CREDIT AGREEMENT Dated as of September 5, 2025 Among RGC MIDSTREAM, LLC as Borrower, ATLANTIC UNION BANK as Administrative Agent and The Other Lenders Party Hereto
Exhibit 10.1
Dated as of September 5, 2025
Among
RGC MIDSTREAM, LLC
as Borrower,
ATLANTIC UNION BANK
as Administrative Agent
and
The Other Lenders Party Hereto
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section Page
ARTICLE I. DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS 1
1.01 Defined Terms 1
1.02 Other Interpretive Provisions 15
1.03 Accounting Terms 16
1.04 Rounding 17
1.05 Times of Day 17
ARTICLE II. THE COMMITMENTS AND CREDIT EXTENSIONS 17
2.01 Committed Loans 17
2.02 Borrowings of Committed Loans 17
2.03 Prepayments 17
2.04 [Intentionally Omitted]. 17
2.05 Repayment of Loans 18
2.06 Interest and Index Changes 18
2.07 Fees 20
2.08 Computation of Interest and Fees 20
2.09 Evidence of Debt 21
2.10 Payments Generally; Agent’s Clawback 21
2.11 Sharing of Payments 22
2.12 Purchase for Investment 23
ARTICLE III. TAXES, YIELD PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY 23
3.01 Taxes 23
3.02 Illegality 26
3.03 Inability to Determine Rates 27
3.04 Increased Costs 27
3.05 Compensation for Losses 28
3.06 Mitigation Obligations 28
3.07 Survival 29
ARTICLE IV. CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO CREDIT EXTENSIONS 29
4.01 Conditions of Credit Extension 29
ARTICLE V. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES 30
5.01 Existence, Qualification and Power 30
5.02 Authorization; No Contravention 31
5.03 Governmental Authorization; Other Consents 31
5.04 Binding Effect 31
5.05 Financial Statements; No Material Adverse Effect 31
5.06 Litigation 32
5.07 No Default 32
5.08 Ownership of Property; Liens 32
5.09 Environmental Compliance 32
5.10 Insurance 32
5.11 Taxes 33
5.12 ERISA Compliance. 33
5.13 Margin Regulations; Investment Company Act. 33
5.14 Disclosure 33
5.15 Compliance with Laws 34
5.16 Taxpayer Identification Number 34
5.17 Anti-Corruption Laws; Sanctions. 34
5.18 OFAC 34
5.19 Patriot Act 34
ARTICLE VI. AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS 35
6.01 Financial Statements 35
6.02 Certificates; Other Information 35
6.03 Notices 36
6.04 Payment of Obligations 37
6.05 Preservation of Existence, Etc 37
6.06 Maintenance of Properties 37
6.07 Maintenance of Insurance 37
6.08 Compliance with Laws 37
6.09 Books and Records 38
6.10 Inspection Rights 38
6.11 Use of Proceeds 38
6.12 Financial Covenants 38
6.13 Anti-Corruption Laws; Sanctions 41
ARTICLE VII. NEGATIVE COVENANTS 41
7.01 Indebtedness 41
7.02 Fundamental Changes 42
7.03 Dispositions 42
7.04 Restricted Payments 43
7.05 Change in Nature of Business 43
7.06 Transactions with Affiliates 43
7.07 Use of Proceeds 43
ARTICLE VIII. EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES 43
8.01 Events of Default 43
8.02 Remedies Upon Event of Default 46
8.03 Application of Funds 46
ARTICLE IX. ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT 47
9.01 Appointment and Authorization of Administrative Agent 47
9.02 Rights as a Lender 47
9.03 Exculpatory Provisions 47
9.04 Reliance by Administrative Agent 48
9.05 Delegation of Duties 48
9.06 Resignation of Agent 48
9.07 Non-Reliance on Agent and Other Lenders 49
9.08 No Other Duties, Etc 49
9.09 Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim 49
ARTICLE X. MISCELLANEOUS 50
10.01 Amendments, Etc 50
10.02 Notices; Effectiveness; Electronic Communications 51
10.03 No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies: Enforcement 52
10.04 Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver 53
10.05 Payments Set Aside 55
10.06 Successors and Assigns 55
10.07 Treatment of Certain Information; Confidentiality 58
10.08 Right of Setoff 59
10.09 Interest Rate Limitation 60
10.10 Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness 60
10.11 Survival of Representations and Warranties 60
10.12 Severability 60
10.13 Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Etc 60
10.14 Waiver of Jury Trial 61
10.15 No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility 61
10.16 Electronic Execution of Assignments and Certain Other Documents 62
10.17 USA PATRIOT Act Notice 62
10.18 Time of the Essence 62
SCHEDULES
2.01 Commitments and Applicable Percentages
5.06 Litigation
5.09 Environmental Matters
5.14 Disclosure Documents
7.01 Existing Indebtedness
10.02 Administrative Agent’s Office, Certain Addresses for Notices
EXHIBITS
Form of
A [Intentionally Left Blank]
B Note
C Compliance Certificate
D Assignment and Assumption
E Administrative Questionnaire
THIS CREDIT AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is entered into as of September 5, 2025, among:
RGC MIDSTREAM, LLC (“Borrower”),
each lender from time to time party to this Agreement (collectively, “Lenders” and individually, a “Lender”), and
ATLANTIC UNION BANK, as Administrative Agent and Sole Lead Arranger.
Borrower has requested that Lenders provide a non-revolving credit line facility, and Lenders are willing to do so on the terms and conditions set forth herein. In consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements in this Agreement, the parties covenant and agree as follows:
ARTICLE I. DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS
1.01 Defined Terms. As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:
“Administrative Agent” or “Agent” means Atlantic Union Bank in its capacity as administrative agent under any of the Loan Documents, or any successor administrative agent.
“Administrative Agent’s Office” means Agent’s address and, as appropriate, account as set forth on Schedule 10.02, or such other address or account as Agent may from time to time notify Borrower and Lenders.
“Administrative Questionnaire” means an Administrative Questionnaire in substantially the form of Exhibit E or any other form approved by Agent.
“Affiliate” means, with respect to any Person, another Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, Controls or is Controlled by or is under common Control with the Person specified.
“Aggregate Commitments” means the Commitments of all Lenders.
“Agreement” means this Credit Agreement.
“Applicable Margin” means 1.55% per annum.
“Applicable Percentage” means with respect to any Lender at any time, the percentage (carried out to the ninth decimal place) of the Aggregate Commitments represented by such ▇▇▇▇▇▇’s Commitment at such time. If the commitment of each Lender to make Loans has been terminated pursuant to Section 8.02 or if the Aggregate Commitments have expired, then the Applicable Percentage of each Lender shall be determined based on the Applicable Percentage of such Lender most recently in effect, giving effect to any subsequent assignments. The initial Applicable Percentage of each Lender is set forth opposite the name of such Lender on Schedule 2.01 or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender becomes a party hereto, as applicable.
“Assignee Group” means two or more Eligible Assignees that are Affiliates of one another.
“Assignment and Assumption” means an assignment and assumption entered into by a Lender and an assignee (with the consent of any party whose consent is required by Section 10.06(b)), and accepted by Agent, in substantially the form of Exhibit D or any other form approved by Agent.
“Attributable Indebtedness” means, on any date, (a) in respect of any finance lease of any Person, the capitalized amount thereof that would appear on a balance sheet of such Person prepared as of such date in accordance with GAAP, and (b) in respect of any Synthetic Lease Obligation, the capitalized amount of the remaining lease payments under the relevant lease that would appear on a balance sheet of such Person prepared as of such date in accordance with GAAP if such lease were accounted for as a finance lease.
“Audited Financial Statements” means the audited consolidated balance sheet of Guarantor and its Subsidiaries for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2024, and the related consolidated statements of income or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for such fiscal year of Guarantor and its Subsidiaries, including the notes thereto.
“AUB” means Atlantic Union Bank and its successors.
“Base Rate” means for any day a fluctuating rate per annum equal to the higher of (a) the Federal Funds Rate plus 1/2 of 1% and (b) the rate of interest in effect for such day as publicly announced from time to time by AUB as its “prime rate.” The “prime rate” is a rate set by AUB based upon various factors including AUB’s costs and desired return, general economic conditions and other factors, and is used as a reference point for pricing some loans, which may be priced at, above, or below such announced rate. Any change in such rate announced by AUB shall take effect at the opening of business on the day specified in the public announcement of such change.
“Base Rate Committed Loan” means a Committed Loan that is a Base Rate Loan.
“Base Rate Loan” means a Loan that bears interest based on the Base Rate.
“Benchmark” means, initially, Term SOFR; provided that if a Benchmark Disruption Event has occurred with respect to Term SOFR or the then-current Benchmark, then “Benchmark” shall mean the Replacement Benchmark Rate to the extent that such Replacement Benchmark Rate has replaced such prior benchmark rate pursuant to Section 2.06.
“Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks are authorized to close under the Laws of, or are in fact closed in, the state where Administrative Agent’s Office is located; however, when used in connection with the determination of Term SOFR, “Business Day” means “U.S. Government Securities Business Day”.
“Borrower” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph hereto.
“Borrower Materials” has the meaning specified in Section 6.02.
“Borrowing” means a Committed Borrowing.
“Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks are authorized to close under the Laws of, or are in fact closed in, the state where Administrative Agent’s Office is located; however, when used in connection with the determination of Term SOFR, “Business Day” shall exclude any day on which banks are not open for business in the State of New York.
“Change in Law” means the occurrence, after the date of this Agreement, of any of the following: (a) the adoption or taking effect of any law, rule, regulation or treaty, (b) any change in any law, rule, regulation or treaty or in the administration, interpretation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority or (c) the making or issuance of any request, guideline or directive (whether or not having the force of law) by any Governmental Authority; provided that, notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, (x) all requests, rules, guidelines or directives under or issued in connection with the ▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and (y) all requests, rules, guidelines or directives promulgated by the Bank for International Settlements, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (or any successor or similar authority) or the United States or foreign regulatory authorities, in each case pursuant to Basel III, shall be deemed to be a “Change in Law,” regardless of the date enacted, adopted or issued. Each Lender represents that it is not currently aware of any such request, rule, guideline or directive enacted, adopted or issued prior to the Closing Date that would constitute a Change in Law under the foregoing definition.
“Closing Date” means the first date all the conditions precedent in Section 4.01 are satisfied or waived in accordance with Section 10.01.
“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
“Commitment” means, as to each Lender at any time, its obligation to make Committed Loans to Borrower pursuant to Section 2.01, in an aggregate principal amount at any one time outstanding not to exceed such ▇▇▇▇▇▇’s Applicable Percentage of $53,600,000.00.
“Committed Borrowing” means a borrowing consisting of simultaneous Committed Loans made by each of the Lenders pursuant to Section 2.01.
“Committed Loan” has the meaning specified in Section 2.01.
“Compliance Certificate” means a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit C.
“Conforming Changes” means, with respect to Term SOFR or any Replacement Benchmark Rate, any technical, administrative or operational changes (including changes to the definition of “Business Day,” the definition of “Interest Period” or any similar or analogous definition (or the addition of a concept of “interest period”), timing and frequency of determining rates and making payments of interest, timing of borrowing requests or prepayment, conversion or continuation notices, the applicability and length of lookback periods, the applicability of breakage provisions, and other technical, administrative or operational matters) that the Lender decides may be appropriate to reflect the adoption and implementation of Term SOFR or any Replacement Benchmark Rate and to permit the administration thereof by the Lender in a manner substantially consistent with market practice (or, if the Lender decides that adoption of any portion of such market practice is not administratively feasible or if the Lender determines that no market practice for the administration of Term SOFR or such Replacement Benchmark Rate exists, in such other manner of administration as the Lender decides is reasonably necessary in connection with the administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents).
“Contractual Obligation” means, as to any Person, any provision of any security issued by such Person or of any agreement, instrument or other undertaking to which such Person is a party or by which it or any of its property is bound.
“Control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of a Person, whether through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract or otherwise. “Controlling” and “Controlled” have meanings correlative thereto.
“Credit Extension” means a Committed Borrowing.
“Daily Simple SOFR” shall mean, for any day, SOFR with the conventions for this rate (which will include a lookback) being established by Agent/Lenders in accordance with the conventions for this rate selected or recommended by the Relevant Governmental Body for determining “Daily Simple SOFR” for business loans; provided, that if the Agent/Lenders decide that any such convention is not administratively feasible for the Agent/Lenders, then the Agent/Lenders may establish another convention in its reasonable discretion.
“Debtor Relief Laws” means the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, and all other liquidation, conservatorship, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of creditors, moratorium, rearrangement, receivership, insolvency, reorganization, or similar debtor relief Laws of the United States or other applicable jurisdictions from time to time in effect and affecting the rights of creditors generally.
“Default” means any event or condition that constitutes an Event of Default or that, with the giving of any notice, the passage of time, or both, would be an Event of Default.
“Default Rate” means an interest rate equal to (i) the Base Rate plus (ii) the Applicable Margin, if any, applicable to Base Rate Loans plus (iii) 2% per annum; provided, however, that with respect to an Index Rate Loan, the Default Rate shall be an interest rate equal to the interest rate (including any Applicable Margin) otherwise applicable to such Loan plus 2% per annum.
“Defaulting Lender” means any Lender that (a) has failed to fund any portion of the Committed Loans required to be funded by it hereunder within one Business Day of the date required to be funded by it hereunder unless such failure has been cured, (b) has otherwise failed to pay over to Agent or any other Lender any other amount required to be paid by it hereunder within one Business Day of the date when due, unless the subject of a good faith dispute or unless such failure has been cured, or (c) has been deemed insolvent or become the subject of a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding.
“Disposition” or “Dispose” means the sale, transfer, license, lease or other disposition (including any sale and leaseback transaction) of any property by any Person, including any sale, assignment, transfer or other disposal, with or without recourse, of any notes or accounts receivable or any rights and claims associated therewith.
“Dollar” and “$” mean lawful money of the United States.
“Eligible Assignee” means any Person that meets the requirements to be an assignee under Section 10.06(b)(iii), (v) and (vi) (subject to such consents, if any, as may be required under Section 10.06(b)(iii)).
“Environmental Laws” means any and all Federal, state, local, and foreign statutes, laws, regulations, ordinances, rules, judgments, orders, decrees, permits, concessions, grants, franchises, licenses, agreements or governmental restrictions relating to pollution and the protection of the environment or the release of any materials into the environment, including those related to hazardous substances or wastes, air emissions and discharges to waste or public systems.
“Environmental Liability” means any liability, contingent or otherwise (including any liability for damages, costs of environmental remediation, fines, penalties or indemnities), of Borrower, any other Loan Party or any of their respective Subsidiaries directly or indirectly resulting from or based upon (a) violation of any Environmental Law, (b) the generation, use, handling, transportation, storage, treatment or disposal of any Hazardous Materials, (c) exposure to any Hazardous Materials, (d) the release or threatened release of any Hazardous Materials into the environment or (e) any contract, agreement or other consensual arrangement pursuant to which liability is assumed or imposed with respect to any of the foregoing.
“Equity Interests” means, with respect to any Person, all of the shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person, all of the warrants, options or other rights for the purchase or acquisition from such Person of shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person, all of the securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person or warrants, rights or options for the purchase or acquisition from such Person of such shares (or such other interests), and all of the other ownership or profit interests in such Person (including partnership, member or trust interests therein), whether voting or nonvoting, and whether or not such shares, warrants, options, rights or other interests are outstanding on any date of determination.
“ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.
“ERISA Affiliate” means any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) under common control with Borrower within the meaning of Section 414(b) or (c) of the Code (and Sections 414(m) and (o) of the Code for purposes of provisions relating to Section 412 of the Code).
“ERISA Event” means (a) a Reportable Event with respect to a Pension Plan; (b) a withdrawal by Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from a Pension Plan subject to Section 4063 of ERISA during a plan year in which it was a substantial employer (as defined in Section 4001(a)(2) of ERISA) or a cessation of operations that is treated as such a withdrawal under Section 4062(e) of ERISA; (c) a complete or partial withdrawal by Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from a Multiemployer Plan or notification that a Multiemployer Plan is in reorganization; (d) the filing of a notice of intent to terminate, the treatment of a Plan amendment as a termination under Section 4041 or 4041A of ERISA, or the commencement of proceedings by the PBGC to terminate a Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan; (e) an event or condition which constitutes grounds under Section 4042 of ERISA for the termination of, or the appointment of a trustee to administer, any Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan; or (f) the imposition of any liability under Title IV of ERISA, other than for PBGC premiums due but not delinquent under Section 4007 of ERISA, upon Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate.
“Event of Default” has the meaning specified in Section 8.01.
“Excluded Taxes” means, with respect to Agent, any Lender, or any other recipient of any payment to be made by or on account of any obligation of Borrower hereunder, (a) taxes imposed on or measured by its overall net income (however denominated), and franchise taxes imposed on it (in lieu of net income taxes), by the jurisdiction (or any political subdivision thereof) under the Laws of which such recipient is organized or in which its principal office is located or, in the case of any Lender, in which its applicable Lending Office is located, (b) any branch profits taxes imposed by the United States or any similar tax imposed by any other jurisdiction in which Borrower is located, (c) any backup withholding tax that is required by the Code to be withheld from amounts payable to a Lender that has failed to comply with clause (A) of Section 3.01(e)(ii) and (d) in the case of a Foreign Lender, any United States withholding tax that (i) is required to be imposed on amounts payable to such Foreign Lender pursuant to the Laws in force at the time such Foreign Lender becomes a party hereto (or designates a new Lending Office) or (ii) is attributable to such Foreign Lender’s failure or inability (other than as a result of a Change in Law) to comply with clause (B) of Section 3.01(e)(ii), except to the extent that such Foreign Lender (or its assignor, if any) was entitled, at the time of designation of a new Lending Office (or assignment), to receive additional amounts from Borrower with respect to such withholding tax pursuant to Section 3.01(a)(ii).
“Floor” shall mean zero percent (0.0%).
“Foreign Lender” means any Lender that is not a United States person under Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code.
“FRB” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States.
“GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board or such other principles as may be approved by a significant segment of the accounting profession in the United States, that are applicable to the circumstances as of the date of determination, consistently applied.
“Governmental Authority” means the government of the United States or any other nation, or of any political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government (including any supra-national bodies such as the European Union or the European Central Bank).
“Guarantee” means, as to any Person, any (a) any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of such Person guaranteeing or having the economic effect of guaranteeing any Indebtedness or other obligation payable or performable by another Person (the “primary obligor”) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, and including any obligation of such Person, direct or indirect, (i) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness or other obligation, (ii) to purchase or lease property, securities or services for the purpose of assuring the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment or performance of such Indebtedness or other obligation, (iii) to maintain working capital, equity capital or any other financial statement condition or liquidity or level of income or cash flow of the primary obligor so as to enable the primary obligor to pay such Indebtedness or other obligation, or (iv) entered into for the purpose of assuring in any other manner the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment or performance thereof or to protect such obligee against loss in respect thereof (in whole or in part), or (b) any Lien on any assets of such Person securing any Indebtedness or other obligation of any other Person, whether or not such Indebtedness or other obligation is assumed by such Person (or any right, contingent or otherwise, of any holder of such Indebtedness to obtain any such Lien). The amount of any Guarantee shall be deemed to be an amount equal to the stated or determinable amount of the related primary obligation, or portion thereof, in respect of which such Guarantee is made or, if not stated or determinable, the maximum reasonably anticipated liability in respect thereof as determined by the guaranteeing Person in good faith. The term “Guarantee” as a verb has a corresponding meaning.
“Guarantor” means RGC Resources, Inc.
“Guaranty” means the unconditional guaranty agreement made by the Guarantor in favor of the Agent and ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇.
“Hazardous Materials” means all explosive or radioactive substances or wastes and all hazardous or toxic substances, wastes or other pollutants, including petroleum or petroleum distillates, asbestos or asbestos-containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls, radon gas, infectious or medical wastes and all other substances or wastes of any nature regulated pursuant to any Environmental Law.
