Document:

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                                                                    EXHIBIT 4(e)

                               AMENDMENT NO. FIVE
                                     TO THE
                            ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION
                    EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP PLAN AND TRUST
                            EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1,2002

         WHEREAS, ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION (the "Company") has heretofore
amended and restated the Atmos Energy Corporation Employee Stock Ownership Plan
and Trust Effective January 1, 1999 (the "Plan") and thereafter has amended the
Plan from time to time; and

         WHEREAS, pursuant to the provisions of Section 10.01 of the Plan, and
in accordance with the authority delegated to the undersigned by the Board of
Directors of the Company at its meeting on November 7, 2001, the Company desires
to amend the Plan in certain respects as hereinafter provided to reflect certain
provisions of the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001
("EGTRRA"). This amendment is intended as good faith compliance with the
requirements of EGTRRA and is to be construed in accordance with EGTRRA and any
guidance issued thereunder.

         NOW, THEREFORE, except as otherwise provided herein, Atmos Energy
Corporation does hereby amend the Plan, effective as of January 1, 2002 as
follows:

         1. Subsection 2.01(i)(2) is amended by substituting "$200,000" for
"$150,000" as it appears in said Subsection.

         2. Subsection 4.01(b) is amended by deleting said Subsection in its
entirety and substituting in lieu thereof the following:

         Each Participant shall be given the option to execute a salary
         reduction agreement with his Employer which provides that the
         Participant agrees to accept a reduction in salary from his Employer
         equal to any percentage of his Compensation (excluding bonuses) per
         payroll, which percentage shall be neither less than one percent (1%)
         nor more than sixty-five percent (65%) of such Participant's
         Compensation (herein, the "Salary Reduction Contributions").

         3. Subsection 4.01(c) is amended by striking the first sentence of said
Subsection in its entirety and substituting in lieu thereof the following:

         (c)  Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, for any
              Participant's taxable year, a Participant's Salary Reduction
              Contribution shall not exceed the dollar limitation contained in
              Code Section 402(g) in effect for such taxable year, except to the
              extent permitted under Subsection 4.01(f) and Code Section
              414(v), if applicable.

         4. Section 4.01 is amended by striking the first full paragraph
following Subsection 4.01(c) and substituting in lieu thereof the following:

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         In the event that the total reduction on behalf of any Participant for
         any of his or her taxable years exceeds the dollar limitation provided
         for in Section 4.01(c), such "excess deferrals," together with income
         allocable thereto, shall be distributed to the Participant on whose
         behalf such reduction was made not later than April 15 following the
         close of the Participant's taxable year in which the reduction was
         made, in the manner and to the extent provided under the applicable
         treasury regulations.

         5. Section 4.01 is amended by adding the following new subsection (f)
at the end of said Section:

         (f)     Effective with a Participant's taxable year beginning after
                 December 31, 2001, those Participants who have attained age
                 fifty (50) before the close of the Plan Year ending after
                 December 31, 2001, or before the close of any Plan Year
                 thereafter, shall be eligible to make Salary Reduction
                 Contributions in addition to the Salary Reduction
                 Contributions provided for in Subsection 4.01(b) hereof in
                 accordance with, and subject to the limitations of, Code
                 Section 414(v) ("Catch-Up Salary Reduction Contributions").
                 Such Catch-Up Salary Reduction Contributions shall not be
                 taken into account for purposes of Subsection 4.01(c) (and
                 Code Section 402(g)) and Section 5.03 (and Code Section 415).
                 The Plan shall not be treated as failing to satisfy the
                 provisions of the Plan implementing the requirements of Code
                 Sections 401(k)(3), 401(k)(11), 401(k)(12), and 410(b), or
                 416, as applicable, by reason of making such Catch-up Salary
                 Reduction Contributions.

         6. Subsection 4.05(a) is amended by adding the following after the
first sentence of said Section:

         The qualified plans from which eligible rollover distributions may be
         received pursuant to this paragraph (a) are qualified plans described
         in Code Sections 401(a) or 403(a), annuity contracts described in Code
         Section 403(b) and eligible plans under Code Section 457(b) which are
         maintained by a state, political subdivision of a state, or any agency
         or instrumentality of a state or political subdivision of a state.

         7. Subsection 5.03(a) is amended, effective for Plan Years beginning
after December 31, 2001, by striking the first paragraph of said Subsection in
its entirety and substituting in lieu thereof the following:

         Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, the total
         Additions made to the Salary Reduction Account, Safeharbor Matching
         Contribution Account and Employer Contribution Account of a Participant
         for any Plan Year shall not exceed the lesser of:

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         (1)     Forty Thousand Dollars ($40,000) (or such higher amount to
                 which such amount shall be adjusted by the Secretary of the
                 Treasury or his delegate pursuant to Code Section 415(d)), or

         (2)     one hundred percent (100%) of the Participant's total
                 compensation for such Plan Year.

         The compensation limit referred to in clause (2) above shall not apply
         to any contribution for medical benefits after separation from service
         (within the meaning of Code Sections 401(h) or 419A(f)(2)) which is
         otherwise treated as an Addition.

         8. Subsection 5.03(a) is amended further by striking the reference to
"$150,000" in clause (v) in the last paragraph of said Subsection and
substituting in lieu thereof, "$200,000."

