delivery of an executed counterpart copy of this Agreement by facsimile or electronic transmission in PDF format shall be deemed to be the equivalent of delivery of the originally executed copy thereof.

[Signature page follows]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF , this Agreement has been duly executed by the Parties as of the date first written above.

 

LICENSOR:
ENVIVA HOLDINGS, LP
By: Enviva Holdings GP, LLC, as its sole general partner
By:

/s/ William H. Schmidt, Jr.

Name: William H. Schmidt, Jr.
Title: Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
LICENSEES:
ENVIVA PARTNERS GP, LLC
By:

/s/ William H. Schmidt, Jr.

Name: William H. Schmidt, Jr.
Title: Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
ENVIVA PARTNERS, LP
By: Enviva Partners GP, LLC, as its sole general partner
By:

/s/ William H. Schmidt, Jr.

Name: William H. Schmidt, Jr.
Title: Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

S IGNATURE P AGE TO

L ICENSE A GREEMENT


EXHIBIT A TO LICENSE AGREEMENT

The “Marks” consist of the following:

1. The following registration:

 

Mark

   U.S. Registration/Serial No.     

Enviva

   77949816   

Enviva Pellets

   77949619   

Enviva Materials

   77949693   

Enviva

   85183818   

2. Common law rights in and to “ENVIVA”, “ENVIVA PELLETS”, “ENVIVA MATERIALS” and the following logos:

 

LOGO

Exhibit 10.7

Execution Version

TERMINAL SERVICES AGREEMENT

by and between

ENVIVA PORT OF CHESAPEAKE, LLC

and

ENVIVA WILMINGTON HOLDINGS, LLC

Dated: April 9, 2015


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Section 1.

Definitions

  1   

Section 2.

Term

  6   

Section 3.

Terminal Services; Shipment Commitment

  6   

3.1

Terminal Services

  6   

3.2

Shipment Commitment

  6   

Section 4.

Fees; Invoices and Payments

  7   

4.1

Terminal Services Fee; Included Services

  7   

4.2

Payment of Terminal Services Fee; Escalation

  7   

4.3

Taxes and Other Charges

  7   

4.4

Monthly Statements and Invoices

  8   

4.5

Payment of Fees

  8   

4.6

Records and Audits

  8   

4.7

Inventory Accounting

  8   

4.8

Shrinkage

  9   

Section 5.

Operations; Deliveries; Loading

  9   

5.1

Inbound Truck Deliveries

  9   

5.2

Use of Berth

  9   

5.3

Notification of Arrival of Vessels

  10   

5.4

Vessels

  10   

5.5

Demurrage

  10   

5.6

Compliance

  10   

5.7

Filings, Disclosure and Reports

  10   

5.8

Berth Operating Hours

  10   

5.9

Terminal Maintenance

  11   

5.10

Credentials

  11   

5.11

Minimum Rate of Loading Requirements; Despatch

  11   

5.12

Limitation of Services

  12   

5.13

Required Improvements

  12   

5.14

Ownership of Equipment

  12   

5.15

Title

  12   

Section 6.

Biomass Quality Standards; Measurement

  12   

6.1

Quality Requirements

  12   

6.2

Deliveries Not Meeting Quality Requirements

  12   

6.3

Commingling

  13   

6.4

Biomass Loss or Damage

  13   

6.5

Measurement

  13   

Section 7.

Consequential Damages Waiver

  13   

Section 8.

Force Majeure Event

  14   

8.1

General

  14   

 

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8.2

Notice

  14   

8.3

Make-up

  14   

8.4

Termination

  14   

Section 9.

Inspection of and Access to Terminal

  15   

9.1

Inspections

  15   

9.2

Nature of Access Right

  15   

Section 10.

Assignment

  15   

10.1

Assignment Generally

  15   

10.2

Permitted Assignments

  15   

Section 11.

Compliance with Law and Safety

  16   

Section 12.

Default, Termination and Other Remedies

  16   

12.1

Customer Default

  16   

12.2

Owner Remedies for Customer Default

  16   

12.3

Owner Default

  17   

12.4

Customer Remedies for Owner Default

  17   

12.5

Remedies of Each Party Generally

  17   

12.6

Lien on Biomass

  18   

Section 13.

Insurance

  18   

13.1

Customer’s Required Insurance

  18   

13.2

Customer Certificates of Insurance; Notification of Changes or Lapse

  19   

13.3

Owner’s Required Insurance

  19   

13.4

Owner Certificates of Insurance; Notification of Changes or Lapse

  19   

13.5

Reports of Accidents and Injuries

  20   

13.6

Application of Insurance Proceeds

  20   

Section 14.

Indemnity and Liability

  20   

14.1

Indemnification of Customer Group

  20   

14.2

Indemnification of Owner Group

  20   

14.3

Notice; Procedure

  20   

Section 15.

Other Representations, Warranties and Covenants

  21   

Section 16.

Miscellaneous

  22   

16.1

Notices

  22   

16.2

Interpretation

  22   

16.3

Amendment

  23   

16.4

Severability of Provisions

  23   

16.5

Entire Agreement

  23   

16.6

Counterparts; Electronic Signatures

  23   

16.7

Third Parties

  24   

16.8

Non-Recourse

  24   

16.9

Attorneys’ Fees

  24   

16.10

No Waiver

  24   

 

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16.11

No Agency

  24   

16.12

Governing Law

  24   

16.13

Dispute Resolution

  24   

Section 17.

Confidentiality

  25   

17.1

Confidentiality

  25   

17.2

Confidentiality Carve-outs

  25   

17.3

Securities Filings

  26   

17.4

Press Releases

  26   

Exhibit A COMMERCIAL DETAILS

  A-1   

Exhibit B MARINE NOMINATIONS AND SCHEDULING

  B-1   

Exhibit C SPECIFICATIONS

  C-1   

 

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TERMINAL SERVICES AGREEMENT

This Terminal Services Agreement (this “ Agreement ”) is made effective this 9th day of April, 2015 (“ Effective Date ”) by and between Enviva Port of Chesapeake, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ Owner ”), and Enviva Wilmington Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ Customer ”), sometimes referred to individually as “ Party ” and collectively as “ Parties .” In consideration of the mutual promises contained in this Agreement, the Parties agree to the following terms and conditions relating to the provision of marine terminal services related to the Biomass (as hereinafter defined).

RECITALS

A. Owner operates a wood pellet export facility located within the marine terminal under the jurisdiction of the Chesapeake Port Authority (the “ Port Authority ”) in Norfolk, Virginia (the “ Terminal ”) for the receipt, discharge and loading of Biomass for export by ocean-going vessel.

B. Customer is in the business of processing, purchasing and selling Biomass.

C. Owner and Customer desire to enter into this Agreement to memorialize the terms and conditions whereby Customer will deliver, or cause to be delivered, Biomass to the Terminal for the receipt, discharge and loading for export by ocean-going vessels, and Owner will provide such services for Customer, on and subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement.

NOW, THEREFORE, for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, and intending to be legally bound, Owner and Customer agree as follows:

AGREEMENT

Section 1. Definitions . In this Agreement, unless the context requires otherwise, the terms defined in the preamble have the meanings indicated and the following terms will have the meanings indicated below:

Affected Party ” has the meaning indicated in Section 8.1 .

Affiliate ” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person that is directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or under common control with, such Person; provided , that for purposes of this definition, “control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through the ownership of voting interests, by contract or otherwise, and “controlling”, “controlled by” and “under common control with” have corresponding meanings.

Agent ” means any contractor, agent, employee or other representative accessing the Terminal in connection with this Agreement on behalf of, at the request of or for the benefit of Customer.


Bankrupt ” means with respect to any Person, such Person (a) files a petition or otherwise commences, authorizes or acquiesces in the commencement of a proceeding or cause of action under any bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar Law; (b) has any such petition, action or proceeding filed or commenced against it and such petition, action or proceeding is not stayed or dismissed within sixty (60) Days after filing; (c) makes an assignment or any general arrangement for the benefit of creditors; (d) otherwise becomes insolvent; (e) has a liquidator, administrator, receiver, trustee, conservator or similar official appointed with respect to it or any substantial portion of its property or assets; or (f) is generally unable to pay its debts as they become due.

Base Index ” has the meaning indicated in Section 4.2(b) .

Berth ” means the berth owned by Owner and attached to the Terminal.

Biomass ” means free-flowing wood pellets comprised of wood fiber from pulpwood, timber harvest byproducts, and industrial residuals.

Business Day ” means any Day that is not a Saturday, a Sunday or any other Day on which banks in the State of New York are permitted to close.

Charter ” means a contract whereby an owner or operator of a Vessel contracts with Customer for the transportation of one or more Shipments.

Claims ” means claims, demands, suits, or causes of action, whether at law or in equity, and whether based on statute, regulation, rule, ordinance, code or standard or on theories of contract, tort, strict liability or otherwise.

Collateral ” has the meaning indicated in Section 12.6(a) .

Confidential Information ” has the meaning indicated in Section 17.1 .

Contract Year ” means each twelve (12) month period commencing on January 1; provided , that the first Contract Year shall begin on the Effective Date and end on December 31, 2014.

Current Index ” has the meaning indicated in Section 4.2(b) .

Customer Event of Default ” has the meaning indicated in Section 12 .

Customer Group ” means, collectively, Customer, its parents and Affiliates, its Agents, and its and their respective managing members, general and limited partners, officers, directors, employees, and other representatives.

Customer Notice of Termination ” has the meaning indicated in Section 12.4 .

Days ” means the consecutive twenty-four (24) hour period beginning at the start of the hour ending 01:00 Eastern prevailing time on any calendar day and ending at the completion of the hour ending 24:00 Eastern prevailing time on such calendar day.

 

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Default Interest Rate ” means, for any date, the lesser of (i) a per month rate of interest equal to one and one-half percent (1.5%) and (ii) the maximum rate permitted by Law.

Delivery Point ” means Owner’s truck scale at the Terminal.

Domes ” means each of the concrete structures at the Terminal used to protect Biomass pending its being loaded onto Vessels for transportation from the Terminal in accordance herewith.

Event of Default ” means either a Customer Event of Default or an Owner Event of Default, as applicable.

Excluded Period ” has the meaning indicated in Section 5.11 .

FIFO ” means the First-In-First-Out method for costing inventory, which method assumes that the first Biomass placed in inventory in a Dome is the first Biomass unloaded from such Dome.

Financing Party ” means any and all banks or other providers of capital to Owner or Customer.

FOB ” means “FOB” or “Free on Board” as defined in Incoterms 2010 as published by the International Chamber of Commerce.

Force Majeure Event ” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.1 .

Good Industry Practices ” means using the standards, practices, methods and procedures and exercising the degree of skill, care, diligence, prudence and foresight that would be expected to be observed by a skilled and experienced operator in carrying out activities the same as or similar to the Terminal Services under the same or similar circumstances as those contemplated by this Agreement.

Governmental Entity ” means any national, regional, state, provincial, municipal or local authority (including the Port Authority), department, body, board, instrumentality, commission, corporation, branch, directorate, agency, ministry, court, tribunal, judicial authority, legislative body, administrative body, regulatory body, autonomous or quasi-autonomous entity or taxing authority or any political subdivision of any of the foregoing and any Person (whether autonomous or not) exercising executive, legislative, judicial, regulatory or administrative functions of or pertaining to any of the foregoing entities, having jurisdiction over the Person or matter in question.

Indemnified Party ” has the meaning indicated in Section 14.3 .

Indemnifying Party ” has the meaning indicated in Section 14.3 .

Index ” has the meaning indicated in Section 4.2(b) .

Indirect Taxes ” has the meaning indicated in Section 4.3 .

 

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Interest Rate ” means, for any date, the lesser of (i) the per annum rate of interest equal to the prime lending rate as may from time to time be published in The Wall Street Journal under “Money Rates” on such Day (or if not published on such Day on the most recent preceding Day on which published), plus one percent (1%) and (ii) the maximum rate permitted by Law.

Laws ” means all statutes, laws, ordinances, rules, regulations, permits, authorizations, codes, decrees, judgments, proclamations, injunctions, constitutions, decisions, orders and directives of the applicable Governmental Entity, in each case applicable to the relevant Party, the Terminal Services, the Terminal, the Berth or the location of the performance of the obligations hereunder.

Laycan ” means the defined period during which Customer must tender a Notice of Readiness to Owner that the Vessel has arrived at the anchorage or customary place of waiting and is in all regards ready to commence loading.

Losses ” means any and all losses, liabilities, fines, penalties, damages, costs and injuries, including the costs of settlements, litigation, arbitration, judgments and expenses and documented attorneys’ fees (including documented attorneys’ fees and litigation expenses in establishing the right to indemnity hereunder).

Market Price ” means, for purposes of Section 6.4 , at the sole option and risk of Customer, either (a) the reasonable and documented price actually paid or received by Customer to procure or sell, as the case may be, wood pellets of similar quality and quantity; or (b) the market price for the relevant date as determined by averaging the market prices from the relevant market indices for wood pellets of similar quality delivered CIF to Antwerp, Belgium, or Rotterdam or Amsterdam, Netherlands, with equitable adjustments to such indices to conform to this Agreement, including by eliminating the built-in cost components of such indices inapplicable to the relevant Biomass, including oceangoing freight costs, loading and storage costs, and truck or rail freight costs, as applicable. An index must exhibit a minimum liquidity threshold as determined by completion of at least four (4) transactions of at least twenty-five thousand (25,000) MT per week to be used in determining the Market Price. Where there are not at least two (2) relevant indices for the relevant date or where wood pellets of similar quality are not available in the market, the market price may be determined or augmented, as the case may be, based upon the price at which Customer would be able to sell or purchase, as the case may be, the quantity of wood pellets in the market acting in a reasonable manner as determined by taking the average of price quotations for wood pellets of similar quality and quantity as of the relevant date from at least two (2) and no more than three (3) independent internationally recognized dealers/brokers or counterparties (such dealers/brokers or counterparties to be appointed by Customer).

Master ” means the captain of the relevant Vessel.

Month ” means each full calendar month during the Term of this Agreement.

Non-Affected Party ” has the meaning indicated in Section 8.1 .

 

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Notice of Readiness ” or “ NOR ” means a notice of readiness tendered by a Master confirming a Vessel’s arrival at the anchorage or customary place of waiting and readiness to load cargo.

Office Hours ” means the period between 09:00 and 17:00 hours Eastern prevailing time on a Business Day.

Owner Event of Default ” has the meaning indicated in Section 12 .

Owner Group ” means, collectively, Owner, its parents and Affiliates, and its and their respective managing members, general and limited partners, officers, directors, employees, agents, and other representatives, including Enviva Management Company, LLC in its capacity as the contract operator of Owner’s assets.

Owner Notice of Termination ” has the meaning indicated in Section 12.2 .

Person ” means any natural person, trustee, corporation, general partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company, joint stock company, trust, unincorporated organization, bank, business association, firm, joint venture, Governmental Entity, company or other entity.

Port Authority ” has the meaning set forth in the recitals.

Required Vessel Specifications ” has the meaning indicated in Section 5.4 .

Rules ” has the meaning indicated in Section 16.13 .

Shipment ” means a consignment of Biomass loaded onto Vessel(s).

Source Plant ” means the wood pellet biomass production facility located in Southampton County, Virginia, to the extent such facility is then owned and operated by Customer or one of its Subsidiaries.

Specifications ” has the meaning indicated in Section 3.1 .

Subsidiary ” means, with respect to any Person, any Person that is controlled by such Person. As used in this definition, “control” and its derivatives with respect to any Person mean the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person, whether through the ownership of voting interests, by contract or otherwise.

Super Holidays ” has the meaning indicated in Section 5.8 .

Term ” has the meaning indicated in Section 2 .

Terminal ” has the meaning set forth in the recitals.

Terminal Services ” has the meaning indicated in Section 3.1 .

Terminal Services Fee ” has the meaning indicated in Section 4.1 .

 

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Vessel ” means any bulk carrier or barge (including any attending tug or towboat), or other watercraft that is capable of receiving Biomass at the Terminal on behalf of, at the request of, or for the benefit of Customer.

Weather Working Day ” means a day for which vessel operations is normally conducted at a port without the interference of inclement weather.

Section 2. Term . This Agreement is effective from the Effective Date, and shall continue in full force and effect until the termination of the Agreement for the Sale and Purchase of Biomass CIF Discharge Port dated December 6, 2013 between Drax Power Limited and Customer (the “ Term ”), unless earlier terminated or extended in accordance with the express provisions of this Agreement. Customer may, upon written notice to Owner provided no later than twelve (12) months prior to the last date of the Term, extend the Term for one (1) additional period of five (5) years from the last date of the Term. In addition, the Term shall extend for any period mutually agreed to pursuant to and in accordance with Section 8.3 of this Agreement. This Agreement shall terminate automatically at such time (if any) at which Customer ceases to own, directly or indirectly, the Source Plant.

Section 3. Terminal Services; Shipment Commitment .

3.1 Terminal Services . Owner will make its loading and unloading facilities at the Terminal available for the receipt and handling of Biomass that conforms to the specifications and sustainability criteria set forth on Exhibit C (collectively, the “ Specifications ”). Owner may allocate use of the Terminal facilities among its customers, including Affiliates, at its discretion, which it shall exercise in a reasonable manner. Subject to Owner’s rights to suspend hereunder in accordance with Exhibit B hereto, Owner agrees to perform the following services for Customer at the Terminal: (i) coordination of inbound Biomass-loaded trucks to, and the coordination of outbound trucks from, the Terminal; (ii) receipt of Biomass by truck at the Delivery Point, (iii) the temporary receipt, storage, and handling of Biomass at the Terminal in connection with the offloading of trucks and pending the redelivery of same onto Vessels designated by Customer; (iv) the re-delivering and loading of Biomass at the Berth onto Vessels designated by Customer; (v) such regulatory compliance reporting that Owner is required to perform as the Terminal operator; and (vi) such other services, including those set forth in Exhibit B hereto, expressly set forth herein (collectively, the “ Terminal Services ”). All Terminal Services performed hereunder by Owner shall be performed in a commercially reasonable manner consistent with Good Industry Practices and in compliance with Laws. For the avoidance of doubt, Terminal Services shall not include making arrangements for the transportation of Biomass by Vessel, for which, as between the Parties, Customer shall be solely responsible to make at its own cost.

3.2 Shipment Commitment . Customer shall cause all Biomass produced from the Source Plant to be delivered into the Terminal, provided, however, that the terms of this Agreement shall not apply to any Biomass produced from the Source Plant and sold pursuant to that certain Biomass Fuel Supply Confirmation No. 1 dated the Effective Date under the Master Biomass Purchase and Sale Agreement between Customer (as “Seller”) and Enviva, LP (as “Buyer”).

 

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Section 4. Fees; Invoices and Payments .

4.1 Terminal Services Fee; Included Services . The fee for Terminal Services shall be invoiced at $14.00 per metric ton of Customer’s Biomass that is received by Owner at the Delivery Point (such fee, as escalated in accordance with Section 4.2(b) , the “ Terminal Services Fee ”). Each of Owner and Customer hereby acknowledges and agrees that, except as expressly set forth in this Section 4.1 , the Terminal Services Fee constitutes payment for all Terminal Services. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Customer or its Agents, as applicable, shall be obligated to pay all additional dockage and security fees imposed by the Port Authority in connection with the use of the Terminal or the Berth by any Vessel, as the same are incurred by Customer or its Agents, as applicable. The Terminal and the Berth are within the jurisdiction of the Port Authority. Customer and its Vessels may be subject to the applicable rules and fees issued by the Port Authority, including any of its tariffs, as same may be amended or revised from time to time. Accordingly, Customer and its Vessel are subject to any such applicable rules issued and fees required by the Port Authority, independent and apart from, and in addition to, Customer’s obligations to Owner under this Agreement.

4.2 Payment of Terminal Services Fee; Escalation .

(a) Customer agrees to utilize, or pay for, the Terminal Services as contemplated by this Agreement as outlined in this Section 4.2 .

(b) The Terminal Services Fee will automatically adjust annually, beginning on January 1, 2015, and on January 1 of each year thereafter, to reflect the rate of increase, if any, in the Chained Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (C-CPI-U), all items, U.S. city average, as published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (the “ Index ”), and the Terminal Services Fee as adjusted shall be effective for the subsequent twelve (12) month period. For purposes of such adjustments, the “ Base Index ” shall be the Index for the month immediately preceding the month in which the Effective Date occurs and the “ Current Index ” shall be the Index for the last month of the prior Contract Year. The percentage change from the Base Index to the Current Index will be calculated to the third decimal place and applied to the Terminal Services Fee to determine the change to the Terminal Services Fee in accordance with the following formula; provided , that in no event shall the operation of this Section 4.2(b) result in a reduction in any charges applicable during any period beginning on or after January 1, 2015 as compared with the charges that were applicable at any time prior to such period:

((Current Index - Base Index)/Base Index) * Terminal Services Fee = Change to Terminal Services Fee

In the event the Bureau of Labor Statistics no longer keeps or publishes the Index, the Parties agree to establish an alternative method of adjusting the Terminal Services Fee based on a currently published U.S. Government index that reflects changes in the prices paid by urban consumers for a representative basket of goods and services.