“Indebtedness” means, as to any Person at a particular time, without duplication, all of the following, whether or not included as indebtedness or liabilities in accordance with GAAP:
(a) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money and all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes, loan agreements or other similar instruments;
(b) all direct or contingent obligations of such Person arising under letters of credit (including standby and commercial), bankers’ acceptances, bank guaranties, surety bonds and similar instruments;
(c) net obligations of such Person under any Swap Contract;
(d) all obligations of such Person to pay the deferred purchase price of property or services (other than trade accounts (i) payable in the ordinary course of business and, in each case, (ii) not past due for more than 60 days after the date on which such trade account payable was created unless the trade account is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted and for which adequate reserves have been provided in accordance with GAAP);
(e) indebtedness (excluding prepaid interest thereon) secured by a Lien on property owned or being purchased by such Person (including indebtedness arising under conditional sales or other title retention agreements), whether or not such indebtedness shall have been assumed by such Person or is limited in recourse;
(f) finance leases and Synthetic Lease Obligations;
(g) all obligations of such Person to purchase, redeem, retire, defease or otherwise make any payment in respect of any Equity Interest in such Person or any other Person, valued, in the case of a redeemable preferred interest, at the greater of its voluntary or involuntary liquidation preference plus accrued and unpaid dividends; and
(h) all Guarantees of such Person in respect of any of the foregoing.
For all purposes hereof, the Indebtedness of any Person shall include the Indebtedness of any partnership or joint venture (other than a joint venture that is itself a corporation or limited liability company) in which such Person is a general partner or a joint venturer, unless such Indebtedness is expressly made non-recourse to such Person. The amount of any net obligation under any Swap Contract on any date shall be deemed to be the Swap Termination Value thereof as of such date. The amount of any finance lease or Synthetic Lease Obligation as of any date shall be deemed to be the amount of Attributable Indebtedness in respect thereof as of such date. For purposes hereof, “Indebtedness” shall not include obligations for rental under operating or “true” leases.
“Indemnified Taxes” means Taxes other than Excluded Taxes.
“Indemnitees” has the meaning specified in Section 10.04(b).
“Information” has the meaning specified in Section 10.07.
“Index Rate” means, at any time, that rate per annum which is equal to Term SOFR (or, if applicable, the Replacement Benchmark Rate) for the Interest Period then in effect.
“Interest Payment Date” means the last day of any Interest Period.
“Interest Period” means the period commencing on the date such Committed Loan is borrowed and ending on the first day of the next succeeding calendar month, and each one month period ending on the numerically corresponding day of each next succeeding calendar month thereafter; provided, that if an Interest Period would end on a day other than a Business Day, such Interest Period shall end on the next succeeding or next preceding Business Day, as determined by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion.
“Index Rate Loan,” when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, bears interest at a rate determined by reference to the Index Rate.
“Index Rate Determination Date” means the Closing Date and the first day of each calendar month after the Closing Date.
“Investment” means, as to any Person, any direct or indirect acquisition or investment by such Person, whether by means of (a) the purchase or other acquisition of capital stock or other securities of another Person, (b) a loan, advance or capital contribution to, Guarantee or assumption of debt of, or purchase or other acquisition of any other debt or equity participation or interest in, another Person, including any partnership or joint venture interest in such other Person and any arrangement pursuant to which the investor Guarantees Indebtedness of such other Person, or (c) the purchase or other acquisition (in one transaction or a series of transactions) of assets of another Person that constitute a business unit. For purposes of covenant compliance, the amount of any Investment shall be the amount actually invested, without adjustment for subsequent increases or decreases in the value of such Investment.
“IRS” means the United States Internal Revenue Service.
“ISDA Definitions” means the 2006 ISDA Definitions and/or 2021 ISDA Interest Rate Definitions, each as published by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc. or any successor thereto, as amended or supplemented from time to time, or any successor definitional booklet for interest rate derivatives published from time to time by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc. or such successor thereto.
“Laws” means, collectively, all international, foreign, Federal, state and local statutes, treaties, rules, guidelines, regulations, ordinances, codes and administrative or judicial precedents or authorities, including the interpretation or administration thereof by any Governmental Authority charged with the enforcement, interpretation or administration thereof, and all applicable administrative orders, directed duties, requests, licenses, authorizations and permits of, and agreements with, any Governmental Authority, in each case whether or not having the force of law.
“Lender” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph hereto.
“Lending Office” means, as to any Lender, the office or offices of such Lender described as such in such ▇▇▇▇▇▇’s Administrative Questionnaire, or such other office or offices as a Lender may from time to time notify Borrower and Agent.
“Lien” means any mortgage, pledge, hypothecation, assignment, deposit arrangement, encumbrance, lien (statutory or other), charge, or preference, priority or other security interest or preferential arrangement in the nature of a security interest of any kind or nature whatsoever (including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, any easement, right of way or other encumbrance on title to real property, and any financing lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing).
“Lines of Credit” means the extensions of credit by AUB as described in certain loan documents dated same date as this Agreement and in the amounts of $1,850,000 and $3,650,000.
“Loan” means an extension of credit by a Lender to Borrower under Article II in the form of a Committed Loan.
“Loan Documents” means this Agreement, each Note, and the Guaranty, and any other related documents, including any Swap Contract, relating to the Committed Loans to which Lenders or their Affiliates is a party.
“Loan Parties” means, collectively, Borrower, Guarantor and each Person (other than Agent or any Lender) executing a Loan Document.
“Master Agreement” shall mean any form of master agreement published by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc., any International Foreign Exchange Master Agreement, or any other master agreement governing a Swap Transaction, including any schedule, annexes or supplements thereto.
“Material Adverse Effect” means (a) a material adverse change in, or a material adverse effect upon, the operations, business, properties, liabilities (actual or contingent), condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Borrower or the Guarantor or the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole; (b) a material impairment of the ability of any Loan Party to perform its obligations under any Loan Document to which it is a party; or (c) a material adverse effect upon the legality, validity, binding effect or enforceability against any Loan Party of any Loan Document to which it is a party.
“Maturity Date” means September 5, 2032, except that if such date is not a Business Day, the Maturity Date shall be the next preceding Business Day.
“Multiemployer Plan” means any employee benefit plan of the type described in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA, to which Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate makes or is obligated to make contributions, or during the preceding five plan years, has made or been obligated to make contributions.
“Note” or “Notes” means a promissory note made by Borrower in favor of a Lender evidencing Loans made by such Lender, substantially in the form of Exhibit B.
“Obligations” means all advances to, and debts, liabilities, obligations, covenants and duties of, any Loan Party arising under (a) any Loan Document or otherwise with respect to any Loan or (b) any Swap Contract and Swap Obligation to which a Lender or its Affiliate is a party, all whether direct or indirect (including those acquired by assumption), absolute or contingent, liquidated or unliquidated, voluntary or involuntary, due or to become due, now existing or hereafter arising and including interest and fees that accrue after the commencement by or against any Loan Party or any Affiliate thereof of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Laws naming such Person as the debtor in such proceeding, regardless of whether such interest and fees are allowed claims in such proceeding.
“Organization Documents” means, (a) with respect to any corporation, the certificate or articles of incorporation and the bylaws (or equivalent or comparable constitutive documents with respect to any non-U.S. jurisdiction); (b) with respect to any limited liability company, the certificate or articles of formation or organization and operating agreement; and (c) with respect to any partnership, joint venture, trust or other form of business entity, the partnership, joint venture or other applicable agreement of formation or organization and any agreement, instrument, filing or notice with respect thereto filed in connection with its formation or organization with the applicable Governmental Authority in the jurisdiction of its formation or organization and, if applicable, any certificate or articles of formation or organization of such entity.
“Other Taxes” means all present or future stamp, intangible or documentary taxes or any other excise or property taxes, charges or similar levies arising from any payment made hereunder or under any other Loan Document or from the execution, delivery or enforcement of, or otherwise with respect to, this Agreement or any other Loan Document.
“Outstanding Amount” means with respect to Committed Loans on any date, the aggregate outstanding principal amount thereof after giving effect to any borrowings and prepayments or repayments of Committed Loans, as the case may be, occurring on such date.
“Participant” has the meaning specified in Section 10.06(d).
“PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.
“Pension Plan” means any “employee pension benefit plan” (as such term is defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA), other than a Multiemployer Plan, that is subject to Title IV of ERISA and is sponsored or maintained by Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate or to which Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate contributes or has an obligation to contribute, or in the case of a multiple employer or other plan described in Section 4064(a) of ERISA, has made contributions at any time during the immediately preceding five plan years.
“Person” means any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership, Governmental Authority or other entity.
“Plan” means any “employee benefit plan” (as such term is defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA) established by Borrower or, with respect to any such plan that is subject to Section 412 of the Code or Title IV of ERISA, any ERISA Affiliate.
“Prime Rate” means, for any day of determination, a rate per annum equal to the highest rate published in the “Money Rates” section of The Wall Street Journal as the “Prime Rate” for such day (or, if such source is not available, such alternate source as determined by the Administrative Agent).
“Project Contributions” means the Borrower’s equity contributions to Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC in accordance with the terms of the operating agreement of that company.
“Register” has the meaning specified in Section 10.06(c).
“Related Parties” means, with respect to any Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the partners, directors, officers, employees, agents, trustees and advisors of such Person and of such Person’s Affiliates.
“Replacement Benchmark Rate” means the first alternative set forth below that can be determined by and is administratively feasible to the Lender:
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(a) |
Daily Simple SOFR; |
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(b) |
the alternate benchmark rate that has been selected by the Lender as the replacement for the then-current interest rate index giving due consideration to (i) any selection or recommendation of a replacement benchmark rate or the mechanism for determining such a rate by the Relevant Governmental Body or (ii) any evolving or then-prevailing market convention for determining a benchmark rate as a replacement for the then-current interest rate index for Dollar-denominated business loans at such time in the United States. |
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if all or any portion of any Committed Loan is hedged by a Swap Transaction for which the ISDA Definitions apply, the Replacement Benchmark Rate shall be the sum of the successor rate and any applicable spread adjustment that would apply for derivatives transactions referencing the ISDA Definitions upon the occurrence of an index cessation effective date with respect to the relevant floating rate under the ISDA Definitions applicable to such Swap Transaction.
“Reportable Event” means any of the events set forth in Section 4043(c) of ERISA, other than events for which the 30 day notice period has been waived.
“Relevant Governmental Body” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System or the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, or a committee officially endorsed or convened by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System or the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, or any successor thereto.
“Required Lenders” means, as of any date of determination, Lenders having more than 50% of the Aggregate Commitments or, if the commitment of each Lender to make Loans has been terminated pursuant to Section 8.02, Lenders holding in the aggregate more than 50% of the Total Outstandings; provided that (a) if there are two or fewer Lenders, “Required Lenders” shall mean Lenders having 100% of the Aggregate Commitments and (b) the Commitment of, and the portion of the Total Outstandings held or deemed held by, any Defaulting Lender shall be excluded for purposes of making a determination of Required Lenders.
“Responsible Officer” means the chief executive officer, president, chief financial officer, treasurer, assistant treasurer, manager, assistant manager, or controller of a Loan Party and, solely for purposes of notices given pursuant to Article II, any other officer or employee of the applicable Loan Party so designated by any of the foregoing officers in a notice to Agent. Any document delivered hereunder that is signed by a Responsible Officer of a Loan Party shall be conclusively presumed to have been authorized by all necessary corporate, partnership and/or other action on the part of such Loan Party and such Responsible Officer shall be conclusively presumed to have acted on behalf of such Loan Party.
“Restricted Payment” means any dividend or other distribution other than a capital call payment (whether in cash, securities or other property) with respect to any capital stock or other Equity Interest of Borrower or any Subsidiary, or any payment (whether in cash, securities or other property), including any sinking fund or similar deposit, on account of the purchase, redemption, retirement, acquisition, cancellation or termination of any such capital stock or other Equity Interest or on account of any return of capital to Borrower’s stockholders, partners or members (or the equivalent Person thereof).
“Sanctions” means any international economic sanction administered or enforced by the United States Government (including without limitation, the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control), the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury, The United Nations, or other relevant sanctions authority.
“SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, or any Governmental Authority succeeding to any of its principal functions.
“SOFR” means the secured overnight financing rate published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (or a successor administrator of the secured overnight financing rate).
“SOFR Reserve Percentage” shall mean, for any day, the maximum effective percentage in effect on such day, if any, as prescribed by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (or any successor) for determining the reserve requirements (including, without limitation, supplemental, marginal and emergency reserve requirements) with respect to SOFR funding.
“Sole Lead Arranger” means Atlantic Union Bank, in its capacity as the sole lead arranger.
“Subordinated Liabilities” means liabilities subordinated to the Obligations in a manner acceptable to Agent in its sole discretion.
“Subsidiary” of a Person means a corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other business entity of which a majority of the shares of securities or other interests having ordinary voting power for the election of directors or other governing body (other than securities or interests having such power only by reason of the happening of a contingency) are at the time beneficially owned, or the management of which is otherwise controlled, directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, or both, by such Person. Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to a “Subsidiary” or to “Subsidiaries” shall refer to a Subsidiary or Subsidiaries of Borrower.
“Swap Contract” means (a) any and all associated rate swap transactions, basis swaps, credit derivative transactions, forward rate transactions, commodity swaps, commodity options, forward commodity contracts, equity or equity index swaps or options, bond or bond price or bond index swaps or options or forward bond or forward bond price or forward bond index transactions, interest rate options, forward foreign exchange transactions, cap transactions, floor transactions, collar transactions, currency swap transactions, cross-currency rate swap transactions, currency options, spot contracts, or any other similar transactions or any combination of any of the foregoing (including any options to enter into any of the foregoing), whether or not any such transaction is governed by or subject to any Master Agreement, and (b) any and all transactions of any kind, and the related confirmations, which are subject to the terms and conditions of, or governed by, any form of Master Agreement.
“Swap Obligation” shall mean any obligation, liability, or indebtedness of Borrower (or any affiliate) to Lender arising in connection with a Swap Transaction, including, without limitation, any unpaid amounts, termination amounts, fee, indemnity, delivery obligation, charge, or netting of liabilities in connection with the early termination, partial termination, adjustment, or settlement of any Swap Transaction.
“Swap Termination Value” means, in respect of any one or more Swap Contracts, after taking into account the effect of any legally enforceable netting agreement relating to such Swap Contracts, (a) for any date on or after the date such Swap Contracts have been closed out and termination value(s) determined in accordance therewith, such termination value(s), and (b) for any date prior to the date referenced in clause (a), the amount(s) determined as the mark-to-market value(s) for such Swap Contracts, as determined based upon one or more mid-market or other readily available quotations provided by any recognized dealer in such Swap Contracts (which may include a Lender or any Affiliate of a Lender).
“Swap Transaction” shall mean any of the following entered into between Lender and Borrower: (i) interest rate swap transaction, basis swap, forward rate transaction, deal-contingent swap, commodity swap, forward commodity contract, commodity option, equity or equity index swap, equity or equity index option, bond or bond price or bond index swap or option, forward bond index transaction, interest rate option or swaption, foreign exchange transaction, forward exchange forward, forward exchange swap, interest rate cap transaction, interest rate floor transaction, interest rate collar transaction, currency swap transaction, cross-currency rate swap transaction, currency option, spot contract, any similar transaction, or any other arrangement which is a forward, swap, future, option or other derivative on one or more rates, currencies, commodities, digital assets, equity securities or other equity instruments, debt securities or other debt instruments, economic indices or measures of economic risk or value, or other benchmarks against which payments or deliveries are to be made, whether or not any such transaction is governed by or subject to any Master Agreement; and/or (ii) any transaction of any kind that constitutes a “swap” within the meaning of Section 1a(47) of the Commodity Exchange Act, 7 USC § 1 et seq.
“Syndicate Member” means CoBank, ACB, and its successors.
“Synthetic Lease Obligation” means the monetary obligation of a Person under (a) a so-called synthetic, off-balance sheet or tax retention lease, or (b) an agreement for the use or possession of property creating obligations that do not appear on the balance sheet of such Person but which, upon the insolvency or bankruptcy of such Person, would be characterized as the indebtedness of such Person (without regard to accounting treatment).
“Taxes” means all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, duties, deductions, withholdings (including backup withholding), assessments, fees or other charges imposed by any Governmental Authority, including any interest, additions to tax or penalties applicable thereto.
“Threshold Amount” means $5,000,000.
“Total Outstandings” means the aggregate Outstanding Amount of all Loans.
“Term SOFR” shall mean, for each Interest Period, the Term SOFR Reference Rate based on 1-month SOFR on the day (such day, the “Periodic Term SOFR Determination Day”) that is two (2) Business Days prior to the first day of such Interest Period, as such rate is published by the Term SOFR Administrator; provided, however, that if as of 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on any Periodic Term SOFR Determination Day the Term SOFR Reference Rate for the applicable tenor has not been published by the Term SOFR Administrator and the Term SOFR Reference Rate has not been replaced as a benchmark rate pursuant to the terms hereof, then Term SOFR will be the Term SOFR Reference Rate for such tenor as published by the Term SOFR Administrator on the first preceding U.S. Government Securities Business Day for which such Term SOFR Reference Rate for such tenor was published by the Term SOFR Administrator so long as such first preceding U.S. Government Securities Business Day is not more than five (5) U.S. Government Securities Business Days prior to such Periodic Term SOFR Determination Day; provided that if Term SOFR as so determined shall ever be less than the Floor (if any), Term SOFR shall be deemed to be the Floor.
“Term SOFR Administrator” means CME Group Benchmark Administration Limited (or any successor administrator of Term SOFR).
“Term SOFR Reference Rate” means the forward-looking term rate based on SOFR.
“Unfunded Pension Liability” means the excess of a Pension Plan’s benefit liabilities under Section 4001(a)(16) of ERISA, over the current value of that Pension Plan’s assets, determined in accordance with the assumptions used for funding the Pension Plan pursuant to Section 412 of the Code for the applicable plan year.
“United States” and “U.S.” mean the United States of America.
“U.S. Government Securities Business Day” means any day except for (A) a Saturday or Sunday or (B) a day on which the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association recommends that the fixed income departments of its members be closed for the entire day for purposes of trading in United States government securities.
1.02 Other Interpretive Provisions. With reference to this Agreement and each other Loan Document, unless otherwise specified herein or in such other Loan Document:
(a) The definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined. Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms. The words “include,” “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation.” The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall.” Unless the context requires otherwise, (i) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other document (including any Organization Document) shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended, supplemented or otherwise modified (subject to any restrictions on such amendments, supplements or modifications set forth herein or in any other Loan Document), (ii) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns, (iii) the words “herein,” “hereof” and “hereunder,” and words of similar import when used in any Loan Document, shall be construed to refer to such Loan Document in its entirety and not to any particular provision thereof, (iv) all references in a Loan Document to Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles and Sections of, and Exhibits and Schedules to, the Loan Document in which such references appear, (v) any reference to any law shall include all statutory and regulatory provisions consolidating, amending, replacing or interpreting such law and any reference to any law or regulation shall, unless otherwise specified, refer to such law or regulation as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time, and (vi) the words “asset” and “property” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all tangible and intangible assets and properties, including cash, securities, accounts and contract rights.
(b) In the computation of periods of time from a specified date to a later specified date, the word “from” means “from and including;” the words “to” and “until” each mean “to but excluding;” and the word “through” means “to and including.”
(c) Section headings herein and in the other Loan Documents are included for convenience of reference only and shall not affect the interpretation of this Agreement or any other Loan Document.
1.03 Accounting Terms. (a) Generally. All accounting terms not specifically or completely defined herein shall be construed in conformity with, and all financial data (including financial ratios and other financial calculations) required to be submitted pursuant to this Agreement shall be prepared in conformity with, GAAP applied on a consistent basis, as in effect from time to time, applied in a manner consistent with that used in preparing the Audited Financial Statements, except as otherwise specifically prescribed herein.
(b) Changes in GAAP. If at any time any change in GAAP would affect the computation of any financial ratio or requirement set forth in any Loan Document, and either Borrower or the Required Lenders shall so request, Agent, Lenders and Borrower shall negotiate in good faith to amend such ratio or requirement to preserve the original intent thereof in light of such change in GAAP (subject to the approval of the Required Lenders), except that, until so amended, (i) such ratio or requirement shall continue to be computed in accordance with GAAP prior to such change therein and (ii) Borrower shall provide to Agent and Lenders financial statements and other documents required under this Agreement or as reasonably requested hereunder setting forth a reconciliation between calculations of such ratio or requirement made before and after giving effect to such change in GAAP.
