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Exhibit 4.1.2.
EXECUTION COPY
CEC FUNDING,
LLC,
as Note
Issuer
and
THE BANK OF NEW
YORK,
as Note
Trustee
NOTE
INDENTURE
Dated as of March 1,
2005
$409,000,000
CEC FUNDING, LLC
NOTES
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Page
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| ARTICLE I |
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| Definitions and Incorporation by
Reference |
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Section 1.01.
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Definitions
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2 |
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Section 1.02.
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Incorporation by Reference of Trust
Indenture Act
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13 |
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Section 1.03.
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Rules of Construction
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13 |
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| ARTICLE II |
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| The Notes |
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Section 2.01.
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Terms of the Notes
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14 |
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Section 2.02.
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Form
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16 |
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Section 2.03.
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Execution, Authentication and
Delivery
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16 |
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Section 2.04.
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Temporary Notes
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17 |
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Section 2.05.
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Registration; Registration of Transfer
and Exchange
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17 |
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Section 2.06.
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Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen
Notes
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18 |
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Section 2.07.
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Persons Deemed Owner
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19 |
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Section 2.08.
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Payment of Principal and Interest;
Interest on Overdue Principal; Principal and Interest Rights
Preserved
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19 |
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Section 2.09.
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Cancellation
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20 |
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Section 2.10.
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Authentication and Delivery of
Notes
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20 |
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Section 2.11.
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Release of Collateral
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25 |
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| ARTICLE III |
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| Covenants |
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Section 3.01.
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Payment of Principal and
Interest
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26 |
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Section 3.02.
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Maintenance of Office or
Agency
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26 |
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Section 3.03.
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Money for Payments To Be Held in
Trust
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26 |
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Section 3.04.
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Existence
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27 |
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Section 3.05.
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Protection of Collateral
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28 |
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Section 3.06.
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Opinions as to Collateral
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28 |
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Section 3.07.
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Performance of Obligations; Servicing;
Commission Filings
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29 |
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Section 3.08.
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Negative Covenants
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31 |
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Section 3.09.
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Annual Statement as to
Compliance
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31 |
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Section 3.10.
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Note Issuer May Consolidate, etc., Only
on Certain Terms
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32 |
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Page
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Section 3.11.
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Successor or Transferee
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34 |
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Section 3.12.
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No Other Business
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34 |
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Section 3.13.
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No Borrowing
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34 |
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Section 3.14.
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Servicer’s Obligations
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34 |
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Section 3.15.
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No Additional Notes
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34 |
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Section 3.16.
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Guarantees, Loans, Advances and Other
Liabilities
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34 |
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Section 3.17.
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Capital Expenditures
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34 |
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Section 3.18.
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Non-Routine Periodic
Adjustment
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34 |
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Section 3.19.
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Restricted Payments
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35 |
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Section 3.20.
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Notice of Events of Default
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35 |
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Section 3.21.
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Further Instruments and Acts
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35 |
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Section 3.22.
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Change in Chief Executive Office or
Jurisdiction of Organization
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35 |
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| ARTICLE IV |
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| Satisfaction and Discharge;
Defeasance |
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Section 4.01.
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Satisfaction and Discharge of Note
Indenture; Defeasance
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35 |
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Section 4.02.
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Conditions to Defeasance
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37 |
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Section 4.03.
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Application of Trust Money
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38 |
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Section 4.04.
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Repayment of Moneys Held by Paying
Agent
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38 |
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| ARTICLE V |
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| Remedies |
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Section 5.01.
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Events of Default
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38 |
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Section 5.02.
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Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and
Annulment
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40 |
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Section 5.03.
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Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for
Enforcement by Note Trustee
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40 |
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Section 5.04.
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Remedies; Priorities
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43 |
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Section 5.05.
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Optional Possession of the
Collateral
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44 |
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Section 5.06.
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Limitation of Suits
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44 |
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Section 5.07.
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Unconditional Rights of Noteholders To
Receive Principal and Interest
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45 |
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Section 5.08.
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Restoration of Rights and
Remedies
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45 |
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Section 5.09.
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Rights and Remedies
Cumulative
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45 |
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Section 5.10.
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Delay or Omission Not a
Waiver
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45 |
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Section 5.11.
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Control by Noteholders
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45 |
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Section 5.12.
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Waiver of Past Defaults
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46 |
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Section 5.13.
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Undertaking for Costs
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46 |
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Section 5.14.
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Waiver of Stay or Extension
Laws
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47 |
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Section 5.15.
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Action on Notes
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47 |
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Section 5.16.
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Performance and Enforcement of Certain
Obligations
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47 |
ii
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Page
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| ARTICLE VI |
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| The Note Trustee |
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Section 6.01.
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Duties of Note Trustee
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48 |
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Section 6.02.
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Rights of Note Trustee
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49 |
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Section 6.03.
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Individual Rights of Note
Trustee
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51 |
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Section 6.04.
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Note Trustee’s
Disclaimer
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51 |
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Section 6.05.
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Notice of Defaults
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51 |
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Section 6.06.
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Reports by Note Trustee to
Holders
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51 |
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Section 6.07.
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Compensation and Indemnity
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52 |
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Section 6.08.
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Replacement of Note Trustee
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53 |
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Section 6.09.
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Successor Note Trustee by
Merger
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54 |
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Section 6.10.
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Appointment of Co-Trustee or Separate
Trustee
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55 |
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Section 6.11.
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Eligibility; Disqualification
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56 |
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Section 6.12.
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Preferential Collection of Claims
Against Note Issuer
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56 |
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Section 6.13.
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Representations and Warranties of Note
Trustee
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56 |
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Section 6.14.
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Covenants of the Note Trustee
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57 |
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| ARTICLE VII |
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| Noteholders’ Lists and
Reports |
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Section 7.01.
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Note Issuer To Furnish Note Trustee
Names and Addresses of Noteholders
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57 |
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Section 7.02.
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Preservation of Information;
Communications to Noteholders
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58 |
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Section 7.03.
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Reports by Note Issuer
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58 |
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Section 7.04.
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Reports by Note Trustee
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58 |
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| ARTICLE VIII |
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| Accounts, Disbursements and
Releases |
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Section 8.01.
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Collection of Money
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59 |
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Section 8.02.
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Collection Account
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59 |
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Section 8.03.
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General Provisions Regarding the
Collection Account
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62 |
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Section 8.04.
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Release of Collateral
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63 |
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Section 8.05.
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Opinion of Counsel
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64 |
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Section 8.06.
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Reports by Independent
Accountants
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64 |
iii
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Page
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| ARTICLE IX |
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| Supplemental Note
Indentures |
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Section 9.01.
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Supplemental Note Indentures Without
Consent of Noteholders
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65 |
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Section 9.02.
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Supplemental Note Indentures With
Consent of Noteholders
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66 |
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Section 9.03.
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Execution of Supplemental Note
Indentures
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68 |
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Section 9.04.
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Effect of Supplemental Note
Indenture
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68 |
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Section 9.05.
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Conformity with Trust Indenture
Act
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68 |
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| ARTICLE X |
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| Redemption of Notes |
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Section 10.01.
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Optional Redemption by Note
Issuer
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68 |
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Section 10.02.
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Form of Optional Redemption
Notice
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69 |
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Section 10.03.
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Notes Payable on Optional Redemption
Date or Payment Date
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69 |
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Section 10.04.
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Mandatory Redemption by Note
Issuer
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69 |
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Section 10.05.
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Form of Mandatory Redemption
Notice
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70 |
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Section 10.06.
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Notes Payable on Mandatory Redemption
Date or Payment Date
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70 |
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| ARTICLE XI |
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| Miscellaneous |
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Section 11.01.
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Compliance Certificates and Opinions,
etc.
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70 |
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Section 11.02.
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Form of Documents Delivered to Note
Trustee
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72 |
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Section 11.03.
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Acts of Noteholders
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73 |
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Section 11.04.
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Notices
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74 |
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Section 11.05.
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Notices to Noteholders;
Waiver
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75 |
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Section 11.06.
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Conflict with Trust Indenture
Act
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76 |
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Section 11.07.
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Effect of Headings and Table of
Contents
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76 |
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Section 11.08.
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Successors and Assigns
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76 |
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Section 11.09.
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Severability
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76 |
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Section 11.10.
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Benefits of Note Indenture
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76 |
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Section 11.11.
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Legal Holidays
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77 |
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Section 11.12.
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GOVERNING LAW
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77 |
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Section 11.13.
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Counterparts
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77 |
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Section 11.14.
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Recording of Note Indenture
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77 |
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Section 11.15.
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Trust Obligation
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77 |
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Section 11.16.
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No Recourse to Note Issuer
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77 |
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Section 11.17.
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Inspection
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78 |
iv
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Page
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SIGNATURE PAGE
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S-1 |
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SCHEDULE A
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— |
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Expected Amortization
Schedule
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SCHEDULE B
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— |
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Required Overcollateralization Level
Schedule
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EXHIBIT A-1
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— |
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Form of Sale Agreement
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EXHIBIT A-2
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— |
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Form of Servicing Agreement
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EXHIBIT B
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— |
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Form of Note
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v
NOTE INDENTURE dated
as of March 1, 2005, between CEC FUNDING, LLC, a Delaware limited
liability company (the “Note Issuer”), and THE BANK OF
NEW YORK, a New York banking corporation, as trustee (the
“Note Trustee”).
RECITALS
The Note Issuer has duly
authorized the execution and delivery of this Note Indenture to
provide for the issuance of its Notes with an aggregate principal
amount of $409,000,000 and the Note Issuer and the Note Trustee are
executing and delivering this Note Indenture in order to provide
for the issuance of the Notes.
GRANTING
CLAUSE
The Note Issuer hereby Grants
to the Note Trustee at the Issuance Date, as Note Trustee for the
benefit of the Holders of the Notes and the Note Trustee, all of
the Note Issuer’s right, title and interest in and to (a) the
Transition Property transferred by the Seller to the Note Issuer
pursuant to the Sale Agreement and all proceeds thereof, (b) the
Statutory Lien, (c) the Sale Agreement, (d) the Servicing
Agreement, (e) the Administration Agreement, (f) the Collection
Account (including all subaccounts thereof) and all amounts or
investment property on deposit therein or credited thereto from
time to time, (g) all other property of whatever kind owned from
time to time by the Note Issuer, including accounts, general
intangibles, equipment and inventory, (h) the security interest
with respect to the Transition Property granted by the Seller to
the Note Issuer in the Sale Agreement, (i) all present and future
claims, demands, causes and choses in action in respect of any or
all of the foregoing and all payments on or under and all proceeds
of every kind and nature whatsoever in respect of any or all of the
foregoing, including all proceeds of the conversion thereof,
voluntary or involuntary, into cash or other liquid property, all
cash proceeds, accounts, accounts receivable, notes, drafts,
acceptances, chattel paper, checks, deposit accounts, insurance
proceeds, condemnation awards, rights to payment of any and every
kind, and other forms of obligations and receivables, instruments
and other property which at any time constitute all or part of or
are included in the proceeds of any of the foregoing and (j) all
proceeds of the foregoing (collectively, the
“Collateral”); it being understood that the following
do not constitute Collateral: (i) amounts required to be released
pursuant to or contemplated in the terms hereof, including net
investment earnings on the Capital Subaccount that are required to
be released to the Note Issuer pursuant to Article VIII and (ii)
proceeds from the sale of the Notes required to pay the purchase
price of the Transition Property paid pursuant to the Sale
Agreement and the costs of issuance with respect to the Notes or an
allocable portion of the Certificates as set forth on the flow of
funds memorandum delivered on the Issuance Date (together with any
interest earnings thereon), it being understood that such amounts
described in clauses (i) and (ii) above shall not be subject to
Section 3.19.