4.3 Taxes and Other Charges . In consideration of Owner’s agreement to provide Terminal Services to Customer hereunder, in addition to the other amounts owed to Owner hereunder, Customer shall be responsible for, and shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless

 

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Owner against, all taxes, assessments and fees, including ad valorem taxes, now or in the future assessed against the Biomass and the provision of Terminal Services, including any sales and use tax (collectively, “ Indirect Taxes ”). Customer further agrees to provide proper documentation for all claimed exemptions to Indirect Taxes.

4.4 Monthly Statements and Invoices . Within ten (10) Days following the end of each Month during the Term of this Agreement, Owner will submit to Customer a statement recording the volume of Customer’s Biomass received at the Delivery Point during the preceding Month, together with an invoice for the Terminal Services Fee and Indirect Taxes for the preceding Month. This Monthly statement and invoice will be mailed or sent by facsimile to Customer at the address indicated in Exhibit A . Each such Monthly statement will include, in addition to the identity and volume of Biomass, (i) a consecutive number, (ii) date of issuance, and (iii) a reference to the rate of Terminal Services Fee included in this Agreement.

4.5 Payment of Fees . The Terminal Services Fee and Indirect Taxes reflected in Owner’s invoices are due and payable within ten (10) Business Days after the date of receipt of Owner’s invoice by Customer. A Party may, in good faith, dispute the correctness of any invoice or any adjustment to an invoice rendered under this Agreement, or adjust any invoice for any arithmetic or computational error. Neither Party may dispute or adjust any invoice delivered more than twelve (12) months from the date of delivery of such invoice. In the event an invoice or portion thereof, or any other claim or adjustment arising hereunder, is disputed, payment of the undisputed portion of the invoice shall be required to be made when due. Any invoice dispute or invoice adjustment shall be in writing and shall state the basis for the dispute or adjustment. Payment of the disputed amount shall not be required until the dispute is resolved. Upon resolution of the dispute, any required payment shall be made within five (5) Business Days after such resolution along with interest accrued at the Interest Rate from and including the due date to but excluding the date paid. Any overpayments shall, at the option of the Party making the overpayment, be returned upon request or deducted by the Party receiving such overpayment from subsequent payments, with interest accrued at the Interest Rate from and including the date of such overpayment to but excluding the date repaid or deducted by the Party receiving such overpayment. Any dispute with respect to an invoice is waived unless the other Party is timely notified of such dispute in accordance with this Section 4.5 . Any overdue amount hereunder not disputed in good faith in accordance with this Section 4.5 shall bear interest at the Default Interest Rate from and including the date due to but excluding the date paid.

4.6 Records and Audits . During the Term and for up to one (1) year after the end of the Term, Customer may, at its own expense, during Office Hours and upon reasonable advance notice so as to not unreasonably interfere with the Terminal’s or Owner’s normal business operations, inspect, copy and audit, to the extent each of the following is relevant to Owner’s obligations hereunder, Owner’s books, records, accounts, ledgers, schedules, correspondence and any other documents. Customer shall reimburse reasonable and documented out-of-pocket costs incurred by Owner in connection with this Section 4.6 . Owner shall reasonably cooperate with Customer and shall provide such information as may be reasonably requested by Customer under this Section 4.6 .

4.7 Inventory Accounting . The Parties agree to follow Owner’s inventory accounting policies on a per Dome basis with respect to FOB deliveries of Biomass terminaled hereunder to any customers of Customer, which may vary by Dome and shall be FIFO unless Customer is notified otherwise.

 

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4.8 Shrinkage . Given the nature of terminal operations and the varying temperatures, Vessel configurations and other factors affecting the volume and other attributes of Biomass as it is offloaded from trucks, handled through the Terminal, and subsequently loaded onto Vessels, Customer agrees that the Biomass will be subject to shrinkage. Following Customer’s request for such calculation to the extent commercially reasonable and in any event at least once per Contract Year, Owner shall calculate the total rate of shrinkage of all Biomass in storage since the last such measurement was taken for purposes of this Agreement. Such calculation shall be made by dividing the tonnage loaded onto Vessels since the last such measurement was taken for purposes of this Agreement by the weight of all deliveries of Biomass by truck to the Delivery Point during the same period as measured upon arrival of such trucks. Customer shall bear its pro rata portion of any shrinkage based upon the weight of its Shipments during each such calculation period; provided , that Owner shall bear the risk of any shrinkage in excess of one percent (1.0%) of the weight of all deliveries of Biomass to the Delivery Point.

Section 5. Operations; Deliveries; Loading .

5.1 Inbound Truck Deliveries .

(a) Customer understands and agrees that Owner has no control over the performance of any trucking company delivering Biomass to the Terminal and that Owner shall not be responsible for the same.

(b) Owner guarantees to Customer a minimum truck unloading rate at the Terminal of 300 metric tons per hour, Weather Working Day, Saturdays, Sundays, Holidays included (WWDSSHINC), excluding Super Holidays and subject to Force Majeure Events.

(c) Owner will be under no obligation to make any arrangements with, or pay any fees to, any trucking company or otherwise with respect to the transportation of trucks to or from the Terminal. Customer will be solely responsible for making arrangements with, entering into any necessary agreement with, and the payment for any services due to trucking companies with respect to the transportation of trucks to and from the Terminal. Owner shall provide a safe weighing and unloading area and use commercially reasonable efforts to maintain an efficient traffic flow at the Delivery Point.

(d) Owner shall ensure that its truck weighing scales at the Delivery Point have been certified no less frequently than once every twelve (12) months in accordance with applicable Laws and that any operators of Owner’s scales are bonded weight masters.

5.2 Use of Berth . Customer shall have non-exclusive use of the Berth from and after the Effective Date throughout the Term. Owner shall use due diligence to make the Berth safe and capable of accommodating Vessels with mean draft, maximum length overall and maximum beam consistent with the Berth ’s dimensions and depths; provided , however , that in the event of severe weather conditions, Owner’s obligation to make the Berth available to Customer shall be limited in accordance with Good Industry Practice and applicable Laws.

 

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5.3 Notification of Arrival of Vessels . Customer must provide Owner with and maintain updated forecasts of scheduled arrivals of its Vessels at the Terminal, which forecasts must include details as to the quantity of Biomass to be loaded aboard such Vessels. Customer must notify Owner of tentative Biomass Vessel loading dates reasonably in advance of anticipated Vessel loadings and of any revision of those dates as soon as practicable.

5.4 Vessels . Customer shall nominate Vessels to load Biomass only if they fully comply with (or hold necessary waivers from) all applicable requirements of Law and comply with the requirements set forth in Exhibit A (the “ Required Vessel Specifications ”). Each Vessel scheduled to load Biomass at the Berth must satisfy the requirements of the Required Vessel Specifications; provided , that Owner shall accept or reject any Vessel within one (1) Business Day of receiving such nomination and any other information required by the Required Vessel Specifications; and provided further, that Owner’s acceptance of such Vessel shall not be unreasonably withheld. In addition, Owner may screen any Vessel scheduled for loading at the Berth to ensure such Vessel is in compliance with the Required Vessel Specifications. Customer shall indemnify Owner in accordance with Section 14.2 for any loss, cost or damage resulting from failure to comply with any of the Required Vessel Specifications. Owner shall have the right to refuse to berth any Vessel or to order any Vessel to vacate the Berth if the presence or condition of any such Vessel, its cargo or its crew shall in Owner’s reasonable opinion threaten the safety of, or pose a hazard to, the Terminal, the Berth or the area surrounding the same or any Person or property thereon; provided , that Owner shall provide Customer written notice of any such refusal.

5.5 Demurrage . In the event that demurrage is payable to the applicable owner or operator of any Vessel, pursuant to the applicable Charter, and such demurrage is attributable solely to delay caused by Owner’s breach of its obligations pursuant to Section 5.11 of this Agreement, then Owner shall reimburse Customer for the amount of such demurrage paid to the applicable owner or operator with respect to the delayed Vessel; provided , that the cost of demurrage shall not exceed $15,000 per day. In all other cases, Customer shall be responsible for and shall pay demurrage to the applicable owner or operator of any Vessel in connection with this Agreement.

5.6 Compliance . Customer will provide Owner with any information, documentation, or other materials as required by Law for the unloading or loading of Biomass.

5.7 Filings, Disclosure and Reports . Each Party acknowledges that the other Party may have an obligation under Law to disclose information regarding Biomass to Governmental Authorities, parties handling Biomass, parties exposed to Biomass, and to the general public, and each Party will promptly upon the request of any such obligated Party provide such Party with any information required by Law for such disclosures. Each Party will prepare, file and maintain copies of all reports required by Law to be filed with any federal, state or local Governmental Entity concerning such Party’s activities under this Agreement and each Party will promptly provide a copy of any such reports to the other Party upon request.

5.8 Berth Operating Hours . The Berth shall be in operation for the loading of Biomass twenty-four (24) hours a Day, seven (7) Days a week, and every Day during the applicable year, except on Christmas Day, Thanksgiving Day, Labor Day, Independence Day,

 

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and New Year’s Day (collectively, “ Super Holidays ”). Subject to the terms and conditions of Section 5.9 , Owner may take the Berth, or any portion or part thereof, out of service during the Term in order to perform routine dredging, restoration, inspections, maintenance or repairs.

5.9 Terminal Maintenance . Owner may take any facility or equipment at the Terminal, or any portion or part thereof, out of service during the Term in order to perform inspections, maintenance, or repairs. Except for any emergency in which providing advance notice is not practicable, Owner will provide Customer with at least thirty-five (35) days prior written notice of any such scheduled maintenance that may impact any Terminal Services hereunder. On or before December 1st of each year during the remaining term following the Effective Date, Owner will provide Customer a non-binding schedule reflecting planned maintenance for the upcoming calendar year and shall provide Customer updates from time to time based on any changes to such schedule.

5.10 Credentials . Owner will require each of Customer’s carriers and contractors to execute an access agreement and, if applicable, require each employee or invitee of any such carrier or contractor to produce a valid Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) card to the extent required under Law prior to entering the Terminal and unloading or loading Biomass.

5.11 Minimum Rate of Loading Requirements; Despatch . Owner will provide equipment and facilities reasonably necessary for the loading of Biomass at the minimum rate of 18,000 metric tons per Weather Working Day, Saturdays, Sundays, Holidays included (WWDSSHINC), excluding Super Holidays (or such other loading rate as may be otherwise agreed to in writing by the Parties), subject to any Vessel limitations, and, in addition, excluding the following periods: the time taken from anchorage to the discharge berth(s), the time taken for ballasting or deballasting unless discharge is possible while maintaining the stipulated minimum rate, the time lost due to any cause attributable to the Vessel, her master, her crew or owners, that affects the working or berthing of the Vessel, the period of delay caused by any Force Majeure Event(s), any weather related delay affecting the safe loading of the Biomass in a dry condition as required, the period of stoppage of loading activities by stevedores due to strike, time taken due to disputes between master and men occasioning a stoppage of stevedores, Vessel crew, pilots or other workmen essential to the movement, working or unloading of the Vessel or the period of physical inability by the Vessel to load the cargo, including but not limited to ballasting or deballasting capacity, and each period during which such minimum rate cannot be maintained due to (i) Customer’s Biomass failing to meet the Specifications, (ii) Customer’s failure to deliver sufficient volumes of Biomass, or (iii) any action or omission of Customer or any third party not within Owner’s control (each such excluded period, including Super Holidays, an “ Excluded Period ”). If Owner’s actual loading rate is less than such applicable minimum rate during any Excluded Period or as a result of Vessel limitations, then, in such event, Owner will have no liability for demurrage. Customer shall be liable to pay Owner for despatch at a per diem rate (or pro-rated portion thereof) equal to fifty percent (50%) of the demurrage rate applicable to the applicable Vessel in the event that Owner loads (or causes the loading of) Biomass onto a Vessel at a rate greater than 18,000 metric tons per Weather Working Day, Saturdays, Sundays, Holidays included (WWDSSHINC), excluding Super Holidays (or such other loading rate as may be otherwise agreed to in writing by the Parties), subject to any Vessel limitations and excluding Excluded Periods. For the avoidance of doubt, such despatch payment obligations shall accrue to the extent such minimum rate is exceeded even if the related loading occurs (at Owner’s sole discretion) during any Excluded Period.

 

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5.12 Limitation of Services . The Terminal Services hereunder are being provided to Customer only with respect to the Biomass and no other products.

5.13 Required Improvements . Owner shall perform routine maintenance and repair of the Terminal in accordance with Good Industry Practices, but will not be required to make any improvements, alterations or additions to the Terminal.

5.14 Ownership of Equipment . All fixtures, equipment and appurtenances attached to the Terminal are and shall remain the property of Owner or the Port Authority, as applicable.

5.15 Title . Subject to Section 12.6 , title to the Biomass handled hereunder shall always remain with Customer. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, title to the Biomass shall in no event pass to Owner at any time under or pursuant to this Agreement. Owner shall be deemed to have custody of the Biomass from the time it passes from the delivery facilities of the trucks into Owner’s receiving facilities and until it passes from the delivery facilities of Owner into the receiving facilities of a Vessel.

Section 6. Biomass Quality Standards; Measurement .

6.1 Quality Requirements . Customer represents and warrants to Owner that all Biomass tendered by or for the account of Customer for Terminal Services will conform to the Specifications. Owner will not be obligated to load or unload Biomass that fails to meet the Specifications at the time tendered by Customer, but, to the extent that Owner loads or unloads Biomass that fails to meet the Specifications, in no event will Owner have any liability whatsoever for loading or unloading such Biomass. Owner may, upon prior written notice to Customer, impose other limitations on the Biomass delivered to the Terminal in order to (a) comply with applicable Laws, (b) protect health and safety, and (c) protect the premises, equipment or facilities at the Terminal.

6.2 Deliveries Not Meeting Quality Requirements . Owner may rely upon the representations of Customer set forth below as to Biomass quality. In the event that Customer knows, or has reason to believe, that any Biomass tendered to Owner does not conform with the Specifications when tendered, it shall be the responsibility of Customer to notify Owner to such effect as soon as reasonably possible, whereupon Owner may elect to refuse tender, or, if Owner has already received such Biomass into the Terminal, cause Customer to take redelivery or otherwise dispose of the nonconforming Biomass, at Customer’s expense. Owner shall also have the right, without prejudice to any other remedy available to Owner, to reject and return to Customer any quantities of Biomass that fail to meet the Specifications, even after receipt by Owner. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, Customer shall be responsible for, and shall indemnify and hold harmless the Owner Group from and against, any Claims, including damage to the biomass of others and all documented costs resulting from any Biomass received at the Terminal for Customer’s account that does not conform to the Specifications.

 

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6.3 Commingling . Customer acknowledges and agrees that, in connection with the Terminal Services, its Biomass may be commingled or intermixed with other, similar biomass at the Terminal within the Specifications. Owner is not obligated to redeliver the identical Biomass (or Biomass matching any identical specifications) delivered by Customer into the Terminal.

6.4 Biomass Loss or Damage . Subject to Section 4.8 , Owner will not be liable to Customer for any contamination, damage, degradation, misdelivery or loss of Biomass, unless and only to the extent such contamination, damage, degradation, misdelivery or loss results from Owner’s negligence. If Customer desires to protect any Biomass against insurable losses relating to contamination, damage, degradation, misdelivery or loss other than as may be attributable to Owner’s gross negligence, Customer may secure insurance at its own cost and expense. Customer must make any claims against Owner for such contamination, damage, degradation, misdelivery or loss of Biomass by notice to Owner within ninety (90) Days after the date that Customer becomes aware of such contamination, damage, degradation, misdelivery or loss, and Customer irrevocably waives any claim for which the required notice is not provided within such required time. NOTWITHSTANDING ANY PROVISION IN THIS AGREEMENT TO THE CONTRARY, OWNER’S LIABILITY ARISING OUT OF CONTAMINATION, DAMAGE, DEGRADATION, MISDELIVERY OR LOSS OF BIOMASS SHALL NEVER IN ANY EVENT EXCEED AN AMOUNT EQUAL TO (i) THE MARKET PRICE OF THE CONTAMINATED, DAMAGED, DEGRADED, MISDELIVERED OR LOST BIOMASS, LESS (ii) THE SALVAGE VALUE, IF ANY, OF THE CONTAMINATED, DAMAGED, DEGRADED, MISDELIVERED OR LOST BIOMASS, AND OWNER SHALL NOT IN ANY EVENT BE RESPONSIBLE OR LIABLE FOR ANY CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, LOSS OF REVENUES OR LOSS OF BUSINESS, NOR FOR PUNITIVE OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES, NO MATTER HOW SUCH CONTAMINATION, DAMAGE, DEGRADATION, MISDELIVERY OR LOSS OF BIOMASS SHALL HAVE OCCURRED OR BEEN CAUSED.

6.5 Measurement .

(a) The weight of each delivery of Biomass shall be determined upon arrival at the Delivery Point using scales maintained and operated in accordance with procedures reasonably acceptable to Owner and Customer and professionally certified at intervals of no less than six (6) months to be in conformity with the most current, industry accepted standard.

(b) The weight of each Shipment shall be determined upon completion of loading. Customer shall appoint an independent marine surveyor, at its own expense but on behalf of both Parties jointly, to conduct a draft survey and to issue a certificate to both Parties certifying the weight of the Shipment. Shipments shall be in cargo lots of 30,000 metric tons +/-10%, at Customer’s option, or such larger vessel sizes as the Parties may mutually agree in writing.

Section 7. Consequential Damages Waiver . EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE PROVIDED IN THIS AGREEMENT, IN NO EVENT WILL EITHER PARTY BE LIABLE UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES TO THE OTHER PARTY FOR SPECIAL, INDIRECT, PUNITIVE, INCIDENTAL, EXEMPLARY OR CONSEQUENTIAL

 

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DAMAGES OR LOSSES, INCLUDING LOST PROFITS, LOSS OF BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY OR OTHER SIMILAR DAMAGES RESULTING FROM OR ARISING OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT, BY STATUTE, IN TORT OR CONTRACT, UNDER ANY INDEMNITY PROVISION OR OTHERWISE (EXCEPT WITH RESPECT TO INDEMNITY OBLIGATIONS FOR THIRD-PARTY CLAIMS AND LOSSES).

Section 8. Force Majeure Event .

8.1 General . A Party is not responsible or liable for any delay or failure in the performance of its obligations under this Agreement to the extent such performance is prevented by a Force Majeure Event. A “ Force Majeure Event ” is any event or circumstance that is beyond the control of, and occurs without the fault or negligence of, the Party claiming force majeure (the “ Affected Party ”, and the other Party being the “ Non-Affected Party ”), that could not reasonably have been avoided or overcome, and was not reasonably foreseeable. A Force Majeure Event may include the following, to the extent that each satisfies the foregoing requirements: any act of God or the elements, earthquakes, floods, landslides, hurricanes, civil disturbances, sabotage, acts of public enemies, terrorism, war, blockades, insurrections, riots, epidemics, fires or explosions. For the avoidance of doubt, a lack of funds, changes in market conditions, loss of markets, changes in market pricing, changes in Laws, or the availability of subsidies or inefficiencies in operations shall not constitute a Force Majeure Event.

8.2 Notice . The Affected Party shall give the Non-Affected Party written notice within five (5) Days of the date on which the Affected Party becomes aware of the occurrence of a Force Majeure Event, describing the particulars and estimated duration of the Force Majeure Event and the proposed cure; provided , however , that failure to timely provide such notice shall not preclude the Affected Party from obtaining the relief contemplated in Section 8.1 as a result of a Force Majeure Event except to the extent that the Non-Affected Party would be materially and adversely affected as a result of the Affected Party’s failure to timely deliver such notice. Any suspension of performance as a result of a Force Majeure Event shall be of no greater scope and of no longer duration than is reasonably attributable to the Force Majeure Event; further, the Affected Party shall use commercially reasonable efforts to remedy its inability to perform its obligations under this Agreement, and shall promptly notify the Non-Affected Party when the Affected Party is able to resume performance of its obligations under this Agreement.

8.3 Make-up . In addition to the Affected Party’s obligations under Section 8.2 , the Parties may mutually agree to make-up resulting delays or deficiencies due to a Force Majeure Event through an adjustment, as necessary, to the Terminal Services Fee or the Term. Any resulting extension of the Term shall be no greater than the duration of the Force Majeure Event.

8.4 Termination . Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 8 , if a Force Majeure Event lasts for more than one hundred eighty (180) consecutive Days or for more than hundred eighty (180) Days in the aggregate during any twelve (12) month period, the Non-Affected Party may terminate this Agreement upon written notice to the Affected Party; provided , however , that such one hundred eighty (180) Day period, in either case, shall be extended by an additional ninety (90) Days if the Affected Party shall, prior to the expiration of such ninety (90) Day period, have submitted to the Non-Affected Party a remedial action plan that sets forth a reasonably feasible course of repairs, improvements, changes to operations, or

 

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other actions that would permit the Affected Party to perform its obligations under this Agreement as soon as reasonably practicable and such Party pursues the remedial action plan in a commercially reasonable and diligent manner. Termination of this Agreement by a Party under this Section 8 shall be without liability to such Party; provided that such termination shall not affect any rights or obligations that may have accrued prior to such termination or that expressly or by implication are intended to survive termination, whether resulting from the event giving rise to the right to terminate or otherwise.

Section 9. Inspection of and Access to Terminal .