1.04 Rounding. Any financial ratios required to be maintained by Borrower pursuant to this Agreement shall be calculated by dividing the appropriate component by the other component, carrying the result to one place more than the number of places by which such ratio is expressed herein and rounding the result up or down to the nearest number (with a rounding-up if there is no nearest number).
1.05 Times of Day. Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to times of day shall be references to Eastern time (daylight or standard, as applicable).
ARTICLE II. THE COMMITMENTS AND CREDIT EXTENSIONS
2.01 Committed Loans. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender severally agrees to make loans (each such loan, a “Committed Loan”) to Borrower on the Closing Date, in an aggregate amount not to exceed the amount of such ▇▇▇▇▇▇’s Commitment.
2.02 Borrowings of Committed Loans. (a) The Borrower shall accept the Committed Loans on the Closing Date.
(b) Borrower may from time to time request, and ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ may, in their sole discretion, from time to time arrange for Borrower to enter into, Swap Transactions. Prior to any Swap Transaction, Borrower shall execute and deliver to Lenders any Swap Contracts and any related collateral support documents in form and substance satisfactory to Lender.
2.03 Prepayments. (a) In the event all or any portion of the Committed Loans are prepaid by Borrower, whether voluntarily or by reason of default, acceleration or otherwise, Borrower shall pay, and the Lenders shall be entitled to collect from Borrower and Guarantor, a prepayment penalty fee equal to 1.00% of the amount prepaid, except if prepayments of the Committed Loans was required by the sale of all or a portion of the Borrower’s membership interests of Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC. If such sale occurs, Borrower shall pay to Lenders a prepayment penalty fee based on the following descending scale: Within the first year from the Closing Date of the Committed Loans, a penalty equal to 1.00% of the amount prepaid; a penalty equal to 0.80% in the second year from the Closing Date of the Committed Loans; 0.60% in the third year from the Closing Date of the Committed Loans; 0.40% in the fourth year from the Closing Date of the Committed Loans; and 0.20% in the fifth year from the Closing Date of the Committed Loans; and 0.00% in the sixth and seventh years.
In addition to the prepayment penalty fees described herein and in the event all or any portion of the Committed Loans are prepaid by Borrower, whether voluntarily or by reason of default, acceleration or otherwise, no repayment or prepayment of the Committed Loans pursuant to this Section shall affect any of the Borrower’s obligations under any Swap Contract entered into with respect to the Committed Loans.
(b) In the event any prepayment penalty is collected from Borrower, it shall be shared with Syndicate Member on a prorata basis. Each such prepayment made by Borrower shall be applied to the Committed Loans of Lenders in accordance with their respective Applicable Percentages.
2.04 [Intentionally Omitted].
2.05 Repayment of Loans. The Committed Loans shall be payable in equal quarterly principal installment payments, plus interest that has accrued, based on a hypothetical 226 month (18.83 year) straight-line amortization. Borrower shall make such quarterly principal installment payments in January, April, July, and October of each year, beginning on October 1, 2025. Such payments will align with the terms of any Swap Contract in effect at the time such quarterly payment is due. Borrower shall repay to Lenders on the Maturity Date all remaining principal amounts and accrued interest of the Committed Loans outstanding on such date.
Upon any payment or prepayment of any Committed Loan on any day that is not the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto (regardless of whether such payment or prepayment is being made as a result of acceleration of the Obligations, voluntary prepayment of all or a portion of the Obligations in connection with a refinancing, or otherwise), Borrower shall pay to such Lender an amount equal to the amount of all losses, expenses and liabilities (including, without limitation, any loss in connection with the re-employment of such funds) that such Lender may sustain as a result of (i) such payment; and (ii) early termination, parital termination, adjustment, liquidation or settlement of, any Swap Transaction or hedge related to any Swap Transaction. For purposes of calculating amounts payable to Lender under this paragraph, Lender shall be deemed to have actually funded any relevant loan through the purchase of a deposit bearing interest at an amount equal to the amount of that loan and having a maturity and repricing characteristics comparable to the relevant Interest Period; provided, that such Lender may fund any Committed Loan in any manner it sees fit, and the foregoing assumption shall be utilized only for the calculation of amounts payable under this paragraph.
2.06 Interest and Index Changes. (a) Subject to the provisions of subsection (b) below, (i) each Index Rate Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof at a rate per annum equal to the Index Rate plus the Applicable Margin, and (ii) each Base Rate Committed Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof from the applicable borrowing date at a rate per annum equal to the Base Rate plus the Applicable Margin.
Term SOFR shall be adjusted automatically without notice to the Borrower on and as of the effective date of any change in the SOFR Reserve Percentage.
The Borrower acknowledges and agrees that the Lenders may make loans based on interest rates other than Term SOFR as determined herein. The Borrower further acknoweldges and agrees that Term SOFR is not necessarily the lowest rate, or the basis for the lowest rate, charged by the Lenders on its loans. No Lender warrants, nor accepts responsibility for, the continuation of, administration of, submission of, calculation of, or any other matter related to the rates in the benchmark interest rates or indexes defined herein or with respect to any rate (including, for the avoidance of doubt, the selection of such rate and any related spread or other adjustment) that is an alternative or replacement for or successor to any such rate or index or the effect of any of the foregoing, or of any Conforming Changes. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, in no event will the interest rate on the Committed Loans be more than the maximum rate allowed by applicable law.
If, after date of closing, the adoption of, or any change in, any applicable law, rule, regulation, interpretation or guidance by any Relevant Governmental Body or other governmental authority, central bank or comparable agency (“Governmental Authority”) charged with the interpretation or administration thereof, or compliance by any Lender with any request or directive (whether or not having the force of law) of any such Governmental Authority: (i) shall impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve (including any reserve requirements related to SOFR or Term SOFR credit extension or other reserve imposed by the Federal Reserve Bank), special deposit or similar requirement against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or credit extended by any Lender; or (ii) shall impose on any Lender any other condition affecting a Committed Loan, the Notes or its obligation to make the Committed Loan; and the result of anything described in clauses (i) or (ii) above is to increase the cost to (or to impose a cost on) any Lender of making or maintaining the Committed Loan, or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by any Lender under this Agreement or any Note, then upon demand by any Lender, the Borrower shall pay to such Lender in immediately available funds such additional amount as will compensate such Lender for such increased cost or such reduction.
If Agent at any time, or from time to time, determines that (a) Term SOFR is unavailable, (b) Term SOFR cannot be determined, (c) subject to this Section, Term SOFR does not adequately reflect the cost to any Lender of making, funding, or maintaining a Committed Loan, (d) the use of Term SOFR has become impracticable or unreliable, (e) Term SOFR is no longer representative of the underlying market or economic reality, (f) it is no longer lawful for any Lender to lend at any rate based on Term SOFR, or (g) if all or any portion of a Committed Loan is hedged by a Swap Transaction for which the ISDA Definitions apply, there occurs an index cessation effective date with respect to an index cessation event for the relevant floating rate under the ISDA Definitions applicable to such Swap Transaction (any such determination is hereafter called a “Benchmark Disruption Event”), then, the Agent may elect to designate the Replacement Benchmark Rate as the new interest rate index hereunder. If the Agent designates a Replacement Benchmark Rate, the Agent may also determine at such time, or from time to time thereafter, that a margin adjustment is necessary to produce a comparable interest rate to the interest rate that would have applied based on Term SOFR. Upon such determination, the Agent will designate the amount of such margin adjustment (which may be a positive or a negative number added to the Replacement Benchmark Rate) (and the result will be the “Adjusted Benchmark Rate”). The Agent will provide notice to the Borrower of the Replacement Benchmark Rate, any margin adjustment, and the Adjusted Benchmark Rate, as applicable, and their effective date. Commencing with the first interest rate change thereafter, the any reference to or usage of Term SOFR shall be deemed deleted and of no further force or effect and the term “Adjusted Benchmark Rate” shall be inserted in lieu thereof as the operative interest rate index for all purposes hereunder and under the other Loan Documents. In connection with the use, administration, adoption or implementation of a Replacement Benchmark Rate, including any Adjusted Benchmark Rate, the Agent will have the right to make Conforming Changes from time to time and, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Amended Agreement or Amended Documents, any amendments implementing such Conforming Changes will become effective without any further action or consent of any other party. Any determination or designation made by the Agent under this paragraph shall be made in the Agent’s sole discretion and shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error.
(b) (i) If any amount of principal of any Loan is not paid when due (without regard to any applicable grace periods), whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, such amount shall thereafter bear interest at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.
(ii) If any amount (other than principal of any Loan) payable by Borrower under any Loan Document is not paid when due (without regard to any applicable grace periods), whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, then upon the request of the Required Lenders, such amount shall thereafter, until such amount shall have been paid, bear interest at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.
(iii) Upon the request of the Required Lenders, while any Event of Default exists and has not been cured or waived, Borrower shall pay interest on the principal amount of all outstanding Obligations hereunder at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.
(iv) Accrued and unpaid interest on past due amounts (including interest on past due interest) shall be due and payable upon demand.
(c) Interest on each Loan shall be due and payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date and at such other times as may be specified herein. Interest shall be due and payable in accordance with the terms of this Agreement before and after judgment, and before and after the commencement of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law.
2.07 Fees.
(a) Origination Fee. Borrower shall pay to Agent for the account of each Lender in accordance with its Applicable Percentage, an origination fee in the amount of 0.3% of the Committed Loans ($160,800.00). The Origination Fee will be paid according to the following schedule: 0.15% shall be paid to Agent on the Closing Date; 0.1% shall be paid to Agent on the one year anniversary date of the Closing Date; and 0.05% shall be paid to Agent on the two year anniversary date of the Closing Date. The Origination Fee shall be shared on a prorata basis with AUB and any Syndicate Member. Such fee shall be fully earned when paid and shall be nonrefundable for any reason whatsoever.
(b) Agent’s Fees. Borrower shall pay to Agent for Agent’s own account, an annual fee in the amount of 0.1% of the Committed Loans ($53,600.00) on the Closing Date and on each anniversary of the Closing Date. Such fee shall be fully earned when paid and shall be nonrefundable for any reason whatsoever.
(c) Late Fees. If a payment on the Notes is late by seven (7) days or more, Borrower will be charged 5.000% of the regularly scheduled payment.
2.08 Computation of Interest and Fees. (a) All computations of interest shall be made on the basis of a year of 365 or 366 days, as the case may be, and actual days elapsed. Interest shall accrue on each Loan for the day on which the Loan is made, and shall not accrue on a Loan, or any portion thereof, for the day on which the Loan or such portion is paid. Each determination by Agent of an interest rate or fee hereunder shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.
2.09 Evidence of Debt. The Credit Extensions made by each Lender shall be evidenced by one or more accounts or records maintained by such ▇▇▇▇▇▇ and by Agent in the ordinary course of business. The accounts or records maintained by Agent and each Lender shall be conclusive absent manifest error of the amount of the Credit Extensions made by Lenders to Borrower and the interest and payments thereon. Any failure to so record or any error in doing so shall not, however, limit or otherwise affect the obligation of Borrower hereunder to pay any amount owing with respect to the Obligations. In the event of any conflict between the accounts and records maintained by any ▇▇▇▇▇▇ and the accounts and records of Agent in respect of such matters, the accounts and records of Agent shall control in the absence of manifest error. Borrower shall execute and deliver to each Lender a Note, which shall evidence such ▇▇▇▇▇▇’s Loans in addition to such accounts or records. Each Lender may attach schedules to its Note and endorse thereon the date, amount and maturity of its Loans and payments with respect thereto.
2.10 Payments Generally; Agent’s Clawback. (a) (i) General. All payments to be made by Borrower shall be made without condition or deduction for any counterclaim, recoupment or setoff; however, any such counterclaim may be pursued in a separate proceeding. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all payments by Borrower hereunder shall be made to Agent, for the account of the respective Lenders to which such payment is owed, at the Administrative Agent’s Office in Dollars and in immediately available funds not later than 12:00 noon on the date specified herein. Agent will promptly distribute to each Lender its Applicable Percentage (or other applicable share as provided herein) of such payment in like funds as received by wire transfer to such Lender’s Lending Office. All payments received by Agent after 12:00 noon shall be deemed received on the next succeeding Business Day and any applicable interest or fee shall continue to accrue. If any payment to be made by Borrower shall come due on a day other than a Business Day, payment shall be made on the next following Business Day, and such extension of time shall be reflected in computing interest or fees, as the case may be.
(ii) Borrower shall maintain with Lender a deposit account into which Borrower will deposit its distributions and from which interest payments on the Loans may be made (as such account shall be designated by Borrower in a written notice to Lender from time to time, the “Borrower Account”). On each date when the payment of any principal, interest or fees are due hereunder or under any Note, Borrower shall maintain on deposit in the Borrower Account an amount sufficient to pay such principal, interest or fees in full on such date. Borrower hereby authorizes Agent (A) to deduct automatically all principal, interest or fees when due hereunder or under any Note from the Borrower Account, and (B) if and to the extent any payment of principal, interest or fees under this Agreement or any Note is not made when due to deduct any such amount from any or all of the accounts of Borrower maintained at Agent. Agent agrees to provide written notice to Borrower of any automatic deduction made pursuant to this Section 2.10(a)(ii) showing in reasonable detail the amounts of such deduction. Lenders agree to reimburse Borrower based on their Applicable Percentage for any amounts deducted from such accounts in excess of amount due hereunder and under any other Loan Documents.
(b) (i) Funding by ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇; Presumption by Agent. Agent may assume that each Lender has made such ▇▇▇▇▇▇’s share of any Committed Borrowing available on the proposed date of such Committed Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.02 and may, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to Borrower a corresponding amount. If a Lender has not in fact made its share of the applicable Committed Borrowing available to Agent, then the applicable Lender agrees to pay to Agent forthwith on demand such corresponding amount in immediately available funds with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is made available to Borrower to but excluding the date of payment to Agent, at , the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation, plus any administrative, processing or similar fees customarily charged by Agent in connection with the foregoing If such Lender pays its share of the applicable Committed Borrowing to Agent, then the amount so paid shall constitute such ▇▇▇▇▇▇’s Committed Loan included in such Committed Borrowing.
(ii) Payments by ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇; Presumptions by Agent. Unless Agent shall have received notice from Borrower prior to the date on which any payment is due to Agent for the account of the Lenders hereunder that Borrower will not make such payment, Agent may assume that Borrower has made such payment on such date in accordance herewith and may, in reliance upon such assumption, distribute to Lenders the amount due. In such event, if Borrower has not in fact made such payment, then each of Lenders severally agrees to repay to Agent forthwith on demand the amount so distributed to such Lender, in immediately available funds with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is distributed to it to but excluding the date of payment to Agent, at the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation. A notice of Agent to any Lender or Borrower with respect to any amount owing under this subsection (b) shall be conclusive, absent manifest error.
(c) Failure to Satisfy Conditions Precedent. If any Lender makes available to Agent funds for any Loan to be made by such Lender as provided in the foregoing provisions of this Article II, and such funds are not made available to Borrower by Agent because the conditions to the applicable Credit Extension set forth in Article IV are not satisfied or waived in accordance with the terms hereof, Agent shall return such funds (in like funds as received from such Lender) to such Lender, without interest.
(d) Obligations of Lenders Several. The obligations of Lenders hereunder to make Committed Loans, and to make payments under Section 10.04(c) are several and not joint. The failure of any Lender to make any Committed Loan, or to make any payment under Section 10.04(c) on any date required hereunder shall not relieve any other Lender of its corresponding obligation to do so on such date, and no Lender shall be responsible for the failure of any other Lender to so make its Committed Loan or to make its payment under Section 10.04(c):
(e) Funding Source. Nothing herein shall be deemed to obligate any Lender to obtain the funds for any Loan in any particular place or manner or to constitute a representation by any Lender that it has obtained or will obtain the funds for any Loan in any particular place or manner.
2.11 Sharing of Payments. If any Lender shall, by exercising any right of setoff or counterclaim or otherwise, obtain payment in respect of any principal of or interest on any of the Committed Loans made by it, resulting in such Lender’s receiving payment of a proportion of the aggregate amount of such Committed Loans and accrued interest thereon greater than its pro rata share thereof as provided herein, then the Lender receiving such greater proportion shall (a) notify Agent of such fact, and (b) purchase (for cash at face value) participations in the Committed Loans of the other Lenders, or make such other adjustments as shall be equitable, so that the benefit of all such payments shall be shared by the Lenders ratably in accordance with the aggregate amount of principal of and accrued interest on their respective Committed Loans and other amounts owing them, provided that:
(i) if any such participations are purchased and all or any portion of the payment giving rise thereto is recovered, such participations shall be rescinded and the purchase price restored to the extent of such recovery, without interest; and
(ii) the provisions of this Section shall not be construed to apply to (x) any payment made by Borrower pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of this Agreement or (y) any payment obtained by a Lender as consideration for the assignment of or sale of a participation in any of its Committed Loans to any assignee or participant, other than to Borrower or any Subsidiary thereof (as to which the provisions of this Section shall apply).
Each Loan Party consents to the foregoing and agrees, to the extent it may effectively do so under applicable law, that any Lender acquiring a participation pursuant to the foregoing arrangements may exercise against such Loan Party rights of setoff and counterclaim with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were a direct creditor of such Loan Party in the amount of such participation.
2.12 Purchase for Investment. Each Lender severally represents that it is acquiring its Note for its own account and not with a view to the distribution thereof, provided that the disposition of such ▇▇▇▇▇▇'s property shall at all times be within such ▇▇▇▇▇▇'s control. Each Lender understands that the Notes have not been registered under the Securities Act and may be resold only if registered pursuant to the provisions of the Securities Act or if an exemption from registration is available, except under circumstances where neither such registration nor such an exemption is required by law and that the Borrower is not required to register the Notes.
ARTICLE III. TAXES, YIELD PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY
3.01 Taxes. (a) Payments Free of Taxes; Obligation to Withhold; Payments on Account of Taxes. (i) Any and all payments by Borrower to or on account of any obligation of Borrower hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall to the extent permitted by applicable Laws be made free and clear of and without reduction or withholding for any Taxes. If, however, applicable Laws require Borrower or Agent to withhold or deduct any Tax, such Tax shall be withheld or deducted in accordance with such Laws as determined by Borrower or Agent, as the case may be, upon the basis of the information and documentation to be delivered pursuant to subsection (e) below.
(ii) If Borrower or Agent shall be required by the Code to withhold or deduct any Taxes, including both United States Federal backup withholding and withholding taxes, from any payment, then (A) Agent shall withhold or make such deductions as are determined by Agent to be required based upon the information and documentation it has received pursuant to subsection (e) below, (B) Agent shall timely pay the full amount withheld or deducted to the Relevant Governmental Body in accordance with the Code, and (C) to the extent that the withholding or deduction is made on account of Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes, the sum payable by the Borrower shall be increased as necessary so that after any required withholding or the making of all required deductions (including deductions applicable to additional sums payable under this Section), Agent or Lender, as the case may be, receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such withholding or deduction been made.
(b) Payment of Other Taxes by ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇. Without limiting the provisions of subsection (a) above, Borrower shall timely pay any Other Taxes to the Relevant Governmental Body in accordance with applicable Laws.
(c) Tax Indemnifications. (i) Without limiting the provisions of subsection (a) or (b) above, Borrower shall, and does hereby, indemnify Agent and each Lender, and shall make payment in respect thereof within 10 days after demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes (including Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this Section) withheld or deducted by Borrower or Agent or paid by Agent or such Lender, as the case may be, and any penalties, interest and reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the Relevant Governmental Body. Borrower shall also, and does hereby, indemnify Agent, and shall make payment in respect thereof within 10 days after demand therefor, for any amount which a Lender for any reason fails to pay indefeasibly to Agent as required by clause (ii) of this subsection. A certificate as to the amount of any such payment or liability delivered to Borrower by a Lender (with a copy to Agent), or by Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of a Lender, shall be conclusive absent manifest error.