The foregoing Grants are made
to the Note Trustee in trust to secure the payment of principal of,
interest on, and all other amounts (which shall include all amounts
payable to the Note Trustee under this Note Indenture, the
Certificate Indenture, the Fee and Indemnity Agreement and the
other Basic Documents) owing in respect of, the Notes, including
all amounts payable to the Note Trustee, the Certificate Trustee
and the Delaware Trustee under this Note Indenture, the Certificate
Indenture, the Fee and Indemnity Agreement and the other
Basic
Documents (collectively, the
“Secured Obligations”), equally and ratably without
prejudice, priority or distinction, except as expressly provided in
this Note Indenture, and to secure compliance with the provisions
of this Note Indenture with respect to the Notes, all as provided
in this Note Indenture. This Note Indenture constitutes a security
agreement within the meaning of the UCC or the Statute to the
extent that, under Massachusetts law, the provisions of the UCC or
the Statute are applicable hereto.
The Note Trustee, as trustee
on behalf of the Holders of the Notes and as agent for itself,
acknowledges such Grants, accepts the trusts hereunder in
accordance with the provisions hereof and agrees to perform its
duties herein required.
AND IT IS HEREBY COVENANTED,
DECLARED AND AGREED between the parties hereto that all Notes are
to be issued, countersigned and delivered and that all of the
Collateral is to be held and applied, subject to the further
covenants, conditions, releases, uses and trusts hereinafter set
forth, and the Note Issuer, for itself and any successor, does
hereby covenant and agree to and with the Note Trustee and its
successors in said trust, for the benefit of the Holders and the
Note Trustee, as follows:
ARTICLE I
Definitions and
Incorporation by Reference
Section 1.01.
Definitions . Except as otherwise specified herein or as the
context may otherwise require, the following terms have the
respective meanings set forth below for all purposes of this Note
Indenture.
“ Act ”
has the meaning specified in Section 11.03(a).
“ Administration
Agreement ” means the Administration Agreement dated as
of March 1, 2005, between Commonwealth Electric Company, as
Administrator, and the Note Issuer, as the same may be amended and
supplemented from time to time.
“ Administrator
” means Commonwealth Electric Company, a Massachusetts
corporation, or any successor Administrator under the
Administration Agreement.
“ Administration
Fee ” means the fee payable to the Administrator pursuant
to the Administration Agreement.
“ Affiliate
” means, with respect to any specified Person, any other
Person controlling or controlled by or under common control with
such specified Person. For the purposes of this definition,
“control” when used with respect to any specified
Person means the power to direct the management and policies of
such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership
of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms
“controlling” and “controlled” have
meanings correlative to the foregoing.
2
“ Agencies
” means collectively the Massachusetts Development Finance
Agency, doing business as MassDevelopment, and the Massachusetts
Health and Educational Facilities Authority.
“ Authorized
Officer ” means, with respect to the Note Issuer, any
officer of the Note Issuer who is authorized to act for the Note
Issuer in matters relating to the Note Issuer and who is identified
on the list of Authorized Officers delivered by the Note Issuer to
the Note Trustee on the Issuance Date (as such list may be modified
or supplemented by the Note Issuer from time to time
thereafter).
“ Basic
Documents ” means, collectively, this Note Indenture, the
Certificate Indenture, the Declaration of Trust, the Sale
Agreement, the Servicing Agreement, the Administration Agreement,
the Note Purchase Agreement, the Fee and Indemnity Agreement, the
Cross-Indemnity Agreement and the Underwriting
Agreement.
“ Boston Edison
” means Boston Edison Company, a Massachusetts
corporation.
“ Business Day
” means any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a day on
which banking institutions or trust companies in New York, New
York, Boston, Massachusetts or Wilmington, Delaware are authorized
or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to remain
closed.
“ Capital
Subaccount ” has the meaning set forth in Section
8.02(a).
“ Certificate
Issuer ” has the meaning set forth in the Certificate
Indenture.
“ Certificate
Indenture ” means the Certificate Indenture dated as of
March 1, 2005, between the Certificate Issuer, the Delaware Trustee
and the Certificate Trustee, as the same may be further amended and
supplemented from time to time.
“ Certificate
Trustee ” means the Person acting as certificate trustee
under the Certificate Indenture.
“ Certificates
” has the meaning set forth in the Certificate
Indenture.
“ Class ”
means any one of the classes of Notes.
“ Code ”
means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to
time, and Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder.
“ Collateral
” has the meaning specified in the Granting Clause of this
Note Indenture.
“ Collection
Account ” has the meaning specified in Section
8.02(a).
“ Corporate Trust
Office ” means the principal office of the Note Trustee
at which at any particular time its corporate trust business shall
be administered, which office at the date of the execution of this
Note Indenture is located at 101 Barclay Street, Floor 8 West, New
York, New
3
York 10286, Attention: Asset Backed
Finance Unit, or at such other address as the Note Trustee may
designate from time to time by notice to the Noteholders and the
Note Issuer, or the principal corporate trust office of any
successor Note Trustee (the address of which the successor Note
Trustee will notify the Noteholders and the Note
Issuer).
“ Covenant
Defeasance Option ” has the meaning specified in Section
4.01(b).
“ Cross Indemnity
Agreement ” means the Cross Indemnity Agreement dated as
of March 1, 2005 between the Note Issuer and BEC Funding II, LLC,
as the same may be amended and supplemented from time to
time.
“ Declaration of
Trust ” has the meaning set forth in the Certificate
Indenture.
“ Default
” means any occurrence that is, or with notice or the lapse
of time or both would become, an Event of Default.
“ Delaware
Trustee ” means the Person acting as Delaware trustee
under the Declaration of Trust and the Certificate
Indenture.
“ Delaware UCC
” means the Delaware Uniform Commercial Code.
“ DTC Agreement
” has the meaning set forth in the Certificate
Indenture.
“ DTE ”
means the Massachusetts Department of Telecommunications and Energy
and any successor thereto.
“ Eligible Deposit
Account ” means either (a) a segregated trust account
with an Eligible Institution or (b) a segregated trust account with
the corporate trust department of a depository institution
organized under the laws of the United States of America or any one
of the states thereof or the District of Columbia (or any domestic
branch of a foreign bank), having corporate trust powers and acting
as trustee for funds deposited in such account, so long as any of
the securities of such depository institution shall have a credit
rating from each Rating Agency in one of its generic rating
categories which signifies investment grade.
“ Eligible
Institution ” means (a) the corporate trust department of
the Note Trustee or (b) a depository institution organized under
the laws of the United States of America, any State or the District
of Columbia (or any domestic branch of a foreign bank), (i) which
has either (A) a long-term unsecured debt rating of AAA by Standard
& Poor’s and Aaa by Moody’s or (B) a certificate of
deposit rating of A-1+ by Standard & Poor’s and P-1 by
Moody’s, or any other long-term, short-term or certificate of
deposit rating acceptable to the Rating Agencies and (ii) whose
deposits are insured by the FDIC. If so qualified under clause (b)
above, the Note Trustee may be considered an Eligible Institution
for the purposes of clause (a) of the definition of Eligible
Deposit Account.
4
“ Eligible
Investments ” mean instruments or investment property
denominated in United States currency which evidence:
(a) direct obligations of, or
obligations fully and unconditionally guaranteed as to timely
payment by, the United States of America;
(b) demand deposits, time
deposits or certificates of deposit of any depository institution
or trust company incorporated under the laws of the United States
of America or any state thereof (or any domestic branch of a
foreign bank) and subject to supervision and examination by federal
or state banking or depository institution authorities;
provided , however , that at the time of the
investment or contractual commitment to invest therein, the
commercial paper or other short-term unsecured debt obligations
(other than such obligations the rating of which is based on the
credit of a Person other than such depository institution or trust
company) thereof shall have a credit rating from each of the Rating
Agencies in the highest short-term rating category granted
thereby;
(c) commercial paper or other
short-term obligations of any corporation organized under the laws
of the United States (other than commercial paper of the Seller,
NSTAR or Boston Edison) having, at the time of the investment or
contractual commitment to invest therein, a rating from each of the
Rating Agencies from which a rating is available in the highest
short-term rating category granted thereby;
(d) investments in money
market funds (including funds for which the Note Trustee, the
Certificate Trustee or any of their Affiliates is investment
manager or advisor) having a rating from each of the Rating
Agencies from which a rating is available in the highest investment
category granted thereby (for Standard & Poor’s such
rating being “AAAm” or
“AAAm-G”);
(e) bankers’
acceptances by any depository institution or trust company referred
to in (b) above;
(f) repurchase obligations
with respect to any security that is a direct obligation of, or
fully guaranteed by, the United States of America or any agency or
instrumentality thereof the obligations of which are backed by the
full faith and credit of the United States of America, in either
case entered into with depository institutions or trust company
(acting as principal described in clause (b) above);
(g) repurchase obligations
with respect to any security or whole loan entered into
with:
(i) a financial institution
(acting as principal) as described in clause (b) above,
or
(ii) a broker/dealer (acting
as principal) registered as a broker or dealer under Section 15 of
the Exchange Act, the unsecured short term
5
debt obligations of which are
rated “P-1” by Moody’s and “A-1+” by
S&P at the time of entering into the repurchase obligation;
and
(h) any other investment
permitted by each of the Rating Agencies;
provided ,
however , that (1) the obligor related to clauses (b), (c),
(d), (f), and (g) above must have a long-term rating of at least
“Aa3” or a short-term rating of at least
“P-1” with respect to Moody’s only, and a
short-term rating of at least “A-1+” or a long-term
rating of at least “AA-” with respect to Standard &
Poor’s only, (2) with respect to clause (a) above, the
instruments must have a predetermined fixed dollar amount of
principal at maturity that cannot vary, and if rated, the
instruments must not have an “r” suffix attached to its
Standard & Poor’s rating, (3) unless otherwise permitted
by each Rating Agency, upon the failure of any Eligible Institution
to maintain any applicable rating set forth in this definition or
the definition of Eligible Institution, the related investments at
such institution shall be reinvested in Eligible Investments at a
successor Eligible Institution within 10 days, and (4) that all
Eligible Investments must not:
| |
(x) |
be sold, liquidated or otherwise disposed of at a loss, prior
to the maturity thereof, |
| |
(y) |
mature later than (i) the date on which the proceeds of such
Eligible Investment will be required to be on deposit in the
Collection Account in order for the Note Trustee to make all
required and scheduled payments and deposits into subaccounts under
the Note Indenture, if such Eligible Investment is held by an
Affiliate of the Note Trustee, or (ii) the Business Day prior to
the date on which the proceeds of such Eligible Investment will be
required to be on deposit in the Collection Account in order for
the Note Trustee to make all required and scheduled payments and
deposits into subaccounts under the Indenture, if such Eligible
Investment is not held by an Affiliate of the Note Trustee,
or |
| |
(z) |
have maturities in excess of one year. |
“ Event of
Default ” has the meaning specified in Section
5.01.