         9. Subsection 5.04(a)(1) is amended by adding the following to the end
of said Subsection:

         Notwithstanding the foregoing, for purposes of the 60% Test for any
         Plan Year beginning after December 31, 2001, the following shall apply:

         (i)     The present values of accrued benefits and the amounts of
                 account balances of an employee as of the determination date
                 shall be increased by the distributions made with respect to
                 the employee under the Plan and any plan aggregated with the
                 Plan under Code Section 416(g)(2) during the 1-year period
                 ending on such determination date. The preceding sentence shall
                 also apply to distributions under a terminated plan which, had
                 it not been terminated, would have been aggregated with the
                 Plan under Code Section 416(g)(2)(A)(i). In the case of a
                 distribution made for a reason other than separation of
                 service, death or disability, this provision shall be applied
                 by substituting "5-year period" for "1-year period."

         (ii)    The accrued benefits and accounts of any individual who has not
                 performed services for the Employer during the 1-year period
                 ending on the determination date shall not be taken into
                 account.

         10. Subsection 5.04(a)(2)(C) is amended by striking said Subsection in
its entirety and substituting in lieu thereof the following:

         (C)     Key Employee. For purposes of this Section 5.04, a "Key
                 Employee" is any person employed or formerly employed by any
                 Employer or Affiliate (and the beneficiaries of any such
                 person) who is, at any time during the Plan Year that includes
                 the determination date, any one or more of the following:

                 (1)  An officer of an Employer or an Affiliate having annual
                      compensation for the applicable Plan Year greater than

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                      One Hundred Thirty Thousand Dollars ($130,000), as
                      adjusted under Code Section 416(i)(1) for Plan Years
                      beginning after December 31, 2002.

                 (2)  Any person owning (or considered as owning within the
                      meaning of Code Section 318) more than five percent (5%)
                      of the outstanding stock of an Employer or an Affiliate or
                      stock possessing more than five percent (5%) of the total
                      combined voting power of such stock or more than five
                      percent (5%) of the capital or profits interest of an
                      Employer or an Affiliate which is not a corporation.

                 (3)  A person who would be described in Subsection (2) above
                      if "one percent (1%)" were substituted for "five percent
                      (5%)" each place it appears in said Subsection (2), and
                      whose aggregate annual compensation from all Employers or
                      Affiliates is more than One Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars
                      ($150,000).

                 (4)  Notwithstanding any other provision in this Plan to the
                      contrary, for purposes of determining ownership under
                      this Section 5.04(a)(2)(C), the rules of Code Sections
                      414(b), (c), and (m) shall not apply in defining who is
                      an Employer.

                 The determination of who is a Key Employee hereunder shall be
                 made in accordance with the provisions of Code Section 416(i)
                 (1) and the regulations thereunder.

         11. Subsection 5.04(b) is amended by striking the reference to
"$150,000" in said Subsection and substituting in lieu thereof, "$200,000."

         12. Subsection 5.04(b) is further amended by adding the following
paragraph at the end of said Subsection:

         Effective for Plan Years beginning after December 31, 2001, Safeharbor
         Matching Contributions, if any, shall be taken into account for
         purposes of satisfying the minimum contribution requirements of Code
         Section 416(c)(2) and the requirements of this Section 5.04. The
         preceding sentence shall apply with respect to Safeharbor Matching
         Contributions or, if the Plan provides that the minimum contribution
         requirement shall be met in another plan, matching contributions under
         such other plan. Safeharbor Matching Contributions that are used to
         satisfy the minimum contribution requirements shall be treated as
         Safeharbor Matching Contributions for purposes of the actual
         contribution percentage test and other requirements of Code Section
         401(m).

         13. Section 5.04 is amended by adding the following new Subsection
5.04(e):

         (e)     Inapplicability of Top Heavy Plan Rules. The provisions of this
                 Section 5.04 and Code Section 416 shall not apply in any Plan

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                 Year beginning after December 31, 2001, in which the Plan
                 consists solely of Salary Reduction Contributions which meet
                 the requirements of Code Section 401(k)(12) and Safeharbor
                 Matching Contributions which meet the requirements of Code
                 Section 401(m)(11).

         14. Section 6.03 is amended by adding the following at the end of said
Section:

         Effective with respect to distributions made on or after January 1,
         2002, notwithstanding any other provisions to the contrary,
         distributions under this paragraph are permissible upon a Participant's
         severance of employment, regardless of when such severance of
         employment occurred. However, such distribution shall be subject to the
         other provisions of the Plan regarding distributions, other than the
         provisions that require separation from service before such amounts may
         be distributed.

         15. Subsection 6.04(f)(1) and (2) are amended by striking said
Subsections in their entirety and substituting in lieu thereof the following:

         (1)     "Eligible rollover distribution" means any distribution of all
                 or any portion of the balance to the credit of the distributee,
                 except that an eligible rollover distribution does not include:
                 (i) any distribution that is one of a series of substantially
                 equal periodic payments (not less than annually) made for the
                 life (or life expectancy) of the distributee or the joint lives
                 (or joint life expectancies) of the distributee and the
                 distributee's designated Beneficiary, or for a specified period
                 of ten (10) years or more; (ii) any distribution to the extent
                 such distribution is required under Code Section 401(a)(9);
                 (iii) the portion of any distribution that is not includable in
                 gross income (determined without regard to the exclusion for
                 net unrealized appreciation with respect to employer
                 securities); (iv) for Plan Years beginning on or after January
                 1, 1999, any hardship distribution described in Code Section
                 401(k)(2)(B)(i)(IV), and (v) for distributions made after
                 December 31, 2001, any in-service distribution made on account
                 of hardship, if such hardship distributions are permitted under
                 the Plan. For distributions made after December 31, 2001,
                 after-tax contributions shall not be excluded from the
                 definition of "eligible rollover distribution" pursuant to
                 clause (iii) of the preceding sentence. However, any portion of
                 an eligible rollover distribution attributable to after-tax
                 contributions may be transferred only to an individual
                 retirement account or annuity described in Code Section 408(a)
                 or (b), or to a qualified defined contribution plan describe in
                 Code Sections 401(a) or 403(a) that agrees to separately
                 account for amounts so transferred, including separately
                 accounting for the portion of such distribution which is
                 includible in gross income and the portion of such distribution
                 which is not so includible.

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         (2)     "Eligible retirement plan" means any of the following that
                 accepts the distributee's eligible rollover distribution: An
                 individual retirement account described in Code Section 408(a),
                 an individual retirement annuity described in Code Section
                 408(b), an annuity plan described in Code Section 403(a), a
                 qualified trust described in Code Section 401(a), an annuity
                 contract described in Code Section 403(b), or an eligible plan
                 under Code Section 457(b) which is maintained by a state,
                 political subdivision of a state and which agrees to account
                 separately for amounts transferred into such plan from this
                 Plan. The foregoing definition of an "eligible retirement plan"
                 also shall apply in the case of an eligible rollover
                 distribution to the surviving spouse, or to the spouse or
                 former spouse who is an alternate payee under a Qualified
                 Domestic Relations Order.

         16. Section 6.06(a)(1) is amended by striking the second subparagraph
(b) of said Section and substituting in lieu thereof the following:

                 (b)     the Participant has obtained all distributions, other
                         than hardship distributions, and all nontaxable loans
                         currently available to him under all plans currently
                         maintained by the Employers, including electing to
                         receive all dividends to the extent currently available
                         under section 7.02(i) hereof.

         17. Section 6.06(a)( 1) is further amended by deleting the last
paragraph of said Section and substituting in lieu thereof the following:

                 In the event of any withdrawal by a Participant pursuant to
                 this subsection (1), such withdrawal shall terminate such
                 Participant's Salary Reduction Contributions under Section 4.01
                 and his right to make contributions under all other employee
                 plans maintained by the Employer until (i) in the case of
                 Salary Reduction Contributions withdrawn and distributed
                 hereunder in calendar year 2001, the first day of the first
                 payroll period which commences at least six (6) months
                 following the receipt of such withdrawal or until January 1,
                 2002, if later, and (ii) in the case of Salary Reduction
                 Contributions withdrawn and distributed hereunder after
                 December 31, 2001, the first day of the first payroll period
                 which commences at least six (6) months following the receipt
                 of such withdrawal. Withdrawal elections under this subsection
                 (1) may be made at any time but not more frequently than once
                 each calendar year.

         18. Subsection 7.02(i) is amended by striking said Subsection and
substituting in lieu thereof the following:

         (i)     Subject to the provisions of Section 7.02(k) and Sections 7.04
                 and 7.05 hereof, all dividends, income and other property
                 received by the Trustee shall, to the extent practicable, be
                 converted by the

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                 Trustee into cash and invested in Company Stock, provided,
                 however, that the Board of Directors of the Company may, in its
                 sole discretion and as of the date of declaration of any
                 dividend paid with respect to Company Stock held in the Trust
                 Fund, direct the Trustee (i) to apply such dividend to the
                 repayment of an Exempt Loan, or (ii) at the election of the
                 person then with an account under the Plan, either (A) to
                 distribute such dividend to each person then with an account
                 hereunder in accordance with the ratio of the balance of shares
                 of Company Stock in such person's accounts (as of the date of
                 declaration of such dividend) to such share balance in all such
                 accounts (as of such date of declaration), or (B) to pay such
                 dividend to the Plan to be reinvested in Company Stock for the
                 benefit of such person's accounts.

                 The dividend election provided for in the preceding paragraph
                 may be made at any time during the period beginning on the
                 first business day on or after the dividend record date and
                 ending at the time specified by the Committee on the last
                 business day preceding the dividend payout date. Any dividend
                 election made hereunder shall remain in effect until
                 subsequently changed in accordance with the provisions of this
                 Section. If an individual entitled to make an election
                 hereunder fails to make such an election, and no previous
                 election has been made by such individual, he or she shall be
                 deemed to have elected to have such dividend paid to the Plan
                 to be reinvested in Company Stock for the benefit of such
                 person's accounts.

                 If a currently employed Participant elects to receive payment
                 of a dividend in cash, such payment shall be made either (a)
                 directly to the Participant by his Employer, or (b) directly to
                 the Participant by the Company's stock registrar. To the extent
                 that a dividend is paid to a Participant (or, if applicable,
                 his Beneficiary) who is not actively employed by an Employer,
                 such payment shall be made to the Participant either (a)
                 directly to the Participant by his Employer, or (b) directly to
                 the Participant by the Company's stock registrar.

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           IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this AMENDMENT NO. FIVE TO
THE ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP PLAN AND TRUST EFFECTIVE
JANUARY 1, 1999 to be executed in its name on its behalf this 15th day of April,
2002, effective as of the 31st day of December, 2001.

                                        ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION

                                        By: /s/ ROBERT W. BEST
                                           -------------------------------------
                                            Robert W. Best
                                            Chairman of the Board, President and
                                            Chief Executive Officer

ATTEST:

/s/ SHIRLEY A. HINES
------------------------------------

                                        TRUST COMMITTEE

ATTEST:
                                        By: /s/ LAURIE M. SHERWOOD
/s/ SHIRLEY A. HINES                       -------------------------------------
------------------------------------        Laurie M. Sherwood

                                        By: /s/ TOM S. HAWKINS, JR.
                                           -------------------------------------
                                            Tom S. Hawkins, Jr.

                                        By: /s/ RONALD W. MCDOWELL
                                           -------------------------------------
                                            Ronald W. McDowell

                                        By: /s/ WYNN MCGREGOR
                                           -------------------------------------
                                             Wynn McGregor

                                        By: /s/ GORDON J. ROY
                                           -------------------------------------
                                             Gordon J. Roy

                                        8<PAGE>
                                                                    EXHIBIT 4(f)

                                AMENDMENT NO. SIX

                                     TO THE
                            ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION
                     EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP PLAN AND TRUST
                            EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1,1999

         WHEREAS, ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION (the "Company") has heretofore
amended and restated the Atmos Energy Corporation Employee Stock Ownership Plan
and Trust Effective January 1, 1999 (the "Plan"); and

         WHEREAS, pursuant to the provisions of Section 10.01 of the Plan, the
Company desires to amend the Plan in certain respects as hereinafter provided.

         NOW, THEREFORE, Atmos Energy Corporation does hereby amend the Plan,
effective as of the day and year hereinafter set forth, except as otherwise
provided herein, as follows:

         1. Article I is amended by striking the last recital of said Article
and substituting in lieu thereof the following:

                 WHEREAS, it is intended that the Plan continue to satisfy the
         requirements of Sections 401(a), 401(k), 501(a) and 4975(e) of the
         Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), and the
         requirements of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974
         (hereinafter, "ERISA"), including, but not limited to, ERISA Section
         404(c);

         2. Section 2.01(s) is amended by striking said Section and substituting
in lieu thereof the following:

         (s)     FIDUCIARIES: Any person who exercises any discretionary
                 authority or discretionary control respecting the management of
                 the Plan, assets held under the Plan, or disposition of Plan
                 assets; who renders investment advice for a fee or other
                 compensation, direct or indirect, with respect to assets held
                 under the Plan or has any authority or responsibility to do so;
                 or who has any discretionary authority or discretionary
                 responsibility in the administration of the Plan shall be
                 treated as a Fiduciary hereunder. Any person who exercises
                 authority or has responsibility of a fiduciary nature as
                 described above shall be considered a Fiduciary under the Plan.
                 Notwithstanding the foregoing, neither a Participant nor a
                 Beneficiary shall be considered a Fiduciary with respect to the
                 Plan by reason of his exercise of control over the assets held
                 in his individual account pursuant to Section 7.05 hereof. In
                 general the Employers, the Committee, and the Trustee shall be
                 Fiduciaries hereunder, but only with respect to the specific
                 responsibilities of each for Plan and Trust administration, all
                 as described in Section 8.01.

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         3. Section 2.01 (dd) is amended by striking said Section and
substituting in lieu thereof the following:

         (dd)    PLAN: ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION RETIREMENT SAVINGS PLAN AND
                 TRUST, as set forth in this document and as it may be amended
                 from time to time.

         4. The introductory paragraph to Section 5.04 is amended by striking
said paragraph and substituting in lieu thereof the following:

         The following provisions shall become effective in any Year in which
         either the ESOP portion or the Non-ESOP portion of the Plan is
         determined to be a Top-Heavy Plan:

         5. Section 5.04(a) is amended by striking the introductory sentence of
said Section and substituting in lieu thereof the following:

         The ESOP portion or the Non-ESOP portion of the Plan will be
         considered a Top-Heavy Plan for the Plan Year if as of the last day of
         the preceding Plan Year (the "determination date"):

         6. Section 5.04(a)(1) is amended by striking said Section and
substituting in lieu thereof the following:

         (1)     [1] the value of the sum of the ESOP portion or the Non-ESOP
                 portion (as the case may be) of the Employer Contribution
                 Accounts, Salary Reduction Contribution Accounts, Safe harbor
                 Matching Contribution Accounts, plus Employee Contribution
                 Accounts (but not including any allocations to be made as of
                 such last day of the Plan Year except contributions actually
                 made on or before that date and allocated pursuant to Sections
                 5.02(b) and (c)) of Participants who are Key Employees (as
                 defined below) exceeds 60% of the value of the sum of the ESOP
                 portion or the Non-ESOP portion (as the case may be) of the
                 Employer Contribution Accounts, Salary Reduction Contribution
                 Accounts, Safe harbor Matching Contribution Accounts, plus
                 Employee Contribution Accounts (but not including any
                 allocations to be made as of such last day of the Plan Year
                 except contributions actually made on or before that date and
                 allocated pursuant to Sections 5.02(b) and (c)) of all
                 Participants and their Beneficiaries (the "60% Test"), or [2]
                 the applicable portion of the Plan is part of a required
                 aggregation group (within the meaning of Code Section
                 4l6(g)(2)) and the required aggregation group is top-heavy.
                 However, and notwithstanding the results of the 60% Test, the
                 ESOP portion or the Non-ESOP portion (as the case may be) of
                 the Plan shall not be considered a Top-Heavy Plan for any Plan
                 Year in which the applicable portion of the Plan is a part of a
                 required or permissive aggregation group (within the meaning of
                 Code Section 416(g)(2)) which is not top-heavy. For purposes
                 of the 60% Test for any Plan Year, (i) the value of the

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                 Employer Contribution Accounts, Safe harbor Matching
                 Contribution Accounts, Salary Reduction Contribution Accounts,
                 and Employee Contribution Accounts of individuals who are
                 former Key Employees shall not be taken into account and (ii)
                 the value of the Employer Contribution Accounts, Safe harbor
                 Matching Contribution Accounts, Salary Reduction Contribution
                 Accounts, and Employee Contribution Accounts of individuals who
                 have not performed services for an Employer for the five
                 (5)-year period ending on the determination date shall not be
                 taken into account.

                 Notwithstanding the foregoing, for purposes of the 60% Test
                 for any Plan Year beginning after December 31, 2001, the
                 following shall apply:

                 (i)       The present values of accrued benefits and the
                           amounts of account balances of an employee as of the
                           determination date shall be increased by the
                           distributions made with respect to the employee under
                           the ESOP portion or the Non-ESOP portion (as the case
                           may be) of the Plan and any plan aggregated with such
                           portion of the Plan under Code Section 416(g)(2)
                           during the 1-year period ending on such determination
                           date. The preceding sentence shall also apply to
                           distributions under a terminated plan which, had it
                           not been terminated, would have been aggregated with
                           the applicable portion of the Plan under Code Section
                           416(g)(2)(A)(i). In the case of a distribution made
                           for a reason other than separation of service, death
                           or disability, this provision shall be applied by
                           substituting "5-year period" for "1-year period."

                 (ii)      The accrued benefits and accounts of any individual
                           who has not performed services for the Employer
                           during the 1-year period ending on the determination
                           date shall not be taken into account.

         7. Section 5.04(b) is amended by striking the first paragraph of said
Section and substituting in lieu thereof the following:

         (b)      Minimum Allocations. Notwithstanding the provisions of Section
                  5.02(b) and (c), for any Year during which either the ESOP
                  portion of the Plan or the Non-ESOP portion of the Plan is
                  deemed a Top-Heavy Plan, the amount of Employer contribution
                  for the Year to be allocated in the aggregate to the
                  Safeharbor Matching Contribution Account and Employer
                  Contribution Account of each Participant who is not a Key
                  Employee shall not be less than the lesser of (i) three
                  percent (3%) of the Participant's total compensation for the
                  Plan Year or (ii) the Participant's total compensation for the
                  Plan Year multiplied by the highest percentage obtained by
                  dividing the amount of Employer contribution allocated in the
                  aggregate to the Salary Reduction Contribution Account,
                  Safeharbor Matching Contribution Account and the

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                 Employer Contribution Account of any Key Employee for the Year
                 by so much of the total compensation of such Key Employee for
                 the Year as does not exceed $200,000 (as automatically
                 increased in accordance with the applicable treasury
                 regulations); provided, however, that the requirement of this
                 subsection (b) shall not apply to the extent that the minimum
                 allocations set forth herein are made under another defined
                 contribution plan maintained by the Employer, provided,
                 further, that the minimum allocations required herein shall be
                 offset by any minimum benefit provided under a defined benefit
                 plan maintained by an Employer.

         8. Section 5.04(c) is amended by striking said Section and substituting
in lieu thereof the following:

         (c)     Super Top-Heavy Rules. For any Plan Year in which either the
                 ESOP portion of the Plan or the Non-ESOP portion of the Plan is
                 a Top-Heavy Plan, Section 5.04(a) shall be read by substituting
                 the number "90" for the number "60" wherever it appears
                 therein; provided, however, that where the applicable portion
                 of the Plan is not a "Super" Top-Heavy Plan (as defined in Code
                 Section 416(h)(2)(B)), no such substitution shall occur if, for
                 such Plan Year, the minimum allocations determined pursuant to
                 subsection (b) of this Section are determined by reference to
                 4%, in lieu of 3%, of total compensation.

         9. Section 6.04(d) is amended by striking said Section and substituting
in lieu thereof the following:

         (d)      Form of Distribution. Distributions hereunder to Participants,
                  Former Participants or Beneficiaries may be in the form of
                  Company Stock or cash, as determined by the Committee;
                  provided, however, that any such distributee shall have the
                  right to demand that distribution of the ESOP portion of a
                  Participant's account balances (as provided for in Section
                  7.02(a) hereof) be made to him in the form of Company Stock
                  and shall have been given written notification of such right
                  by the Committee prior to the date of any cash distribution to
                  him; provided, further, that fractional shares shall, in all
                  events, be paid in cash. In the event that the Articles of
                  Incorporation or bylaws of the Company are amended to restrict
                  the ownership of substantially all outstanding shares of
                  Company Stock to Employees and/or to the Trust Fund, then
                  distributions hereunder to Participants, Former Participants
                  and Beneficiaries shall, in all events, be in the form of
                  cash. Subject to the provisions of subsection (e) below, a
                  Participants benefits shall in all events be distributed in a
                  lump sum.

                  Unless the Participant elects otherwise, the ESOP portion of a
                  Participant's accounts which consists of Company Stock
                  acquired after 1986 shall be distributed in a form providing
                  no more than substantially equal periodic payments (not less
                  frequently than annually) over a period not longer than the

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                 greater of (i) five (5) years, or (ii) in the case of a
                 Participant whose accounts consisting of Company Stock acquired
                 after 1986 exceed $500,000 (as automatically increased in
                 accordance with the applicable treasury regulations to reflect
                 cost-of-living adjustments), five (5) years, plus an additional
                 one (1) year (up to an additional five (5) years) for each
                 $100,000 (as automatically increased in accordance with
                 treasury regulations to reflect cost-of-living adjustments) or
                 fraction thereof by which the balance exceeds $500,000 (as
                 automatically increased in accordance with the applicable
                 treasury regulations to reflect cost-of-living adjustments).
                 For purposes of this Section 6.04, the ESOP portion of a
                 Participant's accounts shall not include Company Stock acquired
                 with the proceeds of an Exempt Loan until the last day of the
                 Plan Year in which such Exempt Loan is repaid in full.

         10. Section 7.02(a) is amended by striking said Section and
substituting in lieu thereof the following:

         (a)      There are two portions of the Plan: One portion, consisting of
                  all of the Plan's investments at any time and from time to
                  time in Company Stock, is specifically designated as an
                  "employee stock ownership plan" within the meaning of Code
                  Section 4975(e)(7) and is referred to in the Plan as the "ESOP
                  portion"; the other portion, consisting of the Plan's
                  investments at any time and from time to time in any
                  investment other than Company Stock (including, but not
                  limited to investments in any Diversified Fund, as defined in
                  Section 7.05(b) hereof), is referred to in the Plan as the
                  "Non-ESOP portion." If and to the extent a Participant's
                  accounts are invested at any time and from time to time in
                  Company Stock, then that portion of such accounts shall
                  constitute the ESOP portion, and to the extent a Participant's
                  accounts are invested at any time and from time to time in
                  investments other than Company Stock, that portion of such
                  accounts shall constitute the Non-ESOP portion. Accordingly,
                  and subject to the provisions of subsections (i) and (k) of
                  this Section and Section 7.04 hereof the Trustee shall invest
                  the ESOP portion of the Trust Fund in Company Stock. The
                  Trustee may use the funds contributed by an Employer to
                  purchase Company Stock from the Company or from any
                  shareholder of the Company at a price to be determined in
                  accordance with subsection (e) below. Such stock may be
                  treasury stock which has been purchased by the Company or it
                  may be stock which has been authorized but never issued by the
                  Company. The Trustee shall invest the Non-ESOP portion of the
                  Trust Fund in common stocks of other corporations, preferred
                  stocks, bonds, debentures, mortgages, notes, investment trust
                  shares or in any other property, real or personal. The Trustee
                  may invest any part of the Non-ESOP portion of the Trust Fund
                  in a common trust fund maintained by any state or national
                  bank or trust company in Texas or any other state of the
                  United States specifically for investments by qualified
                  employee benefit trusts or in shares of a registered
                  investment company, including, but not limited to mutual
                  funds, provided that such shares constitute securities
                  described in ERISA Section 401(b)(l). The

                                        5

<PAGE>

                 Trustee shall be obliged only to use good faith and to exercise
                 its honest judgment as to what investments in the Non-ESOP
                 portion of the Plan are from time to time for the best interest
                 of the Trust Fund and those entitled to benefit hereunder.
                 Furthermore, the Trustee may hold any portion of the Trust Fund
                 in cash and uninvested whenever it deems such holding necessary
                 or advisable.

         11. Section 7.02(g) is amended by striking said Section and
substituting in lieu thereof the following:

         (g)      So long as Company Stock is publicly traded, each Participant
                  or Beneficiary in the Plan shall have the right to direct the
                  Trustee as to the manner in which voting rights with respect
                  to any such Company Stock allocated to his accounts are to be
                  exercised and, to the extent that such Company Stock is
                  attributable to the Participant's investment direction under
                  Section 7.05(a) hereof, shall have the right ("tender rights")
                  to instruct the Trustee whether or not to tender, exchange,
                  sell or otherwise dispose of Company Stock in the event of a
                  tender offer, exchange offer or other offer for Company Stock
                  ("Offer"). If Company Stock is not, or ceases to be, publicly
                  traded, then normally the Trustee will have the right to vote
                  all of such Stock then held by the Trustee hereof, provided,
                  however, that each Participant or Beneficiary in the Plan
                  shall be entitled to direct the Trustee as to the manner in
                  which the voting rights under any Company Stock which is
                  allocated to his accounts are to be exercised with respect to
                  any corporate merger or consolidation, recapitalization,
                  reclassification, liquidation, dissolution, sale of
                  substantially all of an Employer's assets or such similar
                  transaction as the Secretary of the Treasury may prescribe in
                  regulations, provided, further, that effective for votes after
                  October 22, 1986, each such Participant or Beneficiary shall
                  be entitled to cast one vote on a given transaction described
                  above, and the Trustee shall be required to vote the Company
                  Stock allocated to such accounts in proportion to the results
                  of the votes cast on the transaction by the Participants or
                  Beneficiaries. Whenever a Participant or Beneficiary has
                  voting rights or tender rights hereunder, the Trustee shall
                  give written notice of such impending vote or Offer as soon as
                  practicable after receiving notice thereof, which notice shall
                  explain the matter to be decided or the Offer and provide each
                  Participant or Beneficiary with a ballot to indicate his vote
                  on such matter or a form for exercising his tender right, as
                  the case may be. If any Participant or Beneficiary fails to
                  notify the Trustee in writing of the manner in which such
                  Participant or Beneficiary desires for his vote or tender
                  rights to be exercised, then the Trustee shall exercise the
                  voting or tender rights with respect to such stock in
                  accordance with its best judgment, taking into account
                  instructions from the Committee. Any Company Stock which has
                  not been allocated to the accounts of the Participants or
                  Beneficiaries shall be voted by the Trustee in accordance with
                  its best judgment, taking into account instructions from the
                  Committee. Reasonable means shall be employed by the Trustee
                  to provide confidentiality with respect to the voting

                                        6

<PAGE>

                  or tender rights exercised by Participants, such that the
                  Participants' directions will be held in confidence and not
                  divulged or released to any Employer or any director, officer,
                  employee or agent of an Employer, it being the intent of this
                  provision of this Section to ensure that the Employers (and
                  their directors, officers, employees and agents) cannot
                  determine the direction given by any Participant.

         12. Section 7.02(h) is amended by striking the first sentence of said
Section and substituting in lieu thereof the following:

         Subject to the provisions of subsections (i) and (k) of this Section
         7.02 and Sections 7.04 and 7.05 hereof, any cash received by the
         Trustee shall be invested by the Trustee in Company Stock.

         13. Section 7.02(i) is amended by striking the first two paragraphs of
said Section and substituting in lieu thereof the following:

         Subject to the provisions of Section 7.02(k) and Sections 7.04 and 7.05
         hereof, all dividends, income and other property received by the
         Trustee shall, to the extent practicable, be converted by the Trustee
         into cash and invested in Company Stock, provided, however, that the
         Board of Directors of the Company may, in its sole discretion and as of
         the date of declaration of any dividend paid with respect to Company
         Stock held in the ESOP portion of the Trust Fund, direct the Trustee
         (i) to apply such dividend to the repayment of an Exempt Loan or (ii)
         at the election of the person then with an account under the ESOP
         portion of the Plan either (A) to distribute such dividend to each
         person then with an account hereunder in accordance with the ratio of
         the balance of shares of Company Stock in such person's accounts (as of
         the date of declaration of such dividend) to such share balance in all
         such accounts (as of such date of declaration), or (B) to pay such
         dividend to the ESOP portion of the Plan to be reinvested in Company
         Stock for the benefit of such person's accounts.

         The dividend election provided for in the preceding paragraph may be
         made at any time during the period beginning on the first business day
         on or after the dividend record date and ending at the time specified
         by the Committee on the last business day preceding the dividend payout
         date. Any dividend election made hereunder shall remain in effect until
         subsequently changed in accordance with the provisions of this Section.
         If an individual entitled to make an election hereunder fails to make
         such an election, and no previous election has been made by such
         individual, he or she shall be deemed to have elected to have such
         dividend paid to the ESOP portion of the Plan to be reinvested in
         Company Stock for the benefit of such person's accounts.

         14. Section 7.02(j) is amended by striking said Section and
substituting in lieu thereof the following:

                                        7

<PAGE>

         (j)     At least once a Year the Committee shall furnish each
                 Participant with a statement showing the status of his accounts
                 as of the close of the preceding Year, including the share of
                 the cost (including brokerage commissions, transfer taxes, and
                 other incidental expenses) properly allocable to his accounts,
                 of any Company Stock in the ESOP portion of the Plan acquired
                 by purchase during that Year.

         15. Section 7.02(k) is amended by striking the first sentence of said
Section and substituting in lieu thereof the following:

         The Trustee may borrow reasonable sums of money for the purchase of
         Company Stock for the ESOP portion of the accounts of Participants on
         such terms as the Trustee shall deem reasonable, provided that the
         proceeds of such loans shall be used solely for the purchase of Company
         Stock.

         16. Section 7.02(k)(l) is amended by striking the last sentence of said
Section and substituting in lieu thereof the following:

         Except as provided under Article xiii of the Plan, no Loan Securities
         may be subject to a put, call or other option, or buy-sell or similar
         arrangement while held by and when distributed from this Plan, whether
         or not the ESOP portion of this Plan is then an employee stock
         ownership plan.

         17. Section 7.04(a) is amended by striking the first full paragraph of
said Section and substituting in lieu thereof the following:

         In General. Notwithstanding the preceding provisions of this Article
         VII, a Qualified Participant may, during each Election Period occurring
         within his Qualified Election Period, elect that a part of the ESOP
         portion of his aggregate account balances (with such balances
         determined as of the beginning of each Election Period) be
         alternatively invested pursuant to Section 7.05 hereof in the
         Diversified Funds described in such section. The amount of the ESOP
         portion of the Qualified Participant's aggregate account balances
         available for such alternative investment shall be one hundred percent
         (100%) of such aggregate balances consisting of Company Stock acquired
         after 1986, reduced by amounts previously so invested, either pursuant
         to this Section or Section 7.05 hereof.