9.1 Inspections . Subject to Customer meeting Owner’s safety requirements and its other reasonable rules and regulations concerning activities in and around the Terminal, Owner grants to Customer and its inspectors and other Agents the right to enter the Terminal (a) for purposes of observing and verifying Owner’s performance hereunder, and (b) during normal business hours and upon reasonable prior notice, for purposes of examination, testing and audit of any scale or other equipment, Terminal records pertaining to the loading of Biomass and Owner’s operational procedures and practices from time to time, which rights under both clauses (a) and (b) will be exercised in a way that will not interfere with or diminish Owner’s control over or its operation of the Terminal or the Berth and will be subject to reasonable rules and regulations from time to time promulgated by Owner.

9.2 Nature of Access Right . Customer acknowledges that any grant of the right of access to the Terminal or the Berth under this Agreement or under any document related to this Agreement is a grant of merely a license and conveys no interest in or to the Terminal or any part thereof.

Section 10. Assignment .

10.1 Assignment Generally . Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Section 10 , neither Party may directly or indirectly assign its rights and obligations under this Agreement, in whole or in part, by operation of law or otherwise, without the prior written consent of the other Party (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed), and any purported assignment made other than in accordance with this Section 10 shall be null and void ab initio .

10.2 Permitted Assignments . Notwithstanding Section 10.1 , the following are permitted, subject to the following terms and conditions:

(a) collateral assignment by a Party to its Financing Parties, and further assignment by such Financing Parties following any foreclosure of their security interest in this Agreement, in which case neither such Party nor, following any post-foreclosure assignments, its Financing Parties shall have any liability with respect to the future performance of this Agreement;

(b) assignment by a Party to an Affiliate of such Party; provided , however , that, in the case of any assignment by a Party to an Affiliate without the express consent of the other Party to such specific assignment, the assigning Party shall remain jointly and severally liable for the assigned obligations and shall notify the other Party of the assignment (and identify

 

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the name of, and notice address information for, such Affiliate), unless (i) in the case of an assignment by either Party, the assignment is made to the successor to all or substantially all of the assets of Owner or Customer, or (ii) in the case of an assignment by Customer, the assignment is made to a direct or indirect wholly-owned Subsidiary of Customer (or such successor), so long as the performance of all such Subsidiary’s obligations under this Agreement is guaranteed by Customer (or such successor) under a guaranty that is in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Owner; and

(c) subcontracting and the assignment of rights and delegation of obligations by Owner (without relieving Owner of its obligations to Customer hereunder), including to Enviva Management Company, LLC from time to time consistent with any Management Services Agreement between Enviva Management Company, LLC and Owner (or an Affiliate of Owner) under which Owner is a “Service Recipient”.

Section 11. Compliance with Law and Safety . Customer warrants that the Biomass tendered by it is produced and transported, and Owner warrants that the Terminal and the Terminal Services provided by it under this Agreement are, in material compliance with all applicable Laws and the then-current version of NFPA 664: Standard for the Prevention of Fires and Explosions in Wood Processing and Woodworking Facilities or any successor publication. Each Party also warrants that it may lawfully receive and handle the Biomass, and it will furnish to the other Party any evidence required to provide compliance with such Laws, and will file with governmental agencies any required reports evidencing such compliance with those Laws.

Section 12. Default, Termination and Other Remedies .

12.1 Customer Default . Each of the following shall be deemed an event of default by Customer hereunder (each, a “ Customer Event of Default ”):

(a) Customer fails to perform any of its material obligations under this Agreement (not otherwise provided for as a separate Customer Event of Default under this Agreement), for a period of thirty (30) Days after Customer’s receipt of written notice thereof; provided , that such period shall be extended for an additional reasonable period if such failure is capable of being cured but a cure cannot be reasonably effected within thirty (30) Days, corrective action is instituted by Customer within the thirty (30) Day period and such action is diligently pursued until such default is corrected; provided further, that the cure period shall in no event exceed ninety (90) Days from Customer’s receipt of the written notice of the performance failure;

(b) Except for disputed fees or charges under this Agreement, if Customer fails to pay any amounts due hereunder, which failure continues for a period of ten (10) Days after the date on which written notice of a failure to pay is received by Customer; or

(c) Customer becomes Bankrupt.

12.2 Owner Remedies for Customer Default . Upon the occurrence and during the continuation of a Customer Event of Default, and at any time following the expiration of the respective periods referred to in Section 12.1 , in addition to any other rights set forth elsewhere in this Agreement or provided by Law, Owner may serve a written notice upon Customer (an

 

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Owner Notice of Termination ”) that Owner elects to terminate this Agreement upon a specified date which shall be no earlier than one (1) Day and no later than twenty (20) Days after the date of serving such Owner Notice of Termination, and this Agreement shall then expire on the date so specified as if that date had been originally fixed as the expiration date of the term herein granted, without waiving any other remedies that Owner may have. No Customer Event of Default shall be deemed waived unless in writing and signed by Owner.

12.3 Owner Default . Each of the following shall be deemed an event of default by Owner hereunder (each, an “ Owner Event of Default ”):

(a) Owner fails to perform any of its material obligations under this Agreement (not otherwise provided for as a separate Owner Event of Default under this Agreement) for a period of thirty (30) Days after Owner’s receipt of written notice thereof; provided , that such period shall be extended for an additional reasonable period if a cure cannot be reasonably effected within thirty (30) Days, corrective action is instituted by Owner within the thirty (30) Day period and such action is diligently pursued until such default is corrected; provided further , that the cure period shall in no event exceed ninety (90) Days from Owner’s receipt of the written notice of the performance failure;

(b) Except for disputed fees or charges under this Agreement, if Owner fails to pay any amounts due hereunder, which failure continues for a period of ten (10) Days after the date on which written notice of a failure to pay is received by Owner; or

(c) Owner becomes Bankrupt.

12.4 Customer Remedies for Owner Default . Upon the occurrence and during the continuation of an Owner Event of Default, and at any time following the expiration of the respective periods referred to in Section 12.3 , in addition to any other rights set forth elsewhere in this Agreement or provided by Law, Customer may serve a written notice upon Owner that Customer elects to terminate this Agreement upon a specified date (a “ Customer Notice of Termination ”) which shall be no earlier than one (1) Day and no later than twenty (20) Days after the date of serving such Customer Notice of Termination. This Agreement shall expire on the date specified in such Customer Notice of Termination as if that date had been originally fixed as the expiration date of the term herein granted, without waiving any other remedies that Customer may have. No Owner Event of Default shall be deemed waived unless in writing and signed by Customer.

12.5 Remedies of Each Party Generally . Without limiting its rights under this Agreement, after an Event of Default, the non-defaulting Party may set off any or all amounts due and owing to it by the defaulting Party against any or all amounts due and owing by it or any of its wholly-owned Affiliates to the defaulting Party (whether under this Agreement or otherwise and whether or not then due). Nothing in this Section 12.5 is intended in any way to limit or prejudice any other rights or remedies the non-defaulting Party may have under this Agreement or at law. The remedies of the non-defaulting Party provided in this Agreement are not exclusive and, except as otherwise expressly limited by this Agreement, are in addition to all other remedies of the non-defaulting Party at law or in equity.

 

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12.6 Lien on Biomass .

(a) Owner, as operator of the Terminal and bailee of Customer’s Biomass, is hereby granted a first and preferred lien on: (i) the Biomass from the time of receipt until delivery to Customer; and (ii) any property of Customer located at the Terminal or any other terminal facility owned or operated by Owner or its Affiliates or otherwise in the custody of Owner or its affiliates to secure the payment of all sums due from Customer under this Agreement (the “ Collateral ”). Customer hereby authorizes Owner to file one or more financing or continuation statements, and amendments thereto, relative to all or any part of the Collateral without the signature of Customer, in each case where permitted by law, and to take any and all other actions necessary to secure its interest in the Collateral. In addition, Customer agrees that from time to time it will promptly execute and deliver all instruments and documents, and take all further action, that Owner may reasonably request as being necessary or desirable in order to perfect and protect any security interest granted or purported to be granted hereby or to enable Owner to exercise and enforce its rights and remedies hereunder with respect to any Collateral. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, Customer will execute and file such financing or continuation statements, or amendments thereto, and such other instruments or notices, as Owner may request as being necessary or desirable in order to perfect and preserve the security interests granted or purported to be granted hereby.

(b) In the event Customer should fail to pay sums owed by it to Owner, after notice in accordance with Section 12.1(b) , Owner may proceed in law to enforce its lien to satisfy all contractual and statutory obligations of Customer, including all costs, attorneys’ fees, and expense incurred by Owner in the enforcement of its lien and the recovery of monies owed to it by Customer. Customer hereby agrees that in the event of any such default, in addition to other remedies set forth herein and as may be available under law, Owner may sell, on commercially reasonable terms, any such Collateral upon which Owner has a lien to satisfy any debt owed by Customer to Owner out of the proceeds thereof. Customer hereby waives any right to notice or otherwise associated with any such sale to which it may be entitled under this Agreement or at law or in equity.

Section 13. Insurance .

13.1 Customer’s Required Insurance . Customer, at Customer’s sole cost and expense, shall carry and maintain the following insurance with companies authorized to do business in the applicable jurisdictions and possessing a minimum A.M. Best rating of A-VIII:

(a) Commercial General Liability insurance with minimum limits of $1,000,000 per occurrence, $2,000,000 aggregate, covering bodily injury liability, personal injury liability and property damage liability, and including contractual liability, products and completed operations coverage;

(b) Statutory Worker’s Compensation insurance;

(c) Employer’s Liability insurance with a minimum limit of $1,000,000 each accident; and

 

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(d) Automobile Liability insurance with a minimum limit of $1,000,000 each accident; and

(e) Umbrella policy with a minimum limit of $5,000,000, scheduling General Liability, Automobile Liability and Employers Liability coverages.

13.2 Customer Certificates of Insurance; Notification of Changes or Lapse . Customer shall submit certificates of all insurance required under Section 13.1 to Owner. All policies shall contain a waiver of subrogation against Owner. All such general liability policies with the exception of Workers Compensation and the required certificates relating thereto shall name Owner (including its officers and directors), Owner’s consultants, lenders, and the agents and employees of any of them, as additional insured. The additional insured clause shall be ISO Additional Insured Endorsement CG 20 10 11 85 or a substitute providing equivalent coverage under the general liability and umbrella program. All policies shall provide that the insurance carrier will give Owner thirty (30) Days prior written notice of the expiration or any cancellation or change in coverage of such policies.

13.3 Owner’s Required Insurance . Owner, at Owner’s sole cost and expense, shall carry and maintain the following insurance with companies authorized to do business in the applicable jurisdictions and possessing a minimum A.M. Best rating of A-VIII:

(a) Commercial General Liability insurance with minimum limits of $5,000,000 per occurrence, $10,000,000 aggregate, covering bodily injury liability, personal injury liability and property damage liability, and including contractual liability, products and completed operations coverage;

(b) Statutory Worker’s Compensation insurance;

(c) Employer’s Liability insurance with a minimum limit of $5,000,000 each accident; and

(d) Automobile Liability insurance with a minimum limit of $5,000,000 each accident;

(e) Umbrella policy, with a minimum limit of $5,000,000, scheduling General Liability, Automobile Liability and Employers Liability coverages; and

(f) so called “All Risk” physical damage insurance, including flood and earthquake, covering loss or damage to the Terminal, including with respect to any trade fixtures, machinery, equipment, and other personal property located in or about the Terminal in an amount not less than one hundred percent (100%) of the full replacement cost thereof from time to time.

13.4 Owner Certificates of Insurance; Notification of Changes or Lapse . Owner shall submit certificates of insurance required under Section 13.3 to Customer. All policies shall contain a waiver of subrogation against Customer. All such general liability policies with the exception of Workers Compensation and the required certificates relating thereto shall name Customer (including its officers and directors), Customer’s consultants, lenders, and the agents

 

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and employees of any of them, as additional insured. The additional insured clause shall be ISO Additional Insured Endorsement CG 20 10 11 85 or a substitute providing equivalent coverage under the general liability and umbrella program. All policies shall provide that the insurance carrier will give Customer thirty (30) Days prior written notice of the expiration or any cancellation or change in coverage of such policies.

13.5 Reports of Accidents and Injuries . Owner and Customer will provide prompt written notice to each other of all accidents or occurrences resulting in injuries to employees or third parties, or damage to property arising out of or during the course of the performance under this Agreement and, as soon as practical, will furnish each other with a copy of all reports made by any insurance underwriter or non-privileged reports to others of such accidents or occurrences.

13.6 Application of Insurance Proceeds . Owner shall apply any insurance proceeds directly to the replacement or repair of damaged assets to which such insurance proceeds relate.

Section 14. Indemnity and Liability .

14.1 Indemnification of Customer Group . To the fullest extent permitted by law, and except as otherwise provided herein this Agreement (including Section 6.4 ), Owner hereby agrees to release, protect, defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the Customer Group from and against any and all Claims and Losses (inclusive of Claims made by or Losses of, directly or indirectly, a Third Party) resulting from injury to or death of individuals or loss or destruction of or damage to tangible property (including Vessel damage), to the extent such Claims and Losses arise as a result of or in connection with the negligence or willful misconduct of Owner in connection with or related to the Terminal Services or this Agreement; provided , however , that Owner shall not be required to defend, indemnify or hold harmless any member of the Customer Group for any Claims and Losses to the extent such Claims and Losses are due to the negligence or willful misconduct of Customer.

14.2 Indemnification of Owner Group . To the fullest extent permitted by law, and except as otherwise provided herein this Agreement, Customer hereby agrees to release, protect, defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the Owner Group from and against any and all Claims and Losses (inclusive of Claims made by or Losses of, directly or indirectly, a Third Party) resulting from injury to or death of individuals or loss or destruction of or damage to tangible property (including damage to Terminal equipment and facilities), to the extent such Claims and Losses arise as a result of or in connection with the negligence or willful misconduct of Customer in connection with or related to the Terminal Services or this Agreement; provided , however , that Customer shall not be required to defend, indemnify or hold harmless any member of the Owner Group for any Claims and Losses to the extent such Claims and Losses are due to the negligence or willful misconduct of Owner.

14.3 Notice; Procedure . Not later than fifteen (15) Days after receipt of written notice from either Party of any Claim or Losses related to any Claim for which such Party or a member of such Party’s Owner Group or Customer Group, as applicable, is seeking indemnification under this Agreement (such Party or member of such Party’s Owner Group or Customer Group seeking indemnification, collectively, the “ Indemnified Party ”), the Party receiving such notice

 

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(the “ Indemnifying Party ”) shall, to the extent that such Claim or Losses are indemnifiable by the Indemnifying Party hereunder, affirm in writing by notice to the Indemnified Party that the Indemnifying Party will indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Indemnified Party in accordance with this Agreement and will, at its own cost and expense, assume on behalf of the Indemnified Party and conduct with due diligence and in good faith the defense thereof with counsel selected by the Indemnifying Party that is reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Party; provided , however , that the Indemnified Party shall have the right to be represented therein by counsel of its own selection at its own expense or, in the event that the Indemnifying Party breaches any of its obligations hereunder to timely and diligently assume and conduct the defense of such Claim, at the expense of the Indemnified Party. The Indemnifying Party shall not, without the prior written consent of the Indemnified Party, settle or compromise or permit a default judgment or a consent to entry of any judgment with respect to any Claim for which it has indemnification obligations hereunder unless such settlement or compromise or judgment is solely for the payment of money and includes a complete and unconditional release of the Indemnified Party with respect to all liability related to such Claim and Losses related to such Claim upon the making of such payment.

Section 15. Other Representations, Warranties and Covenants .

15.1 Representations and Warranties . As a material inducement to entering into this Agreement, each Party, with respect to itself, represents and warrants to the other Party as of the Effective Date of this Agreement as follows:

(a) it is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its formation and is qualified to conduct its business in those jurisdictions necessary to perform its obligations hereunder, other than those jurisdictions as to which the failure to be so qualified or in good standing could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to materially adversely affect its ability to perform this Agreement;

(b) the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement are within its powers, have been duly authorized by all necessary action and do not conflict with or violate any of the terms or conditions in its governing documents or any agreement to which it is a party, or any law, rule, regulation, order, writ, judgment, decree or other legal or regulatory determination applicable to such Party;

(c) this Agreement constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of such Party, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, except as limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization and other Laws affecting creditor’s rights generally, or by the exercise of judicial discretion in accordance with general principles of equity;

(d) to such Party’s knowledge, there are no actions, proceedings, judgments, rulings or orders, issued by or pending before any court or arbitral body that would materially adversely affect its ability to perform its obligations under this Agreement; and

(e) no consent, approval or authorization of, or registration, filing or declaration with, any Governmental Entity or any other Person required as of the date hereof, which has not been received, waived or satisfied as of the Effective Date, is required for the valid execution and delivery of this Agreement.

 

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Section 16. Miscellaneous .

16.1 Notices . Except as expressly provided in this Agreement, any notice, demand, offer, or other communication required or permitted to be given pursuant hereto shall be in writing signed by the Party giving such notice, demand, offer, or other communication and shall be hand delivered or sent by registered mail, overnight courier or facsimile to the other Party at its address set forth below. Each Party may change its address by providing notice under this Section 16.1 to the other Party. Unless otherwise provided herein, all notices, requests or other communications hereunder shall be effective at the end of Office Hours on the Day actually received, if received during Office Hours, and otherwise shall be effective at the close of Office Hours on the first Business Day after the Day on which received.

 

If to Owner: Enviva Port of Chesapeake, LLC
7200 Wisconsin Avenue
Suite 1000
Bethesda, MD 20814
Attention: General Counsel
Facsimile: (240) 482-3774
If to Customer: Enviva Wilmington Holdings, LLC
c/o Enviva Development Holdings, LLC (as Managing Member)
7200 Wisconsin Avenue
Suite 1000
Bethesda, MD 20814
Attention: General Counsel
Facsimile: (240) 482-3774

16.2 Interpretation . Except as otherwise set forth herein, or where the context of this Agreement otherwise requires:

(a) headings and titles are for convenience only and do not affect the interpretation of this Agreement;

(b) the gender of all words used herein shall include the masculine, feminine and neuter and the number of all words shall include the singular and plural;

(c) the terms “hereof”, “herein,” “hereto” and similar words refer to this entire Agreement and not any particular Section, Exhibit or any other subdivision of this Agreement;

(d) references to “Section” or “Exhibit” are to this Agreement unless specified otherwise;

 

- 22 -


(e) reference to “this Agreement” (including any Exhibit hereto) or any other agreement or document shall be construed as a reference to such agreement or document as the same may be amended, modified, supplemented or restated, and shall include a reference to any agreement or document that amends, modifies, supplements or restates, or is entered into, made or given pursuant to or in accordance with its terms;

(f) references to any law, statute, rule, regulation, standard (including for testing and sampling), notification or statutory provision shall be construed as a reference to the same as it may have been, or may from time to time be, amended, modified or re-enacted;

(g) references to any Person shall be construed as a reference to such Person’s successors and permitted assigns;

(h) “includes”, “including” and similar phrases mean “including, without limitation”;

(i) all Exhibits are incorporated herein and made a part of this Agreement for all purposes; and

(j) references to “or” will be deemed to be disjunctive but not necessarily exclusive (i.e., unless the context dictates otherwise, “or” will be interpreted to mean “and/or” rather than “either/or”).

16.3 Amendment . No amendment, supplement or other modification of this Agreement shall be valid unless evidenced in writing and signed by both Parties.

16.4 Severability of Provisions . If any provision of this Agreement is found to be void and unenforceable, such provision shall be deemed to be deleted from this Agreement and the remaining provisions of this Agreement shall continue to have full force and effect. The Parties shall, in such event, negotiate in good faith to agree to a mutually satisfactory valid and enforceable substitute provision implementing to the fullest extent possible the intentions of the Parties at the Effective Date.

16.5 Entire Agreement . This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement of the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and, except as herein stated and in the instruments and documents to be executed and delivered pursuant hereto, contains all of the representations, undertakings and agreements of the Parties in respect of the subject matter hereof. This Agreement supersedes all prior meetings, correspondence, and negotiations between the Parties. There are no representations, warranties, covenants, agreements or collateral understandings, oral or otherwise (express or implied) of any kind between the Parties in respect of the subject matter hereof, except as contained herein.

16.6 Counterparts; Electronic Signatures . This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall be considered an original, but all of which shall together constitute one and the same instrument. Any executed counterpart may be delivered in portable document format (.pdf) or by other electronic means and, when so delivered, shall be legally enforceable in accordance with its terms.

 

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16.7 Third Parties . This Agreement and all rights hereunder are intended for the sole benefit of the Parties and shall not imply or create any rights on the part of, or obligations to, any other Person (other than to members of the Customer Group and Owner Group pursuant to and in accordance with Section 6.2 and Section 14 ).

16.8 Non-Recourse . The Parties’ respective obligations hereunder are intended to be the obligations of the respective Parties only and no recourse for any obligation of a Party hereunder, or for any claim based thereon or otherwise in respect thereof, shall be had against any incorporator, shareholder, partner, member, officer or director, or Affiliate, as such, past, present or future of such Party.

16.9 Attorneys’ Fees . The Parties agree that in the event either of the Parties institutes legal proceedings to enforce any of the terms of this Agreement, all court costs and reasonable attorneys’ fees incurred by the substantially prevailing Party shall be reimbursed by the other Party.