“ Exchange Act
” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.
“ Expected
Amortization Schedule ” means, with respect to each Class
of Notes, the schedule attached as Schedule A hereto.
“ FDIC ”
means the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any
successor.
“ Fee and Indemnity
Agreement ” means the fee and indemnity agreement dated
as of March 1, 2005, among the Note Issuer, BEC Funding II, LLC,
the Delaware Trustee, the Certificate Trustee, the Certificate
Issuer and the Agencies.
6
“ Final Maturity
Date ” means, with respect to any Class of Notes, the
Final Maturity Date therefor, as specified in Section
2.01(b).
“ Financial
Asset ” means a “financial asset” as defined
in Section 8-102(a)(9) of the Mass. UCC.
“ General
Subaccount ” has the meaning set forth in Section
8.02(a).
“ Grant ”
means mortgage, pledge, collaterally assign and grant a lien upon
and a security interest pursuant to this Note Indenture. A Grant of
the Collateral or of any other agreement or instrument shall
include all rights, powers and options (but none of the
obligations) of the Granting party thereunder, including the
immediate and continuing right to claim for, collect, receive and
give receipt for payments in respect of the Collateral and all
other moneys payable thereunder, to give and receive notices and
other communications, to make waivers or other agreements, to
exercise all rights and options, to bring Proceedings in the name
of the Granting party or otherwise and generally to do and receive
anything that the Granting party is or may be entitled to do or
receive thereunder or with respect thereto.
“ Independent
” means, when used with respect to any specified Person, that
the Person (a) is in fact independent of the Note Issuer, any other
obligor upon the Notes, the Seller, the Servicer and any Affiliate
of any of the foregoing Persons, (b) does not have any direct
financial interest or any material indirect financial interest in
the Note Issuer, any such other obligor, the Seller, the Servicer
or any Affiliate of any of the foregoing Persons and (c) is not
connected with the Note Issuer, any such other obligor, the Seller,
the Servicer or any Affiliate of any of the foregoing Persons as an
officer, employee, promoter, underwriter, trustee, partner,
director or person performing similar functions (other than service
as an Independent director of BEC Funding II, LLC).
“ Independent
Certificate ” means a certificate or opinion to be
delivered to the Note Trustee under the circumstances described in,
and otherwise complying with, the applicable requirements of
Section 11.01, made by an Independent appraiser or other expert
appointed by an Issuer Order and consented to by the Note Trustee,
and such opinion or certificate shall state that the signer has
read the definition of “Independent” in this Note
Indenture and that the signer is Independent within the meaning
thereof.
“ Issuance Date
” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.01(c)(i).
“ Issuer Order
” and “ Issuer Request ” means a written
order or request signed in the name of the Note Issuer by any one
of its Authorized Officers and delivered to the Note
Trustee.
“ Legal Defeasance
Option ” has the meaning specified in Section
4.01(b).
“ Mandatory
Redemption Date ” has the meaning specified in Section
10.04.
“ Mandatory
Redemption Price ” has the meaning specified in Section
10.04.
“ Massachusetts
UCC ” means the Massachusetts Uniform Commercial
Code.
7
“ Minimum
Denomination ” means $1,000.00 or any integral multiple
of $1.00 in excess thereof.
“ Moody’s
” means Moody’s Investors Service Inc. or its
successor.
“ Noteholder
” or “ Holder ” means the Person in whose
name a Note is registered on the Note Register.
“ Note Indenture
” or “ this Note Indenture ” means this
instrument as originally executed and, as from time to time
supplemented or amended by one or more indentures supplemental
hereto entered into pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof,
as so supplemented or amended, or both, and shall include the forms
and terms of the Notes established hereunder.
“ Note Interest
Rate ” has the meaning specified in Section
2.01(b).
“ Note Issuer
” means the party named as such in this Note Indenture until
a successor replaces it and, thereafter, means the successor and,
for purposes of any provision contained herein and required by the
Trust Indenture Act, each other obligor on the Notes.
“ Note Purchase
Agreement ” has the meaning set forth in the Certificate
Indenture.
“ Note Register
” and “ Note Registrar ” have the
respective meanings specified in Section 2.05.
“ Notes ”
has the meaning specified in Section 2.01(a).
“ Note Trustee
” means The Bank of New York, a New York banking corporation,
as Note Trustee under this Note Indenture, or any successor Note
Trustee under this Note Indenture.
“ NSTAR ”
means NSTAR, a Massachusetts voluntary association.
“ Officer’s
Certificate ” means a certificate signed by any
Authorized Officer of the Note Issuer, under the circumstances
described in, and otherwise complying with, the applicable
requirements of Section 11.01, and delivered to the Note
Trustee.
“ Operating
Expenses ” means all fees, costs and expenses of, and
indemnities owed by, the Note Issuer, including all amounts owed by
the Note Issuer to the Note Trustee, the Certificate Issuer, the
Certificate Trustee, the Delaware Trustee, the Agencies, BEC
Funding II, LLC and the Rating Agencies, the Servicing Fee, the
Administration Fee, any fees, costs and expenses payable or
reimbursable by the Note Issuer to the Administrator, Seller or
Servicer and legal and accounting fees, costs and expenses of the
Note Issuer and the Certificate Issuer that are allocable to the
Note Issuer.
“ Opinion of
Counsel ” means one or more written opinions of counsel
who may, except as otherwise expressly provided in this Note
Indenture, be an employee of or counsel to the Note Issuer and who
shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Note Trustee, and which
opinion or opinions shall be addressed to the Note Trustee, as
trustee, shall comply with any applicable
8
requirements of Section 11.01, and shall
be in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Note
Trustee.
“ Optional
Redemption Date ” means the Payment Date specified by the
Note Issuer for the redemption of the Notes pursuant to Section
10.01.
“ Optional
Redemption Price ” has the meaning specified in Section
10.01.
“ Outstanding
” means, as of the date of determination, all Notes
theretofore authenticated and delivered under this Note Indenture
except:
(ii) Notes theretofore
cancelled by the Note Registrar or delivered to the Note Registrar
for cancellation;
(iii) Notes or portions
thereof the payment for which money in the necessary amount has
been theretofore deposited with the Note Trustee or any Paying
Agent in trust for the Holders of such Notes ( provided ,
however , that if such Notes are to be redeemed, notice of
such redemption has been duly given pursuant to this Note Indenture
or provision made therefor, reasonably satisfactory to the Note
Trustee); and
(iv) Notes in exchange for or
in lieu of other Notes which have been authenticated and delivered
pursuant to this Note Indenture unless proof satisfactory to the
Note Trustee is presented that any such Notes are held by a bona
fide purchaser;
provided , however , that
in determining whether the Holders of the requisite Outstanding
Amount of the Notes or any Class thereof have given any request,
demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver
hereunder or under any Basic Document, Notes owned by the Note
Issuer, any other obligor upon the Notes, the Seller or any
Affiliate of any of the foregoing Persons shall be disregarded and
deemed not to be Outstanding, except that, in determining whether
the Note Trustee shall be protected in relying upon any such
request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or
waiver, only Notes that the Note Trustee actually knows to be so
owned shall be so disregarded. Notes so owned that have been
pledged in good faith may be regarded as Outstanding if the pledgee
establishes to the satisfaction of the Note Trustee the
pledgee’s right so to act with respect to such Notes and that
the pledgee is not the Note Issuer, any other obligor upon the
Notes, the Seller or any Affiliate of any of the foregoing
Persons.
“ Outstanding
Amount ” means the aggregate principal amount of all
Notes or, if the context requires, all Notes of a Class,
Outstanding at the date of determination.
“
Overcollateralization Subaccount ” has the meaning
specified in Section 8.02(a).
“ Paying Agent
” means the Note Trustee or any other Person that meets the
eligibility standards for the Note Trustee specified in Section
6.11 and is authorized by the Note Issuer to make payment of
principal of or interest on the Notes on behalf of the Note
Issuer.
9
“ Payment Date
” has the meaning specified in Section
2.01(c)(ii).
“ Person ”
means any individual, corporation, limited liability company,
estate, partnership, joint venture, association, joint stock
company, trust (including any beneficiary thereof), unincorporated
organization or government or any agency or political subdivision
thereof.
“ Predecessor
Note ” means, with respect to any particular Note, every
previous Note evidencing all or a portion of the same debt as that
evidenced by such particular Note; and, for the purpose of this
definition, any Note authenticated and delivered under Section 2.06
in lieu of a mutilated, lost, destroyed or stolen Note shall be
deemed to evidence the same debt as the mutilated, lost, destroyed
or stolen Note.
“ Proceeding
” means any suit in equity, action at law or other judicial
or administrative proceeding.
“ Projected
Principal Balance ” means, as of any Payment Date on any
Class of Notes, the projected outstanding principal amount of such
Class of Notes for such Payment Date set forth in the Expected
Amortization Schedule.
“ Rating Agency
” means, collectively, Moody’s and Standard &
Poor’s. If no such organization or successor is any longer in
existence, “Rating Agency” shall be a nationally
recognized statistical rating organization or other comparable
Person designated by the Note Issuer, notice of which designation
shall be given to the Note Trustee, the Certificate Trustee and the
Servicer.
“ Rating Agency
Condition ” means, with respect to any action, that each
Rating Agency shall have been given ten days prior written notice
thereof and that each of the Rating Agencies shall have notified
the Servicer, the Note Issuer, the Note Trustee, the Agencies and
the Certificate Trustee in writing that such action will not result
in a suspension, reduction or withdrawal of the then current rating
by such Rating Agency of any Class of the Notes or any Class of the
Certificates.