         18. Section 7.05(a) is amended by striking said Section and
substituting in lieu thereof the following:

         (a)     In General. Notwithstanding the preceding provisions of this
                 Article VII, a Participant or Beneficiary shall have the right,
                 in accordance with the provisions of this Section 7.05, to
                 direct the Trustee as to the investment of (i) his Salary
                 Reduction Contribution Account, (ii) any rollover
                 contributions, any amounts in his United Cities Plan employer
                 matching contribution subaccount pursuant to Section 3.05(b)(2)
                 hereof other than amounts

                                        8

<PAGE>

                 attributable to United Cities Plan additional matching
                 contributions (the "United Cities Plan Matching Subaccount")
                 and any amounts in his SEC Plan rollover contribution
                 subaccount and SEC Plan employer matching contribution
                 subaccount pursuant to Section 3.06(b)(3) and Section
                 3.06(b)(4) hereof (the "SEC Plan Rollover and Matching
                 Subaccounts"), held in his Employer Contribution Account, and
                 (iii) any amounts in his Employee Contribution Account
                 attributable to SEC Plan after-tax contributions pursuant to
                 Section 3.06(b)(2) hereof (the "SEC Plan Employee Contribution
                 Account"). Any such investment direction by a Participant or
                 Beneficiary shall consist solely of the right to direct the
                 extent to which Salary Reduction Contributions, rollover
                 contributions, amounts in his United Cities Plan Matching
                 Subaccount, if any, amounts in his SEC Plan Rollover and
                 Matching Subaccounts, if any, amounts in his SEC Plan Employee
                 Contribution Account, if any, shall be invested either in the
                 ESOP portion of the Plan, or in the Non-ESOP portion of the
                 Plan which consists of various investment media comprising a
                 Diversified Fund. Such investment directions shall be made in
                 accordance with procedures established by the Committee and the
                 requirements of Department of Labor Regulations Section
                 2550.404c-l(b)(2)(i)(A), or any successor thereto. Should a
                 Participant or Beneficiary fail to provide the Trustee with the
                 investment directions described herein as to any Salary
                 Reduction Contribution or rollover contribution or amounts in
                 his United Cities Plan Matching Subaccount, amounts in his SEC
                 Plan Rollover and Matching Subaccounts, if any, and amounts in
                 his SEC Plan Employee Contribution Account, if any, such
                 contribution or amount shall be invested in the Diversified
                 Fund which constitutes a balanced fund of equity and fixed
                 income, as selected by the Trustee. The Trustee may decline to
                 implement instructions by a Participant or Beneficiary which
                 (i) would result in a prohibited transaction described in Code
                 Section 4975 or ERISA Section 406 and which would generate
                 income that would be taxable to the Plan, or (ii) are described
                 in Department of Labor Regulations Section 2550.404c-l
                 (d)(2)(ii), or any successor thereto.

         19. Section 7.05(c) is amended by striking said Section and
substituting in lieu thereof the following:

         (c)    Limitation. It is expressly understood that the only amounts
                eligible for investment hereunder in the Diversified Fund are
                the amounts described in this Section and in Section 7.04
                hereof. Any amounts described in this Section and Section 7.04
                hereof that are invested in Company Stock shall be eligible for
                investment in the Diversified Fund as of any Valuation Date.

         20. Section 7.05(d) is amended by deleting the last sentence of said
Section.

         21. Section 8.02 is amended by striking the first sentence of said
Section and substituting in lieu thereof the following:

                                        9

<PAGE>

         The Plan shall be administered by a Retirement Savings Committee (the
         "Committee") consisting of at least three persons who shall be
         appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the Board of Directors of the
         Company.

         22.      Section 8.05 is amended by adding a new Subsection (h) to said
Section as follows:

         (h)      to take such actions as may be necessary to comply in all
                  respects with the requirements of ERISA Section 404(c) and the
                  regulations thereunder.

         23. The introductory sentence to Article XIII is amended by striking
said sentence and substituting in lieu thereof the following:

         The following rules will apply to Company Stock under the ESOP portion
of the Plan which is distributed hereunder.

         24. Article XIII, subparagraph (f) is amended by striking said
subparagraph and substituting in lieu thereof the following:

         (f)      Notwithstanding the fact that the ESOP portion of this Plan
                  ceases to be an employee stock ownership plan, Loan Securities
                  and any Company Stock acquired after 1986 shall continue to be
                  subject to the provisions of this Article XTTI.

                                       10

<PAGE>

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this AMENDMENT NO. SIX TO
THE ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP PLAN AND TRUST EFFECTIVE
JANUARY 1, 1999 to be executed in its name on its behalf this 15th day of April,
2002, effective as of the 1st day of March, 2002.

                                        ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION

                                        By: /s/ ROBERT W. BEST
                                           -------------------------------------
                                            Robert W. Best
                                            Chairman of the Board, President and
                                            Chief Executive Officer

ATTEST:

/s/ SHIRLEY A. HINES
------------------------------------

                                        TRUST COMMITTEE

ATTEST:
                                        By: /s/ LAURIE M. SHERWOOD
/s/ SHIRLEY A. HINES                       -------------------------------------
------------------------------------        Laurie M. Sherwood

                                        By: /s/ TOM S. HAWKINS, JR.
                                           -------------------------------------
                                            Tom S. Hawkins, Jr.

                                        By: /s/ RONALD W. MCDOWELL
                                           -------------------------------------
                                            Ronald W. McDowell

                                        By: /s/ WYNN D. MCGREGOR
                                           -------------------------------------
                                             Wynn D. McGregor

                                        By: /s/ GORDON J. ROY
                                           -------------------------------------
                                             Gordon J. Roy

                                        11

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