16.10 No Waiver . Either Party’s waiver of any breach or failure to enforce any of the terms of this Agreement at any time shall not in any way affect, limit, modify, or waive such Party’s right thereafter to enforce or compel strict compliance with every term hereof, notwithstanding such waiver or failure or any course of dealing or custom of the trade.

16.11 No Agency . No Party shall be deemed hereunder to be an agent of, or partner or joint venturer with, any other Party.

16.12 Governing Law .

(a) THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE SUBSTANTIVE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK AND, WHERE APPLICABLE, THE GENERAL MARITIME LAW OF THE UNITED STATES, WITHOUT REFERENCE TO ANY CHOICE OF LAW PRINCIPLE THAT WOULD RESULT IN THE APPLICATION OF ANY OTHER LAW.

(b) The United Nations Convention on Contracts for International Sale of Goods shall not apply to this Agreement.

(c) The Parties acknowledge and agree that: (i) this Agreement is for the purpose of providing terminalling services, which shall not include storage services except as may be incidental to providing such terminalling services, (ii) each of the Domes used in connection with the provision of the Terminal Services is not intended to provide storage or constitute a warehouse but rather is intended to protect the Biomass from the elements for a very limited amount of time prior to its being loaded onto a Vessel for overseas or other transport, (iii) any incidental storage services provided by Owner during any time in which Biomass occupies a space in the Terminal are free of charge, and (iv) the Parties waive to the maximum extent permitted by applicable Laws any application of the terms of the Uniform Commercial Code of the State of North Carolina in respect of warehouses.

16.13 Dispute Resolution . Any dispute arising from this Agreement (including a dispute regarding the existence, validity or termination of this Agreement or the consequences of

 

- 24 -


its nullity), shall be referred to and finally resolved by arbitration under the rules of the American Arbitration Association (the “ Rules ”), which Rules are deemed to be incorporated by reference into this Section 16.13 except as expressly amended by this Section 16.13 . The tribunal shall consist of three (3) arbitrators, two (2) of whom shall be nominated by the respective Parties and the third of whom shall be jointly selected by the two arbitrators selected by the Parties. The seat of the arbitration and the venue of all hearings shall be New York, NY and the language of the arbitration shall be English. The arbitral tribunal shall have power to award on a provisional basis any relief that it would have power to grant on a final award. Without prejudice to the powers of an arbitrator provided by the Rules, by statute or otherwise, the arbitral tribunal shall have power at any time, on the basis of written evidence and the submissions of the Parties alone, to make an award in favor of the claimant (or the respondent if a counterclaim) in respect of any claims or counterclaims to which there is no reasonably arguable defense (either substantively or as to the amount of any damages or other sums to be awarded). To the extent permitted by applicable Law, the Parties hereby agree to waive any rights to refer points of law, or to appeal, to the courts; provided , that nothing in this Section 16.13 shall be construed as preventing either Party from seeking conservatory or similar interim relief in any court of competent jurisdiction.

Section 17. Confidentiality .

17.1 Confidentiality . The existence and terms of this Agreement and information disclosed by or on behalf of either Party to the other Party or its representatives in connection with this Agreement (hereinafter referred to as “ Confidential Information ”) shall, during the Term and until the expiration of twelve (12) months after this Agreement has terminated, be treated as confidential by each Party and shall not be disclosed in whole or part by either Party to any third party without the prior written consent of the other Party. No breach of this Section 17.1 shall entitle the other Party to terminate this Agreement.

17.2 Confidentiality Carve-outs . Notwithstanding Section 17.1 , neither Party shall be required to obtain the prior written consent of the other Party in respect of disclosure of Confidential Information:

(a) to Affiliates of such Party; provided , that such Party shall require such Affiliates to keep the Confidential Information confidential on the same terms as are provided in this Section 17 ;

(b) to Persons professionally engaged by or on behalf of such Party;

(c) to any Government Entity having jurisdiction over such Party, but only to the extent that such Party is required by such Government Entity to make disclosure;

(d) to any investors or potential investors in such Party or any affiliate thereof; provided , that such Party shall require such investor or potential investor to keep the Confidential Information confidential on the same terms as are provided in this Section 17 ;

(e) to any lenders or prospective lenders in connection with the financing of such Party’s operations;

 

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(f) to the extent reasonably required by any Laws or rule of any relevant stock exchange or to the extent required by any juridical, arbitral or administrative proceeding; or

(g) to the extent any disclosure is required to be made in the financial statements of either Party or any of its Affiliates or in publicly filed documents to effect the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;

provided , that the disclosing Party shall keep the disclosure of the Confidential Information to the minimum necessary for the purpose for which it is disclosed.

17.3 Securities Filings . Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, either Party and its Affiliates shall be permitted to include in documents filed with regulators regarding securities offered or to be offered of such Party or an Affiliate of such Party (and in any amendments thereto or related offering documents) any information regarding the Parties, this Agreement and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

17.4 Press Releases . Neither Party shall issue any press release or make any public announcement relating to the subject matter of this Agreement without the prior written consent of the other Party.

(Signature page follows)

 

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This Agreement has been executed by the authorized representatives of each Party as indicated below effective as of the Effective Date.

 

Enviva Port of Chesapeake, LLC Enviva Wilmington Holdings, LLC
By: Enviva Development Holdings, LLC, as
By:

/s/ Stephen F. Reeves

its Managing Member
Name: Stephen F. Reeves
Title: Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
By:

/s/ William H. Schmidt, Jr.

Name: William H. Schmidt, Jr.
Title: Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

T ERMINAL S ERVICES A GREEMENT

S IGNATURE P AGE


EXHIBIT A

COMMERCIAL DETAILS

 

1. Customer Addresses

Enviva Wilmington Holdings, LLC

c/o Enviva Development Holdings, LLC (as Managing Member)

7200 Wisconsin Avenue

Suite 1000

Bethesda, MD 20814

Attn: General Counsel

Facsimile No.: (240) 482 - 3774

email: william.schmidt@envivabiomass.com

 

2. Owner Addresses

Enviva Port of Chesapeake, LLC

c/o Enviva, LP

7200 Wisconsin Avenue

Suite 1000

Bethesda, MD 20814

Attn: General Counsel

Facsimile No.: (240) 482-3774

email: william.schmidt@envivabiomass.com

 

3. Estimated Shipments:

 

Calendar Year

  

Average Shipment Quantity (in metric tons)

2015    15,000 (December 1 through December 31)
2016    30,000 (January 1 through February 29)
   90,000 (March 1 through May 31)
   297,500 (June 1 through December 31)
2017    510,000
2018 and thereafter    510,000

 

4. Requirements of Owner’s Vetting Process.

 

  (a) Vessel Requirements . Performing Vessel to be/have:

 

  (i) Singledeck Bulkcarrier engines./bridge aft BoxShaped or Self trimming supramax or smaller;

 

A-1


  (ii) Maximum Vessel age of 20 years;

 

  (iii) Geared with 20 metric ton cranes for use at load as required for load operations by Owner;

 

  (iv) Fully suitable for all load/discharge berths/ports/facilities including but not limited to LOA/Beam/Draft/WLTHC;

 

  (v) Classed highest Lloyds or equivalent for the duration of the voyage by a member of the IACS;

 

  (vi) CO2 fitted as required by the trade (mandatory);

 

  (vii) Entered with a first class P & I Club with full coverage and to remain so for duration of voyage;

 

  (viii) ITF or ITF Equivalent;

 

  (ix) stanchions, if any, to be fully collapsible except in front of Vessel’s crane houses and in no way interfere with the loading operations; and

 

  (x) Rightship approval as per receiver vetting requirements

 

  (b) With Vessel nomination, Customer to provide Owner the following:

 

  (i) Full description of Vessel;

 

  (ii) Present position, intended itinerary prior arrival loading port and ETA loading port;

 

  (iii) Last 3 cargoes and last 3 load/discharge ports;

 

  (iv) Copies of valid class/ISPS/Gear/P+I/ISM/DOC/SMC certificates by email attachment;

 

  (v) Ownership chain;

 

  (vi) Pictures of Vessel holds when available, and Owner requires Customer’s efforts on this for each vessel nomination; and

 

  (vii) Declared cargo quantity and intended stow plan for that shipment.

 

A-2


EXHIBIT B

MARINE NOMINATIONS AND SCHEDULING

1. Interpretation . In the event of any inconsistency between this Exhibit B and Section 5 of the Agreement, the terms and conditions of Section 5 shall prevail.

2. Laycan and Vessel Nominations .

(a) Shipping Schedule . By the first Business Day of each month from and after the Effective Date, Customer shall provide Owner a non-binding, indicative schedule of the Shipment size and 15 day windows of each Shipment to be delivered to Customer over the following 3-month period.

(b) Laycan Nominations . At least 30 days prior to the start of the applicable Laycan, Customer shall nominate to Owner a 10-day window for such Laycan, which Customer shall narrow to a 7-day Laycan at least 21 days prior to the start of such Laycan. For the avoidance of doubt, the final 7-day Laycan must be within the foregoing 10-day window.

(c) Vessel Nominations . Customer shall nominate the final performing Vessel for Shipments to be loaded by Owner at least 10 days before the first day of the applicable Laycan. Owner shall have one (1) Business Day to accept or reject such nominated Vessel, in writing to Customer. Upon any such rejection, Customer shall have the right to nominate a different Vessel within 2 Business Days of its receipt of such rejection in accordance with, and conforming to, the requirements of this Agreement. In the event that Customer does not nominate a Vessel when required hereunder and such failure continues for 5 days following Customer’s receipt of notice thereof from Owner, Owner shall have the right, upon two (2) Business Days’ written notice to Customer, to suspend Terminal Services until such failure has been cured or remedied to Owner’s reasonable satisfaction.

3. Estimated Time of Arrival . Customer or its designee will notify Owner of the estimated date and time of arrival at the Terminal of each Vessel with an approved nomination notice as soon as this information is available, but no later than forty-eight (48) hours in advance of the estimated time of arrival. The Vessel will be required to send Owner answers to pre-berthing questions at least forty-eight (48) hours prior to the estimated time of arrival. Owner will provide pre-berthing questions to the Vessel early enough to allow it a reasonable time to respond.

4. Notice of Readiness . After a Vessel has arrived at the customary anchorage or place of waiting, received all required clearances from Governmental Entities and is otherwise in all respects ready to proceed to berth and commence loading a Shipment, it will tender a Notice of Readiness to Owner in writing or via other available means acceptable to Owner. The Notice of Readiness will state the estimated time the Vessel will arrive at the Terminal wharf given any tidal or other constraints.

5. Vessel Berth . Owner shall use due diligence to designate a safe berth for the Vessel at which it can remain safely afloat and conduct cargo operations; provided , however , that Owner is not responsible or liable for maintaining the depth of the channel leading to the berth. Customer shall ensure all Vessels will be dimensionally acceptable and meet all requirements of the Terminal’s wharf facilities and governmental agencies.

 

B-1


6. Berthing Order . Vessels arriving and issuing valid Notices of Readiness within the Laycan confirmed by Owner will be berthed at the Berth in the order of their tendering of valid notices of readiness, on a “first come, first served” basis. A Vessel shall be deemed to have arrived at such time as it has given a valid Notice of Readiness to Owner.

7. Berth Shifting & Vacating . Owner may require any Vessel to shift from one berth to another at the Terminal at any time. Owner may require any Vessel to vacate its berth if such action is reasonably required for the safe operation of the Terminal. If the Vessel is required to so vacate its berth, the Vessel, after tendering Notice of Readiness to recommence loading or discharging, will be re-berthed in the next open time slot on the Terminal dock schedule. If any Vessel fails to vacate its berth at the Terminal upon completion of loading Customer’s Shipment, then Customer shall be responsible for the costs incurred by other vessels that otherwise would be occupying the Berth but for the failure of Customer’s Vessel to vacate same.

8. Pollution, Prevention and Responsibility . Customer or its Agent will require all Vessels promptly and diligently to prevent, mitigate and remediate all pollution emanating from said Vessels. Customer or its Agent will require all Vessels to comply with Law and to carry all liability and pollution insurance required by Law. In the event of any Biomass spills or other environmentally polluting discharge caused by the fault of Customer’s Vessel, Owner shall immediately notify Customer, and, subject to Customer’s consent, is authorized to commence containment or cleanup operations as deemed appropriate or necessary by Owner (and consented to by Customer). All reasonable costs of containment or cleanup for such spill or discharge shall be borne by Customer, except that, in the event a spill or discharge is the result of joint negligence or misconduct of both Owner and Customer’s Vessel, costs of containment or cleanup shall be borne jointly by Owner and Customer in proportion to each Party’s or its Vessel’s negligence or misconduct.

9. International Ship and Port Facility Security Code Compliance . Customer shall ensure that any Vessel receiving Customer’s Biomass under this Agreement is in compliance with the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code and any relevant amendments to Chapter XI of SOLAS (“ISPS code”) or the Maritime Transportation Security Act (“MTSA”) of 2002, as applicable, and similar laws and regulations pertaining to the security of ports, facilities, or terminals. The Terminal will operate in compliance with all applicable Laws for the activities as contemplated herein this Agreement.

 

B-2


EXHIBIT C

SPECIFICATIONS

 

PARAMETER

   UNITS    LIMIT     TOLERANCE    METHOD    PERFORMED
BY

Composition

             

Origin and Source

   Only Forest, plantation, and other virgin (chemically untreated) wood    EN 14961-1    Seller Decl.

Bark

   % wt, arb    < 8   none       Seller Decl.

Additives or Binders 1

   % wt, arb    < 3   none       Seller Decl.

Extraneous Materials

        none      none       Insp

Burned or Charred Pellets

        none      none       Insp

Water Damage

        none      none       Insp

Sampling & Sample Prep

           EN 14778,
EN 14780
   Insp & Lab

Bulk Physical Parameters

             

Temperature 2

   deg C    £ 60      1 deg C    EN15234    Insp

Fines <3.15 mm (round-hole)

   %wt, atb    £ 3.0      none    EN 15149    Insp

Diameter

   mm      6 to 10      none    EN 16127    Lab

Average Length

   mm      10-40      none    EN 16127    Lab

Pellets < 40mm in Length

   %wt, atb    ³ 99.0      none    EN 16127    Lab

Pellets < 50mm in Length

   %wt, atb    ³ 99.9           

Bulk Density

   kg/m3    ³  645-750      2% of limit    EN 15103    Lab

Durability

   %wt, atb      97.5-99      0.5% absolute    EN 15210-1    Lab

DSEAR Information

             

Cloud Ignition Temp

   deg C    ³ 400      none       Lab**

5mm Layer Ignition Temp

   deg C    ³ 210      none    EN 13821    Lab**

Ignition Energy (capacitive) 3

   mJ    ³ 30      none    or    Lab**

Explosion Pressure

   bar    £ 10.5      none    ASTM E2019    Lab**

Specific Dust Constant, KSt

   bar x m/s    £ 200      none       Lab**

Explosive Ratio, ST

   ST      ST-1      none       Lab**

Proximate Analysis

             

Volatiles

   % wt, arb      70 - 82      4% of mean    EN 15148    Lab

Total Moisture

   % wt, arb      4 - 10      0.5% absolute    EN 14774-1    Lab

Ash

   % wt, db    £ 1.5      0.1% absolute    EN 14775    Lab

NCV (at const. pressure)

   GJ/mt, arb    ³ 16.5      0.3 GJ/mt    EN 14918    Lab

Ultimate Analysis

             

Oxygen

   %wt, arb      28 to 42      1.5% absolute    EN 15296    Lab

Nitrogen

   %wt, db    £ 0.4      0.05% absolute    EN 15104    Lab

Sulfur (any ship)

   %wt, db    £ 0.05      0.01% absolute    EN 15289    Lab

Sulfur (annual avg)

   %wt, db    £ 0.02      0.01% absolute    EN 15289    Lab

Chlorine (any ship)

   %wt, db    £ 0.02      0.01% absolute    EN 15289    Lab

Chlorine (annual avg)

   %wt, db    £  0.018      0.01% absolute    EN 15289    Lab

Flourine

   mg/kg, db    £ 70      none    EN 15289    Lab*

 

C-1


Ash Fusion

DT (Oxidizing)

deg C ³ 1200    50 CEN/TS 15370-1 Lab*

DT (Reducing)

deg C ³ 1150    50 CEN/TS 15370-1 Lab*

Major and Minor Metals

As,Co,Cr,Cu,Mn,Ni,Pb,Sb,V

mg/kg, db £ 800    none EN 15297 Lab*

As

mg/kg, db £ 1.3    0.064 absolute EN 15297 Lab*

Al

mg/kg, db £ 800    n/a EN 15290 Lab*

Ca

mg/kg, db £  5250    n/a EN 15290 Lab*

Cd

mg/kg, db £ 0.3    0.06 EN 15297 Lab*

Cr

mg/kg, db £ 15.0    0.032 absolute EN 15297 Lab*

Cu

mg/kg, db £ 16.0    0.043 absolute EN 15297 Lab*

Fe

mg/kg, db £ 700    n/a EN 15290 Lab*

Pb

mg/kg, db £ 10.0    0.033 absolute EN 15297 Lab*

Mg

mg/kg, db £ 750    n/a EN 15290 Lab*

Hg

mg/kg, db £ 0.1    0.0046 absol. EN 15297 Lab*

Ni

mg/kg, db £ 10.0    n/a EN 15297 Lab*

K

mg/kg, db £ 2100    n/a EN 15290 Lab*

P

mg/kg, db £ 300    14 EN 15290 Lab*

Si

mg/kg, db £ 3400    n/a EN 15290 Lab*

Na

mg/kg, db £ 590    n/a EN 15290 Lab*

Sn

mg/kg, db £ 1.0    n/a EN 15297 Lab*

Ti

mg/kg, db £ 100    n/a EN 15290 Lab*

V

mg/kg, db £ 4.0    n/a EN 15297 Lab*

Zn

mg/kg, db £ 20    5.43 absolute EN 15297 Lab*

Halogenated Organics

Benzo-a-pyrene

mg/kg, db £ 0.5    None GCMS Lab*

Pentachlorphenol

mg/kg, db £ 3.0    None ECD Lab*

Particle Size Distribution in Pellets

% < 4.0mm

% wt, atb ³ 99.5 4   0.5% absolute EN 16126 Lab

% < 3.15mm

% wt, atb ³ 98.0    0.5% absolute EN 16126 Lab

% < 2.0mm

% wt, atb ³ 92.5    1% absolute EN 16126 Lab

% < 1.0mm

% wt, atb ³ 50.0    5% absolute EN 16126 Lab

% < 0.1mm

% wt, atb £ 7.0    2% absolute EN 16126 Lab

Mean Particle Size 4

microns ³ 420    none see note Lab

atb = as-tested basis; arb = as-received basis; db = dry basis

Tolerances are expressed in the same units as the limits, except where noted otherwise. Where tolerances are not currently declared in the referenced EN method (as indicated by n/a in the table above), at such a time as said tolerances are officially declared by the relevant governing body, those tolerances will be adopted in the table above.

 

- C-2 -


1 – Additives or binders shall be of vegetal origin only and shall meet all sustainability requirements applicable to the Biomass

2 – Maximum bulk temperature shall be checked at the delivery point.

3 – Particles having at least one dimension less than 600 microns shall be deemed acceptable.

4 – The MIE shall be carried out on a sample seived to an average particle size of 75 micron and dried to a moisture content of 4%.

* – Once each quarter, or as requested by Buyer

** – Once before first shipment, or as requested by Buyer

“Lab” analysis shall be performed by an independent laboratory and “Insp” test shall be performed by an independent inspector. “Insp & Lab” shall mean that a field test shall be performed by the independent inspector and a lab value shall be analyzed by the independent laboratory.

 

- C-3 -

Exhibit 10.8

Execution Version

MASTER BIOMASS PURCHASE AND SALE AGREEMENT

Dated as of April 9, 2015

by and between

ENVIVA, LP

and

ENVIVA WILMINGTON HOLDINGS, LLC


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

1.

Definitions .

  1   
2.

Term .

  7   
3.

Delivery of Biomass .

  7   
4.

Transportation; Loading and Unloading .

  8   
5.

Quality .

  9   
6.

Sampling .

  10   
7.

Testing and Analysis .

  10   
8.

Weight Determination .

  10   
9.

Pricing and Payment .

  11   
10.

Rejection .

  13   
11.

Damages .

  14   
12.

Facility and Terminal; Audit Rights .

  15   
13.

Events of Default; Termination .

  16   
14.

Indemnification .

  17   
15.

Insurance .

  17   
16.

Force Majeure .

  17   
17.

Compliance with Law .

  19   
18.

Duty to Mitigate .

  19   
19.

Confidentiality .

  19   
20.

Taxes .

  20   
21.

Governing Law and Dispute Resolution .

  20   
22.

Representations and Warranties .

  21   
23.

Miscellaneous .

  22   

 

Schedule A:

Form of Confirmation

Schedule B:

Technical Dispute Resolution Procedures

Schedule C:

Sustainability Criteria

Schedule D:

DAP Schedule
Schedule E: FOB Schedule

 

i


MASTER BIOMASS PURCHASE AND SALE AGREEMENT

THIS MASTER BIOMASS PURCHASE AND SALE AGREEMENT is made effective as of April 9, 2015 (the “ Effective Date ”), by and between Enviva, LP, a Delaware limited partnership (“ ELP ”) and Enviva Wilmington Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ EWH ”) (each, individually a “ Party ”, and collectively, the “ Parties ”).

RECITALS :

The Parties wish to enter into this Agreement in order to buy and sell Biomass (as hereinafter defined) on the terms set forth herein pursuant to one or more Confirmations (as hereinafter defined) as the Parties may enter into from time to time.

AGREEMENT :

NOW, THEREFORE , in consideration of the promises and mutual agreements contained herein, and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Parties, intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as follows:

1. Definitions . In addition to any other defined terms herein, the following terms used in this Agreement shall have the following meanings:

Actual NCVcp ” means NCV of a Shipment at constant pressure as received.

Affected Party ” has the meaning set forth in Section 16(a) .

Affiliate ” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person that is directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or under common control with, such Person; provided that for purposes of this definition, “control” means the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting interests, by contract or otherwise, and “controlling”, “controlled by” and “under common control with” have corresponding meanings.

Agreement ” means this Master Biomass Purchase and Sale Agreement, together with the Schedules hereto and each Confirmation.

Annual Quantity ” means the annual quantity of Biomass expressed in Tonnes to be delivered pursuant to the relevant Confirmation.

Applicable Law ” means any applicable law, statute, rule, regulation, ordinance, Permit, decision, order, judgment, agreement, directive, grant, concession, policy or other requirement and any form or decision of or determination by or interpretation of any of the foregoing by any Government Entity, now or hereafter in effect.

Base NCV ” means NCV equal to seventeen (17.0) Gigajoules per Tonne.

Base Price ” has the meaning set forth in the relevant Confirmation.

 

1


Biomass ” means wood pellets that conform to the Specifications and the Sustainability Criteria.

Buyer ” has the meaning set forth in the relevant Confirmation.

Buyer’s Shortfall has the meaning set forth in Section 11(b) .

Charter ” means a contract whereby an Owner contracts with Buyer for the transportation of one or more FOB Shipments.

CIF ” means Cost, Insurance and Freight as per Incoterms.

Claims ” has the meaning set forth in Section 14 .

Confidential Information ” has the meaning set forth in Section 19(a) .

Confirmation ” means written evidence, substantially in the form of Schedule A , confirming the specific terms and conditions of a transaction for the purchase, sale, delivery and acceptance of Biomass hereunder.

Contract Term ” has the meaning set forth in the relevant Confirmation.

DAP ” means Delivered at Place as per Incoterms.

DAP Schedule ” means Schedule D .

DAP Shipment ” means a consignment of Biomass shipped on board truck(s) or rail car(s) and delivered by Seller to Buyer hereunder.

DAP Weight Certificate ” has the meaning set forth in Section 8(a) .

Default Rate ” means the lesser of (a) one and one-half percent (1.5%) per month and (b) the maximum amount permitted by Applicable Law.

Defaulting Party ” has the meaning set forth in Section 13(a) .

Delivery Point ” means the truck unloading area (for DAP Shipments by truck) or the rail car unloading area (for DAP Shipments by rail) at the Terminal.

Effective Date ” has the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph hereof.

ELP ” has the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph hereof.

ETA ” means estimated time of arrival.

EURAL ” means Europese afvalstoffenlijst (a list of waste products assembled by the European Commission with criteria for hazardous materials).

Event of Default ” has the meaning set forth in Section 13(a) .

 

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EVOA ” means Europese Verordening Overbrenging Afvalstoffen (European rules regarding export and import of waste biomass fuels).

EWH ” has the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph hereof.

Extraneous Material ” has the meaning set forth in Section 5(a)(iv) .

Facility ” has the meaning set forth in the relevant Confirmation.

Financing Party ” means any Person that provides debt, loans, credit or credit support, acts as counterparty on any interest rate or currency hedging arrangements, or provides other financing, to a Party.

First Installment ” has the meaning set forth in Section 9(c)(i) .

FOB ” means Free on Board as per Incoterms.

FOB Schedule ” means Schedule E .

FOB Shipment ” means a consignment of Biomass shipped on board Vessel(s) and delivered by Seller to Buyer hereunder.

FOB Weight Certificate ” has the meaning set forth in Section 8(b) .

Force Majeure Event ” has the meaning set forth in Section 16(a) .

GGL Certification ” means certification in accordance with the “Green Gold Label” quality system, as more fully described at the websites www.controlunion.com/certification and www.greengoldcertified.org.

Gigajoule ” or “ GJ ” means one billion (1,000,000,000) Joules.

Government Entity ” means any national, regional, provincial, municipal or local authority, department, body, board, instrumentality, commission, corporation, branch, directorate, agency, ministry, court, tribunal, judicial authority, legislative body, administrative body, regulatory body, autonomous or quasi-autonomous entity or taxing authority or any political subdivision of any of the foregoing and any Person (whether autonomous or not) exercising executive, legislative, judicial, regulatory or administrative functions of or pertaining to any of the foregoing entities, having jurisdiction over the Person or matter in question.

Holidays ” means official national holidays in the United States of America.

IMO ” means the International Maritime Organization.

Incoterms ” means International Chamber of Commerce Incoterms® 2010 or such other version of such terms as the Parties may agree shall apply.

Indemnified Party ” has the meaning set forth in Section 14 .

 

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Indemnifying Party ” has the meaning set forth in Section 14 .

Insolvent ” means, with respect to a Party, that: (a) such Party files a voluntary petition in bankruptcy; (b) such Party is adjudged bankrupt; (c) a court assumes jurisdiction of the assets of such Party under a federal reorganization act; (d) a trustee or receiver is appointed by a court for all or a substantial portion of the assets of such Party; (e) such Party becomes insolvent or suspends its business; or (f) such Party makes a general assignment of its assets for the benefit of its creditors.

Interest Rate ” means the lesser of (a) one-half of one percent (0.5%) per month and (b) the maximum amount permitted by Applicable Law.

ISO ” means International Organization for Standardization.

Joule ” means a joule as defined in ISO 1000:1992 (E).

Laycan ” has the meaning set forth in the relevant Confirmation.

Load Port ” means the port to which Seller delivers Biomass comprising FOB Shipments as specified in the relevant Confirmation.

Load Port Procedures ” means the policies and procedures implemented and in effect from time to time at the Load Port with respect to docking, berthing, loading, unloading and similar matters.

Loading Rate ” has the meaning specified in the relevant Confirmation.

Market Price ” means, at the sole option and risk of the performing Party, either (a) the reasonable and documented price actually paid or received by the performing Party to procure or sell, as the case may be, wood pellets of similar quality and quantity as Biomass over a similar period; or (b) the forward price curve for the relevant period as determined by averaging the forward price curves from the relevant market indices for wood pellets of similar quality delivered CIF to Antwerp, Belgium, or Rotterdam or Amsterdam, Netherlands, with equitable adjustments to such indices to conform them to Shipments under the relevant Confirmation, including by eliminating the built-in cost components of such indices inapplicable to Shipments under the relevant Confirmation, including oceangoing freight costs, loading and storage costs, and truck or rail freight costs, as applicable.

An index must exhibit a minimum liquidity threshold as determined by completion of at least four (4) transactions of at least twenty-five thousand (25,000) MT per week to be used in determining the Market Price. Where there are not at least two (2) relevant indices for any or all of the applicable term or where wood pellets of similar quality are not available in the market, the curve may be determined or augmented, as the case may be, based upon the price at which the performing Party would be able to sell or purchase, as the case may be, the quantity of wood pellets in the market acting in a reasonable manner as determined by taking the average of price quotations for wood pellets of similar quality and quantity over a similar period from at least two (2) and no more than three (3) independent internationally recognized and reputable dealers/brokers or counterparties (such dealers/brokers or

 

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counterparties to be appointed by the performing Party). Such forward curve shall be expressed on a quarterly basis where a quarter is a three (3) month period over the period in which the Shipments are not delivered or accepted, as the case may be, and the missed quantity in each quarter, whether by failure to deliver, failure to accept, or termination, shall be associated with the Market Price for such quarter. For the avoidance of doubt, the performing Party is not obligated to enter into any replacement transaction to determine the Market Price.

Master ” means the captain of the relevant Vessel.

NCV ” means net calorific value expressed in Gigajoules per Tonne as per ISO 1928, at constant pressure as received.

NCV Adjusted Price ” has the meaning set forth in the relevant Confirmation.

Non-Affected Party ” has the meaning set forth in Section 16(a) .

Non-Defaulting Party ” has the meaning set forth in Section 13(a) .

NOR ” means a notice of readiness tendered by a Master confirming a Vessel’s readiness to load cargo at the Load Port.

Notifying Party ” has the meaning set forth in Section 13(b) .

Office Hours ” means the period between 09:00 and 17:00 hours on a Working Day.

Owner ” means the owner or operator of the relevant Vessel.

Party ” and “ Parties ” have the respective meanings set forth in the introductory paragraph hereof.

Permit ” means any waiver, franchise, exemption, variance, permit, clearance, registration, authorization, consent, decree, approval, license, filing, privilege, ruling, certification or order from or required to be obtained or maintained by any Government Entity.

Person ” means any natural person, corporation, company, partnership (general or limited), limited liability company, business trust, Government Entity or other entity or association.

Purchase Price ” means the price payable by Buyer to Seller for Shipments as specified in the relevant Confirmation.

Quality Analysis Certificate ” has the meaning set forth in the relevant Confirmation.

Rejection Notice ” has the meaning set forth in Section 10(a) .

Rules ” has the meaning set forth in Section 21(c) .

 

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Second Installment ” has the meaning set forth in Section 9(c)(ii) .

Seller ” has the meaning set forth in the relevant Confirmation.

Seller’s Laycan Nomination ” means the notification from Seller to Buyer of the Laycan and quantity available to be loaded for each FOB Shipment as set forth in the relevant Confirmation.

Seller’s Shortfall ” has the meaning set forth in Section 11(a) .

Shipment ” means a DAP Shipment or an FOB Shipment, as applicable.

Shipment Schedule ” means the schedule for Shipments as specified in the relevant Confirmation.

Shipment Size ” has the meaning set forth in the relevant Confirmation.

Specifications ” means the quality specifications for the Biomass delivered pursuant to this Agreement as set forth in Section 5 and the relevant Confirmation.

SSHINC ” means Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays included but excluding Super Holidays.

Super Holidays ” means Easter Sunday, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Sustainability Criteria ” has the meaning set forth in Section 5(a)(iv) .

Technical Dispute ” means (a) any dispute which this Agreement expressly provides will be a Technical Dispute or (b) in the absence of such an express provision, any dispute which the Parties agree, by its nature, must be resolved entirely by either (i) the application of engineering principles or such other specialized technical knowledge in order to reach resolution thereof or (ii) the application of financial, accounting, or tax standards and principles in order to reach resolution thereof, excluding any dispute that has already been resolved pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Agreement (including any applicable Confirmation).

Technical Expert ” has the meaning set forth in Schedule B .

Terminal ” has the meaning set forth in the relevant Confirmation.

Termination Payment ” means (1) the greater of (a) an amount equal to the total losses, costs (including legal costs and other third party payments), actual damages and expenses suffered by the Non-Defaulting Party (taking into account any gains or savings by the Non-Defaulting Party and its duty to mitigate its losses) in connection with the early termination of the relevant Confirmation(s), including (without duplication) any loss or cost incurred as a result of entering into replacement purchase and sale agreement(s) for Biomass on similar terms to the relevant Confirmation(s) with respect to the remaining portion of the Contract Term of such Confirmations and (b) $0, plus (2) the aggregate sum of all other payments due to the Non-Defaulting Party under this Agreement.

 

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Tonne or MT ” means a metric tonne or one thousand (1000) kilograms.

Vessel ” means an ocean- or sea-going vessel used by Buyer to load and carry a Shipment.

Vessel Nomination ” means the nomination by Buyer to Seller of the Vessel for carriage of the FOB Shipment as set forth in the relevant Confirmation.

Vessel Requirements ” has the meaning set forth in Section 4(b) of the FOB Schedule.

Weight Certificate ” means a DAP Weight Certificate or an FOB Weight Certificate, as applicable.

Working Day ” means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or Holiday.

2. Term .

(a) Term . This Agreement shall be effective as of the Effective Date and shall, unless sooner terminated in accordance herewith, remain in full force and effect until terminated in accordance herewith.

(b) Termination . Either Party may terminate this Agreement by giving the other Party thirty (30) days’ prior written notice; provided , that (a) all Confirmations in effect at the time of such termination, including the terms of this Agreement incorporated therein, shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding any such termination until all rights and obligations thereunder are fully performed or effected by both Parties or until such Confirmations have been terminated under Section 13 of this Agreement and (b) no Termination Payment shall be payable by either Party in connection with any such termination of this Agreement.

(c) Transaction Terms . This Agreement shall govern all Confirmations between the Parties from and after the Effective Date, unless otherwise expressly agreed to in writing by the Parties. Each transaction shall be governed by the provisions of this Agreement and the provisions of the applicable Confirmation. For each transaction, this Agreement and the corresponding Confirmation shall constitute a single integrated agreement governing the Confirmation, and references to this “Agreement” shall encompass each and all of the foregoing. In the event of any conflict between the terms of this Agreement and the terms of a Confirmation, the terms of the Confirmation shall govern.

3. Delivery of Biomass .

(a) Delivery Terms . Except where otherwise inconsistent with the express terms of this Agreement or the relevant Confirmation, (i) DAP Delivery Point Incoterms shall apply where the relevant Confirmation specifies DAP Shipments and (ii) FOB Load Port

 

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Incoterms shall apply where the relevant Confirmation specifies FOB Shipments. For the avoidance of doubt, delivery of all Biomass hereunder shall be final and effective upon passage of title to Buyer at the Delivery Point (for DAP Shipments) or the Load Port (for FOB Shipments). The DAP Schedule shall apply to all DAP Shipments and the FOB Schedule shall apply to all FOB Shipments.

(b) Quantity and Price . Subject to, and in accordance with, the terms hereof, Seller shall deliver Biomass conforming to the Specifications in the Annual Quantity and Buyer shall pay for such Biomass at the Purchase Price.

(c) Deliveries . Seller shall deliver DAP Shipments or FOB Shipments, as specified in the relevant Confirmation. Seller shall deliver Biomass at the Delivery Point (for DAP Shipments) or the Load Port (for FOB Shipments), in each case in accordance with the Shipment Schedule.

(d) Title; Risk of Loss .

(i) Seller warrants that (A) it is able to fully and lawfully transfer title of each Shipment to Buyer and (B) the Biomass delivered hereunder shall, upon payment by Buyer therefor, be free from any liens, fees, charges, encumbrances, dues and claims of any kind. Seller shall indemnify, hold harmless and defend Buyer from and against any and all third party losses, costs, damages, liabilities, injuries, claims, demands, penalties, interest and causes of action (including reasonable attorney’s fees and court and arbitral costs) arising out of or in relation to Seller’s breach of the warranty in this Section 3(d)(i) .

(ii) Title to each Shipment shall pass from Seller to Buyer when the Biomass is (1) unloaded at the Delivery Point (for DAP Shipments) or (2) placed onboard the Vessel at the Load Port (for FOB Shipments). Risk of loss or damage to each Shipment shall pass from Seller to Buyer when the Biomass is (A) unloaded at the Delivery Point in accordance with DAP Delivery Point Incoterms (for DAP Shipments) or (B) placed onboard the Vessel at the Load Port in accordance with FOB Load Port Incoterms (for FOB Shipments).

(e) Environmental Rights, Renewable Energy Certificates, and Other Credits . All environmental rights and other credits (e.g., emission reduction rights, credits, “green certificates”, including renewable energy certificates and renewable obligation certificates, and tax credits) associated with the Biomass or the manufacturing thereof shall at all times be and remain with Buyer.

4. Transportation; Loading and Unloading .

(a) Transportation and unloading of DAP Shipments shall be governed by the terms of the DAP Schedule. Loading and ocean/sea transportation of FOB Shipments shall be governed by the terms of the FOB Schedule.

(b) If Buyer is for any reason unable to accept a Shipment made within the time frame specified by Buyer pursuant to the Shipment Schedule, Seller shall, if Buyer so requests, use commercially reasonable efforts to store the Biomass that would have otherwise constituted the Shipment at the Facility (for DAP Shipments) or the Terminal (for FOB

 

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Shipments), so that it can be delivered as soon as Buyer is ready to accept such Shipment, until such time that any further attempt to store the Biomass would materially adversely affect the operation of the Facility (for DAP Shipments) or the Terminal (for FOB Shipments), and, upon request by Buyer if adequate space is not available at the Facility or the Terminal, shall use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain off-site storage, at Buyer’s cost and expense. Where Buyer makes such request for Seller to store Biomass, Buyer may not cancel the applicable Shipment by reason of its delayed readiness without Seller’s written consent; provided , however , that Buyer shall reimburse Seller in respect of all reasonable and documented fees, charges, costs or expenses directly incurred by Seller as a result of storing Biomass pursuant to this Section 4(b) . Where Seller concludes that any further delay in delivering such Biomass would materially adversely affect the operation of the Facility (for DAP Shipments) or the Terminal (for FOB Shipments), Seller may cancel the Shipment, in which case the amount of such Shipment shall be deemed Buyer’s Shortfall and Buyer shall pay Seller therefor pursuant to Sections 11(b) and 11(c) .

(c) Seller shall keep Buyer reasonably informed of any circumstances which would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse impact on Seller’s ability to deliver Shipments in accordance with the Shipment Schedule.

5. Quality .

(a) General Quality Requirements .

(i) The quality of Biomass delivered hereunder shall be determined at the Delivery Point (for DAP Shipments) or the Load Port (for FOB Shipments), in each case in accordance with Sections 6 and 7 .

(ii) The quality of Biomass delivered hereunder shall comply with the Specifications and shall be manufactured, produced, stored and handled under a quality certification program that secures product integrity and quality from the production to the final delivery. Only Biomass certified as conforming to the Specifications shall be delivered to Buyer hereunder.

(iii) Seller warrants that each Shipment shall be of uniform quality; substantially free of Extraneous Material; free flowing; readily able to be unloaded and handled; and fully suited for bulk sea transport, free grab discharge, and inland transport.

(iv) “ Extraneous Material ” means material which is not included in the Specifications and not normally a constituent of Biomass and which is present in a size or quantity that could reasonably be expected to cause damage to handling equipment or the combustion process in a power plant. Examples of Extraneous Material include pieces of metal, stone or foreign objects or other material foreign to the Biomass.

(v) Seller further warrants that all Biomass delivered hereunder shall comply with the sustainability criteria as provided in Schedule C (the “ Sustainability Criteria ”).

 

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(b) Non-Compliance with Quality Requirements

(i) If a Shipment or portion thereof does not comply with Section 5(a) in all material respects, Seller shall reimburse Buyer for all reasonable and direct costs and expenses associated with conforming such Shipment to the requirements set forth in Section 5(a) . If such Shipment or a portion thereof cannot be so conformed within a reasonable time, Buyer may then reject the Shipment pursuant to Section 10 below upon three (3) Working Days’ prior written notice.

(ii) If Biomass delivered to Buyer hereunder is believed by Buyer upon discharge to contain Extraneous Material, Buyer shall inform Seller thereof and Buyer shall appoint an independent surveyor, at Buyer’s sole cost and expense (subject to the following sentence), to conduct an inspection of the Biomass. If the independent surveyor verifies that the Biomass contains Extraneous Material, Seller shall reimburse Buyer for the cost of such independent surveyor and shall replace any defective Biomass at no cost to Buyer within a time period reasonably acceptable to Buyer. The amount of such affected Biomass shall be deemed Seller’s Shortfall and Seller shall pay Buyer therefor pursuant to Sections 11(a) and (c) , unless to the extent replaced as contemplated in this Section 5(b)(i) .

(c) Right of Representation . Seller has the right to be represented at its own expense and risk during (i) unloading of DAP Shipments at the Delivery Point, (ii) discharge of Biomass comprising FOB Shipments from the Vessel, as applicable, or (iii) any survey conducted under Section 5(b) .

(d) Customs Documentation . Seller shall provide, at its sole cost and expense, all customs documentation required for export of each Shipment by Vessel, including, upon request by Buyer with reasonable advance notice, a certificate of origin, issued by an independent certification organization recognized by, and acceptable to, the customs authorities in the applicable country or countries of final destination in respect of such Shipment.

6. Sampling . Each Shipment shall be sampled in accordance with the relevant Confirmation.

7. Testing and Analysis . Testing and analysis of each Shipment shall be conducted in accordance with the relevant Confirmation.

8. Weight Determination .

(a) DAP Shipments . The weight of each DAP Shipment shall be determined at the Delivery Point at Buyer’s expense by the net scaled weight of truckloads or rail cars, as applicable, delivering the relevant DAP Shipment(s). The weight as so determined shall be final and binding on the Parties except in the case of fraud or manifest error. All scales used in connection with the weighing of such DAP Shipments shall be professionally certified by an independent inspection company appointed by Buyer, no less than once every six (6) months. Buyer shall, promptly after weighing of each DAP Shipment, provide Seller with a certificate certifying the weight of such DAP Shipment as determined pursuant to this Section 8(a) (the “ DAP Weight Certificate ”).