“ Record Date
” means, with respect to a Payment Date, Optional Redemption
Date or Mandatory Redemption Date, the close of business on the
last day of the calendar month preceding the calendar month in
which such Payment Date, Optional Redemption Date or Mandatory
Redemption Date occurs.
“ Registered
Holder ” means the Person in whose name a Note is
registered on the Note Register on the applicable Record
Date.
“ Repurchase
Date ” has the meaning specified in the Sale
Agreement.
“ Required Capital
Level ” means, as of any Payment Date, .50 percent of the
initial principal amount of the Notes.
10
“ Required
Overcollateralization Level ” means, as of any Payment
Date, the amount required to be on deposit in the
Overcollateralization Subaccount as specified in Schedule B
hereto.
“ Reserve
Subaccount ” has the meaning specified in Section
8.02(a).
“ Responsible
Officer ” means, with respect to the Note Trustee, any
officer assigned to the Corporate Trust Division (or any successor
thereto), including any Vice President, Assistant Vice President,
Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Treasurer or Assistant Treasurer or
any other officer of the Note Trustee customarily performing
functions similar to those performed by any of the above designated
officers, in each case having direct responsibility for the
administration of this Note Indenture.
“ Sale Agreement
” means the Transition Property Purchase and Sale Agreement
dated as of March 1, 2005, between the Note Issuer and the Seller,
in the form of Exhibit A-1, as amended and supplemented from time
to time.
“ Scheduled Maturity
Date ” means, with respect to any Class of Notes, the
Scheduled Maturity Date therefor, as specified in Section
2.01(b).
“ Secured
Obligations ” has the meaning specified in the Granting
Clause of this Note Indenture.
“ Securities
Account ” means the Collection Account which shall be a
“securities account,” as defined in Section 8-501 of
the Delaware UCC.
“ Securities Act
” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
“ Securities
Intermediary ” means the Note Trustee, acting as a
“securities intermediary,” as defined in Section
8-102(a)(14) of the Delaware UCC.
“ Security
Entitlement ” means a “security entitlement”
as defined in Section 8-102(a)(17) of the Delaware UCC.
“ Semiannual
Interest ” has the meaning specified in Section
2.01(c)(iv).
“ Semiannual
Principal ” means, with respect to any Payment Date on
any Class of Notes, the excess, if any, of the Outstanding Amount
of such Class of Notes over the outstanding principal balance of
such Class of Notes specified for such Payment Date in the Expected
Amortization Schedule.
“ Servicing
Agreement ” means the Transition Property Servicing
Agreement dated as of March 1, 2005, between the Note Issuer and
the Servicer, in the form of Exhibit A-2, as amended and
supplemented from time to time.
“ Standard &
Poor’s ” means Standard & Poor’s Ratings
Services, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. or its
successor.
11
“ State ”
means any one of the 50 states of the United States of America or
the District of Columbia.
“ Statute
” means Chapter 164 of the Massachusetts Acts of
1997.
“ Statutory Lien
” means the lien on the Transition Property created by
Section 1H(e) of Chapter 164 of the Massachusetts General
Laws.
“ Successor
Servicer ” has the meaning specified in Section
3.07(e).
“ Trust Indenture
Act ” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 as in force
on the date hereof, unless otherwise specifically
provided.
“ UCC ”
means, unless the context otherwise requires, the Uniform
Commercial Code, as in effect in the relevant jurisdiction, as
amended from time to time.
“ Underwriting
Agreement ” means the Underwriting Agreement dated as of
February 15, 2005, among the Seller, the Note Issuer, Boston
Edison, BEC Funding II, LLC, Lehman Brothers Inc. and Goldman,
Sachs & Co.
“ U.S. Government
Obligations ” means direct obligations (or certificates
representing an ownership interest in such obligations) of the
United States of America (including any agency or instrumentality
thereof) for the payment of which the full faith and credit of the
United States of America is pledged.
12
(aa) Except as otherwise
specified herein or as the context may otherwise require, the
following terms have the respective meanings set forth in the
Servicing Agreement as in effect on the Issuance Date for all
purposes of this Note Indenture, and the definitions of such terms
are equally applicable both to the singular and plural forms of
such terms:
|
|
|
|
Term
|
|
Section of
Servicing Agreement
|
|
Advice Letter
|
|
Section 1.01 |
|
Estimated RTC Charge Payments
|
|
Section 1.01 |
|
Financing Order
|
|
Section 1.01 |
|
Issuance Advice Letter
|
|
Section 1.01 |
|
Non-Routine Periodic
Adjustment
|
|
Section 1.01 |
|
Periodic Adjustments
|
|
Section 1.01 |
|
Principal Balance
|
|
Section 1.01 |
|
RTC Charge
|
|
Section 1.01 |
|
RTC Charge Collections
|
|
Section 1.01 |
|
Seller
|
|
Section 1.01 |
|
Semiannual Servicer
Certificate
|
|
Section 1.01 |
|
Servicer
|
|
Section 1.01 |
|
Servicer Default
|
|
Section 1.01 |
|
Servicing Fee
|
|
Section 1.01 |
|
Transition Property
|
|
Section 1.01 |
Section 1.02.
Incorporation by Reference of Trust Indenture Act . Whenever
this Note Indenture refers to a provision of the Trust Indenture
Act, the provision is incorporated by reference in and made a part
of this Note Indenture. The following Trust Indenture Act terms
used in this Note Indenture have the following meanings:
“Commission”
means the Securities and Exchange Commission.
“indenture
securities” means the Notes.
“indenture security
holder” means a Noteholder.
“indenture to be
qualified” means this Note Indenture.
“indenture
trustee” or “institutional trustee” means the
Note Trustee.
“obligor” on the
indenture securities means the Note Issuer and any other obligor on
the indenture securities.
All other Trust Indenture Act
terms used in this Note Indenture that are defined by the Trust
Indenture Act, defined by Trust Indenture Act reference to another
statute or defined by Commission rule have the meanings assigned to
them by such definitions.
Section 1.03. Rules of
Construction . Unless the context otherwise
requires:
(i) a term has the meaning
assigned to it;
13
(ii) an accounting term not
otherwise defined has the meaning assigned to it in accordance with
generally accepted accounting principles as in effect from time to
time;
(iii) “or” is not
exclusive;
(iv) “including”
means including without limitation;
(v) words in the singular
include the plural and words in the plural include the
singular;
(vi) the words
“herein,” “hereof,” “hereunder”
and other words of similar import refer to this Note Indenture as a
whole and not to any particular Article, Section or other
subdivision; and
(vii) all references in this
Note Indenture to designated “Articles,”
“Sections” and other subdivisions are to the designated
Articles, Sections and other subdivisions of this Note
Indenture;
ARTICLE II
The
Notes
Section 2.01. Terms of the
Notes .
(a) Authorization;
Designation . The issuance of the Notes in an aggregate initial
principal amount of $409,000,000 is hereby authorized and the Notes
shall be designated as the CEC Funding, LLC Notes (the
“Notes”), and further denominated as Classes A-1
through A-4.
14
(b) Initial Principal
Amount; Note Interest Rate; Scheduled Maturity Date; Final Maturity
Date . The Notes of each Class shall have the aggregate initial
principal amount, bear interest at the rates per annum and shall
have Scheduled Maturity Dates and Final Maturity Dates as set forth
below:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Class
|
|
Initial Principal
Amount
|
|
Note Interest
Rate
|
|
|
Scheduled
Maturity Date
|
|
Final Maturity
Date
|
|
A-1
|
|
$ |
66,237,000 |
|
3.40 |
% |
|
9/15/2006 |
|
9/15/2008 |
|
A-2
|
|
$ |
93,040,000 |
|
3.78 |
% |
|
9/15/2008 |
|
9/15/2010 |
|
A-3
|
|
$ |
161,858,000 |
|
4.13 |
% |
|
9/15/2011 |
|
9/15/2013 |
|
A-4
|
|
$ |
87,865,000 |
|
4.40 |
% |
|
3/15/2013 |
|
3/15/2015 |
The Note Interest Rate shall
be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day
months.
The Notes shall be issuable
in not less than Minimum Denominations.
(c) Authentication Date;
Payment Dates; Expected Amortization Schedule for Principal;
Semiannual Interest .
(i) Authentication
Date . The Notes that are authenticated and delivered by the
Note Trustee to or upon the order of the Note Issuer on March 1,
2005 (the “Issuance Date”) shall have as their date of
authentication March 1, 2005.
(ii) Payment Dates .
The Payment Dates for the Notes shall be September 15 and March 15
of each year or, if any such date is not a Business Day, the next
succeeding Business Day, commencing on September 15, 2005 and
continuing until the earlier of repayment of the Notes in full or
the Final Maturity Date for Class A-4 of the Notes.
(iii) Expected
Amortization Schedule for Principal . Unless an Event of
Default shall have occurred and be continuing and the unpaid
principal amount of all Notes and accrued interest thereon has been
declared to be due and payable, on each Payment Date, the Note
Trustee shall pay to the Noteholders of record as of the related
Record Date amounts payable pursuant to Section 8.02(d) as
principal, in the following order and priority: (1) to the holders
of the Class A-1 Notes, until the Outstanding Amount of such Class
of Notes thereof has been reduced to zero; (2) to the holders of
the Class A-2 Notes, until the Outstanding Amount of such Class of
Notes thereof has been reduced to zero; (3) to the holders of the
Class A-3 Notes, until the Outstanding Amount of such Class of
Notes thereof has been reduced to zero and (4) to the holders of
the Class A-4 Notes until the Outstanding Amount of such Class of
Notes thereof has been reduced to zero; provided ,
however , that in no event shall a principal payment
pursuant to this Section 2.01(c)(iii) on any Class on a Payment
Date be greater than the amount that reduces the Outstanding Amount
of such Class of Notes to the amount specified in the Expected
Amortization Schedule. Partial payments of any scheduled
amortization payment shall be allocated within any Class of Notes
pro rata.
15
(iv) Semiannual
Interest . Semiannual Interest will be payable on each Class of
Notes on each Payment Date in an amount equal to one-half of the
product of (i) the applicable Note Interest Rate and (ii) the
Outstanding Amount of the related Class of Notes as of the close of
business on the preceding Payment Date after giving effect to all
payments of principal made to the Holders of the related Class of
Notes on such preceding Payment Date; provided ,
however , that with respect to the initial Payment Date or,
if no payment has yet been made, interest on the outstanding
principal balance will accrue from and including the Issuance Date
to, but excluding, that Payment Date.
Section 2.02. Form .
The Notes and the Note Trustee’s certificate of
authentication shall be in substantially the forms set forth in
Exhibit B, with such appropriate insertions, omissions,
substitutions and other variations as are required or permitted by
this Note Indenture and may have such letters, numbers or other
marks of identification and such legends or endorsements placed
thereon as may, consistently herewith, be determined by the
officers executing such Notes, as evidenced by their execution of
such Notes. Any portion of the text of any Note may be set forth on
the reverse thereof, with an appropriate reference thereto on the
face of the Note.
