EXHIBIT 3.1
FIRST AMENDED AND RESTATED
AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
OF
ENTERPRISE GP HOLDINGS L.P.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Page
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ARTICLE 1
DEFINITIONS
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1.1
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Definitions
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1
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1.2
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Construction
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1
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ARTICLE II
ORGANIZATION
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2.1
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Formation
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1
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2.2
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Name
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1
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2.3
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Registered
Office; Registered Agent; Principal Office; Other
Offices
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1
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2.4
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Purpose and
Business
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2
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2.5
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Powers
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2
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2.6
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Power of
Attorney
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2
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2.7
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Term
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3
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2.8
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Title to
Partnership Assets
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3
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2.9
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Certain
Undertakings to the Separateness of the Partnership
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3
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ARTICLE III
RIGHTS OF LIMITED PARTNERS
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3.1
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Limitation of
Liability
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5
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3.2
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Management of
Business
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5
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3.3
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Outside
Activities of the Limited Partners
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5
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3.4
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Rights of the
Limited Partners
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5
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ARTICLE IV
CERTIFICATES; RECORD HOLDERS; TRANSFER OF PARTNERSHIP INTEREST;
REDEMPTION OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS
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4.1
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Certificates
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6
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4.2
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Mutilated,
Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Certificates
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6
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4.3
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Record
Holders
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7
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4.4
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Transfer
Generally
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7
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4.5
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Registration
and Transfer of Limited Partner Interest
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7
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4.6
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Transfer of
General Partner Interest
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8
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4.7
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Restrictions on
Transfers
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8
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4.8
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Citizenship
Certificates; Non-citizen Assignees
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9
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4.9
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Redemption of
Partnership Interests of Non-citizen Assignees
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9
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ARTICLE V
CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS AND ISSUANCE OF PARTNERSHIP
INTERESTS
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5.1
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Prior
Contributions
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10
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5.2
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Contribution of
General Partner Interests; Initial Offering; Contributions by
the General Partner
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11
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5.3
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Contributions
by the Underwriters and the Employee Partnership
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11
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5.4
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Interest and
Withdrawal
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12
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5.5
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Capital
Accounts
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12
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5.6
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Issuances of
Additional Partnership Securities
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14
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5.7
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[Reserved]
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14
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5.8
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[Reserved]
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14
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5.9
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Limited
Preemptive Right
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14
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5.10
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Splits and
Combinations
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15
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i
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5.11
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Fully Paid and
Non-Assessable Nature of Limited Partner Interests
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15
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5.12
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Non-Voting
Units
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15
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ARTICLE VI
ALLOCATIONS AND DISTRIBUTIONS
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6.1
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Allocations for
Capital Account Purposes
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16
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6.2
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Allocations for
Tax Purposes
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18
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6.3
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Requirement and
Characterization of Distributions; Distributions to record
Holders
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20
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ARTICLE VII
MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS OF BUSINESS
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7.1
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Management
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20
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7.2
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Certificate of
Limited Partnership
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22
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7.3
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Restrictions on
General Partner's Authority
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22
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7.4
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Reimbursement
of the General Partner
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23
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7.5
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Outside
Activities
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23
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7.6
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Loans from the
General Partner; Contacts with Affiliates; Certain Restrictions on
the General
Partner
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24
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7.7
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Indemnification
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25
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7.8
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Liability of
Indemnitees
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26
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7.9
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Resolution of
Conflicts of Interest; Standard of Contact and Modification of
Duties
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27
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7.10
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Other Matters
Concerning the General Partner
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28
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7.11
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Purchase or
Sale of Partnership Securities
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29
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7.12
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Registration
Rights of the General Partner and its Affiliates
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29
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7.13
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Reliance by
Third Parties
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31
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ARTICLE VIII
BOOKS, RECORDS, ACCOUNTING AND REPORTS
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8.1
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Records and
Accounting
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32
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8.2
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Fiscal
Year
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32
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8.3
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Reports
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32
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ARTICLE IX
TAX MATTERS
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9.1
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Tax Returns and
Limited
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32
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9.2
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Tax
Elections
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33
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9.3
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Tax
Controversies
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33
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9.4
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Withholding
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33
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ARTICLE X
ADMISSION OF PARTNERS
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10.1
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Admission of
Limited Partners
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33
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10.2
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Admission of
Successor General Partner
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34
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10.3
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Amendment of
Agreement and Certificate of Limited Partnership
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34
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ARTICLE XI
WITHDRAWAL OR REMOVAL OF PARTNERS
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11.1
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Withdrawal of
the General Partner
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34
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11.2
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Removal of the
General Partner
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35
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11.3
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Interest of
Departing General Partner and Successor General Partner
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36
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11.4
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[Reserved]
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37
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11.5
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Withdrawal of
Limited Partners
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37
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ARTICLE XII
DISSOLUTION AND LIQUIDATION
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12.1
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Dissolution
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37
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12.2
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Continuation of
the Business of the Partnership After Dissolution
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37
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ii
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12.3
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Liquidator
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38
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12.4
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Liquidation
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38
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12.5
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Cancellation of
Certificate of Limited Partnership
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39
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12.6
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Return of
Contributions
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39
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12.7
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Waiver of
Partition
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39
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12.8
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Capital Account
Restoration
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39
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12.9
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Certain
Prohibited Acts
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39
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ARTICLE XIII
AMENDMENT OF PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT; MEETINGS; RECORD
DATE
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13.1
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Amendments to
be Adopted Solely by the General Partner
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39
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13.2
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Amendment
Procedures
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40
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13.3
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Amendment
Requirements
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41
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13.4
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Special
Meetings
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41
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13.5
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Notice of a
Meeting
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42
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13.6
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Record
Date
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42
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13.7
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Adjournment
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42
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13.8
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Waiver of
Notice
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42
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13.9
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Quorum
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42
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13.10
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Conduct of
Meeting
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42
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13.11
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Action Without
a Meeting
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43
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13.12
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Voting and
Other Rights
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43
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ARTICLE XIV
MERGER
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14.1
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Authority
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44
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14.2
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Procedure for
Merger or Consolidation
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45
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14.3
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Approval by
Limited Parnters of Merger or Consolidatoin
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45
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14.4
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Certificate of
Merger
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45
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14.5
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Effect of
Merger
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46
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14.6
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Amendment of
Partnership Agreement
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46
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ARTICLE XV
RIGHT TO ACQUIRE LIMITED PARTNER INTERESTS
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15.1
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Right to
Acquire Limited Partner Interests
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46
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ARTICLE XVI
GENERAL PROVISIONS
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16.1
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Addresses and
Notices
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47
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16.2
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Further
Action
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48
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16.3
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Binding
Effect
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48
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16.4
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Intergration
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48
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16.5
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Creditors
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48
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16.6
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Waiver
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48
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16.7
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Counterparts
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48
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16.8
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Applicable
Law
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48
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16.9
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Invalidity of
Provisions
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48
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16.10
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Consent of
Partners
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48
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Attachment I-Defined
Terms
iii
FIRST AMENDED AND RESTATED AGREEMENT
OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
OF ENTERPRISE GP HOLDINGS
L.P.
THIS FIRST AMENDED AND RESTATED
AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP OF ENTERPRISE GP HOLDINGS L.P.
dated effective as of August 29, 2005, is entered into by and among
EPE Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, as the
General Partner, together with any other Persons who become
Partners in the Partnership or parties hereto as provided herein.
In consideration of the covenants, conditions and agreements
contained herein, the parties hereto hereby agree as
follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
1.1 Definitions.
The definitions listed on Attachment
I shall be for all purposes, unless otherwise clearly indicated to
the contrary, applied to the terms used in this
Agreement.
1.2 Construction.
Unless the context requires
otherwise: (a) any pronoun used in this Agreement shall include the
corresponding masculine, feminine or neuter forms, and the singular
form of nouns, pronouns and verbs shall include the plural and vice
versa; (b) references to Articles and Sections refer to Articles
and Sections of this Agreement; (c) the terms
“include”, “includes”,
“including” or words of like import shall be deemed to
be followed by the words “without limitation” and
(d) the terms “hereof”, “herein” or
“hereunder” refer to this Agreement as a whole and not
to any particular provision of this Agreement. The table of
contents and headings contained in this Agreement are for reference
purposes only, and shall not affect in any way the meaning or
interpretation of this Agreement.
ARTICLE II
ORGANIZATION
2.1 Formation.
The Partnership has been previously
formed as a limited partnership pursuant to the provisions of the
Delaware Act. The General Partner and the Limited Partners hereby
amend and restate in its entirety the Agreement of Limited
Partnership of Enterprise GP Holdings L.P., dated as of April 19,
2005. Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, the General
Partner and the Limited Partners hereby continue the Partnership as
a limited partnership pursuant to the provisions of the Delaware
Act. This amendment and restatement shall become effective on the
date of this Agreement. Except as expressly provided to the
contrary in this Agreement, the rights, duties (including fiduciary
duties), liabilities and obligations of the Partners and the
administration, dissolution and termination of the Partnership
shall be governed by the Delaware Act. All Partnership Interests
shall constitute personal property of the owner thereof for all
purposes.
2.2 Name.
The name of the Partnership shall be
“Enterprise GP Holdings L.P.” The Partnership’s
business may be conducted under any other name or names as
determined by the General Partner, including the name of the
General Partner. The words “Limited Partnership,”
“L.P.,” “Ltd.” or similar words or letters
shall be included in the Partnership’s name where necessary
for the purpose of complying with the laws of any jurisdiction that
so requires. The General Partner may change the name of the
Partnership at any time and from time to time and shall notify the
Limited Partners of such change in the next regular communication
to the Limited Partners.
2.3 Registered
Office; Registered Agent; Principal Office; Other
Offices. Unless and until
changed by the General Partner, the registered office of the
Partnership in the State of Delaware shall be located at 1209
Orange Street, New Castle County, Wilmington, Delaware 19801, and
the registered agent for service of process on the Partnership in
the State of Delaware at such registered office shall be The
Corporation Trust Company. The principal office of the Partnership
shall be located at 2727 North Loop West, Suite 101, Houston, Texas
77008-1044 or such other place as the General Partner may from time
to time designate by notice to the Limited Partners. The
Partnership may maintain offices at such other place or places
within or outside the State of Delaware as the General Partner
deems necessary or appropriate. The address of the General Partner
shall be 2727 North Loop West, Suite 101, Houston, Texas 77008-1044
or such other place as the General Partner may from time to time
designate by notice to the Limited Partners.
1
2.4 Purpose
and Business. The purpose
and nature of the business to be conducted by the Partnership shall
be to engage in any business activity that is approved by the
General Partner and that lawfully may be conducted by a limited
partnership organized pursuant to the Delaware Act and, in
connection therewith, to exercise all of the rights and powers
conferred upon the Partnership pursuant to the agreements relating
to such business activity; provided, however , unless
approved by a majority of the independent directors of the General
Partner’s Board of Directors, the Partnership’s
business shall be limited to owning partnership and related
interests in the MLP and owning the membership interests in the MLP
General Partner; and provided further that the General
Partner shall not cause the Partnership to engage, directly or
indirectly in any business activity that the General Partner
determines would cause the Partnership, the MLP General Partner or
the MLP to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or
otherwise taxable as an entity for federal income tax purposes. The
Partnership shall at all times maintain a sufficient number of
employees in light of its then current business operations if
adequate personnel and services are not provided to the Partnership
under the Administrative Services Agreement. To the fullest extent
permitted by law, the General Partner shall have no duty or
obligation to propose or approve, and may decline to propose or
approve, the conduct by the Partnership of any business free of any
fiduciary duty or obligation whatsoever to the Partnership or any
Limited Partner and, in declining to so propose or approve, shall
not be required to act in good faith or pursuant to any other
standard imposed by this Agreement, any other agreement
contemplated hereby or under the Delaware Act or any other law,
rule or regulation or at equity.
2.5 Powers.
The Partnership shall be empowered
to do any and all acts and things necessary, appropriate, proper,
advisable, incidental to or convenient for the furtherance and
accomplishment of the purposes and business described in Section
2.4 and for the protection and benefit of the
Partnership.
2.6 Power
of Attorney.
(a) Each Limited
Partner hereby constitutes and appoints the General Partner and, if
a Liquidator (other than the General Partner) shall have been
selected pursuant to Section 12.3, the Liquidator, severally (and
any successor to either thereof by merger, transfer, assignment,
election or otherwise) and each of their authorized officers and
attorneys-in-fact, as the case may be, with full power of
substitution, as his true and lawful agent and attorney-in-fact,
with full power and authority in his name, place and stead,
to:
(i) execute,
swear to, acknowledge, deliver, file and record in the appropriate
public offices (A) all certificates, documents and other
instruments (including this Agreement and the Certificate of
Limited Partnership and all amendments or restatements hereof or
thereof) that the General Partner or the Liquidator determines to
be necessary or appropriate to form, qualify or continue the
existence or qualification of the Partnership as a limited
partnership (or a partnership in which the limited partners have
limited liability) in the State of Delaware and in all other
jurisdictions in which the Partnership may conduct business or own
property; (B) all certificates, documents and other instruments
that the General Partner or the Liquidator determines to be
necessary or appropriate to reflect, in accordance with its terms,
any amendment, change, modification or restatement of this
Agreement; (C) all certificates, documents and other instruments
(including conveyances and a certificate of cancellation) that the
General Partner or the Liquidator determines to be necessary or
appropriate to reflect the dissolution and liquidation of the
Partnership pursuant to the terms of this Agreement; (D) all
certificates, documents and other instruments relating to the
admission, withdrawal, removal or substitution of any Partner
pursuant to, or other events described in, Article IV, X, XI or
XII; (E) all certificates, documents and other instruments relating
to the determination of the rights, preferences and privileges of
any class or series of Partnership Securities issued pursuant to
Section 5.6; and (F) all certificates, documents and other
instruments (including agreements and a certificate of merger)
relating to a merger, consolidation or conversion of the
Partnership pursuant to Article XIV; and
(ii) execute,
swear to, acknowledge, deliver, file and record all ballots,
consents, approvals, waivers, certificates, documents and other
instruments that the General Partner or the Liquidator determines
to be necessary or appropriate to (A) make, evidence, give, confirm
or ratify any vote, consent, approval, agreement or other action
that is made or given by the Partners hereunder or is consistent
with the terms of this Agreement or (B) effectuate the terms or
intent of this
2
Agreement; provided, that when
required by Section 13.3 or any other provision of this Agreement
that establishes a percentage of the Limited Partners or of the
Limited Partners of any class or series required to take any
action, the General Partner and the Liquidator may exercise the
power of attorney made in this Section 2.6(a)(ii) only after the
necessary vote, consent or approval of the Limited Partners or of
the Limited Partners of such class or series, as
applicable.
Nothing contained in this Section
2.6(a) shall be construed as authorizing the General Partner to
amend this Agreement except in accordance with Article XIII or as
may be otherwise expressly provided for in this
Agreement.
(b) The foregoing power
of attorney is hereby declared to be irrevocable and a power
coupled with an interest, and it shall survive and, to the maximum
extent permitted by law, not be affected by the subsequent death,
incompetency, disability, incapacity, dissolution, bankruptcy or
termination of any Limited Partner and the transfer of all or any
portion of such Limited Partner’s Partnership Interest and
shall extend to such Limited Partner’s heirs, successors,
assigns and personal representatives. Each such Limited Partner
hereby agrees to be bound by any representation made by the General
Partner or the Liquidator acting in good faith pursuant to such
power of attorney; and each such Limited Partner, to the maximum
extent permitted by law, hereby waives any and all defenses that
may be available to contest, negate or disaffirm the action of the
General Partner or the Liquidator taken in good faith under such
power of attorney. Each Limited Partner shall execute and deliver
to the General Partner or the Liquidator, within 15 days after
receipt of the request therefor, such further designation, powers
of attorney and other instruments as the General Partner or the
Liquidator may request in order to effectuate this Agreement and
the purposes of the Partnership.
2.7 Term.
The term of the Partnership
commenced upon the filing of the Certificate of Limited Partnership
in accordance with the Delaware Act and shall continue in existence
until the dissolution of the Partnership in accordance with the
provisions of Article XII. The existence of the Partnership as a
separate legal entity shall continue until the cancellation of the
Certificate of Limited Partnership as provided in the Delaware
Act.
2.8 Title
to Partnership Assets. Title to Partnership assets, whether real,
personal or mixed and whether tangible or intangible, shall be
deemed to be owned by the Partnership as an entity, and no Partner,
individually or collectively, shall have any ownership interest in
such Partnership assets or any portion thereof. Title to any or all
of the Partnership assets may be held in the name of the
Partnership, the General Partner or one or more third party
nominees, as the General Partner may determine. The General Partner
hereby declares and warrants that any Partnership assets for which
record title is held in the name of the General Partner or one or
more third party nominees shall be held by the General Partner or
such third party nominee for the use and benefit of the Partnership
in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement; provided,
however , that the General Partner shall use reasonable efforts
to cause record title to such assets (other than those assets in
respect of which the General Partner determines that the expense
and difficulty of conveyancing makes transfer of record title to
the Partnership impracticable) to be vested in the Partnership as
soon as reasonably practicable; provided, further , that,
prior to the withdrawal or removal of the General Partner or as
soon thereafter as practicable, the General Partner shall use
reasonable efforts to effect the transfer to the Partnership of
record title to all Partnership assets held by the General Partner,
and, prior to any such transfer, will provide for the use of such
assets in a manner satisfactory to the General Partner. All
Partnership assets shall be recorded as the property of the
Partnership in its books and records, irrespective of the name in
which record title to such Partnership assets is held.
2.9 Certain
Undertakings Relating to the Separateness of the
Partnership.
(a)
Separateness Generally . The Partnership shall conduct its
business and operations separate and apart from those of any other
Person (other than the General Partner) in accordance with this
Section 2.9.
(b) Separate
Records . The Partnership shall (i) maintain its books and
records and its accounts separate from those of any other Person,
(ii) maintain its financial records, which will be used by it in
its ordinary course of business, showing its assets and liabilities
separate and apart from those of any other Person, (iii) not have
its assets and/or liabilities included in a consolidated financial
statement of any Affiliate of the General Partner unless the
General Partner shall cause appropriate notation to be made on such
Affiliate’s
3
consolidated financial statements to
indicate the separateness of the Partnership and the General
Partner and their assets and liabilities from such Affiliate and
the assets and liabilities of such Affiliate, and to indicate that
the assets and liabilities of the Partnership and the General
Partner are not available to satisfy the debts and other
obligations of such Affiliate, and (iv) file its own tax returns
separate from those of any other Person, except to the extent that
the Partnership is treated as a “disregarded entity”
for tax purposes or is not otherwise required to file tax returns
under applicable law or is required under applicable law to file a
tax return which is consolidated with another Person.
(c) Separate
Assets . The Partnership shall not commingle or pool its funds
or other assets with those of any other Person, except the General
Partner, and shall maintain its assets in a manner that is not
costly or difficult to segregate, ascertain or otherwise identify
as separate from those of any other Person.
(d) Separate Name
. The Partnership shall (i) conduct its business in its own name or
in the name of the General Partner, (ii) use separate stationery,
invoices, and checks, (iii) correct any known misunderstanding
regarding its separate identity, and (iv) generally hold itself out
as an entity separate from any other Person (other than the General
Partner).
(e) Separate
Credit . The Partnership (i) shall pay its obligations and
liabilities from its own funds (whether on hand or borrowed), (ii)
shall maintain adequate capital in light of its business
operations, (iii) shall not pledge its assets for the benefit of
any other Person or guarantee or become obligated for the debts of
any other Person, (iv) shall not hold out its credit as being
available to satisfy the obligations or liabilities of any other
Person, (v) shall not acquire obligations or debt securities (other
than those assumed and paid off on the Closing Date pursuant to the
Contribution Agreement) of EPCO or its Affiliates (other than the
General Partner) nor the MLP, the MLP General Partner or their
subsidiaries or the Teppco MLP , the Teppco MLP General
Partner or their subsidiaries, (vi) shall not make loans, advances
or capital contributions to any Person, and (vii) shall use its
commercially reasonable efforts to cause the operative documents
under which the Partnership or the General Partner borrows money,
is an issuer of debt securities, or guarantees any such borrowing
or issuance, to contain provisions to the effect that (A) the
lenders or purchasers of debt securities, respectively, acknowledge
that they have advanced funds or purchased debt securities,
respectively, in reliance upon the separateness of the Partnership
and the General Partner from any other Person, including any
Affiliate of the General Partner and (B) the Partnership and the
General Partner have assets and liabilities that are separate from
those of other Persons, including any Affiliate of the General
Partner; provided that, the Partnership may engage in any
transaction described in clauses (v) or (vi) of this Section 2.9(e)
if prior Special Approval has been obtained for such transaction
and either (A) the Audit and Conflicts Committee has determined (by
Special Approval) that the borrower or recipient of the credit
support is not then insolvent and will not be rendered insolvent as
a result of such transaction or (B) in the case of transactions
described in clause (v), such transaction is completed through a
public auction or a National Securities Exchange.
(f) Separate
Formalities . The Partnership shall (i) observe all partnership
formalities and other formalities required by its organizational
documents, the laws of the jurisdiction of its formation, or other
laws, rules, regulations and orders of governmental authorities
exercising jurisdiction over it, (ii) engage in transactions with
EPCO and its Affiliates (other than the General Partner) or the
MLP, the MLP General Partner or their subsidiaries or Teppco
MLP,Teppco MLP General Partner or their subsidiaries in conformity
with the requirements of Section 7.9, and (iii) subject to the
terms of the Administrative Services Agreement, promptly pay, from
its own funds, and on a current basis, a fair and reasonable share
of general and administrative expenses, capital expenditures, and
costs for shared services performed by EPCO or Affiliates of EPCO
(other than the General Partner). Each material contract between
the Partnership or the General Partner, on the one hand, and EPCO
or Affiliates of EPCO (other than the General Partner), on the
other hand, shall be in writing.
(g) No Effect .
Failure by the General Partner or the Partnership to comply with
any of the obligations set forth above shall not affect the status
of the Partnership as a separate legal entity, with its separate
assets and separate liabilities.
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ARTICLE III
RIGHTS OF LIMITED PARTNERS
3.1 Limitation
of Liability. The Limited
Partners shall have no liability under this Agreement except as
expressly provided in this Agreement or the Delaware
Act.
3.2 Management
of Business. No Limited
Partner, in its capacity as such, shall participate in the
operation, management or control (within the meaning of the
Delaware Act) of the Partnership’s business, transact any
business in the Partnership’s name or have the power to sign
documents for or otherwise bind the Partnership. Any action taken
by any Affiliate of the General Partner or any officer, director,
employee, member, manager, general partner, agent or trustee of the
General Partner or any of its Affiliates, or any officer, director,
employee, member, manager, general partner, agent or trustee of the
Partnership or its subsidiaries, in its capacity as such, shall not
be deemed to be participation in the control of the business of the
Partnership by a limited partner of the Partnership (within the
meaning of Section 17-303(a) of the Delaware Act) and shall not
affect, impair or eliminate the limitations on the liability of the
Limited Partners under this Agreement.
3.3 Outside
Activities of the Limited Partners. Subject to the provisions of Section 7.5 and the
Administrative Services Agreement, which shall continue to be
applicable to the Persons referred to therein, regardless of
whether such Persons shall also be Limited Partners, any Limited
Partner shall be entitled to and may have business interests and
engage in business activities in addition to those relating to the
Partnership, including business interests and activities in direct
competition with the Partnership and its subsidiaries. Neither the
Partnership nor any of the other Partners shall have any rights by
virtue of this Agreement in any business ventures of any Limited
Partner.
3.4 Rights
of Limited Partners.
(a) In addition to
other rights provided by this Agreement or by applicable law, and
except as limited by Section 3.4(b), each Limited Partner shall
have the right, for a purpose reasonably related to such Limited
Partner’s interest as a Limited Partner in the Partnership,
upon reasonable written demand stating the purpose of such demand
and at such Limited Partner’s own expense:
(i) to
obtain true and full information regarding the status of the
business and financial condition of the Partnership;
(ii) promptly
after its becoming available, to obtain a copy of the
Partnership’s federal, state and local income tax returns for
each year;
(iii) to
obtain a current list of the name and last known business,
residence or mailing address of each Partner;
(iv) to
obtain a copy of this Agreement and the Certificate of Limited
Partnership and all amendments thereto, together with a copy of the
executed copies of all powers of attorney pursuant to which this
Agreement, the Certificate of Limited Partnership and all
amendments thereto have been executed;
(v) to
obtain true and full information regarding the amount of cash and a
description and statement of the Net Agreed Value of any other
Capital Contribution by each Partner and that each Partner has
agreed to contribute in the future, and the date on which each
became a Partner; and
(vi) to
obtain such other information regarding the affairs of the
Partnership as is just and reasonable.
(b) Notwithstanding any
other provision of this Agreement, the General Partner may keep
confidential from the Limited Partners, for such period of time as
the General Partner deems reasonable, (i) any information that the
General Partner reasonably believes to be in the nature of trade
secrets or (ii) other information the
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disclosure of which the General
Partner in good faith believes (A) is not in the best interests of
the Partnership or its subsidiaries, (B) could damage the
Partnership’s or its subsidiaries’ business or (C) that
the Partnership or any of its subsidiaries is required by law or by
agreement with any third party to keep confidential (other than
agreements with Affiliates of the Partnership the primary purpose
of which is to circumvent the obligations set forth in this Section
3.4).
ARTICLE IV
CERTIFICATES; RECORD HOLDERS; TRANSFER OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS;
REDEMPTION OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS
4.1 Certificates.
Upon the Partnership’s
issuance of Units to any Person, the Partnership shall issue, upon
the request of such Person, one or more Certificates in the name of
such Person evidencing the number of such Units being so issued. In
addition, (a) upon the General Partner’s request, the
Partnership shall issue to it one or more Certificates in the name
of the General Partner evidencing its interests in the Partnership
and (b) upon the request of any Person owning any Partnership
Securities, the Partnership shall issue to such Person one or more
Certificates evidencing such Partnership Securities. Certificates
shall be executed on behalf of the Partnership by the Chairman of
the Board, President or any Executive Vice President or Vice
President and the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the
General Partner. No Unit Certificate shall be valid for any purpose
until it has been countersigned by the Transfer Agent; provided,
however , that if the General Partner elects to issue
Partnership Units in global form, the Unit Certificates shall be
valid upon receipt of a certificate from the Transfer Agent
certifying that the Partnership Units have been duly registered in
accordance with the directions of the Partnership.
4.2 Mutilated,
Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Certificates.
(a) If any
mutilated Certificate is surrendered to the Transfer Agent, the
appropriate officers of the General Partner on behalf of the
Partnership shall execute, and the Transfer Agent shall countersign
and deliver in exchange therefor, a new Certificate evidencing the
same number and type of Partnership Securities as the Certificate
so surrendered.
(b) The appropriate
officers of the General Partner on behalf of the Partnership shall
execute and deliver, and the Transfer Agent shall countersign a new
Certificate in place of any Certificate previously issued if the
Record Holder of the Certificate:
(i) makes
proof by affidavit, in form and substance satisfactory to the
General Partner, that a previously issued Certificate has been
lost, destroyed or stolen;
(ii) requests
the issuance of a new Certificate before the General Partner has
notice that the Certificate has been acquired by a purchaser for
value in good faith and without notice of an adverse
claim;
(iii) if
requested by the General Partner, delivers to the General Partner a
bond, in form and substance satisfactory to the General Partner,
with surety or sureties and with fixed or open penalty as the
General Partner may direct to indemnify the Partnership, the
Partners, the General Partner and the Transfer Agent against any
claim that may be made on account of the alleged loss, destruction
or theft of the Certificate; and
(iv) satisfies
any other reasonable requirements imposed by the General
Partner.
If a Limited Partner fails to notify
the General Partner within a reasonable period of time after he has
notice of the loss, destruction or theft of a Certificate, and a
transfer of the Limited Partner Interests represented by the
Certificate is registered before the Partnership, the General
Partner or the Transfer Agent receives such notification, the
Limited Partner shall be precluded from making any claim against
the Partnership, the General Partner or the Transfer Agent for such
transfer or for a new Certificate.
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(c) As a condition
to the issuance of any new Certificate under this Section 4.2, the
General Partner may require the payment of a sum sufficient to
cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in
relation thereto and any other expenses (including the fees and
expenses of the Transfer Agent) reasonably connected
therewith.
4.3 Record
Holders. The Partnership
shall be entitled to recognize the Record Holder as the Partner
with respect to any Partnership Interest and, accordingly, shall
not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or
interest in such Partnership Interest on the part of any other
Person, regardless of whether the Partnership shall have actual or
other notice thereof, except as otherwise provided by law or any
applicable rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of any
National Securities Exchange on which such Partnership Interests
are listed or admitted for trading. Without limiting the foregoing,
when a Person (such as a broker, dealer, bank, trust company or
clearing corporation or an agent of any of the foregoing) is acting
as nominee, agent or in some other representative capacity for
another Person in acquiring and/or holding Partnership Interests,
as between the Partnership on the one hand, and such other Persons
on the other, such representative Person shall be the Record Holder
of such Partnership Interest.
4.4 Transfer
Generally.
(a) The term
“transfer,” when used in this Agreement with respect to
a Partnership Interest, shall be deemed to refer to a transaction
(i) by which the General Partner assigns its General Partner
Interest to another Person and includes a sale, assignment, gift,
pledge, encumbrance, hypothecation, mortgage, exchange or any other
disposition by law or otherwise or (ii) by which the holder of a
Limited Partner Interest assigns such Limited Partner Interest to
another Person who is or becomes a Limited Partner, and includes a
sale, assignment, gift, exchange or any other disposition by law or
otherwise, including any transfer upon foreclosure of any pledge,
encumbrance, hypothecation or mortgage.
(b) No Partnership
Interest shall be transferred, in whole or in part, except in
accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in this Article
IV. Any transfer or purported transfer of a Partnership Interest
not made in accordance with this Article IV shall be null and
void.
(c) Nothing
contained in this Agreement shall be construed to prevent a
disposition by any stockholder, member, partner or other owner of
the General Partner of any or all of the issued and outstanding
equity interests of the General Partner.
4.5 Registration
and Transfer of Limited Partner Interests.
(a) The General
Partner shall keep or cause to be kept on behalf of the Partnership
a register in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it
may prescribe and subject to the provisions of Section 4.5(b), the
Partnership will provide for the registration and transfer of
Limited Partner Interests. The Transfer Agent is hereby appointed
registrar and transfer agent for the purpose of registering Units
and transfers of such Units as herein provided. The Partnership
shall not recognize transfers of Certificates evidencing Limited
Partner Interests unless such transfers are effected in the manner
described in this Section 4.5. Upon surrender of a Certificate for
registration of transfer of any Limited Partner Interests evidenced
by a Certificate, and subject to the provisions of Section 4.5(b),
the appropriate officers of the General Partner on behalf of the
Partnership shall execute and deliver, and in the case of Units,
the Transfer Agent shall countersign and deliver, in the name of
the holder or the designated transferee or transferees, as required
pursuant to the holder’s instructions, one or more new
ertificates evidencing the same aggregate number and type of
Limited Partner Interests as was evidenced by the Certificate so
surrendered.
(b) Except as otherwise
provided in Section 4.9, the General Partner shall not recognize
any transfer of Limited Partner Interests until the Certificates
evidencing such Limited Partner Interests are surrendered for
registration of transfer. No charge shall be imposed by the General
Partner for such transfer; provided, that as a condition to the
issuance of any new Certificate under this Section 4.5, the General
Partner may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any
tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed with respect
thereto.
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(c) Subject
to (i) the foregoing provisions of this Section 4.5, (ii) Section
4.3, (iii) Section 4.7, (iv) