vc_8k0930ex102.htm




Exhibit 10.2


 














 


Published CUSIP Number: 92214QAC2


 




















































CREDIT AGREEMENT







Dated as of September 30, 2010







among







VECTREN CAPITAL, CORP.,


as the Borrower,







VECTREN CORPORATION,


as the Guarantor,







WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION


as Administrative Agent, Swing Line Lender and an L/C Issuer,







BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,


JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.


and


UNION BANK, N.A.,


as Co-Syndication Agents and L/C Issuers







and







THE OTHER LENDERS PARTY HERETO












Arranged By:







 

 


WELLS FARGO SECURITIES LLC,


BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC,


J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES INC.


and


UNION BANK, N.A.


as Joint Lead Arrangers and Joint Book Managers





















  





  











  








TABLE OF CONTENTS













	
ARTICLE I  DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS

	
1


	
1.01

	
Defined Terms.

	
1


	
1.02

	
Other Interpretive Provisions.

	
18


	
1.03

	
Accounting Terms.

	
19


	
1.04

	
Rounding.

	
19


	
1.05

	
Times of Day.

	
20


	
1.06

	
Letter of Credit Amounts.

	
20


	
ARTICLE II  THE COMMITMENTS AND CREDIT EXTENSIONS

	
20


	
2.01

	
Revolving Loans.

	
20


	
2.02

	
Borrowings, Conversions and Continuations of Loans.

	
21


	
2.03

	
Letters of Credit.

	
23


	
2.04

	
Swing Line Loans.

	
30


	
2.05

	
Prepayments.

	
33


	
2.06

	
Termination or Reduction of Aggregate Revolving Commitments.

	
34


	
2.07

	
Repayment of Loans.

	
34


	
2.08

	
Interest.

	
35


	
2.09

	
Fees.

	
35


	
2.10

	
Computation of Interest and Fees.

	
36


	
2.11

	
Evidence of Debt.

	
36


	
2.12

	
Payments Generally; Administrative Agent's Clawback.

	
36


	
2.13

	
Sharing of Payments by Lenders.

	
38


	
2.14

	
Cash Collateral.

	
39


	
2.15

	
Defaulting Lenders.

	
40


	
2.16

	
Extension Option.

	
41


	
ARTICLE III  TAXES, YIELD PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY

	
42


	
3.01

	
Taxes.

	
42


	
3.02

	
Illegality.

	
45


	
3.03

	
Inability to Determine Rates.

	
46


	
3.04

	
Increased Costs.

	
46


	
3.05

	
Compensation for Losses.

	
47


	
3.06

	
Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders.

	
48


	
3.07

	
Survival.

	
48


	
ARTICLE IV  GUARANTY

	
48


	
4.01

	
The Guaranty.

	
48


	
4.02

	
Obligations Unconditional.

	
49


	
4.03

	
Reinstatement.

	
50


	
4.04

	
Certain Additional Waivers.

	
50


	
4.05

	
Remedies.

	
50


	
4.06

	
Reserved.

	
50


	
4.07

	
Guarantee of Payment; Continuing Guarantee.

	
50


	
ARTICLE V  CONDITIONS PRECEDENT

	
50


	
5.01

	
Conditions of Escrow.

	
50


	
5.02.

	
Conditions of Effectiveness.

	
51


	
5.03

	
Conditions to all Credit Extensions.

	
52


	
ARTICLE VI  REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

	
53


	
6.01

	
Existence and Standing.

	
53


	
6.02

	
Authorization and Validity.

	
53


	
6.03

	
No Conflict; Government Consent.

	
53





 


 




  





1











  






 


 


	
6.04

	
Financial Statements.

	
54


	
6.05

	
Material Adverse Change.

	
54


	
6.06

	
Taxes.

	
54


	
6.07

	
Litigation and Contingent Obligations.

	
54


	
6.08

	
Subsidiaries.

	
54


	
6.09

	
ERISA.

	
55


	
6.10

	
Accuracy of Information.

	
55


	
6.11

	
Regulation U.

	
55


	
6.12

	
Material Agreements.

	
55


	
6.13

	
Compliance with Laws.

	
55


	
6.14

	
Ownership of Properties.

	
55


	
6.15

	
Plan Assets; Prohibited Transactions.

	
56


	
6.16

	
Environmental Matters.

	
56


	
6.17

	
Investment Company Act.

	
56


	
6.18

	
Insurance.

	
56


	
6.19

	
Solvency.

	
56


	
6.20

	
Compliance with OFAC Rules and Regulations.

	
57


	
6.21

	
Compliance with FCPA.

	
57


	
6.22

	
Anti-Terrorism Laws.

	
57


	
ARTICLE VII  COVENANTS

	
57


	
7.01

	
Financial Reporting.

	
58


	
7.02

	
Use of Proceeds.

	
59


	
7.03

	
Notice of Default.

	
60


	
7.04

	
Conduct of Business.

	
60


	
7.05

	
Taxes.

	
60


	
7.06

	
Insurance.

	
60


	
7.07

	
Compliance with Laws.

	
60


	
7.08

	
Maintenance of Properties.

	
61


	
7.09

	
Inspection.

	
61


	
7.10

	
Merger.

	
61


	
7.11

	
Sale of Assets.

	
61


	
7.12

	
Investments and Acquisitions.

	
62


	
7.13

	
Liens.

	
62


	
7.14

	
Affiliates.

	
63


	
7.15

	
Consolidated Debt to Capitalization Ratio.

	
63


	
7.16

	
Certain Restrictions.

	
64


	
7.17

	
Indebtedness.

	
64


	
7.18

	
Dividends.

	
64


	
ARTICLE VIII  EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES

	
65


	
8.01

	
Events of Default.

	
65


	
8.02

	
Remedies Upon Event of Default.

	
67


	
8.03

	
Application of Funds.

	
67


	
ARTICLE IX  ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT

	
69


	
9.01

	
Appointment and Authority.

	
69


	
9.02

	
Rights as a Lender.

	
69


	
9.03

	
Exculpatory Provisions.

	
69


	
9.04

	
Reliance by Administrative Agent.

	
70


	
9.05

	
Delegation of Duties.

	
70


	
9.06

	
Resignation of Administrative Agent.

	
70


	
9.07

	
Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders.

	
71


	
9.08

	
No Other Duties; Etc.

	
71





 


 




  





2











  






 


	
9.09

	
Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim.

	
72


	
9.10

	
Guaranty Matters.

	
72


	
ARTICLE X  MISCELLANEOUS

	
72


	
10.01

	
Amendments, Etc.

	
72


	
10.02

	
Notices; Effectiveness; Electronic Communications.

	
74


	
10.03

	
No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies; Enforcement.

	
76


	
10.04

	
Expenses; Indemnity; and Damage Waiver.

	
76


	
10.05

	
Payments Set Aside.

	
78


	
10.06

	
Successors and Assigns.

	
78


	
10.07

	
Treatment of Certain Information; Confidentiality.

	
82


	
10.08

	
Set-off.

	
83


	
10.09

	
Interest Rate Limitation.

	
83


	
10.10

	
Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness.

	
83


	
10.11

	
Survival of Representations and Warranties.

	
84


	
10.12

	
Severability.

	
84


	
10.13

	
Replacement of Lenders.

	
84


	
10.14

	
Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Etc.

	
85


	
10.15

	
Waiver of Right to Trial by Jury.

	
86


	
10.16

	
No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility.

	
86


	
10.17

	
Electronic Execution of Assignments and Certain Other Documents.

	
87


	
10.18

	
USA PATRIOT Act Notice.

	
87


	
10.19

	
Press Releases and Related Matters.

	
87


	
10.20

	
Co-Syndication Agents.

	
87
















  





3











  














	
SCHEDULES


	  	  
	
1.01

	
Existing Letters of Credit


	
2.01

	
Commitments and Applicable Percentages


	
6.08

	
Subsidiaries


	
6.14

	
Liens Existing on the Closing Date


	
7.12

	
Investments Existing on the Closing Date


	
7.16

	
Certain Restrictions Existing on the Closing Date


	
7.17

	
Indebtedness Existing on the Closing Date


	
10.02

	
Certain Addresses for Notices


	  	  
	
EXHIBITS


	  	  
	
2.02

	
Form of Loan Notice


	
2.04

	
Form of Swing Line Loan Notice


	
2.11(a)

	
Form of Note


	
5.02(d)

	
Form of Opinion(s)


	
7.01

	
Form of Compliance Certificate


	
10.06(b)

	
Form of Assignment and Assumption


	
10.06(b)(iv)

	
Form of Administrative Questionnaire











  





4











  








CREDIT AGREEMENT












This CREDIT AGREEMENT is entered into as of September 30, 2010 among VECTREN CAPITAL, CORP., an Indiana corporation (the "Borrower"), the Guarantor (defined herein), the Lenders (defined herein) and WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Administrative Agent, Swing Line Lender and an L/C Issuer.







The Borrower has requested that the Lenders provide $250,000,000 in credit facilities for the purposes set forth herein, and the Lenders are willing to do so on the terms and conditions set forth herein.







In consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements herein contained, the parties hereto covenant and agree as follows:







ARTICLE I







DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS







1.01           Defined Terms.







As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:







"Act" has the meaning specified in Section 10.18.







"Acquisition", means any transaction, or any series of related transactions, consummated on or after the date of this Agreement, by which the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (i) acquires any going business or all or substantially all of the assets of any firm, corporation or limited liability company, or division thereof, whether through purchase of assets, merger or otherwise or (ii) directly or indirectly acquires (in one transaction or as the most recent transaction in a series of transactions) at least a majority (in number of votes) of the securities of a corporation which have ordinary voting power for the election of directors (other than securities having such power only by reason of the happening of a contingency) or a majority (by percentage or voting power) of the outstanding ownership interests of a partnership or limited liability company.







"Administrative Agent" means Wells Fargo in its capacity as administrative agent under any of the Loan Documents, or any successor administrative agent.







"Administrative Agent's Office" means the Administrative Agent's address and, as appropriate, account as set forth on Schedule 10.02 or such other address or account as the Administrative Agent may from time to time notify to the Borrower and the Lenders.







"Administrative Questionnaire" means an Administrative Questionnaire in substantially the form of Exhibit 10.06(b)(iv) or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.







"Affiliate" means, with respect to any Person, another Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, Controls or is Controlled by or is under common Control with the Person specified.







"Aggregate Revolving Commitments" means the Revolving Commitments of all the Lenders.  The initial amount of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments in effect on the Closing Date is $250,000,000.











  





  











  








"Agreement" means this Credit Agreement.







"Applicable Percentage" means with respect to any Lender at any time, the percentage (carried out to the ninth decimal place) of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments represented by such Lender's Revolving Commitment at such time; provided that if the commitment of each Lender to make Revolving Loans and the obligation of the L/C Issuers to make L/C Credit Extensions have been terminated pursuant to Section 8.02 or if the Aggregate Revolving 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.  The Applicable Percentages shall be subject to adjustment as provided in Section 2.15.







"Applicable Rate" means from time to time, the following percentages per annum, based upon the Rating as set forth below:







	
Pricing Tier

	  	
Debt Rating

	  	
Commitment Fee

	  	
Letters of Credit

	  	
Eurodollar Rate Loans and Swing Line Loans bearing interest at the LIBOR Market Index Rate

	  	
Base Rate Loans


	
I

	  	
≥ A+/A1

	  	
0.10%

	  	
1.00%

	  	
1.00%

	  	
0.00%


	
II

	  	
A/A2

	  	
0.15%

	  	
1.25%

	  	
1.25%

	  	
0.25%


	
III

	  	
A-/A3

	  	
0.20%

	  	
1.75%

	  	
1.75%

	  	
0.75%


	
IV

	  	
BBB+/Baa1

	  	
0.25%

	  	
2.00%

	  	
2.00%

	  	
1.00%


	
V

	  	
BBB/Baa2

	  	
0.35%

	  	
2.25%

	  	
2.25%

	  	
1.25%


	
VI

	  	
≤ BBB- or unrated/ Baa3 or unrated

	  	
0.45%

	  	
2.50%

	  	
2.50%

	  	
1.50%

















"Corporate Rating" means, as of any date of determination, the non-credit enhanced corporate credit rating (as determined by either S&P or Moody's (collectively, the "Corporate Ratings") of the Guarantor; provided that (a) if the respective Corporate Ratings issued by Moody's and S&P differ by one level, then the Pricing Level for the higher of such Corporate Ratings shall apply (with the Corporate Rating for Pricing Level I being the highest and the Corporate Rating for Pricing Level VI being the lowest) and (b) if the respective Corporate Ratings issued by Moody's and S&P differ by more than one level, then the Pricing Level which is one level lower than the Pricing Level corresponding to the higher Corporate Rating shall apply.







Initially, the Applicable Rate shall be Pricing Level III.  Thereafter, each change in the Applicable Rate resulting from a publicly announced change in the Corporate Rating shall be effective on the date of the public announcement thereof and ending on the date immediately preceding the effective date of the next such change.







"Approved Fund" means any Fund that is administered or managed by (a) a Lender, (b) an Affiliate of a Lender or (c) an entity or an Affiliate of an entity that administers or manages a Lender.







"Approving Lender" has the meaning specified in Section 2.16(b).











  





2











  








"Arrangers" means WFS, BAS, J.P. Morgan Securities and Union Bank, in their capacity as joint lead arrangers and joint book managers.







"Assignee Group" means two or more Eligible Assignees that are Affiliates of one another or two or more Approved Funds managed by the same investment advisor.







"Assignment and Assumption" means an assignment and assumption entered into by a Lender and an assignee (with the consent of any party whose consent is required by Section 10.06(b)), and accepted by the Administrative Agent, in substantially the form of Exhibit 10.06(b) or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.







"Audited Financial Statements" means the audited consolidated balance sheet of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009, and the related consolidated statements of income or operations, shareholders' equity and cash flows of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries for such fiscal year, including the notes thereto.







"Availability Period" means, with respect to the Revolving Commitments, the period from and including the Closing Date to the earliest of (a) the Maturity Date, (b) the date of termination of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments pursuant to Section 2.06, and (c) the date of termination of the commitment of each Lender to make Loans and of the obligation of the L/C Issuers to make L/C Credit Extensions pursuant to Section 8.02.







"Bank of America" means Bank of America, N.A. and its successors.







"BAS" means Banc of America Securities LLC, in its capacity as a joint lead arranger and a joint book manager.







"Base Rate" means for any day a fluctuating rate per annum equal to the highest of (a) the Federal Funds Rate plus 0.50%, (b) the rate of interest in effect for such day as publicly announced from time to time by Wells Fargo as its "prime rate" and (c) the Eurodollar Rate plus 1.0%.  The "prime rate" is a rate set by Wells Fargo based upon various factors including Wells Fargo's costs and desired return, general economic conditions and other factors, and is used as a reference point for pricing some loans, which may be priced at, above, or below such announced rate.  Any change in such "prime rate" announced by Wells Fargo shall take effect at the opening of business on the day specified in the public announcement of such change.







"Base Rate Loan" means a Loan that bears interest based on the Base Rate.







"Borrower" has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph hereto.







"Borrower Materials" has the meaning specified in Section 7.01.







"Borrowing" means a borrowing consisting of simultaneous Loans of the same Type and, in the case of Eurodollar Rate Loans, having the same Interest Period made by each of the Lenders pursuant to Section 2.01.







"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 the Administrative Agent's Office is located and, if such day relates to any Swing Line Loan bearing interest






  





3











  








at the LIBOR Market Index Rate or any Eurodollar Rate Loan or any Base Rate Loan bearing interest at a rate based on the Eurodollar Rate, means any such day that is also a London Banking Day.







"Capitalized Lease" of a Person means any lease of property by such Person as lessee which would be capitalized on a balance sheet of such Person prepared in accordance with GAAP.







"Capitalized Lease Obligations" of a Person means the amount of the obligations of such Person under Capitalized Leases which would be shown as a liability on a balance sheet of such Person prepared in accordance with GAAP.







"Cash Collateralize" means to pledge and deposit with or deliver to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuers or the Swing Line Lender (as applicable) and the Lenders, as collateral for L/C Obligations, Obligations in respect of Swing Line Loans, or obligations of Lenders to fund participations in respect of either thereof (as the context may require), cash or deposit account balances, standby letters of credit (not issued pursuant to this Agreement) issued by a commercial bank having (i) capital and surplus in excess of $100,000,000, and (ii) a rating that is acceptable to the Administrative Agent and  the applicable L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender, or, if an L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender benefitting from such collateral shall agree in its reasonable discretion, other credit support, in each case pursuant to documentation in form and substance satisfactory to (a) the Administrative Agent and (b) the applicable L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender (as applicable). "Cash Collateral" shall have a meaning correlative to the foregoing and shall include the proceeds of such cash collateral, standby letter of credit and other credit support.







"Cash Equivalent Investments" means (i) short-term obligations of, or fully guaranteed by, the United States of America, (ii) commercial paper rated A-1 or better by S&P or P-1 or better by Moody's, (iii) demand deposit accounts maintained in the ordinary course of business, (iv) certificates of deposit issued by and time deposits with commercial banks (whether domestic or foreign) having capital and surplus in excess of $100,000,000 and (v) money market funds which, under normal conditions, invest primarily in debt securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or by U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and repurchase agreements fully collateralized by U.S. Treasury and U.S. government securities; provided in each case that the same provides for payment of both principal and interest (and not principal alone or interest alone) and is not subject to any contingency regarding the payment of principal or interest.







"Change in Law" means the occurrence, after the date of this Agreement, of any of the following: (a) the adoption or taking effect of any law, rule, regulation or treaty, (b) any change in any law, rule, regulation or treaty or in the administration, interpretation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority or (c) the making or issuance of any request, guideline or directive (whether or not having the force of law) by any Governmental Authority.







"Change of Control" means (i) the acquisition by any Person, or two or more Persons acting in concert, of beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 of the SEC under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) of 30% or more of the outstanding shares of Voting Stock of the Guarantor, (ii) the occurrence during any period of twelve (12) consecutive months, commencing before or after the date of this Agreement, pursuant to which individuals who on the first day of such period were directors of the Guarantor (together with any replacement or additional directors who were nominated or elected by a majority of directors then in office) cease to constitute a majority of the board of directors of the Guarantor or (iii) the Guarantor shall cease to own, free and clear of any Lien, 100% of the issued and outstanding capital stock of the Borrower.







"Closing Date" means September 30, 2010.











  





4











  








"Commitment" means, as to each Lender, the Revolving Commitment of such Lender.







"Compliance Certificate" means a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit 7.01.







"Consolidated Indebtedness" means at any time the Indebtedness of a Person and its Subsidiaries calculated on a consolidated basis as of such time; provided that Net Mark-to-Market Exposure of commodity swaps, commodity options, forward commodity contracts, commodity spot contracts or any other similar transactions relating to commodities, or any combination of the foregoing (including any options to enter into any of the foregoing), whether or not such transactions are governed by or subject to any master agreement (including a Master Agreement)  shall not be included in the calculation of Consolidated Indebtedness.







"Consolidated Net Worth" means at any time the consolidated stockholders' equity of a Person and its Subsidiaries calculated on a consolidated basis as of such time and in accordance with GAAP.







"Contingent Obligation" of a Person means any agreement, undertaking or arrangement by which such Person assumes, guarantees, endorses, contingently agrees to purchase or provide funds for the payment of, or otherwise becomes or is contingently liable upon, the obligation or liability of any other Person (other than accounts payable (which are payable on terms customary in the trade) and other obligations (until such obligation is no longer contingent) of such Person's Subsidiary arising in the ordinary course of such Subsidiary's business), or agrees to maintain the net worth or working capital or other financial condition of any other Person, or otherwise assures any creditor of such other Person against loss, including, without limitation, any comfort letter, operating agreement or take-or-pay contract.







"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.







"Controlled Group" means all members of a controlled group of corporations or other business entities and all trades or businesses (whether or not incorporated) under common control which, together with the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, are treated as a single employer under Section 414 of the Internal Revenue Code.







"Credit Extension" means each of the following: (a) a Borrowing and (b) an L/C Credit Extension.







"Debt Rating" means, as of any date of determination, the rating as determined by either S&P or Moody's of a Person's non-credit-enhanced, senior unsecured long-term debt.







"Debtor Relief Laws" means the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, and all other liquidation, conservatorship, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of creditors, moratorium, rearrangement, receivership, insolvency, reorganization, or similar debtor relief Laws of the United States or other applicable jurisdictions from time to time in effect and affecting the rights of creditors generally.







"Default" means any event or condition that constitutes an Event of Default or that, with the giving of any notice, the passage of time, or both, would be an Event of Default.







"Default Rate" means (a) when used with respect to Obligations other than Letter of Credit Fees, an interest rate equal to (i) the Base Rate plus (ii) the Applicable Rate, if any, applicable to Base Rate Loans plus (iii) 2% per annum; provided, however, that with respect to a Eurodollar Rate Loan and Swing






  





5











  








Line Loans bearing interest at the LIBOR Market Index Rate, the Default Rate shall be an interest rate equal to the interest rate (including any Applicable Rate) otherwise applicable to such Loan plus 2% per annum, in each case to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws and (b) when used with respect to Letter of Credit Fees, a rate equal to the Applicable Rate plus 2% per annum.







"Defaulting Lender" means, subject to Section 2.15(b), any Lender that, as determined by the Administrative Agent, (a) has failed to perform any of its funding obligations hereunder,  including in respect of its Loans or participations in respect of Letters of Credit or Swing Line Loans, within three Business Days of the date required to be funded by it hereunder unless such obligation is the subject of a good faith dispute, (b) has notified the Borrower or the Administrative Agent that it does not intend to comply with its funding obligations or has made a public statement to that effect with respect to its funding obligations hereunder or under other agreements in which it commits to extend credit, (c) has failed, within three Business Days after request by the Administrative Agent, to confirm in a manner satisfactory to the Administrative Agent that it will comply with its funding obligations unless such obligation is the subject of a good faith dispute, or (d) has, or has a direct or indirect parent company that has, (i) become the subject of a proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, (ii) had a receiver, conservator, trustee, administrator, assignee for the benefit of creditors or similar Person charged with reorganization or liquidation of its business or a custodian appointed for it, or (iii) taken any action in furtherance of, or indicated its consent to, approval of or acquiescence in any such proceeding or appointment; provided that a Lender shall not be a Defaulting Lender solely by virtue of the ownership or acquisition of any equity interest in that Lender or any direct or indirect parent company thereof by a Governmental Authority.







"Dollar" and "$" mean lawful money of the United States.







"Domestic Subsidiary" means any Subsidiary that is organized under the laws of any state of the United States or the District of Columbia.







"Eligible Assignee" means any Person that meets the requirements to be an assignee under Sections 10.06(b)(iii) and (v) (subject to such consents, if any, as may be required under Section 10.06(b)(iii)).







"Environmental Laws" means any and all federal, state, local and foreign statutes, laws, judicial decisions, regulations, ordinances, rules, judgments, orders, decrees, plans, injunctions, permits, concessions, grants, franchises, licenses, agreements and other governmental restrictions relating to (i) the protection of the environment, (ii) the effect of the environment on human health, (iii) emissions, discharges or releases of Hazardous Materials into surface water, ground water or land or (iv) the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials or the clean-up or other remediation thereof.







"Environmental Liability" means any liability, contingent or otherwise (including any liability for damages, costs of environmental remediation, fines, penalties or indemnities), of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary 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






  





6











  








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.







"Escrow Agreement" means that certain Escrow Agreement, dated as of August 18, 2010, by and among the Loan Parties, the Lenders and the Administrative Agent.







"Eurodollar Base Rate" means:







(a)           for any Interest Period with respect to a Eurodollar Rate Loan, the rate per annum equal to (i) the British Bankers Association LIBOR Rate ("BBA LIBOR"), as published by Reuters (or such other commercially available source providing quotations of BBA LIBOR as may be designated by the Administrative Agent from time to time) at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two London Banking Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period, for Dollar deposits (for delivery on the first day of such Interest Period) with a term equivalent to such Interest Period or (ii) if such published rate is not available at such time for any reason, the rate determined by the Administrative Agent to be the rate at which deposits in Dollars for delivery on the first day of such Interest Period in same day funds in the approximate amount of the Eurodollar Rate Loan being made, continued or converted and with a term equivalent to such Interest Period would be offered by Wells Fargo's London Branch to major banks in the London interbank eurodollar market at their request at approximately 11:00 a.m. (London time) two London Banking Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period; and







(b)           for any interest calculation with respect to a Base Rate Loan on any date, the rate per annum equal to (i) BBA LIBOR, at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time determined two London Banking Days prior to such date for Dollar deposits being delivered in the London interbank market for a term of one month commencing that day or (ii) if such published rate is not available at such time for any reason, the rate per annum determined by the Administrative Agent to be the rate at which deposits in Dollars for delivery on the date of determination in same day funds in the approximate amount of the Base Rate Loan being made or maintained and with a term equal to one month would be offered by Wells Fargo's London Branch to major banks in the London interbank Eurodollar market at their request at the date and time of determination.







"Eurodollar Rate" means (a) for any Interest Period with respect to any Eurodollar Rate Loan, a rate per annum determined by the Administrative Agent to be equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (i) the Eurodollar Base Rate for such Eurodollar Rate Loan for such Interest Period by (ii) one minus the Eurodollar Reserve Percentage for such Eurodollar Rate Loan for such Interest Period and (b) for any day with respect to any Base Rate Loan the interest rate on which is determined by reference to the Eurodollar Rate, a rate per annum determined by the Administrative Agent to be equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (i) the Eurodollar Base Rate for such Base Rate Loan for such day by (ii) one minus the Eurodollar Reserve Percentage for such Base Rate Loan for such day.







"Eurodollar Rate Loan" means a Loan that bears interest at a rate based on clause (a) of definition of "Eurodollar Rate."







"Eurodollar Reserve Percentage" means, for any day, the reserve percentage (expressed as a decimal, carried out to five decimal places) in effect on such day, whether or not applicable to any






  





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Lender, under regulations issued from time to time by the FRB for determining the maximum reserve requirement (including any emergency, supplemental or other marginal reserve requirement) with respect to Eurocurrency funding (currently referred to as "Eurocurrency liabilities").  The Eurodollar Rate for each outstanding Eurodollar Rate Loan and for each outstanding Base Rate Loan the interest rate on which is determined by reference to the Eurodollar Rate shall be adjusted automatically as of the effective date of any change in the Eurodollar Reserve Percentage.







"Event of Default" has the meaning specified in Section 8.01.







"Excluded Taxes" means, with respect to the Administrative Agent, any Lender, any L/C Issuer or any other recipient of any payment to be made by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower hereunder, (a) taxes imposed on or measured by its overall net income (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 the Borrower is located (c) any backup withholding tax that is required by the Internal Revenue 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 (other than an assignee pursuant to a request by the Borrower under Section 10.13), any United States withholding tax that (i) is required to be imposed on amounts payable to such Foreign Lender pursuant to the Laws in force at the time such Foreign Lender becomes a party hereto (or designates a new Lending Office) 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 the Borrower with respect to such withholding tax pursuant to Section 3.01(a)(ii) or (c).







"Existing Credit Agreement" means that certain Credit Agreement dated as of November 10, 2005, by and among the Borrower, the guarantor party thereto, the lenders party thereto and LaSalle Bank, National Association, as administrative agent.







"Existing Indebtedness" means Indebtedness existing on the date hereof.







“Existing Letters of Credit” means  those Letters of Credit outstanding on the Closing Date and identified on Schedule 1.01.







"FASB ASC" means the Accounting Standards Codification of the Financial Accounting Standards Board.







"Federal Funds Rate" means, for any day, the rate per annum equal to the weighted average of the rates on overnight federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System arranged by federal funds brokers on such day, as published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on the Business Day next succeeding such day; provided that (a) if such day is not a Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be such rate on such transactions on the next preceding Business Day as so published on the next succeeding Business Day, and (b) if no such rate is so published on such next succeeding Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be the average rate (rounded upward, if necessary, to a whole multiple of 1/100 of 1%) charged to Wells Fargo on such day on such transactions as determined by the Administrative Agent.







"Fee Letters" means (a) the letter agreement, dated July 19, 2010 among the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, BAS, Wells Fargo and WFS and (b) the letter agreement dated July 19, 2010 among the Borrower, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., J.P. Morgan Securities and Union Bank.











  





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"Foreign Lender" means any Lender that is organized under the Laws of a jurisdiction other than that in which the Borrower is resident for tax purposes (including such a Lender when acting in the capacity of an L/C Issuer).  For purposes of this definition, the United States, each State thereof and the District of Columbia shall be deemed to constitute a single jurisdiction.







"Foreign Subsidiary" means any Subsidiary that is not a Domestic Subsidiary.







"FRB" means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States.







"Fronting Exposure" means, at any time there is a Defaulting Lender, (a) with respect to any L/C Issuer, such Defaulting Lender's Applicable Percentage of the outstanding L/C Obligations other than L/C Obligations as to which such Defaulting Lender's participation obligation has been reallocated to other Lenders or Cash Collateralized in accordance with the terms hereof, and (b) with respect to the Swing Line Lender, such Defaulting Lender's Applicable Percentage of Swing Line Loans other than Swing Line Loans as to which such Defaulting Lender's participation obligation has been reallocated to other Lenders or Cash Collateralized in accordance with the terms hereof.







"Fund" means any Person (other than a natural person) that is (or will be) engaged in making, purchasing, holding or otherwise investing in commercial loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its activities.







"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, consistently applied and as in effect from time to time.







"Governmental Authority" means the government of the United States or any other nation, or of any political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government (including any supra-national bodies such as the European Union or the European Central Bank).







"Guarantee" means, as to any Person, (a) any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of such Person guaranteeing or having the economic effect of guaranteeing any Indebtedness or other obligation payable or performable by another Person (the "primary obligor") in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, and including any obligation of such Person, direct or indirect, (i) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness or other obligation, (ii) to purchase or lease property, securities or services for the purpose of assuring the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment or performance of such Indebtedness or other obligation, (iii) to maintain working capital, equity capital or any other financial statement condition or liquidity or level of income or cash flow of the primary obligor so as to enable the primary obligor to pay such Indebtedness or other obligation, or (iv) entered into for the purpose of assuring in any other manner the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment or performance thereof or to 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






  





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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 Vectren Corporation, an Indiana corporation, together with its successors and permitted assigns.







"Guaranty" means the Guaranty made by the Guarantor in favor of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders pursuant to Article IV.







"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.







"Honor Date" has the meaning set forth in Section 2.03(c).







"Indebtedness" of a Person means such Person's (i) obligations for borrowed money, (ii) obligations representing the deferred purchase price of property or services (other than accounts payable arising in the ordinary course of such Person's business payable on terms customary in the trade), (iii) obligations, whether or not assumed, secured by Liens or payable out of the proceeds or production from property now or hereafter owned or acquired by such Person, (iv) obligations which are evidenced by notes, acceptances or other instruments, (v) obligations of such Person to purchase securities or other property arising out of or in connection with the sale of the same or substantially similar securities or property, (vi) Capitalized Lease Obligations, (vii) Contingent Obligations, (viii) reimbursement and other obligations in connection with letters of credit, (ix) Net Mark-to-Market Exposure of Swap Contracts, (x) Synthetic Lease Obligations and (xi) any other obligation for borrowed money or other financial accommodation which in accordance with GAAP would be shown as a liability on the consolidated balance sheet of such Person.







"Indemnified Taxes" means Taxes other than Excluded Taxes.







"Indemnitees" has the meaning specified in Section 10.04(b).







"Information" has the meaning specified in Section 10.07.







"Initial L/C Issuers" means Wells Fargo, Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. and Union Bank in their capacity as L/C Issuers.







"Interest Payment Date" means (a) as to any Eurodollar Rate Loan, the last day of each Interest Period applicable to such Loan and the Maturity Date; provided, however, that if any Interest Period for a Eurodollar Rate Loan exceeds three months, the respective dates that fall every three months after the beginning of such Interest Period shall also be Interest Payment Dates; (b) as to any Base Rate Loan (including a Swing Line Loan), the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December and the Maturity Date; and (c) as to any Swing Line Loan based on the LIBOR Market Index Rate, the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December and the Maturity Date.