The Notes shall be
typewritten, printed, lithographed or engraved or produced by any
combination of these methods (with or without steel engraved
borders), all as determined by the officers executing such Notes,
as evidenced by their execution of such Notes.
The terms of the Notes set
forth in Exhibit B are part of the terms of this Note
Indenture.
Section 2.03. Execution,
Authentication and Delivery . The Notes shall be executed on
behalf of the Note Issuer by any of its Authorized Officers. The
signature of any such Authorized Officer on the Notes may be manual
or facsimile.
Notes bearing the manual or
facsimile signature of individuals who were at any time Authorized
Officers of the Note Issuer shall bind the Note Issuer,
notwithstanding that such individuals or any of them have ceased to
hold such offices prior to the authentication and delivery of such
Notes or did not hold such offices at the date of such
Notes.
At any time and from time to
time after the execution and delivery of this Note Indenture, the
Note Issuer may deliver Notes executed by the Note Issuer to the
Note Trustee pursuant to an Issuer Order for authentication; and
the Note Trustee shall authenticate and deliver such Notes as
provided in this Note Indenture and not otherwise.
No Note shall be entitled to
any benefit under this Note Indenture or be valid or obligatory for
any purpose, unless there appears on such Note a certificate of
authentication substantially in the form provided for herein
executed by the Note Trustee by the manual signature of one of its
authorized signatories, and such certificate upon any Note shall be
conclusive evidence, and the only evidence, that such Note has been
duly authenticated and delivered hereunder.
16
Section 2.04. Temporary
Notes . Pending the preparation of definitive Notes, the Note
Issuer may execute, and upon receipt of an Issuer Order the Note
Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, temporary Notes which are
printed, lithographed, typewritten, mimeographed or otherwise
produced, of the tenor of the definitive Notes in lieu of which
they are issued and with such variations not inconsistent with the
terms of this Note Indenture as the officers executing such Notes
may determine, as evidenced by their execution of such
Notes.
If temporary Notes are
issued, the Note Issuer will cause definitive Notes to be prepared
without unreasonable delay. After the preparation of definitive
Notes, the temporary Notes shall be exchangeable for definitive
Notes upon surrender of the temporary Notes at the office or agency
of the Note Issuer to be maintained as provided in Section 3.02,
without charge to the Holder. Upon surrender for cancellation of
any one or more temporary Notes, the Note Issuer shall execute and
the Note Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange
therefor a like principal amount of definitive Notes of Minimum
Denominations. Until so exchanged, the temporary Notes shall in all
respects be entitled to the same benefits under this Note Indenture
as definitive Notes.
Section 2.05.
Registration; Registration of Transfer and Exchange . The
Note Issuer shall cause to be kept a register (the “Note
Register”) in which, subject to such reasonable regulations
as it may prescribe, the Note Issuer shall provide for the
registration of Notes and the registration of transfers of Notes.
The Note Trustee shall be “Note Registrar” for the
purpose of registering Notes and transfers of Notes as herein
provided. Upon any resignation of any Note Registrar, the Note
Issuer shall promptly appoint a successor or, if it elects not to
make such an appointment, assume the duties of Note
Registrar.
If a Person other than the
Note Trustee is appointed by the Note Issuer as Note Registrar, the
Note Issuer will give the Note Trustee prompt written notice of the
appointment of such Note Registrar and of the location, and any
change in the location, of the Note Register, and the Note Trustee
shall have the right to inspect the Note Register at all reasonable
times and to obtain copies thereof, and the Note Trustee shall have
the right to rely upon a certificate executed on behalf of the Note
Registrar by a Responsible Officer thereof as to the names and
addresses of the Holders of the Notes and the principal amounts and
number of such Notes.
Upon surrender for
registration of transfer of any Note at the office or agency of the
Note Issuer to be maintained as provided in Section 3.02, the Note
Issuer shall execute, and the Note Trustee shall authenticate and
the Noteholder shall obtain from the Note Trustee, in the name of
the designated transferee or transferees, one or more new Notes in
any Minimum Denominations, of a like Class and aggregate principal
amount.
At the option of the Holder,
Notes may be exchanged for other Notes in any Minimum
Denominations, of a like Class and aggregate principal amount, upon
surrender of the Notes to be exchanged at such office or agency.
Whenever any Notes are so surrendered for exchange, the Note Issuer
shall execute, and the Note Trustee shall authenticate and the
Noteholder shall obtain from the Note Trustee, the Notes which the
Noteholder making the exchange is entitled to receive.
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All Notes issued upon any
registration of transfer or exchange of Notes shall be the valid
obligations of the Note Issuer, evidencing the same debt, and
entitled to the same benefits under this Note Indenture, as the
Notes surrendered upon such registration of transfer or
exchange.
Every Note presented or
surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange shall be duly
endorsed by, or be accompanied by (a) a written instrument of
transfer in form satisfactory to the Note Trustee duly executed by
the Holder thereof or such Holder’s attorney duly authorized
in writing, with such signature guaranteed by an institution which
is a member of one of the following recognized Signature Guaranty
Programs: (i) The Securities Transfer Agent Medallion Program
(STAMP); (ii) The New York Stock Exchange Medallion Program (MSP);
(iii) The Stock Exchange Medallion Program (SEMP); or (iv) in such
other guarantee program acceptable to the Note Trustee, and (b)
such other documents as the Note Trustee may require.
No service charge shall be
made to a Holder for any registration of transfer or exchange of
Notes, but the Note Issuer may require payment of a sum sufficient
to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed
in connection with any registration of transfer or exchange of
Notes, other than exchanges pursuant to Section 2.04 not involving
any transfer.
The preceding provisions of
this Section notwithstanding, the Note Issuer shall not be required
to make and the Note Registrar need not register transfers or
exchanges of Notes selected for redemption or of any Note for a
period of 15 days preceding the date for any payment with respect
to the Note.
Section 2.06. Mutilated,
Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Notes . If (i) any mutilated Note is
surrendered to the Note Trustee, or the Note Trustee receives
evidence to its satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of
any Note, and (ii) there is delivered to the Note Trustee such
security or indemnity as may be required by it to hold the Note
Issuer and the Note Trustee harmless, then, in the absence of
notice to the Note Issuer, the Note Registrar or the Note Trustee
that such Note has been acquired by a protected purchaser, the Note
Issuer shall execute and, upon its request, the Note Trustee shall
authenticate and deliver, in exchange for or in lieu of any such
mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Note, a replacement Note of
like Class, tenor and principal amount, bearing a number not
contemporaneously outstanding; provided , however ,
that if any such destroyed, lost or stolen Note, but not a
mutilated Note, shall have become or within seven days shall be due
and payable, or shall have been called for redemption, instead of
issuing a replacement Note, the Note Issuer may pay such destroyed,
lost or stolen Note when so due or payable or upon the Optional
Redemption Date or Mandatory Redemption Date, as applicable,
without surrender thereof. If, after the delivery of such
replacement Note or payment of a destroyed, lost or stolen Note
pursuant to the proviso to the preceding sentence, a protected
purchaser of the original Note in lieu of which such replacement
Note was issued presents for payment such original Note, the Note
Issuer and the Note Trustee shall be entitled to recover such
replacement Note (or such payment) from the Person to whom it was
delivered or any Person taking such replacement Note from such
Person to whom such replacement Note was delivered or any assignee
of such Person, except a protected purchaser, and shall be entitled
to recover upon the security or indemnity provided therefor to the
extent of any loss, damage, cost or expense incurred by the Note
Issuer or the Note Trustee in connection therewith.
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Upon the issuance of any
replacement Note under this Section, the Note Issuer may require
the payment by the Holder of such Note of a sum sufficient to cover
any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in
relation thereto and any other reasonable expenses (including the
fees and expenses of the Note Trustee) connected
therewith.
Every replacement Note issued
pursuant to this Section in replacement of any mutilated,
destroyed, lost or stolen Note shall constitute an original
additional contractual obligation of the Note Issuer, whether or
not the mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Note shall be at any
time enforceable by anyone, and shall be entitled to all the
benefits of this Note Indenture equally and proportionately with
any and all other Notes duly issued hereunder.
The provisions of this
Section are exclusive and shall preclude (to the extent lawful) all
other rights and remedies with respect to the replacement or
payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Notes.
Section 2.07. Persons
Deemed Owner . Prior to due presentment for registration of
transfer of any Note, the Note Issuer, the Note Trustee and any
agent of the Note Issuer or the Note Trustee may treat the Person
in whose name any Note is registered (as of the day of
determination) as the owner of such Note for the purpose of
receiving payments of principal of and interest on such Note and
for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not such Note be
overdue, and neither the Note Issuer, the Note Trustee nor any
agent of the Note Issuer or the Note Trustee shall be affected by
notice to the contrary.
Section 2.08. Payment of
Principal and Interest; Interest on Overdue Principal; Principal
and Interest Rights Preserved .
(a) Any installment of
interest or principal payable on any Note which is punctually paid
or duly provided for by the Note Issuer on the applicable Payment
Date shall be paid to the Person in whose name such Note (or one or
more Predecessor Notes) is registered on the Record Date for such
Payment Date, by check mailed first-class, postage prepaid to such
Person’s address as it appears on the Note Register on such
Record Date, except that with respect to Notes registered on the
Record Date in the name of the Certificate Trustee payments will be
made by wire transfer in immediately available funds to the account
designated by the Certificate Trustee and except for the final
installment of principal payable with respect to such Note on a
Payment Date which shall be payable as provided below. The funds
represented by any such checks returned undelivered shall be held
in accordance with Section 3.03 hereof.
(b) The principal of each
Note of each Class shall be paid, to the extent funds are available
therefor in the Collection Account, in installments on each Payment
Date specified in Section 2.01. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the
entire unpaid principal amount of the Notes shall be due and
payable, if not previously paid, on the date on which an Event of
Default shall have occurred and be continuing, if the Note Trustee
or the Holders of the Notes representing not less than a majority
of the Outstanding Amount of the Notes have declared the Notes to
be immediately due and payable in the manner provided in Section
5.02. In such event, all payments of principal on the Notes shall
be
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made pro rata. The Note
Trustee shall notify the Person in whose name a Note is registered
at the close of business on the Record Date preceding the Payment
Date on which the Note Issuer expects that the final installment of
principal of and interest on such Note will be paid. Such notice
shall be mailed no later than five days prior to such final Payment
Date and shall specify that such final installment will be payable
only upon presentation and surrender of such Note and shall specify
the place where such Note may be presented and surrendered for
payment of such installment. Notices in connection with redemptions
of Notes shall be mailed to Noteholders as provided in Section
10.02 or Section 10.05, as applicable.
(c) If the Note Issuer
defaults in a payment of interest on the Notes when due, the Note
Issuer shall be required to pay such defaulted interest (plus
interest on such defaulted interest at the applicable Note Interest
Rate to the extent lawful) to the Persons who are Noteholders on a
subsequent special record date, which date shall be at least five
Business Days prior to the payment date. The Note Issuer shall fix
or cause to be fixed any such special record date and payment date,
and, at least 20 days before any such special record date, the Note
Issuer shall mail to each affected Noteholder a notice that states
the special record date, the payment date and the amount of
defaulted interest (plus interest on such defaulted interest) to be
paid.
Section 2.09.
Cancellation . All Notes surrendered for payment,
registration of transfer, exchange or redemption shall, if
surrendered to any Person other than the Note Trustee, be delivered
to the Note Trustee and shall be promptly cancelled by the Note
Trustee. The Note Issuer may at any time deliver to the Note
Trustee for cancellation any Notes previously authenticated and
delivered hereunder which the Note Issuer may have acquired in any
manner whatsoever, and all Notes so delivered shall be promptly
cancelled by the Note Trustee. No Notes shall be authenticated in
lieu of or in exchange for any Notes cancelled as provided in this
Section, except as expressly permitted by this Note Indenture. All
cancelled Notes may be held or disposed of by the Note Trustee in
accordance with its standard retention or disposal policy as in
effect at the time.
Section 2.10.
Authentication and Delivery of Notes . On the Issuance Date,
the Notes shall be executed by the Note Issuer and delivered to the
Note Trustee for authentication and thereupon the same shall be
authenticated and delivered by the Note Trustee upon Issuer Request
and upon delivery by the Note Issuer to the Note Trustee, and
receipt by the Note Trustee, or the causing to occur by the Note
Issuer, of the following:
(1) Note Issuer Action
. An Issuer Order authorizing and directing the authentication and
delivery of the Notes by the Note Trustee and specifying the
principal amount of Notes to be authenticated.
(2) Authorizations
.
(a) An Opinion of Counsel
that no authorization, approval or consent of any Massachusetts,
Delaware or federal governmental body or bodies at the time having
jurisdiction in the premises is required to be obtained by the Note
Issuer for
20
the valid issuance,
authentication and delivery of such Notes, except for such
registrations as are required under the blue sky and securities
laws of any State or such authorizations, approvals or consents of
governmental bodies that have been obtained.
(b) An Opinion of Counsel
that no authorization, approval or consent of any governmental body
or bodies at the time having jurisdiction in the premises is
required for the valid execution and delivery by the Note Issuer of
each of the Basic Documents to which the Note Issuer is a party,
except for such authorizations, approvals or consents of
governmental bodies that have been obtained.
(3) Authorizing
Certificate . A certificate of an Authorized Officer of the
Note Issuer certifying that the Note Issuer has duly authorized the
execution and delivery of this Note Indenture and the execution,
authentication and delivery of the Notes.
(4) The Collateral .
The Note Issuer shall have caused all Collateral to have been
Granted to the Note Trustee or, if requested by the Note Trustee,
its nominee and will have caused all filings pursuant to the
Statute, the Massachusetts UCC, the Delaware UCC and any other
applicable law as are necessary to cause the Note Trustee to have a
first priority perfected security interest in the Collateral to
have been duly made.
(5) Certificates of the
Note Issuer and the Seller .
(a) An Officer’s
Certificate from the Note Issuer, dated as of the Issuance
Date:
(i) to the effect that the
Note Issuer is not in Default under this Note Indenture and that
the issuance of the Notes applied for will not result in any
Default or in any material breach of any of the terms, conditions
or provisions of or constitute a default under any material
indenture, mortgage, deed of trust or other agreement or instrument
to which the Note Issuer is a party or by which it or its property
is bound or any order of any court or administrative agency entered
in any Proceeding to which the Note Issuer is a party or by which
it or its property may be bound or to which it or its property may
be subject; and that all conditions precedent provided in this Note
Indenture relating to the authentication and delivery of the Notes
applied for have been complied with;
(ii) to the effect that all
instruments furnished to the Note Trustee pursuant to this Note
Indenture conform to the requirements set forth in this Note
Indenture and constitute all of the documents required to be
delivered hereunder for the Note Trustee to authenticate and
deliver the Notes applied for, and all conditions precedent
provided for in this Note Indenture relating to the authentication
and delivery of the Notes have been complied with;
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(iii) to the effect that the
Note Issuer has not assigned any interest or participation in the
Collateral except for the lien of this Note Indenture and of the
Statute; the Note Issuer has the power and right to Grant the
Collateral to the Note Trustee as security hereunder; and the Note
Issuer, subject to the terms of this Note Indenture, has Granted to
the Note Trustee all of its right, title and interest in and to
such Collateral free and clear of any lien, mortgage, pledge,
charge, security interest, adverse claim or other encumbrance,
except the lien of this Note Indenture and of the
Statute;
(iv) to the effect that the
Note Issuer has appointed a firm of Independent certified public
accountants as contemplated in Section 8.06 hereof;
(v) to the effect that
attached thereto are duly executed, true and complete copies of the
Sale Agreement and the Servicing Agreement; and
(vi) stating that all filings
with the DTE pursuant to the Statute and all UCC financing
statements with respect to the Collateral which are required to be
filed to cause the Note Trustee to have a first priority perfected
security interest in the Collateral have been filed.
(b) An Officer’s
Certificate (as defined in the Sale Agreement) from the Seller,
dated as of the Issuance Date, to the effect that (i) the
representations and warranties set forth in Article III of the Sale
Agreement are true and correct and (ii) the attached copies of the
Financing Order and Issuance Advice Letter creating the Transition
Property are true and correct.
(6) Opinion of Counsel
. An Opinion of Counsel, portions of which may be delivered by
counsel for the Note Issuer, portions of which may be delivered by
counsel for the Seller and the Servicer, and portions of which may
be delivered by counsel to the Certificate Issuer, dated the
Issuance Date, in each case subject to the customary exceptions,
qualifications and assumptions contained therein, to the collective
effect that:
(a) the Note Indenture has
been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act;
(b) the Note Issuer has the
limited liability company power and authority to execute and
deliver this Note Indenture and to issue the Notes, and this Note
Indenture and the Notes have been duly authorized and the Note
Issuer is duly formed and is validly existing in good standing
under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization;
(c) the Note Indenture has
been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Note
Issuer;
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(d) the Notes applied for
have been duly authorized and executed and, when authenticated in
accordance with the provisions of the Note Indenture and delivered
against payment of the purchase price therefor, will constitute
valid and binding obligations of the Note Issuer, entitled to the
benefits of the Note Indenture subject to bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent transfer and other laws
relating to or affecting the rights of creditors generally and
general principles of equity (regardless of whether such
enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at
law);
(e) this Note Indenture, the
Sale Agreement, the Servicing Agreement, the Fee and Indemnity
Agreement and the Cross-Indemnity Agreement are valid and binding
agreements of the Note Issuer, enforceable in accordance with their
respective terms, except as such enforceability against the Note
Issuer may be subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization,
moratorium, fraudulent transfer and other laws relating to or
affecting the rights of creditors generally and general principles
of equity (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered
in a proceeding in equity or at law);
(f) (i) the provisions of the
Note Indenture create a valid security interest securing the
Secured Obligations in favor of the Note Trustee in all right,
title and interest of the Note Issuer in the Transition Property,
the Sale Agreement, the Servicing Agreement, the Administration
Agreement and all accounts, general intangibles, equipment and
inventory of the Note Issuer, (ii) the financing statements to be
filed with the Delaware Secretary of State and the Massachusetts
Secretary of State include all of the information required by
Section 9-502(a) of Delaware Article 9 and Section 1H(d)(1) of the
Statute, (iii) the financing statements have been presented for
filing and all filing fees required in connection therewith have
been paid, (iv) the security interests granted by the Note Issuer
under this Note Indenture which can be perfected by the filing of
financing statements under the Massachusetts Uniform Commercial
Code and Delaware Article 9 are perfected, (v) the provisions of
the Note Indenture are effective to create in favor of the Note
Trustee a perfected security interest in the Collection Account or
each portion thereof that is a securities account under the
Massachusetts Uniform Commercial Code, (vi) to the extent that the
Collection Account, or some portion thereof, is a deposit account,
the provisions of the Note Indenture are effective to create in the
Note Trustee a perfected security interest in the rights of the
Note Issuer in the Collection Account or the portion thereof that
is a deposit account, (vii) search reports set forth the proper
filing offices and proper debtor necessary to identify the persons
who under the Massachusetts Uniform Commercial Code and Delaware
Uniform Commercial Code have on file financing statements covering
the Collateral, or a portion thereof, (viii) by operation of
Section 1H(e) thereof, the Statute creates, upon the effective date
of the Financing Order, a first priority statutory lien on the
Transition Property securing the Secured Obligations, (ix) the
statutory lien is valid, perfected and enforceable against the Note
Issuer and all third parties without any further public notice, (x)
although the Statute and the Financing Order provide that
conflicting
23
statutory liens on Transition
Property arising under Section 1H(e) of the Statute rank in order
of time of perfection, the Financing Order does not provide for any
such conflicting statutory liens;
(g) either (A) the
Registration Statement covering the Notes and the Certificates is
effective under the Securities Act and, to the best of such
counsel’s knowledge and information, no stop order suspending
the effectiveness of such Registration Statement has been issued
under the Securities Act and no proceedings for that purpose have
been initiated or are pending or threatened by the Commission or
(B) the Notes and the Certificates are exempt from the registration
requirements under the Securities Act;
(h) the Note Issuer is not an
“investment company” or under the “control”
of an “investment company” as such terms are defined
under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended;
(i) the Sale Agreement is a
valid and binding agreement of the Seller enforceable against the
Seller in accordance with its terms except as such enforceability
may be subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization,
moratorium, fraudulent transfer and other laws relating to or
affecting the rights of creditors generally and general principles
of equity (regardless of whether such enforcement is considered in
a proceeding in equity or at law);
(j) the Servicing Agreement
is a valid and binding agreement of the Servicer enforceable
against the Servicer in accordance with its terms except as such
enforceability may be subject to bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent transfer and other laws
relating to or affecting the rights of creditors generally and
general principles of equity (regardless of whether such
enforcement is considered in a proceeding in equity or at
law);
(k) upon the delivery of the
fully executed Sale Agreement to the Note Issuer and the payment of
the purchase price of the Transition Property by the Note Issuer to
the Seller pursuant to the Sale Agreement, then (I) the transfer of
the Transition Property by the Seller to the Note Issuer pursuant
to the Sale Agreement conveys all of the Seller’s right,
title and interest in the Transition Property to the Note Issuer
and such transfer will be treated under the laws of The
Commonwealth of Massachusetts as an absolute transfer of all of the
Seller’s right, title, and interest in the Transition
Property, other than for federal and state income and franchise tax
purposes, and (II) such transfer of the Transition Property is
perfected;
(l) (i) the Financing Order
has been duly issued and authorized by the DTE and the Financing
Order, giving effect to the Issuance Advice Letter, is effective;
(ii) in reliance on the opinion of Palmer & Dodge LLP that the
Certificates are “electric rate reduction bonds” under
Section 1H(a) of the Statute, as of the issuance of the
Certificates, the Certificates are entitled to the
protections
24
provided in Sections 1H(b)(3)
and 1H(c)(4) of the Statute; (iii) the Financing Order is no longer
subject to appeal by any person in state courts of The Commonwealth
of Massachusetts; and (iv) the Servicer is authorized to file
Periodic Adjustments to the RTC Charge to the extent necessary to
ensure the timely recovery of revenues sufficient to provide for
the payment of an amount equal to the sum of the periodic RRB
payment requirements for the upcoming year, which includes
indemnity obligations under the Basic Documents;
(m) any state action (whether
by legislative, DTE, citizen initiative or otherwise) to revoke or
limit the Financing Order, the Issuance Advice Letter, the
Transition Property or the RTC Charge in a manner which would
substantially impair the rights of Certificateholders would be
subject to a successful constitutional contracts clause defense;
and
(n) such other matters as the
Note Trustee may reasonably require.
(7) Accountant’s
Letter . A letter in a form reasonably acceptable to the Note
Issuer and the Note Trustee applying agreed upon procedures with
respect to the Collateral addressed to the Note Issuer and the Note
Trustee complying with the requirements of Section 11.01(a) hereof,
from a firm of independent certified public accountants of
recognized national reputation within the meaning of the standards
of The American Institute of Certified Public
Accountants.
(8) Rating Agency
Condition . The Note Trustee shall receive evidence reasonably
satisfactory to it that the Rating Agency Condition will be
satisfied.
(9) Other Requirements
. Such other documents, certificates, agreements, instruments or
opinions as the Note Trustee may reasonably require.
Section 2.11. Release of
Collateral . Subject to Section 11.01, the Note Trustee shall
release property from the lien of this Note Indenture only as
specified in Section 8.02 or upon receipt of an Issuer Request
accompanied by an Officer’s Certificate, an Opinion of
Counsel and Independent Certificates in accordance with Trust
Indenture Act Sections 314(c) and 314(d)(l) or an Opinion of
Counsel in lieu of such Independent Certificates to the effect that
the Trust Indenture Act does not require any such Independent
Certificates.
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ARTICLE III
Covenants
Section 3.01. Payment of
Principal and Interest . The Note Issuer will duly and
punctually pay the principal of and interest on the Notes in
accordance with the terms of the Notes and this Note Indenture.
Amounts properly withheld under the Code by any Person from a
payment to any Noteholder of interest or principal shall be
considered as having been paid by the Note Issuer to such
Noteholder for all purposes of this Note Indenture.
Section 3.02. Maintenance
of Office or Agency . The Note Issuer will maintain in the
Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, an office or agency
where Notes may be surrendered for registration of transfer or
exchange. The Note Issuer hereby initially appoints the Note
Trustee to serve as its agent for the foregoing purposes. The Note
Issuer will give prompt written notice to the Note Trustee of the
location, and of any change in the location, of any such office or
agency. If at any time the Note Issuer shall fail to maintain any
such office or agency or shall fail to furnish the Note Trustee
with the address thereof, such surrenders may be made at the
Corporate Trust Office, and the Note Issuer hereby appoints the
Note Trustee as its agent to receive all such
surrenders.
Section 3.03. Money for
Payments To Be Held in Trust . As provided in Section 8.02(a),
all payments of amounts due and payable with respect to any Notes
that are to be made from amounts withdrawn from the Collection
Account pursuant to Section 8.02(d) shall be made on behalf of the
Note Issuer by the Note Trustee or by another Paying Agent, and no
amounts so withdrawn from the Collection Account for payments of
Notes shall be paid over to the Note Issuer except as provided in
this Section and Section 8.02.
The Note Issuer will cause
each Paying Agent other than the Note Trustee to execute and
deliver to the Note Trustee an instrument in which such Paying
Agent shall agree with the Note Trustee (and if the Note Trustee
acts as Paying Agent, it hereby so agrees), subject to the
provisions of this Section, that such Paying Agent will:
(i) hold all sums held by it
for the payment of amounts due with respect to the Notes in trust
for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto until such sums
shall be paid to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as herein
provided and pay such sums to such Persons as herein
provided;
(ii) give the Note Trustee
and the Certificate Trustee notice of any Default by the Note
Issuer (or any other obligor upon the Notes) of which it has actual
knowledge in the making of any payment required to be made with
respect to the Notes;
(iii) at any time during the
continuance of any such Default, upon the written request of the
Note Trustee, forthwith pay to the Note Trustee all sums so held in
trust by such Paying Agent;
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(iv) immediately resign as a
Paying Agent and forthwith pay to the Note Trustee all sums held by
it in trust for the payment of Notes if at any time it ceases to
meet the standards required to be met by a Paying Agent at the time
of its appointment; and
(v) comply with all
requirements of the Code with respect to the withholding from any
payments made by it on any Notes of any applicable withholding
taxes imposed thereon and with respect to any applicable reporting
requirements in connection therewith.
The Note Issuer may at any
time, for the purpose of obtaining the satisfaction and discharge
of this Note Indenture or for any other purpose, by Issuer Order
direct any Paying Agent to pay to the Note Trustee all sums held in
trust by such Paying Agent, such sums to be held by the Note
Trustee upon the same trusts as those upon which the sums were held
by such Paying Agent; and upon such payment by any Paying Agent to
the Note Trustee, such Paying Agent shall be released from all
further liability with respect to such money.
Subject to applicable laws
with respect to escheat of funds, any money held by the Note
Trustee or any Paying Agent in trust for the payment of any amount
due with respect to any Note and remaining unclaimed for two years
after such amount has become due and payable shall be discharged
from such trust and be paid to the Note Issuer on Issuer Request;
and, subject to Section 11.16, the Holder of such Note shall
thereafter, as an unsecured general creditor, look only to the Note
Issuer for payment thereof (but only to the extent of the amounts
so paid to the Note Issuer), and all liability of the Note Trustee
or such Paying Agent with respect to such trust money shall
thereupon cease; provided , however , that the Note
Trustee or such Paying Agent, before being required to make any
such repayment, may at the expense of the Note Issuer cause to be
published once, in a newspaper published in the English language,
customarily published on each Business Day and of general
circulation in The City of New York, notice that such money remains
unclaimed and that, after a date specified therein, which shall not
be less than 30 days from the date of such publication, any
unclaimed balance of such money then remaining will be repaid to
the Note Issuer. The Note Trustee may also adopt and employ, at the
expense of the Note Issuer, any other reasonable means of
notification of such repayment (including mailing notice of such
repayment to Holders whose Notes have been called but have not been
surrendered for redemption or whose right to or interest in moneys
due and payable but not claimed is determinable from the records of
the Note Trustee or of any Paying Agent, at the last address of
record for each such Holder).
Section 3.04.
Existence . The Note Issuer will keep in full effect its
existence, rights and franchises as a limited liability company
under the laws of the State of Delaware (unless, subject to the
provisions of Section 3.10 hereof, it becomes, or any successor
Note Issuer hereunder is or becomes, organized under the laws of
any other State or of the United States of America, in which case
the Note Issuer will keep in full effect its existence, rights and
franchises under the laws of such other jurisdiction) and will
obtain and preserve its qualification to do business in each
jurisdiction in which such qualification is or shall be necessary
to protect the validity and enforceability of this Note Indenture,
the Notes, the Collateral and each other instrument or agreement
included in the Collateral.
27
Section 3.05. Protection
of Collateral . The Note Issuer will from time to time execute
and deliver all such supplements and amendments hereto and make all
such filings with the DTE pursuant to the Statute, UCC financing
statements, UCC continuation statements, instruments of further
assurance and other instruments, and will take such other action
necessary or advisable to:
(i) maintain or preserve the
lien and security interest (and the priority thereof) of this Note
Indenture or carry out more effectively the purposes
hereof;
(ii) perfect, publish notice
of or protect the validity of any Grant made or to be made by this
Note Indenture;
(iii) enforce any of the
Collateral;
(iv) preserve and defend
title to the Collateral and the rights of the Note Trustee and the
Noteholders in such Collateral against the claims of all Persons
and parties, including the challenge by any party to the validity
or enforceability of the Financing Order, any Advice Letter or the
Transition Property or any proceeding relating thereto and
institute any action or proceeding necessary to compel performance
by the DTE or the Commonwealth of Massachusetts of any of its
obligations or duties under the Statute, the Financing Order or any
Advice Letter; or
(v) pay any and all taxes
levied or assessed upon all or any part of the
Collateral.
The Note Issuer hereby
designates the Note Trustee its agent and attorney-in-fact to
execute and/or file on behalf of the Note Issuer any filings with
the DTE pursuant to the Statute, UCC financing statement, UCC
continuation statement or other instrument required by the Note
Trustee pursuant to this Section, it being understood that the Note
Trustee shall have no such obligation.
Section 3.06. Opinions as
to Collateral .
(a) On the Issuance Date, the
Note Issuer shall furnish to the Note Trustee an Opinion of Counsel
either stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, (A) such
action has been taken (and reciting the details of such action)
with respect to the recording and filing of this Note Indenture and
any other requisite documents, and with respect to the execution
and filing of any filings with the DTE pursuant to the Statute, UCC
financing statements and UCC continuation statements, as are
necessary to perfect the lien and security interest of this Note
Indenture, or (B) no such action is necessary to make such lien and
security interest effective.
(b) Prior to the
effectiveness of any amendment to the Sale Agreement, the Note
Issuer shall furnish to the Note Trustee an Opinion of Counsel
either (A) stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, all
filings, including filings with the DTE pursuant to the Statute and
any UCC financing statements, have been executed and filed that
are
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necessary fully to preserve
and protect the interest of the Note Issuer and the Note Trustee in
the Transition Property and the proceeds thereof, and reciting the
details of such filings or referring to prior Opinions of Counsel
in which such details are given, or (B) stating that, in the
opinion of such counsel, no such action shall be necessary to
preserve and protect such interest.
Section 3.07. Performance
of Obligations; Servicing; Commission Filings .
(a) The Note Issuer (i) will
diligently pursue any and all actions to enforce its rights under
each instrument or agreement included in the Collateral and (ii)
will not take any action and will use its reasonable efforts not to
permit any action to be taken by others that would release any
Person from any of such Person’s covenants or obligations
under any such instrument or agreement or that would result in the
amendment, hypothecation, subordination, termination or discharge
of, or impair the validity or effectiveness of, any such instrument
or agreement, except, in each case, as expressly permitted in this
Note Indenture, the Sale Agreement, the Servicing Agreement or such
other instrument or agreement.
(b) The Note Issuer may
contract with other Persons to assist it in performing its duties
under this Note Indenture, and any performance of such duties by a
Person identified to the Note Trustee in an Officer’s
Certificate of the Note Issuer shall be deemed to be action taken
by the Note Issuer. Initially, the Note Issuer has contracted with
the Administrator and the Servicer to assist the Note Issuer in
performing its duties under this Note Indenture.
(c) The Note Issuer will
punctually perform and observe all of its obligations and
agreements contained in this Note Indenture, the Basic Documents
and in the instruments and agreements included in the Collateral,
including filing or causing to be filed all filings with the DTE
pursuant to the Statute, UCC financing statements and continuation
statements required to be filed by it by the terms of this Note
Indenture, the Sale Agreement and the Servicing Agreement in
accordance with and within the time periods provided for herein and
therein. Except as otherwise expressly permitted therein, the Note
Issuer shall not waive, amend, modify, supplement or terminate any
Basic Document or any provision thereof without the written consent
of the Note Trustee (which consent shall not be withheld if (i) the
Note Trustee shall have received an Officer’s Certificate
stating that such waiver, amendment, modification, supplement or
termination shall not adversely affect in any material respect the
interests of the Noteholders or the holders of Certificates and
(ii) the Rating Agency Condition shall have been satisfied with
respect thereto) or the Holders of at least a majority of the
Outstanding Amount of Notes.
(d) If the Note Issuer shall
have knowledge of the occurrence of a Servicer Default under the
Servicing Agreement, the Note Issuer shall promptly give written
notice thereof to the Note Trustee, the Certificate Trustee, the
Agencies and the Rating Agencies, and shall specify in such notice
the action, if any, the Note Issuer is taking with respect of such
default. If a Servicer Default shall arise from the failure of the
Servicer to
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perform any of its duties or
obligations under the Servicing Agreement with respect to the
Transition Property, including the RTC Charge, the Note Issuer
shall take all reasonable steps available to it to remedy such
failure.
(e) As promptly as possible
after the giving of notice to the Servicer, the Note Trustee, the
Certificate Trustee, the Agencies and the Rating Agencies of
termination of the Servicer’s rights and powers pursuant to
Section 7.01 of the Servicing Agreement, the Note Issuer, subject
to the approval of the DTE pursuant to the Financing Order, shall
appoint a successor Servicer (the “Successor Servicer”)
with the Note Trustee’s prior written consent thereto (which
consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), and such Successor
Servicer shall accept its appointment by a written assumption in a
form acceptable to the Note Issuer and the Note Trustee. A Person
shall qualify as a Successor Servicer only if such Person satisfies
the requirements of the Servicing Agreement. If within 30 days
after the delivery of the notice referred to above, the Note Issuer
shall not have obtained such a new Servicer, the Note Trustee may
petition the DTE or a court of competent jurisdiction to appoint a
Successor Servicer. In connection with any such appointment, the
Note Issuer may make such arrangements for the compensation of such
successor as it and such successor shall agree, subject to the
limitations set forth below and in the Servicing Agreement, and in
accordance and in compliance with Section 7.02 of the Servicing
Agreement, the Note Issuer shall enter into an agreement with such
successor for the servicing of the Transition Property (such
agreement to be in form and substance satisfactory to the Note
Trustee).
(f) Upon any termination of
the Servicer’s rights and powers pursuant to the Servicing
Agreement, the Note Trustee shall promptly notify the Note Issuer,
the Noteholders, the Certificate Trustee, the Agencies and the
Rating Agencies. As soon as a Successor Servicer is appointed, the
Note Issuer shall notify the Note Trustee, the Noteholders, the
Certificate Trustee, the Agencies and the Rating Agencies of such
appointment, specifying in such notice the name and address of such
Successor Servicer.
(g) Without derogating from
the absolute nature of the assignment granted to the Note Trustee
under this Note Indenture or the rights of the Note Trustee
hereunder, the Note Issuer agrees that it will not, without the
prior written consent of the Note Trustee or the Holders of at
least a majority in Outstanding Amount of the Notes, amend, modify,
waive, supplement, terminate or surrender, or agree to any
amendment, modification, supplement, termination, waiver or
surrender of, the terms of any Collateral or the Basic Documents,
or waive timely performance or observance of any material term by
the Seller or the Servicer under the Sale Agreement or the
Servicing Agreement, respectively. If any such amendment,
modification, supplement or waiver shall be so consented to by the
Note Trustee or such Holders, the Note Issuer agrees to execute and
deliver, in its own name and at its own expense, such agreements,
instruments, consents and other documents as shall be necessary or
appropriate in the circumstances. The Note Issuer agrees that no
such amendment, modification, supplement or waiver shall adversely
affect the rights of the Holders of the Notes or Certificates
Outstanding at the time of any such amendment, modification,
supplement or waiver, except as otherwise agreed to by the Holders
in accordance with the Basic Documents.
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(h) The Note Issuer shall
file with the Commission such periodic reports, if any, as are
required from time to time under Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Exchange Act.
(i) The Note Issuer shall
make all filings required under the Statute relating to the
transfer of the ownership or security interest in the Transition
Property other than those required to be made by the Seller
pursuant to the Basic Documents.
Section 3.08. Negative
Covenants . So long as any Notes are Outstanding, the Note
Issuer shall not:
(i) except as expressly
permitted by this Note Indenture, sell, transfer, exchange or
otherwise dispose of any of the properties or assets of the Note
Issuer, including those included in the Collateral, unless directed
to do so by the Note Trustee in accordance with Article
V;
(ii) claim any credit on, or
make any deduction from the principal or interest payable in
respect of, the Notes (other than amounts properly withheld from
such payments under the Code) or assert any claim against any
present or former Noteholder by reason of the payment of the taxes
levied or assessed upon any part of the Collateral;
(iii) terminate its existence
or dissolve or liquidate in whole or in part; or
(iv) (A) permit the validity
or effectiveness of this Note Indenture to be impaired, or permit
the lien of this Note Indenture to be amended, hypothecated,
subordinated, terminated or discharged, or permit any Person to be
released from any covenants or obligations with respect to the
Notes under this Note Indenture except as may be expressly
permitted hereby, (B) permit any lien, charge, excise, claim,
security interest, mortgage or other encumbrance (other than the
lien of this Note Indenture and the Statutory Lien) to be created
by the Note Issuer on or extend to or otherwise arise upon or
burden the Collateral or any part thereof or any interest therein
or the proceeds thereof or (C) subject to the Statutory Lien,
permit the lien of this Note Indenture not to constitute a valid
first priority security interest in the Collateral.
Section 3.09. Annual
Statement as to Compliance . The Note Issuer will deliver to
the Note Trustee, the Certificate Trustee and the Rating Agencies
not later than March 31 of each year (commencing with March 31,
2006), an Officer’s Certificate stating, as to the Authorized
Officer signing such Officer’s Certificate, that
(i) a review of the
activities of the Note Issuer during the preceding twelve months
ended December 31 (or, in the case of the Officer’s
Certificate to be delivered on or before March 31, 2006, the period
of time from the date of this Note Indenture until December 31,
2005), and of performance under this Note Indenture has been made
under such Authorized Officer’s supervision; and
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(ii) to such Authorized
Officer’s knowledge, based on such review, the Note Issuer
has complied with all conditions and covenants under this Note
Indenture throughout such twelve month period, or, if there has
been a default in so complying with any such condition or covenant,
specifying each such default known to such Authorized Officer and
the nature and status thereof.
Section 3.10. Note Issuer
May Consolidate, etc., Only on Certain Terms .
(a) The Note Issuer shall not
consolidate or merge with or into any other Person,
unless
(i) the Person (if other than
the Note Issuer) formed by or surviving such consolidation or
merger shall be a Person organized and existing under the laws of
the United States of America, any State or the District of Columbia
and shall expressly assume, by an indenture supplemental hereto,
executed and delivered to the Note Trustee, in form and substance
reasonably satisfactory to the Note Trustee, the due and punctual
payment of the principal of and interest on all Notes and the
performance or observance of every agreement and covenant of this
Note Indenture on the part of the Note Issuer to be performed or
observed, all as provided herein;
(ii) immediately after giving
effect to such transaction, no Default or Event of Default shall
have occurred and be continuing;
(iii) the Rating Agency
Condition shall have been satisfied with respect to such
transaction;
(iv) the Note Issuer shall
have received an Opinion of Counsel (and shall have delivered
copies thereof to the Note Trustee) to the effect that such
transaction will not have any material adverse tax consequence to
the Note Issuer, the Certificate Issuer, any Noteholder or any
Certificateholder;
(v) any action as is
necessary to maintain the lien and security interest created by
this Note Indenture shall have been taken; and
(vi) the Note Issuer shall
have delivered to the Note Trustee an Officer’s Certificate
and an Opinion of Counsel each stating that such consolidation or
merger and such supplemental note indenture comply with this
Section 3.10 and that all conditions precedent herein provided for
relating to such transaction have been complied with (including any
filing required by the Exchange Act).
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(b) Except as specifically
provided herein, the Note Issuer shall not convey or transfer any
of its properties or assets, including those included in the
Collateral, to any Person, unless
(i) the Person that acquires
by conveyance or transfer the properties and assets of the Note
Issuer the conveyance or transfer of which is hereby restricted
shall (A) be a United States citizen or a Person organized and
existing under the laws of the United States of America, any State
or the District of Columbia, (B) expressly assumes, by an indenture
supplemental hereto, executed and delivered to the Note Trustee, in
form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Note Trustee, the
due and punctual payment of the principal of and interest on all
Notes and the performance or observance of every agreement and
covenant of this Note Indenture on the part of the Note Issuer to
be performed or observed, all as provided herein, (C) expressly
agrees by means of such supplemental note indenture that all right,
title and interest so conveyed or transferred shall be subject and
subordinate to the rights of Holders of the Notes, (D) unless
otherwise provided in the supplemental note indenture referred to
in clause (B) above, expressly agrees to indemnify, defend and hold
harmless the Note Trustee against and from any loss, liability or
expense arising under or related to this Note Indenture and the
Notes and (E) expressly agrees by means of such supplemental note
indenture that such Person (or if a group of Persons, then one
specified Person) shall make all filings with the Commission (and
any other appropriate Person) required by the Exchange Act in
connection with the Notes;
(ii) immediately after giving
effect to such transaction, no Default or Event of
Defaul
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