(ii) Without limiting the provisions of subsection (a) or (b) above, each Lender shall, and does hereby, indemnify Borrower and Agent, and shall make payment in respect thereof within 10 days after demand therefor, against any and all Taxes and any and all related losses, claims, liabilities, penalties, interest and expenses (including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for Borrower or Agent) incurred by or asserted against Borrower or Agent by any Governmental Authority as a result of the failure by such Lender to deliver, or as a result of the inaccuracy, inadequacy or deficiency of, any documentation required to be delivered by such Lender to Borrower or Agent pursuant to subsection (e). Each Lender hereby authorizes Agent to set off and apply any and all amounts at any time owing to such Lender under this Agreement or any other Loan Document against any amount due to Agent under this clause (ii). The agreements in this clause (ii) shall survive the resignation and/or replacement of Agent, any assignment of rights by, or the replacement of, a Lender, and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all other Obligations.
(d) Evidence of Payments. Upon request by Borrower or Agent, as the case may be, after any payment of Taxes by Borrower or by Agent to a Governmental Authority as provided in this Section 3.01, Borrower shall deliver to Agent or Agent shall deliver to Borrower, as the case may be, the original or a certified copy of a receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy of any return required by Laws to report such payment or other evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to Borrower or Agent, as the case may be.
(e) Status of Lenders. (i) Each Lender shall deliver to Borrower and to Agent, at the time or times prescribed by applicable Laws or when reasonably requested by Borrower or Agent, such properly completed and executed documentation prescribed by applicable Laws or by the taxing authorities of any jurisdiction and such other reasonably requested information as will permit Borrower or Agent, as the case may be, to determine (A) whether or not payments made hereunder or under any other Loan Document are subject to Taxes, (B) if applicable, the required rate of withholding or deduction, and (C) such Lender’s entitlement to any available exemption from, or reduction of, applicable Taxes in respect of all payments to be made to such Lender by Borrower pursuant to this Agreement or otherwise to establish such Lender’s status for withholding tax purposes in the applicable jurisdiction.
(ii) Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, if Borrower is resident for tax purposes in the United States,
(A) any Lender that is a “United States person” within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code shall deliver to Borrower and Agent executed originals of Internal Revenue Service Form W-9 or such other documentation or information prescribed by applicable Laws or reasonably requested by Borrower or Agent as will enable Borrower or Agent, as the case may be, to determine whether or not such Lender is subject to backup withholding or information reporting requirements; and
(B) each Foreign Lender that is entitled under the Code or any applicable treaty to an exemption from or reduction of withholding tax with respect to payments hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall deliver to Borrower and Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the request of Borrower or Agent, but only if such Foreign Lender is legally entitled to do so), whichever of the following is applicable:
(I) executed originals of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN claiming eligibility for benefits of an income tax treaty to which the United States is a party,
(II) executed originals of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8ECI,
(III) executed originals of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8IMY and all required supporting documentation,
(IV) in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of the exemption for portfolio interest under section 881(c) of the Code, (x) a certificate to the effect that such Foreign Lender is not (A) a “bank” within the meaning of section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (B) a “10 percent shareholder” of Borrower within the meaning of section 881(c)(3)(B) of the Code, or (C) a “controlled foreign corporation” described in section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code and (y) executed originals of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN, or
(V) executed originals of any other form prescribed by applicable Laws as a basis for claiming exemption from or a reduction in United States Federal withholding tax together with such supplementary documentation as may be prescribed by applicable Laws to permit the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine the withholding or deduction required to be made.
(iii) Each Lender shall promptly (A) notify Borrower and Agent of any change in circumstances which would modify or render invalid any claimed exemption or reduction, and (B) take such steps as shall not be materially disadvantageous to it, in the reasonable judgment of such Lender, and as may be reasonably necessary (including the re-designation of its Lending Office) to avoid any requirement of applicable Laws of any jurisdiction that Borrower or Agent make any withholding or deduction for taxes from amounts payable to such Lender.
(f) Treatment of Certain Refunds. Unless required by applicable Laws, at no time shall Agent have any obligation to file for or otherwise pursue on behalf of a Lender, or have any obligation to pay to any Lender, any refund of Taxes withheld or deducted from funds paid for the account of such Lender. If Agent or any Lender determines, in its sole discretion, that it has received a refund of any Taxes or Other Taxes as to which it has been indemnified by Borrower or with respect to which Borrower or Guarantor has paid additional amounts pursuant to this Section or the Guaranty, it shall pay to Borrower or Guarantor, as appropriate, an amount equal to such refund (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made, or additional amounts paid, by Borrower or Guarantor, as appropriate, under this Section or the Guaranty with respect to the Taxes or Other Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses incurred by Agent or such Lender, as the case may be, and without interest (other than any interest paid by the Relevant Governmental Body with respect to such refund), provided that Borrower, upon the request of Agent or such Lender, agrees to repay the amount paid over to Borrower (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the Relevant Governmental Body) to Agent, such Lender in the event Agent, such Lender is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Body. This subsection shall not be construed to require Agent orany Lender to make available its tax returns (or any other information relating to its taxes that it deems confidential) to Borrower, Guarantor or any other Person.
3.02 Illegality. If any Lender determines that any Law has made it unlawful, or that any Governmental Authority has asserted that it is unlawful, for any Lender or its applicable Lending Office to make, maintain or fund Index Rate Loans, or to determine or charge interest rates based upon the Index Rate, or any Governmental Authority has imposed material restrictions on the authority of such Lender to purchase or sell, or to take deposits of, Dollars in the London interbank market, then, on notice thereof by such Lender to Borrower through Agent, any obligation of such Lender to make or continue Index Rate Loans or to convert Base Rate Committed Loans to Index Rate Loans shall be suspended until such Lender notifies Agent and Borrower that the circumstances giving rise to such determination no longer exist. Upon receipt of such notice, Borrower shall, upon demand from such Lender (with a copy to Agent), prepay or, if applicable, convert all Index Rate Loans of such Lender to Base Rate Loans, either on the next succeeding Interest Payment Date, if such Lender may lawfully continue to maintain such Index Rate Loans to such day, or immediately, if such Lender may not lawfully continue to maintain such Index Rate Loans. Upon any such prepayment or conversion, Borrower shall also pay accrued interest on the amount so prepaid or converted and all amounts due under Section 3.05 in accordance with the terms thereof due to such prepayment or conversion.
3.03 Inability to Determine Rates. If Agent determines in connection with any request for an Index Rate Loan or a conversion to or continuation thereof that (a) Dollar deposits are not being offered to banks in the London interbank Eurodollar market for the applicable amount of such Index Rate Loan for a one-month term, (b) adequate and reasonable means do not exist for determining the Index Rate with respect to a proposed Index Rate Loan, or (c) the Index Rate with respect to a proposed Index Rate Loan does not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders of funding such Loan, Agent will promptly so notify Borrower and each Lender. Thereafter, the obligation of Lenders to make or maintain Index Rate Loans shall be suspended until Agent (upon the instruction of the Required Lenders) revokes such notice. Upon receipt of such notice, Borrower may revoke any pending request for a Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Index Rate Loans or, failing that, will be deemed to have converted such request into a request for a Committed Borrowing of Base Rate Loans in the amount specified therein.
3.04 Increased Costs. (a) Increased Costs Generally. If any Change in Law shall:
(i) impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, special deposit, compulsory loan, insurance charge or similar requirement against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or credit extended or participated in by, any Lender (except any reserve requirement reflected in the Index Rate);
(ii) subject any Lender to any tax of any kind whatsoever with respect to this Agreement, or any Index Rate Loan made by it, or change the basis of taxation of payments to such Lender in respect thereof (except for Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes covered by Section 3.01 and the imposition of, or any change in the rate of, any Excluded Tax payable by such Lender); or
(iii) impose on any Lender or the London interbank market any other condition, cost or expense affecting this Agreement or Index Rate Loans made by such Lender;
and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender of making or maintaining any Index Rate Loan (or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan), or to increase the cost to such Lender , or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender hereunder (whether of principal, interest or any other amount) then, upon request of such Lender, Borrower will pay to such Lender such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.
(b) Capital Requirements. If any Lender determines that any Change in Law affecting such Lender or any Lending Office of such Lender or such Lender’s holding company, if any, regarding capital requirements has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lender’s capital or on the capital of such Lender’s holding company, if any, as a consequence of this Agreement, the Commitments of such Lender or the Loans made by such Lender to a level below that which such Lender or such Lender’s holding company could have achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into consideration such ▇▇▇▇▇▇’s policies and the policies of such ▇▇▇▇▇▇’s holding company with respect to capital adequacy), then, upon request of such Lender, from time to time Borrower will pay to such Lender such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or such Lender’s holding company for any such reduction suffered.
(c) Certificates for Reimbursement. A certificate of a Lender setting forth the amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender or its holding company, as the case may be, as specified in subsection (a) or (b) of this Section, showing the calculation of such amount or amounts, and delivered to Borrower shall be conclusive absent manifest error. Borrower shall pay such Lender the amount shown as due on any such certificate within 10 days after receipt thereof.
(d) Delay in Requests. Failure or delay on the part of any Lender to demand compensation pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section shall not constitute a waiver of such Lender’s right to demand such compensation, except that Borrower shall not be required to compensate a Lender pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section for any increased costs incurred or reductions suffered more than nine months prior to the date that such Lender notifies Borrower of the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions and of such ▇▇▇▇▇▇’s intention to claim compensation therefor. If the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions is retroactive, then the nine-month period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect of the Change in Law.
3.05 Compensation for Losses. Upon demand of any Lender (with a copy to Agent) from time to time, Borrower shall promptly compensate such Lender for and hold such Lender harmless from any loss, cost or expense incurred by it as a result of:
(a) any continuation, conversion, payment or prepayment of any Loan other than a Base Rate Loan on a day other than an Interest Payment Date (whether voluntary, mandatory, automatic, by reason of acceleration, or otherwise); or
(b) any failure by Borrower (for a reason other than the failure of such Lender to make a Loan) to prepay, borrow, continue or convert any Loan other than a Base Rate Loan on the date or in the amount notified by Borrower;
including any loss of anticipated profits and any loss or expense arising from the liquidation or reemployment of funds obtained by it to maintain such Loan or from fees payable to terminate the deposits from which such funds were obtained. Borrower shall also pay any customary administrative fees charged by such Lender in connection with the foregoing.
3.06 Mitigation Obligations. If any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.04, or Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender, pursuant to Section 3.01, or if any Lender gives a notice pursuant to Section 3.02, then such Lender shall use reasonable efforts to designate a different Lending Office for funding or booking its Loans hereunder or to assign its rights and obligations hereunder to another of its offices, branches or affiliates, if, in the judgment of such Lender, such designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant to Section 3.01 or 3.04, as the case may be, in the future, or eliminate the need for the notice pursuant to Section 3.02, as applicable, and (ii) in each case, would not subject such Lender to any unreimbursed cost or expense and would not otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender. Borrower hereby agrees to pay all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by any Lender in connection with any such designation or assignment.
3.07 Survival. All of ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇’s obligations under this Article III shall survive termination of the Aggregate Commitments and repayment of all other Obligations hereunder and resignation of Agent.
ARTICLE IV. CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO CREDIT EXTENSIONS
4.01 Conditions of Credit Extension. The obligation of each Lender to make its Credit Extension on the Closing Date is subject to satisfaction of the following conditions precedent:
(a) Agent’s receipt of the following, each of which shall be originals or telecopies (followed promptly by originals) unless otherwise specified, each properly executed by a Responsible Officer of the signing Loan Party, each dated the Closing Date (or, in the case of certificates of governmental officials, a recent date before the Closing Date) and each in form and substance satisfactory to Agent and each of the Lenders:
(i) executed counterparts of this Agreement, sufficient in number for distribution to Agent, each Lender and Borrower;
(ii) a Note executed by ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ in favor of each Lender, unless otherwise waived by a ▇▇▇▇▇▇;
(iii) the Guaranty executed by the Guarantor;
(iv) such certificates of resolutions or other action, incumbency certificates and other certificates of Responsible Officers of each Loan Party as Agent may require evidencing the identity, authority and capacity of each Responsible Officer thereof authorized to act as a Responsible Officer in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which such Loan Party is a party;
(v) such documents and certifications as Agent may reasonably require to evidence that each Loan Party is duly organized or formed, and that each Loan Party is validly existing, in good standing (if such Loan Party is a corporation) and qualified to engage in business in each jurisdiction where its ownership, lease or operation of properties or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except to the extent that failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;
(vi) a favorable opinion of counsel to the Loan Parties acceptable to Agent addressed to Agent and each Lender, as to the matters set forth concerning the Loan Parties and the Loan Documents in form and substance satisfactory to Agent;
(vii) a certificate of a Responsible Officer of each Loan Party either (A) attaching copies of all consents, licenses and approvals required in connection with the execution, delivery and performance by such Loan Party and the validity against such Loan Party of the Loan Documents to which it is a party, and such consents, licenses and approvals shall be in full force and effect, or (B) stating that no such consents, licenses or approvals are so required;
(viii) a certificate signed by a Responsible Officer of Borrower certifying (A) that the conditions specified in Sections 4.02(a) and (b) have been satisfied, and (B) that there has been no event or circumstance since the date of the Audited Financial Statements that has had or could be reasonably expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect;
(ix) evidence that all insurance required to be maintained pursuant to the Loan Documents has been obtained and is in effect;
(x) a duly completed Compliance Certificate as of the last day of the fiscal quarter of Borrower most recently ended prior to the Closing Date, signed by a Responsible Officer of ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇.
(xi) Written authorization of Borrower’s Board of Directors and Guarantor’s Board of Directors for capital distributions received by Borrower and/or Guarantor from the Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC project that are to be distributed to Borrower to enable Borrower to make payments to Lenders as required by the Notes
(xii) Completion of the Payoffs (as defined below).
(b) Any fees required to be paid on or before the Closing Date have been paid.
(c) Unless waived by Agent, Borrower has paid all reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to Agent (directly to such counsel if requested by Agent) to the extent invoiced prior to or on the Closing Date, plus such additional amounts of such fees, charges and disbursements as shall constitute its reasonable estimate of such fees, charges and disbursements incurred or to be incurred by it through the closing proceedings (provided that such estimate shall not thereafter preclude a final settling of accounts between Borrower and Agent).
(d) The Closing Date has occurred on or before September 5, 2025.
ARTICLE V. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
Borrower represents and warrants to Agent and the Lenders that:
5.01 Existence, Qualification and Power. Each Loan Party and each Subsidiary thereof (a) is duly organized or formed, validly existing and, as applicable, in good standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, (b) has all requisite power and authority and all requisite governmental licenses, authorizations, consents and approvals to (i) own or lease its assets and carry on its business and (ii) execute, deliver and perform its obligations under the Loan Documents to which it is a party, and (c) is duly qualified and is licensed and, as applicable, in good standing under the Laws of each jurisdiction where its ownership, lease or operation of properties or the conduct of its business requires such qualification or license; except in each case referred to in clause (b)(i), or (c), to the extent that failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
5.02 Authorization; No Contravention. The execution, delivery and performance by each Loan Party of each Loan Document to which such Person is party, have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate or other organizational action, and do not and will not (a) contravene the terms of any of such Person’s Organization Documents; (b) conflict with or result in any breach or contravention of, or the creation of any Lien under, or require any payment to be made under (i) any Contractual Obligation to which such Person is a party or affecting such Person or the properties of such Person or any of its Subsidiaries or (ii) any order, injunction, writ or decree of any Governmental Authority or any arbitral award to which such Person or its property is subject; or (c) violate any Law.
5.03 Governmental Authorization; Other Consents. No approval, consent, exemption, authorization, or other action by, or notice to, or filing with, any Governmental Authority or any other Person not yet obtained, taken, given or made is necessary or required in connection with the execution, delivery or performance by, or enforcement against, any Loan Party of this Agreement or any other Loan Document.
5.04 Binding Effect. This Agreement has been, and each other Loan Document, when delivered hereunder, will have been, duly executed and delivered by each Loan Party that is party thereto. This Agreement constitutes, and each other Loan Document when so delivered will constitute, a legal, valid and binding obligation of such Loan Party, enforceable against each Loan Party that is party thereto in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws now or hereafter in effect affecting creditors’ rights in general and also subject to the exercise of judicial discretion in accordance with general principles of equity.
5.05 Financial Statements; No Material Adverse Effect. (a) The Audited Financial Statements (i) were prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein; (ii) fairly present the financial condition of Guarantor and its Subsidiaries as of the date thereof and their results of operations for the period covered thereby in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein; and (iii) show all material indebtedness and other liabilities, direct or contingent, of Guarantor and its Subsidiaries as of the date thereof, including liabilities for taxes, material commitments and Indebtedness.
(b) The unaudited consolidated and consolidating balance sheets of Guarantor and its Subsidiaries dated June 30, 2025, and the related consolidated and consolidating statements of income or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for the fiscal quarter ended on that date (i) were prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein, and (ii) fairly present the financial condition of Guarantor and its Subsidiaries as of the date thereof and their results of operations for the period covered thereby, subject, in the case of clauses (i) and (ii), to the absence of footnotes and to normal year-end audit adjustments.
(c) Since the date of the Audited Financial Statements, there has been no event or circumstance, either individually or in the aggregate, that has had or could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
5.06 Litigation. There are no actions, suits, proceedings, claims or disputes pending or, to the knowledge of Borrower after due and diligent investigation, threatened , at law, in equity, in arbitration or before any Governmental Authority, by or against Borrower or the Guarantor or any of their Subsidiaries or against any of their properties or revenues that (a) purport to affect or pertain to this Agreement or any other Loan Document, or any of the transactions contemplated hereby, or (b) except as specifically disclosed in Schedule 5.06, either individually or in the aggregate, if determined adversely, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and there has been no adverse change since August 31 2025, in the status, or financial effect on any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof, of the matters described on Schedule 5.06.
5.07 No Default. Neither any Loan Party nor any Subsidiary thereof is in default under or with respect to any Contractual Obligation that could, either individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. No Default has occurred and is continuing or would result from the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any other Loan Document.
5.08 Ownership of Property; Liens. Each of the Borrower and each Subsidiary has good record and marketable title in fee simple to, or valid leasehold interests in, all real property necessary or used in the ordinary conduct of its business, except for such defects in title as could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
5.09 Environmental Compliance. Borrower and its Subsidiaries conduct in the ordinary course of business a review of the effect of existing Environmental Laws and claims alleging potential liability or responsibility for violation of any Environmental Law on their respective businesses, operations and properties, and as a result thereof Borrower has reasonably concluded that, except as specifically disclosed in Schedule 5.09, such Environmental Laws and claims could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
5.10 Insurance. The properties of Borrower and its Subsidiaries are insured with financially sound and reputable insurance companies not Affiliates of Borrower, in such amounts (after giving effect to any self-insurance compatible with the following standards), with such deductibles and covering such risks as are customarily carried by companies engaged in similar businesses and owning similar properties in localities where Borrower or the applicable Subsidiary operates.
5.11 Taxes. Borrower and its Subsidiaries have filed all Federal, state and other material tax returns and reports required to be filed, and have paid all Federal, state and other material taxes, assessments, fees and other governmental charges levied or imposed upon them or their properties, income or assets otherwise due and payable, except those which are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted and for which adequate reserves have been provided in accordance with GAAP. There is no proposed tax assessment against Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries that would, if made, have a Material Adverse Effect.
5.12 ERISA Compliance. (a) Each Plan is in compliance in all material respects with the applicable provisions of ERISA, the Code and other Federal or state Laws. Each Plan that is intended to qualify under Section 401(a) of the Code has received a favorable determination letter from the IRS or an application for such a letter is currently being processed by the IRS with respect thereto and, to the best knowledge of Borrower, nothing has occurred which would prevent, or cause the loss of, such qualification. Borrower and each ERISA Affiliate have made all required contributions to each Plan subject to Section 412 of the Code, and no application for a funding waiver or an extension of any amortization period pursuant to Section 412 of the Code has been made with respect to any Plan.
(b) There are no pending or, to the best knowledge of ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, threatened claims, actions or lawsuits, or action by any Governmental Authority, with respect to any Plan that could be reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. There has been no prohibited transaction or violation of the fiduciary responsibility rules with respect to any Plan that has resulted or could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(c) (i) No ERISA Event has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur; (ii) as of August 31, 2025, no Pension Plan had an Unfunded Pension Liability exceeding $6,000,000 and no post-retirement benefit Plan had an unfunded liability exceeding $6,000,000; (iii) neither Borrower nor any ERISA Affiliate has incurred, or reasonably expects to incur, any liability under Title IV of ERISA with respect to any Pension Plan (other than premiums due and not delinquent under Section 4007 of ERISA); (iv) neither Borrower nor any ERISA Affiliate has incurred, or reasonably expects to incur, any liability (and no event has occurred which, with the giving of notice under Section 4219 of ERISA, would result in such liability) under Section 4201 or 4243 of ERISA with respect to a Multiemployer Plan; and (v) neither Borrower nor any ERISA Affiliate has engaged in a transaction that could be subject to Section 4069 or 4212(c) of ERISA.
5.13 Margin Regulations; Investment Company Act. (a) Borrower is not engaged and will not engage, principally or as one of its important activities, in the business of purchasing or carrying margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation U issued by the FRB), or extending credit for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock. (b) None of Borrower, any Person Controlling Borrower, or any Subsidiary is, or is required to be registered as, an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940.
5.14 Disclosure. This Agreement, the financial statements described in Section 5.05 of this Agreement and the documents, certificates or other writings delivered to the Agent or Lenders by or on behalf of the Borrower prior to the date of this Agreement in connection with the transactions contemplated in this Agreement and identified in Schedule 5.14 (this Agreement and such documents, certificates or other writings, and such financial statements being referred to, collectively, as the "Disclosure Documents"), taken as a whole, do not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein not misleading in light of the circumstances under which they were made. There is no fact known to the Company that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect that has not been set forth herein or in the Disclosure Documents.
5.15 Compliance with Laws. Each Loan Party and each Subsidiary thereof is in compliance in all material respects with the requirements of all Laws and all orders, writs, injunctions and decrees applicable to it or to its properties, except in such instances in which (a) such requirement of Law or order, writ, injunction or decree is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted or (b) the failure to comply therewith, either individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
5.16 Taxpayer Identification Number. Borrower’s true and correct U.S. taxpayer identification number is set forth on Schedule 10.02.
5.17 Anti-Corruption Laws; Sanctions. The Borrower and its Subsidiaries conduct their business in compliance with the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, the UK Bribery Act 2010 and other similar anti-corruption legislation (collectively, the “Anti-Corruption Laws”) and any Sanctions to the extent applicable to Borrower or its Subsidiaries.
5.18 OFAC. No Loan Party nor any Subsidiary nor any of its respective officers, or to the knowledge of any Loan Party, any employee, director, agent or Affiliate thereof (i) is a person whose property or interest in property is blocked or subject to blocking pursuant to Section 1 of Executive Order 13224 of September 23, 2001 Blocking Property and Prohibiting Transactions With Persons Who Commit, Threaten to Commit, or Support Terrorism (66 Fed. Reg. 49079 (2001)) or any Sanctions, (ii) engages in any dealings or transactions prohibited by Section 2 of such executive order, or is otherwise associated with any such person in any manner violative of Section 2 or any Sanctions, or (iii) is a person on the list of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons or subject to the limitations or prohibitions under any other U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control regulation or executive order.
5.19 Patriot Act. Each Loan Party is in compliance, in all material respects, with (i) the Trading with the Enemy Act, as amended, and each of the foreign assets control regulations of the United States Treasury Department (31 CFR, Subtitle B, Chapter V, as amended) and any other enabling legislation or executive order relating thereto, and (ii) the Uniting And Strengthening America By Providing Appropriate Tools Required To Intercept And Obstruct Terrorism (USA Patriot Act of 2001). No part of the proceeds of the Loans will be used, directly or indirectly, for any payments to any governmental official or employee, political party, official of a political party, candidate for political office, or anyone else acting in an official capacity, in order to obtain, retain or direct business or obtain any improper advantage, in violation of the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended.
ARTICLE VI. AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS
So long as any Lender shall have any Commitment under this Agreement, any Loan or other Obligation shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied, Borrower shall:
6.01 Financial Statements. Deliver, or cause to be delivered, to Agent a sufficient number of copies for delivery by Agent to each Lender, in form and detail satisfactory to Agent and the Required Lenders:
(a) as soon as available, but in any event within 90 days after the end of each fiscal year of Guarantor, a consolidated and consolidating balance sheet of Guarantor and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such fiscal year, and the related consolidated and consolidating statements of income or operations, changes in shareholders’ equity and cash flows for such fiscal year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the previous fiscal year, all in reasonable detail and prepared in accordance with GAAP, such consolidated statements to be audited and accompanied by a report and opinion of an independent certified public accountant registered with and in good standing with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, which report and opinion shall be prepared in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards and shall not be subject to any “going concern” or like qualification or exception or any qualification or exception as to the scope of such audit and such consolidating statements to be certified by the chief executive officer, chief financial officer, treasurer or controller of Guarantor to the effect that such statements are fairly stated in all material respects when considered in relation to the consolidated financial statements of Guarantor and its Subsidiaries;
(b) as soon as available, but in any event within 45 days after the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year of Guarantor, a consolidated and consolidating balance sheet of Guarantor and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such fiscal quarter, and the related consolidated and consolidating statements of income or operations, for such fiscal quarter and for the portion of Guarantor’s fiscal year then ended, and the related consolidated and consolidating statements of changes in shareholders’ equity, and cash flows for the portion of the Guarantor’s fiscal year then ended, in each case setting forth in comparative form, as applicable the figures for the corresponding fiscal quarter of the previous fiscal year and the corresponding portion of the previous fiscal year, all in reasonable detail, such consolidated statements to be certified by the chief executive officer, chief financial officer, treasurer or controller of Guarantor as fairly presenting the financial condition, results of operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows of Guarantor and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP, subject only to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes and such consolidating statements to be certified by the chief executive officer, chief financial officer, treasurer or controller of Guarantor to the effect that such statements are fairly stated in all material respects when considered in relation to the consolidated financial statements of Guarantor and its Subsidiaries.
6.02 Certificates; Other Information. Deliver, or cause to be delivered, to Agent a sufficient number of copies for delivery by Agent to each Lender, in form and detail satisfactory to Agent:
(a) concurrently with the delivery of the financial statements referred to in Sections 6.01(a) and (b), a duly completed Compliance Certificate signed by the chief executive officer, chief financial officer, treasurer or controller of ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇;
(b) promptly after any request by Agent or any Lender, copies of any detailed audit reports, management letters or recommendations submitted to the board of directors (or the audit committee of the board of directors) of Borrower or Guarantor by independent accountants in connection with the accounts or books of Borrower or Guarantor, or any audit of Borrower or Guarantor;
(c) promptly after the same are available, copies of each annual report, proxy or financial statement or other report or communication sent to the stockholders of Guarantor, and copies of all annual, regular, periodic and special reports and registration statements which Guarantor may file or be required to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission under Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and not otherwise required to be delivered to Agent pursuant hereto;
(d) promptly, and in any event within five Business Days after receipt thereof by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof, copies of each notice or other correspondence received from the Securities and Exchange Commission (or comparable agency in any applicable non-U.S. jurisdiction) concerning any investigation or possible investigation by such agency regarding financial or other operational results of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof; and
(e) promptly, such additional information regarding the business, financial or corporate affairs of Guarantor or any Subsidiary, or compliance with the terms of the Loan Documents, as Agent or any Lender may from time to time reasonably request.
Documents required to be delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(a) or (b) or Section 6.02(c) (“Borrower Materials”) (to the extent any such documents are included in materials otherwise filed with the SEC) may be delivered electronically to Agent. Agent shall have no obligation to request the delivery or to maintain copies of the documents referred to above, and in any event shall have no responsibility to monitor compliance by Borrower with any such request for delivery, and each Lender shall be solely responsible for requesting delivery to it or maintaining its copies of such documents.
6.03 Notices. Notify Agent and each Lender within four (4) Business Days:
(a) of the occurrence of any Default;
(b) of any matter, including (i) breach or non-performance of, or any default under, a Contractual Obligation of Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries; (ii) any dispute, litigation, investigation, proceeding or suspension between Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries and any Governmental Authority; or (iii) the commencement of, or any material development in, any litigation or proceeding affecting Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries, including pursuant to any applicable Environmental Laws, if such matter has resulted or could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect;
(c) of the occurrence of any ERISA Event; and
(d) of any material change in accounting policies or financial reporting practices by Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries.
Each notice pursuant to this Section must be accompanied by a statement of a Responsible Officer of Borrower setting forth details of the occurrence referred to therein and stating what action Borrower has taken and proposes to take with respect thereto. Each notice pursuant to Section 6.03(a) shall describe with particularity any and all provisions of this Agreement and any other Loan Document that have been breached.
6.04 Payment of Obligations. Pay and discharge as the same shall become due and payable, all its obligations and liabilities, including (a) all tax liabilities, assessments and governmental charges or levies upon it or its properties or assets; (b) all lawful claims which, if unpaid, would by law become a Lien upon its property; and (c) all Indebtedness, as and when due and payable, but subject to any subordination provisions contained in any instrument or agreement evidencing such Indebtedness; unless the same are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted and adequate reserves in accordance with GAAP are being maintained by Borrower or such Subsidiary
6.05 Preservation of Existence, Etc. (a) Preserve, renew and maintain in full force and effect each of Borrower’s and Guarantor’s legal existence and, if applicable, good standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its organization except in a transaction permitted by Section 7.04 or 7.05; and (b) take all reasonable action to maintain all rights, privileges, permits, licenses and franchises necessary or desirable in the normal conduct of its business, except to the extent that failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
6.06 Maintenance of Properties. (a) Maintain, preserve and protect all material properties and equipment of Borrower and Guarantor necessary in the operation of its business in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted; (b) make all reasonably necessary repairs thereto and renewals and replacements thereof except where the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and (c) use the standard of care typical in the industry in the operation and maintenance of its facilities.
6.07 Maintenance of Insurance. Maintain with financially sound and reputable insurance companies not Affiliates of Borrower, insurance with respect to its properties and business against loss or damage of the kinds customarily insured against by Persons engaged in the same or similar business, of such types and in such amounts (after giving effect to any self-insurance compatible with the following standards) as are customarily carried under similar circumstances by such other Persons and with a provision, to the extent such provision shall be available at reasonable cost, if applicable, requiring the insurer to give not less than 30 days’ prior notice to Agent of termination, lapse or cancellation of such insurance.
6.08 Compliance with Laws. Comply in all material respects with the requirements of all Laws and all orders, writs, injunctions and decrees applicable to it or to its business or property, except in such instances in which (a) such requirement of Law or order, write, injunction or decree is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted; or (b) the failure to comply therewith could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
6.09 Books and Records. (a) Maintain proper books of record and account, in which full, true and correct entries in conformity with GAAP consistently applied shall be made of all financial transactions and matters involving the assets and business of Borrower or such Subsidiary, as the case may be; and (b) maintain such books of record and account in material conformity with all applicable requirements of any Governmental Authority having regulatory jurisdiction over Borrower or such Subsidiary, as the case may be.
6.10 Inspection Rights. Permit representatives and independent contractors of Agent and each Lender to visit and inspect any of its properties, to examine its corporate, financial and operating records, and make copies thereof or abstracts therefrom, and to discuss its affairs, finances and accounts with its directors, officers, and independent public accountants, all and at such reasonable times during normal business hours and as often as may be reasonably desired, upon reasonable advance notice to Borrower; provided, however, that when an Event of Default exists Agent or any Lender (or any of their respective representatives or independent contractors) may do any of the foregoing at the expense of Borrower at any time during normal business hours and without advance notice.
6.11 Use of Proceeds. Use the proceeds of the Credit Extensions only for the purpose of refinancing existing debt. On or before the Closing Date, Borrower must payoff existing debts that include the AUB credit facility with a principal balance of $25,000,000.00; the AUB credit facility with a principal balance of $14,000,000.00; the AUB credit facility with a principal balance of $5,600,000.00; and the Bank of America credit facility with a principal balance of $9,000,000.00 (collectively, the “Payoffs”), and any interest or fees required by the terms of the Loan Documents and for ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇’s other working capital purposes.
6.12 Financial Covenants.
The Borrower and Guarantor shall not at any time permit, suffer or allow either:
(a) Consolidated Long Term Debt plus current maturities of Consolidated Long Term Debt to exceed 65% of Consolidated Total Capitalization; or
(b) Priority Indebtedness to exceed 15% of Consolidated Total Assets; or
(c) Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio to be less than 1.50 to 1.00.
“Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio” means, as of the date of any determination thereof, the ratio of Consolidated EBIT of the Guarantors and its Subsidiaries to Consolidated Interest Expense of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries. “Consolidated EBIT” means on a Consolidated basis for the Guarantor the sum of earnings before interest and taxes.
“Consolidated Long Term Debt” means, as of the date of any determination thereof, the total of all Long Term Debt of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries outstanding on such date, after eliminating all offsetting debits and credits between the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries and all other items required to be eliminated in the course of the preparation of consolidated financial statements of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP.
“Consolidated Stockholders’ Equity” means, as of the date of any determination thereof, the stockholders’ equity of the Guarantor which would be shown on a consolidated balance sheet of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries as of such time prepared in accordance with GAAP.
“Consolidated Total Assets” means, at any time, the total assets of the Guarantor which would be shown on a consolidated balance sheet of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries as of such time prepared in accordance with GAAP.
“Consolidated Total Capitalization” means, as of the date of any determination thereof, the sum of (i) Consolidated Long Term Debt, plus (ii) current maturities of Consolidated Long Term Debt, plus (iii) Consolidated Stockholders’ Equity.
“Long Term Debt” of any Person means all Indebtedness of such Person for borrowed money or which has been incurred in connection with the acquisition of assets in each case having a final maturity of more than one year from the date of origin thereof (or which is renewable or extendible at the option of the obligor for a period or periods more than one year from the date of origin), but excluding all payments in respect thereof that are required to be made within one year from the date of any determination of Long Term Debt, whether or not the obligation to make such payments shall constitute a current liability of the obligor under GAAP.
“Priority Indebtedness” means the sum, without duplication, of all Indebtedness of the Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries secured by Liens other than Permitted Liens.
“Permitted Liens” means the following:
(a) Liens for taxes, assessments or other governmental charges which are not yet due and payable or which are “Duly Contested” as defined below;
(b) statutory Liens of landlords and Liens of carriers, warehousemen, mechanics, materialmen and other similar Liens, in each case, incurred in the ordinary course of business for sums not yet due and payable or which are “Duly Contested” as defined below;
(c) Liens (other than any Liens imposed by ERISA) incurred or deposits made in the ordinary course of business (i) in connection with workers' compensation, unemployment insurance and other types of social security or retirement benefits, or (ii) to secure (or obtain letters of credit that secure) the performance of tenders, statutory obligations, surety bonds, appeal bonds, bids, leases (other than Finance Leases), performance bonds, purchase, construction or sales contracts and other similar obligations, in each case not incurred or made in connection with the borrowing of money, the obtaining of advances or credit for the payment of the deferred purchase price of property;
(d) any attachment or judgment Lien, unless the judgment it secures shall not, within 60 days after the entry thereof, have been discharged or execution thereof stayed pending appeal, or shall not have been discharged within 60 days after the expiration of any such stay;
(e) leases or subleases granted to others, easements, rights-of-way, restrictions and other similar charges or encumbrances, in each case incidental to, and not interfering with, the ordinary conduct of the business of the Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries, provided that such Liens do not, in the aggregate, materially detract from the value of such property;
(f) Liens on property or assets of a Subsidiary of the Guarantor for the benefit of the Guarantor or another Subsidiary of the Guarantor;
(g) Liens existing on the date of this Agreement and that secure Indebtedness of the Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries described in Schedule 7.01;
(h) any Lien created after the date hereof to secure all or any part of the purchase price, or to secure Indebtedness incurred or assumed to pay all or any part of the purchase price or cost of construction or improvement, of fixed assets useful and intended to be used in carrying on the business of the Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries (including pursuant to a Finance Lease or a Synthetic Lease), but only if
(i) any such Lien extends solely to the item or items of such property (or improvement thereon) so acquired or constructed and, if required by the terms of the instrument originally creating such Lien, other property (or improvement thereon) which is an improvement to or is acquired for specific use in connection with such acquired or constructed property (or improvement thereon) or which is real property being improved by such acquired or constructed property (or improvement thereon),
(ii) the principal amount of the Indebtedness secured by any such Lien at no time exceeds an amount equal to 100% of the lesser of cost or fair market value as determined in good faith by the board of directors of the Guarantor) of such property (or improvement thereon) at the time of such acquisition or construction, and
(iii) any such Lien is created contemporaneously with or within the period ending 180 days after, the acquisition or construction of such property;
(i) any Lien existing on property of a Person immediately prior to its being consolidated with or merged into the Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries, or any Lien existing on any property acquired by the Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries at the time such property is so acquired (whether or not the Indebtedness secured thereby shall have been assumed), provided that (i) no such Lien shall have been created or assumed in contemplation of such consolidation or merger or such Person's becoming a Subsidiary of Guarantor or such acquisition of property, and (ii) each such Lien on property so acquired shall extend solely to the item or items of property so acquired and, if required by the terms of the instrument originally creating such Lien, other property which is an improvement to or is acquired for specific use in connection with such acquired property.
For purposes of the foregoing definition, “Duly Contested” means, with respect to taxes, assessments, other governmental charges, statutory Liens of landlords and Liens of carriers, warehousemen, mechanics, materialmen and other similar Liens, that (i) the amount, applicability or validity of such item is contested by the Guarantor or its Subsidiary, as applicable, on a timely basis in good faith and in appropriate proceedings, and the Guarantor or its Subsidiary, as applicable, has established adequate reserves therefor in accordance with GAAP on the books of the Guarantor or its Subsidiary, as applicable, or (ii) the nonpayment of all such taxes, assessments, charges, levies and claims could not, individually or in the aggregate,
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
Financial Covenants contained herein shall be tested on a quarterly basis, unless otherwise stated, beginning with the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025.
6.13 Anti-Corruption Laws; Sanctions. Borrower and its Subsidiaries will conduct their business in material compliance with the Anti-Corruption Laws and any Sanctions to the extent applicable to Borrower or its Subsidiaries.
6.14 Hedging Provisions. Borrower shall be required to Hedge a minimum of 50% of the Committed Loans floating interest expense as of the Closing Date until September 1, 2030.
ARTICLE VII. NEGATIVE COVENANTS
So long as any Lender shall have any Commitment hereunder or any Loan or other Obligation hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied, Borrower shall not, nor shall it permit any Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly:
7.01 Indebtedness. Until such time as “Regulatory Approval,” as defined below, has occurred, create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Indebtedness, except:
(a) Indebtedness under the Loan Documents;
(b) Indebtedness under the Lines of Credit;
(b) Indebtedness outstanding on the date hereof and listed on Schedule 7.01 and any refinancings, refundings, renewals or extensions thereof; provided that (i) the amount of such Indebtedness is not increased at the time of such refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension except by an amount equal to a reasonable premium or other reasonable amount paid, and fees and expenses reasonably incurred, in connection with such refinancing and by an amount equal to any existing commitments unutilized thereunder and (ii) the terms relating to principal amount, amortization, maturity, collateral (if any) and subordination (if any), and other material terms taken as a whole, of any such refinancing, refunding, renewing or extending Indebtedness, and of any agreement entered into and of any instrument issued in connection therewith, are no less favorable in any material respect to the Loan Parties or Lenders than the terms of any agreement or instrument governing the Indebtedness being refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended and the interest rate applicable to any such refinancing, refunding, renewing or extending Indebtedness does not exceed the then applicable market interest rate;
(c) Guarantees of Borrower or any Subsidiary in respect of Indebtedness otherwise permitted hereunder of Borrower or any wholly-owned Subsidiary;
(d) obligations (contingent or otherwise) of Borrower or any Subsidiary existing or arising under any Swap Contract, provided that (i) such obligations are (or were) entered into by such Person in the ordinary course of business for the purpose of directly mitigating risks associated with liabilities, commitments, investments, assets, or property held or reasonably anticipated by such Person, or changes in the value of securities issued by such Person, and not for purposes of speculation or taking a “market view;” and (ii) such Swap Contract does not contain any provision exonerating the non-defaulting party from its obligation to make payments on outstanding transactions to the defaulting party; or
(e) obligations for borrowed money owed to Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries.
For purposes of this Section 7.01:
“Regulatory Approval” means issuance by the appropriate Governmental Authority of a final approving certificate or other equivalent documentation for the Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC’s Southgate Extension Project and Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC’s Compression Project, which certificate or approval is not subject to appeal or further review by any governmental authority.
7.02 Fundamental Changes. Merge, dissolve, liquidate, consolidate with or into another Person, or Dispose of (whether in one transaction or in a series of transactions) all or substantially all of its assets (whether now owned or hereafter acquired) to or in favor of any Person, except that, so long as no Default exists or would result therefrom:
(a) any Subsidiary may merge with (i) Borrower but only if the Borrower is the continuing or surviving Person or (ii) any one or more of Borrower’s Subsidiaries but only if, when any wholly-owned Subsidiary is merging with another Subsidiary, a wholly-owned Subsidiary is the continuing or surviving Person; and
(b) any Subsidiary of Borrower may Dispose of all or substantially all of its assets (upon voluntary liquidation or otherwise) to Borrower or to another Subsidiary of Borrower but only if, when the transferor in such a transaction is a wholly-owned Subsidiary of Borrower, then the transferee must either be Borrower or a wholly-owned Subsidiary of Borrower.
7.03 Dispositions. Make any Disposition or enter into any agreement to make any Disposition, except:
(a) Dispositions of obsolete or worn out property, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, in the ordinary course of business;
(b) Dispositions of inventory in the ordinary course of business;
(c) Dispositions of equipment or real property to the extent that (i) such property is exchanged for credit against the purchase price of similar replacement property or (ii) the proceeds of such Disposition are reasonably promptly applied to the purchase price of such replacement property;
(d) Dispositions of property by any Subsidiary to Borrower or Guarantor or to a wholly-owned Subsidiary of Borrower or Guarantor; provided that if the transferor of such property is a Guarantor, the transferee thereof must either be Borrower or a Guarantor;
(e) Dispositions permitted by Section 7.02; and
(f) Dispositions of cash, cash equivalents and investment assets in the ordinary course of business.
7.04 Restricted Payments. Declare or make, directly or indirectly, any Restricted Payment, or incur any obligation (contingent or otherwise) to do so, or issue or sell any Equity Interests, except that, so long as no Default shall have occurred and be continuing at the time of any action described below or would result therefrom:
(a) each Subsidiary may make Restricted Payments to Borrower, Guarantor and any other Person that owns an Equity Interest in such Subsidiary, ratably according to their respective holdings of the type of Equity Interest in respect of which such Restricted Payment is being made;
(b) Borrower may declare and make dividend payments or other distributions to the Guarantor; and
(c) Borrower and each Subsidiary may purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire Equity Interests issued by it with the proceeds received from the substantially concurrent issue of new shares of its common stock or other common Equity Interests.
7.05 Change in Nature of Business. Engage in any material line of business substantially different from those lines of business conducted by Borrower and its Subsidiaries on the date hereof or any business substantially related or incidental thereto.
7.06 Transactions with Affiliates. Enter into any transaction of any kind with any Affiliate of Borrower, whether or not in the ordinary course of business, other than on fair and reasonable terms substantially as favorable to Borrower as would be obtainable by Borrower at the time in a comparable arm’s length transaction with a Person other than an Affiliate. The foregoing restriction shall not apply to transactions between Borrower and Guarantor.
7.07 Use of Proceeds. Use the proceeds of the Credit Extension, whether directly or indirectly, and whether immediately, incidentally or ultimately, to purchase or carry margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation U of the FRB) or to extend credit to others for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock or to refund indebtedness originally incurred for such purpose.
ARTICLE VIII. EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES
8.01 Events of Default. Any of the following shall constitute an Event of Default:
(a) Non-Payment. Borrower or any other Loan Party fails to pay (i) when and as required to be paid herein, any amount of principal of any Loan, (ii) within five days after the same becomes due, any interest on any Loan or (iii) when due and such failure continues for 10 days after notice of such failure is given to Borrower by Agent or any Lender, any other amount payable under any Loan Document; or
(b) Specific Covenants. Borrower fails to perform or observe any term, covenant or agreement contained in any of Sections 6.05, 6.10, 6.11, 6.12, 6.13, 7.01, 7.02, 7.04 or 7.07 or, within the meaning of Section 6.12, either (i) Consolidated Long Term Debt plus current maturities of Consolidated Long Term Debt exceeds 65% of Consolidated Total Capitalization; (ii) Priority Indebtedness exceeds 15% of Consolidated Total Assets; or (iii) Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio is less than 1.50 to 1.00; or
(c) Other Defaults. Any Loan Party fails to perform or observe any other covenant or agreement (not specified in subsection (a) or (b) above) contained in any Loan Document on its part to be performed or observed and (i) such failure continues for 30 days after notice of such failure is given to Borrower by Agent or any Lender or (ii) in the case of any such failure that can be cured but cannot with due diligence be cured within such 30-day period, failure of the Loan Party to proceed promptly to cure the same and thereafter prosecute the curing of the same with due diligence but in any event within 60 days or any Event of Default occurs under any other Loan Document; or
(d) Representations and Warranties. Any representation, warranty, certification or statement of fact made or deemed made by or on behalf of Borrower or any other Loan Party herein, in any other Loan Document, or in any document delivered in connection herewith or therewith shall be incorrect or misleading in any material respect when made or deemed made; or
(e) Cross-Default. (i) Borrower, Guarantor or any of Guarantor’s Subsidiaries (A) fails to make any payment when due (whether by scheduled maturity, required prepayment, acceleration, demand, or otherwise) in respect of any Indebtedness or Guarantee (other than Indebtedness hereunder and Indebtedness under Swap Contracts) having an aggregate principal amount (including undrawn committed or available amounts and including amounts owing to all creditors under any combined or syndicated credit arrangement) of more than the Threshold Amount, or (B) fails to observe or perform any other agreement or condition relating to any such Indebtedness or Guarantee or contained in any instrument or agreement evidencing, securing or relating thereto, or any other event occurs, the effect of which default or other event is to cause, or to permit the holder or holders of such Indebtedness or the beneficiary or beneficiaries of such Guarantee (or a trustee or agent on behalf of such holder or holders or beneficiary or beneficiaries) to cause, with the giving of notice if required, such Indebtedness to be demanded or to become due or to be repurchased, prepaid, defeased or redeemed (automatically or otherwise), or an offer to repurchase, prepay, defease or redeem such Indebtedness to be made, prior to its stated maturity, or such Guarantee to become payable or cash collateral in respect thereof to be demanded; or (ii) there occurs under any Swap Contract an Early Termination Date (as defined in such Swap Contract) resulting from (A) any event of default under such Swap Contract as to which Borrower, Guarantor or any of Guarantor’s Subsidiaries is the Defaulting Party (as defined in such Swap Contract) or (B) any Termination Event (as so defined) under such Swap Contract as to which Borrower, Guarantor or any of Guarantor’s Subsidiaries is an Affected Party (as so defined) and, in either event, the Swap Termination Value owed by Borrower, Guarantor or any of Guarantor’s Subsidiaries as a result thereof is greater than the Threshold Amount; or
(f) Insolvency Proceedings, Etc. Any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries institutes or consents to the institution of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, or makes an assignment for the benefit of creditors; or applies for or consents to the appointment of any receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator, liquidator, rehabilitator or similar officer for it or for all or any material part of its property; or any receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator, liquidator, rehabilitator or similar officer is appointed without the application or consent of such Person and the appointment continues undischarged or unstayed for 60 calendar days; or any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law relating to any such Person or to all or any material part of its property is instituted without the consent of such Person and continues undismissed or unstayed for 60 calendar days, or an order for relief is entered in any such proceeding; or
(g) Inability to Pay Debts; Attachment. (i) Borrower, Guarantor or any of Guarantor’s Subsidiaries becomes unable or admits in writing its inability or fails generally to pay its debts as they become due, or (ii) any writ or warrant of attachment or execution or similar process is issued or levied against all or any material part of the property of Borrower, Guarantor or any of Guarantor’s Subsidiaries and is not released, vacated or fully bonded within 30 days after its issue or levy; or
(h) Judgments. There is entered against Borrower, Guarantor or any of Guarantor’s Subsidiaries (i) one or more final judgments or orders for the payment of money in an aggregate amount (as to all such judgments or orders) exceeding the Threshold Amount (to the extent not covered by independent third-party insurance as to which the insurer does not dispute coverage), or (ii) any one or more non-monetary final judgments that have, or could reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect and, in either case, (A) enforcement proceedings are commenced by any creditor upon such judgment or order, or (B) there is a period of 10 consecutive days during which a stay of enforcement of such judgment, by reason of a pending appeal or otherwise, is not in effect; or
(i) ERISA. (i) An ERISA Event occurs with respect to a Pension Plan, post-retirement benefit Plan, or Multiemployer Plan which has resulted or could reasonably be expected to result in liability of Borrower or Guarantor under Title IV of ERISA to the Pension Plan, post-retirement benefit Plan, Multiemployer Plan or the PBGC in an aggregate amount in excess of the Threshold Amount, or (ii) Borrower, Guarantor or any ERISA Affiliate fails to pay when due, after the expiration of any applicable grace period, any installment payment with respect to its withdrawal liability under Section 4201 of ERISA under a Multiemployer Plan in an aggregate amount in excess of the Threshold Amount; or
(j) Invalidity of Loan Documents. Any Loan Document or any material provision thereof, at any time after its execution and delivery and for any reason other than as expressly permitted hereunder or thereunder or satisfaction in full of all the Obligations, ceases to be in full force and effect; or any Loan Party or any other Person contests in any manner the validity or enforceability of any Loan Document or any provision thereof; or any Loan Party denies that it has any or further liability or obligation under any Loan Document, or purports to revoke, terminate or rescind any Loan Document or any provision thereof; or
(k) Change of Control. Borrower shall no longer be a wholly-owned subsidiary of Guarantor or one of Guarantor’s other subsidiaries; or
(l) Guaranty. Guarantor purports to revoke or disavow the Guaranty; or
(m) Swap Contract. Any failure by Borrower to observe or perform any term, covenant, condition, or agreement contained in any Swap Contract or event thereunder in which all Swap Contracts related hereto are “Affected Transactions” or there is an “Event of Default” (as such terms are defined in the Swap Agreement, or terms of similar meaning).
8.02 Remedies Upon Event of Default. If any Event of Default occurs and is continuing, Agent shall, at the request of, or may, with the consent of, the Required Lenders, take any or all of the following actions:
(a) declare the commitment of each Lender to make Loans to be terminated, whereupon such commitments and obligation shall be terminated;
(b) declare the unpaid principal amount of all outstanding Loans, all interest accrued and unpaid thereon, and all other amounts owing or payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document to be immediately due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived by Borrower;
(c) exercise on behalf of itself and the Lenders all rights and remedies available to it and the Lenders under the Loan Documents; and
(d) waive such Event of Default.
Upon the occurrence of an actual or deemed entry of an order for relief with respect to Borrower or Guarantor under the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, the obligation of each Lender to make Loans shall automatically terminate, the unpaid principal amount of all outstanding Loans and all interest and other amounts as aforesaid shall automatically become due and payable, in each case without further act of Agent or any Lender.
8.03 Application of Funds. After the exercise of remedies provided for in Section 8.02 (or after the Loans have automatically become immediately due and as set forth in Section 8.02), any amounts received on account of the Obligations shall be applied by Agent in the following order:
First, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities, expenses and other amounts (including reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to Agent (including fees and time charges for attorneys who may be employees of Agent) and amounts payable under Article III) payable to Agent in its capacity as such;
Second, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities and other amounts (other than principal and interest) payable to Lenders (including fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the respective Lenders (including fees and time charges for attorneys who may be employees of any Lender) and amounts payable under Article III), ratably among them in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Second payable to them;
Third, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting accrued and unpaid interest on the Loans and other Obligations, ratably among Lenders in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Third payable to them;
Fourth, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting unpaid principal of the Loans and other Obligations, ratably among Lenders in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Fourth held by them; and
Last, the balance, if any, after all of the Obligations have been indefeasibly paid in full, to Borrower or as otherwise required by Law.
ARTICLE IX. ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
9.01 Appointment and Authorization of Administrative Agent. Each of the Lenders irrevocably appoints AUB to act on its behalf as Administrative Agent hereunder and under the other Loan Documents and authorizes Agent to take such actions on its behalf and to exercise such powers as are delegated to Agent by the terms hereof and thereof, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. The provisions of this Article are solely for the benefit of Agent and the Lenders, and neither Borrower nor any other Loan Party shall have rights as a third party beneficiary of any of such provisions.
9.02 Rights as a Lender. The Person serving as Agent hereunder shall have the same rights and powers in its capacity as a Lender as any other Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not Agent and the term “Lender” or “Lenders” shall, unless otherwise expressly indicated or unless the context otherwise requires, include the Person serving as Agent hereunder in its individual capacity. Such Person and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to, act as the financial advisor or in any other advisory capacity for and generally engage in any kind of business with Borrower, Guarantor or any Subsidiary or other Affiliate thereof as if such Person were not Agent hereunder and without any duty to account therefor to Lenders.
9.03 Exculpatory Provisions. Agent shall not have any duties or obligations except those expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, Agent:
(a) shall not be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a Default has occurred and is continuing;
(b) shall not have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated hereby or by the other Loan Documents that Agent is required to exercise as directed in writing by the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be expressly provided for herein or in the other Loan Documents), provided that Agent shall not be required to take any action that, in its opinion or the opinion of its counsel, may expose Agent to liability or that is contrary to any Loan Document or applicable Law;
(c) shall not, except as expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, have any duty to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to Borrower or any of its Affiliates that is communicated to or obtained by the Person serving as Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity; and
(d) shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it (i) with the consent or at the request of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary, or as Agent shall believe in good faith shall be necessary, under the circumstances as provided in Sections 8.02 and 10.01) or (ii) in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct. Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default unless and until written notice describing such Default is given to Agent by Borrower or a Lender. Agent shall not be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into (i) any statement, warranty or representation made in or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered hereunder or thereunder or in connection herewith or therewith, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein or therein or the occurrence of any Default, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document or (v) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article IV or elsewhere herein, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to Agent.
9.04 Reliance by Administrative Agent. Agent shall be entitled to rely upon, and shall not incur any liability for relying upon, any notice, request, certificate, consent, statement, instrument, document or other writing (including any electronic message, Internet or intranet website posting or other distribution) believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or otherwise authenticated by the proper Person. Agent also may rely upon any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to have been made by the proper Person, and shall not incur any liability for relying thereon. In determining compliance with any condition hereunder to the making of a Loan, that by its terms must be fulfilled to the satisfaction of a Lender, Agent may presume that such condition is satisfactory to such Lender unless Agent shall have received notice to the contrary from such Lender prior to the making of such Loan. Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be counsel for ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇), independent accountants and other experts selected by it, and shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it in accordance with the advice of any such counsel, accountants or experts.
9.05 Delegation of Duties. Agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers hereunder or under any other Loan Document by or through any one or more sub‑agents appointed by Agent. Agent and any such sub‑agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers by or through their respective Related Parties. The exculpatory provisions of this Article shall apply to any such sub‑agent and to the Related Parties of Agent and any such sub‑agent, and shall apply to their respective activities in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein as well as activities as Agent.
9.06 Resignation of Agent. Agent may at any time give notice of its resignation to ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ and ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇. Upon receipt of any such notice of resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the right, in consultation with ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, to appoint a successor, which shall be a bank with an office in the United States, or an Affiliate of any such bank with an office in the United States. If no such successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within 30 days after the retiring Agent gives notice of its resignation, then the retiring Agent may on behalf of ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, appoint a successor Agent meeting the qualifications set forth above; provided that if Agent shall notify Borrower and the Lenders that no qualifying Person has accepted such appointment, then such resignation shall nonetheless become effective in accordance with such notice and (1) the retiring Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents and (2) all payments, communications and determinations provided to be made by, to or through Agent shall instead be made by or to each Lender directly, until such time as the Required Lenders appoint a successor Agent as provided for above in this Section. Upon the acceptance of a successor’s appointment as Agent hereunder, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring (or retired) Agent, and the retiring Agent shall be discharged from all of its duties and obligations hereunder or under the other Loan Documents (if not already discharged therefrom as provided above in this Section). The fees payable by Borrower to a successor Agent shall be the same as those payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed between Borrower and such successor. After the retiring Agent’s resignation hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, the provisions of this Article and Section 10.04 shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring Agent, its sub‑agents and their respective Related Parties in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any of them while the retiring Administrative Agent was acting as Administrative Agent.
9.07 Non-Reliance on Agent and Other Lenders. Each Lender acknowledges that it has, independently and without reliance upon Agent or any other Lender or any of their Related Parties and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Agreement. Each Lender also acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance upon Agent or any other Lender or any of their Related Parties and based on such documents and information as it shall from time to time deem appropriate, continue to make its own decisions in taking or not taking action under or based upon this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any related agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder.
9.08 No Other Duties, Etc. Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, no Lender holding a title listed on the cover page hereof shall have any powers, duties or responsibilities under this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, except in its capacity, as applicable, as Agent or a Lender hereunder.
9.09 Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim. In case of the pendency of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law or any other judicial proceeding relative to any Loan Party, Agent (irrespective of whether the principal of any Loan shall then be due and payable as herein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether Agent shall have made any demand on Borrower) shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise
(a) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of the principal and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Loans and all other Obligations that are owing and unpaid and to file such other documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of Lenders and Agent (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of Lenders and Agent and their respective agents and counsel and all other amounts due Lenders and Agent under Sections 2.03(i) and (j), 2.09 and 10.04) allowed in such judicial proceeding; and
(b) to collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same.
Any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Lender to make such payments to Agent and, in the event that Agent shall consent to the making of such payments directly to Lenders, to pay to Agent any amount due for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of Agent and its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due Agent under Sections 2.09 and 10.04. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to authorize Agent to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Lender any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Obligations or the rights of any Lender or to authorize Agent to vote in respect of the claim of any Lender in any such proceeding.
ARTICLE X. MISCELLANEOUS
10.01 Amendments, Etc. No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, and no consent to any departure by Borrower or any other Loan Party therefrom, shall be effective unless in writing signed by the Required Lenders and Borrower or the applicable Loan Party, as the case may be, and acknowledged by Agent, and each such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given. No such amendment, waiver or consent shall:
(a) waive any condition set forth in Section 4.01(a) without the written consent of each Lender, except that, in the sole discretion of Agent, only a waiver by Agent shall be required with respect to immaterial matters or items specified in Section 4.01(a) (iii) or (iv) with respect to which Borrower has given assurances satisfactory to Agent that such items shall be delivered promptly following the Closing Date;
(b) extend or increase the Commitment of any Lender (or reinstate any Commitment terminated pursuant to Section 8.02) without the written consent of such Lender;
(c) postpone any date fixed by this Agreement or any other Loan Document for any payment (excluding mandatory prepayments) of principal, interest, fees or other amounts due to Lenders (or any of them) hereunder or under any other Loan Document without the written consent of each Lender directly affected thereby;
(d) reduce the principal of, or the rate of interest specified herein on, any Loan or any fees or other amounts payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document, without the written consent of each Lender directly affected thereby; except that only the consent of the Required Lenders shall be necessary (i) to amend the definition of “Default Rate” or to waive any obligation of Borrower to pay interest at the Default Rate or (ii) to amend any financial covenant hereunder (or any defined term used therein) even if the effect of such amendment would be to reduce the rate of interest on any Loan or to reduce any fee payable hereunder;
(e) change Section 2.11 or Section 8.03 in a manner that would alter the pro rata sharing of payments required thereby without the written consent of each Lender;
(f) change any provision of this Section or the definition of “Required Lenders” or any other provision hereof specifying the number or percentage of Lenders required to amend, waive or otherwise modify any rights hereunder or make any determination or grant any consent hereunder, without the written consent of each Lender; or
(g) release the Guarantor from any of its obligations under the Guaranty.
No amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by Agent in addition to the Lenders required above, affect the rights or duties of Agent under this Agreement or any other Loan Document; and the Agent’s fee may be revised, or rights or privileges thereunder waived, in a writing executed only by Agent and Borrower. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, no Defaulting Lender shall have any right to approve or disapprove any amendment, waiver or consent hereunder, except that the Commitment of such Lender may not be increased or extended without the consent of such Lender.
10.02 Notices; Effectiveness; Electronic Communications. (a) Notices Generally. Except in the case of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone (and except as provided in subsection (b) below), all notices and other communications provided for herein shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or overnight courier service, mailed by certified or registered mail or sent by telecopier as follows, and all notices and other communications expressly permitted hereunder to be given by telephone shall be made to the applicable telephone number, as follows:
(i) if to Borrower or Agent, to the address, telecopier number, electronic mail address or telephone number specified for such Person on Schedule 10.02; and
(ii) if to any other Lender, to the address, telecopier number, electronic mail address or telephone number specified in its Administrative Questionnaire.
Notices sent by hand or overnight courier service, or mailed by certified or registered mail, shall be deemed to have been given when received; notices sent by telecopier shall be deemed to have been given when sent (except that, if not given during normal business hours for the recipient, shall be deemed to have been given at the opening of business on the next business day for the recipient). Notices delivered through electronic communications to the extent provided in subsection (b) below, shall be effective as provided in such subsection (b).
(b) Electronic Communications. Notices and other communications to Lenders hereunder may be delivered or furnished by electronic communication (including e-mail and intranet websites) pursuant to procedures approved by Agent, provided that the foregoing shall not apply to notices to any Lender pursuant to Article II if such ▇▇▇▇▇▇ has notified the Agent that it is incapable of receiving notices under such Article by electronic communication. Agent or Borrower may, in its or their discretion, agree to accept notices and other communications to it hereunder by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by it, provided that approval of such procedures may be limited to particular notices or communications. Unless Agent otherwise prescribes, (i) notices and other communications sent to an e-mail address shall be deemed received upon the sender’s receipt of an acknowledgement from the intended recipient (such as by the “return receipt requested” function, as available, return e-mail or other written acknowledgement), provided that if such notice or other communication is not sent during the normal business hours of the recipient, such notice or communication shall be deemed to have been sent at the opening of business on the next Business Day for the recipient, and (ii) notices or communications posted to an Internet or intranet website shall be deemed received upon the deemed receipt by the intended recipient at its e-mail address as described in the foregoing clause (i) of notification that such notice or communication is available and identifying the website address therefor.
(c) Use of Electronic Communications. In no event shall Agent or any of its Related Parties (collectively, the “Agent Parties”) have any liability to Borrower, any Lender, or any other Person for losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses of any kind (whether in tort, contract or otherwise) arising out of Borrower’s or Agent’s transmission of Borrower Materials via electronic communications, except to the extent that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by a final and nonappealable judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Agent Party; provided, however, that in no event shall any Agent Party have any liability to Borrower, any Lender, or any other Person for indirect, special, incidental, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages).
(d) Change of Address, Etc. The Borrower and the Agent may change its address, telecopier or telephone number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto. Despite anything contained herein to the contrary, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ may designate at any one time only one address, telecopier number and telephone number for notice or other communications hereunder to ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇. Each Lender may change its address, telecopier or telephone number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ and Agent. In addition, each ▇▇▇▇▇▇ agrees to notify Agent from time to time to ensure that Agent has on record (i) an effective address, contact name, telephone number, telecopier number and electronic mail address to which notices and other communications may be sent and (ii) accurate wire instructions for such Lender.
(e) Reliance by Agent and ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇. Agent and ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ shall be entitled to rely and act upon any notices purportedly given by or on behalf of Borrower even if (i) such notices were not made in a manner specified herein, were incomplete or were not preceded or followed by any other form of notice specified herein, or (ii) the terms thereof, as understood by the recipient, varied from any confirmation thereof. Borrower shall indemnify Agent, each Lender and the Related Parties of each of them from all losses, costs, expenses and liabilities resulting from the reliance by such Person on each notice purportedly given by or on behalf of ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇. All telephonic notices to and other telephonic communications with Agent may be recorded by Agent, and each of the parties hereto hereby consents to such recording.
10.03 No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies: Enforcement. No failure by any Lender or Agent to exercise, and no delay by any such Person in exercising, any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, remedy, power or privilege. The rights, remedies, powers and privileges herein provided are cumulative and not exclusive of any rights, remedies, powers and privileges provided by law.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein or in any other Loan Document, the authority to enforce rights and remedies hereunder and under the other Loan Documents against the Loan Parties or any of them shall be vested exclusively in, and all actions and proceedings at law in connection with such enforcement shall be instituted and maintained exclusively by, Agent in accordance with Section 8.02 for the benefit of all Lenders; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not prohibit (a) Agent from exercising on its own behalf the rights and remedies that inure to its benefit (solely in its capacity as Agent) hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, (b) any Lender from exercising setoff rights in accordance with Section 10.08 (subject to the terms of Section 2.11), or (c) any Lender from filing proofs of claim or appearing and filing pleadings on its own behalf during the pendency of a proceeding relative to any Loan Party under any Debtor Relief Law; and provided, further, that if at any time there is no Person acting Agent hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, then (i) the Required Lenders shall have the rights otherwise ascribed to Agent pursuant to Section 8.02 and (ii) in addition to the matters set forth in clauses (b) and (c) of the preceding proviso and subject to Section 2.11, any Lender may, with the consent of the Required Lenders, enforce any rights and remedies available to it and as authorized by the Required Lenders.
10.04 Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver. (a) Costs and Expenses. Borrower shall pay (i) all reasonable out‑of‑pocket expenses incurred by Agent and its Affiliates (including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of counsel for Agent), in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein, the preparation, negotiation, execution, delivery and administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents or any amendments, modifications or waivers of the provisions hereof or thereof (whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be consummated), and (ii) all out‑of‑pocket expenses incurred by Agent, any Lender (including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for Agent or any Lender), in connection with the enforcement or protection of its rights (A) in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, including its rights under this Section, or (B) in connection with the Loans made hereunder, including all such out‑of‑pocket expenses incurred during any workout, restructuring or negotiations in respect of such Loans.
(b) Indemnification by ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇. Borrower shall indemnify Agent (and any sub-agent thereof) and each Lender, and each Related Party of any of the foregoing Persons (each such Person being called an “Indemnitee”) against, and hold each Indemnitee harmless from, any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and related expenses (including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for any Indemnitee) incurred by any Indemnitee or asserted against any Indemnitee by any third party or by Borrower or any other Loan Party arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of (i) the execution or delivery of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby or thereby, the performance by the parties hereto of their respective obligations hereunder or thereunder, or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, or, in the case of Agent (and any sub-agent thereof) and its Related Parties only, the administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents (including in respect of any matters addressed in Section 3.01), (ii) any Loan or the use or proposed use of the proceeds therefrom, (iii) any actual or alleged presence or release of Hazardous Materials on or from any property owned or operated by Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or any Environmental Liability related in any way to Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or (iv) any actual or prospective claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding relating to any of the foregoing, whether based on contract, tort or any other theory, whether brought by a third party or by Borrower or any other Loan Party, and regardless of whether any Indemnitee is a party thereto IN ALL CASES, WHETHER OR NOT CAUSED BY OR ARISING, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, OUT OF THE COMPARATIVE, CONTRIBUTORY OR SOLE NEGLIGENCE OF THE INDEMNITEE; provided that such indemnity shall not, as to any Indemnitee, be available to the extent that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or related expenses (x) are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee or (y) result from a claim brought by Borrower or any other Loan Party against an Indemnitee for breach in bad faith of such Indemnitee’s obligations hereunder or under any other Loan Document, if such Borrower or such other Loan Party has obtained a final and nonappealable judgment in its favor on such claim as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction.
Without limitation of any other indemnity provided herein, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ agrees to indemnify and hold Agent and each Lender harmless from any and all claims, demands, losses, liabilities, expenses, and obligations now or hereafter incurred by any Lender arising from (i) any claim by any Person alleging that such ▇▇▇▇▇▇ is responsible for any act or omission of Borrower or any third party in connection with the Swap Transactions; (ii) Borrower’s default or breach of any Swap Contract; (iii) Borrower’s violation of any law applicable to the Swap Transactions; and (iv) any fraudulent, wrongful, or negligent act or omission of Borrower, or any of its employees, agents, independent contractors or customers, in connection with any Swap Transaction. The Borrower further agrees that the foregoing indemnity shall survive termination and expiration of this Agreement and any Swap Contract.
(c) Reimbursement by ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇. To the extent that Borrower for any reason fails to indefeasibly pay any amount required under subsection (a) or (b) of this Section to be paid by it to Agent (or any sub-agent thereof), or any Related Party of any of the foregoing, each Lender severally agrees to pay to Agent (or any such sub-agent), or such Related Party, as the case may be, such Lender’s Applicable Percentage (determined as of the time that the applicable unreimbursed expense or indemnity payment is sought) of such unpaid amount, provided that the unreimbursed expense or indemnified loss, claim, damage, liability or related expense, as the case may be, was incurred by or asserted against Agent (or any such sub-agent) or against any Related Party of any of the foregoing acting for Agent (or any such sub-agent) in connection with such capacity. The obligations of the Lenders under this subsection (c) are subject to the provisions of Section 2.10(d).
(d) Waiver of Consequential Damages, Etc. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, Borrower shall not assert, and hereby waives, any claim against any Indemnitee, on any theory of liability, for special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages) arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of, this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby, the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, any Loan or the use of the proceeds thereof. No Indemnitee referred to in subsection (b) above shall be liable for any damages arising from the use by unintended recipients of any information or other materials distributed to such unintended recipients by such Indemnitee through telecommunications, electronic or other information transmission systems in connection with this Agreement or the other Loan Documents or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby other than for direct or actual damages resulting from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee as determined by a final and nonappealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction.
(e) Payments. All amounts due under this Section shall be payable not later than ten Business Days after demand therefor.
(f) Survival. The agreements in this Section shall survive the resignation of Agent, the replacement of any Lender, and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all the other Obligations.
10.05 Payments Set Aside. To the extent that any payment by or on behalf of Borrower is made to Agent or any Lender, or Agent or any Lender exercises its right of setoff, and such payment or the proceeds of such setoff or any part thereof is subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside or required (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by Agent or such Lender in its discretion) to be repaid to a trustee, receiver or any other party, in connection with any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law or otherwise, then (a) to the extent of such recovery, the obligation or part thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued in full force and effect as if such payment had not been made or such setoff had not occurred, and (b) each Lender severally agrees to pay to Agent upon demand its applicable share (without duplication) of any amount so recovered from or repaid by Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such payment is made at a rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds Rate from time to time in effect. The obligations of the Lenders under clause (b) of the preceding sentence shall survive the payment in full of the Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.
10.06 Successors and Assigns. (a) Successors and Assigns Generally. The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, except that neither Borrower nor any other Loan Party may assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of Agent and each Lender and no Lender may assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder except (i) to an assignee in accordance with the provisions of subsection (b) of this Section, (ii) by way of participation in accordance with the provisions of subsection (d) of this Section, or (iii) by way of pledge or assignment of a security interest subject to the restrictions of subsection (f) of this Section (and any other attempted assignment or transfer by any party hereto shall be null and void). Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, Participants to the extent provided in subsection (d) of this Section and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related Parties of each of Agent and the Lenders) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.
(b) Assignments by ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇. Any Lender may at any time assign to one or more assignees all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans at the time owing to it); provided that any such assignment shall be subject to the following conditions:
(i) Minimum Amounts
(A) in the case of an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning ▇▇▇▇▇▇’s Commitment and the Loans at the time owing to it or in the case of an assignment to a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender no minimum amount need be assigned; and
(B) in any case not described in subsection (b)(i)(A) of this Section, the aggregate amount of the Commitment (which for this purpose includes Loans outstanding thereunder) or, if the Commitment is not then in effect, the principal outstanding balance of the Loans of the assigning Lender subject to each such assignment, determined as of the date the Assignment and Assumption with respect to such assignment is delivered to Agent or, if “Trade Date” is specified in the Assignment and Assumption, as of the Trade Date, shall not be less than $5,000,000 unless each of Agent and, so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, Borrower otherwise consents (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed); provided, however, that concurrent assignments to members of an Assignee Group and concurrent assignments from members of an Assignee Group to a single Eligible Assignee (or to an Eligible Assignee and members of its Assignee Group) will be treated as a single assignment for purposes of determining whether such minimum amount has been met;
(ii) Proportionate Amounts. Each partial assignment shall be made as an assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning ▇▇▇▇▇▇’s rights and obligations under this Agreement with respect to the Loans or the Commitment assigned;
(iii) Required Consents. No consent shall be required for any assignment except to the extent required by subsection (b)(i)(B) of this Section and, in addition:
(A) the consent of Borrower (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required unless (1) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing at the time of such assignment or (2) such assignment is to a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender; and
(B) the consent of Agent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required if such assignment is to a Person that is not a Lender, or an Affiliate of a Lender.
(iv) Assignment and Assumption. The parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to Agent an Assignment and Assumption, together with a processing and recordation fee in the amount of $3,500.00; provided, however, that the Agent may, in its sole discretion, elect to waive such processing and recordation fee in the case of any assignment. The assignee, if it is not a Lender, shall deliver to Agent an Administrative Questionnaire.
(v) No Assignment to Borrower. No such assignment shall be made to Borrower or any of Borrower’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries.
(vi) No Assignment to Natural Persons. No such assignment shall be made to a natural person.
Subject to acceptance and recording thereof by Agent pursuant to subsection (c) of this Section, from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Assumption, the assignee thereunder shall be a party to this Agreement and, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, have the rights and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Assumption covering all of the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto) but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of Sections 3.01, 3.04, 3.05, and 10.04 with respect to facts and circumstances occurring prior to the effective date of such assignment. Upon request, Borrower (at its expense) shall execute and deliver a Note to the assignee Lender. Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this subsection shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a sale by such Lender of a participation in such rights and obligations in accordance with subsection (d) of this Section.
(c) Register. Agent, acting solely for this purpose as an agent of ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, shall maintain at Administrative Agent’s Office a copy of each Assignment and Assumption delivered to it and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Commitments of, and principal amounts of the Loans owing to, each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the “Register”). The entries in the Register shall be conclusive, and ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, Agent and the Lenders may treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register pursuant to the terms hereof as a Lender hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement, notwithstanding notice to the contrary. The Register shall be available for inspection by Borrower and any Lender, at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.
(d) Participations. Any Lender may at any time, without the consent of, or notice to, Borrower or Agent, sell participations to any Person (other than a natural person or Borrower or any of Borrower’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries) (each, a “Participant”) in all or a portion of such Lender’s rights and/or obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and/or the Loans owing to it); provided that (i) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged, (ii) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations and (iii) Borrower, Agent and the Lenders shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such ▇▇▇▇▇▇’s rights and obligations under this Agreement. Any agreement or instrument pursuant to which a Lender sells such a participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce this Agreement and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement; provided that such agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, waiver or other modification described in the first proviso to Section 10.01 that affects such Participant. Subject to subsection (e) of this Section, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 3.01, 3.04 and 3.05 to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to subsection (b) of this Section. To the extent permitted by law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 10.08 as though it were a Lender, provided such Participant agrees to be subject to Section 2.11 as though it were a Lender.
(e) Limitations upon Participant Rights. A Participant shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Section 3.01 or 3.04 than the applicable Lender would have been entitled to receive with respect to the participation sold to such Participant, unless the sale of the participation to such Participant is made with ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇’s prior written consent. A Participant that would be a Foreign Lender if it were a Lender shall not be entitled to the benefits of Section 3.01 unless Borrower is notified of the participation sold to such Participant and such Participant agrees, for the benefit of Borrower, to comply with Section 3.01(e) as though it were a Lender.
(f) Certain Pledges. Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement (including under its Note, if any) to secure obligations of such Lender, including any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank; provided that no such pledge or assignment shall release such Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender as a party hereto.
(g) Deemed Consent of Borrower. If the consent of ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ to an assignment to an assignee is required hereunder (including a consent to an assignment which does not meet the minimum assignment threshold specified in Section 10.06(b)(i)(B)), Borrower shall be deemed to have given its consent five Business Days after the date notice thereof has been delivered to Borrower by the assigning Lender (through Agent) unless such consent is expressly refused by Borrower prior to such fifth Business Day.
10.07 Treatment of Certain Information; Confidentiality. Each of Agent and ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information (as defined below), except that Information may be disclosed (a) to its Affiliates and to its and its Affiliates’ respective partners, directors, officers, employees, agents, trustees, advisors and representatives (it being understood that the Persons to whom such disclosure is made will be informed of the confidential nature of such Information and instructed to keep such Information confidential), (b) to the extent requested by any regulatory authority, purporting to have jurisdiction over it (including any self-regulatory authority, such as the National Association of Insurance Commissioners), (c) to the extent required by applicable laws or regulations or by any subpoena or similar legal process, (d) to any other party hereto, (e) in connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or under any other Loan Document or any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the enforcement of rights hereunder or thereunder, (f) subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of this Section, to (i) any assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective assignee of or Participant in, any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement, or (ii) any actual or prospective counterparty (or its advisors) to any swap or derivative transaction relating to Borrower and its obligations, (g) with the consent of Borrower or (h) to the extent such Information (x) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section or (y) becomes available to Agent, any Lender or any of their respective Affiliates on a nonconfidential basis from a source other than Borrower or an Affiliate of Borrower. For purposes of this Section, “Information” means all information received from Borrower or any Subsidiary relating to Borrower, Guarantor or any Subsidiary or any of their respective businesses, other than any such information that is available to Agent or any Lender on a nonconfidential basis prior to disclosure by Borrower, Guarantor or any Subsidiary. Any Person required to maintain the confidentiality of Information as provided in this Section shall be considered to have complied with its obligation to do so if such Person has exercised the same degree of care to maintain the confidentiality of such Information as such Person would accord to its own confidential information. Each of Agent and the Lenders acknowledges that (a) the Information may include material non-public information concerning Borrower, Guarantor or a Subsidiary, as the case may be, (b) it has developed compliance procedures regarding the use of material non-public information and (c) it will handle such material non-public information in accordance with applicable Law, including Federal and state securities Laws. In the event that as a condition to receiving access to information relating to Borrower or its Subsidiaries in connection with the transactions contemplated by or otherwise pursuant to this Agreement, Agent or any Lender is required to agree to a confidentiality undertaking (whether through IntraLinks, another secure website, a secure virtual workspace or otherwise) which is different from this Section, this Section shall not be amended thereby and, as between Agent or such Lender and Borrower, this Section shall supersede any such other confidentiality undertaking. The Lenders and Agent acknowledge that U.S. securities laws prohibit any Person who has received material non-public information about a company from purchasing or selling securities of such company or from communicating such information to any other person when it is reasonably foreseeable that such other person is likely to purchase or sell such securities in reliance upon such information. The Lenders and Agent further acknowledge that information provided to it by or on behalf of Borrower may contain material, non-public information concerning Borrower, its Subsidiaries or their Affiliates, or their securities, and each Lender and Agent acknowledge that such Lender or Agent may be restricted by applicable law from trading in the securities of Borrower or its parent if it possess material non-public information concerning Borrower or its parent unless such trading is otherwise permitted or exempted by applicable law.
10.08 Right of Setoff. If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, each Lender and each of their respective Affiliates is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final, in whatever currency) at any time held and other obligations (in whatever currency) at any time owing by such Lender or any such Affiliate to or for the credit or the account of Borrower or any other Loan Party against any and all of the delinquent obligations of Borrower or such Loan Party now or hereafter existing under this Agreement or any other Loan Document to such Lender or any such Affiliate, irrespective of whether or not such Lender shall have made any demand under this Agreement or any other Loan Document and although such obligations of Borrower or such Loan Party are owed to a branch or office of such Lender different from the branch or office holding such deposit or obligated on such indebtedness. The rights of each Lender and their respective Affiliates under this Section are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) that such Lender or their respective Affiliates may have. Each Lender agrees to notify Borrower and Agent promptly after any such setoff and application, provided that the failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such setoff and application.
10.09 Interest Rate Limitation. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in any Loan Document, the interest paid or agreed to be paid under the Loan Documents shall not exceed the maximum rate of non-usurious interest permitted by applicable Law (the “Maximum Rate”). If Agent or any Lender shall receive interest in an amount that exceeds the Maximum Rate, the excess interest shall be applied to the principal of the Loans or, if it exceeds such unpaid principal, refunded to Borrower. In determining whether the interest contracted for, charged, or received by Agent or a Lender exceeds the Maximum Rate, such Person may, to the extent permitted by applicable Law, (a) characterize any payment that is not principal as an expense, fee, or premium rather than interest, (b) exclude voluntary prepayments and the effects thereof, and (c) amortize, prorate, allocate, and spread in equal or unequal parts the total amount of interest throughout the contemplated term of the Obligations hereunder.
10.10 Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto in different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. This Agreement and the other Loan Documents constitute the entire contract among the parties relating to the subject matter hereof and supersede any and all previous agreements and understandings, oral or written, relating to the subject matter hereof. Except as provided in Section 4.01, this Agreement shall become effective when it shall have been executed by Agent and when Agent shall have received counterparts hereof that, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties hereto. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Agreement by telecopy or other electronic imaging means shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement.
10.11 Survival of Representations and Warranties. All representations and warranties made hereunder and in any other Loan Document or other document delivered pursuant hereto or thereto or in connection herewith or therewith shall survive the execution and delivery hereof and thereof. Such representations and warranties have been or will be relied upon by Agent and each Lender, regardless of any investigation made by Agent or any Lender or on their behalf and notwithstanding that Agent or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of any Default at the time of the Credit Extension, and shall continue in full force and effect as long as any Loan or any other Obligation hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied.
10.12 Severability. If any provision of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents is held to be illegal, invalid or unenforceable, (a) the legality, validity and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall not be affected or impaired thereby and (b) the parties shall endeavor in good faith negotiations to replace the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions. The invalidity of a provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction.
10.13 Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Etc. (a) GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA WITHOUT RESPECT OF ITS CONFLICTS OF LAWS PRINCIPLES.
(b) SUBMISSION TO JURISDICTION. BORROWER AND EACH OTHER LOAN PARTY EACH IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY SUBMITS, FOR ITSELF AND ITS PROPERTY, TO THE NONEXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF THE COURTS OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA SITTING IN THE CITY OF ROANOKE AND OF THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT OF THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF VIRGINIA, AND ANY APPELLATE COURT FROM ANY THEREOF, IN ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT, OR FOR RECOGNITION OR ENFORCEMENT OF ANY JUDGMENT, AND EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY AGREES THAT ALL CLAIMS IN RESPECT OF ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING MAY BE HEARD AND DETERMINED IN SUCH VIRGINIA STATE COURT OR, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, IN SUCH FEDERAL COURT. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO AGREES THAT A FINAL JUDGMENT IN ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING SHALL BE CONCLUSIVE AND MAY BE ENFORCED IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS BY SUIT ON THE JUDGMENT OR IN ANY OTHER MANNER PROVIDED BY LAW.
(c) WAIVER OF VENUE. BORROWER AND EACH OTHER LOAN PARTY EACH IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY OBJECTION THAT IT MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE TO THE LAYING OF VENUE OF ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT IN ANY COURT REFERRED TO IN PARAGRAPH (B) OF THIS SECTION. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, THE DEFENSE OF AN INCONVENIENT FORUM TO THE MAINTENANCE OF SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING IN ANY SUCH COURT.
10.14 Waiver of Jury Trial. EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY). EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PERSON HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PERSON WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION.
10.15 No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility. In connection with all aspects of each transaction contemplated hereby (including in connection with any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Loan Document), Borrower and each other Loan Party each acknowledges and agrees and acknowledges its Affiliates’ understanding that: (i) (A) the services regarding this Agreement provided by Agent are arm’s-length commercial transactions between Borrower, each other Loan Party and their respective Affiliates, on the one hand, and Agent, on the other hand, (B) each of Borrower and the other Loan Parties have consulted their own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent they have deemed appropriate, and (C) Borrower and each other Loan Party is capable of evaluating and understanding, and understands and accepts, the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the other Loan Documents; (ii) (A) Agent is and has been acting solely as a principal and, except as expressly agreed in writing by the relevant parties, has not been, is not, and will not be acting as an advisor, agent or fiduciary for Borrower, any other Loan Party, or any of their respective Affiliates, or any other Person and (B) Agent does not have any obligation to Borrower, any other Loan Party or any of their Affiliates with respect to the transaction contemplated hereby except those obligations expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents; and (iii) Agent and its Affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of Borrower, the other Loan Parties and their respective Affiliates, and Agent has no obligation to disclose any of such interests to Borrower, any other Loan Party or any of their respective Affiliates. To the fullest extent permitted by law, each of Borrower and the other Loan Parties hereby waive and release, any claims that it may have against Agent with respect to any breach or alleged breach of agency or fiduciary duty in connection with any aspect of any transaction contemplated hereby.
10.16 Electronic Execution of Assignments and Certain Other Documents. The words “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” and words of like import in any Assignment and Assumption or in any amendment or other modification hereof (including waivers and consents) shall be deemed to include electronic signatures or the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, to the extent and as provided for in any applicable law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act or the Virginia Uniform Electronic Transactions Act.
10.17 USA PATRIOT Act Notice. Each Lender that is subject to the Act (as hereinafter defined) and Agent (for itself and not on behalf of any Lender) hereby notifies Borrower that pursuant to the requirements of the USA PATRIOT Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56) (the “Act”), it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, which information includes the name and address of Borrower and other information that will allow such Lender or Agent, as applicable, to identify Borrower in accordance with the Act. Borrower shall, promptly following a request by Agent or any Lender, provide all documentation and other information that Agent or such Lender requests in order to comply with its ongoing obligations under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including the Act.
10.18 Time of the Essence. Time is of the essence of the Loan Documents.
[Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank – Signature Pages Follow]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first above written.
RGC MIDSTREAM, LLC
By: /s/ ▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇
Name: ▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇
Title: President/CEO
By: /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. Mulvaney___________________
Name: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Title: Vice President, Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer
ATLANTIC UNION BANK, as Administrative Agent
By: /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Name: ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Title: Senior Vice President
ATLANTIC UNION BANK, as a Lender
By: /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Name: ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Title: Senior Vice President
COBANK, ACB, as a Lender
By: /s/ ▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Name: ▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Title: Executive Director
SIGNATURE PAGE(S) FOR CREDIT AGREEMENT
EXHIBIT A
[Intentionally Left Blank]
EXHIBIT B
FORM OF NOTE
$ _______________________
FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned (“Borrower”), hereby promises to pay to _____________________ or registered assigns (“Lender”), in accordance with the provisions of the Agreement (as hereinafter defined), the principal amount of $____________________ made by the Lender to Borrower under that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of September [X], 2025 (as amended, restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “Agreement;” the terms defined therein being used herein as therein defined), among Borrower, the Lenders from time to time party thereto, and Atlantic Union Bank, as Administrative Agent.
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ promises to pay interest on the unpaid principal amount of the Loan from the date hereof until such principal amount is paid in full, at such interest rates and at such times as provided in the Agreement. All payments of principal and interest shall be made to Agent for the account of the Lender in Dollars in immediately available funds at the Administrative Agent’s Office. If any amount is not paid in full when due hereunder, such unpaid amount shall bear interest, to be paid upon demand, from the due date thereof until the date of actual payment (and before as well as after judgment) computed at the per annum rate set forth in the Agreement.
This Note is one of the Notes referred to in the Agreement, is entitled to the benefits thereof and may be prepaid in whole or in part subject to the terms and conditions provided therein. Upon the occurrence and continuation of one or more of the Events of Default specified in the Agreement, all amounts then remaining unpaid on this Note shall become, or may be declared to be, immediately due and payable all as provided in the Agreement. The Loan shall be evidenced by one or more loan accounts or records maintained by the Lender in the ordinary course of business.
Late Charge. If a payment is late by 7 days or more, Borrower will be charged 5.000% of the regularly scheduled payment.
Prepayment. Borrower may prepay all or any portion of the Loan subject to the terms of the Credit Agreement.
Borrower, for itself, its successors and assigns, hereby waives diligence, presentment, protest and demand and notice of protest, demand, dishonor and non-payment of this Note.
THIS NOTE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA WITHOUT REGARD TO ITS CONFLICTS OF LAWS PRINCIPLES.
RGC Midstream, LLC
By:
B-1
Form of Note
Name: ___________________________
Title: _________________________
B-2
Form of Note
EXHIBIT C
FORM OF COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE
Financial Statement Date: ___________,
To: Atlantic Union Bank, as Administrative Agent
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Reference is made to that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of September [X], 2025 (as amended, restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “Agreement;” the terms defined therein being used herein as therein defined), among the undersigned (“Borrower”), the Lenders from time to time party thereto, and Atlantic Union Bank, as Administrative Agent.
The undersigned Responsible Officer hereby certifies as of the date hereof that he/she is the of Borrower, and that, as such, he/she is authorized to execute and deliver this Certificate to Agent on the behalf of Borrower, and that:
[Use following paragraph 1 for fiscal year-end financial statements]
1. The Borrower has delivered the year-end audited financial statements required by Section 6.01(a) of the Agreement for the fiscal year ended as of the above date, together with the report and opinion of an independent certified public accountant required by such section.
[Use following paragraph 1 for fiscal quarter-end financial statements]
1. The Borrower has delivered the unaudited financial statements required by Section 6.01(b) and (c) of the Agreement for the fiscal quarter ended as of the above date. Such financial statements fairly present the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of Guarantor and its Subsidiaries and of Borrower in accordance with GAAP as at such date and for the period then ended, subject only to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes.
2. The undersigned has reviewed and is familiar with the terms of the Agreement and has made, or has caused to be made under his/her supervision, a detailed review of the transactions and condition (financial or otherwise) of Guarantor and Borrower during the accounting period covered by such financial statements.
3. A review of the activities of Borrower during such fiscal period has been made by or under the supervision of the undersigned with a view to determining whether during such fiscal period Borrower performed and observed all its Obligations under the Loan Documents, and
[select one:]
C-1
Form of Compliance Certificate
[to the best knowledge of the undersigned during such fiscal period, Borrower performed and observed each covenant and condition of the Loan Documents applicable to it, and no Default has occurred and is continuing.]
--or--
[to the best knowledge of the undersigned, during such fiscal period, the following covenants or conditions have not been performed or observed and the following is a list of each such Default and its nature and status:]
4. The representations and warranties of Borrower contained in Article V of the Agreement, and/or any representations and warranties of Borrower or any other Loan Party that are contained in any document furnished at any time under or in connection with the Loan Documents, are true and correct in all material respects on and as of the date hereof, except to the extent that such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier date, in which case they are true and correct as of such earlier date, and except that for purposes of this Compliance Certificate, the representations and warranties contained in subsections (a) and (b) of Section 5.05 of the Agreement shall be deemed to refer to the most recent statements furnished pursuant to clauses (a), (b) and (c), respectively, of Section 6.01 of the Agreement, including the statements in connection with which this Compliance Certificate is delivered.
5. The financial covenant analyses and information set forth on Schedule 1 attached hereto are true and accurate on and as of the date of this Certificate.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Certificate as of , .
RGC Midstream, LLC
By:
Name: ___________________________
Title: _________________________
C-2
Form of Compliance Certificate
For the Quarter/Year ended ___________________ (“Statement Date”)
SCHEDULE 1
to the Compliance Certificate
Section 6.12 Financial Covenants
(a) Limitation on Long Term Debt: The ratio of long-term debt to total capitalization cannot exceed 65%.
|
RGC Resources Consolidated |
||
|
Long Term Debt |
||
|
Long Term Debt Plus Current Maturities |
(a),(1) |
|
|
Total Shareholders’ Equity |
(b),(2) |
|
|
Total Capitalization (a) + (b) |
(3) |
|
|
Consolidated Ratio = (1) / (3): Hurdle < 65% |
||
|
(Show calculation) |
PASS/FAIL |
(b) Limitation on Priority Indebtedness: < 15%
|
RGC Resources Consolidated |
||
|
Priority or Secured Indebtedness |
(4) |
|
|
Total Assets |
(5) |
|
|
Consolidated Ratio = (4) / (5): Hurdle < 15% |
||
|
(Show calculation) |
PASS/FAIL |
(c) Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio less than 1.50 to 1.00:
Consolidated Ratio =
(Show calculation) PASS/FAIL
C-3
Form of Compliance Certificate
EXHIBIT D
FORM
OF
ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION
This Assignment and Assumption (this “Assignment and Assumption”) is dated as of the Effective Date set forth below and is entered into by and between [the][each] Assignor identified in item 1 below ([the][each, an] “Assignor”) and [the][each] Assignee identified in item 2 below ([the][each, an] “Assignee”). [It is understood and agreed that the rights and obligations of [the Assignors][the Assignees] hereunder are several and not joint.]. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement identified below (the “Credit Agreement”), receipt of a copy of which is hereby acknowledged by [the] [each] Assignee. The Standard Terms and Conditions set forth in Annex 1 attached hereto are hereby agreed to and incorporated herein by reference and made a part of this Assignment and Assumption as if set forth herein in full.
For an agreed consideration, [the][each] Assignor hereby irrevocably sells and assigns to [the Assignee][the respective Assignees], and [the][each] Assignee hereby irrevocably purchases and assumes from [the Assignor][the respective Assignors], subject to and in accordance with the Standard Terms and Conditions and the Credit Agreement, as of the Effective Date inserted by Agent as contemplated below (i) all of [the Assignor’s][the respective Assignors’] rights and obligations in [its capacity as a Lender][their respective capacities as Lenders] under the Credit Agreement and any other documents or instruments delivered pursuant thereto to the extent related to the amount and percentage interest identified below of all of such outstanding rights and obligations of [the Assignor][the respective Assignors] under the respective facilities identified below and (ii) to the extent permitted to be assigned under applicable law, all claims, suits, causes of action and any other right of [the Assignor (in its capacity as a Lender)][the respective Assignors (in their respective capacities as Lenders)] against any Person, whether known or unknown, arising under or in connection with the Credit Agreement, any other documents or instruments delivered pursuant thereto or the loan transactions governed thereby or in any way based on or related to any of the foregoing, including, but not limited to, contract claims, tort claims, malpractice claims, statutory claims and all other claims at law or in equity related to the rights and obligations sold and assigned pursuant to clause (i) above (the rights and obligations sold and assigned by [the][any] Assignor to [the][any] Assignee pursuant to clauses (i) and (ii) above being referred to herein collectively as, [the][an] “Assigned Interest”). Each such sale and assignment is without recourse to [the][any] Assignor and, except as expressly provided in this Assignment and Assumption, without representation or warranty by [the][any] Assignor.
1. Assignor[s]: ______________________________
2. Assignee[s]: ______________________________ for each Assignee, indicate Affiliate of [identify Lender]]
D-1
Assignment and Assumption
3. Borrower(s): RGC Midstream, LLC
4. Administrative Agent: Atlantic Union Bank, as the administrative agent under the Credit Agreement
5. Credit Agreement: Credit Agreement, dated as of September [X], 2025 among RGC Midstream, LLC, as Borrower, the Lenders from time to time party thereto, and Atlantic Union Bank, as Administrative Agent
6. Assigned Interest[s]:
|
Assignor[s] |
Assignee[s] |
Facility Assigned |
Aggregate Amount of Commitment/Loans for all Lenders |
Amount of Commitment/Loans Assigned |
Percentage Assigned of Commitment/Loans |
|
_____________ |
$________________ |
$________________ |
______________% |
||
|
_____________ |
$________________ |
$________________ |
______________% |
||
|
_____________ |
$________________ |
$________________ |
______________% |
[7. Trade Date: __________________]
Effective Date: __________________, 20__ [TO BE INSERTED BY ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND WHICH SHALL BE THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF RECORDATION OF TRANSFER IN THE REGISTER THEREFOR.]
The terms set forth in this Assignment and Assumption are hereby agreed to:
ASSIGNOR
[NAME OF ASSIGNOR]
By: _____________________________
Title:
ASSIGNEE
[NAME OF ASSIGNEE]
By: _____________________________
Title:
D-2
Assignment and Assumption
[Consented to and] Accepted:
Atlantic Union Bank, as
Administrative Agent
By: _________________________________
Title:
[Consented to:]
By: _________________________________
Title:
D-3
Assignment and Assumption
ANNEX 1 TO ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION
STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR
ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION
1. Representations and Warranties.
1.1. Assignor. [The][Each] Assignor (a) represents and warrants that (i) it is the legal and beneficial owner of [the][the relevant] Assigned Interest, (ii) [the][such] Assigned Interest is free and clear of any lien, encumbrance or other adverse claim and (iii) it has full power and authority, and has taken all action necessary, to execute and deliver this Assignment and Assumption and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby; and (b) assumes no responsibility with respect to (i) any statements, warranties or representations made in or in connection with the Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document, (ii) the execution, legality, validity, enforceability, genuineness, sufficiency or value of the Loan Documents or any collateral thereunder, (iii) the financial condition of Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates or any other Person obligated in respect of any Loan Document or (iv) the performance or observance by ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates or any other Person of any of their respective obligations under any Loan Document.
1.2. Assignee. [The][Each] Assignee (a) represents and warrants that (i) it has full power and authority, and has taken all action necessary, to execute and deliver this Assignment and Assumption and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and to become a Lender under the Credit Agreement, (ii) it meets all the requirements to be an assignee under Section 10.06(b)(iii), (v) and (vi) of the Credit Agreement (subject to such consents, if any, as may be required under Section 10.06(b)(iii) of the Credit Agreement), (iii) from and after the Effective Date, it shall be bound by the provisions of the Credit Agreement as a Lender thereunder and, to the extent of [the][the relevant] Assigned Interest, shall have the obligations of a Lender thereunder, and (iv) it is sophisticated with respect to decisions to acquire assets of the type represented by [the][such] Assigned Interest and either it, or the Person exercising discretion in making its decision to acquire [the][such] Assigned Interest, is experienced in acquiring assets of such type, (v) it has received a copy of the Credit Agreement, and has received or has been accorded the opportunity to receive copies of the most recent financial statements delivered pursuant to Section [6.01] thereof, as applicable, and such other documents and information as it deems appropriate to make its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Assignment and Assumption and to purchase [the][such] Assigned Interest (vi) it has independently and without reliance upon Agent or any other Lender and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Assignment and Assumption and to purchase [the][such] Assigned Interest and (vii) if it is a Foreign Lender, attached hereto is any documentation required to be delivered by it pursuant to the terms of the Credit Agreement, duly completed and executed by [the][such] Assignee; and (b) agrees that (i) it will, independently and without reliance upon Agent, [the][any] Assignor or any other Lender, and based on such documents and information as it shall deem appropriate at the time, continue to make its own credit decisions in taking or not taking action under the Loan Documents, and (ii) it will perform in accordance with their terms all of the obligations which by the terms of the Loan Documents are required to be performed by it as a Lender.
D-4
Assignment and Assumption
2. Payments. From and after the Effective Date, Agent shall make all payments in respect of [the][each] Assigned Interest (including payments of principal, interest, fees and other amounts) to [the][the relevant] Assignor for amounts which have accrued to but excluding the Effective Date and to [the][the relevant] Assignee for amounts which have accrued from and after the Effective Date.
3. General Provisions. This Assignment and Assumption shall be binding upon, and inure to the benefit of, the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns. This Assignment and Assumption may be executed in any number of counterparts, which together shall constitute one instrument. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Assignment and Assumption by telecopy shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Assignment and Assumption. This Assignment and Assumption shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the law of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
D-5
Assignment and Assumption
EXHIBIT E
FORM OF ADMINISTRATIVE QUESTIONNAIRE
(See Attached)
E-1
Form of Administrative Questionnaire