"Interest Period" means, as to each Eurodollar Rate Loan, the period commencing on the date such Eurodollar Rate Loan is disbursed or converted to or continued as a Eurodollar Rate Loan and ending on the date one, two, three or six months thereafter, as selected by the Borrower in its Loan Notice; provided that:











  





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(i)           any Interest Period that would otherwise end on a day that is not a Business Day shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless such Business Day falls in another calendar month, in which case such Interest Period shall end on the next preceding Business Day;







(ii)           any Interest Period that begins on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period; and







(iii)           no Interest Period shall extend beyond the Maturity Date.







"Internal Revenue Code" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.







"Investment" of a Person means any loan, advance (other than commission, travel and similar advances to officers and employees made in the ordinary course of business), extension of credit (other than accounts receivable arising in the ordinary course of business on terms customary in the trade) or contribution of capital by such Person; stocks, bonds, mutual funds, partnership interests, notes, debentures or other securities owned by such Person; any deposit accounts and certificate of deposit owned by such Person; and structured notes, derivative financial instruments and other similar instruments or contracts owned by such Person.







"IRS" means the United States Internal Revenue Service.







"ISP" means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, the "International Standby Practices 1998" published by the Institute of International Banking Law & Practice, Inc. (or such later version thereof as may be in effect at the time of issuance).







"Issuer Documents" means with respect to any Letter of Credit, the Letter of Credit Application, and any other document, agreement and instrument entered into by the applicable L/C Issuer and the Borrower (or any Subsidiary) or in favor of the applicable L/C Issuer and relating to such Letter of Credit.







"J.P. Morgan Securities" means J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. in its capacity as a joint lead arranger and joint book manager.







"Laws" means, collectively, all international, foreign, federal, state and local statutes, treaties, rules, guidelines, regulations, ordinances, codes and administrative or judicial precedents or authorities, including the interpretation or administration thereof by any Governmental Authority charged with the enforcement, interpretation or administration thereof, and all applicable administrative orders, directed duties, requests, licenses, authorizations and permits of, and agreements with, any Governmental Authority, in each case whether or not having the force of law.







"L/C Advance" means, with respect to each Lender, such Lender's funding of its participation in any L/C Borrowing in accordance with its Applicable Percentage.







"L/C Borrowing" means an extension of credit resulting from a drawing under any Letter of Credit which has not been reimbursed on the date when made or refinanced as a Borrowing of Revolving Loans.







"L/C Commitment" means, as to each Initial L/C Issuer, its obligation to issue Letters of Credit to the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.03 in an aggregate principal amount at any one time outstanding not to






  





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exceed 25% of the Letter of Credit Sublimit (which, as of the Closing Date, would be $12,500,000), as such amount may be adjusted from time to time in accordance with this Agreement.







"L/C Credit Extension" means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, the issuance thereof or extension of the expiry date thereof, or the increase of the amount thereof.







"L/C Issuer" means with respect to a particular Letter of Credit, (a) each Initial L/C Issuer in its capacity as issuer of such Letter of Credit, (b) such other Lender selected by the Borrower (upon notice to the Administrative Agent) from time to time to issue such Letter of Credit (provided that no Lender shall be required to become an L/C Issuer pursuant to this subclause (b) without such Lender's consent), or any successor issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder or (c) any Lender selected by the Borrower (with the consent of the Administrative Agent) to replace a Lender who is a Defaulting Lender at the time of such Lender's appointment as an L/C Issuer (provided that no Lender shall be required to become an L/C Issuer pursuant to this subclause (c) without such Lender's consent), or any successor issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder.







"L/C Obligations" means, as at any date of determination, the aggregate amount available to be drawn under all outstanding Letters of Credit plus the aggregate of all Unreimbursed Amounts, including all L/C Borrowings.  For purposes of computing the amount available to be drawn under any Letter of Credit, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be determined in accordance with Section 1.06.  For all purposes of this Agreement, if on any date of determination a Letter of Credit has expired by its terms but any amount may still be drawn thereunder by reason of the operation of Rule 3.14 of the ISP, such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be "outstanding" in the amount so remaining available to be drawn.







"Lenders" means each of the Persons identified as a "Lender" on the signature pages hereto, each other Person that becomes a "Lender" in accordance with this Agreement and their successors and assigns and, as the context requires, includes the Swing Line Lender.







"Lending Office" means, as to any Lender, the office or offices of such Lender described as such in such Lender's Administrative Questionnaire, or such other office or offices as a Lender may from time to time notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.







"Letter of Credit" means any standby letter of credit issued hereunder and shall include the Existing Letters of Credit.







"Letter of Credit Application" means an application and agreement for the issuance or amendment of a letter of credit in the form from time to time in use by the applicable L/C Issuer.







"Letter of Credit Expiration Date" means the day that is five Business Days prior to the Maturity Date then in effect (or, if such day is not a Business Day, the next preceding Business Day).







"Letter of Credit Fee" has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(h).







"Letter of Credit Sublimit" means an amount equal to the lesser of (a) the Aggregate Revolving Commitments and (b) $50,000,000.  The Letter of Credit Sublimit is part of, and not in addition to, the Aggregate Revolving Commitments.







"LIBOR Market Index Rate" shall mean, for any day, in the case of Dollars, the rate for one month interbank offered rate for deposits in Dollars appearing on Reuters Screen LIBOR01 Page (or any successor page) at approximately 11:00 a.m. (London time) on such day, or if such day is not a London






  





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Banking Day, then the immediately preceding London Banking Day (or if not so reported, then as determined by the Administrative Agent from another recognized source or interbank quotation).







"Lien" means any mortgage, pledge, hypothecation, assignment, deposit arrangement, encumbrance, lien (statutory or otherwise), charge, or preference, priority or other security interest or preferential arrangement in the nature of a security interest of any kind or nature whatsoever (including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, any easement, right of way or other encumbrance on title to real property, and any financing lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing).







"Loan" means an extension of credit by a Lender to the Borrower under Article II in the form of a Revolving Loan or Swing Line Loan.







"Loan Documents" means this Agreement, each Note, each Issuer Document, any agreement creating or perfecting rights in Cash Collateral pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.14 and the Fee Letters.







"Loan Notice" means a notice of (a) a Borrowing of Revolving Loans, (b) a conversion of Loans from one Type to the other, or (c) a continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans, in each case pursuant to Section 2.02(a), which, if in writing, shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit 2.02.







"Loan Parties" means, collectively, the Borrower and the Guarantor.







"London Banking Day" means any day on which dealings in Dollar deposits are conducted by and between banks in the London interbank eurodollar market.







"Material Adverse Effect" means (a) a material adverse change in, or a material adverse effect upon, the operations, business, properties, liabilities (actual or contingent) or condition (financial or otherwise) of 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.







"Material Indebtedness" has the meaning specified in Section 8.01(e).







"Maturity Date" means September 30, 2013 or, with respect to some or all of the Lenders if such date is extended pursuant to Section 2.16, September 30 2014 and/or September 30, 2015; provided, however, that, in each case, if such date is not a Business Day, the Maturity Date shall be the next preceding Business Day.







"Moody's" means Moody's Investors Service, Inc. and any successor thereto.







"Mortgage Indenture" means the Mortgage and Deed of Trust, dated as of April 1, 1932, between SIGECO and Bankers Trust Company (as supplemented from time to time before or after the date hereof by various supplemental indentures thereto).







"Multiemployer Plan" means a Plan of the type described in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA which the Borrower or any other member of the Controlled Group is a party to or is currently, or during the preceding five years has been obligated to make contributions.











  





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"Net Mark-to-Market Exposure" of a Person means, as of any date of determination, the excess (if any) of all unrealized losses over all unrealized profits of such Person arising from Swap Contracts.  "Unrealized losses" means the fair market value of the cost to such Person of replacing such Swap Contract as of the date of determination (assuming the Swap Contract were to be terminated as of that date), and "unrealized profits" means the fair market value of the gain to such Person of replacing such Swap Contract as of the date of determination (assuming such Swap Contract were to be terminated as of that date).







"Non-Extending Lender" has the meaning specified in Section 2.16(a).







"Note" has the meaning specified in Section 2.11(a).







"Obligations" means all advances to, and debts, liabilities, obligations, covenants and duties of, any Loan Party arising under any Loan Document or otherwise with respect to any Loan or Letter of Credit, whether direct or indirect (including those acquired by assumption), absolute or contingent, due or to become due, now existing or hereafter arising and including interest and fees that accrue after the commencement by or against any Loan Party or any 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. The foregoing shall also include (a) all obligations under any Swap Contract between any Loan Party or any Subsidiary and any Lender, Affiliate of a Lender or any Person who was a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender at the time such Swap Agreement was executed and (b) all obligations under any Treasury Management Agreement between any Loan Party or any Subsidiary and any Lender, Affiliate of a Lender or any Person who was a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender at the time such Treasury Management Agreement was executed







"OFAC" means the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control.












"Organization Documents" means, (a) with respect to any corporation, the certificate or articles of incorporation and the bylaws (or equivalent or comparable constitutive documents with respect to any non-U.S. jurisdiction); (b) with respect to any limited liability company, the certificate or articles of formation or organization and operating agreement; and (c) with respect to any partnership, joint venture, trust or other form of business entity, the partnership, joint venture or other applicable agreement of formation or organization and any agreement, instrument, filing or notice with respect thereto filed in connection with its formation or organization with the applicable Governmental Authority in the jurisdiction of its formation or organization and, if applicable, any certificate or articles of formation or organization of such entity.







"Other Taxes" means all present or future stamp or documentary taxes or any other excise or property taxes, charges or similar levies arising from any payment made hereunder or under any other Loan Document or from the execution, delivery or enforcement of, or otherwise with respect to, this Agreement or any other Loan Document.







"Outstanding Amount" means (a) with respect to any Loans on any date, the aggregate outstanding principal amount thereof after giving effect to any borrowings and prepayments or repayments of any Loans occurring on such date; and (b) with respect to any L/C Obligations on any date, the amount of such L/C Obligations on such date after giving effect to any L/C Credit Extension occurring on such date and any other changes in the aggregate amount of the L/C Obligations as of such date, including as a result of any reimbursements by the Borrower of Unreimbursed Amounts.







"Participant" has the meaning specified in Section 10.06(d).











  





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"PBGC" means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation or any successor thereto.







"Person" means any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership, Governmental Authority or other entity.







"Plan" means an employee pension benefit plan which is covered by Title IV of ERISA or subject to the minimum funding standards under Section 412 or Section 430 of the Code as to which the Borrower or any other member of the Controlled Group may have any liability.







"Platform" has the meaning specified in Section 7.01.







"Public Lender" has the meaning specified in Section 7.01.







"Register" has the meaning specified in Section 10.06(c).







"Regulation U" means Regulation U of the FRB as from time to time in effect and any successor or other regulation or official interpretation of said Board of Governors relating to the extension of credit by banks for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stocks applicable to member banks of the Federal Reserve System.







"Related Parties" means, with respect to any Person, such Person's Affiliates and the partners, directors, officers, employees, agents, trustees and advisors of such Person and of such Person's Affiliates.







"Reportable Event" means a reportable event as defined in Section 4043 of ERISA and the regulations issued under such section, with respect to a Plan, excluding, however, such events as to which the PBGC has by regulation waived the requirement of Section 4043(a) of ERISA that it be notified within 30 days of the occurrence of such event, provided, however, that a failure to meet the minimum funding standard of Section 412 or Section 430 of the Code and of Section 302 of ERISA shall be a Reportable Event regardless of the issuance of any such waiver of the notice requirement in accordance with either Section 4043(a) of ERISA or Section 412(d) of the Code.







"Request for Credit Extension" means (a) with respect to a Borrowing, conversion or continuation of Loans, a Loan Notice, (b) with respect to an L/C Credit Extension, a Letter of Credit Application, and (c) with respect to a Swing Line Loan, a Swing Line Loan Notice.







"Required Lenders" means, at any time, Lenders holding in the aggregate more than 50% of (a) the unfunded Commitments and the outstanding Loans, L/C Obligations and participations therein (with the aggregate amount of each Lender's participation in Swing Line Loans being deemed "held" by such Lender for purposes of this definition) or (b) if the Commitments have been terminated, the outstanding Loans, L/C Obligations and participations therein (with the aggregate amount of each Lender's participation in Swing Line Loans being deemed "held" by such Lender for purposes of this definition).  The unfunded Commitments of, and the outstanding Loans, L/C Obligations and participations therein held or deemed held by, any Defaulting Lender shall be excluded for purposes of making a determination of Required Lenders.







"Responsible Officer" means the chief executive officer, president, chief financial officer, treasurer, assistant treasurer or controller of a Loan Party, solely for purposes of the delivery of incumbency certificates pursuant to Section 5.01, the secretary or any assistant secretary 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 the Administrative






  





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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.







"Revolving Commitment" means, as to each Lender, its obligation to (a) make Revolving Loans to the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.01, (b) purchase participations in L/C Obligations, and (c) purchase participations in Swing Line Loans, in an aggregate principal amount at any one time outstanding not to exceed the amount set forth opposite such Lender's name on Schedule 2.01 or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender becomes a party hereto or in any documentation executed by such Lender pursuant to Section 2.01(b), as applicable as such amount may be adjusted from time to time in accordance with this Agreement.







"Revolving Loan" has the meaning specified in Section 2.01(a).







"S&P" means Standard & Poor's Ratings Services, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. and any successor thereto.







"Sanctioned Entity" means (a) a country or a government of a country, (b) an agency of the government of a country, (c) an organization directly or indirectly controlled by a country or its government, or (d) a person or entity resident in or determined to be resident in a country, that is subject to a country sanctions program administered and enforced by OFAC.







"Sanctioned Person" means a person named on the list of Specially Designated Nationals maintained by OFAC.







"SEC" means the Securities and Exchange Commission, or any Governmental Authority succeeding to any of its principal functions.







"SIGECO" means Southern Indiana Gas and Electric Company, an Indiana corporation.







"Single Employer Plan" means a Plan maintained by the Guarantor or any other member of the Controlled Group for employees of the Guarantor or any other member of the Controlled Group.







"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 Voting Stock is at the time beneficially owned, or the management of which is otherwise controlled, directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, or both, by such Person; provided that, for the avoidance of doubt, it is understood that the amount of economic interest that a Person may have in another Person shall have no bearing on whether on not such Person is deemed to be a Subsidiary. Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to a "Subsidiary" or to "Subsidiaries" shall refer to a Subsidiary or Subsidiaries of the Borrower.







"Substantial Portion" means, with respect to the property of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, property which (i) represents more than 10% of the consolidated assets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as would be shown in the consolidated financial statements of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as at the beginning of the twelve-month period ending with the month in which such determination is made or (ii) is responsible for more than 10% of the consolidated net sales or of the consolidated net income of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as reflected in the financial statements referred to in clause (i) above.











  





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"Swap Contract" means (a) any and all rate swap transactions, basis swaps, credit derivative transactions, forward rate transactions, commodity swaps, commodity options, forward commodity contracts, equity or equity index swaps or options, bond or bond price or bond index swaps or options or forward bond or forward bond price or forward bond index transactions, interest rate options, forward foreign exchange transactions, cap transactions, floor transactions, collar transactions, currency swap transactions, cross-currency rate swap transactions, currency options, spot contracts, or any other similar transactions or any combination of any of the foregoing (including any options to enter into any of the foregoing), whether or not any such transaction is governed by or subject to any master agreement, and (b) any and all transactions of any kind, and the related confirmations, which are subject to the terms and conditions of, or governed by, any form of master agreement published by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc., any International Foreign Exchange Master Agreement, or any other master agreement (any such master agreement, together with any related schedules, a "Master Agreement"), including any such obligations or liabilities under any Master Agreement.







"Swing Line Lender" means Wells Fargo in its capacity as provider of Swing Line Loans, or any successor swing line lender hereunder.







"Swing Line Loan" has the meaning specified in Section 2.04(a).







"Swing Line Loan Notice" means a notice of a Borrowing of Swing Line Loans pursuant to Section 2.04(b), which, if in writing, shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit 2.04.







"Swing Line Sublimit" means an amount equal to the lesser of (a) $40,000,000 and (b) the Aggregate Revolving Commitments.  The Swing Line Sublimit is part of, and not in addition to, the Aggregate Revolving Commitments.







"Synthetic Lease Obligation" means the monetary obligation of a Person under (i) a so-called synthetic or off-balance sheet or tax retention lease or (ii) 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 indebtedness of such Person (without regard to accounting treatment).  The amount of Synthetic Lease Obligations of any Person under any such lease or agreement shall be the amount which would be shown as a liability on a balance sheet of such Person prepared in accordance with GAAP if such lease or agreement were accounted for as a Capitalized Lease.







"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 $50,000,000.







"Total Revolving Outstandings" means the aggregate Outstanding Amount of all Revolving Loans, all Swing Line Loans and all L/C Obligations.







"Treasury Management Agreement" means any agreement governing the provision of treasury or cash management services, including deposit accounts, overnight draft, credit or debit cards, funds transfer, automated clearinghouse, zero balance accounts, returned check concentration, controlled disbursement, lockbox, account reconciliation and reporting and trade finance services and other cash management services.











  





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"Type" means, with respect to any Loan, its character as a Base Rate Loan or a Eurodollar Rate Loan.







"Unfunded Liabilities" means the amount (if any) by which the present value of all vested and unvested accrued benefits under all Single Employer Plans exceeds the fair market value of all such Plan assets allocable to such benefits, all determined as of the then most recent valuation date for such Plans using PBGC actuarial assumptions for single employer plan terminations.







"Union Bank" means Union Bank, N.A., in its capacity as a joint lead arranger and joint book manager.







"United States" and "U.S." mean the United States of America.







"Unreimbursed Amount" has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(c)(i).







"VUHI Credit Agreement" means that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of the Closing Date, by and among Vectren Utility Holdings, Inc., the guarantors party thereto, the lenders party thereto and Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent.







"Voting Stock" means, with respect to any Person, Equity Interests issued by such Person the holders of which are ordinarily, in the absence of contingencies, entitled to vote for the election of directors (or persons performing similar functions) of such Person, even though the right so to vote has been suspended by the happening of such a contingency.







"Wells Fargo" means Wells Fargo Bank, National Association.







"WFS" means Wells Fargo Securities LLC in its capacity as a joint lead arranger and joint book manager.







"Wholly-Owned Subsidiary" of a Person means (i) any Subsidiary all of the outstanding Voting Stock of which shall at the time be owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by such Person or one or more Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries of such Person, or by such Person and one or more Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries of such Person, or (ii) any partnership, limited liability company, association, joint venture or similar business organization 100% of the ownership interests having ordinary voting power of which shall at the time be so owned or controlled.







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






  





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Person shall be construed to include such Person's successors and assigns, (iii) the words "hereto," "herein," "hereof" and "hereunder," and words of similar import when used in any Loan Document, shall be construed to refer to such Loan Document in its entirety and not to any particular provision thereof, (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.  Except as otherwise specifically prescribed herein, 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.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, for purposes of determining compliance with any covenant (including the computation of any financial covenant) contained herein, Indebtedness of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries shall be deemed to be carried at 100% of the outstanding principal amount thereof, and the effects of FASB ASC 825 on financial liabilities shall be disregarded.







(b)           Changes in GAAP.  If at any time any change in GAAP would affect the computation of any financial ratio or requirement set forth in any Loan Document, and either the Borrower or the Required Lenders shall so request, the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Borrower shall negotiate in good faith to amend such ratio or requirement to preserve the original intent thereof in light of such change in GAAP (subject to the approval of the Required Lenders); provided that, until so amended, (i) such ratio or requirement shall continue to be computed in accordance with GAAP prior to such change therein and (ii) the Borrower shall provide to the Administrative Agent and the 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 the Guarantor pursuant to this Agreement shall be calculated by dividing the appropriate component by the other component, carrying the result to one






  





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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 Central time (daylight or standard, as applicable).







1.06           Letter of Credit Amounts.







Unless otherwise specified herein, the amount of a Letter of Credit at any time shall be deemed to be the stated amount of such Letter of Credit in effect at such time; provided, however, that with respect to any Letter of Credit that, by its terms or the terms of any Issuer Document related thereto, provides for one or more automatic increases in the stated amount thereof, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be the maximum stated amount of such Letter of Credit after giving effect to all such increases, whether or not such maximum stated amount is in effect at such time.












ARTICLE II







THE COMMITMENTS AND CREDIT EXTENSIONS







2.01           Revolving Loans.







(a)           Revolving Loans.  Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender severally agrees to make loans (each such loan, a "Revolving Loan") to the Borrower in Dollars from time to time on any Business Day during the Availability Period in an aggregate amount not to exceed at any time outstanding the amount of such Lender's Revolving Commitment; provided, however, that after giving effect to any Borrowing of Revolving Loans, (i) the Total Revolving Outstandings shall not exceed the Aggregate Revolving Commitments, and (ii) the aggregate Outstanding Amount of the Revolving Loans of any Lender, plus such Lender's Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations, plus such Lender's Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of all Swing Line Loans shall not exceed such Lender's Revolving Commitment.  Within the limits of each Lender's Revolving Commitment, and subject to the other terms and conditions hereof, the Borrower may borrow under this Section 2.01, prepay under Section 2.05, and reborrow under this Section 2.01.  Revolving Loans may be Base Rate Loans or Eurodollar Rate Loans, as further provided herein.







(b)           Increases of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments.  The Borrower shall have the right, upon at least five Business Days' prior written notice to the Administrative Agent, to increase the Aggregate Revolving Commitments (but not the Letter of Credit Sublimit or the Swing Line Sublimit) by up to $150,000,000 in the aggregate in one or more increases, at any time prior to the date that is sixty days prior to the Maturity Date, subject, however, in any such case, to satisfaction of the following conditions precedent:







(i)           the Aggregate Revolving Commitments shall not exceed $400,000,000 without the consent of the Required Lenders;







(ii)           no Default shall have occurred and be continuing on the date on which such increase is to become effective;











  





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(iii)           the representations and warranties set forth in Article VI shall be true and correct in all material respects (or, if any such representation or warranty is qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect, it shall be true and correct in all respects as drafted) on and as of the date on which such increase is to become effective, except to the extent that such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier date, in which case they shall be true and correct in all material respects (or, if any such representation or warranty is qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect, it shall be true and correct in all respects as drafted) as of such earlier date;







(iv)           the Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower demonstrating pro forma compliance with the covenant contained in Section 7.15 after giving effect to any Credit Extensions made on the date of such increase;







(v)           such increase shall be in a minimum amount of $10,000,000 and in integral multiples of $5,000,000 in excess thereof;







(vi)           such requested increase shall only be effective upon receipt by the Administrative Agent of (A) additional Revolving Commitments in a corresponding amount of such requested increase from either existing Lenders and/or one or more other institutions that qualify as Eligible Assignees (it being understood and agreed that no existing Lender shall be required to provide an additional Revolving Commitment) and (B) documentation from each institution providing an additional Revolving Commitment evidencing its additional Revolving Commitment and its obligations under this Agreement in form and substance acceptable to the Administrative Agent;







(vii)           the Administrative Agent shall have received all documents (including resolutions of the board of directors of the Borrower and the Guarantor) it may reasonably request relating to the corporate or other necessary authority for such increase and the validity of such increase in the Aggregate Revolving Commitments, and any other matters relevant thereto, all in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent;







(viii)           the Administrative Agent shall have received evidence, in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, of new or supplemental regulatory approval by any applicable regulatory body required in connection with such increase of the Revolving Commitments; and







(ix)           if any Revolving Loans are outstanding at the time of the increase in the Aggregate Revolving Commitments, the Borrower shall, if applicable, prepay one or more existing Revolving Loans (such prepayment to be subject to Section 3.05) in an amount necessary such that after giving effect to the increase in the Aggregate Revolving Commitments, each Lender will hold its pro rata share (based on its Applicable Percentage of the increased Aggregate Revolving Commitments) of outstanding Revolving Loans.







2.02           Borrowings, Conversions and Continuations of Loans.







(a)           Each Borrowing, each conversion of Loans from one Type to the other, and each continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be made upon the Borrower's irrevocable notice to the Administrative Agent, which may be given by telephone.  Each such notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. (i) three Business Days prior to the requested date of any Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of, Eurodollar Rate Loans or of any conversion of Eurodollar






  





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Rate Loans to Base Rate Loans, and (ii) on the requested date of any Borrowing of Base Rate Loans.  Each telephonic notice by the Borrower pursuant to this Section 2.02(a) must be confirmed promptly by delivery to the Administrative Agent of a written Loan Notice, appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower.  Each Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $5,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof.  Except as provided in Sections 2.03(c) and 2.04(c), each Borrowing of or conversion to Base Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $1,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof.  Each Loan Notice (whether telephonic or written) shall specify (i) whether the Borrower is requesting a Borrowing, a conversion of Loans from one Type to the other, or a continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans, (ii) the requested date of the Borrowing, conversion or continuation, as the case may be (which shall be a Business Day), (iii) the principal amount of Loans to be borrowed, converted or continued, (iv) the Type of Loans to be borrowed or to which existing Loans are to be converted, and (v) if applicable, the duration of the Interest Period with respect thereto.  If the Borrower fails to specify a Type of a Loan in a Loan Notice or if the Borrower fails to give a timely notice requesting a conversion or continuation, then the applicable Loans shall be made as, or converted to, Base Rate Loans. Any such automatic conversion to Base Rate Loans shall be effective as of the last day of the Interest Period then in effect with respect to the applicable Eurodollar Rate Loans.  If the Borrower requests a Borrowing of, conversion to, or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans in any Loan Notice, but fails to specify an Interest Period, it will be deemed to have specified an Interest Period of one month.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, a Swing Line Loan may not be converted.







(b)           Following receipt of a Loan Notice, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender of the amount of its Applicable Percentage of the applicable Loans, and if no timely notice of a conversion or continuation is provided by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent shall notify each Lender of the details of any automatic conversion to Base Rate Loans as described in the preceding subsection.  In the case of a Borrowing, each Lender shall make the amount of its Loan available to the Administrative Agent in immediately available funds at the Administrative Agent's Office not later than 1:00 p.m. on the Business Day specified in the applicable Loan Notice.  Upon satisfaction of the applicable conditions set forth in Section 5.03 (and, if such Borrowing is the initial Credit Extension, Section 5.02), the Administrative Agent shall make all funds so received available to the Borrower in like funds as received by the Administrative Agent either by (i) crediting the account of the Borrower on the books of Wells Fargo with the amount of such funds or (ii) wire transfer of such funds, in each case in accordance with instructions provided to (and reasonably acceptable to) the Administrative Agent by the Borrower; provided, however, that if, on the date of a Borrowing of Revolving Loans, there are L/C Borrowings outstanding, then the proceeds of such Borrowing, first, shall be applied to the payment in full of any such L/C Borrowings and second, shall be made available to the Borrower as provided above.







(c)           Except as otherwise provided herein, a Eurodollar Rate Loan may be continued or converted only on the last day of the Interest Period for such Eurodollar Rate Loan.  During the existence of a Default, no Loans may be requested as, converted to or continued as Eurodollar Rate Loans without the consent of the Required Lenders, and the Required Lenders may demand that any or all of the then outstanding Eurodollar Rate Loans be converted immediately to Base Rate Loans.







(d)           The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the interest rate applicable to any Interest Period for Eurodollar Rate Loans upon determination of such interest rate.  At any time that Base Rate Loans are outstanding, the Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders of any change in Wells Fargo's prime rate used in determining the Base Rate promptly following the public announcement of such change.











  





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(e)           After giving effect to all Borrowings, all conversions of Loans from one Type to the other, and all continuations of Loans as the same Type, there shall not be more than fifteen Interest Periods in effect with respect to all Loans.







2.03           Letters of Credit.







 (a)           The Letter of Credit Commitment.







(i)           Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, (A) each L/C Issuer agrees, in reliance upon the agreements of the Lenders set forth in this Section 2.03, (1) from time to time on any Business Day during the period from the Closing Date until the Letter of Credit Expiration Date, to issue Letters of Credit in Dollars for the account of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, and to amend or extend Letters of Credit previously issued by it, in accordance with subsection (b) below, and (2) to honor drawings under the Letters of Credit; and (B) the Lenders severally agree to participate in Letters of Credit issued for the account of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries and any drawings thereunder; provided that after giving effect to any L/C Credit Extension with respect to any Letter of Credit, (x) the Total Revolving Outstandings shall not exceed the Aggregate Revolving Commitments, (y) the aggregate Outstanding Amount of the Revolving Loans of any Lender, plus such Lender's Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations, plus such Lender's Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of all Swing Line Loans shall not exceed such Lender's Revolving Commitment and (z) the Outstanding Amount of the L/C Obligations shall not exceed the Letter of Credit Sublimit; provided, further, that after giving effect to all L/C Credit Extensions, the aggregate Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations of any Initial L/C Issuer shall not exceed such Initial L/C Issuer's L/C Commitment.  Each request by the Borrower for the issuance or amendment of a Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be a representation by the Borrower that the L/C Credit Extension so requested complies with the conditions set forth in the proviso to the preceding sentence.  Within the foregoing limits, and subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the Borrower's ability to obtain Letters of Credit shall be fully revolving, and accordingly the Borrower may, during the foregoing period, obtain Letters of Credit to replace Letters of Credit that have expired or that have been drawn upon and reimbursed.  All Existing Letters of Credit shall be deemed to have been issued pursuant hereto, and from and after the Closing Date shall be subject to and governed by the terms and conditions hereof.







(ii)           An L/C Issuer shall not issue any Letter of Credit if:







(A)            subject to Section 2.03(b)(iii), the expiry date of such requested Letter of Credit would occur more than twelve months after the date of issuance or last extension, unless the Lenders (other than Defaulting Lenders) holding a majority of the Revolving Commitments have approved such expiry date; or







(B)           the expiry date of such requested Letter of Credit would occur after the Letter of Credit Expiration Date, unless all the Lenders that have Revolving Commitments have approved such expiry date.







(iii)           An L/C Issuer shall not be under any obligation to issue any Letter of Credit if:







(A)           any order, judgment or decree of any Governmental Authority or arbitrator shall by its terms purport to enjoin or restrain the L/C Issuer from issuing such Letter of Credit, or any Law applicable to such L/C Issuer or any request or directive (whether or not having the force of law) from any Governmental Authority with






  





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jurisdiction over such L/C Issuer shall prohibit, or request that such L/C Issuer refrain from, the issuance of letters of credit generally or such Letter of Credit in particular or shall impose upon such L/C Issuer with respect to such Letter of Credit any restriction, reserve or capital requirement (for which such L/C Issuer is not otherwise compensated hereunder) not in effect on the Closing Date, or shall impose upon such L/C Issuer any unreimbursed loss, cost or expense which was not applicable on the Closing Date and which such L/C Issuer in good faith deems material to it;







(B)           the issuance of such Letter of Credit would violate one or more policies of such L/C Issuer applicable to borrowers generally;







(C)           except as otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent and such L/C Issuer, such Letter of Credit is in an initial stated amount less than $100,000;







(D)           such Letter of Credit is to be denominated in a currency other than Dollars;







(E)           such Letter of Credit contains any provisions for automatic reinstatement of the stated amount after any drawing thereunder; or







(F)           any Lender is at that time a Defaulting Lender, unless such L/C Issuer has entered into arrangements, including the delivery of Cash Collateral, satisfactory to such L/C Issuer (in its reasonable discretion) with the Borrower or such Lender to eliminate such L/C Issuer's actual or potential Fronting Exposure (after giving effect to Section 2.15(a)(iv)) with respect to the Defaulting Lender arising from either the Letter of Credit then proposed to be issued or that Letter of Credit and all other L/C Obligations as to which such L/C Issuer has actual or potential Fronting Exposure, as it may elect in its sole discretion.







(iv)           An L/C Issuer shall not amend any Letter of Credit if such L/C Issuer would not be permitted at such time to issue the Letter of Credit in its amended form under the terms hereof.







(v)           An L/C Issuer shall be under no obligation to amend any Letter of Credit if (A) such L/C Issuer would have no obligation at such time to issue the Letter of Credit in its amended form under the terms hereof, or (B) the beneficiary of the Letter of Credit does not accept the proposed amendment to the Letter of Credit.







(vi)           Each L/C Issuer shall act on behalf of the Lenders with respect to any Letters of Credit issued by it and the documents associated therewith, and such L/C Issuer shall have all of the benefits and immunities (A) provided to the Administrative Agent in Article X with respect to any acts taken or omissions suffered by such L/C Issuer in connection with Letters of Credit issued by it or proposed to be issued by it and Issuer Documents pertaining to such Letters of Credit as fully as if the term "Administrative Agent" as used in Article X included such L/C Issuer with respect to such acts or omissions, and (B) as additionally provided herein with respect to such L/C Issuer.







