“East Material Adverse Effect” shall mean, when used with respect to East and the East Subsidiaries, (A) a material adverse effect on the ability of East and the East Subsidiaries to perform or comply with any material obligation under this Agreement or to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby in accordance with the terms hereof, or (B) any changes, events, developments, conditions, occurrences, effects or combination of the foregoing that materially adversely affects the business, results of operations or financial condition of East and the East Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, but none of the following changes, events, developments, conditions, occurrences or effects (either alone or in combination) will be taken into account for purposes of determining whether or not an East Material Adverse Effect has occurred: (1)    changes in the general economic, financial, credit or securities markets, including prevailing interest rates or currency rates, or regulatory or political conditions and changes in oil, natural gas, condensate or natural gas liquids prices or the prices of other commodities, including changes in price differentials; (2)    changes in general economic conditions in the: (A)    oil and gas exploration and production industry;   105


(B)    the oil and gas gathering, compressing, treating, processing and transportation industry generally; (C)    the natural gas liquids fractionating and transportation industry generally; (D)    the crude oil and condensate logistics and marketing industry generally; and (E)    the natural gas marketing and trading industry generally (including in each case changes in law affecting such industries); (3)    the outbreak or escalation of hostilities or acts of war or terrorism, or any escalation or worsening thereof; (4)    any hurricane, tornado, flood, earthquake or other natural disaster; (5)    any epidemic, pandemic or disease outbreak (including the COVID-19 virus), or other public health condition, or any other force majeure event, or any escalation or worsening thereof; (6)    the identity of, or actions or omissions of, Central, Merger Sub or their respective Affiliates, or any action taken pursuant to or in accordance with this Agreement or at the request of or with the consent of Central; provided that the exception in this clause (6) shall not apply to references to “East Material Adverse Effect” in the representations and warranties set forth in Section 2.5(b) and, to the extent related thereto, the condition set forth in Section 6.2(b); (7)    the announcement or pendency of this Agreement (including, for the avoidance of doubt, compliance with or performance of obligations under this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby); provided that the exception in this clause (7) shall not apply to references to “East Material Adverse Effect” in the representations and warranties set forth in Section 2.5(b) and, to the extent related thereto, the condition set forth in Section 6.2(b); (8)    any change in the market price or trading volume of the common stock of East (it being understood and agreed that the exception in this clause (8) shall not preclude, prevent or otherwise affect a determination that the facts, circumstances, changes, events, developments, conditions, occurrences or effects giving rise to such change (unless excepted under the other clauses of this definition) should be deemed to constitute, or be taken into account in determining whether there has been, an East Material Adverse Effect); (9)    any failure to meet any financial projections or estimates or forecasts of revenues, earnings or other financial metrics for any period (it being understood and agreed that the exception in this clause (9) shall not preclude, prevent or otherwise affect a determination that the facts, circumstances, changes, events,   106


developments, conditions, occurrences or effects giving rise to such failure (unless excepted under the other clauses of this definition) should be deemed to constitute, or be taken into account in determining whether there has been, an East Material Adverse Effect); (10)    any downgrade in rating of any Indebtedness or debt securities of East or any of the East Subsidiaries (it being understood and agreed that the exception in this clause (10) shall not preclude, prevent or otherwise affect a determination that the facts, circumstances, changes, events, developments, conditions, occurrences or effects giving rise to such downgrade (unless excepted under the other clauses of this definition) should be deemed to constitute, or be taken into account in determining whether there has been, an East Material Adverse Effect); (11)    changes in any Laws or regulations applicable to East or any of East’s Subsidiaries or their respective assets or operations; (12)    changes in applicable accounting regulations or the interpretations thereof; and (13)    any Legal Proceedings commenced by or involving any current or former director or stockholder of East (on its own behalf or on behalf of East) arising out of or related to this Agreement or the Merger or other transactions contemplated hereby. 

provided, however, that any change, event, development, circumstance, condition, occurrence or effect referred to in the foregoing clauses (1), (2), or (12) will, unless otherwise excluded, be taken into account for purposes of determining whether an East Material Adverse Effect has occurred if and to the extent that such change, event, development, circumstance, condition, occurrence or effect disproportionately affects East and the East Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, relative to other similarly situated companies in the industries in which East and the East Subsidiaries operate.  (Pages 110-112)

Question: MAE Definition
Category: Material Adverse Effect
Answer: Natural disaster