(b) FOB Shipments . The weight of each FOB Shipment shall be determined at the Load Port at Seller’s expense by either a shore scale or, at Buyer’s option, a draft survey of

 

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the loaded Vessel. The weight as so determined shall be final and binding on the Parties except in the case of fraud or manifest error. Any equipment used in connection with the weighing of such FOB Shipments shall be professionally certified by an independent inspection company appointed by Seller, no less than once every six (6) months. Any draft survey shall be conducted by an independent licensed marine surveyor appointed by Seller with Buyer’s approval, which shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed. Seller shall, promptly after weighing of each FOB Shipment, provide Buyer with a certificate certifying the weight of such FOB Shipment as determined pursuant to this Section 8(b) (the “ FOB Weight Certificate ”).

9. Pricing and Payment .

(a) Price . Buyer shall pay to Seller the Purchase Price for each Shipment in accordance with this Section 9 .

(b) Payments for DAP Shipments . Seller shall provide Buyer an invoice on or before the fifteenth (15th) day of each month in respect of all DAP Shipments made in the prior month. Buyer shall pay the Purchase Price for DAP Shipments made in such prior month within five (5) Working Days following receipt from Seller of a properly documented invoice therefor, which invoice shall be valid when Buyer has received each of the following with respect to such DAP Shipments:

(i) the DAP Weight Certificate, bill of lading, weigh bill or equivalent documentation;

(ii) copies of certificates of origin, if requested pursuant to Section 5(a)(vi) ;

(iii) upon request by Buyer with reasonable advance notice, required documentation to demonstrate compliance with the GGL Certification or other customary sustainability control standard; and

(iv) all Quality Analysis Certificates.

(c) Payments for FOB Shipments . Buyer shall pay the Purchase Price for each FOB Shipment in two (2) installments.

(i) First Installment . The first installment of the Purchase Price (the “ First Installment ”) shall be ninety percent (90%) of the Purchase Price calculated by reference to the Shipment Size and Base NCV. Buyer shall pay the First Installment within five (5) Working Days following receipt from Seller of a properly documented invoice therefor, which invoice shall be valid when Buyer has received each of the following with respect to the FOB Shipment that is the subject of the invoice:

(1) originals of the clean on board bill(s) of lading required pursuant to the FOB Schedule;

(2) original FOB Weight Certificate;

 

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(3) copy of the mate’s receipt(s) duly signed by the officer in charge of loading the Vessel;

(4) Shipper Cargo Information Sheet (SCIS) as issued by Seller from time to time;

(5) statement of facts and NOR at Load Port signed by Seller (or its representative) and the Master; and

(6) copies of certificates of origin (using a first in-first out determination), if requested pursuant to Section 5(a)(vi) .

(ii) Second Installment . The second installment of the Purchase Price (the “ Second Installment ”) shall be the balance of the Purchase Price, reflecting Actual NCVcp. Buyer shall pay the Second Installment within five (5) Working Days following receipt from Seller of a properly documented invoice therefor, which invoice shall be valid when Buyer has received each of the following with respect to the FOB Shipment that is the subject of the invoice:

(1) all documentation identified in Section 9(c)(i) ;

(2) upon request by Buyer with reasonable advance notice, required documentation to demonstrate compliance with the GGL Certification or control standard; and

(3) the Quality Analysis Certificate.

(d) Payment Currency . All payments shall be made in immediately available funds in United States Dollars.

(e) Obligation of Payment . Any dispute in relation to any payment in respect of any particular Shipment shall not affect any of the Parties’ obligations in respect of any other Shipment. In the event an invoice or portion thereof is disputed, payment of the undisputed portion of the invoice shall be required to be paid when due, with notice of objection given to the other Party, stating the basis for the dispute, regarding the remaining portion. The Parties shall cooperate reasonably and in good faith to negotiate and resolve the dispute regarding such disputed amount within thirty (30) days following receipt of the invoice. The Party liable for payment shall make such payment, with interest thereon at the Interest Rate from the date on which the payment was originally due to the date of payment, within ten (10) Working Days following resolution of such dispute.

(f) Interest . Without prejudice to any other rights and remedies under this Agreement or otherwise, if either Party fails to make payment of any undisputed amount in full when the same is due and payable under this Agreement, such Party shall pay interest to the other Party on such part of such amount as remains outstanding from time to time at the Default Rate. Such interest shall accrue until the Party pays the other Party such outstanding amount in full.

(g) No Set-off . All payments to be made hereunder shall be made without setoff or reduction of any kind.

 

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10. Rejection .

(a) Rejection . Buyer may reject any Shipment or partial Shipment if any report or data with respect to such Shipment from any test conducted in accordance with Sections 6, 7 and 8 indicates that any of the requirements of Section 5 have not been met. If Buyer wishes to reject all or a portion of a Shipment, it shall, within ten (10) Working Days after receipt of the Shipment deliver to Seller a notice (a “ Rejection Notice ”) setting forth such circumstance in reasonable detail, accompanied by reasonable documentary support. Unless a later date is specified in the Rejection Notice, and absent fraud, manifest error or bad faith, the rejection shall take effect immediately upon delivery of the Rejection Notice to Seller.

(b) Title and Risk Relating to Rejection . Upon a rejection set forth in any Rejection Notice becoming effective, risk and title to all rejected Biomass shall immediately transfer to Seller, and Buyer shall be discharged from all obligations under this Agreement in relation to the rejected portion of the Biomass. Buyer shall execute all necessary documents and take all other steps required to give effect to any passage of title pursuant to this Section 10(b) .

(c) Effect of Rejection . If Buyer rejects Biomass in accordance with this Section 10 , Buyer may, within seven (7) days of such rejection, request that Seller deliver replacement Biomass in a quantity equal to the quantity rejected, in which event Seller shall use commercially reasonable efforts to comply with Buyer’s request as soon as reasonably practicable. Any such delivery of replacement Biomass shall be on the same terms as the rejected Shipment or partial Shipment or such other terms as the Parties may agree. If Buyer does not request that Seller deliver replacement Biomass under this Section 10(c) , the provisions of Section 11 shall apply to the rejected quantity.

(d) Reimbursement; Partially-Accepted Biomass . Buyer shall not be liable to pay for the rejected Biomass, and Seller shall on demand refund within ten (10) Business Days any amount previously paid for the rejected Shipment to Buyer. If Buyer rejects only part of a Shipment, the amount owed by Buyer with respect to such Shipment shall be reduced pro rata according to the amount of the Shipment accepted.

(e) Buyer’s Option to Accept . Buyer shall at all times have the option, in its sole discretion, to accept any Shipment notwithstanding any failure of such Shipment to conform to the requirements of Section 5 . Any acceptance by Buyer of a non-conforming Shipment shall not constitute a waiver of Buyer’s rejection rights with respect to any other Shipment, and shall not limit Buyer’s right to reject any other non-conforming Shipment.

(f) Liability for Costs . Seller shall be liable for all costs and damages and expenses arising out of or in connection with the rejected Shipment, including carrying charges and the costs of transporting the rejected Shipment to any destination other than the Delivery Point. Buyer shall be obligated to use commercially reasonable means to mitigate such costs and expenses.

 

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(g) Disposal Costs . Seller shall be responsible for and shall pay for all storage, transport, alternate use, or disposal of any rejected Shipment or partial Shipment; provided , that Buyer shall segregate and safeguard for Seller’s account any rejected Shipment. Seller shall indemnify Buyer and hold Buyer harmless in respect of all liabilities, losses, costs, and expenses suffered and incurred by Buyer in respect of storage, transport and disposal of any rejected Shipment.

11. Damages .

(a) Seller’s Shortfall . If (i) Buyer rejects all or any part of a Shipment in accordance with Section 10(a) and replacement Biomass has not been provided pursuant to Section 10(c) , (ii) Seller fails to deliver all or any part of a Shipment in accordance with the requirements of this Agreement, including any failure to deliver Biomass in the Annual Quantity and in accordance with the Shipment Schedule, other than due to a Force Majeure Event or Buyer’s failure to perform, or (iii) Seller fails to comply with its obligations pursuant to Section 5 (the applicable quantity of Biomass, in any such event, “ Seller’s Shortfall ”), Seller shall pay Buyer an amount per Tonne of Seller’s Shortfall equal to the positive difference, if any, between the Market Price and the then-applicable Base Price (each as adjusted based upon the average Actual NCVcp of Shipments delivered to Buyer by Seller during the previous twelve (12) months under the relevant Confirmation or such shorter period as has elapsed since the effective date of such Confirmation) for such volume plus all losses, costs (including legal costs, transportation costs, storage costs, handling costs and interest) incurred by Buyer as a result of Seller’s failure pursuant to the immediately preceding clause (i), (ii) or (iii), and actual damages and expenses suffered or incurred by Buyer as a result of entering into any purchase agreements for Seller’s Shortfall on terms reasonably similar to the relevant Confirmation, after taking into account any gains or savings by Buyer due to mitigating its losses, costs, damages and expenses.

(b) Buyer’s Shortfall . If (i) Buyer rejects all or part of any Shipment other than in accordance with Section 10(a) or (ii) Buyer fails to comply with its obligations to accept delivery of all or part of a Shipment other than due to a Force Majeure Event (the applicable quantity of Biomass, in any such event, “ Buyer’s Shortfall ”), Buyer shall pay Seller an amount per Tonne of Buyer’s Shortfall equal to the positive difference, if any, between the then-applicable Base Price and the Market Price (each as adjusted based upon the average Actual NCVcp of Shipments delivered to Buyer by Seller during the previous twelve (12) months under the relevant Confirmation or such shorter period as has elapsed since the effective date of such Confirmation) for such volume plus all losses, costs (including legal costs, transportation costs, storage costs, handling costs and interest) incurred by Seller as a result of Buyer’s failure pursuant to the immediately preceding clause (i) or (ii), and actual damages and expenses suffered or incurred by Seller as a result of entering into any sale agreements for Buyer’s Shortfall on terms reasonably similar to the relevant Confirmation, after taking into account any gains or savings by Seller due to mitigating its losses, costs, damages and expenses.

(c) The Party liable for payment pursuant to Section 11(a) or 11(b) shall pay amounts owed pursuant thereto within ten (10) Working Days following receipt of an invoice therefor, together with reasonable supporting documentation; provided , however , that if a Party disputes the calculation of such amounts, the Parties shall cooperate reasonably and in good faith to negotiate and resolve any such dispute within thirty (30) days following receipt of the invoice.

 

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The Party liable for payment pursuant to Section 11(a) or 11(b) shall make such payment within ten (10) Working Days following resolution of such dispute. Any amount owed pursuant to Section 11(a) or 11(b) or other damages owed pursuant to this Agreement shall be paid with interest at the Default Rate in accordance with Section 9(f) .

(d) The Parties confirm that the express remedies and measures of damages provided in this Agreement satisfy the essential purposes hereof. To the extent any damages required to be paid hereunder are liquidated, the Parties acknowledge and agree that the damages are difficult or impossible to determine, or otherwise obtaining an adequate remedy is inconvenient, and the damages calculated hereunder constitute a reasonable approximation of the harm or loss. For breach of any provision for which an express remedy or measure of damages is provided, such express remedy or measure of damages shall be the sole and exclusive remedy, the obligor’s liability shall be limited as set forth in such provision and all other remedies or damages at law or in equity are waived. If no remedy or measure of damages is expressly provided herein, the obligor’s liability shall, except as otherwise provided in Section 11(e) , be limited to direct actual damages only, such direct actual damages shall be the sole and exclusive remedy and all other remedies or damages at law or in equity are waived. It is the intent of the Parties that the limitations herein imposed on remedies and the measure of damages be without regard to the cause or causes related thereto, including the negligence of any Party, whether such negligence be sole, joint or concurrent, or active or passive. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Parties agree that it is difficult or impossible to determine with precision the amount of damages that would be incurred by Buyer or Seller resulting from any act or omission, as the case may be, described in Section 11(a), 11(b) or 13(a) ; any sums payable under Section 11(a), 11(b) or 13(c) because of such acts or omissions, as the case may be, are damages and not a penalty, and are fair and reasonable and any such sums represent a reasonable estimate of fair compensation for the losses that may reasonably be anticipated from such acts or omissions, as the case may be. Payment of sums due pursuant to Section 11(a) or 11(b) shall be the sole and exclusive remedy of the Party entitled to payment of such sums for the acts or omissions giving rise to such payment obligation.

(e) No Punitive, Consequential or Similar Damages . Neither Party shall be liable for any loss of profit or of revenue or of goodwill, or business interruption damages, or losses suffered under any other contract, or special, consequential, incidental, punitive, exemplary or indirect damages, whether in contract, indemnity, tort or otherwise, arising out of or in connection with the performance, failure to perform or termination of this Agreement; provided , however , that notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event will the foregoing limitations of liability be applied to limit the extent of the liability of either Party to the other for any breach of Section 19 or for or with respect to any third party indemnity claims under Section 14 ; and provided , further , that in no event will the foregoing limitations of liability be applied to limit the extent of the liability of either Party under Sections 11(a), 11(b) or 13(c) or the liability of Seller to Buyer under Section 3(d)(i) .

12. Facility and Terminal; Audit Rights .

(a) Safety . Each Party shall operate and maintain its Facility or Terminal, as applicable, at all times in a safe manner with due regard to the life and health of people and protection of property, in compliance with Applicable Law and the then-current version of NFPA 664: Standard for the Prevention of Fires and Explosions in Wood Processing and Woodworking Facilities or any successor publication.

 

15


(b) Inspection and Audit Rights .

(i) Each Party shall have the right to inspect the other Party’s Facility or Terminal, as applicable, at any time during the Contract Term of any Confirmation for health, safety, quality assurance or other similar purposes as Buyer may reasonably determine. Further, each Party shall at all times have the right to take samples of the Biomass at the Facility or Terminal, as applicable, or at any storage or loading facility used by the other Party, or any other location where the Biomass may be located, and to audit and observe such other Party’s sampling and collection of Biomass at the Facility or Terminal, as applicable, or elsewhere, upon reasonable notice to such other Party.

(ii) During the Contract Term of the relevant Confirmation and for up to one (1) year thereafter, each Party may, at its own expense, during Office Hours and upon reasonable advance notice so as to not unreasonably interfere with the normal business operations of the other Party or of such other Party’s Facility or Terminal, as applicable, inspect, copy or audit, to the extent relevant to such other Party’s obligations under such Confirmation, such other Party’s books, records, accounts, ledgers, schedules, correspondence and any other documents including supplier records in its possession or control or otherwise available to it; provided , however , that neither Party shall have the right to inspect, copy or audit any of the foregoing that relates solely to the other Party’s pricing of Biomass. Any Party exercising its rights to inspect, copy or audit pursuant to this Section 12(b)(ii) shall reimburse the reasonable and documented out-of-pocket costs and expenses incurred by the other Party in connection with this Section 12(b)(ii) . Such other Party shall reasonably cooperate with any such inspection, copying or audit and shall provide such information as may be reasonably requested by the Party carrying out such inspection, copying or audit under this Section 12(b)(ii) .

13. Events of Default; Termination .

(a) Defaults . Any one or more of the following shall constitute an event of default (an “ Event of Default ”) with respect to a Party (the “ Defaulting Party ”), giving the other Party (the “ Non-Defaulting Party ”) the right to terminate this Agreement or any or all Confirmations by giving notice in writing to the Defaulting Party:

(i) a Party breaches any payment obligation under this Agreement and fails to cure such breach within fifteen (15) days after written notice thereof from the other Party;

(ii) a Party commits a material breach of any non-payment obligation under this Agreement (other than as set forth in Section 19 ) and fails to cure such breach within thirty (30) days after written notice thereof from the other Party; provided , however , that if such default cannot reasonably be cured within such thirty (30) day period but can reasonably be cured in sixty (60) days, such default shall not constitute an Event of Default so long as the Party in breach commences the cure thereof within such thirty (30) day period and thereafter diligently pursues such cure to completion within not less than sixty (60) days after such written notice from the other Party; or

(iii) a Party becomes Insolvent.

 

16


(b) Rights Pending Cure . A Party who gives the other Party notice of a breach or failure pursuant to this Section 13 (a “Notifying Party ”) may, during any applicable period in which the other Party may cure such breach or failure, and in addition to any other right or remedy available to such Notifying Party, withhold any payments due to the other Party and suspend performance of such Notifying Party’s obligations hereunder until such breach or failure by the other Party is cured.

(c) Effect of Termination . Where this Agreement or any Confirmation is terminated by a Party pursuant to Section 13(a) , the Non-Defaulting Party shall, within ten (10) days of the date of termination, calculate the applicable Termination Payment with respect to the aggregate of all Confirmations being terminated and notify the Defaulting Party of the amount so calculated, and the Defaulting Party shall, within ten (10) days of receiving such notice, pay to the Non-Defaulting Party an amount equal to the Termination Payment. The Non-Defaulting Party shall not be obligated to enter into replacement agreements or to terminate related trading positions in order to establish the amount of the Termination Payment.

14. Indemnification . Each Party (the “ Indemnifying Party ”) shall indemnify and hold harmless the other Party (the “ Indemnified Party ”) from and against any and all losses, liabilities, costs, expenses, damages, demands, claims, actions and allegations by third parties (“ Claims ”), including, without limitation, Claims by third parties relating to Extraneous Material contained in any Biomass that is purchased by Buyer from Seller under this Agreement and subsequently sold by Buyer to such third parties, incurred by the Indemnified Party (including attorney’s fees and litigation costs, including in enforcing such indemnity rights) resulting from, arising out of, or relating to the Indemnifying Party’s breach of any representation or warranty or covenant of the Indemnifying Party under this Agreement or other contractual breach or from the Indemnifying Party’s willful misconduct, fraud, negligence or other legal fault. For purposes of this Section 14 , the acts or omissions of the Indemnifying Party shall include the acts or omissions of any employees, agents, servants, contractors or subcontractors of the Indemnifying Party. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Indemnified Party shall notify the Indemnifying Party of any Claim subject to indemnification hereunder as soon as possible from the date of knowledge of such Claim. Any failure or delay by the Indemnified Party to give notice hereunder shall constitute a waiver of indemnification to the extent such failure or delay materially prejudices the Indemnifying Party’s ability to defend or otherwise resolve the Claim.

15. Insurance . Each Party shall comply with any applicable insurance requirements specified in the relevant Confirmation.

16. Force Majeure .

(a) Force Majeure Event . A Party is not responsible or liable for any delay or failure in the performance of its obligations under this Agreement to the extent such performance is prevented by a Force Majeure Event, provided that such Party complies with Section 16(b) . A “ Force Majeure Event ” is any event or circumstance which prevents a Party (the “ Affected Party ” and the other Party being the “ Non-Affected Party ”) from performing its obligations

 

17


under one or more Confirmations, which event or circumstance was not anticipated or reasonably foreseeable by the Affected Party as of the date on which any applicable Confirmation was entered into, which is not within the reasonable control, or the result of the negligence, of the Affected Party, and which, by the exercise of due diligence, the Affected Party is unable to overcome or avoid or cause to be avoided. A Force Majeure Event may include the following, to the extent that each satisfies the foregoing requirements: any act of God or the elements, earthquakes, floods, landslides, hurricanes, civil disturbances, sabotage, acts of public enemies, war, blockades, insurrections, riots, epidemics, fires or explosions. For the avoidance of doubt, a lack of funds, the availability of a more attractive market, changes in law or regulations or inefficiencies in operations shall not constitute a Force Majeure Event.

(b) Notice . The Affected Party shall be entitled to relief pursuant to this Section 16 to the extent that (a) the Affected Party gives the Non-Affected Party written notice within five (5) Working Days of the occurrence of the event or circumstance giving rise to the claim of a Force Majeure Event, describing the particulars and estimated duration of the Force Majeure Event and the proposed cure, (b) any suspension of performance is of no greater scope and of no longer duration than is reasonably attributable to the Force Majeure Event, (c) the Affected Party uses commercially reasonable efforts to remedy its inability to perform its obligations under this Agreement, and (d) the Affected Party promptly notifies the Non-Affected Party when the Affected Party is able to resume performance of its obligations under this Agreement.

(c) Make-up . In addition to the Affected Party’s obligations under Section 16(b) , the Parties may mutually agree to make-up resulting deficiencies due to a Force Majeure Event through an adjustment, as necessary, to the Purchase Price or the Contract Term of the relevant Confirmation. Any resulting extensions of the Contract Term of the relevant Confirmation shall be no greater than the duration of the Force Majeure Event.

(d) Termination . Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 16 , if a Force Majeure Event lasts for more than one hundred and eighty (180) consecutive days or for more than one hundred eighty (180) days in the aggregate during any twelve (12) month period, the Non-Affected Party may terminate all affected Confirmations upon written notice to the Affected Party; provided , however , that such one hundred and eighty (180) day period, in either case, shall be extended by up to an additional ninety (90) days if the Affected Party shall, prior to the expiration of such one hundred and eighty (180) day period, have submitted to the Non-Affected Party a remedial action plan, reasonably acceptable to the Non-Affected Party, which sets forth a course of repairs, improvements, changes to operations, or other actions that would permit the Affected Party to perform its obligations under such Confirmations as soon as reasonably practicable and such Party pursues the remedial action plan in a commercially reasonable and diligent manner. Termination of Confirmations by a Party under this Section 16 shall be without liability on the part of either Party to the other Party, provided that such termination shall not affect any rights or obligations which may have accrued prior to such termination or which expressly or by implication are intended to survive termination, whether resulting from the event giving rise to the right to terminate or otherwise.

 

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17. Compliance with Law. Each Party shall comply in all material respects with all Applicable Laws in the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including all applicable environmental, health and safety laws, rules and regulations.

18. Duty to Mitigate. Without limiting any other provision of this Agreement, each Party shall use commercially reasonable efforts to mitigate its losses or damages suffered in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, and shall always act in a commercially reasonable manner in the performance of this Agreement.

19. Confidentiality .

(a) The existence and terms of this Agreement and information disclosed by or on behalf of either Party to the other Party or its representatives in connection with this Agreement (hereinafter referred to as “ Confidential Information ”) shall, during the term of this Agreement and until the expiration of thirty-six (36) months after this Agreement and all Confirmations have terminated, be treated as confidential by each Party and shall not be disclosed in whole or part by either Party to any third party without the prior written consent of the other Party. No breach of this Section 19(a) shall entitle the other Party to terminate this Agreement.

(b) Notwithstanding Section 19(a) , neither Party shall be required to obtain the prior written consent of the other Party in respect of disclosure of Confidential Information:

(i) to Affiliates of such Party, provided that such Party shall require such Affiliates to keep the Confidential Information confidential on the same terms as are provided in this Section 19 ;

(ii) to Persons professionally engaged by or on behalf of such Party;

(iii) to any Government Entity having jurisdiction over such Party, but only to the extent that such Party is required by such Government Entity to make disclosure;

(iv) to any lenders or other providers of capital or prospective lenders or providers of capital in connection with the financing or funding of such Party’s operations;

(v) to the extent reasonably required by any Applicable Law or rule of any relevant stock exchange or to the extent required by any juridical, arbitral or administrative proceeding; or

(vi) to the extent any disclosure is required to be made in the financial statements of either Party or any of its Affiliates or in publicly filed documents to effect the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and any Confirmations;

provided , that the disclosing Party shall keep the disclosure of the Confidential Information to the minimum necessary for the purpose for which it is disclosed and shall, as soon as reasonably practicable or permissible, notify the other Party of such disclosure.

 

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(c) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, either Party and its Affiliates shall be permitted to include in documents filed with regulators regarding securities offered or to be offered of an Affiliate of such Party (and in any amendments thereto or related offering documents) any information regarding the Parties, this Agreement and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

(d) Neither Party shall issue any press release or make any public announcement relating to the subject matter of this Agreement without the prior written consent of the other Party.

20. Taxes . Seller shall pay or cause to be paid all taxes imposed on or with respect to the Biomass or a Confirmation arising prior to the point at which title and risk of loss transfer from Seller to Buyer. Buyer shall pay or cause to be paid all taxes imposed on or with respect to the Biomass or a Confirmation at and from such point. In the event either Party is required by law or regulation to remit or pay taxes that are the other Party’s responsibility hereunder, the latter Party shall promptly reimburse the former Party for such taxes. Nothing herein shall obligate or cause a Party to pay or be liable to pay any taxes for which it is exempt under the law. Seller acknowledges that Buyer intends to export the Biomass outside of the United States via the Terminal. Seller warrants the free export of the Biomass from the United States and any export licenses, restrictions and quotas that are required which are introduced in the United States after the Effective Date up to the moment of delivery.

21. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution .

(a) Governing Law . THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO ITS CHOICE OF LAW RULES (OTHER THAN SECTION 5-1401 OF THE NEW YORK GENERAL OBLIGATIONS LAW).

(b) Exclusion . The United Nations Convention on Contracts for International Sale of Goods shall not apply to this Agreement.

(c) Dispute Resolution . Other than any Technical Dispute, any dispute arising from this Agreement (including a dispute regarding the existence, validity or termination of this Agreement or the consequences of its nullity), shall be referred to and finally resolved by arbitration under the rules of the American Arbitration Association (the “ Rules ”), which Rules are deemed to be incorporated by reference into this Section 21(c) except as expressly amended by this Section 21(c) . The tribunal shall consist of three (3) arbitrators, two (2) of whom shall be nominated by the respective Parties and the third of whom shall be jointly selected by the two arbitrators selected by the Parties. The seat of the arbitration and the venue of all hearings shall be New York, NY and the language of the arbitration shall be English. The arbitral tribunal shall have power to award on a provisional basis any relief that it would have power to grant on a final award. Without prejudice to the powers of an arbitrator provided by the Rules, by statute or otherwise, the arbitral tribunal shall have power at any time, on the basis of written evidence and the submissions of the Parties alone, to make an award in favor of the claimant (or the respondent if a counterclaim) in respect of any claims or counterclaims to which there is no reasonably arguable defense (either substantively or as to the amount of any damages or other

 

20


sums to be awarded). The Parties hereby agree to exclude any rights to refer points of law or to appeal to the courts to the extent that they can validly waive these rights under Applicable Law, provided , that nothing in this Section 21(c) shall be construed as preventing either Party from seeking conservatory or similar interim relief in any court of competent jurisdiction.

(d) Technical Disputes . If the Parties are unable to resolve any Technical Dispute in the ordinary course of business, either Party may, by notice to the other Party, refer the Technical Dispute to a Technical Expert selected in accordance with the procedures set forth in Schedule B .

22. Representations and Warranties . Each Party represents and warrants to the other as follows as of the Effective Date and the effective date of each Confirmation:

(a) it is duly organized and validly existing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its formation and has all necessary authorizations required by Applicable Law to perform its obligations under this Agreement (other than those authorizations the failure of which to obtain could not reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on its ability to perform its obligations under this Agreement);

(b) it has full power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and to perform its obligations hereunder, and the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by it have been duly authorized by all necessary action on the part of such Party; this Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by such Party and is the legal, valid and binding obligation of such Party enforceable in accordance with its terms;

(c) the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by such Party and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby do not contravene the constitutive documents of such Party and do not conflict with or result in a breach of or default under any indenture, mortgage, lease, agreement, instrument, judgment, decree, order or ruling to which such Party is a party or by which it or any of its properties is bound or affected;

(d) all Permits required in connection with the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by such Party have been obtained or, to the extent not yet required in connection with the performance of this Agreement, will be obtained by the time when they are required in connection with the performance of this Agreement; and

(e) save for the representations and warranties made in this Section 22 , it has not entered into this Agreement in reliance on any warranty or representation made by the other Party or its employees or agents.

 

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23. Miscellaneous .

(a) Notices . Except as expressly provided herein, any notice, demand, offer, or other communication required or permitted to be given pursuant hereto shall be in writing signed by the Party giving such notice, demand, offer, or other communication and shall be hand delivered or sent by registered mail, overnight courier or facsimile to the other Party at the following address:

If to ELP:

Enviva, LP

7200 Wisconsin Avenue

Suite 1000

Bethesda, MD 20814

Attention: General Counsel

Facsimile: (240) 482-3774

If to EWH:

Enviva Wilmington Holdings, LLC

c/o Enviva Development Holdings, LLC (as Managing Member)

7200 Wisconsin Avenue

Suite 1000

Bethesda, MD 20814

Attention: General Counsel

Facsimile: (240) 482-3774

Each Party may change the place to which notice, demand, offer, or other communication shall be sent or delivered by similar notice sent in like manner to the other Party. Unless otherwise provided herein, all notices, requests or other communications hereunder shall be effective at the end of Office Hours on the day actually received, if received during Office Hours on a Working Day, and otherwise shall be effective at the close of Office Hours on the first Working Day after the day on which received.

(b) Cooperation with Financing Efforts . Each Party shall cooperate with the other Party’s efforts in obtaining and maintaining financing on a non-recourse (or other) basis. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, each Party shall execute such documents (including consents, direct agreements, certificates and legal opinions) as the other Party or such other Party’s Financing Parties may reasonably request in connection with Buyer’s efforts to obtain and maintain such financing.

(c) Successors and Assigns . This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of, and be binding upon, the successors and permitted assigns of the Parties.

(d) Amendment . No amendment, supplement or other modification of this Agreement shall be valid unless evidenced in writing signed by both Parties.

(e) No Waiver . Either Party’s waiver of any breach or failure to enforce any of the terms of this Agreement at any time shall not in any way affect, limit, modify, or waive such Party’s right thereafter to enforce or compel strict compliance with every term hereof, any course of dealing or custom of the trade notwithstanding.

(f) Survival of Termination . Any provision of this Agreement or the relevant Confirmation that contemplates performance subsequent to termination of this Agreement or such Confirmation shall survive such termination and continue in full force and effect for the limited purposes set forth therein.

 

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(g) Non-Recourse . The Parties’ respective obligations hereunder are intended to be the obligations of the respective Parties only and no recourse for any obligation of a Party hereunder, or for any claim based thereon or otherwise in respect thereof, shall be had against any incorporator, shareholder, partner, member, officer or director, or Affiliate, as such, past, present or future of such Party.

(h) Severability . If any provision of this Agreement is found to be void and unenforceable, such provision shall be deemed to be deleted from this Agreement and the remaining provisions of this Agreement shall continue to have full force and effect. The Parties shall, in such event, negotiate in good faith to agree to a mutually satisfactory valid and enforceable substitute provision implementing to the fullest extent possible the intentions of the Parties at the Effective Date or the time the relevant Confirmation was executed.

(i) Entire Agreement . This Agreement (for the avoidance of doubt, together with all Confirmations) constitutes the entire agreement of the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and, except as herein stated and in the instruments and documents to be executed and delivered pursuant hereto, contains all of the representations, undertakings and agreements of the Parties in respect of the subject matter hereof. This Agreement supersedes all prior meetings, correspondence, and negotiations between the Parties. There are no representations, warranties, covenants, agreements or collateral understandings, oral or otherwise (express or implied) of any kind between the Parties in respect of the subject matter hereof, except as contained herein.

(j) Rights and Remedies Not Exhaustive . Except as otherwise expressly set forth herein, any rights or remedies conferred on either Party under this Agreement shall be in addition to rights and remedies such Party would otherwise have at law or in equity.

(k) Third Parties . This Agreement and all rights hereunder are intended for the sole benefit of the Parties and, to the extent expressly provided, for the benefit of the Financing Parties, and shall not imply or create any rights on the part of, or obligations to, any other Person.

(l) Counterparts; Electronic Signatures . This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall be considered an original, but all of which shall together constitute one and the same instrument. Any executed counterpart may be delivered in portable document format (.pdf) or by other electronic means and, when so delivered, shall be legally enforceable in accordance with its terms.

(m) No Agency. No Party shall be deemed hereunder to be an agent of, or partner or joint venturer with, any other Party.

(n) Assignment . Except as otherwise expressly provided in this clause (n), neither Party may directly or indirectly assign its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any Confirmation), in whole or in part, by operation of law or otherwise, without the prior written consent of the other Party (such consent not to be

 

23


unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed), and any purported assignment made other than in accordance with this clause (n) shall be null and void ab initio . Notwithstanding the foregoing, the following are permitted:

(i) collateral assignment by a Party to its Financing Parties, and further assignment by such Financing Parties following any foreclosure of their security interest in this Agreement, in which case neither such Party nor its Financing Parties shall have any liability with respect to the future performance of this Agreement (or the relevant Confirmation); and

(ii) assignment by a Party to its Affiliate; provided , however , that, in the case of an assignment by a Party to an Affiliate without consent, the assigning Party shall remain jointly and severally liable for the assigned obligations and shall notify the other Party of the assignment (and identify the name of, and notice address information for, such Affiliate) unless in the case of an assignment by either Party the assignment is made to: (A) the successor to all or substantially all of the assets of such Party (including by operation of law), (B) in the case of an assignment by ELP, a direct or indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of ELP so long as the performance of all such subsidiary’s obligations under this Agreement is guaranteed by ELP, (C) any other Affiliate of Buyer or Seller, as applicable, if the performance of all such Affiliate’s obligations under this Agreement is guaranteed by the assigning Party, in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the non-assigning Party, or (D) any other Person reasonably satisfactory to the non-assigning Party, as applicable, in which case, in each of the foregoing sub-sections (A) through (D), the assigning Party (except as expressly set forth in sub-sections (B) and (C), as may be applicable, above) shall have no liability with respect to the future performance of this Agreement.

(o) Attorneys’ Fees . The Parties agree that in the event either of the Parties institutes legal proceedings to enforce any of the terms of this Agreement, all court costs and reasonable attorneys’ fees incurred by the substantially prevailing Party shall be reimbursed by the other Party.

(p) Interpretation . Except as otherwise set forth herein, or where the context of this Agreement otherwise requires:

(i) headings and titles are for convenience only and do not affect the interpretation of this Agreement;

(ii) the gender of all words used herein shall include the masculine, feminine and neuter and the number of all words shall include the singular and plural;

(iii) the terms “hereof”, “herein,” “hereto” and similar words refer to this entire Agreement and not any particular Section, Schedule or any other subdivision of this Agreement;

(iv) references to “Section” or “Schedule” are to this Agreement unless specified otherwise;

 

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(v) reference to “this Agreement” (including any Schedule hereto) or any other agreement or document shall be construed as a reference to such agreement or document as the same may be amended, modified, supplemented or restated, and shall include a reference to any agreement or document which amends, modifies, supplements or restates, or is entered into, made or given pursuant to or in accordance with its terms;

(vi) references to any law, statute, rule, regulation, standard (including for testing and sampling), notification or statutory provision (including Applicable Laws) shall be construed as a reference to the same as it may have been, or may from time to time be, amended, modified or re-enacted;

(vii) references to any Person shall be construed as a reference to such Person’s successors and permitted assigns;

(viii) references to “or” will be deemed to be disjunctive but not necessarily exclusive (i.e., unless the context dictates otherwise, “or” will be interpreted to mean “and/or” rather than “either/or”);

(ix) “includes”, “including” and similar phrases mean “including, without limitation”; and

(x) all Schedules are incorporated herein and made a part of this Agreement for all purposes.

(q) Inconsistencies . In the event of any inconsistency between the terms of this Agreement (excluding Confirmations) and the terms of a Confirmation, the terms of such Confirmation shall prevail.

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank. Signature page follows.]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF , the Parties have executed this Agreement as of the Effective Date.

 

ENVIVA, LP
By: Enviva GP, LLC, as its sole general partner
By:

/s/ Stephen F. Reeves

Name: Stephen F. Reeves
Title: Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

 

ENVIVA WILMINGTON HOLDINGS, LLC
By: Enviva Development Holdings, LLC, as its
Managing Member
By:

/s/ William H. Schmidt, Jr.

Name: William H. Schmidt, Jr.
Title: Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

M ASTER B IOMASS P URCHASE AND S ALE A GREEMENT

S IGNATURE P AGE


Schedule A

Form of Confirmation

BIOMASS FUEL SUPPLY CONFIRMATION No. [            ]

This Biomass Fuel Supply Confirmation No. [    ] (this “ Confirmation ”) is subject to, and incorporates the terms of, the Master Biomass Purchase and Sale Agreement, between Enviva, LP (“ ELP ”) and Enviva Wilmington Holdings, LLC (“ EWH ”), dated as of April 9, 2015, as amended and supplemented from time to time (the “ Agreement ”).

All provisions of the Agreement are incorporated within this Confirmation except as modified below. Capitalized terms used herein and not defined herein have the meanings ascribed to them in the Agreement.

This Confirmation constitutes a “Confirmation” as defined in the Agreement.

 

Buyer:
Seller:
Shipment Type (Check One)

DAP Shipments by truck [            ]

DAP Shipments by rail [            ]

FOB Shipments [            ]

Contract Term: [            ] Contract Years, where each “ Contract Year ” is equal to [            ].
Facility:
Terminal:
Annual Quantity:
Purchase Price: Determined by multiplying (a) the weight of the Shipments delivered in the applicable month in Tonnes by (b) the NCV Adjusted Price (as defined below).
The “ NCV Adjusted Price ” for each Shipment shall be determined in accordance with the following formula:
LOGO

Where:

 

Base Price ” means a price per Tonne as follows:

 

[First Contract Year: $[        ]]

 

A-1


Shipment Schedule:
Insurance Requirements:
Specifications: See Table 1, below
Sampling:
Testing and Analysis: [Needs to include definition for “Quality Analysis Certificate”]
[Other]:
FOB Shipments Only
Shipping Schedule:
Laycan:
Shipment Size:
Load Port:
Loading Rate:
Vessel Nomination:
[Other]:

Table 1

Biomass Specifications

[Specifications table to be inserted]

[Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank]

 

A-2


IN WITNESS WHEREOF , this Confirmation has been executed by the Parties as of the date first set forth above.

 

ENVIVA, LP
By: Enviva GP, LLC, as its sole general partner
By

 

Name:
Title:
ENVIVA WILMINGTON HOLDINGS, LLC
By: Enviva Development Holdings, LLC, as its Managing Member
By

 

Name:
Title:

Signature Page to

Confirmation


Schedule B

Technical Dispute Resolution Procedures

 

1. Commencement and Selection of Technical Expert

(a) As used herein, “ Technical Expert ” means any individual selected in accordance with the procedure specified in this Schedule B and who (i) has professional qualifications and practical experience in the subject matter of the Technical Dispute, (ii) has no interest, financial or otherwise, or duty which conflicts or may conflict with his or her functions as a Technical Expert (such individual being required to fully disclose any such interest or duty prior to his or her appointment) and (iii) is not currently and has not been (x) during the five years prior to the date of appointment, an employee of any of the Parties or any of their Affiliates and (y) during the three years prior to the date of appointment, a contractor or consultant of either of the Parties or any of their Affiliates, unless otherwise mutually agreed by the Parties.

(b) Within ten Business Days following receipt of a Party’s notice referring a Technical Dispute for resolution in accordance with the provisions of this Schedule B , the representatives of each of the Parties will confer in an effort to agree upon a Technical Expert to hear the Technical Dispute. If the Parties are unable to agree upon the appointment of a Technical Expert, then at the end of such ten Business Day period each Party will, within five Business Days, notify the other Party in writing of its designation of three proposed Technical Experts. Each Party will promptly strike two of the proposed Technical Experts designated by the other Party. The remaining two proposed Technical Experts will, within two Business Days, select one of them to hear the Technical Dispute, provided that if one of the Parties still objects to the Technical Dispute being heard by such selected Technical Expert, then, within two Business Days, such two proposed Technical Experts will select a third Technical Expert (who may be one of the Technical Experts designated by the Parties or another Technical Expert) and such third Technical Expert will hear the Technical Dispute.

 

2. Submission to Technical Expert

Each Party will be required to put forth and endorse one proposal as its proposed resolution to the Technical Dispute, based on an agreed statement of the nature of the Technical Dispute and agreed facts surrounding such Technical Dispute. Each Party’s proposal will be delivered to the Technical Expert and the other parties to such Technical Dispute no later than 45 days after the date of the notice of the Party submitting the Technical Dispute to the Technical Expert. The Technical Expert will be required to select one of the proposals and will not be able to select any other proposal, except to the extent mutually agreed by the parties to such Technical Dispute.

 

3. Decision of the Technical Expert

(a) The Technical Expert will render a decision resolving the matter within 60 days of the date of the notice of the Party submitting such matter for resolution by the Technical Expert. The Technical Expert will not award to either Party any relief greater than that initially sought by such Party. The decision of the Technical Expert will be final and binding upon the

 

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Parties and not subject to appeal or review, whether through arbitration or otherwise, absent manifest injustice. The Parties will share equally all costs and expenses of the Technical Expert procedure and the Technical Expert will not have the authority to award costs or attorneys’ fees to either Party.

(b) The Technical Expert will act as an expert and not as an arbitrator and no provisions of any arbitration rules will apply to the Technical Expert or his or her determination or the procedure by which he or she reaches his or her determination.

 

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Schedule C

Sustainability Criteria

All Biomass provided by Seller to Buyer under this Agreement shall be certified to comply with the sustainability requirements and standards of the Sustainable Biomass Partnership (SBP), GGL Certification and Laborelec-SGS Solid Biomass Sustainability schemes. Additionally, all fiber sources and raw materials for Biomass must be harvested responsibly so as to be certified under SFI Fiber Sourcing certification standards.

Seller is restricted from using materials sourced from land with high biodiversity value or high carbon stock – including primary forest, peatland, and protected wetlands. In addition, Seller must be able to prove greenhouse gas emissions savings as compared to fossil fuels of at least 70% as of the date of this agreement to March 31, 2020, and 72% from April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2025.

Any solid biomass binder that exceeds 2% or any bioliquid binder of any amount must also meet sustainability requirements as outlined in Article 17 – “Sustainability criteria for biofuels and bioliquids” - of the EU Renewable Energy Directive 2009/28/EC dated 23 April 2009 (RED); and with the sustainability criteria for the use of biomass feedstocks under the United Kingdom Renewables Obligation in accordance with the Department of Energy and Climate Change’s publication dated 22 August 2013 and entitled “Government Response to the consultation on proposals to enhance the sustainability criteria for the use of biomass feedstocks under the Renewables Obligation” and the “Renewables Obligation (Amendment) Order 2014” published on 10 February 2014 coming into force on 1st April 2014.

Buyer reserves the right to require additional forest management certifications such as the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI), The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), and The Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) Chain of Custody certifications or country or customer-specific sustainability requirements as needed.

Buyer agrees to provide guidance to Seller regarding the above requirements and during the certification process(es) and to serve as a liaison between Seller and the certification agencies. Seller shall pay all third-party costs associated with all certifications referenced above and all other certifications reasonably requested by Buyer (including all costs of inspections, fees paid to certifying organizations, testing or auditing costs, or membership costs). Seller shall deliver copies of all certifications and reports to Buyer.

Specific terms and requirements of the GGL Certification is available using the following links:

http://www.greengoldcertified.org/ or

http://certification.controlunion.com/

Information regarding the Laborelec-SGS Solid Biomass Sustainability scheme is available using the following links:

http://www.sgs.com/ or

http://www.laborelec.be/

 

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Schedule D

DAP Schedule

Section references in this Schedule D refer to Sections of this Schedule D unless otherwise noted in this Schedule D.

1. Deliveries by Truck . This Section 1 shall apply to DAP Shipments specified to be made by truck pursuant to the relevant Confirmation:

(a) Truck Transportation . Seller shall be responsible for making all necessary arrangements for carriage of DAP Shipments by truck to the Delivery Point. Seller shall procure and promptly provide to Buyer a copy of the bills of lading issued by the applicable trucking contractor(s), consigned to Buyer’s order, and evidencing the DAP Shipment(s) on board the trucks in apparent good order and condition.

(b) Unloading; Trucking Regulations . Buyer and / or its appointed contractors, servants or agents shall unload the Biomass at the Delivery Point with all due dispatch and in compliance with Applicable Law, and shall use commercially reasonable efforts to minimize degradation of the Biomass during such unloading process. Seller should have right to inspect such unloading procedures to determine compliance with such requirements. Seller shall ensure that all trucks used for carriage of DAP Shipments are compatible with Buyer’s truck tipping equipment and unloading facilities, and Buyer shall provide to Seller specifications as are reasonably necessary to enable Seller to determine such compatibility. Seller shall cause (i) all DAP Shipments to be delivered in compliance with Applicable Law in all material respects and (ii) all trucks used for carriage of DAP Shipments to be in compliance with Applicable Law in all material respects, including laws relating to weight limits. Notwithstanding anything in Section 8 of the Agreement or otherwise to the contrary, for any trucks exceeding the allowable gross weight established by Applicable Law, the weight of the applicable DAP Shipment for purposes of determining the Purchase Price shall be reduced by the amount of such exceedance. Seller shall provide written notice to all parties providing carriage of DAP Shipments that Buyer will not be responsible for any damage to trucks falling from the tipper if the damage is the fault of the truck operator, and that the truck operator shall be responsible and shall pay for such damage, any damage to Buyer’s facilities (including the Terminal) and the costs of removing any damaged truck. Buyer shall not be liable for, and Seller shall indemnify, hold harmless and defend Buyer from and against, any and all losses, costs, damages, liabilities, injuries, claims, demands, penalties, interest and causes of action (including reasonable attorney’s fees and court costs) arising out of or in relation to any truck or Seller failing to comply with this clause (b).

(c) Seller shall be responsible for distributing and collecting required documentation, including insurance verification documents, operating instructions for weighing and tipping facilities, and safety requirements at the Terminal, to and from all truck operators and other parties delivering Biomass pursuant to this Agreement.

 

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2. Deliveries by Rail . This Section 2 shall apply to DAP Shipments to be made by rail as specified in the relevant Confirmation:

(a) Rail Transportation . Seller shall be responsible for making all necessary arrangements for carriage of DAP Shipments by rail to the Delivery Point. Seller shall procure and promptly provide to Buyer a copy of the bills of lading issued by the applicable rail freight contractor(s), consigned to Buyer’s order, and evidencing the DAP Shipment(s) on board the rail cars in apparent good order and condition.

(b) Unloading; Rail Freight Regulations . Buyer and / or its appointed servants or agents shall unload the Biomass at the Delivery Point with all due dispatch and in compliance with Applicable Law, and shall use commercially reasonable efforts to minimize degradation of the Biomass during such unloading process. Seller should have right to inspect such unloading procedures to determine compliance with such requirements. Seller shall ensure that all rail cars used for carriage of DAP Shipments are compatible with Buyer’s rail car unloading facilities, and Buyer shall provide to Seller specifications as are reasonably necessary to enable Seller to determine such compatibility. Seller shall cause (i) all DAP Shipments to be delivered in compliance with Applicable Law in all material respects and (ii) all rail cars used for carriage of DAP Shipments to be in compliance with Applicable Law in all material respects.

(c) Seller shall be responsible for distributing and collecting required documentation, including insurance verification documents, operating instructions for rail car unloading facilities, and safety requirements at the Terminal, to and from all rail freight operators and other parties delivering Biomass pursuant to this Agreement.

 

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Schedule E

FOB Schedule

Section references in this Schedule E refer to Sections of this Schedule E unless otherwise noted in this Schedule E.

1. Ocean / Sea Transportation . Buyer shall be responsible for making all necessary arrangements for carriage of Shipments from the Load Port, including having Owners execute any documentation necessary for Vessels nominated hereunder to access and load at the Load Port. Seller shall procure and promptly provide to Buyer a copy of the bills of lading issued by the Master(s) of the Vessel(s) consigned to Buyer’s order, and evidencing the Shipment(s) on board the Vessel(s) of the Biomass in apparent good order and condition.

2. Loading; Local Port Rules and Regulation . Seller shall load the Biomass into the Vessel(s) to the satisfaction of the Master(s) with all due dispatch on a spout trimmed or bucket loaded basis at its own expense and at its own risk. Seller and / or its appointed servants or agents shall load, stow and trim the Shipment(s) on board the Vessel(s) in compliance with the IMO Code of Safe Practice for Solid Bulk Cargoes, 1998 edition and Applicable Law, and in accordance with the Master(s) instructions. Buyer acknowledges that all Vessels shall be required to comply with all applicable Load Port Procedures and that Seller shall not be liable for any costs, expenses or damages that may arise as a result of any Vessel or Owner failing to comply with such procedures.

3. Stowage .

(a) Subject always to the Vessel remaining seaworthy during loading and in anticipation of the intended voyage, a Vessel shall be determined to be fully loaded when in the Master’s opinion, the holds, after being trimmed, have been filled to the maximum level that will allow the hatches to properly close and fasten. If Buyer or Seller disputes that the Vessel was fully loaded, a competent surveyor shall be appointed by mutual agreement of the Parties to determine whether the Vessel was fully loaded. The surveyor’s findings shall be made available to both Parties and shall be final and binding on the Parties except in the case of fraud or manifest error. The prevailing Party shall be liable for the surveyor’s fee and any other costs of the survey, including any demurrage charges or reduction in despatch resulting from the conduct of such survey.

(b) For a fully loaded Vessel, where the actual stow factor (as determined by the freight master), is less than fifty-five (55) cubic feet per Tonne, the Parties shall equally share any discounts for such Shipment afforded by the relevant Charter Party, a copy of which Buyer shall provide to Seller upon request.

(c) For a non-fully loaded Vessel, Seller shall use commercially reasonable efforts to load further Biomass, complying with the same terms and at the same price as the applicable Shipment, onto the Vessel. If Seller fails to do so, so long as Seller has delivered a quantity of Biomass consistent with the terms hereof, Buyer shall be liable for the cost of deadfreight payable to Owner; provided , however , that if Seller has not delivered a quantity of Biomass as required by the terms hereof, Seller shall be

 

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responsible to Buyer for the cost of deadfreight payable by Buyer to Owner, in addition to any other amounts that may be owed to Buyer hereunder due to Seller’s failure to deliver a sufficient quantity of Biomass.

4. Vessel Nomination and Notices .

(a) Except as otherwise provided herein, in respect of each Shipment, the Laycan, Load Port and Shipment Size shall conform entirely to the terms of the relevant Confirmation. Buyer shall confirm, via written notice or facsimile, to Seller the Vessel Nomination of each Shipment as soon as reasonably practicable following receipt of Seller’s Laycan Nomination and in no case later than the period stipulated for such Vessel Nomination in the relevant Confirmation. Such confirmation shall include (i) the Vessel or Vessels for the carriage of that Shipment including the Vessel’s name and IMO number, (ii) the Laycan, any other laytime provisions and the demurrage rate applicable under the relevant Charter Party, and (iii) the approximate quantity of Biomass to be loaded.

(b) Each Vessel nominated by Buyer, including each substitute Vessel, shall meet the following requirements (“ Vessel Requirements ”):

(i) be a single deck self-trimming bulk carrier;

(ii) be classed Lloyds 100 A1 or equivalent by the applicable classification society;

(iii) have hatches of the mechanical type and be of such design and construction (including with respect to gears and stanchions) as not to interfere with, delay or disrupt loading of the Vessel;

(iv) comply with all applicable Load Port Procedures; and

(v) have an age no greater than twenty-five (25) years.

(c) Seller may reject any Vessel Nomination within twenty-four (24) hours after receiving such nomination if (i) the Vessel nominated does not conform to the Vessel Requirements or (ii) the loading berth cannot accommodate the Vessel due to length, beam, draft, or deadweight tonnage, in either case by notifying Buyer during Office Hours. Upon Seller’s valid rejection of the Vessel Nomination, Buyer shall nominate a conforming Vessel within forty-eight (48) hours.

(d) Buyer may substitute a different Vessel for any nominated Vessel; provided , that the substitute Vessel satisfies the Vessel Requirements and is expected to arrive at the Load Port within the Laycan for the originally nominated Vessel, unless Seller otherwise agrees in advance. Buyer shall notify Seller of any proposed Vessel substitution not fewer than three (3) Working Days before the expected arrival of the original Vessel.

 

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(e) Buyer shall keep Seller informed of any significant changes of the Vessel’s or substitute Vessel’s ETA at the Load Port notified to it by Owners. Buyer shall instruct the Master of the Vessel to notify Seller, and Seller shall in turn notify the Load Port, fourteen (14) days’ (where possible), five (5) days’, forty-eight (48) hours’ and twenty-four (24) hours’ prior to each Vessel’s ETA at the Load Port and any variation thereof greater than twelve (12) hours. If the Vessel or the substitute Vessel arrives after the Laycan and, as a result, the berth is occupied by another vessel, laytime shall be postponed without demurrage charges for a period equal to the lesser of (i) forty-eight (48) hours and (ii) such time as is required to bring the Vessel alongside a suitable loading berth at the Load Port.

(f) Each Party shall use the IMO number provided pursuant to Section 4(a)(i) on all correspondence, documents (excluding the bill(s) of lading), analysis and invoices relating to the applicable Shipment.

5. NOR; Tendering; Commencement of Laytime .

(a) Seller is permitted an amount of laytime at the Load Port determined by dividing the bill of lading weight by the Loading Rate. Buyer shall cause the NOR to be tendered by the Vessel at the Load Port by telex, radio, email or telephone (and if by radio or telephone, subsequently confirmed in writing) to Seller.

(b) An NOR may be tendered upon arrival at the load berth, when the performing Vessel has arrived and is in all respects ready to load, anytime day or night, Sundays and holidays included, excluding Super Holidays. The performing Vessel must proceed to the load berth to tender an NOR if it is free and available. In the event that the Load Port is congested or the berth is occupied, Buyer may tender an NOR from the normal waiting place, or such place as designated by the Charter Party, its agents, or port authority, whether the performing Vessel is in port or not, whether it is in berth or not, whether it is in customs clearance or not, and whether it is in free pratique or not. Buyer will not tender NOR before 00:01 hours on the first day of the laycan, unless permitted by the Charter Party. If the berth is occupied, Charter Party may direct that the performing Vessel go to a different berth.

(c) Laytime shall commence the earlier of (a) twelve (12) hours after NOR is tendered and (b) when the Vessel is all fast alongside the loading berth and is in all respects ready to load the Biomass, any time day or night, in free pratique or not and whether customs cleared or not, SSHINC. Laytime shall cease counting upon completion of loading.

6. Demurrage . Buyer shall provide laytime calculations to Seller within four (4) Working Days after loading is complete. Such calculations shall be final and binding unless disputed by Seller within ten (10) Working Days following delivery thereof by Buyer, with any such dispute to be accompanied by reasonable supporting documentation and, if not resolved by the Parties within fifteen (15) Working Days, resolved in accordance with Section 21(c) of the Agreement. If the laytime used exceeds the laytime allowed, Seller shall pay demurrage to Buyer for such exceedance at the rate nominated by Buyer pursuant to Section 4(a)(ii). If the

 

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laytime used is less than the laytime allowed, Buyer shall pay despatch to Seller for all laytime saved at the rate nominated by Buyer which shall in any event be consistent with the rate specified in the relevant Charter. The Party owing demurrage or despatch pursuant to this Section 6 shall pay such owed amounts within thirty (30) days following determination of laytime.

7. Laytime Exceptions . The following items shall not count as laytime or as time on demurrage:

(a) Time taken from anchorage/place of waiting to the load berth(s);

(b) Time taken for discharging ballast unless such discharge is possible while maintaining the stipulated loading rate;

(c) Time lost due to any cause attributable to the performing Vessel (including, but not limited to, the performing Vessel’s failure to comply with all applicable laws), her Master, her crew or Buyer, which affects the working or berthing of the performing Vessel;

(d) Weather related delays affecting the safe loading of the cargo in a dry condition as required;

(e) Total stoppage of all activities by stevedores due to strike;

(f) Time taken due to disputes between Master and men occasioning stoppage of stevedores, performing Vessel crew, pilots or other workmen essential to the movement, working or loading of the performing Vessel;

(g) Physical inability by the performing Vessel to load the cargo, including but not limited to ballasting or deballasting capacity;

(h) Obtaining pratique after berthing, even if NOR has been tendered without pratique;

(i) Breakdown or other inadequacy attributable to the performing Vessel;

(j) Force Majeure event (provided that no deduction of time shall be allowed for Force Majeure unless due notice of same has been given in writing by the Impaired Party).

(k) Arrest or detention of the vessel by or on behalf of a third party not connected with Charterers or the cargo; and

(l) Any time lost due to Buyer or any government authority or port authority preventing, impeding or prohibiting loading.

8. Stevedores / Government Entities . All costs in connection with loading the Shipment at the Load Port, including stevedore costs and all cargo dues or charges related to the

 

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Biomass at the Load Port shall be for Seller’s account. Seller shall be responsible for all loading arrangements with Government Entities, stevedores, Owner(s) and other third parties at the Load Port. Seller shall be responsible to Owner(s) for any damages to the Vessel and / or all time used or lost as a result of such damages, and Seller shall settle any such claims with Owner(s) directly. Seller shall be responsible for repairs of any damages to the Vessel, with any time lost as a result of such repairs to count as laytime. Buyer, if requested by Seller, shall render reasonable assistance to Seller in conjunction with Seller’s discussions with Owner(s).

9. Overtime . Cost for stevedoring overtime at the Load Port called for by Buyer is for Buyer’s account. Cost for all other overtime at the Load Port is for Seller’s account.

10. Safe Berth . Seller guarantees to Buyer a safe berth for the Vessel at the Load Port that can accommodate Vessels to be provided hereunder and where the Vessel can safely reach and safely leave and always lie safely afloat.

 

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Exhibit 99.1

News Release

Investor Contact:

Stephen F. Reeves

(240) 482-3856

ir@envivapartners.com

Enviva Partners, LP Announces Pricing of Initial Public Offering

Bethesda, MD (April 28, 2015) – Enviva Partners, LP (“Enviva Partners” or the “Partnership”) today announced the pricing of its initial public offering of 10,000,000 common units representing limited partner interests at $20.00 per common unit. The common units are expected to begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange on April 29, 2015 under the ticker symbol “EVA.” In addition, the Partnership has granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 1,500,000 common units at the initial public offering price. The offering is expected to close on May 4, 2015, subject to customary closing conditions.

Upon the consummation of the offering, the public will own common units representing a 42.0% limited partner interest in the Partnership (or 48.3% if the underwriters exercise in full their option to purchase additional common units). Enviva Holdings, LP (the “Sponsor”) will own common units and subordinated units representing a 58.0% limited partner interest in the Partnership (or 51.7% if the underwriters exercise in full their option to purchase additional common units).

The Partnership intends to use the net proceeds from the offering to pay, together with borrowings under its new term loan facility, a distribution to the Sponsor, to repay intercompany indebtedness related to the acquisition of the Partnership’s Cottondale wood pellet production plant and for general partnership purposes, including future acquisitions. The net proceeds from any exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional common units will be used to pay a distribution to the Sponsor.

Barclays Capital Inc., Goldman, Sachs & Co., RBC Capital Markets, LLC and Citigroup Global Markets Inc. are acting as joint book-running managers for the offering, and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Raymond James & Associates, Inc., Mitsubishi UFJ Securities (USA), Inc. and U.S. Capital Advisors are acting as co-managers for the offering. The offering of these securities is being made only by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. When available, a copy of the final prospectus may be obtained from:

Barclays Capital Inc.

c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions

1155 Long Island Avenue

Edgewood, New York 11717

barclaysprospectus@broadridge.com

Toll-Free: (888) 603-5847


Goldman, Sachs & Co.

Attn: Prospectus Department

200 West Street

New York, New York 10282

prospectus-ny@ny.emal.gs.com

Toll-Free: 1-866-471-2526

RBC Capital Markets, LLC

Attn: Prospectus Department

Three World Financial Center

200 Vesey Street, 8th Floor

New York, NY 10281

Toll-Free: 1-877-822-4089

Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions

1155 Long Island Avenue

Edgewood, New York 11717

prospectus@citi.com

Toll-Free: (800) 831-9146

You may also get a copy of the final prospectus for free by visiting the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s (the “SEC”) website at http://www.sec.gov .

A registration statement relating to these securities has been filed with and declared effective by the SEC. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities described above in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

About Enviva Partners, LP

Enviva Partners, LP, a growth-oriented limited partnership, is the world’s largest supplier by production capacity of utility-grade wood pellets to major power generators. Enviva Partners owns and operates five wood pellet production plants in the Southeastern U.S. that have a combined wood pellet production capacity of approximately 1.7 million metric tons per year and a dry-bulk, deep-water marine terminal at the Port of Chesapeake, VA.


Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may include forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. When considering these forward-looking statements, you should keep in mind the risk factors and other cautionary statements in the Partnership’s prospectus and SEC filings. The Partnership undertakes no obligation and does not intend to update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances occurring after this press release. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release.

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Exhibit 99.2

News Release

Investor Contact:

Stephen F. Reeves

(240) 482-3856

ir@envivapartners.com

Enviva Partners, LP Announces Closing of Initial Public Offering

Bethesda, MD (May 4, 2015) – Enviva Partners, LP (“Enviva Partners” or the “Partnership”) today announced the closing of its initial public offering of 11,500,000 common units representing limited partner interests at $20.00 per common unit. The number of common units issued at closing included 1,500,000 common units that were issued pursuant to the full exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional common units. The common units began trading on the New York Stock Exchange on April 29, 2015 under the ticker symbol “EVA.” Net proceeds from the offering were approximately $213.6 million.

Following the closing of the offering, the public owns common units representing a 48.3% limited partner interest in the Partnership. Enviva Holdings, LP (the “Sponsor”) owns common units and subordinated units representing a 51.7% limited partner interest in the Partnership.

The Partnership intends to use the net proceeds from the offering to pay, together with borrowings under its new term loan facility, a distribution to the Sponsor, to repay intercompany indebtedness related to the acquisition of the Partnership’s Cottondale wood pellet production plant and for general partnership purposes, including future acquisitions.

Barclays Capital Inc., Goldman, Sachs & Co., RBC Capital Markets, LLC and Citigroup Global Markets Inc. acted as joint book-running managers for the offering, and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Raymond James & Associates, Inc., Mitsubishi UFJ Securities (USA), Inc. and U.S. Capital Advisors acted as co-managers for the offering. The offering of these securities was made only by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. A copy of the final prospectus may be obtained from:

Barclays Capital Inc.

c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions

1155 Long Island Avenue

Edgewood, New York 11717

barclaysprospectus@broadridge.com

Toll-Free: (888) 603-5847

Goldman, Sachs & Co.

Attn: Prospectus Department

200 West Street

New York, New York 10282

prospectus-ny@ny.emal.gs.com

Toll-Free: 1-866-471-2526


RBC Capital Markets, LLC

Attn: Prospectus Department

Three World Financial Center

200 Vesey Street, 8th Floor

New York, NY 10281

Toll-Free: 1-877-822-4089

Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions

1155 Long Island Avenue

Edgewood, New York 11717

prospectus@citi.com

Toll-Free: (800) 831-9146

You may also get a copy of the final prospectus for free by visiting the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s (the “SEC”) website at http://www.sec.gov .

A registration statement relating to these securities has been filed with and declared effective by the SEC. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities described above in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

About Enviva Partners, LP

Enviva Partners, LP, a growth-oriented limited partnership, is the world’s largest supplier by production capacity of utility-grade wood pellets to major power generators. Enviva Partners owns and operates five wood pellet production plants in the Southeastern U.S. that have a combined wood pellet production capacity of approximately 1.7 million metric tons per year and a dry-bulk, deep-water marine terminal at the Port of Chesapeake, VA.


Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may include forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. When considering these forward-looking statements, you should keep in mind the risk factors and other cautionary statements in the Partnership’s prospectus and SEC filings. The Partnership undertakes no obligation and does not intend to update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances occurring after this press release. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release.

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