(b)           Procedures for Issuance and Amendment of Letters of Credit; Auto-Extension Letters of Credit.







(i)           Each Letter of Credit shall be issued or amended, as the case may be, upon the request of the Borrower delivered to the applicable L/C Issuer (with a copy to the Administrative






  





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Agent) in the form of a Letter of Credit Application, appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower.  Such Letter of Credit Application must be received by the applicable L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. at least five Business Days (or such later date and time as the Administrative Agent and such L/C Issuer may agree in a particular instance in their sole discretion) prior to the proposed issuance date or date of amendment, as the case may be.  In the case of a request for an initial issuance of a Letter of Credit, such Letter of Credit Application shall specify in form and detail satisfactory to the applicable L/C Issuer: (A) the proposed issuance date of the requested Letter of Credit (which shall be a Business Day); (B) the amount thereof; (C) the expiry date thereof; (D) the name and address of the beneficiary thereof; (E) the documents to be presented by such beneficiary in case of any drawing thereunder; (F) the full text of any certificate to be presented by such beneficiary in case of any drawing thereunder; (G) the purpose and nature of the requested Letter of Credit; and (H) such other matters as such L/C Issuer may require.  In the case of a request for an amendment of any outstanding Letter of Credit, such Letter of Credit Application shall specify in form and detail satisfactory to the applicable L/C Issuer (A) the Letter of Credit to be amended; (B) the proposed date of amendment thereof (which shall be a Business Day); (C) the nature of the proposed amendment; and (D) such other matters as such L/C Issuer may require.  Additionally, the Borrower shall furnish to applicable L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent such other documents and information pertaining to such requested Letter of Credit issuance or amendment, including any Issuer Documents, as such L/C Issuer or the Administrative Agent may require.







(ii)           Promptly after receipt of any Letter of Credit Application, the applicable L/C Issuer will confirm with the Administrative Agent (by telephone or in writing) that the Administrative Agent has received a copy of such Letter of Credit Application from the Borrower and, if not, such L/C Issuer will provide the Administrative Agent with a copy thereof.  Unless the applicable L/C Issuer has received written notice from any Lender, the Administrative Agent or any Loan Party, at least one Business Day prior to the requested date of issuance or amendment of the applicable Letter of Credit, that one or more applicable conditions contained in Article V shall not be satisfied, then, subject to the terms and conditions hereof, such L/C Issuer shall, on the requested date, issue a Letter of Credit for the account of the Borrower or the applicable Subsidiary or enter into the applicable amendment, as the case may be, in each case in accordance with such L/C Issuer's usual and customary business practices.  Immediately upon the issuance of each Letter of Credit, each Lender shall be deemed to, and hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees to, purchase from such L/C Issuer a risk participation in such Letter of Credit in an amount equal to the product of such Lender's Applicable Percentage times the amount of such Letter of Credit.







(iii)           If the Borrower so requests in any applicable Letter of Credit Application, the applicable L/C Issuer may, in its sole discretion, agree to issue a Letter of Credit that has automatic extension provisions (each, an "Auto-Extension Letter of Credit"); provided that any such Auto-Extension Letter of Credit must permit such L/C Issuer to prevent any such extension at least once in each twelve-month period (commencing with the date of issuance of such Letter of Credit) by giving prior notice to the beneficiary thereof not later than a day (the "Non-Extension Notice Date") in each such twelve-month period to be agreed upon at the time such Letter of Credit is issued.  Unless otherwise directed by the applicable L/C Issuer, the Borrower shall not be required to make a specific request to such L/C Issuer for any such extension.  Once an Auto-Extension Letter of Credit has been issued, the Lenders shall be deemed to have authorized (but may not require) the applicable L/C Issuer to permit the extension of such Letter of Credit at any time to an expiry date not later than the Letter of Credit Expiration Date; provided, however, that such L/C Issuer shall not permit any such extension if (A) such L/C






  





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Issuer has determined that it would not be permitted, or would have no obligation, at such time to issue such Letter of Credit in its revised form (as extended) under the terms hereof (by reason of the provisions of clause (ii) or (iii) of Section 2.03(a) or otherwise), or (B) it has received notice (which may be by telephone or in writing) on or before the day that is seven Business Days before the Non-Extension Notice Date (1) from the Administrative Agent that the Required Lenders have elected not to permit such extension or (2) from the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the Borrower that one or more of the applicable conditions specified in Section 5.03 is not then satisfied, and in each case directing such L/C Issuer not to permit such extension.







(iv)           Promptly after its delivery of any Letter of Credit or any amendment to a Letter of Credit to an advising bank with respect thereto or to the beneficiary thereof, applicable L/C Issuer will also deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent a true and complete copy of such Letter of Credit or amendment.  On a monthly basis, each L/C Issuer shall deliver to the Administrative Agent a complete list of all outstanding Letters of Credit issued by such L/C Issuer as provided in Section 2.03(f).







(c)           Drawings and Reimbursements; Funding of Participations.







(i)           Upon receipt from the beneficiary of any Letter of Credit of any notice of drawing under such Letter of Credit, the applicable L/C Issuer shall notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent thereof.  Not later than 11:00 a.m. on the date of any payment by the applicable L/C Issuer under a Letter of Credit (each such date, an "Honor Date"), the Borrower shall reimburse such L/C Issuer through the Administrative Agent in an amount equal to the amount of such drawing; provided that the Borrower has received notice of such payment by 10:00 a.m. on such Honor Date, and if the Borrower receives notice of such payment after such time, the Borrower shall make such payment not later than 11:00 a.m. on the Business Day following receipt of such notice (together with interest thereon).  If the Borrower fails to so reimburse the applicable L/C Issuer by such time, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender and the Borrower of the Honor Date, the amount of the unreimbursed drawing (the "Unreimbursed Amount"), and the amount of such Lender's Applicable Percentage thereof.  In such event, the Borrower shall be deemed to have requested a Borrowing of Revolving Loans that are Base Rate Loans to be disbursed on the Honor Date in an amount equal to the Unreimbursed Amount, without regard to the minimum and multiples specified in Section 2.02 for the principal amount of Base Rate Loans, but subject to the conditions set forth in Section 5.03 (other than the delivery of a Loan Notice) and provided that, after giving effect to such Borrowing, the Total Revolving Outstandings shall not exceed the Aggregate Revolving Commitments.  Any notice given by the applicable L/C Issuer or the Administrative Agent pursuant to this Section 2.03(c)(i) may be given by telephone if immediately confirmed in writing; provided that the lack of such an immediate confirmation shall not affect the conclusiveness or binding effect of such notice.







(ii)           Each Lender shall upon any notice pursuant to Section 2.03(c)(i) make funds available (and the Administrative Agent may apply Cash Collateral provided for this purpose) for the account of the applicable L/C Issuer at the Administrative Agent's Office in an amount equal to its Applicable Percentage of the Unreimbursed Amount not later than 1:00 p.m. on the Business Day specified in such notice by the Administrative Agent, whereupon, subject to the provisions of Section 2.03(c)(iii), each Lender that so makes funds available shall be deemed to have made a Base Rate Loan to the Borrower in such amount.  The Administrative Agent shall remit the funds so received to the applicable L/C Issuer.







(iii)           With respect to any Unreimbursed Amount that is not fully refinanced by a Borrowing of Revolving Loans that are Base Rate Loans because the conditions set forth in






  





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Section 5.03 cannot be satisfied or for any other reason, the Borrower shall be deemed to have incurred from the applicable L/C Issuer an L/C Borrowing in the amount of the Unreimbursed Amount that is not so refinanced, which L/C Borrowing shall be due and payable on demand (together with interest) and shall bear interest at the Default Rate.  In such event, each Lender's payment to the Administrative Agent for the account of the applicable L/C Issuer pursuant to Section 2.03(c)(ii) shall be deemed payment in respect of its participation in such L/C Borrowing and shall constitute an L/C Advance from such Lender in satisfaction of its participation obligation under this Section 2.03.







(iv)           Until each Lender funds its Revolving Loan or L/C Advance pursuant to this Section 2.03(c) to reimburse the applicable L/C Issuer for any amount drawn under any Letter of Credit, interest in respect of such Lender's Applicable Percentage of such amount shall be solely for the account of such L/C Issuer.







(v)           Each Lender's obligation to make Revolving Loans or L/C Advances to reimburse the applicable L/C Issuer for amounts drawn under Letters of Credit, as contemplated by this Section 2.03(c), shall be absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance, including (A) any setoff, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other right which such Lender may have against such L/C Issuer, the Borrower or any other Person for any reason whatsoever; (B) the occurrence or continuance of a Default, or (C) any other occurrence, event or condition, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing; provided, however, that each Lender's obligation to make Revolving Loans pursuant to this Section 2.03(c) is subject to the conditions set forth in Section 5.03 (other than delivery by the Borrower of a Loan Notice).  No such making of an L/C Advance shall relieve or otherwise impair the obligation of the Borrower to reimburse the applicable L/C Issuer for the amount of any payment made by such L/C Issuer under any Letter of Credit, together with interest as provided herein.







(vi)           If any Lender fails to make available to the Administrative Agent for the account of the applicable L/C Issuer any amount required to be paid by such Lender pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.03(c) by the time specified in Section 2.03(c)(ii), then, without limiting the other provisions of this Agreement, such L/C Issuer shall be entitled to recover from such Lender (acting through the Administrative Agent), on demand, such amount with interest thereon for the period from the date such payment is required to the date on which such payment is immediately available to such L/C Issuer at a rate per annum equal to the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by such L/C Issuer in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation, plus any administrative, processing or similar fees customarily charged by such L/C Issuer in connection with the foregoing.  If such Lender pays such amount (with interest and fees as aforesaid), the amount so paid shall constitute such Lender's Revolving Loan included in the relevant Borrowing or L/C Advance in respect of the relevant L/C Borrowing, as the case may be.  A certificate of the applicable L/C Issuer submitted to any Lender (through the Administrative Agent) with respect to any amounts owing under this clause (vi) shall be conclusive absent manifest error.







(d)           Repayment of Participations.







(i)           At any time after the applicable L/C Issuer has made a payment under any Letter of Credit and has received from any Lender such Lender's L/C Advance in respect of such payment in accordance with Section 2.03(c), if such L/C Issuer or the Administrative Agent receives for the account of such L/C Issuer any payment in respect of the related Unreimbursed Amount or interest thereon (whether directly from the Borrower or otherwise, including proceeds of cash collateral applied thereto by the Administrative Agent), such L/C Issuer shall turn over






  





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such payment to the Administrative Agent for distribution to such Lender or the Administrative Agent will distribute to such Lender, in each case, its Applicable Percentage thereof in the same funds as those received by the Administrative Agent.







(ii)           If any payment received by an L/C Issuer or the Administrative Agent for the account of such L/C Issuer pursuant to Section 2.03(c)(i) is required to be returned under any of the circumstances described in Section 10.05 (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by such L/C Issuer in its discretion), each Lender shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of such L/C Issuer its Applicable Percentage thereof on demand of the Administrative Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such amount is returned by such Lender, at a rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds Rate from time to time in effect.  The obligations of the Lenders under this clause shall survive the payment in full of the Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.







(e)           Obligations Absolute.  The obligation of the Borrower to reimburse the applicable L/C Issuer for each drawing under each Letter of Credit and to repay each L/C Borrowing shall be absolute, unconditional and irrevocable, and shall be paid strictly in accordance with the terms of this Agreement under all circumstances, including the following:







(i)           any lack of validity or enforceability of such Letter of Credit, this Agreement or any other Loan Document;







(ii)           the existence of any claim, counterclaim, setoff, defense or other right that any Loan Party or any Subsidiary may have at any time against any beneficiary or any transferee of such Letter of Credit (or any Person for whom any such beneficiary or any such transferee may be acting), such L/C Issuer or any other Person, whether in connection with this Agreement, the transactions contemplated hereby or by such Letter of Credit or any agreement or instrument relating thereto, or any unrelated transaction;







(iii)           any draft, demand, certificate or other document presented under such Letter of Credit proving to be forged, fraudulent, invalid or insufficient in any respect or any statement therein being untrue or inaccurate in any respect; or any loss or delay in the transmission or otherwise of any document required in order to make a drawing under such Letter of Credit;







(iv)           any payment by such L/C Issuer under such Letter of Credit against presentation of a draft or certificate that does not strictly comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit; or any payment made by such L/C Issuer under such Letter of Credit to any Person purporting to be a trustee in bankruptcy, debtor-in-possession, assignee for the benefit of creditors, liquidator, receiver or other representative of or successor to any beneficiary or any transferee of such Letter of Credit, including any arising in connection with any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law; or







(v)           any other circumstance or happening whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing, including any other circumstance that might otherwise constitute a defense available to, or a discharge of, any Loan Party or any Subsidiary.







The Borrower shall promptly examine a copy of each Letter of Credit and each amendment thereto that is delivered to it and, in the event of any claim of noncompliance with the Borrower's instructions or other irregularity, the Borrower will immediately notify the applicable L/C Issuer.  The Borrower shall be conclusively deemed to have waived any such claim against the applicable L/C Issuer and its correspondents unless such notice is given as aforesaid.











  





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(f)           Role of L/C Issuer.  Each Lender and the Borrower agree that, in paying any drawing under a Letter of Credit, the applicable L/C Issuer shall not have any responsibility to obtain any document (other than any sight draft, certificates and documents expressly required by such Letter of Credit) or to ascertain or inquire as to the validity or accuracy of any such document or the authority of the Person executing or delivering any such document.  None of the L/C Issuers, the Administrative Agent, any of their respective Related Parties nor any correspondent, participant or assignee of the L/C Issuers shall be liable to any Lender for (i) any action taken or omitted in connection herewith at the request or with the approval of the Lenders or the Required Lenders, as applicable; (ii) any action taken or omitted in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct; or (iii) the due execution, effectiveness, validity or enforceability of any document or instrument related to any Letter of Credit or Issuer Document.  The Borrower hereby assumes all risks of the acts or omissions of any beneficiary or transferee with respect to its use of any Letter of Credit; provided, however, that this assumption is not intended to, and shall not, preclude the Borrower's pursuing such rights and remedies as it may have against the beneficiary or transferee at law or under any other agreement.  None of the L/C Issuers, the Administrative Agent, any of their respective Related Parties nor any correspondent, participant or assignee of the L/C Issuers shall be liable or responsible for any of the matters described in clauses (i) through (v) of Section 2.03(e); provided, however, that anything in such clauses to the contrary notwithstanding, the Borrower may have a claim against the applicable L/C Issuer, and such L/C Issuer may be liable to the Borrower, to the extent, but only to the extent, of any direct, as opposed to consequential or exemplary, damages suffered by the Borrower which the Borrower proves were caused by such L/C Issuer's willful misconduct or gross negligence or such L/C Issuer's willful failure to pay under any Letter of Credit after the presentation to it by the beneficiary of a sight draft and certificate(s) strictly complying with the terms and conditions of a Letter of Credit.  In furtherance and not in limitation of the foregoing, each L/C Issuer may accept documents that appear on their face to be in order, without responsibility for further investigation, regardless of any notice or information to the contrary, and such L/C Issuer shall not be responsible for the validity or sufficiency of any instrument transferring or assigning or purporting to transfer or assign a Letter of Credit or the rights or benefits thereunder or proceeds thereof, in whole or in part, which may prove to be invalid or ineffective for any reason.  Each L/C Issuer shall provide to the Administrative Agent a list of outstanding Letters of Credit (together with amounts) issued by it on a monthly basis (and upon the request of the Administrative Agent); the Administrative Agent shall provide a copy of such list to any Lender upon request.







(g)           Applicability of ISP.  Unless otherwise expressly agreed by the L/C Issuer and the Borrower when a Letter of Credit is issued (including any such agreement applicable to an Existing Letter of Credit), the rules of the ISP shall apply to each Letter of Credit.







(h)           Letter of Credit Fees.  The Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender in accordance with its Applicable Percentage a Letter of Credit fee (the "Letter of Credit Fee") for each Letter of Credit equal to the Applicable Rate times the daily amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit; provided, however, any Letter of Credit Fees otherwise payable for the account of a Defaulting Lender with respect to any Letter of Credit as to which such Defaulting Lender has not provided Cash Collateral satisfactory to the applicable L/C Issuer pursuant to this Section 2.03 shall be payable, to the maximum extent permitted by applicable Law, to the other Lenders in accordance with the upward adjustments in their respective Applicable Percentages allocable to such Letter of Credit pursuant to Section 2.15(a)(iv), with the balance of such fee, if any, payable to the applicable L/C Issuer for its own account.  For purposes of computing the daily amount available to be drawn under any Letter of Credit, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be determined in accordance with Section 1.06.  Letter of Credit Fees shall be (i) due and payable on the first Business Day after the end of each March, June, September and December, commencing with the first such date to occur after the issuance of such Letter of Credit, on the Letter of Credit Expiration Date and thereafter on demand and (ii) computed on a






  





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quarterly basis in arrears.  If there is any change in the Applicable Rate during any quarter, the daily amount available to be drawn under each Letter of Credit shall be computed and multiplied by the Applicable Rate separately for each period during such quarter that such Applicable Rate was in effect.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, upon the request of the Required Lenders, while any Event of Default exists, all Letter of Credit Fees shall accrue at the Default Rate.







(i)           Fronting Fee and Documentary and Processing Charges Payable to L/C Issuer. The Borrower shall pay directly to the applicable L/C Issuer for its own account a fronting fee with respect to each Letter of Credit, at the rate per annum specified in the applicable Fee Letter (or such other rate as agreed by the Borrower and the applicable L/C Issuer), computed on the daily amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit and on a quarterly basis in arrears.  Such fronting fee shall be due and payable on the first Business Day after the end of each March, June, September and December in respect of the most recently-ended quarterly period (or portion thereof, in the case of the first payment), commencing with the first such date to occur after the issuance of such Letter of Credit, on the Letter of Credit Expiration Date and thereafter on demand.  For purposes of computing the daily amount available to be drawn under any Letter of Credit, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be determined in accordance with Section 1.06.  In addition, the Borrower shall pay directly to the applicable L/C Issuer for its own account the customary issuance, presentation, amendment and other processing fees, and other standard costs and charges, of such L/C Issuer relating to letters of credit as from time to time in effect.  Such customary fees and standard costs and charges are due and payable on demand and are nonrefundable.







(j)           Conflict with Issuer Documents.  In the event of any conflict between the terms hereof and the terms of any Issuer Document, the terms hereof shall control.







(k)           Letters of Credit Issued for Subsidiaries.  Notwithstanding that a Letter of Credit issued or outstanding hereunder is in support of any obligations of, or is for the account of, a Subsidiary, the Borrower shall be obligated to reimburse the applicable L/C Issuer hereunder for any and all drawings under such Letter of Credit.  The Borrower hereby acknowledges that the issuance of Letters of Credit for the account of Subsidiaries inures to the benefit of the Borrower, and that the Borrower's business derives substantial benefits from the businesses of such Subsidiaries.







2.04           Swing Line Loans.







(a)           Swing Line Facility.  Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Swing Line Lender, in reliance upon the agreements of the other Lenders set forth in this Section 2.04, shall, unless (i) any Lender at such time is a Defaulting Lender and (ii) the Swing Line Lender has not entered into arrangements satisfactory to it with the Borrower or such Defaulting Lender to eliminate the Swing Line Lender's actual or potential Fronting Exposure (after giving effect to Section 2.15(a)(iv)) with respect to such Defaulting Lender (in which case the Swing Line Lender may in its discretion), make loans (each such loan, a "Swing Line Loan") to the Borrower in Dollars from time to time on any Business Day during the Availability Period in an aggregate amount not to exceed at any time outstanding the amount of the Swing Line Sublimit, notwithstanding the fact that such Swing Line Loans, when aggregated with the Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of Revolving Loans and L/C Obligations of the Lender acting as Swing Line Lender, may exceed the amount of such Lender's Revolving Commitment; provided, however, that after giving effect to any Swing Line Loan, (i) the Total Revolving Outstandings shall not exceed the Aggregate Revolving Commitments, and (ii) the aggregate Outstanding Amount of the Revolving Loans of any Lender, plus such Lender's Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations, plus such Lender's Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of all Swing Line Loans shall not exceed such Lender's Revolving Commitment, and provided, further, that the Borrower shall not use the proceeds of any Swing Line Loan to refinance any outstanding Swing Line






  





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Loan.  Within the foregoing limits, and subject to the other terms and conditions hereof, the Borrower may borrow under this Section 2.04, prepay under Section 2.05, and reborrow under this Section 2.04.  Each Swing Line Loan shall bear interest only at a rate based on the Base Rate or the LIBOR Market Index Rate.  Immediately upon the making of a Swing Line Loan, each Lender shall be deemed to, and hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees to, purchase from the Swing Line Lender a risk participation in such Swing Line Loan in an amount equal to the product of such Lender's Applicable Percentage times the amount of such Swing Line Loan.







(b)           Borrowing Procedures.  Each Borrowing of Swing Line Loans shall be made upon the Borrower's irrevocable notice to the Swing Line Lender and the Administrative Agent, which may be given by telephone.  Each such notice must be received by the Swing Line Lender and the Administrative Agent not later than 1:00 p.m. on the requested borrowing date, and shall specify (i) the amount to be borrowed, which shall be a minimum principal amount of $100,000 and integral multiples of $100,000 in excess thereof, (ii) whether such Swing Line Loan shall bear interest at the Base Rate or at the LIBOR Market Index Rate and (iii) the requested borrowing date, which shall be a Business Day.  If the Borrower fails to specify whether such Swing Line Loan should bear interest at the Base Rate or at the LIBOR Market Index Rate, then the applicable Swing Line Loan shall bear interest at the Base Rate.  Each such telephonic notice must be confirmed promptly by delivery to the Swing Line Lender and the Administrative Agent of a written Swing Line Loan Notice, appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower.  Promptly after receipt by the Swing Line Lender of any telephonic Swing Line Loan Notice, the Swing Line Lender will confirm with the Administrative Agent (by telephone or in writing) that the Administrative Agent has also received such Swing Line Loan Notice and, if not, the Swing Line Lender will notify the Administrative Agent (by telephone or in writing) of the contents thereof.  Unless the Swing Line Lender has received notice (by telephone or in writing) from the Administrative Agent (including at the request of any Lender) prior to 2:00 p.m. on the date of the proposed Borrowing of Swing Line Loans (A) directing the Swing Line Lender not to make such Swing Line Loan as a result of the limitations set forth in the first proviso to the first sentence of Section 2.04(a), or (B) that one or more of the applicable conditions specified in Article V is not then satisfied, then, subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the Swing Line Lender will, not later than 3:00 p.m. on the borrowing date specified in such Swing Line Loan Notice, make the amount of its Swing Line Loan available to the Borrower either by (i) crediting the account of the Borrower on the books of Wells Fargo with the amount of such funds or (ii) wire transfer of such funds, in each case in accordance with instructions provided to (and reasonably acceptable to) the Swing Line Lender by the Borrower.







(c)           Refinancing of Swing Line Loans.







(i)           The Swing Line Lender at any time in its sole and absolute discretion may request, on behalf of the Borrower (which hereby irrevocably authorizes the Swing Line Lender to so request on its behalf), that each Lender make a Revolving Loan that is a Base Rate Loan in an amount equal to such Lender's Applicable Percentage of the amount of Swing Line Loans then outstanding.  Such request shall be made in writing (which written request shall be deemed to be a Loan Notice for purposes hereof) and in accordance with the requirements of Section 2.02, without regard to the minimum and multiples specified therein for the principal amount of Base Rate Loans, but subject to the conditions set forth in Section 5.03 (other than the delivery of a Loan Notice) and provided that, after giving effect to such Borrowing, the Total Revolving Outstandings shall not exceed the Aggregate Revolving Commitments.  The Swing Line Lender shall furnish the Borrower with a copy of the applicable Loan Notice promptly after delivering such notice to the Administrative Agent.  Each Lender shall make an amount equal to its Applicable Percentage of the amount specified in such Loan Notice available to the Administrative Agent in immediately available funds (and the Administrative Agent may apply Cash Collateral available with respect to the applicable Swing Line Loan) for the account of the






  





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Swing Line Lender at the Administrative Agent's Office not later than 1:00 p.m. on the day specified in such Loan Notice, whereupon, subject to Section 2.04(c)(ii), each Lender that so makes funds available shall be deemed to have made a Base Rate Loan to the Borrower in such amount.  The Administrative Agent shall remit the funds so received to the Swing Line Lender.







(ii)           If for any reason any Swing Line Loan cannot be refinanced by such a Borrowing of Revolving Loans in accordance with Section 2.04(c)(i), the request for Revolving Loans that are Base Rate Loans submitted by the Swing Line Lender as set forth herein shall be deemed to be a request by the Swing Line Lender that each of the Lenders fund its risk participation in the relevant Swing Line Loan and each Lender's payment to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Swing Line Lender pursuant to Section 2.04(c)(i) shall be deemed payment in respect of such participation.







(iii)           If any Lender fails to make available to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Swing Line Lender any amount required to be paid by such Lender pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.04(c) by the time specified in Section 2.04(c)(i), the Swing Line Lender shall be entitled to recover from such Lender (acting through the Administrative Agent), on demand, such amount with interest thereon for the period from the date such payment is required to the date on which such payment is immediately available to the Swing Line Lender at a rate per annum equal to the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Swing Line Lender in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation, plus any administrative, processing or similar fees customarily charged by the Swing Line Lender in connection with the foregoing.  If such Lender pays such amount (with interest and fees as aforesaid), the amount so paid shall constitute such Lender's Revolving Loan included in the relevant Borrowing or funded participation in the relevant Swing Line Loan, as the case may be.  A certificate of the Swing Line Lender submitted to any Lender (through the Administrative Agent) with respect to any amounts owing under this clause (iii) shall be conclusive absent manifest error.







(iv)           Each Lender's obligation to make Revolving Loans or to purchase and fund risk participations in Swing Line Loans pursuant to this Section 2.04(c) shall be absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance, including (A) any setoff, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other right that such Lender may have against the Swing Line Lender, the Borrower or any other Person for any reason whatsoever, (B) the occurrence or continuance of a Default, or (C) any other occurrence, event or condition, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing; provided, however, that each Lender's obligation to make Revolving Loans pursuant to this Section 2.04(c) is subject to the conditions set forth in Section 5.03.  No such funding of risk participations shall relieve or otherwise impair the obligation of the Borrower to repay Swing Line Loans, together with interest as provided herein.







(d)           Repayment of Participations.







(i)           At any time after any Lender has purchased and funded a risk participation in a Swing Line Loan, if the Swing Line Lender receives any payment on account of such Swing Line Loan, the Swing Line Lender will distribute to such Lender its Applicable Percentage thereof in the same funds as those received by the Swing Line Lender.







(ii)           If any payment received by the Swing Line Lender in respect of principal or interest on any Swing Line Loan is required to be returned by the Swing Line Lender under any of the circumstances described in Section 10.05 (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the Swing Line Lender in its discretion), each Lender shall pay to the Swing Line Lender its






  





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Applicable Percentage thereof on demand of the Administrative Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such amount is returned, at a rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds Rate.  The Administrative Agent will make such demand upon the request of the Swing Line Lender.  The obligations of the Lenders under this clause shall survive the payment in full of the Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.







(e)           Interest for Account of Swing Line Lender.  The Swing Line Lender shall be responsible for invoicing the Borrower for interest on the Swing Line Loans.  Until each Lender funds its Revolving Loans that are Base Rate Loans or risk participation pursuant to this Section 2.04 to refinance such Lender's Applicable Percentage of any Swing Line Loan, interest in respect of such Applicable Percentage shall be solely for the account of the Swing Line Lender.







(f)           Payments Directly to Swing Line Lender.  The Borrower shall make all payments of principal and interest in respect of the Swing Line Loans directly to the Swing Line Lender.







2.05           Prepayments.







(a)           Voluntary Prepayments of Loans.







(i)           Revolving Loans.  The Borrower may, upon notice from the Borrower to the Administrative Agent, at any time or from time to time voluntarily prepay Revolving Loans in whole or in part without premium or penalty; provided that (A) such notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. (1) three Business Days prior to any date of prepayment of Eurodollar Rate Loans and (2) on the date of prepayment of Base Rate Loans; (B) any such prepayment of Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $5,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof (or, if less, the entire principal amount thereof then outstanding); and (C) any prepayment of Base Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $1,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof (or, if less, the entire principal amount thereof then outstanding).  Each such notice shall specify the date and amount of such prepayment and the Type(s) of Loans to be prepaid and, if Eurodollar Rate Loans are to be prepaid, the Interest Period(s) of such Loans.  The Administrative Agent will promptly notify each Lender of its receipt of each such notice, and of the amount of such Lender's Applicable Percentage of such prepayment.  If such notice is given by the Borrower, the Borrower shall make such prepayment and the payment amount specified in such notice shall be due and payable on the date specified therein.  Any prepayment of a Eurodollar Rate Loan shall be accompanied by all accrued interest on the amount prepaid, together with any additional amounts required pursuant to Section 3.05.  Subject to Section 2.15, each such prepayment shall be applied to the Loans of the Lenders in accordance with their respective Applicable Percentages.







(ii)           Swing Line Loans.  The Borrower may, upon notice to the Swing Line Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), at any time or from time to time, voluntarily prepay Swing Line Loans in whole or in part without premium or penalty; provided that (i) such notice must be received by the Swing Line Lender and the Administrative Agent not later than 1:00 p.m. on the date of the prepayment, and (ii) any such prepayment shall be in a minimum principal amount of $100,000 or a whole multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof (or, if less, the entire principal thereof then outstanding).  Each such notice shall specify the date and amount of such prepayment.  If such notice is given by the Borrower, the Borrower shall make such prepayment and the payment amount specified in such notice shall be due and payable on the date specified therein.







(b)           Mandatory Prepayments of Loans.











  





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(i)           Revolving Commitments.  If for any reason the Total Revolving Outstandings at any time exceed the Aggregate Revolving Commitments then in effect, the Borrower shall immediately prepay Revolving Loans and/or Swing Line Loans and/or Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations in an aggregate amount equal to such excess; provided, however, that the Borrower shall not be required to Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations pursuant to this Section 2.05(b)(i) unless after the prepayment in full of the Revolving Loans and Swing Line Loans the Total Revolving Outstandings exceed the Aggregate Revolving Commitments then in effect.







(ii)           Application of Mandatory Prepayments.  All amounts required to be paid pursuant to this Section 2.05(b) shall be applied, first, ratably to the L/C Borrowings and the Swing Line Loans, second, to the outstanding Revolving Loans, and, third, to Cash Collateralize the remaining L/C Obligations.







Within the parameters of the applications set forth above, prepayments shall be applied first to Base Rate Loans and then to Eurodollar Rate Loans in direct order of Interest Period maturities.  All prepayments under this Section 2.05(b) shall be subject to Section 3.05, but otherwise without premium or penalty, and shall be accompanied by interest on the principal amount prepaid through the date of prepayment.







2.06           Termination or Reduction of Aggregate Revolving Commitments.







The Borrower may, upon notice to the Administrative Agent, terminate the Aggregate Revolving Commitments, or from time to time permanently reduce the Aggregate Revolving Commitments to an amount not less than the Total Revolving Outstandings; provided that (i) any such notice shall be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 12:00 noon five Business Days prior to the date of termination or reduction, (ii) any such partial reduction shall be in an aggregate amount of $5,000,000 or any whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof and (iii) if, after giving effect to any reduction of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments, the Letter of Credit Sublimit or the Swing Line Sublimit exceeds the amount of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments, such sublimit shall be automatically reduced by the amount of such excess.  The Administrative Agent will promptly notify the Lenders of any such notice of termination or reduction of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments.  Any reduction of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments shall be applied to the Revolving Commitment of each Lender according to its Applicable Percentage.  All fees accrued with respect thereto until the effective date of any termination of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments shall be paid on the effective date of such termination.












2.07           Repayment of Loans.







(a)           Revolving Loans.  The Borrower shall repay to the Lenders on the Maturity Date the aggregate principal amount of all Revolving Loans outstanding on such date.







(b)           Swing Line Loans.  The Borrower shall repay each Swing Line Loan on the Maturity Date; provided that if such Swing Line Loan bears interest at the LIBOR Market Index Rate, the Borrower shall repay such Swing Line Loan on the earlier to occur of (i) the date fourteen days after such Swing Line Loan is made and (ii) the Maturity Date; provided that no Swing Line Loan can be repaid with another Swing Line Loan.  Furthermore, if any Swing Line Loan outstanding bears interest at the LIBOR Market Index Rate, then on the date fourteen days after such Swing Line Loan was made, all Swing Line Loans bearing interest at the LIBOR Market Index Rate must be repaid in full.











  





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2.08           Interest.







(a)           Subject to the provisions of subsection (b) below, (i) each Eurodollar Rate Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof for each Interest Period at a rate per annum equal to the sum of the Eurodollar Rate for such Interest Period plus the Applicable Rate; (ii) each Base Rate Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof from the applicable borrowing date at a rate per annum equal to the Base Rate plus the Applicable Rate; and (iii) each Swing Line Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof from the applicable borrowing date at a rate per annum equal to, at the Borrower's option, (x) the Base Rate plus the Applicable Rate or (y) the LIBOR Market Index Rate plus the Applicable Rate.







(b)           (i)           If any amount of principal of any Loan is not paid when due (without regard to any applicable grace periods), whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, such amount shall thereafter bear interest at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.







(ii)           If any amount (other than principal of any Loan) payable by the Borrower under any Loan Document is not paid when due (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 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, the Borrower shall pay interest on the principal amount of all outstanding Obligations hereunder at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.







(iv)           Accrued and unpaid interest on past due amounts (including interest on past due interest) shall be due and payable upon demand.







(c)           Interest on each Loan shall be due and payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date applicable thereto and at such other times as may be specified herein.  Interest hereunder shall be due and payable in accordance with the terms hereof before and after judgment, and before and after the commencement of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law.







2.09           Fees.







In addition to certain fees described in subsections (h) and (i) of Section 2.03:







(a)           Commitment Fee.  The Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent, for the account of each Lender in accordance with its Applicable Percentage, a commitment fee equal to the product of (i) the Applicable Rate times (ii) the actual daily amount by which the Aggregate Revolving Commitments exceed the sum of (y) the Outstanding Amount of Revolving Loans and (z) the Outstanding Amount of L/C Obligations, subject to adjustment as provided in Section 2.15. The commitment fee shall accrue at all times during the Availability Period, including at any time during which one or more of the conditions in Article V is not met, and shall be due and payable quarterly in arrears on the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December, commencing with the first such date to occur after the Closing Date, and on the last day of the Availability Period. The commitment fee shall be calculated quarterly in arrears, and if there is any change in the Applicable Rate during any quarter, the actual daily amount shall be computed and multiplied by the Applicable Rate separately for each period during such quarter that such Applicable Rate was in effect.  For purposes of clarification, Swing Line Loans shall not be






  





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considered outstanding for purposes of determining the unused portion of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments.







(b)           Fee Letters.  The Borrower shall pay to the Arrangers and the Administrative Agent for their own respective accounts fees in the amounts and at the times specified in the Fee Letters.  Such fees shall be fully earned when paid and shall not be refundable for any reason whatsoever.







2.10           Computation of Interest and Fees.







All computations of interest for Base Rate Loans (including Base Rate Loans determined by reference to the Eurodollar Rate) shall be made on the basis of a year of 365 or 366 days, as the case may be, and actual days elapsed.  All other computations of fees and interest shall be made on the basis of a 360-day year and actual days elapsed (which results in more fees or interest, as applicable, being paid than if computed on the basis of a 365-day year).  Interest shall accrue on each Loan for the day on which the Loan is made, and shall not accrue on a Loan, or any portion thereof, for the day on which the Loan or such portion is paid, provided that any Loan that is repaid on the same day on which it is made shall, subject to Section 2.12(a), bear interest for one day.  Each determination by the Administrative Agent of an interest rate or fee hereunder shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.







2.11           Evidence of Debt.







(a)           The Credit Extensions made by each Lender shall be evidenced by one or more accounts or records maintained by such Lender and by the Administrative Agent in the ordinary course of business.  The accounts or records maintained by the Administrative Agent and each Lender shall be conclusive absent manifest error of the amount of the Credit Extensions made by the Lenders to the Borrower and the interest and payments thereon.  Any failure to so record or any error in doing so shall not, however, limit or otherwise affect the obligation of the Borrower hereunder to pay any amount owing with respect to the Obligations.  In the event of any conflict between the accounts and records maintained by any Lender and the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent in respect of such matters, the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent shall control in the absence of manifest error.  Upon the request of any Lender made through the Administrative Agent, the Borrower shall execute and deliver to such Lender (through the Administrative Agent) a promissory note, which shall evidence such Lender's Loans in addition to such accounts or records.  Each such promissory note shall be in the form of Exhibit 2.11(a) (a "Note").  Each Lender may attach schedules to its Note and endorse thereon the date, Type (if applicable), amount and maturity of its Loans and payments with respect thereto.







(b)           In addition to the accounts and records referred to in subsection (a), each Lender and the Administrative Agent shall maintain in accordance with its usual practice accounts or records evidencing the purchases and sales by such Lender of participations in Letters of Credit and Swing Line Loans.  In the event of any conflict between the accounts and records maintained by the Administrative Agent and the accounts and records of any Lender in respect of such matters, the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent shall control in the absence of manifest error.


 

 


2.12           Payments Generally; Administrative Agent's Clawback.







(a)           General.  All payments to be made by the Borrower shall be made without condition or deduction for any counterclaim, defense, recoupment or setoff.  Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all payments by the Borrower hereunder shall be made to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the respective Lenders to which such payment is owed, at the Administrative Agent's Office in Dollars and in immediately available funds not later than 2:00 p.m. on the date specified herein.  The Administrative Agent will promptly distribute to each Lender its Applicable Percentage (or other






  





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applicable share as provided herein) of such payment in like funds as received by wire transfer to such Lender's Lending Office.  All payments received by the Administrative Agent after 2:00 p.m. shall be deemed received on the next succeeding Business Day and any applicable interest or fee shall continue to accrue.  If any payment to be made by the Borrower shall come due on a day other than a Business Day, payment shall be made on the next following Business Day, and such extension of time shall be reflected in computing interest or fees, as the case may be.







(b)           (i)           Funding by Lenders; Presumption by Administrative Agent.  Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from a Lender prior to the proposed date of any Borrowing of Eurodollar Rate Loans (or, in the case of any Borrowing of Base Rate Loans, prior to 12:00 noon on the date of such Borrowing) that such Lender will not make available to the Administrative Agent such Lender's share of such Borrowing, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender has made such share available on such date in accordance with Section 2.02 (or, in the case of a Borrowing of Base Rate Loans, that such Lender has made such share available in accordance with and at the time required by Section 2.02) and may, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the Borrower a corresponding amount.  In such event, if a Lender has not in fact made its share of the applicable Borrowing available to the Administrative Agent, then the applicable Lender and the Borrower severally agree to pay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand such corresponding amount in immediately available funds with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is made available to the Borrower to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at (A) in the case of a payment to be made by such Lender, the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation, plus any administrative, processing or similar fees customarily charged by the Administrative Agent in connection with the foregoing, and (B) in the case of a payment to be made by the Borrower, the interest rate applicable to Base Rate Loans.  If the Borrower and such Lender shall pay such interest to the Administrative Agent for the same or an overlapping period, the Administrative Agent shall promptly remit to the Borrower the amount of such interest paid by the Borrower for such period.  If such Lender pays its share of the applicable Borrowing to the Administrative Agent, then the amount so paid shall constitute such Lender's Loan included in such Borrowing.  Any payment by the Borrower shall be without prejudice to any claim the Borrower may have against a Lender that shall have failed to make such payment to the Administrative Agent.







(ii)           Payments by Borrower; Presumptions by Administrative Agent.  Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from the Borrower prior to the time at which any payment is due to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Lenders or the applicable L/C Issuer hereunder that the Borrower will not make such payment, the Administrative Agent may assume that the Borrower has made such payment on such date in accordance herewith and may, in reliance upon such assumption, distribute to the Lenders or the applicable L/C Issuer, as the case may be, the amount due.  In such event, if the Borrower has not in fact made such payment, then each of the Lenders or the applicable L/C Issuer, as the case may be, severally agrees to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand the amount so distributed to such Lender or such L/C Issuer, in immediately available funds with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is distributed to it to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation.







A notice of the Administrative Agent to any Lender or the Borrower with respect to any amount owing under this subsection (b) shall be conclusive, absent manifest error.











  





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(c)           Failure to Satisfy Conditions Precedent.  If any Lender makes available to the Administrative Agent funds for any Loan to be made by such Lender as provided in the foregoing provisions of this Article II, and such funds are not made available to the Borrower by the Administrative Agent because the conditions to the applicable Credit Extension set forth in Article V are not satisfied or waived in accordance with the terms hereof, the Administrative Agent shall return such funds (in like funds as received from such Lender) to such Lender, without interest.







(d)           Obligations of Lenders Several.  The obligations of the Lenders hereunder to make Loans, to fund participations in Letters of Credit and Swing Line Loans and to make payments pursuant to Section 10.04(c) are several and not joint.  The failure of any Lender to make any Loan, to fund any such participation or to make any payment under Section 10.04(c) on any date required hereunder shall not relieve any other Lender of its corresponding obligation to do so on such date, and no Lender shall be responsible for the failure of any other Lender to so make its Loan, to purchase its participation or to make its payment under Section 10.04(c).







(e)           Funding Source.  Nothing herein shall be deemed to obligate any Lender to obtain the funds for any Loan in any particular place or manner or to constitute a representation by any Lender that it has obtained or will obtain the funds for any Loan in any particular place or manner.







(f)           Insufficient Funds.  If at any time insufficient funds are received by and available to the Administrative Agent to pay fully all amounts of principal, L/C Borrowings, interest and fees then due hereunder, such funds shall be applied (i) first, toward payment of interest and fees then due hereunder, ratably among the parties entitled thereto in accordance with the amounts of interest and fees then due to such parties, and (ii) second, toward payment of principal and L/C Borrowings then due hereunder, ratably among the parties entitled thereto in accordance with the amounts of principal and L/C Borrowings then due to such parties.







(g)           Pro Rata Treatment.  Subject to Section 2.15, each Borrowing, each payment or prepayment of principal of any Borrowing, each payment of interest on the Loans, each payment of fees, each reduction of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments and each conversion of any Borrowing to or continuation of any Borrowing as a Borrowing of any Type shall be allocated pro rata among the Lenders in accordance with their respective Revolving Commitments (or, if such Revolving Commitments shall have expired or been terminated, in accordance with the respective principal amounts of their outstanding Loans).







2.13           Sharing of Payments by Lenders.







If any Lender shall, by exercising any right of setoff or counterclaim or otherwise, obtain payment in respect of any principal of or interest on any of the Loans made by it, or the participations in L/C Obligations or in Swing Line Loans held by it resulting in such Lender's receiving payment of a proportion of the aggregate amount of such Loans or participations and accrued interest thereon greater than its pro rata share thereof as provided herein, then the Lender receiving such greater proportion shall (a) notify the Administrative Agent of such fact, and (b) purchase (for cash at face value) participations in the Loans and subparticipations in L/C Obligations and Swing Line Loans of the other Lenders, or make such other adjustments as shall be equitable, so 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 Loans and other amounts owing them, provided that:







(i)           if any such participations or subparticipations are purchased and all or any portion of the payment giving rise thereto is recovered, such participations or subparticipations






  





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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 (A) any payment made by or on behalf of the Borrower pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of this Agreement (including the application of funds arising from the existence of a Defaulting Lender), (B) the application of Cash Collateral provided for in Section 2.14, or (C) any payment obtained by a Lender as consideration for the assignment of or sale of a participation in any of its Loans or subparticipations in L/C Obligations or Swing Line Loans to any assignee or participant, other than an assignment to any Loan Party 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.







2.14           Cash Collateral.







(a)           Certain Credit Support Events.  Upon the request of the Administrative Agent or the applicable L/C Issuer (i) if such L/C Issuer has honored any full or partial drawing request under any Letter of Credit and such drawing has resulted in an L/C Borrowing, or (ii) if, as of the Letter of Credit Expiration Date, any L/C Obligation for any reason remains outstanding, the Borrower shall, in each case, immediately Cash Collateralize the then Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations.  At any time that there shall exist a Defaulting Lender, immediately upon the request of the Administrative Agent, the applicable L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender, the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent Cash Collateral in an amount sufficient to cover all Fronting Exposure (after giving effect to Section 2.15(a)(iv) and any Cash Collateral provided by the Defaulting Lender).







(b)           Grant of Security Interest.  All Cash Collateral (other than credit support not constituting funds subject to deposit) shall be maintained in blocked, non-interest bearing deposit accounts at Wells Fargo.  The Borrower, and to the extent provided by any Lender, such Lender, hereby grants to (and subjects to the control of) the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuers and the Lenders (including the Swing Line Lender), and agrees to maintain, a first priority security interest in all such cash, deposit accounts and all balances therein, and all other property so provided as collateral pursuant hereto, and in all proceeds of the foregoing, all as security for the obligations to which such Cash Collateral may be applied pursuant to Section 2.14(c).  If at any time the Administrative Agent determines that Cash Collateral is subject to any right or claim of any Person other than the Administrative Agent as herein provided, or that the total amount of such Cash Collateral is less than the applicable Fronting Exposure and other obligations secured thereby, the Borrower or the relevant Defaulting Lender will, promptly upon demand by the Administrative Agent, pay or provide to the Administrative Agent additional Cash Collateral in an amount sufficient to eliminate such deficiency.







(c)           Application.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, Cash Collateral provided under any of this Section 2.14 or Sections 2.03, 2.04, 2.05, 2.15 or 8.02 in respect of Letters of Credit or Swing Line Loans shall be held and applied to the satisfaction of the specific L/C Obligations, Swing Line Loans, obligations to fund participations therein (including, as to Cash Collateral provided by a Defaulting Lender, any interest accrued on such obligation) and other obligations for which the Cash Collateral was so provided, prior to any other application of such property as may be provided for herein.











  





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(d)           Release.  Cash Collateral (or the appropriate portion thereof) provided to reduce Fronting Exposure or other obligations shall be released promptly following (i) the elimination of the applicable Fronting Exposure or other obligations giving rise thereto (including by the termination of Defaulting Lender status of the applicable Lender (or, as appropriate, its assignee following compliance with Section 10.06(b)(vi))) or (ii) the Administrative Agent's good faith determination that there exists excess Cash Collateral; provided, however, (x) that Cash Collateral furnished by or on behalf of a Loan Party shall not be released during the continuance of a Default or Event of Default (and following application as provided in this Section 2.14 may be otherwise applied in accordance with Section 8.03), and (y) the Person providing Cash Collateral and the applicable L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender, as applicable, may agree that Cash Collateral shall not be released but instead held to support future anticipated Fronting Exposure or other obligations.







2.15           Defaulting Lenders.







(a)           Adjustments.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, if any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, then, until such time as that Lender is no longer a Defaulting Lender, to the extent permitted by applicable Law:







(i)           Waivers and Amendments.  That Defaulting Lender's right to approve or disapprove any amendment, waiver or consent with respect to this Agreement shall be restricted as set forth in Section 10.01.







(ii)           Reallocation of Payments.  Any payment of principal, interest, fees or other amounts received by the Administrative Agent for the account of that Defaulting Lender (whether voluntary or mandatory, at maturity, pursuant to Article IX or otherwise, and including any amounts made available to the Administrative Agent by that Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 10.08), shall be applied at such time or times as may be determined by the Administrative Agent as follows: first, to the payment of any amounts owing by that Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent hereunder; second, to the payment on a pro rata basis of any amounts owing by that Defaulting Lender to the L/C Issuers or Swing Line Lender hereunder; third, if so determined by the Administrative Agent or requested by any L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender, to be held as Cash Collateral for future funding obligations of that Defaulting Lender of any participation in any Swing Line Loan or Letter of Credit; fourth, as the Borrower may request (so long as no Default exists), to the funding of any Loan in respect of which that Defaulting Lender has failed to fund its portion thereof as required by this Agreement, as determined by the Administrative Agent; fifth, if so determined by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, to be held in a non-interest bearing deposit account and released in order to satisfy obligations of that Defaulting Lender to fund Loans under this Agreement; sixth, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Lenders, the L/C Issuers or Swing Line Lender as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by any Lender, any L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender against that Defaulting Lender as a result of that Defaulting Lender's breach of its obligations under this Agreement; seventh, so long as no Default exists, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Borrower as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by the Borrower against that Defaulting Lender as a result of that Defaulting Lender's breach of its obligations under this Agreement; and eighth, to that Defaulting Lender or as otherwise directed by a court of competent jurisdiction; provided that if (x) such payment is a payment of the principal amount of any Loans or L/C Borrowings in respect of which that Defaulting Lender has not fully funded its appropriate share and (y) such Loans or L/C Borrowings were made at a time when the conditions set forth in Section 5.03 were satisfied or waived, such payment shall be applied solely to pay the Loans of, and L/C Borrowings owed to, all non-Defaulting Lenders on a pro rata basis prior to being applied to the payment of any Loans of, or L/C Borrowings owed to,






  





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that Defaulting Lender.  Any payments, prepayments or other amounts paid or payable to a Defaulting Lender that are applied (or held) to pay amounts owed by a Defaulting Lender or to post Cash Collateral pursuant to this Section 2.15(a)(ii) shall be deemed paid to and redirected by that Defaulting Lender, and each Lender irrevocably consents hereto.







(iii)           Certain Fees.  That Defaulting Lender (x) shall not be entitled to receive any commitment fee pursuant to Section 2.09(a) for any period during which that Lender is a Defaulting Lender (and the Borrower shall not be required to pay any such fee that otherwise would have been required to have been paid to that Defaulting Lender) and (y) shall be limited in its right to receive Letter of Credit Fees as provided in Section 2.03(h).







(iv)           Reallocation of Applicable Percentages to Reduce Fronting Exposure.  During any period in which there is a Defaulting Lender, for purposes of computing the amount of the obligation of each non-Defaulting Lender to acquire, refinance or fund participations in Letters of Credit or Swing Line Loans pursuant to Sections 2.03 and 2.04 or to calculate the actual or potential Fronting Exposure of an L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender, the "Applicable Percentage" of each non-Defaulting Lender shall be computed without giving effect to the Revolving Commitment of that Defaulting Lender; provided, that, (i) each such reallocation shall be given effect only if, at the date the applicable Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, no Default exists; and (ii) the aggregate obligation of each non-Defaulting Lender to acquire, refinance or fund participations in Letters of Credit and Swing Line Loans shall not exceed the positive difference, if any, of (1) the Revolving Commitment of that non-Defaulting Lender minus (2) the aggregate Outstanding Amount of the Revolving Loans of that Lender.







(b)           Defaulting Lender Cure.  If the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Swing Line Lender and the L/C Issuers agree in writing in their sole discretion that a Defaulting Lender should no longer be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender, the Administrative Agent will so notify the parties hereto, whereupon as of the effective date specified in such notice and subject to any conditions set forth therein (which may include arrangements with respect to any Cash Collateral), that Lender will, to the extent applicable, purchase that portion of outstanding Loans of the other Lenders or take such other actions as the Administrative Agent may determine to be necessary to cause the Loans and funded and unfunded participations in Letters of Credit and Swing Line Loans to be held on a pro rata basis by the Lenders in accordance with their Applicable Percentages (without giving effect to Section 2.15(a)(iv)), whereupon that Lender will cease to be a Defaulting Lender; provided that no adjustments will be made retroactively with respect to fees accrued or payments made by or on behalf of the Borrower while that Lender was a Defaulting Lender; and provided, further, that except to the extent otherwise expressly agreed by the affected parties, no change hereunder from Defaulting Lender to Lender will constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder arising from that Lender's having been a Defaulting Lender.







2.16           Extension Option.







(a)           Request for Extension.  At any time within ninety days of the third anniversary of the Closing Date, the Borrower may, on a one-time basis, by notice to the Lenders, request that the Lenders extend the Maturity Date for one additional year.  At any time after the third anniversary of the Closing Date but within ninety days of the fourth anniversary of the Closing Date, the Borrower may, on a one-time basis, by notice to the Lenders, request that the Lenders extend the then current Maturity Date for one additional year.  Each Lender shall, by notice to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent not later than the 30th day following the date of any such request from the Borrower, advise the Borrower whether or not it agrees to extend the Maturity Date as requested.   Each decision by a Lender shall be in the sole discretion of such Lender, and any Lender that has not so advised the Administrative Agent by the 30th day following the date of such request from the Borrower shall be deemed to have declined to agree to






  





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such extension.  Each of the parties hereto acknowledges and agrees that no Lender shall be obligated to extend the Maturity Date pursuant to the terms of this Section 2.16.  Any Lender who fails to agree to the extension request of the Company, as set forth herein, shall be referred to, for purposes of this Section, as a "Non-Extending Lender".







(b)           Extension.  If Lenders holding Commitments representing at least 50% of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments agree to any such request for extension of the Maturity Date (collectively, the "Approving Lenders"), then the Borrower may extend the Maturity Date for an additional year solely as to the Approving Lenders with Aggregate Revolving Commitments equal to the aggregate Commitments of the Approving Lenders during such extension period.  If Non-Extending Lenders hold Commitments representing more than 50% of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments, then the Borrower shall withdraw its extension request and the Maturity Date will remain unchanged.  With respect to the Non-Extending Lenders, it is understood and agreed that the Maturity Date relating to the Non-Extending Lenders shall remain unchanged and the repayment of all obligations owed to them and the termination of their Commitments shall occur on the then existing Maturity Date without giving effect to such extension request.







ARTICLE III







TAXES, YIELD PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY







3.01           Taxes.







(a)           Payments Free of Taxes; Obligation to Withhold; Payments on Account of Taxes.  (i) Any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of the Loan Parties 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 any Loan Party or the Administrative Agent to withhold or deduct any Tax, such Tax shall be withheld or deducted in accordance with such Laws as determined by such Loan Party or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, upon the basis of the information and documentation to be delivered pursuant to subsection (e) below.







(ii)           If the Loan Parties or the Administrative Agent shall be required by the Internal Revenue Code to withhold or deduct any Taxes, including both United States Federal backup withholding and withholding taxes, from any payment, then (A) the Administrative Agent shall withhold or make such deductions as are determined by the Administrative Agent to be required based upon the information and documentation it has received pursuant to subsection (e) below, (B) the Administrative Agent shall timely pay the full amount withheld or deducted to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with the Internal Revenue 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 Loan Parties shall be increased as necessary so that after any required withholding or the making of all required deductions (including deductions applicable to additional sums payable under this Section) the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any L/C Issuer, as the case may be, receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such withholding or deduction been made.







(b)           Payment of Other Taxes by the Loan Parties.  Without limiting the provisions of subsection (a) above, the Loan Parties shall timely pay any Other Taxes to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable Laws.











  





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(c)           Tax Indemnification.  (i) Without limiting the provisions of subsection (a) or (b) above, the Loan Parties shall, and do hereby, indemnify the Administrative Agent, each Lender and each L/C Issuer, and shall make payment in respect thereof within ten 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 the Loan Parties or the Administrative Agent or paid by the Administrative Agent, such Lender or such L/C Issuer, as the case may be, and any penalties, interest and reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority.  The Loan Parties shall also, and do hereby, indemnify the Administrative Agent, and shall make payment in respect thereof within ten days after demand therefor, for any amount which a Lender or such L/C Issuer for any reason fails to pay indefeasibly to the Administrative Agent as required by clause (ii) of this subsection.  A certificate as to the amount of any such payment or liability delivered to the Borrower by a Lender or an L/C Issuer (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), or by the Administrative Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of a Lender or an L/C Issuer, shall be conclusive absent manifest error.







(ii)           Without limiting the provisions of subsection (a) or (b) above, each Lender and each L/C Issuer shall, and does hereby, indemnify the Loan Parties and the Administrative Agent, and shall make payment in respect thereof within ten 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 the Borrower or the Administrative Agent) incurred by or asserted against the Borrower or the Administrative Agent by any Governmental Authority as a result of the failure by such Lender or such L/C Issuer, as the case may be, to deliver, or as a result of the inaccuracy, inadequacy or deficiency of, any documentation required to be delivered by such Lender or such L/C Issuer, as the case may be, to the Borrower or the Administrative Agent pursuant to subsection (e).  Each Lender and each L/C Issuer hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to set off and apply any and all amounts at any time owing to such Lender or such L/C Issuer, as the case may be, under this Agreement or any other Loan Document against any amount due to the Administrative Agent under this clause (ii).  The agreements in this clause (ii) shall survive the resignation and/or replacement of the Administrative Agent, any assignment of rights by, or the replacement of, a Lender or an L/C Issuer, the termination of the Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all other Obligations.







(d)           Evidence of Payments.  Upon request by any Loan Party or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, after any payment of Taxes by such Loan Party or by the Administrative Agent to a Governmental Authority as provided in this Section 3.01, such Loan Party shall deliver to the Administrative Agent or the Administrative Agent shall deliver to such Loan Party, 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 Law to report such payment or other evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to such Loan Party or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be.







(e)           Status of Lenders; Tax Documentation.  (i) Each Lender shall deliver to the Borrower and to the Administrative Agent, at the time or times prescribed by applicable Laws or when reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, such properly completed and executed documentation prescribed by applicable Laws or by the taxing authorities of any jurisdiction and such other reasonably requested information as will permit the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, 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






  





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all payments to be made to such Lender by the 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 the Borrower is resident for tax purposes in the United States,







(A)           any Lender that is a "United States person" within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the Internal Revenue Code shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent executed originals of Internal Revenue Service Form W-9 or such other documentation or information prescribed by applicable Laws or reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will enable the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, to determine whether or not such Lender is subject to backup withholding or information reporting requirements; and







(B)           each Foreign Lender that is entitled under the Internal Revenue Code or any applicable treaty to an exemption from or reduction of withholding tax with respect to payments hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, but only if such Foreign Lender is legally entitled to do so), 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 Internal Revenue 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 Internal Revenue Code, (B) a "10 percent shareholder" of the Borrower within the meaning of section 881(c)(3)(B) of the Internal Revenue Code, or (C) a "controlled foreign corporation" described in section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Internal Revenue 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 the Borrower and the Administrative 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-






  





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designation of its Lending Office) to avoid any requirement of applicable Laws of any jurisdiction that the Borrower or the Administrative Agent make any withholding or deduction for taxes from amounts payable to such Lender.







(f)           Treatment of Certain Refunds.  Unless required by applicable Laws, at no time shall the Administrative Agent have any obligation to file for or otherwise pursue on behalf of a Lender or an L/C Issuer, or have any obligation to pay to any Lender or any L/C Issuer, any refund of Taxes withheld or deducted from funds paid for the account of such Lender or such L/C Issuer, as the case may be.  If the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any L/C Issuer determines, in its reasonable discretion, that it has received a refund of any Taxes or Other Taxes as to which it has been indemnified by any Loan Party or with respect to which any Loan Party has paid additional amounts pursuant to this Section, it shall pay to such Loan Party an amount equal to such refund (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made, or additional amounts paid, by such Loan Party under this Section with respect to the Taxes or Other Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent, such Lender or such L/C Issuer, as the case may be, and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund), provided that each Loan Party, upon the request of the Administrative Agent, such Lender or such L/C Issuer, agrees to repay the amount paid over to such Loan Party (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) to the Administrative Agent, such Lender or such L/C Issuer in the event the Administrative Agent, such Lender or such L/C Issuer is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority.  This subsection shall not be construed to require the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any L/C Issuer to make available its tax returns (or any other information relating to its taxes that it deems confidential) to the Borrower or any other Person.







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 Loans whose interest is determined by reference to the Eurodollar Rate, or to determine or charge interest rates based upon the Eurodollar Rate, or any Governmental Authority has imposed material restrictions on the authority of such Lender to purchase or sell, or to take deposits of, Dollars in the London interbank market, then, on notice thereof by such Lender to the Borrower through the Administrative Agent, (i) any obligation of such Lender to make or continue Eurodollar Rate Loans or to convert Base Rate Loans to Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be suspended and (ii) if such notice asserts the illegality of such Lender making or maintaining Base Rate Loans the interest rate on which is determined by reference to the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate, the interest rate on which Base Rate Loans of such Lender, shall, if necessary to avoid such illegality, be determined by the Administrative Agent without reference to the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate, in each case until such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent and the Borrower that the circumstances giving rise to such determination no longer exist.  Upon receipt of such notice, (x) the Borrower shall, upon demand from such Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), prepay or, if applicable, convert all of such Lender's Eurodollar Rate Loans to Base Rate Loans (the interest rate on which Base Rate Loans of such Lender shall, if necessary to avoid such illegality, be determined by the Administrative Agent without reference to the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate), either on the last day of the Interest Period therefor, if such Lender may lawfully continue to maintain such Eurodollar Rate Loans to such day, or immediately, if such Lender may not lawfully continue to maintain such Eurodollar Rate Loans and (y) if such notice asserts the illegality of such Lender determining or charging interest rates based upon the Eurodollar Rate, the Administrative Agent shall during the period of such suspension compute the Base Rate applicable to such Lender without reference to the Eurodollar Rate component thereof until the Administrative Agent is advised in writing by such Lender that it is no longer illegal  for such Lender to determine or charge






  





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interest rates based upon the Eurodollar Rate.  Upon any such prepayment or conversion, the Borrower shall also pay accrued interest on the amount so prepaid or converted.







3.03           Inability to Determine Rates.







If the Required Lenders determine in good faith that for any reason in connection with any request for a Eurodollar Rate Loan or a conversion to or continuation thereof that (a) Dollar deposits are not being offered to banks in the London interbank eurodollar market for the applicable amount and Interest Period of such Eurodollar Rate Loan, (b) adequate and reasonable means do not exist for determining the Eurodollar Base Rate for any requested Interest Period with respect to a proposed Eurodollar Rate Loan or in connection with an existing or proposed Base Rate Loan, or (c) the Eurodollar Base Rate for any requested Interest Period with respect to a proposed Eurodollar Rate Loan or in connection with a Eurodollar Rate Loan does not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders of funding such Loan, the Administrative Agent will promptly notify the Borrower and each Lender.  Thereafter, (x) the obligation of the Lenders to make or maintain Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be suspended and (y) in the event of a determination described in the preceding sentence with respect to the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate, the utilization of the Eurodollar Rate component in determining the Base Rate shall be suspended, in each case until the Administrative Agent (upon the instruction of the Required Lenders) revokes such notice.  Upon receipt of such notice, the Borrower may revoke any pending request for a Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans or, failing that, will be deemed to have converted such request into a request for a 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 Eurodollar Rate) or any L/C Issuer;







(ii)           subject any Lender or any L/C Issuer to any tax of any kind whatsoever with respect to this Agreement, any Letter of Credit, any participation in a Letter of Credit or any Eurodollar Rate Loan made by it, or change the basis of taxation of payments to such Lender or such L/C Issuer in respect thereof (except for Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes covered by Section 3.01 and the imposition of, or any change in the rate of, any Excluded Tax payable by such Lender or such L/C Issuer); or







(iii)           impose on any Lender or any L/C Issuer or the London interbank market any other condition, cost or expense affecting this Agreement or Eurodollar Rate Loans made by such Lender or any Letter of Credit or participation therein;







and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender of making or maintaining any Loan the interest on which is determined by reference to the Eurodollar Rate (or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan), or to increase the cost to such Lender or such L/C Issuer of participating in, issuing or maintaining any Letter of Credit (or of maintaining its obligation to participate in or to issue any Letter of Credit), or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender or such L/C Issuer hereunder (whether of principal, interest or any other amount) then, upon request of such Lender or such L/C Issuer, the Borrower will pay to such Lender or such L/C Issuer,






  





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as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or such L/C Issuer, as the case may be, for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.







(b)           Capital Requirements.  If any Lender or any L/C Issuer determines that any Change in Law affecting such Lender or such L/C Issuer or any Lending Office of such Lender or such Lender's or such L/C Issuer's holding company, if any, regarding capital requirements has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lender's or such L/C Issuer's capital or on the capital of such Lender's or such L/C Issuer's holding company, if any, as a consequence of this Agreement, the Commitments of such Lender or the Loans made by, or participations in Letters of Credit held by, such Lender, or the Letters of Credit issued by such L/C Issuer, to a level below that which such Lender or such L/C Issuer or such Lender's or such L/C Issuer's holding company could have achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into consideration such Lender's or such L/C Issuer's policies and the policies of such Lender's or such L/C Issuer's holding company with respect to capital adequacy), then from time to time the Borrower will pay to such Lender or such L/C Issuer, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or such L/C Issuer or such Lender's or such L/C Issuer's holding company for any such reduction suffered.







(c)           Certificates for Reimbursement.  A certificate of a Lender or an L/C Issuer setting forth the amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender or the L/C Issuer or its holding company, as the case may be, as specified in subsection (a) or (b) of this Section and delivered to the Borrower shall be conclusive absent manifest error.  The Borrower shall pay such Lender or such L/C Issuer, as the case may be, the amount shown as due on any such certificate within ten days after receipt thereof.







(d)           Delay in Requests.  Failure or delay on the part of any Lender or any L/C Issuer to demand compensation pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section shall not constitute a waiver of such Lender's or such L/C Issuer's right to demand such compensation, provided that the Borrower shall not be required to compensate a Lender or an L/C Issuer 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 or such L/C Issuer, as the case may be, notifies the Borrower of the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions and of such Lender's or such L/C Issuer's intention to claim compensation therefor (except that, if the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions is retroactive, then the nine-month period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof).







3.05           Compensation for Losses.







Upon demand of any Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) from time to time, the Borrower shall promptly compensate such Lender for and hold such Lender harmless from any loss, cost or expense incurred by it as a result of:







(a)           any continuation, conversion, payment or prepayment of any Eurodollar Rate Loan on a day other than the last day of the Interest Period for such Loan (whether voluntary, mandatory, automatic, by reason of acceleration, or otherwise);







(b)           any failure by the Borrower (for a reason other than the failure of such Lender to make a Loan) to prepay, borrow, continue or convert any Eurodollar Rate Loan on the date or in the amount notified by the Borrower; or







(c)           any assignment of a Eurodollar Rate Loan on a day other than the last day of the Interest Period therefor as a result of a request by the Borrower pursuant to Section 10.13; or











  





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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.  The Borrower shall also pay any customary administrative fees charged by such Lender in connection with the foregoing.







For purposes of calculating amounts payable by the Borrower to the Lenders under this Section 3.05, each Lender shall be deemed to have funded each Eurodollar Rate Loan made by it at the Eurodollar Base Rate used in determining the Eurodollar Rate for such Loan by a matching deposit or other borrowing in the London interbank eurodollar market for a comparable amount and for a comparable period, whether or not such Eurodollar Rate Loan was in fact so funded.







3.06           Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders.







(a)           Designation of a Different Lending Office.  If any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.04, or the Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender, any L/C Issuer, or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender or any L/C Issuer pursuant to Section 3.01, or if any Lender gives a notice pursuant to Section 3.02, then such Lender or such L/C Issuer shall, as applicable, use reasonable efforts to designate a different Lending Office for funding or booking its Loans hereunder or to assign its rights and obligations hereunder to another of its offices, branches or affiliates, if, in the judgment of such Lender or such L/C Issuer, such designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant to Section 3.01 or 3.04, as the case may be, in the future, or eliminate the need for the notice pursuant to Section 3.02, as applicable, and (ii) in each case, would not subject such Lender or such L/C Issuer, as the case may be, to any unreimbursed cost or expense and would not otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender or such L/C Issuer, as the case may be.  The Borrower hereby agrees to pay all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by any Lender or any L/C Issuer in connection with any such designation or assignment.







(b)           Replacement of Lenders.  If any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.04, or if the Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 3.01, the Borrower may replace such Lender in accordance with Section 10.13.







3.07           Survival.







All of the Loan Parties' obligations under this Article III shall survive termination of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments, repayment of all other Obligations hereunder, and resignation of the Administrative Agent.












ARTICLE IV







GUARANTY







4.01           The Guaranty.







The Guarantor hereby guarantees to each Lender, each L/C Issuer, each Affiliate of a Lender that enters into a Swap Contract or a Treasury Management Agreement with any Loan Party or any Subsidiary, and the Administrative Agent as hereinafter provided, as primary obligor and not as surety, the prompt payment of the Obligations in full when due (whether at stated maturity, as a mandatory prepayment, by acceleration, as a mandatory cash collateralization or otherwise) strictly in accordance with the terms thereof.  The Guarantor hereby further agrees that if any of the Obligations are not paid in full when due (whether at






  





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stated maturity, as a mandatory prepayment, by acceleration, as a mandatory cash collateralization or otherwise), the Guarantor will promptly pay the same, without any demand or notice whatsoever, and that in the case of any extension of time of payment or renewal of any of the Obligations, the same will be promptly paid in full when due (whether at extended maturity, as a mandatory prepayment, by acceleration, as a mandatory cash collateralization or otherwise) in accordance with the terms of such extension or renewal.







Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary contained herein or in any other of the Loan Documents, Swap Contracts or Treasury Management Agreements, the obligations of the Guarantor under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall not exceed an aggregate amount equal to the largest amount that would not render such obligations subject to avoidance under applicable Debtor Relief Laws.







4.02           Obligations Unconditional.







The obligations of the Guarantor under Section 4.01 are absolute and unconditional, irrespective of the value, genuineness, validity, regularity or enforceability of any of the Loan Documents or other documents relating to the Obligations, or any substitution, release, impairment or exchange of any other guarantee of or security for any of the Obligations, and, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, irrespective of any other circumstance whatsoever which might otherwise constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of a surety or guarantor, it being the intent of this Section 4.02 that the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder shall be absolute and unconditional under any and all circumstances.  The Guarantor agrees that it shall have no right of subrogation, indemnity, reimbursement or contribution against the Borrower for amounts paid under this Article IV until such time as the Obligations have been paid in full and the Commitments have expired or terminated.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, it is agreed that, to the fullest extent permitted by Law, the occurrence of any one or more of the following shall not alter or impair the liability of the Guarantor hereunder, which shall remain absolute and unconditional as described above:







(a)           at any time or from time to time, without notice to the Guarantor, the time for any performance of or compliance with any of the Obligations shall be extended, or such performance or compliance shall be waived;







(b)           any of the acts mentioned in any of the provisions of any of the Loan Documents or other documents relating to the Obligations shall be done or omitted;







(c)           the maturity of any of the Obligations shall be accelerated, or any of the Obligations shall be modified, supplemented or amended in any respect, or any right under any of the Loan Documents or other documents relating to the Obligations shall be waived or any other guarantee of any of the Obligations or any security therefor shall be released, impaired or exchanged in whole or in part or otherwise dealt with;







(d)           any Lien granted to, or in favor of, the Administrative Agent or any other holder of the Obligations as security for any of the Obligations shall fail to attach or be perfected; or







(e)           any of the Obligations shall be determined to be void or voidable (including, without limitation, for the benefit of any creditor of the Guarantor) or shall be subordinated to the claims of any Person (including, without limitation, any creditor of the Guarantor).







With respect to its obligations hereunder, the Guarantor hereby expressly waives diligence, presentment, demand of payment, protest and all notices whatsoever, and any requirement that the Administrative Agent or any other holder of the Obligations exhaust any right, power or remedy or proceed






  





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against any Person under any of the Loan Documents or any other document relating to the Obligations, or against any other Person under any other guarantee of, or security for, any of the Obligations.







4.03           Reinstatement.







The obligations of the Guarantor under this Article IV shall be automatically reinstated if and to the extent that for any reason any payment by or on behalf of any Person in respect of the Obligations is rescinded or must be otherwise restored by any holder of any of the Obligations, whether as a result of any Debtor Relief Law or otherwise, and the Guarantor agrees that it will indemnify the Administrative Agent and each other holder of the Obligations on demand for all reasonable costs and expenses (including, without limitation, the fees, charges and disbursements of counsel) incurred by the Administrative Agent or such holder of the Obligations in connection with such rescission or restoration, including any such costs and expenses incurred in defending against any claim alleging that such payment constituted a preference, fraudulent transfer or similar payment under any Debtor Relief Law.







4.04           Certain Additional Waivers.







The Guarantor agrees that it shall have no right of recourse to security for the Obligations, except through the exercise of rights of subrogation pursuant to Section 4.02 and through the exercise of rights of contribution pursuant to Section 4.06.







4.05           Remedies.







The Guarantor agrees that, to the fullest extent permitted by law, as between the Guarantor, on the one hand, and the Administrative Agent and the other holders of the Obligations, on the other hand, the Obligations may be declared to be forthwith due and payable as specified in Section 8.02 (and shall be deemed to have become automatically due and payable in the circumstances specified in said Section 8.02) for purposes of Section 4.01 notwithstanding any stay, injunction or other prohibition preventing such declaration (or preventing the Obligations from becoming automatically due and payable) as against any other Person and that, in the event of such declaration (or the Obligations being deemed to have become automatically due and payable), the Obligations (whether or not due and payable by any other Person) shall forthwith become due and payable by the Guarantor for purposes of Section 4.01.







4.06           Reserved.












4.07           Guarantee of Payment; Continuing Guarantee.







The guarantee in this Article IV is a guaranty of payment and not of collection, is a continuing guarantee, and shall apply to all Obligations whenever arising.












ARTICLE V







CONDITIONS PRECEDENT







5.01           Conditions of Escrow.







This Administrative Agent, Lenders and Loan Parties shall be required to deliver their signature pages to be held in escrow pending closing upon satisfaction of the following conditions precedent:











  





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(a)           Loan Documents.  Receipt by the Administrative Agent of executed counterparts of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, each properly executed by a Responsible Officer of the signing Loan Party and, in the case of this Agreement, by each Lender.







(b)           Escrow Agreement.  Receipt by the Administrative Agent of executed counterparts of the Escrow Agreement, properly executed by a Responsible Officer of the signing Loan Party and by each Lender.







(c)           No Material Adverse Change.  There shall not have occurred a material adverse change since December 31, 2009 in the business, assets, liabilities (actual or contingent), operations or condition (financial or otherwise) of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.







(d)           Organization Documents, Resolutions, Etc.  Receipt by the Administrative Agent of the following, in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent:







(i)           copies of the Organization Documents of each Loan Party certified to be true and complete as of a recent date by the appropriate Governmental Authority of the state or other jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, where applicable, and certified by a secretary or assistant secretary of such Loan Party to be true and correct as of the Closing Date; and







(ii)           such certificates of resolutions or other action, incumbency certificates and/or other certificates of Responsible Officers of each Loan Party as the Administrative 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.







(e)           VUHI Credit Agreement.  Receipt by the Administrative Agent of evidence that (i) the signature pages to the VUHI Credit Agreement have been delivered to be held in escrow pending closing, or substantially simultaneously with the delivery of signature pages to this Agreement will be, delivered and (ii) the parties to the VUHI Credit Agreement have entered, or substantially simultaneously with the delivery of signature pages to this Agreement will enter, into an escrow agreement on terms satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.







(f)           Attorney Costs.  The Borrower shall have paid all fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the Administrative Agent and Bank of America (directly to such counsel if requested by the Administrative Agent or Bank of America, as applicable) to the extent invoiced.







Without limiting the generality of the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 9.03, for purposes of determining compliance with the conditions specified in this Section 5.01, each Lender that has signed this Agreement shall be deemed to have consented to, approved or accepted or to be satisfied with, each document or other matter required thereunder to be consented to or approved by or acceptable or satisfactory to a Lender unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from such Lender prior to the date such Lender's signature page is delivered to be held in escrow specifying its objection thereto.







5.02.           Conditions of Effectiveness.







This Agreement shall be effective upon satisfaction of the following conditions precedent:











  





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(a)           Termination of Existing Credit Agreement.  Receipt by the Administrative Agent of evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent that the Existing Credit Agreement shall have been repaid and terminated.







(b)           Closing of VUHI Credit Agreement.  Receipt by the Administrative Agent of evidence that the VUHI Credit Agreement shall closed, or substantially simultaneously with the closing of this Agreement will be, closed.







(c)           Closing Certificate.  Receipt by the Administrative Agent of a certificate signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower certifying that the conditions specified in Section 5.02(e) and Sections 5.03(a) and (b) have been satisfied.







(d)           Opinions of Counsel. Receipt by the Administrative Agent of favorable opinions of legal counsel to the Loan Parties, addressed to the Administrative Agent and each Lender, dated as of the Closing Date, and in substantially the form of Exhibit 5.02(d).







(e)           No Material Adverse Change.  There shall not have occurred a material adverse change since December 31, 2009 in the business, assets, liabilities (actual or contingent), operations or condition (financial or otherwise) of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.







(f)           Certificates of Good Standing or Existence.  Receipt by the Administrative Agent of such documents and certifications as the Administrative Agent may reasonably require to evidence that each Loan Party is duly organized or formed, and is validly existing, in good standing and qualified to engage in business in its state of organization or formation.







(g)           Fees.  Receipt by the Administrative Agent, the Arrangers and the Lenders of any fees required to be paid on or before the Closing Date.







(h)           Attorney Costs.  The Borrower shall have paid all fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the Administrative Agent and Bank of America (directly to such counsel if requested by the Administrative Agent or Bank of America, as applicable) 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 the Borrower and the Administrative Agent or Bank of America, as applicable).







Without limiting the generality of the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 9.03, for purposes of determining compliance with the conditions specified in this Section 5.02, each Lender that has signed this Agreement shall be deemed to have consented to, approved or accepted or to be satisfied with, each document or other matter required thereunder to be consented to or approved by or acceptable or satisfactory to a Lender unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from such Lender prior to the proposed Closing Date specifying its objection thereto.







5.03           Conditions to all Credit Extensions.







The obligation of each Lender to honor any Request for Credit Extension is subject to the following conditions precedent:







(a)           The representations and warranties of each Loan Party contained in Article VI (other than the representation and warranty contained in Sections 6.05, 6.07 and 6.16) or any other Loan Document, or which are contained in any document furnished at any time under or in connection herewith or






  





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therewith, shall be true and correct in all material respects (or, if any such representation or warranty is qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect, it shall be true and correct in all respects as drafted) on and as of the date of such Credit Extension, except to the extent that such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier date, in which case they shall be true and correct in all material respects (or, if any such representation or warranty is qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect, it shall be true and correct in all respects as drafted) as of such earlier date.







(b)           No Default shall exist, or would result from such proposed Credit Extension or from the application of the proceeds thereof.







(c)           The Administrative Agent and, if applicable, the applicable L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender shall have received a Request for Credit Extension in accordance with the requirements hereof.







Each Request for Credit Extension submitted by the Borrower shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty that the conditions specified in Sections 5.03(a) and (b) have been satisfied on and as of the date of the applicable Credit Extension.












ARTICLE VI







REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES







The Loan Parties represent and warrant to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders that:







6.01           Existence and Standing.







Each of the Guarantor, the Borrower and the Subsidiaries of the Borrower is a corporation, partnership (in the case of Subsidiaries only) or limited liability company duly incorporated or organized, as the case may be, validly existing and (to the extent such concept applies to such entity) in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation or organization and has all requisite authority to conduct its business in each jurisdiction in which its business is conducted.







6.02           Authorization and Validity.







Each of the Borrower and the Guarantor has the power and authority and legal right to execute and deliver the Loan Documents to which it is a party and to perform its obligations thereunder.  The execution and delivery by each of the Borrower and the Guarantor of the Loan Documents to which it is a party and the performance of its obligations thereunder have been duly authorized by proper corporate proceedings, and the Loan Documents to which each of the Borrower and the Guarantor is a party constitute legal, valid and binding obligations of the Borrower and the Guarantor enforceable against the Borrower and the Guarantor in accordance with their terms, except as enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency or similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors' rights generally.







6.03           No Conflict; Government Consent.







Neither the execution or delivery by the Borrower and the Guarantor of the Loan Documents to which it is a party, nor the consummation of the transactions therein contemplated, nor compliance with the provisions thereof will violate (i) any law, rule, regulation, order, writ, judgment, injunction, decree or award binding on the Borrower, the Guarantor or any of their Subsidiaries, (ii) the Borrower's, the Guarantor's or any of their Subsidiaries' Organization Documents, or (iii) the provisions of any indenture, instrument or agreement to which the Borrower, the Guarantor or any of their Subsidiaries is a party or is






  





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subject, or by which it, or its property, is bound, or conflict with or constitute a default thereunder, or result in, or require, the creation or imposition of any Lien in, of or on the property of the Borrower, the Guarantor or any such Subsidiary pursuant to the terms of any such indenture, instrument or agreement.  No order, consent, adjudication, approval, license, authorization, or validation of, or filing, recording or registration with, or exemption by, or other action in respect of any Governmental Authority which has not been obtained by the Borrower, the Guarantor or any of their Subsidiaries, is required to be obtained by the Borrower, the Guarantor or any of their Subsidiaries in connection with the execution and delivery of the Loan Documents, the borrowings under this Agreement, the payment and performance by the Borrower of the Obligations or the legality, validity, binding effect or enforceability of any of the Loan Documents.







6.04           Financial Statements.







The Audited Financial Statements heretofore delivered to the Lenders were prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in effect on the date such statements were prepared and fairly present the consolidated financial condition of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries at such date and the consolidated results of their operations for the period then ended.







6.05           Material Adverse Change.







Since the date of the Audited Financial Statements, there has been no change in the business, property, condition (financial or otherwise) or results of operations of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.







6.06           Taxes.







The Guarantor and its Subsidiaries have filed all United States federal tax returns and all other tax returns which are required to be filed and have paid all taxes due pursuant to said returns or pursuant to any assessment received by the Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries, except such taxes, if any, as are being contested in good faith and as to which adequate reserves have been provided in accordance with GAAP and as to which no Lien exists other than Liens permitted by Section 7.13(a).  No tax Liens have been filed and no claims are being asserted with respect to any such taxes.  The charges, accruals and reserves on the books of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries in respect of any taxes or other governmental charges are adequate.







6.07           Litigation and Contingent Obligations.







There is no litigation, arbitration, governmental investigation, proceeding or inquiry pending or, to the knowledge of any of their officers, threatened against or affecting the Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries which (i) could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or (ii) seeks to prevent, enjoin or delay the making of any Credit Extensions.  Other than any liability incident to any litigation, arbitration or proceeding which (i) could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or (ii) is disclosed in the Form 10-K of the Guarantor for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009, the Guarantor has no material contingent obligations not provided for or disclosed in the financial statements referred to in Section 7.01.







6.08           Subsidiaries.







Schedule 6.08 contains an accurate list of all Subsidiaries of the Borrower as of the date of this Agreement, setting forth their respective jurisdictions of organization and the percentage of their respective Equity Interests owned by the Borrower or other Subsidiaries.  All of the issued and






  





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outstanding shares of Equity Interests of such Subsidiaries have been (to the extent such concepts are relevant with respect to such Equity Interests) duly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable.







6.09           ERISA.







Neither the Guarantor nor any other member of the Controlled Group has incurred, or is reasonably expected to incur, any withdrawal liability to Multiemployer Plans that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.  Each Plan complies in all material respects with all applicable requirements of law and regulations, no Reportable Event has occurred with respect to any Plan, neither the Guarantor nor any other member of the Controlled Group has withdrawn from any Plan or initiated steps to do so, and no steps have been taken to reorganize or terminate any Plan.







6.10           Accuracy of Information.







No information, exhibit or report furnished by the Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries to the Administrative Agent or to any Lender in connection with the negotiation of, or compliance with, the Loan Documents contained any material misstatement of fact or omitted to state a material fact or any fact necessary to make the statements contained therein not misleading.







6.11           Regulation U.







Margin stock (as defined in Regulation U) constitutes less than 25% of the value of those assets of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries which are subject to any limitation on sale, pledge, or other restriction hereunder.







6.12           Material Agreements.







Neither the Guarantor nor any Subsidiary thereof is a party to any agreement or instrument or subject to any charter or other corporate restriction which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.  Neither the Guarantor nor any Subsidiary thereof is in default in the performance, observance or fulfillment of any of the obligations, covenants or conditions contained in (i) any agreement to which it is a party, which default could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or (ii) any agreement or instrument evidencing or governing Indebtedness.







6.13           Compliance with Laws.







The Guarantor and its Subsidiaries have complied with all applicable Laws except for any failure to comply with any of the foregoing which could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.







6.14           Ownership of Properties.







Except as set forth on Schedule 6.14, on the date of this Agreement, the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries will have good title, free of all Liens other than those permitted by Section 7.13, to all of the property and assets reflected in the Guarantor's most recent consolidated financial statements provided to the Administrative Agent as owned by the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries.











  





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6.15           Plan Assets; Prohibited Transactions.







The Borrower is not an entity deemed to hold "plan assets" within the meaning of 29 C.F.R. § 2510.3-101 of an employee benefit plan (as defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA) which is subject to Title I of ERISA or any plan (within the meaning of Section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code), and neither the execution of this Agreement nor the making of Credit Extensions hereunder gives rise to a prohibited transaction within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code.







6.16           Environmental Matters.







The Guarantor 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 the Loan Parties have reasonably concluded that such Environmental Laws and claims could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.  No Loan Party nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any notice to the effect that its operations are not in material compliance with any of the requirements of applicable Environmental Laws or are the subject of any federal or state investigation evaluating whether any remedial action is needed to respond to a release of any toxic or hazardous waste or substance into the environment, which non-compliance or remedial action could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.







6.17           Investment Company Act.







Neither the Guarantor nor any Subsidiary thereof is an "investment company" or a company "controlled" by an "investment company", within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.







6.18           Insurance.







The properties of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries are insured with financially sound and reputable insurance companies not Affiliates of the Borrower, in such amounts, with such deductibles and covering such risks as are customarily carried by companies engaged in similar businesses and owning similar properties in localities where the applicable Loan Party or the applicable Subsidiary operates.







6.19           Solvency.







(a)           Immediately after the consummation of the transactions to occur on the date hereof and immediately following the making of each Credit Extension, if any, made on the date hereof and after giving effect to the application of the proceeds of such Credit Extension, (i) the fair value of the assets of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, at a fair valuation, will exceed the debts and liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis; (ii) the present fair saleable value of the property of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis will be greater than the amount that will be required to pay the probable liability of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis on their debts and other liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, as such debts and other liabilities become absolute and matured; (iii) the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis will be able to pay their debts and liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, as such debts and liabilities become absolute and matured; and (iv) the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis will not have unreasonably small capital with which to conduct the businesses in which they are engaged as such businesses are now conducted and are proposed to be conducted after the date hereof.











  





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(b)           The Guarantor does not intend to, or to permit any of its Subsidiaries to, and does not believe that it or any of its Subsidiaries will, incur debts beyond its ability to pay such debts as they mature, taking into account the timing of and amounts of cash to be received by it or any such Subsidiary and the timing of the amounts of cash to be payable on or in respect of its Indebtedness or the Indebtedness of any such Subsidiary.







6.20           Compliance with OFAC Rules and Regulations.







(a)           None of the Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries or their respective Affiliates is in violation of and shall not violate any of the country or list based economic and trade sanctions administered and enforced by OFAC that are described or referenced at http://www.ustreas.gov/offices/enforcement/ofac/ or as otherwise published from time to time.







(b)           None of the Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries or their respective Affiliates (i) is a Sanctioned Person or a Sanctioned Entity, (ii) has more than 10% of its assets located in Sanctioned Entities, or (iii) derives more than 10% of its operating income from investments in, or transactions with Sanctioned Persons or Sanctioned Entities.  No proceeds of any Loan will be used nor have any been used to fund any operations in, finance any investments or activities in or make any payments to, a Sanctioned Person or a Sanctioned Entity.







6.21           Compliance with FCPA.







Each of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries is in compliance with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, 15 U.S.C. §§ 78dd-1, et seq., and any foreign counterpart thereto.  None of the Guarantor or its Subsidiaries has made a payment, offering, or promise to pay, or authorized the payment of, money or anything of value (a) in order to assist in obtaining or retaining business for or with, or directing business to, any foreign official, foreign political party, party official or candidate for foreign political office, (b) to a foreign official, foreign political party or party official or any candidate for foreign political office, and (c) with the intent to induce the recipient to misuse his or her official position to direct business wrongfully to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or to any other Person, in violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, 15 U.S.C. §§ 78dd-1, et seq.







6.22           Anti-Terrorism Laws.







Neither the Guarantor nor any of its Subsidiaries is an "enemy" or an "ally of the enemy" within the meaning of Section 2 of the Trading with the Enemy Act of the United States of America (50 U.S.C. App. §§ 1 et seq.) (the "Trading with the Enemy Act").  Neither any of the Guarantor nor any of its Subsidiaries is in violation of (a) the Trading with the Enemy Act, (b) any of the foreign assets control regulations of the United States Treasury Department (31 CFR, Subtitle B, Chapter V) or any enabling legislation or executive order relating thereto or (c) the Act.  None of the Guarantor or its Subsidiaries (i) is a blocked person described in Section 1 of the Anti-Terrorism Order or (ii) to the best of its knowledge, engages in any dealings or transactions, or is otherwise associated, with any such blocked person.












ARTICLE VII







COVENANTS







Until the Obligations are paid in full, and so long as any Commitment is outstanding, unless the Required Lenders shall otherwise consent in writing:











  





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7.01           Financial Reporting.







The Guarantor will maintain, for itself and each Subsidiary, a system of accounting established and administered in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and the Guarantor and/or Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders:







(a)           Within 90 days after the close of each of its fiscal years, (i) an unqualified audit report certified by independent certified public accountants acceptable to the Lenders, prepared in accordance with GAAP on a consolidated basis for the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries, including balance sheets as of the end of such period, related statements of income and retained earnings, and a consolidated statement of cash flows and (ii) for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis, a balance sheet as of the end of such period, statements of income and a consolidated statement of cash flows.







(b)           Within 45 days after the close of the first three quarterly periods of each of its fiscal years, for the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries, either (i) a consolidated unaudited balance sheet as at the close of each such period and consolidated statements of income and retained earnings and a statement of cash flows for the period from the beginning of such fiscal year to the end of such quarter, all certified by the Guarantor's Chief Financial Officer or (ii) if the Guarantor is then a "registrant" within the meaning of Rule 1-01 of Regulation S-X of the SEC and required to file a report on Form 10-Q with the SEC, a copy of the Guarantor's report on Form 10-Q for such quarterly period.







(c)           Together with the financial statements required under Sections 7.01(a) and (b), a compliance certificate in substantially the form of Exhibit 7.01 signed by its Chief Financial Officer or Treasurer showing the calculations necessary to determine compliance with this Agreement and stating that no Default or Event of Default exists, or if any Default or Event of Default exists, stating the nature and status thereof.







(d)           As soon as possible and in any event within 10 days after the Borrower knows that any Reportable Event has occurred with respect to any Plan, a statement, signed by the Chief Financial Officer or Treasurer of the Borrower, describing said Reportable Event and the action which the Borrower proposes to take with respect thereto.







(e)           As soon as possible and in any event within 10 days after receipt by the Borrower, a copy of (a) any notice or claim to the effect that the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries is or may be liable to any Person as a result of the release by the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries, or any other Person of any toxic or hazardous waste or substance into the environment, and (b) any notice alleging any violation of any Environmental Law by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, which, in either case, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.







(f)           Promptly upon the furnishing thereof to the shareholders of the Guarantor, copies of all financial statements, reports and proxy statements so furnished.







(g)           Promptly upon the filing thereof, copies of all registration statements (other than registration statements on Form S-8 or any successor form thereto and other than registration statements relating to shares to be issued under a dividend reinvestment plan) and annual, quarterly, monthly or other regular reports which the Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries files with the SEC.











  





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(h)           Such other information (including non-financial information) as the Administrative Agent or any Lender may from time to time reasonably request.







Documents required to be delivered pursuant to Section 7.01(a), 7.01(b), 7.01(c) or 7.01(d) (to the extent any such documents are included in materials otherwise filed with the SEC) may be delivered electronically and if so delivered, shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date (i) on which the Borrower posts such documents, or provides a link thereto on the Borrower's website on the Internet at the website address listed on Schedule 10.02; or (ii) on which such documents are posted on the Borrower's behalf on an Internet or intranet website, if any, to which each Lender and the Administrative Agent have access (whether a commercial, third-party website or whether sponsored by the Administrative Agent); provided that: (i) the Borrower shall deliver paper copies of such documents to the Administrative Agent or any Lender upon its request to the Borrower to deliver such paper copies until a written request to cease delivering paper copies is given by the Administrative Agent or such Lender and (ii) the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent and each Lender (by telecopier or electronic mail) of the posting of any such documents and provide to the Administrative Agent by electronic mail electronic versions (i.e., soft copies) of such documents.  The Administrative Agent shall have no obligation to request the delivery of or to maintain paper copies of the documents referred to above, and in any event shall have no responsibility to monitor compliance by the Borrower with any such request by a Lender for delivery, and each Lender shall be solely responsible for requesting delivery to it or maintaining its copies of such documents.







The Borrower hereby acknowledges that (a) the Administrative Agent and/or WFS will make available to the Lenders and the L/C Issuers materials and/or information provided by or on behalf of the Borrower hereunder (collectively, "Borrower Materials") by posting the Borrower Materials on SyndTrak or another similar electronic system (the "Platform") and (b) certain of the Lenders (each a "Public Lender") may have personnel who do not wish to receive material non-public information with respect to the Borrower or its Affiliates, or the respective securities of any of the foregoing, and who may be engaged in investment and other market-related activities with respect to such Persons' securities.  The Borrower hereby agrees that (w) all Borrower Materials that are to be made available to Public Lenders shall be clearly and conspicuously marked "PUBLIC" which, at a minimum, shall mean that the word "PUBLIC" shall appear prominently on the first page thereof; (x) by marking Borrower Materials "PUBLIC," the Borrower shall be deemed to have authorized the Administrative Agent, WFS, the L/C Issuers and the Lenders to treat such Borrower Materials as not containing any material non-public information with respect to the Borrower or its securities for purposes of United States federal and state securities laws (provided, however, that to the extent such Borrower Materials constitute Information, they shall be treated as set forth in Section 10.07); (y) all Borrower Materials marked "PUBLIC" are permitted to be made available through a portion of the Platform designated as "Public Side Information;" and (z) the Administrative Agent and WFS shall be entitled to treat any Borrower Materials that are not marked "PUBLIC" as being suitable only for posting on a portion of the Platform that is not marked as "Public Side Information."  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Borrower shall be under no obligation to mark any Borrower Materials "PUBLIC."







7.02           Use of Proceeds.







Use the proceeds of the Credit Extensions solely (a) to refinance existing Indebtedness under the Existing Credit Agreement, (b) for the working capital, capital expenditures and other lawful corporate purposes, and (c) to pay fees and expenses in connection with this Agreement. Each of the Borrower and Guarantor will not, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, use any of the proceeds of the Loans to purchase or carry any "margin stock" (as defined in Regulation U).











  





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7.03           Notice of Default.







Each of the Borrower and Guarantor will, and will cause each of their respective Subsidiaries to, give notice in writing to the Lenders of the occurrence of any Default or Event of Default and of any other development, financial or otherwise, which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, in each case promptly after any officer of the Borrower or a Guarantor obtains knowledge thereof.







7.04           Conduct of Business.







Each of the Borrower and Guarantor will, and will cause each Subsidiary to:







(a)           carry on and conduct its business in substantially the same manner and in substantially the same or reasonably related fields of enterprise as it is presently conducted; and







(b)           preserve and keep in full force and effect the existence of the Borrower, the Guarantor and each of their Subsidiaries as a corporation, partnership or limited liability company unless, in the good faith judgment of the Guarantor, the termination of or failure to preserve and keep in full force and effect the existence of any Subsidiary of the Borrower or Guarantor would not individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect.







7.05           Taxes.







Each of the Borrower and Guarantor will, and will cause each of their respective Subsidiaries to, timely file complete and correct United States federal and applicable foreign, state and local tax returns required by law and pay when due all taxes, assessments and governmental charges and levies upon it or its income, profits or property, except those which are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and with respect to which adequate reserves have been set aside in accordance with GAAP.







7.06           Insurance.







Each of the Borrower and Guarantor will, and will cause each of their respective Subsidiaries to, maintain with financially sound and reputable insurance companies insurance on all their property in such amounts and covering such risks as is consistent with sound business practice, and the Borrower will furnish to any Lender upon request full information as to the insurance carried.







7.07           Compliance with Laws.







(a)           Each of the Borrower and Guarantor will, and will cause each of their respective Subsidiaries to, comply with all Laws to which it may be subject including, without limitation, all Environmental Laws, except where such noncompliance, singly or in the aggregate, could not have a Material Adverse Effect.







(b)           Without limiting clause (a) above, each of the Borrower and Guarantor will, and will cause each of their respective Subsidiaries to, ensure that no person who owns a controlling interest in or otherwise controls the Borrower, the Guarantor or any Subsidiary is or shall be (i) listed on the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Person List maintained by the Office of Foreign Assets Control ("OFAC"), Department of the Treasury, and/or any other similar lists maintained by OFAC pursuant to any authorizing statute, Executive Order or regulation or (ii) a person designated under Section 1(b), (c) or (d) of Executive Order No. 13224 (September 23, 2001), any related enabling legislation or any other similar Executive Orders.











  





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(c)           Without limiting clause (a) above, each of the Borrower and Guarantor will, and will cause each of their respective Subsidiaries to, comply with the Bank Secrecy Act ("BSA") and all other applicable anti-money laundering laws and regulations.







7.08           Maintenance of Properties.







Each of the Borrower and Guarantor will, and will cause each of their respective Subsidiaries to, do all things necessary to maintain, preserve, protect and keep its property in good repair, working order and condition, and make all necessary and proper repairs, renewals and replacements so that its business carried on in connection therewith may be properly conducted at all times, except where such failure, to maintain, singly or in the aggregate, could not have a Material Adverse Effect.







7.09           Inspection.







The Borrower and each Guarantor will, and will cause each of their respective Subsidiaries to, permit the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, by their respective representatives and agents, to inspect any of the property, books and financial records of the Borrower, Guarantor and such Subsidiaries, to examine and make copies of the books of accounts and other financial records of the Borrower, Guarantor and such Subsidiary, and to discuss the affairs, finances and accounts of the Borrower, Guarantor and such Subsidiary with, and to be advised as to the same by, their respective officers at such reasonable times and intervals as the Administrative Agent or any Lender may designate.







7.10           Merger.







Each of the Borrower and the Guarantor will not merge or consolidate with or into any other Person, except (a) a Subsidiary of the Guarantor may merge into the Guarantor or the Borrower and (b) provided that, both prior to and immediately after giving effect to such merger or consolidation, no Default or Event of Default exists, the Borrower and the Guarantor may enter into mergers (provided that (i) the Borrower, or the Guarantor, as the case may be, is the surviving corporation of any such merger or consolidation to which such Person is a party or (ii) if the Borrower or the Guarantor is not the surviving Person, (x) the Person into which the Borrower or the Guarantor, as the case may be, shall be merged or formed by any such consolidation (1) shall be a corporation organized and validly existing under the laws of the United States or any state thereof or the District of Columbia and (2) shall assume the Borrower's or the Guarantor's, as applicable, obligations hereunder and under the Notes in an agreement or instrument satisfactory in form and substance to the Administrative Agent and (y) the Corporate Rating or the Debt Rating of the surviving corporation in effect immediately after giving effect to such merger or consolidation shall not be less than "Baa3" (in the case of the Moody's) and "BBB-" (in the case of the S&P)).







7.11           Sale of Assets.







The Guarantor will not, nor will it permit any Subsidiary of the Guarantor to, lease, sell or otherwise dispose of its property to any other Person, except:







(a)           sales of inventory in the ordinary course of business.







(b)           leases, sales or other dispositions of its property that, together with all other property of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries previously leased, sold or disposed of (other than inventory in the ordinary course of business) as permitted by this Section during the twelve-month period ending with the month in which any such lease, sale or other disposition occurs, do not constitute all or substantially all of the property of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries.











  





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7.12           Investments and Acquisitions.







The Borrower will not, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, make or suffer to exist any Investments (including without limitation, loans and advances to, and other Investments in, Subsidiaries), or commitments therefor, or to create any Subsidiary or to become or remain a partner in any partnership or joint venture, or to make any Acquisition of any Person, except:







(a)           Cash Equivalent Investments.







(b)           Investments in Subsidiaries and other Investments, in each case in existence on the date hereof and described in Schedule 7.12.







(c)           Loans and advances by the Borrower to the Guarantor and Guarantor's Subsidiaries.







(d)           Investments in the Guarantor's Subsidiaries of up to $5,000,000 in the aggregate outstanding at any time.







7.13           Liens.







Each of Borrower and Guarantor will not, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to create, incur or suffer to exist any Lien in, of, or on the Property of Borrower, Guarantor or any of their Subsidiaries, except:







(a)           Liens for taxes, assessments or governmental charges or levies on its property if the same shall not at the time be delinquent or thereafter can be paid without penalty, or are being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings and for which adequate reserves in accordance with GAAP shall have been set aside on its books;







(b)           Liens imposed by law, such as carriers', warehousemen's and mechanics' liens and other similar liens arising in the ordinary course of business which secure payment of obligations not more than 60 days past due, and such other carriers', warehousemen's, mechanics' or other similar liens that are being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings and for which adequate reserves in accordance with GAAP shall have been set aside on its books;







(c)           Liens arising out of pledges or deposits under worker's compensation laws, unemployment insurance, old age pensions, or other social security or retirement benefits, or similar legislation or to secure bid, performance, surety or similar bonds utilized in the ordinary course of business;







(d)           utility easements, building restrictions and such other encumbrances or charges against real property as are of a nature generally existing with respect to properties of a similar character and which do not in any material way affect the marketability of the same or interfere with the use thereof in the business of the Guarantor or its Subsidiaries;







(e)           existing Liens (including Liens securing Indebtedness of a Person existing on the date the Person becomes a Subsidiary of the Guarantor) or Liens on assets securing Indebtedness assumed by the Guarantor or a Subsidiary of the Guarantor when such assets are acquired by the Guarantor or a Subsidiary of the Guarantor), including extensions, renewals or replacements of any such Liens in connection with the extension, renewal or replacement of any related existing Indebtedness (without any increase in the amount thereof, but including the full amount of any






  





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existing commitments to provide credit that were undrawn at such time of such extension, renewal or replacement); provided that in connection with the refinancing of any such existing Indebtedness such Liens shall extend only to the property covered by such Liens immediately prior to such extension, renewal or replacement;







(f)           Liens under the Mortgage Indenture on the property of SIGECO that is subject to the Mortgage Indenture (without giving effect to any amendments thereto after the date hereof that would expand the description of the collateral subject to the lien thereof).


 


(g)           Liens in favor of the Guarantor or a Subsidiary of the Guarantor securing intercompany Indebtedness or other obligations owed to the Borrower, the Guarantor or a Subsidiary of the Guarantor by a Subsidiary of the Guarantor;







(h)           Liens incurred after the Closing Date given to secure the payment of the purchase price incurred in connection with the acquisition, construction or improvement of property (other than accounts receivable or inventory) useful and intended to be used in carrying on the business of the Guarantor or a Subsidiary of the Guarantor, including Liens existing on such property at the time of acquisition or construction thereof or Liens incurred within 360 days of such acquisition or completion of such construction or improvement, provided that (i) the Lien shall attach solely to the property acquired, purchased, constructed or improved; (ii) at the time of acquisition, construction or improvement of such property (or, in the case of any Lien incurred within three hundred sixty (360) days of such acquisition or completion of such construction or improvement, at the time of the incurrence of the Indebtedness secured by such Lien), the aggregate amount remaining unpaid on all Indebtedness secured by Liens on such property, whether or not assumed by the Guarantor or a Subsidiary of the Guarantor, shall not exceed the lesser of (y) the cost of such acquisition, construction or improvement or (z) the fair market value of such property (as determined in good faith by one or more officers of the Guarantor to whom authority to enter into the transaction has been delegated by the board of directors of the Guarantor); and (iii) at the time of such incurrence and after giving effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default would exist; or







(i)           in addition to Liens covered by (a)-(h) above, Liens securing Indebtedness not exceeding 15% of the Borrower's Consolidated Net Worth in the aggregate outstanding at any time.







7.14           Affiliates.







Except for  as permitted by Section 7.12(c), the Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, enter into any transaction (including, without limitation, the purchase or sale of any property or service) with, or make any payment or transfer to, any Affiliate (unless such Affiliate is a Loan Party) except in the ordinary course of business and pursuant to the reasonable requirements of the Borrower's or such Subsidiary's business and, upon fair and reasonable terms no less favorable to the Borrower or such Subsidiary than the Borrower or such Subsidiary would obtain in a comparable arms'-length transaction.







7.15           Consolidated Debt to Capitalization Ratio.







The Guarantor will not permit the ratio, determined as of the end of each of its fiscal quarters, of (i) the Guarantor's Consolidated Indebtedness to (ii) the Guarantor's Consolidated Indebtedness plus the Guarantor's Consolidated Net Worth to be greater than .65 to 1.0.











  





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7.16           Certain Restrictions.







The Guarantor shall not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, create or otherwise cause or suffer to exist or become effective any encumbrance or restriction on the ability of any Subsidiary to (a) pay dividends or make other distributions on its Equity Interests owned by the Guarantor or any Subsidiary, or pay any Indebtedness owed to the Guarantor or any Subsidiary (other than as described on Schedule 7.16 and other customary limits imposed by corporate law and fraudulent conveyance statutes and applicable restrictions contained in section 305(a) of the Federal Power Act, as amended), (b) make loans or advances to the Guarantor or Borrower or (c) transfer any of its assets or properties to the Guarantor or Borrower, except for such encumbrances or restrictions existing by reason of or under (i) applicable law, (ii) this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, (iii) customary restrictions with respect to a Subsidiary pursuant to an agreement that has been entered into for the sale or disposition of all or substantially all of the Equity Interests of such Subsidiary, (iv) restrictions binding on any Subsidiary on the date it becomes a Subsidiary, provided such restrictions were not created in contemplation of such Person becoming a Subsidiary or (v) restrictions set forth on Schedule 7.16.







7.17           Indebtedness.







           The Borrower will not permit any Subsidiary to, create, incur or suffer to exist any Indebtedness, except:







(a)           Indebtedness existing on the date hereof described on Schedule 7.17 (including, but not limited to, amounts available under commitments related thereto but not yet drawn upon) (the "Existing Indebtedness") and any Indebtedness extending the maturity of, or refunding or refinancing, such Existing Indebtedness, provided that the principal amount of such Existing Indebtedness shall not be increased above the amount thereof immediately prior to such extension, refunding or refinancing (including, but not limited to, amounts available under commitments related thereto but not yet drawn upon), and the direct and contingent obligors therefor shall not be changed, as a result of or in connection with such extension, refunding or refinancing.


 


(b)           Indebtedness incurred with respect to Treasury Management Agreements or Swap Contracts that are (A) entered into by any Subsidiary consistent with such Person's past practices and in the ordinary course of such Person's business and (B) not entered into for speculative purposes.


 


(c)           Indebtedness in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $5,000,000 at any time outstanding.


 







7.18           Dividends.







Borrower will not, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, declare or pay any dividends or make any distributions on its capital stock (other than dividends payable in its own capital stock) or redeem, repurchase or otherwise acquire or retire any of its capital stock at any time outstanding; except that any Subsidiary may declare and pay dividends or make distributions to Borrower or to a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of Borrower.


 











  





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ARTICLE VIII







EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES







8.01           Events of Default.







Any of the following shall constitute an Event of Default:







(a)           Representations and Warranties. Any representation or warranty made or deemed made by or on behalf of the Borrower, Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries to the Lenders or the Administrative Agent under or in connection with this Agreement, any Credit Extension, any other Loan Document or any certificate or information delivered in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document shall be materially false on the date as of which made.







(b)           Non-Payment.  Nonpayment of principal of any Loan when due, nonpayment of any L/C Obligation within one Business Day after the same becomes due, or nonpayment of interest upon any Loan or of any fees or other obligation under any of the Loan Documents within five days after the same becomes due.







(c)           Specific Covenants.  The breach by the Borrower or Guarantor of any of the terms or provisions of Section 7.02, 7.03, 7.10, 7.11, 7.12, 7.13, 7.14, 7.15, 7.16, 7.17 or 7.18.







(d)           Other Defaults.  The breach by the Borrower or Guarantor (other than a breach which constitutes an Event of Default under another Section of this Article VIII) of any of the terms or provisions of this Agreement which is not remedied within thirty days after written notice from the Administrative Agent or any Lender.







(e)           Cross-Default.  Failure of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or the Guarantor to pay when due any Indebtedness aggregating in excess of the Threshold Amount ("Material Indebtedness"); or the default by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or the Guarantor in the performance (beyond the applicable grace period with respect thereto, if any) of any term, provision or condition contained in any agreement under which any such Material Indebtedness was created or is governed, or any other event shall occur or condition exist, the effect of which default or event is to cause, or to permit the holder or holders of such Material Indebtedness to cause, such Material Indebtedness to become due prior to its stated maturity (other than by a regularly scheduled payment or pursuant to customary due on sale or similar clauses or as a result of the occurrence of a change of control; provided that any payment required pursuant to such due on sale or similar clause shall be paid within three Business Days of becoming due and payable); or any Material Indebtedness of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or the Guarantor shall be declared to be due and payable or required to be prepaid or repurchased (other than by a regularly scheduled payment) prior to the stated maturity thereof (other than by a regularly scheduled payment or pursuant to customary due on sale or similar clauses or as a result of the occurrence of a change of control; provided that any payment required pursuant to such due on sale or similar clause shall be paid within three Business Days of becoming due and payable); or the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or the Guarantor shall not pay, or admit in writing its inability to pay, its debts generally as they become due.







(f)           Insolvency Proceedings, Etc.







(i)           The Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or the Guarantor shall (A) have an order for relief entered with respect to it under any Debtor Relief Law as now or hereafter in effect, (B) make an assignment for the benefit of creditors, (C) apply for, seek, consent to, or acquiesce in,






  





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the appointment of a receiver, custodian, trustee, examiner, liquidator or similar official for it or any Substantial Portion of its property, (D) institute any proceeding seeking an order for relief under any Debtor Relief Laws as now or hereafter in effect or seeking to adjudicate it a bankrupt or insolvent, or seeking dissolution, winding up, liquidation, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition of it or its debts under any law relating to bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization or relief of debtors or fail to file an answer or other pleading denying the material allegations of any such proceeding filed against it, (E) take any corporate or other organizational action to authorize or effect any of the foregoing actions set forth in this Section 8.01(f)(i) or (F) fail to contest in good faith any appointment or proceeding described in Section 8.01(f)(ii).







(ii)           Without the application, approval or consent of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or the Guarantor, a receiver, trustee, examiner, liquidator or similar official shall be appointed for the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or the Guarantor or any Substantial Portion of its property, or a proceeding described in Section 8.01(f)(i)(D) shall be instituted against the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or the Guarantor and such appointment continues undischarged or such proceeding continues undismissed or unstayed for a period of 60 consecutive days.







(g)           Condemnation, Etc.  Any court, government or governmental agency shall condemn, seize or otherwise appropriate, or take custody or control of, all or any portion of the property of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries or the Guarantor which, when taken together with all other property of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries or the Guarantor so condemned, seized, appropriated, or taken custody or control of, during the twelve-month period ending with the month in which any such action occurs, constitutes a Substantial Portion.







(h)           Judgments.  The Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or the Guarantor shall fail within 60 days to pay, bond or otherwise discharge any judgment or order for the payment of money in excess of the Threshold Amount, which is not stayed on appeal or otherwise being appropriately contested in good faith.







(i)           ERISA.







(i)           The Unfunded Liabilities of all Single Employer Plans shall have a Material Adverse Effect or be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect or any Reportable Event shall occur in connection with any Plan.







(ii)           The Guarantor or any other member of the Controlled Group shall have been notified by the sponsor of a Multiemployer Plan that it has incurred withdrawal liability to such Multiemployer Plan in an amount which, when aggregated with all other amounts required to be paid to Multiemployer Plans by the Guarantor or any other member of the Controlled Group as withdrawal liability (determined as of the date of such notification), shall have a Material Adverse Effect or be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect.







(iii)           The Guarantor or any other member of the Controlled Group shall have been notified by the sponsor of a Multiemployer Plan that such Multiemployer Plan is in reorganization or is being terminated, within the meaning of Title IV of ERISA, if such reorganization or termination shall have a Material Adverse Effect or be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect.







(j)           Environmental Liability.  The Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries shall (a) be the subject of any proceeding or investigation pertaining to the release by the Guarantor, any of its Subsidiaries or






  





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any other Person of any Hazardous Material into the environment, or (b) violate any Environmental Law, which, in the case of an event described in clause (a) or clause (b), has a Material Adverse Effect.







(k)           Change in Control.  Any Change in Control shall occur.







(l)           Other Loan Documents.  The occurrence of any "default", as defined in any Loan Document (other than this Agreement) or the breach of any of the terms or provisions of any Loan Document (other than this Agreement), which default or breach continues beyond any period of grace therein provided.







(m)           Invalidity of Guaranty.  The obligations of the Guarantor under Article IV hereof shall fail to remain in full force or effect or any action shall be taken to discontinue or to assert the invalidity or unenforceability of any of such obligations, or the Guarantor shall deny that it has any further liability under such Article IV, or shall give notice to such effect.







8.02           Remedies Upon Event of Default.







If any Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Administrative Agent shall, at the request of, or may, with the consent of, the Required Lenders, take any or all of the following actions:







(a)           declare the commitment of each Lender to make Loans and any obligation of an L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions 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 the Borrower;







(c)           require that the Borrower Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations (in an amount equal to the then Outstanding Amount thereof); and







(d)           exercise on behalf of itself, the Lenders and the L/C Issuers all rights and remedies available to it, the Lenders and the L/C Issuers under the Loan Documents or applicable Law;







provided, however, that upon the occurrence of an actual or deemed entry of an order for relief with respect to the Borrower under the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, the obligation of each Lender to make Loans and any obligation of each L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions shall automatically terminate, the unpaid principal amount of all outstanding Loans and all interest and other amounts as aforesaid shall automatically become due and payable, and the obligation of the Borrower to Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations as aforesaid shall automatically become effective, in each case without further act of the Administrative Agent or any Lender.







8.03           Application of Funds.







After the exercise of remedies provided for in Section 8.02 (or after the Loans have automatically become immediately due and payable and the L/C Obligations have automatically been required to be Cash Collateralized as set forth in the proviso to Section 8.02), any amounts received on account of the Obligations shall be applied by the Administrative Agent in the following order:











  





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First, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities, expenses and other amounts (including fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the Administrative Agent and amounts payable under Article III) payable to the Administrative Agent in its capacity as such;







Second, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities and other amounts (other than principal, interest and Letter of Credit Fees) payable to the Lenders and the L/C Issuers (including fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the respective Lenders and the L/C Issuers and amounts payable under Article III), ratably among them in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Second payable to them;







Third, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting accrued and unpaid Letter of Credit Fees and interest on the Loans and L/C Borrowings and fees, premiums and scheduled periodic payments, and any interest accrued thereon, due under any Swap Contract between any Loan Party or any Subsidiary and any Lender, or any Affiliate of a Lender, ratably among the Lenders (and, in the case of such Swap Contracts, Affiliates of Lenders) and the L/C Issuers in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Third held by them;







Fourth, to (a) payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting unpaid principal of the Loans and L/C Borrowings, (b) payment of breakage, termination or other payments, and any interest accrued thereon, due under any Swap Contract between any Loan Party or any Subsidiary and any Lender, or any Affiliate of a Lender, (c) payments of amounts due under any Treasury Management Agreement between any Loan Party or any Subsidiary and any Lender, or any Affiliate of a Lender and (d) Cash Collateralize that portion of L/C Obligations comprised of the aggregate undrawn amount of Letters of Credit, ratably among the Lenders (and, in the case of such Swap Contracts and Treasury Management Agreements, Affiliates of Lenders) and the L/C Issuers 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 the Borrower or as otherwise required by Law.







Subject to Section 2.03(c), amounts used to Cash Collateralize the aggregate undrawn amount of Letters of Credit pursuant to clause Fourth above shall be applied to satisfy drawings under such Letters of Credit as they occur.  If any amount remains on deposit as Cash Collateral after all Letters of Credit have either been fully drawn or expired, such remaining amount shall be applied to the other Obligations, if any, in the order set forth above.
















  





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ARTICLE IX







ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT







9.01           Appointment and Authority.







Each of the Lenders and each of the L/C Issuers hereby irrevocably appoints Wells Fargo to act on its behalf as the Administrative Agent hereunder and under the other Loan Documents and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such actions on its behalf and to exercise such powers as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms hereof or thereof, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto.  The provisions of this Article are solely for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the L/C Issuers, and no 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 the Administrative Agent hereunder shall have the same rights and powers in its capacity as a Lender as any other Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not the Administrative Agent and the term "Lender" or "Lenders" shall, unless otherwise expressly indicated or unless the context otherwise requires, include the Person serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder in its individual capacity.  Such Person and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to, act as the financial advisor or in any other advisory capacity for and generally engage in any kind of business with any Loan Party or any Subsidiary or other Affiliate thereof as if such Person were not the Administrative Agent hereunder and without any duty to account therefor to the Lenders.







9.03           Exculpatory Provisions.







The Administrative Agent shall not have any duties or obligations except those expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Administrative Agent:







(a)           shall not be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a Default has occurred and is continuing;







(b)           shall not have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated hereby or by the other Loan Documents that the Administrative Agent is required to exercise as directed in writing by the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be expressly provided for herein or in the other Loan Documents), provided that the Administrative Agent shall not be required to take any action that, in its opinion or the opinion of its counsel, may expose the Administrative Agent to liability or that is contrary to any Loan Document or applicable law; and







(c)           shall not, except as expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, have any duty to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to any Loan Party or any of its Affiliates that is communicated to or obtained by the Person serving as the Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity.







The Administrative Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it (i) with the consent or at the request of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary, or as the Administrative Agent shall believe in good faith shall be necessary, under the






  





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circumstances as provided in Sections 10.01 and 8.02) or (ii) in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct.  The Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default unless and until notice describing such Default is given to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower, a Lender or an L/C Issuer.







The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into (i) any statement, warranty or representation made in or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered hereunder or thereunder or in connection herewith or therewith, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein or therein or the occurrence of any Default, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document or (v) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article V or elsewhere herein, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent.







9.04           Reliance by Administrative Agent.







The Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely upon, and shall not incur any liability for relying upon, any notice, request, certificate, consent, statement, instrument, document or other writing (including any electronic message, Internet or intranet website posting or other distribution) believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or otherwise authenticated by the proper Person.  The Administrative Agent also may rely upon any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to have been made by the proper Person, and shall not incur any liability for relying thereon.  In determining compliance with any condition hereunder to the making of a Loan, or the issuance of a Letter of Credit, that by its terms must be fulfilled to the satisfaction of a Lender or an L/C Issuer, the Administrative Agent may presume that such condition is satisfactory to such Lender or such L/C Issuer unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice to the contrary from such Lender or such L/C Issuer prior to the making of such Loan or the issuance of such Letter of Credit.  The Administrative Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be counsel for the Loan Parties), independent accountants and other experts selected by it, and shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it in accordance with the advice of any such counsel, accountants or experts.







9.05           Delegation of Duties.







The Administrative Agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers hereunder or under any other Loan Document by or through any one or more sub-agents appointed by the Administrative Agent.  The Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers by or through their respective Related Parties.  The exculpatory provisions of this Article shall apply to any such sub-agent and to the Related Parties of the Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent, and shall apply to their respective activities in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein as well as activities as Administrative Agent.







9.06           Resignation of Administrative Agent.







The Administrative Agent may at any time give notice of its resignation to the Lenders, the L/C Issuers and the Borrower.  Upon receipt of any such notice of resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the right, in consultation with the Borrower, 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 Administrative Agent gives notice of its resignation, then






  





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the retiring Administrative Agent may on behalf of the Lenders and the L/C Issuers, appoint a successor Administrative Agent meeting the qualifications set forth above; provided that if the Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders that no qualifying Person has accepted such appointment, then such resignation shall nonetheless become effective in accordance with such notice and (a) the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents and (b) all payments, communications and determinations provided to be made by, to or through the Administrative Agent shall instead be made by or to each Lender and each L/C Issuer directly, until such time as the Required Lenders appoint a successor Administrative Agent as provided for above in this Section.  Upon the acceptance of a successor's appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring (or retired) Administrative Agent, and the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from all of its duties and obligations hereunder or under the other Loan Documents (if not already discharged therefrom as provided above in this Section).  The fees payable by the Borrower to a successor Administrative Agent shall be the same as those payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed between the Borrower and such successor.  After the retiring Administrative Agent's resignation hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, the provisions of this Article and Section 10.04 shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring Administrative Agent, its sub-agents and their respective Related Parties in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any of them while the retiring Administrative Agent was acting as Administrative Agent.







Any resignation by Wells Fargo as Administrative Agent pursuant to this Section shall also constitute its resignation as an L/C Issuer and Swing Line Lender.  Upon the acceptance of a successor's appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder, (i) such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring L/C Issuer and Swing Line Lender, (ii) the retiring L/C Issuer and Swing Line Lender shall be discharged from all of their respective duties and obligations hereunder or under the other Loan Documents, and (iii) the successor L/C Issuer shall issue letters of credit in substitution for the Letters of Credit, if any, outstanding at the time of such succession or make other arrangements satisfactory to the retiring L/C Issuer to effectively assume the obligations of the retiring L/C Issuer with respect to such Letters of Credit.







9.07           Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders.







Each Lender and each L/C Issuer acknowledges that it has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender or any of their Related Parties and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Agreement.  Each Lender and each L/C Issuer also acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender or any of their Related Parties and based on such documents and information as it shall from time to time deem appropriate, continue to make its own decisions in taking or not taking action under or based upon this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any related agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder.







9.08           No Other Duties; Etc.







Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, none of the bookrunners, arrangers, syndication agents, documentation agents or co-agents shall have any powers, duties or responsibilities under this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, except in its capacity, as applicable, as the Administrative Agent, a Lender or an L/C Issuer hereunder.











  





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9.09           Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim.







In case of the pendency of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law or any other judicial proceeding relative to any Loan Party, the Administrative Agent (irrespective of whether the principal of any Loan or L/C Obligation shall then be due and payable as herein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Administrative Agent shall have made any demand on the Borrower) shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise:







(a)           to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of the principal and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Loans, L/C Obligations and all other Obligations arising under the Loan Documents that are owing and unpaid and to file such other documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Lenders, the L/C Issuers and the Administrative Agent (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Lenders, the L/C Issuers and the Administrative Agent and their respective agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Lenders, the L/C Issuers and the Administrative Agent under Sections 2.03(h) and (i), 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;







and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Lender and each L/C Issuer to make such payments to the Administrative Agent and, if the Administrative Agent shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Lenders and the L/C Issuers, to pay to the Administrative Agent any amount due for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Administrative Agent and its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Administrative Agent under Sections 2.09 and 10.04.







Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to authorize the Administrative Agent to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Lender or any L/C Issuer any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Obligations or the rights of any Lender or any L/C Issuer to authorize the Administrative Agent to vote in respect of the claim of any Lender or any L/C Issuer in any such proceeding.







9.10           Guaranty Matters.







The Lenders and the L/C Issuers irrevocably authorize the Administrative Agent, at its option and in its discretion, to release the Guarantor from its obligations under the Guaranty if such Person ceases to be a Subsidiary as a result of a transaction permitted hereunder.  Upon request by the Administrative Agent at any time, the Required Lenders will confirm in writing the Administrative Agent's authority to release the Guarantor from its obligations under the Guaranty, pursuant to this Section 9.10.







ARTICLE X







MISCELLANEOUS







10.01           Amendments, Etc.







No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, and no consent to any departure by any Loan Party therefrom, shall be effective unless in writing signed by the Required Lenders and the Borrower or the applicable Loan Party, as the case may be, and






  





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acknowledged by the Administrative Agent, and each such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given; provided, further, that







(a)           no such amendment, waiver or consent shall:







(i)           extend or increase the Commitment of a Lender (or reinstate any Commitment terminated pursuant to Section 8.02) without the written consent of such Lender whose Commitment is being extended or increased (it being understood and agreed that a waiver of any condition precedent set forth in Section 5.03 or of any Default or a mandatory reduction in Commitments is not considered an extension or increase in Commitments of any Lender);







(ii)           postpone any date fixed by this Agreement or any other Loan Document for any payment (excluding mandatory prepayments) of principal, interest, fees or other amounts due to the Lenders (or any of them) or any scheduled reduction of the Commitments hereunder or under any other Loan Document without the written consent of each Lender entitled to receive such payment or whose Commitments are to be reduced;







(iii)           reduce the principal of, or the rate of interest specified herein on, any Loan or L/C Borrowing, or (subject to clause (i) of the final proviso to this Section 10.01) any fees or other amounts payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document without the written consent of each Lender entitled to receive such amount; provided, however, that only the consent of the Required Lenders shall be necessary to (A) amend the definition of "Default Rate" or waive any obligation of the Borrower to pay interest or Letter of Credit Fees at the Default Rate or (B) to amend any financial covenant hereunder (or any defined term used therein) even if the effect of such amendment would be to reduce the rate of interest on any Loan or L/C Borrowing or to reduce any fee payable hereunder;







(iv)           change Section 8.03 in a manner that would alter the pro rata sharing of payments required thereby without the written consent of each Lender directly affected thereby;







(v)           change any provision of this Section 10.01(a) or the definition of "Required Lenders" without the written consent of each Lender directly affected thereby;







(vi)           release the Borrower without the consent of each Lender, or, except in connection with a transaction permitted under Section 7.10 or Section 7.11, all or substantially all of the value of the Guaranty without the written consent of each Lender whose Obligations are guarantied thereby, except to the extent such release is permitted pursuant to Section 9.10 (in which case such release may be made by the Administrative Agent acting alone); or







(b)           unless also signed by each L/C Issuer, no amendment, waiver or consent shall affect the rights or duties of the L/C Issuers under this Agreement or any Issuer Document relating to any Letter of Credit issued or to be issued by it;







(c)           unless also signed by the Swing Line Lender, no amendment, waiver or consent shall affect the rights or duties of the Swing Line Lender under this Agreement; and







(d)           unless also signed by the Administrative Agent, no amendment, waiver or consent shall affect the rights or duties of the Administrative Agent under this Agreement or any other Loan Document;







provided, however, that notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, (i) each Fee Letter may be amended, or rights or privileges thereunder waived, in a writing executed only by the parties thereto, (ii)






  





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each Lender is entitled to vote as such Lender sees fit on any bankruptcy reorganization plan that affects the Loans, and each Lender acknowledges that the provisions of Section 1126(c) of the Bankruptcy Code of the United States supersedes the unanimous consent provisions set forth herein and (iii) the Required Lenders shall determine whether or not to allow a Loan Party to use cash collateral in the context of a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding and such determination shall be binding on all of the Lenders.







Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, no Defaulting Lender shall have any right to approve or disapprove any amendment, waiver or consent hereunder (and any amendment, waiver or consent which by its terms requires the consent of all Lenders or each affected Lender may be effected with the consent of the applicable Lenders other than Defaulting Lenders), except that (x) the Commitment of any Defaulting Lender may not be increased or extended without the consent of such Lender and (y) any waiver, amendment or modification requiring the consent of all Lenders or each affected Lender that by its terms affects any Defaulting Lender more adversely than other affected Lenders shall require the consent of such Defaulting Lender.







10.02           Notices; Effectiveness; Electronic 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 any Loan Party, the Administrative Agent, Wells Fargo as L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender, to the address, telecopier number, electronic mail address or telephone number specified for such Person on Schedule 10.02; and







(ii)           if to any other Lender or L/C Issuer, to the address, telecopier number, electronic mail address or telephone number specified in its Administrative Questionnaire (including, as appropriate, notices delivered solely to the Person designated by a Lender on its Administrative Questionnaire then in effect for the delivery of notices that may contain material non-public information relating to the Borrower).







Notices and other communications sent by hand or overnight courier service, or mailed by certified or registered mail, shall be deemed to have been given when received; notices and other communications sent by telecopier shall be deemed to have been given when sent (except that, if not given during normal business hours for the recipient, shall be deemed to have been given at the opening of business on the next business day for the recipient).  Notices and other communications delivered through electronic communications to the extent provided in subsection (b) below, shall be effective as provided in such subsection (b).







(b)           Electronic Communications.  Notices and other communications to the Lenders and the L/C Issuers hereunder may be delivered or furnished by electronic communication (including e-mail and Internet or intranet websites) pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent, provided that the foregoing shall not apply to notices to any Lender or any L/C Issuer pursuant to Article II if such Lender or such L/C Issuer, as applicable, has notified the Administrative Agent that it is incapable of receiving notices under such Article by electronic communication.  The Administrative Agent or the Borrower may, in its discretion, agree to accept notices and other communications to it hereunder by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by it, provided that approval of such procedures may be limited to particular notices or communications.











  





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Unless the Administrative Agent otherwise prescribes, (i) notices and other communications sent to an e-mail address shall be deemed received upon the sender's receipt of an acknowledgement from the intended recipient (such as by the "return receipt requested" function, as available, return e-mail or other written acknowledgement), provided that if such notice or other communication is not sent during the normal business hours of the recipient, such notice or communication shall be deemed to have been sent at the opening of business on the next business day for the recipient, and (ii) notices or communications posted to an Internet or intranet website shall be deemed received upon the deemed receipt by the intended recipient at its e-mail address as described in the foregoing clause (i) of notification that such notice or communication is available and identifying the website address therefor.







(c)           The Platform.  THE PLATFORM IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE."  THE AGENT PARTIES (AS DEFINED BELOW) DO NOT WARRANT THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE BORROWER MATERIALS OR THE ADEQUACY OF THE PLATFORM, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM LIABILITY FOR ERRORS IN OR OMISSIONS FROM THE BORROWER MATERIALS.  NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT OF THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR FREEDOM FROM VIRUSES OR OTHER CODE DEFECTS, IS MADE BY ANY AGENT PARTY IN CONNECTION WITH THE BORROWER MATERIALS OR THE PLATFORM.  In no event shall the Administrative Agent or any of its Related Parties (collectively, the "Agent Parties") have any liability to the Borrower, any Lender, any L/C Issuer or any other Person for losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses of any kind (whether in tort, contract or otherwise) arising out of the Borrower's or the Administrative Agent's transmission of Borrower Materials through the Internet, 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 the Borrower, any Lender, any L/C Issuer or any other Person for indirect, special, incidental, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages).







(d)           Change of Address, Etc.  Each of the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, any L/C Issuer and the Swing Line Lender may change its address, telecopier or telephone number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto.  Each other Lender may change its address, telecopier or telephone number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuers and the Swing Line Lender.  In addition, each Lender agrees to notify the Administrative Agent from time to time to ensure that the Administrative Agent has on record (i) an effective address, contact name, telephone number, telecopier number and electronic mail address to which notices and other communications may be sent and (ii) accurate wire instructions for such Lender.  Furthermore, each Public Lender agrees to cause at least one individual at or on behalf of such Public Lender to at all times have selected the "Private Side Information" or similar designation on the content declaration screen of the Platform in order to enable such Public Lender or its delegate, in accordance with such Public Lender's compliance procedures and applicable Law, including United States Federal and state securities Laws, to make reference to Borrower Materials that are not made available through the "Public Side Information" portion of the Platform and that may contain material non-public information with respect to the Borrower or its securities for purposes of United States Federal or state securities laws.







(e)           Reliance by Administrative Agent, L/C Issuers and Lenders. The Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuers and the Lenders shall be entitled to rely and act upon any notices (including telephonic Loan Notices and Swing Line Loan Notices) purportedly given by or on behalf of any Loan Party even if (i) such notices were not made in a manner specified herein, were incomplete or were not preceded or






  





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followed by any other form of notice specified herein, or (ii) the terms thereof, as understood by the recipient, varied from any confirmation thereof.  The Loan Parties shall indemnify the Administrative Agent, each L/C Issuer, each Lender and the Related Parties of each of them from all losses, costs, expenses and liabilities resulting from the reliance by such Person on each notice purportedly given by or on behalf of a Loan Party.  All telephonic notices to and other telephonic communications with the Administrative Agent may be recorded by the Administrative Agent, and each of the parties hereto hereby consents to such recording.







10.03           No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies; Enforcement.







No failure by any Lender, any L/C Issuer or the Administrative Agent to exercise, and no delay by any such Person in exercising, any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder  or under any other Loan Document 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, and provided under each other Loan Document 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, the Administrative Agent in accordance with Section 8.02 for the benefit of all the Lenders and all the L/C Issuers; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not prohibit (a) the Administrative Agent from exercising on its own behalf the rights and remedies that inure to its benefit (solely in its capacity as Administrative Agent) hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, (b) any L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender from exercising the rights and remedies that inure to its benefit (solely in its capacity as L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender, as the case may be) hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, (c) any Lender from exercising setoff rights in accordance with Section 10.08 (subject to the terms of Section 2.13), or (d) any Lender from filing proofs of claim or appearing and filing pleadings on its own behalf during the pendency of a proceeding relative to any Loan Party under any Debtor Relief Law; and provided, further, that if at any time there is no Person acting as Administrative Agent hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, then (i) the Required Lenders shall have the rights otherwise ascribed to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 8.02 and (ii) in addition to the matters set forth in clauses (b), (c) and (d) of the preceding proviso and subject to Section 2.13, 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; and Damage Waiver.







(a)           Costs and Expenses.  The Loan Parties shall pay (i) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates (including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of counsel for the Administrative Agent), in connection with the 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), (ii) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by any L/C Issuer in connection with the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or any demand for payment thereunder and (iii) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any L/C Issuer (including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any L/C Issuer) in connection with the enforcement or protection of its rights (A) in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, including its rights under this Section, or






  





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(B) in connection with the Loans made or Letters of Credit issued hereunder, including all such reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred during any workout, restructuring or negotiations in respect of such Loans or Letters of Credit.







(b)           Indemnification by the Loan Parties.  The Loan Parties shall indemnify the Administrative Agent (and any sub-agent thereof), each Lender and each L/C Issuer, 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 any 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 the Administrative 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 Letter of Credit or the use or proposed use of the proceeds therefrom (including any refusal by an L/C Issuer to honor a demand for payment under a Letter of Credit if the documents presented in connection with such demand do not strictly comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit), (iii) any actual or alleged presence or release of Hazardous Materials on or from any property owned or operated by a Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries, or any Environmental Liability related in any way to a Loan Party 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 any Loan Party, and regardless of whether any Indemnitee is a party thereto; 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 any Loan Party against an Indemnitee for breach in bad faith of such Indemnitee's obligations hereunder or under any other Loan Document, if such Loan Party has obtained a final and nonappealable judgment in its favor on such claim as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction.







(c)           Reimbursement by Lenders.  To the extent that the Loan Parties for any reason fail to indefeasibly pay any amount required under subsection (a) or (b) of this Section to be paid by them to the Administrative Agent (or any sub-agent thereof), any L/C Issuer or any Related Party of any of the foregoing, each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent), such L/C Issuer 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 the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent) or any L/C Issuer in its capacity as such, or against any Related Party of any of the foregoing acting for the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent) or any L/C Issuer in connection with such capacity.  The obligations of the Lenders under this subsection (c) are subject to the provisions of Section 2.12(d).







(d)           Waiver of Consequential Damages, Etc.  To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, no Loan Party shall assert, and each Loan Party 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 Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds thereof.  No Indemnitee referred to in






  





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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 the Administrative Agent, any L/C Issuer and the Swing Line Lender, the replacement of any Lender, the termination of the Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all the other Obligations.







10.05           Payments Set Aside.







To the extent that any payment by or on behalf of any Loan Party is made to the Administrative Agent, any L/C Issuer or any Lender, or the Administrative Agent, any L/C Issuer or any Lender exercises its right of setoff, and such payment or the proceeds of such setoff or any part thereof is subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside or required (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the Administrative Agent, such L/C Issuer or such Lender in its discretion) to be repaid to a trustee, receiver or any other party, in connection with any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law or otherwise, then (a) to the extent of such recovery, the obligation or part thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued in full force and effect as if such payment had not been made or such setoff had not occurred, and (b) each Lender and each L/C Issuer severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent upon demand its applicable share (without duplication) of any amount so recovered from or repaid by the Administrative Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such payment is made at a rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds Rate from time to time in effect.  The obligations of the Lenders and the L/C Issuers 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 and the other Loan Documents shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and thereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, except that the Borrower may not assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder or thereunder without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent and each Lender and no Lender may assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder except (i) to an assignee in accordance with the provisions of subsection (b) of this Section, (ii) by way of participation in accordance with the provisions of subsection (d) of this Section or (iii) by way of pledge or assignment of a security interest subject to the restrictions of subsection (f) of this Section (and any other attempted assignment or transfer by any party hereto shall be null and void).  Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, Participants to the extent provided in subsection (d) of this Section and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related Parties of each of the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuers and the Lenders) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.







(b)           Assignments by Lenders.  Any Lender may at any time assign to one or more assignees all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents






  





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(including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans (including for purposes of this subsection (b), participations in L/C Obligations and in Swing Line Loans) at the time owing to it); provided that any such assignment shall be subject to the following conditions:







(i)           Minimum Amounts.







(A)           in the case of an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender's Commitment and the related Loans at the time owing to it or in the case of an assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund, no minimum amount need be assigned; and







(B)           in any case not described in subsection (b)(i)(A) of this Section, the aggregate amount of the Commitment (which for this purpose includes Loans outstanding thereunder) or, if the Commitment is not then in effect, the principal outstanding balance of the Loans of the assigning Lender subject to each such assignment, determined as of the date the Assignment and Assumption with respect to such assignment is delivered to the Administrative Agent or, if "Trade Date" is specified in the Assignment and Assumption, as of the Trade Date, shall not be less than $5,000,000 unless each of the Administrative Agent and, so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Borrower otherwise consents (each such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed); provided, however, that concurrent assignments to members of an Assignee Group and concurrent assignments from members of an Assignee Group to a single assignee (or to an 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 Lender's Loans and Commitments, and rights and obligations with respect thereto, assigned, except that this clause (ii) shall not apply to the Swing Line Lender's rights and obligations in respect of Swing Line Loans;







(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 the Borrower (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld) shall be required unless (1) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing at the time of such assignment or (2) such assignment is to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund; provided that the Borrower shall be deemed to have consented to any such assignment unless it shall object thereto by written notice to the Administrative Agent within five (5)  Business Days after having received notice thereof;







(B)           the consent of the Administrative Agent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required for assignments in respect of any Commitment if such assignment is to a Person that is not a Lender, an Affiliate of such Lender or an Approved Fund with respect to such Lender; and







(C)           the consent of the L/C Issuers (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required for any assignment that increases the obligation of the assignee to participate in exposure under one or more Letters of Credit (whether or not then outstanding); and











  





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(D)           the consent of the Swing Line Lender (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required for any assignment in respect of Revolving Loans and Revolving Commitments.







(iv)           Assignment and Assumption.  The parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Assignment and Assumption, together with a processing and recordation fee in the amount of $3,500; provided, however, that the Administrative Agent may, in its sole discretion, elect to waive such processing and recordation fee in the case of any assignment.  The assignee, if it shall not be a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent an Administrative Questionnaire.







(v)           No Assignment to Certain Persons.  No such assignment shall be made to (A) the Borrower or any of the Borrower's Affiliates or Subsidiaries, (B) any Defaulting Lender or any of its Subsidiaries, or any Person who, upon becoming a Lender hereunder, would constitute any of the foregoing Persons described in this clause (B), or (C) a natural person.







(vi)           Certain Additional Payments.  In connection with any assignment of rights and obligations of any Defaulting Lender hereunder, no such assignment shall be effective unless and until, in addition to the other conditions thereto set forth herein, the parties to the assignment shall make such additional payments to the Administrative Agent in an aggregate amount sufficient, upon distribution thereof as appropriate (which may be outright payment, purchases by the assignee of participations or subparticipations, or other compensating actions, including funding, with the consent of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, the applicable pro rata share of Loans previously requested but not funded by the Defaulting Lender, to each of which the applicable assignee and assignor hereby irrevocably consent), to (x) pay and satisfy in full all payment liabilities then owed by such Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent or any Lender hereunder (and interest accrued thereon) and (y) acquire (and fund as appropriate) its full pro rata share of all Loans and participations in Letters of Credit and Swing Line Loans in accordance with its Applicable Percentage.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that any assignment of rights and obligations of any Defaulting Lender hereunder shall become effective under applicable Law without compliance with the provisions of this paragraph, then the assignee of such interest shall be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender for all purposes of this Agreement until such compliance occurs.







Subject to acceptance and recording thereof by the Administrative Agent pursuant to subsection (c) of this Section, from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Assumption, the assignee thereunder shall be a party to this Agreement and, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, have the rights and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Assumption covering all of the assigning Lender's rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of Sections 3.01, 3.04, 3.05 and 10.04 with respect to facts and circumstances occurring prior to the effective date of such assignment).  Upon request, the Borrower (at its expense) shall execute and deliver a Note to the assignee Lender.  Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this subsection shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a sale by such Lender of a participation in such rights and obligations in accordance with subsection (d) of this Section.







(c)           Register.  The Administrative Agent, acting solely for this purpose as an agent of the Borrower (and such agency being solely for tax purposes), shall maintain at the Administrative Agent's Office a copy of each Assignment and Assumption delivered to it and a register for the recordation of the






  





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names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Commitments of, and principal amounts of the Loans and L/C Obligations owing to, each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the "Register").  The entries in the Register shall be conclusive, and the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders may treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register pursuant to the terms hereof as a Lender hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement, notwithstanding notice to the contrary.  In addition, the Administrative Agent shall maintain on the Register information regarding the designation, and revocation of designation, of any Lender as a Defaulting Lender.  The Register shall be available for inspection by the Borrower and any Lender at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.







(d)           Participations.  Any Lender may at any time, without the consent of, or notice to, the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, sell participations to any Person (other than a natural person or the Borrower or any of the Borrower's Affiliates or Subsidiaries) (each, a "Participant") in all or a portion of such Lender's rights and/or obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and/or the Loans (including such Lender's participations in L/C Obligations and/or Swing Line Loans) owing to it); provided that (i) such Lender's obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged, (ii) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations and (iii) the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the other Lenders and the L/C Issuers shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender's rights and obligations under this Agreement.  Any agreement or instrument pursuant to which a Lender sells such a participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce this Agreement and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement; provided that such agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, waiver or other modification described in clauses (i) through (vi) of Section 10.01(a) that affects such Participant.  Subject to subsection (e) of this Section, the Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 3.01, 3.04 and 3.05 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 2.13 as though it were a Lender.







(e)           Limitation on 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 the Borrower's prior written consent.  A Participant that would be a Foreign Lender if it were a Lender shall not be entitled to the benefits of Section 3.01 unless the Borrower is notified of the participation sold to such Participant and such Participant agrees, for the benefit of the Borrower, to comply with Section 3.01(e) as though it were a Lender.







(f)           Certain Pledges.  Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement (including under its Note, if any) to secure obligations of such Lender, including any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank; provided that no such pledge or assignment shall release such Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender as a party hereto.







(g)           Resignation as L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender after Assignment.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, if at any time a Lender acting as an L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender assigns all of its Revolving Commitment and Revolving Loans pursuant to subsection (b) above, such Lender may, as applicable, (i) upon thirty days' notice to the Borrower and the Lenders, resign as an L/C Issuer and/or (ii) upon thirty days' notice to the Borrower, resign as Swing Line Lender.  In the event of any such resignation as an L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender, the Borrower shall be entitled






  





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to appoint from among the Lenders a successor L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender hereunder; provided, however, that no failure by the Borrower to appoint any such successor shall affect the resignation of such Lender as an L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender, as the case may be.  If a Lender resigns as an L/C Issuer, it shall retain all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of an L/C Issuer hereunder with respect to all Letters of Credit outstanding as of the effective date of its resignation as an L/C Issuer and all L/C Obligations with respect thereto (including the right to require the Lenders to make Base Rate Loans or fund risk participations in Unreimbursed Amounts pursuant to Section 2.03(c)).  If Wells Fargo resigns as Swing Line Lender, it shall retain all the rights of the Swing Line Lender provided for hereunder with respect to Swing Line Loans made by it and outstanding as of the effective date of such resignation, including the right to require the Lenders to make Base Rate Loans or fund risk participations in outstanding Swing Line Loans pursuant to Section 2.04(c).  Upon the appointment of a successor L/C Issuer and/or Swing Line Lender, (1) such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender, as the case may be, and (2) the successor L/C Issuer shall issue letters of credit in substitution for the Letters of Credit, if any, outstanding at the time of such succession or make other arrangements satisfactory to the resigning L/C Issuer to effectively assume the obligations of the resigning L/C Issuer with respect to such Letters of Credit.







10.07           Treatment of Certain Information; Confidentiality.







Each of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the L/C Issuers 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 any Eligible Assignee invited to become a Lender pursuant to Section 2.01(b) or (ii) any actual or prospective counterparty (or its advisors) to any swap or derivative transaction relating to a Loan Party and its obligations, (g) with the consent of the 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 the Administrative Agent, any Lender, any L/C Issuer or any of their respective Affiliates on a nonconfidential basis from a source other than the Borrower.







For purposes of this Section, "Information" means all information received from a Loan Party or any Subsidiary relating to the Loan Parties or any Subsidiary or any of their respective businesses, other than any such information that is available to the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any L/C Issuer on a nonconfidential basis prior to disclosure by such Loan Party or any Subsidiary, provided that, in the case of information received from a Loan Party or any Subsidiary after the date hereof, such information is clearly identified at the time of delivery as confidential.  Any Person required to maintain the confidentiality of Information as provided in this Section shall be considered to have complied with its obligation to do so if such Person has exercised the same degree of care to maintain the confidentiality of such Information as such Person would accord to its own confidential information.











  





82











  








Each of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the L/C Issuers acknowledges that (a) the Information may include material non-public information concerning a Loan Party or a Subsidiary, as the case may be, (b) it has developed compliance procedures regarding the use of material non-public information and (c) it will handle such material non-public information in accordance with applicable Law, including United States Federal and state securities Laws.







10.08           Set-off.







If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, each Lender, each L/C Issuer and each of their respective Affiliates is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, after obtaining the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, 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, such L/C Issuer or any such Affiliate to or for the credit or the account of any Loan Party against any and all of the obligations of such Loan Party now or hereafter existing under this Agreement or any other Loan Document to such Lender or such L/C Issuer, irrespective of whether or not such Lender or such L/C Issuer shall have made any demand under this Agreement or any other Loan Document and although such obligations of such Loan Party are owed to a branch or office of such Lender or such L/C Issuer different from the branch or office holding such deposit or obligated on such indebtedness; provided, that in the event that any Defaulting Lender shall exercise any such right of setoff, (x) all amounts so set off shall be paid over immediately to the Administrative Agent for further application in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.15 and, pending such payment, shall be segregated by such Defaulting Lender from its other funds and deemed held in trust for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, and (y) the Defaulting Lender shall provide promptly to the Administrative Agent a statement describing in reasonable detail the Obligations owing to such Defaulting Lender as to which it exercised such right of setoff.  The rights of each Lender, each L/C Issuer and their respective Affiliates under this Section are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) that such Lender, such L/C Issuer or their respective Affiliates may have.  Each Lender and each L/C Issuer agrees to notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent promptly after any such setoff and application, provided that the failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such setoff and application.







10.09           Interest Rate Limitation.







Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in any Loan Document, the interest paid or agreed to be paid under the Loan Documents shall not exceed the maximum rate of non-usurious interest permitted by applicable Law (the "Maximum Rate").  If the Administrative Agent or any Lender shall receive interest in an amount that exceeds the Maximum Rate, the excess interest shall be applied to the principal of the Loans or, if it exceeds such unpaid principal, refunded to the Borrower.  In determining whether the interest contracted for, charged, or received by the Administrative Agent or a Lender exceeds the Maximum Rate, such Person may, to the extent permitted by applicable Law, (a) characterize any payment that is not principal as an expense, fee, or premium rather than interest, (b) exclude voluntary prepayments and the effects thereof, and (c) amortize, prorate, allocate, and spread in equal or unequal parts the total amount of interest throughout the contemplated term of the Obligations hereunder.







10.10           Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness.







This Agreement may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto in different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract.  This Agreement and the other Loan Documents constitute the entire contract among the parties relating to the subject matter hereof and supersede any and all previous agreements and






  





83











  








understandings, oral or written, relating to the subject matter hereof.  Except as provided in Sections 5.01 and 5.02, this Agreement shall become effective when it shall have been executed by the Administrative Agent and when the Administrative Agent shall have received counterparts hereof that, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties hereto.  Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Agreement by telecopy or other electronic imaging means shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement.







10.11           Survival of Representations and Warranties.







All representations and warranties made hereunder and in any other Loan Document or other document delivered pursuant hereto or thereto or in connection herewith or therewith shall survive the execution and delivery hereof and thereof.  Such representations and warranties have been or will be relied upon by the Administrative Agent and each Lender, regardless of any investigation made by the Administrative Agent or any Lender or on their behalf and notwithstanding that the Administrative Agent or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of any Default at the time of any Credit Extension, and shall continue in full force and effect as long as any Loan or any other Obligation hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied or any Letter of Credit shall remain outstanding.







10.12           Severability.







If any provision of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents is held to be illegal, invalid or unenforceable, (a) the legality, validity and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall not be affected or impaired thereby and (b) the parties shall endeavor in good faith negotiations to replace the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions.  The invalidity of a provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction.  Without limiting the foregoing provisions of this Section 10.12, if and to the extent that the enforceability of any provisions in this Agreement relating to Defaulting Lenders shall be limited by Debtor Relief Laws, as determined in good faith by the Administrative Agent, the applicable L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender, as applicable, then such provisions shall be deemed to be in effect only to the extent not so limited.







10.13           Replacement of Lenders.







If (i) any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.04, (ii) the Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 3.01, (iii) a Lender (a "Non-Consenting Lender") does not consent to a proposed change, waiver, discharge or termination with respect to any Loan Document that has been approved by the Required Lenders as provided in Section 10.01 but requires unanimous consent of all Lenders or all Lenders directly affected thereby (as applicable) or (iv) any Lender is a Defaulting Lender, then the Borrower may, at its sole expense and effort, upon notice to such Lender and the Administrative Agent, require such Lender to assign and delegate, without recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in, and consents required by, Section 10.06), all of its interests, rights and obligations under this Agreement and the related Loan Documents to an assignee that shall assume such obligations (which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment), provided that:







(a)           the Borrower shall have paid to the Administrative Agent the assignment fee specified in Section 10.06(b);







(b)           such Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding principal of its Loans and L/C Advances, accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other






  





84











  








amounts payable to it hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (including any amounts under Section 3.05) from the assignee (to the extent of such outstanding principal and accrued interest and fees) or the Borrower (in the case of all other amounts);







(c)           in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 3.04 or payments required to be made pursuant to Section 3.01, such assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation or payments thereafter;







(d)           such assignment does not conflict with applicable Laws; and







(e)           in the case of any such assignment resulting from a Non-Consenting Lender's failure to consent to a proposed change, waiver, discharge or termination with respect to any Loan Document, the applicable replacement bank, financial institution or Fund consents to the proposed change, waiver, discharge or termination; provided that the failure by such Non-Consenting Lender to execute and deliver an Assignment and Assumption shall not impair the validity of the removal of such Non-Consenting Lender and the mandatory assignment of such Non-Consenting Lender's Commitments and outstanding Loans and participations in L/C Obligations and Swing Line Loans pursuant to this Section 10.13 shall nevertheless be effective without the execution by such Non-Consenting Lender of an Assignment and Assumption.







A Lender shall not be required to make any such assignment or delegation if, prior thereto, as a result of a waiver by such Lender or otherwise, the circumstances entitling the Borrower to require such assignment and delegation cease to apply.







10.14           Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Etc.







(a)           GOVERNING LAW.  THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS.







(b)           SUBMISSION TO JURISDICTION.  EACH LOAN PARTY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY SUBMITS, FOR ITSELF AND ITS PROPERTY, TO THE NONEXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS SITTING IN COOK COUNTY AND OF THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT OF THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS, 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 ILLINOIS 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.  NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT OR IN ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT SHALL AFFECT ANY RIGHT THAT ANY PARTY MAY OTHERWISE HAVE TO BRING ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT AGAINST ANY PARTY OR ITS PROPERTIES IN THE COURTS OF ANY JURISDICTION.







(c)           WAIVER OF VENUE.  EACH LOAN PARTY 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






  





85











  








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 THE FIRST SENTENCE OF PARAGRAPH (B) OF THIS SECTION.  EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, THE DEFENSE OF AN INCONVENIENT FORUM TO THE MAINTENANCE OF SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING IN ANY SUCH COURT.







(d)           SERVICE OF PROCESS.  EACH PARTY HERETO IRREVOCABLY CONSENTS TO SERVICE OF PROCESS IN THE MANNER PROVIDED FOR NOTICES IN SECTION 10.02.  NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT WILL AFFECT THE RIGHT OF ANY PARTY HERETO TO SERVE PROCESS IN ANY OTHER MANNER PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW.







10.15           Waiver of Right to Trial by Jury.







EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY).  EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PERSON HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PERSON WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION.







10.16           No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility.







In connection with all aspects of each transaction contemplated hereby (including in connection with any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Loan Document), each of the Loan Parties acknowledges and agrees, and acknowledges its Affiliates' understanding, that: (i) (A) the arranging and other services regarding this Agreement provided by the Administrative Agent and the Arrangers, are arm's-length commercial transactions between the Loan Parties and their respective Affiliates, on the one hand, and the Administrative Agent and the Arrangers, on the other hand, (B) each of the Loan Parties has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it has deemed appropriate, and (C) each of the Loan Parties is capable of evaluating, and understands and accepts, the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the other Loan Documents; (ii) (A) the Administrative Agent and the Arrangers each is and has been acting solely as a principal and, except as expressly agreed in writing by the relevant parties, has not been, is not, and will not be acting as an advisor, agent or fiduciary for the Loan Parties or any of their respective Affiliates, or any other Person and (B) neither the Administrative Agent nor any Arranger has any obligation to the Loan Parties or any of their respective Affiliates with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby except those obligations expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents; and (iii) the Administrative Agent and the Arrangers and their respective Affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Loan Parties and their respective Affiliates, and neither the Administrative Agent nor any Arranger has any obligation to disclose any of such interests to the Loan Parties and their respective Affiliates.  To the fullest extent permitted by Law, each of the Loan Parties hereby waives and releases any claims that it may have against the Administrative Agent and the Arrangers with respect to any breach or alleged breach of agency or fiduciary duty in connection with any aspect of any transaction contemplated hereby.











  





86











  








10.17           Electronic Execution of Assignments and Certain Other Documents.









The words "execution," "signed," "signature," and words of like import in any Assignment and Assumption or in any amendment or other modification hereof (including waivers and consents) shall be deemed to include electronic signatures or the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, to the extent and as provided for in any applicable law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act, or any other similar state laws based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act.







10.18           USA PATRIOT Act Notice.







Each Lender that is subject to the Act (as hereinafter defined) and the Administrative Agent (for itself and not on behalf of any Lender) hereby notifies the Borrower that pursuant to the requirements of the USA PATRIOT Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)) (the "Act"), it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies the Borrower, which information includes the name and address of the Borrower and other information that will allow such Lender or the Administrative Agent, as applicable, to identify the Borrower in accordance with the Act.  The Borrower shall, promptly following a request by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, provide all documentation and other information that the Administrative Agent or such Lender reasonably requests in order to comply with its ongoing obligations under applicable "know your customer" and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including the Act.







10.19           Press Releases and Related Matters.







The Borrower and its Affiliates agree that they will not in the future issue any press releases or other public disclosure using the name of the Administrative Agent or any Lender or their respective Affiliates or referring to this Agreement or any of the Loan Documents without the prior written consent of such Person, unless (and only to the extent that) the Borrower or such Affiliate is required to do so under Law and then, in any event, the Borrower or such Affiliate will consult with such Person before issuing such press release or other public disclosure; provided, however, the Borrower and its Affiliates shall not be required to obtain the prior written consent of any Person or consult with any Person prior to any public disclosure required (a) pursuant to any federal securities laws applicable to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, (b) pursuant to the rules and regulations governing the New York Stock Exchange or any other stock exchange or quotation service from time to time applicable to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or (c) by any other Governmental Authority.  The Borrower and its Subsidiaries consent to the publication by the Administrative Agent or any Lender of customary advertising material relating to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Loan Documents using the name, product photographs, logo or trademark of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries.







10.20           Co-Syndication Agents.







None of the Lenders identified in this Agreement as a Co-Syndication Agent shall have any right, power, obligation, liability, responsibility or duty under this Agreement other than those applicable to all Lenders as such.  Without limiting the foregoing, none of such Lenders shall have or be deemed to have a fiduciary relationship with any Lender.  Each Lender hereby makes the same acknowledgments with respect to such Lenders as it makes with respect to the Administrative Agent in Section 9.07.





















  





87











  








[SIGNATURE PAGES FOLLOW]






  





88











  








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








	
BORROWER:

	
VECTREN CAPITAL, CORP.,


	  	
an Indiana corporation


	  	  	  
	  	
By:

	
/s/ Robert L. Goocher


	  	
Name:  Robert L. Goocher


	  	
Title:  Vice President, Treasurer and Assistant Secretary


	  	  	  
	  	  	  
	
GUARANTOR:

	
VECTREN CORPORATION,


	  	
an Indiana corporation


	  	  	  
	  	  	  
	  	
By:

	
/s/ Robert L. Goocher


	  	
Name:  Robert L. Goocher


	  	
Title:  Vice President and Treasurer


	  	  	  
	  	  	  
	  	  	  
	
ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT:

	  	  
	 	
WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,


	  	
as Administrative Agent


	  	  	  
	  	
By:

	
/s/ Allison Newman


	  	
Name:  Allison Newman


	  	
Title:  Vice President


	  	  	  
	  	  	  
	
LENDERS:

	
WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,


	  	
as a Lender, Swing Line Lender and an L/C Issuer


	  	  	  
	  	
By:

	
/s/ Allison Newman


	  	
Name:  Allison Newman


	  	
Title:  Vice President


	  	  	  
	  	
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,


	  	
as a Lender and an L/C Issuer


	  	  	  
	  	
By:

	
/s/ Carlos Morales


	  	
Name:  Carlos Morales


	  	
Title:  Vice President


	  	  	  
	  	
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,


	  	
as a Lender and an L/C Issuer


	  	  	  
	  	
By:

	
/s/ Helen D. Davis


	  	
Name:  Helen D. Davis


	  	
Title:  Vice President


	  	  	  
	  	  	  









  





89











  














	  	
UNION BANK, N.A.,


	  	
as a Lender and an L/C Issuer


	  	  	  
	  	
By:

	
/s/ Jeff Fesenmaier


	  	
Name:  Jeff Fesenmaier


	  	
Title:  Vice President


	  	  	  
	  	
FIFTH THIRD BANK,


	  	
as a Lender


	  	  	  
	  	
By:

	
/s/ Jennifer Raibley


	  	
Name:  Jennifer Raibley


	  	
Title:  Vice-President


	  	  	  
	  	
U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,


	  	
as a Lender


	  	  	  
	  	
By:

	
/s/ Eric J. Cosgrove


	  	
Name:  Eric J. Cosgrove


	  	
Title:  Vice President


	  	  	  
	  	
PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,


	  	
as a Lender


	  	  	  
	  	
By:

	
/s/ Tracy J. Venable


	  	
Name:  Tracy J. Venable


	  	
Title:  Senior Vice President


	  	  	  
	  	
REGIONS BANK,


	  	
as a Lender


	  	  	  
	  	
By:

	
/s/ Amy Losh


	  	
Name:  Amy Losh


	  	
Title:  AVP


	  	  	  
	  	  	  
	  	
OLD NATIONAL BANK,


	  	
as a Lender


	  	  	  
	  	
By:

	
/s/ Wade Jenkins


	  	
Name:  Wade Jenkins


	  	
Title:  Vice President


	  	  	  
	  	
INTEGRA BANK N.A.,


	  	
as a Lender


	  	  	  
	  	
By:

	
/s/ Chris E. Rutledge


	  	
Name:  Chris E. Rutledge


	  	
Title:  SVP









 


 


 


90


 


 


 




  





  











  






 







Schedule 1.01







EXISTING LETTERS OF CREDIT








	
Issuing Bank

	
Beneficiary

	
SBLC No.

	
Date of Expiry

	
Face Amount


	
Bank of America, N.A.

	
Indiana Department of Natural Resources Division of Reclamation

	
68030216

	
10/02/12

	
$3,600,000.00


	
Bank of America, N.A.

	
Liberty Mutual Insurance Company

	
68046190

	
5/01/11

	
$4,625,300.00


	
Bank of America, N.A.

	
Zurich American Insurance

	
68046191

	
5/01/11

	
$2,195,457.00












 


 






  





  











  









	
Schedule 2.01













	
COMMITMENTS AND APPLICABLE PERCENTAGES













	
 


Lender


 

	
Revolving Commitment

	
Applicable Percentage of Revolving Commitment


	
Wells Fargo Bank,


National Association

	
$35,416,667.00

	
14.166666800%


	
Bank of America, N.A.

	
$35,416,666.00

	
14.166666400%


	
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.

	
$35,416,667.00

	
14.166666800%


	
Union Bank, N.A.

	
$35,416,667.00

	
14.166666800%


	
Fifth Third Bank

	
$27,083,333.00

	
10.833333200%


	
U.S. Bank National Association

	
$27,083,333.00

	
10.833333200%


	
PNC Bank, N.A.

	
$27,083,333.00

	
10.833333200%


	
Regions Bank

	
$16,666,667.00

	
6.666666800%


	
Old National Bank

	
$6,250,000.00

	
2.500000000%


	
Integra Bank N.A.

	
$4,166,667.00

	
1.666666800%


	
TOTAL

	
$250,000,000.00

	
100.000000000%

















 




  





  











  











Schedule 6.08







SUBSIDIARIES












None.











 




  





  











  













Schedule 6.14







LIENS EXISTING ON THE CLOSING DATE












None.











 




  





  











  













Schedule 7.12







INVESTMENTS EXISTING ON THE CLOSING DATE












None other than Investments permitted under Section 7.12 of the Credit Agreement.











 




  





  











  













Schedule 7.16







CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS












The payment of cash dividends on common stock of Southern Indiana Gas and Electric Company (“SIGECO”) to Vectren Utility Holdings, Inc. (“VUHI”) is, in effect, restricted by SIGECO’s First Mortgage Indenture (the “Mortgage”).  The Mortgage restricts dividends to accumulated surplus available for distribution to common stock earned subsequent to December 31, 1947 if amounts deducted from earnings for current repairs and maintenance and provisions for renewals, replacements and depreciation of all the property of SIGECO are less than amounts specified in the Mortgage.  (Section 1.02 of the Supplemental Indenture dated as of July 1, 1948, as supplemented.)  No amount was restricted against cash dividends on common stock as of December 31, 2009 under this restriction.











 




  





  











  













Schedule 7.17







INDEBTEDNESS EXISTING ON THE CLOSING DATE












None.
















 




  





  











  













Schedule 10.02







CERTAIN ADDRESSES FOR NOTICES







Loan Parties:







Borrower:







Vectren Capital, Corp.


One Vectren Square


Evansville, Indiana  47708


Attention:  Robert L. Goocher


Telephone: 



	
Telecopier: 












Guarantor:







Vectren Corporation


One Vectren Square


Evansville, Indiana  47708


Attention:  Robert L. Goocher


Telephone: 



	
Telecopier: 












Administrative Agent:







For operational notices (borrowings, payments, etc.):







Wells Fargo Bank, National Association


1525 W WT Harris Boulevard


Charlotte, NC 28262


Mail Code: D1109-019


Attn:  Syndication Agency Services


Telephone: 


Fax:  












Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as L/C Issuer:







Wells Fargo Bank, National Association


301 S. College St., 15th Floor


MAC: D1053-153


Charlotte, NC 28288


Attn:  Elaine B. Shue


Telephone: 


Fax:  


Email: 














  





  











  












	
Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Swing Line Lender:







 







Wells Fargo Bank, National Association


1525 W WT Harris Boulevard


Charlotte, NC 28262


Mail Code: D1109-019


Attn:  Syndication Agency Services


Telephone: 


Fax:  






















 








  





  











  








Exhibit 2.02







FORM OF LOAN NOTICE







Date:  ___________, 201__







 



	
To:

	
Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Administrative Agent







 








	
Ladies and Gentlemen:












Reference is made to that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of September 30, 2010 (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 Vectren Capital, Corp., an Indiana corporation (the "Borrower"), the Guarantor party thereto, the Lenders from time to time party thereto, and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Administrative Agent.







The undersigned hereby requests (select one):




 


o A Borrowing of Revolving Loans


 


o A conversion or continuation of Revolving Loans







1.           On _____________________ (a Business Day).







2.           In the amount of $_____________________.







3.           Comprised of ________________________.

            [Type of Loan requested]







4.           For Eurodollar Rate Loans:  with an Interest Period of ___ months.







With respect to such Borrowing, the Borrower hereby represents and warrants that (i) after giving effect to any Borrowing of Revolving Loans, (x) the Total Revolving Outstandings does not exceed the Aggregate Revolving Commitments, and (y) the aggregate Outstanding Amount of the Revolving Loans of any Lender, plus such Lender's Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations, plus such Lender's Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of all Swing Line Loans does not exceed such Lender's Revolving Commitment and (ii) the conditions specified in Sections 5.03(a) and (b) of the Credit Agreement have been satisfied on and as of the date of such Borrowing.


 


 


 



	 	VECTREN CAPITAL, CORP.,
	 	an Indiana corporation
	 	 	 
	 	By:	 
	 	Name: 	 
	 	Title:	 





 







 




  





  











  








Exhibit 2.04







FORM OF SWING LINE LOAN NOTICE







Date: __________, 201_







To:           Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Swing Line Lender







Cc:           Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Administrative Agent








	
Re:

	
Credit Agreement (as amended, modified, supplemented and extended from time to time, the "Credit Agreement") dated as of September 30, 2010 among Vectren Capital, Corp., an Indiana corporation (the "Borrower"), the Guarantor party thereto, the Lenders identified therein, and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Administrative Agent.  Capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein have the meanings provided in the Credit Agreement.












Ladies and Gentlemen:







The undersigned hereby requests a Swing Line Loan:







1.           On ______________________, 201_ (a Business Day).







2.           In the amount of $__________.







3.           Bearing interest at the [Base Rate] [London Market Index Rate].







With respect to such Borrowing of Swing Line Loans, the Borrower hereby represents and warrants that (i) after giving effect to any Swing Line Loan, (i) the Total Revolving Outstandings shall not exceed the Aggregate Revolving Commitments, and (ii) the aggregate Outstanding Amount of the Revolving Loans of any Lender, plus such Lender's Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations, plus such Lender's Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of all Swing Line Loans shall not exceed such Lender's Revolving Commitment and (ii) each of the conditions set forth in Sections 5.03(a) and (b) of the Credit Agreement have been satisfied on and as of the date of such Borrowing of Swing Line Loans.


 


 



 



	 	VECTREN CAPITAL, CORP.,
	 	an Indiana corporation
	 	 	 
	 	By:	 
	 	Name: 	 
	 	Title:	 





 

















 




  





  











  








Exhibit 2.11(a)







FORM OF NOTE







____________, 201__







FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned (the "Borrower"), hereby promises to pay to _____________________ or registered assigns (the "Lender"), in accordance with the provisions of the Agreement (as hereinafter defined), the principal amount of each Loan from time to time made by the Lender to the Borrower under that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of September 30, 2010 (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 Borrower, the Guarantor party thereto, the Lenders from time to time party thereto, and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Administrative Agent.







The Borrower promises to pay interest on the unpaid principal amount of each Loan from the date of such Loan 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 the Administrative 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.  Loans made by the Lender shall be evidenced by one or more loan accounts or records maintained by the Lender in the ordinary course of business. The Lender may also attach schedules to this Note and endorse thereon the date, amount and maturity of its Loans and payments with respect thereto.







The 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 STATE OF ILLINOIS.







 



 



 



	 	VECTREN CAPITAL, CORP.,
	 	an Indiana corporation
	 	 	 
	 	By:	 
	 	Name: 	 
	 	Title:	 





 








 







 




  





  











  








Exhibit 5.02(d)







FORM OF OPINION


 


 


 


 


 







 




  





  











  


















September 30, 2010












Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Administrative Agent


301 S. College Street


Charlotte, NC  28288







The Lenders which are parties to the Credit Agreement








	
  

	
Re:

	
Credit Agreement, dated as of September 30, 2010, by and among Vectren Capital, Corp., Vectren Corporation, the Lenders signatory thereto, and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Administrative Agent, Swing Line Lender and an L/C Issuer (the “Credit Agreement”)












Ladies and Gentlemen:







We have acted as counsel to Vectren Capital, Corp., an Indiana corporation (the “Borrower”), and Vectren Corporation, an Indiana corporation (the “Guarantor”), in connection with the transactions contemplated by the above-referenced Credit Agreement. Capitalized terms used herein and not specifically defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the Credit Agreement. The opinion is being delivered to you pursuant to Section 5.02(d) of the Credit Agreement.


 


In this connection, we have examined the Credit Agreement, the Notes and the Fee Letters (collectively, the “Transaction Documents”) and such records, certificates and other documents and such questions of law as we have considered necessary and appropriate for the purpose of rendering the opinion set forth below (including, without limitation, certificates of existence issued by the Indiana Secretary of State). As to questions of fact related to such opinions, we have relied solely upon certificates of officers of the Borrower and the Guarantor, certificates of public officials (including, without limitation, certificates of existence issued by the Indiana Secretary of State), and the representations and warranties of the Borrower, the Guarantor, the Administrative Agent, and the Lenders in the Credit Agreement.


 


For purposes of rendering this opinion, we have, with your consent and without investigation, assumed:


 


(a) the genuineness of the signatures of all persons (other than the officers of the Borrower and the Guarantor) signing the Transaction Documents and all instruments, documents, certificates, applications, consents, filings and/or agreements related to the transactions contemplated thereby or included in the schedules thereto (collectively, the “Pertinent Documents”);


 


(b) the authority of the persons executing the Pertinent Documents on behalf of the parties thereto (other than the Borrower and the Guarantor);


 


(c) the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals;


 


(d) the accuracy and completeness of all corporate and public documents and records made available to us;


 


(e) the conformity to authentic original documents of all documents submitted to us as certified, conformed or photostatic copies;


 


 




  





  











  






 


(f) the due authorization, execution and delivery of the Pertinent Documents by the parties thereto (other than by the Borrower and the Guarantor);


 


(g) the legal existence of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders;


 


(h) that the Administrative Agent and the Lenders have acted in good faith;


 


(i) the compliance by the Administrative Agent and the Lenders with all laws applicable to them that affect the validity of the transactions contemplated by the Credit Agreement; and


 


(j) that the Pertinent Documents are binding upon all the parties thereto (other than the Borrower and the Guarantor) and that all parties thereto (other than the Borrower and the Guarantor) will act in accordance with the terms and provisions thereof.


 


In addition, we have assumed that:


 


(a) all decisional authorities, statutes, rules and regulations comprising the applicable law for which we are assuming responsibility are published or otherwise generally accessible, in each case in a manner generally available to lawyers practicing in the State of Indiana; and


 


(b) routine procedural matters, such as service of process or qualification to do business in the jurisdiction, will be satisfied by the party seeking to enforce any of the Transaction Documents.


 


Based upon the foregoing and subject to the exceptions hereinafter set forth, we are of the opinion that:


 


1. Each of the Borrower and the Guarantor is a corporation duly organized and validly existing under the laws of the State of Indiana and has the corporate power and the corporate authority to execute, deliver, and perform the Transaction Documents to which it is a party.


 


2. Each of the Borrower and the Guarantor has full corporate power and corporate authority and is duly authorized to conduct the activities in which it is now engaged. Each of the Borrower and the Guarantor is duly qualified and (where applicable) is in good standing as a foreign corporation in all jurisdictions where it is required to be so qualified, except where the failure to be so qualified could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.


 


3. The execution, delivery, and performance of the Credit Agreement has been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of the Borrower and the Guarantor, has been duly executed and delivered by the Borrower and the Guarantor, and the Credit Agreement constitutes a legal, valid, and binding contract of the Borrower and the Guarantor enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as the same may be limited by (i) the United States Bankruptcy Code, (ii) any applicable insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent transfer or conveyance laws relating to or affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally, (iii) other laws, court decisions and legal and equitable doctrines, in each case, affecting the right to specific performance, injunctive relief and other equitable remedies (regardless of whether the application of such principles is considered in a proceeding in equity or law).


 


4. The execution, delivery, and performance of the Notes and the Fee Letters have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of the Borrower, have been duly executed and delivered by the Borrower, and the Notes and the Fee Letters constitute the legal, valid, and binding contracts of the Borrower enforceable in accordance with their terms, except as the same may be limited by (i) the United States Bankruptcy Code, (ii) any applicable insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent transfer or conveyance laws relating to or affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights 


 


 




  





  











  






 


generally, and (iii) other laws, court decisions and legal and equitable doctrines, in each case, affecting the right to specific performance, injunctive relief and other equitable remedies (regardless of whether the application of such principles is considered in a proceeding in equity or law).


 


5. The issuance of the Notes, and the execution, delivery and performance by each of the Borrower and the Guarantor of the Transaction Documents to which it is a party does not conflict with or result in any breach of any of the provisions of or constitute a default under or result in the creation or imposition of any lien or encumbrance upon any of the property of either the Borrower or the Guarantor pursuant to (a) the provisions of the Organizational Documents (as hereinafter defined) of either the Borrower or the Guarantor, or (b) any Federal or Indiana law, rule, regulation applicable to the Borrower or any of the Guarantors, or, to our knowledge, any order, writ, judgment, injunction, decree, or award binding on the Borrower or the Guarantor or (c) the Agreements listed on Schedule 1 hereto (the “Financing Documents”).


 


6. To our knowledge there is no litigation, arbitration, governmental investigation, proceeding, or inquiry pending or threatened against the Borrower or the Guarantor which, if adversely determined, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.


 


7. No order, consent, adjudication, approval, license, authorization, or validation of, or filing, recording or registration with or exemption by, or other action in respect of any governmental or public body or authority, or any subdivision thereof, which has not been obtained by the Borrower or the Guarantor is required to be obtained by the Borrower or the Guarantor in connection with the execution and delivery of the Transaction Documents, the Loans under the Credit Agreement, the payment and performance by the Borrower of the Obligations, or the legality, validity, binding effect or enforceability of any of the Transaction Documents.


 


8. Neither the Borrower nor the Guarantor is an “investment company” or an entity “controlled by” an “investment company” as such terms are defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.


 


Our opinion is subject to the following qualifications and limitations:


 


A. Any certificates or representations obtained by us from officers of the Borrower or the Guarantor or others with respect to matters of fact, but not legal conclusions, on which such opinions have been based have been relied upon by us without independent verification.


 


B. This opinion letter is limited to the current Federal laws of the United States and the current internal laws of the States of Indiana and Illinois (without giving effect to any conflict of law principles thereof) and we have not considered, and express no opinion on, the laws of any other jurisdiction.


 


C. This opinion letter is dated and speaks as of the date hereof. We have no obligation to update or supplement this opinion to reflect any facts or circumstances that may hereafter come to our attention, even though the legal analysis or legal conclusions contained in this opinion letter may be affected by such changes.


 


D. Whenever we have stated we assumed any matter, it is intended to indicate that we have assumed such matter without making any factual, legal, or other inquiry or investigation, and without expressing any opinion or stating any conclusion of any kind concerning such matter.


 


E. Whenever any statement of this opinion letter is qualified by the phrase “to our knowledge,” “of which we are aware,” or a phrase of similar import, such phrase is intended to mean the actual knowledge of information by the lawyers in our firm who have been principally involved in negotiating the subject transaction, but does not include other information that might be revealed if there were to be undertaken a canvass of all lawyers in our firm, a general search of our files or any type of independent investigation. Moreover, we have not undertaken any independent investigation to determine the accuracy 


 


 




  





  











  






 


or completeness of such knowledge and any limited inquiries by us should not be regarded as such an investigation.


 


F. “Organizational Documents” means the articles of incorporation, certificate of incorporation or charter and any by-laws of a corporation.


 


G. We express no opinion herein as to the validity or enforceability of any provision of any Transaction Document that (a) purports to waive trial by jury, (b) purports to waive or limit the right to assert any claims, remedies, defenses or rights of setoff that any of the Borrower or the Guarantors may have at law or in equity, (c) provides that waivers, consents, amendments or modifications must be in writing, (d) purports to confer, waive or consent to the jurisdiction of any court, or (e) provides for reimbursement of attorneys’ fees to the extent such attorneys’ fees are not reasonable. We express no opinion as to any provision of any Transaction Document relating to severability, as applied to any portion thereof deemed by a court to be material. We further express no opinion as to the enforceability of any provision for indemnification or contribution where such indemnification or contribution is contrary to public policy or prohibited by law.


 


H. We express no opinion regarding the applicability or effect of or any compliance with any federal or state antitrust, securities, environmental, ERISA, banking, zoning, health, safety, building, land use or subdivision laws, or the rules and regulations pertaining thereto.


 


I. The only opinions intended to be provided herein are those which are expressly stated herein and no opinions by implication are intended or given.


 


J. This opinion is furnished solely for your benefit in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Credit Agreement and may not be relied upon by, or furnished to, any other person, firm, or corporation for any other purpose, without our prior written consent (other than permitted participants and assigns of the Lenders).


 


K. We express no opinion with respect to any future modification, extension or renewal of the Credit Agreement or the Notes.


 


L. In connection with the opinions contained in paragraph 5 above, we express no opinion with respect to any provision of the Financing Documents which constitutes a financial ratio or financial covenant.


 







Very truly yours,












 




  





  











  








Schedule 1












1.           Note Purchase Agreement, dated as of March 11, 2009, among Vectren Capital, Corp., Vectren Corporation and the Purchasers which are parties thereto.







2.           Note Purchase Agreement, dated as of October 11, 2005, among Vectren Capital, Corp., Vectren Corporation and the Purchasers which are parties thereto as amended by First Amendment to Note Purchase Agreement, dated as of October 11, 2005.







3.           Note Purchase Agreement, dated as of April 25, 1997, among Vectren Capital, Corp. (f/k/a SIG CORP Capital, Inc.), Vectren Corporation (as successor to SIG CORP, Inc.) and the Purchaser which is a party thereto as amended by First Amendment to Note Purchase Agreement dated as of October 11, 2005, and Second Amendment to Note Purchase Agreement, dated as of March 11, 2009.







4.           Note Purchase Agreement, dated as of December 21, 2000, among Vectren Corporation, Vectren Capital, Corp. and the Purchasers which are parties thereto as amended by First Amendment to Note Purchase Agreement, dated as of October 11, 2005.







5.           Note Purchase Agreement, dated as of April 7, 2009, among Vectren Utility Holdings, Inc., Indiana Gas Company, Inc., Southern Indiana Gas and Electric Company, Vectren Energy Delivery of Ohio, Inc. and the Purchasers which are parties thereto.







6.           Mortgage and Deed of Trust, dated as of April 1, 1932, between Southern Indiana Gas and Electric Company and Bankers Trust Company (as supplemented).





































 




  





  











  








Exhibit 7.01







FORM OF COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE







For the quarter/year ended _________________, 201__.







I, ______________________, [Title] of VECTREN CAPITAL, CORP., an Indiana corporation (the "Borrower") hereby certify that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, with respect to that certain Credit Agreement dated as of September 30, 2010 (as amended, restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the "Credit Agreement"; the terms defined therein being used herein as therein defined) among the Borrower, the Guarantor, the Lenders and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Administrative Agent:







(a)           The Borrower has delivered the following financial statements:








	 	 o	
the year-end audited financial statements required by Section 7.01(a) of the Credit Agreement for the fiscal year of the Borrower ended as of the above date, together with the report thereon of an independent certified public accountant required by such section.













	
  

	 o	
either (i) the unaudited consolidated financial statements required by Section 7.01(b) of the Credit Agreement for the fiscal quarter of the Borrower ended as of the above date or (ii) if the Borrower is then a "registrant" within the meaning of Rule 1-01 of Regulation S-X of the SEC and required to file a report on Form 10-Q with the SEC, a copy of the Borrower's report on Form 10-Q for such quarterly period.  Such consolidated financial statements fairly present, in all material respects, the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP as at such date and for such period, subject only to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes.













	
  

	
(b)

	
Since ___________ (the date of the last similar certification, or, if none, the Closing Date) no Default or Event of Default has occurred under the Credit Agreement.













	
  

	
(c)

	
Attached hereto as Schedule 1 are detailed calculations demonstrating compliance by the Loan Parties with the financial covenant contained in Section 7.15 of the Credit Agreement as of the end of the fiscal period referred to above.













	
  

	 










This ______ day of ___________, 201_.



 



 



	 	VECTREN CAPITAL, CORP.,
	 	an Indiana corporation
	 	 	 
	 	By:	 
	 	Name: 	 
	 	Title:	 





 














 




  





  











  








Schedule 1 to Compliance Certificate







 


 


Computation of Financial Covenants







For the quarter/year ended _________________ ("Statement Date")








	
I.

	Consolidated Debt to Capitalization Ratio
	  	A.	
Consolidated Indebtedness

	$	
           


	  	B.	
Consolidated Indebtedness+


Consolidated Net Worth

	$	
 


  


	  	C.	
Consolidated Debt to Capitalization Ratio (A ÷ B)

	 	
_____________  to 1.0


	  	 	  	 	
 


	  	 	
Maximum permitted: .65 to 1.0

	 	  










 




  





  











  








Exhibit 10.06(b)







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 [Insert name of Assignor] (the "Assignor") and [Insert name of Assignee] (the "Assignee").  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 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 Assignor hereby irrevocably sells and assigns to the Assignee, and the Assignee hereby irrevocably purchases and assumes from the Assignor, subject to and in accordance with the Standard Terms and Conditions and the Credit Agreement, as of the Effective Date inserted by the Administrative Agent as contemplated below (i) all of the Assignor's rights and obligations as a Lender 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 under the respective facilities identified below (including, without limitation, Letters of Credit, Guarantees and Swing Line Loans included in such facilities) 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) 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 pursuant to clauses (i) and (ii) above being referred to herein collectively as, the "Assigned Interest").  Such sale and assignment is without recourse to the Assignor and, except as expressly provided in this Assignment and Assumption, without representation or warranty by the Assignor.


 




	
1.

	
Assignor:

	  
	  	  	  
	
2.

	
Assignee:

	  
	  	  	
[and is an Affiliate/Approved Fund of [identify Lender]1]


	  	  	  
	
3.

	
Borrower:

	
Vectren Capital, Corp.


	  	  	  
	
4.

	
Agent:

	
Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as the administrative agent under the Credit Agreement


	  	  	  
	
5.

	
Credit Agreement:

	
Credit Agreement dated as of September 30, 2010 among Borrower, the Guarantor party thereto, the Lenders parties thereto and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Administrative Agent


	 	 	 
	6.	Assigned Interest:	 







 









	
Facility Assigned2

	
Aggregate Amount of Commitment/Loans for all Lenders*

	
Amount of Commitment/Loans Assigned*

	
Percentage Assigned of Commitment/Loans3





 



1 Select as applicable.  



2 Fill in the appropriate terminology for the types of facilities under the Credit Agreement that are being assigned under this Assignment (e.g. “Revolving Commitment,” etc.)  





* Amount to be adjusted by the counterparties to take into account any payments or prepayments made between the Trade Date and the Effective Date.


 




  





  











  










 


	  	
$

	
$

	
%


	  	
$

	
$

	
%


	  	
$

	
$

	
%












[7.           Trade Date:                                ______________]4







Effective Date:   _____________ ___, 201__ [TO BE INSERTED BY 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:












[Consented to and]5 Accepted:







WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,


 as Agent







By_________________________________


     Title:







[Consented to:]6







[WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,


as L/C Issuer][and Swing Line Lender]







By________________________________


     Title:












[BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as L/C Issuer]







By________________________________


     Title:







[JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as L/C Issuer]







By________________________________


     Title:


 


 











3 Set forth, to at least 9 decimals, as a percentage of the Commitment/Loans of all Lenders thereunder.  





4 To be completed if the Assignor and the Assignee intend that the minimum assignment amount is to be determined as of the Trade Date.  





5 To be added only if the consent of the Administrative Agent is required by the terms of the Credit Agreement.  





6 To be added only if the consent of the Borrower and/or other parties (e.g. L/C Issuer) is required by the terms of the Credit Agreement.











  





  











  











[UNION BANK, N.A., as L/C Issuer]







By________________________________


     Title:







[________________, as L/C Issuer]







By________________________________


     Title:












[VECTREN CAPITAL, CORP.]







By________________________________


     Title:









    







 




  





  











  











ANNEX 1







STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR


ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION







1.  Representations and Warranties.







1.1.  Assignor.  The Assignor (a) represents and warrants that (i) it is the legal and beneficial owner of the Assigned Interest, (ii) the 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 the 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 the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates or any other Person of any of their respective obligations under any Loan Document.







1.2.  Assignee.  The 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 the requirements to be an assignee under Section 11.06(b)(iii) and (v) of the Credit Agreement (subject to such consents, if any, as may be required under Section 11.06(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 Assigned Interest, shall have the obligations of a Lender thereunder, (iv) it is sophisticated with respect to decisions to acquire assets of the type represented by the Assigned Interest and either it, or the Person exercising discretion in making its decision to acquire the 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 7.01 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 Assigned Interest, (vi) it has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative 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 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 Assignee; and (b) agrees that (i) it will, independently and without reliance on the Administrative Agent, the 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.







2.   Payments.  From and after the Effective Date, the Administrative Agent shall make all payments in respect of the Assigned Interest (including payments of principal, interest, fees and other amounts) to the Assignor for amounts which have accrued to but excluding the Effective Date and to the 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 State of Illinois.


 


 


 






  





  











  








Exhibit 10.06(b)(iv)







FORM OF ADMINISTRATIVE QUESTIONNAIRE







(See attached.)








  





  











  



ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS REPLY FORM – US DOLLAR ONLY








CONFIDENTIAL
















 


FAX TO:  Jeff Standish


FAX:   704.683.9253







I.    Borrower Name:    Vectren Capital, Corp.







$250,000,000 Senior Credit Facility for Vectren Capital, Corp..












II. Legal Name of Lender of Record for Signature Page:











  





	
·  

	
Signing Credit Agreement        _____ YES        _____NO








	
·  

	
Coming in via Assignment        _____ YES         _____NO












III. Type of Lender: ______________________________________________________________________________


(Bank, Asset Manager, Broker/Dealer, CLO/CDO, Finance Company, Hedge Fund, Insurance, Mutual Fund, Pension Fund, Other Regulated Investment Fund, Special Purpose Vehicle, Other – please specify)


 



	\IV. Domestic Address: 	 	V.  Eurodollar Address:
	 	 	 
	 	 	 
	 	 	 
	 	 	 





 


 


VI.  Contact Information:


 


Syndicate level information (which may contain material non-public information about the Borrower and its related parties or their respective securities will be made available to the Credit Contact(s).  The Credit Contacts identified must be able to receive such information in accordance with his/her institution's compliance procedures and applicable laws, including Federal and State securities laws.


 




	  	  	
Credit Contact

	  	
Primary Operations Contact

	  	
Secondary Operations Contact


	  	  	  	  	  	  	  
	
Name:

	  	  	  	  	  	  
	  	  	  	  	  	  	  
	
Title:

	  	  	  	  	  	  
	  	  	  	  	  	  	  
	
Address:

	  	  	  	  	  	  
	  	  	  	  	  	  	  
	  	  	  	  	  	  	  
	  	  	  	  	  	  	  
	
Telephone:

	  	  	  	  	  	  
	  	  	  	  	  	  	  
	
Facsimile:

	  	  	  	  	  	  
	  	  	  	  	  	  	  
	
E Mail Address:

	  	  	  	  	  	  
	  	  	  	  	  	  	  
	
IntraLinks E Mail Address:

	  	  	  	  	  	  
	  	  	  	  	  	  	  







 


                   Does Secondary Operations Contact need copy of notices?   ___YES   ___ NO










  





  











  








 



ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS REPLY FORM – US DOLLAR ONLY








CONFIDENTIAL












 








	  	  	
Letter of Credit Contact

	  	
Draft Documentation Contact

	  	
Legal Counsel


	  	  	  	  	  	  	  
	
Name:

	  	  	  	  	  	  
	  	  	  	  	  	  	  
	
Title:

	  	  	  	  	  	  
	  	  	  	  	  	  	  
	
Address:

	  	  	  	  	  	  
	  	  	  	  	  	  	  
	
Telephone:

	  	  	  	  	  	  
	  	  	  	  	  	  	  
	
Facsimile:

	  	  	  	  	  	  
	  	  	  	  	  	  	  
	
E Mail Address:

	  	  	  	  	  	  





 




 







VII. Lender’s Standby Letter of Credit, Commercial Letter of Credit, and Bankers’ Acceptance Fed Wire Payment Instructions (if applicable):









	
Pay to:

	  	  
	  	
(Bank Name)

	  
	  	  	  
	  	
(ABA #)

	  
	  	  	  
	  	
(Account #)

	  
	  	  	  
	  	
(Attention)

	  

















VIII. Lender’s Fed Wire Payment Instructions:







	
Pay to:

	  	  
	  	
(Bank Name)

	  
	  	  	  
	  	
(ABA #)

	
(City/State)


	  	  	  
	  	
(Account #)

	
(Account Name)


	  	  	  
	  	
(Attention)

	  






























































IX. Organizational Structure and Tax Status







Please refer to the enclosed withholding tax instructions below and then complete this section accordingly:


 


 




  





  











  






 



ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS REPLY FORM – US DOLLAR ONLY








CONFIDENTIAL














 


Lender Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN):       ___   ___   -   ___   ___   ___   ___   ___   ___












Tax Withholding Form Delivered to Bank of America*:












	  	  	
W-9


	  	  	  
	  	  	
W-8BEN


	  	  	  
	  	  	
W-8ECI


	  	  	  
	  	  	
W-8EXP


	  	  	  
	  	  	
W-8IMY












	
 

	Tax Contact	  
	  	  	  
	  	  	  
	
Name:

	  	  
	  	  	  
	
Title:

	  	  
	  	  	  
	
Address:

	  	  
	  	  	  
	
Telephone:

	  	  
	  	  	  
	
Facsimile:

	  	  
	  	  	  
	
E Mail Address:

	  	  







 


 


NON–U.S. LENDER INSTITUTIONS







1. Corporations:







If your institution is incorporated outside of the United States for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and is the beneficial owner of the interest and other income it receives, you must complete one of the following three tax forms, as applicable to your institution: a.) Form W-8BEN (Certificate of Foreign Status of Beneficial Owner), b.) Form W-8ECI (Income Effectively Connected to a U.S. Trade or Business), or c.) Form W-8EXP (Certificate of Foreign Government or Governmental Agency).







A U.S. taxpayer identification number is required for any institution submitting a Form W-8 ECI.  It is also required on Form W-8BEN for certain institutions claiming the benefits of a tax treaty with the U.S.  Please refer to the instructions when completing the form applicable to your institution.  In addition, please be advised that U.S. tax regulations do not permit the acceptance of faxed forms.  An original tax form must be submitted.












 







2. Flow-Through Entities







If your institution is organized outside the U.S., and is classified for U.S. federal income tax purposes as either a Partnership, Trust, Qualified or Non-Qualified Intermediary, or other non-U.S. flow-through entity, an original Form W-8IMY (Certificate of Foreign Intermediary, Foreign Flow-Through Entity, or Certain U.S. branches for United States Tax Withholding) must be completed by the intermediary together with a withholding statement.  Flow-through entities other than Qualified Intermediaries are required to include tax forms for each of the underlying beneficial owners.


 




  





  











  






 



ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS REPLY FORM – US DOLLAR ONLY








CONFIDENTIAL














 


Please refer to the instructions when completing this form.  In addition, please be advised that U.S. tax regulations do not permit the acceptance of faxed forms.  Original tax form(s) must be submitted.







U.S. LENDER INSTITUTIONS:







If your institution is incorporated or organized within the United States, you must complete and return Form W-9 (Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification).  Please be advised that we require an original form W-9.












Pursuant to the language contained in the tax section of the Credit Agreement, the applicable tax form for your institution must be completed and returned on or prior to the date on which your institution becomes a lender under this Credit Agreement.  Failure to provide the proper tax form when requested will subject your institution to U.S. tax withholding.

















*Additional guidance and instructions as to where to submit this documentation can be found at this link:







[Graphi Omitted]












X. Bank of America Payment Instructions:


 




	  	
Pay to:

	
Bank of America, N.A.


	  	  	
ABA # 026-009-593


	  	  	
901 Main Street


	  	  	
Dallas, Texas   75202


	  	  	
Acct.#:  


	  	  	
Attn: Credit Services


	  	  	
Ref: Vectren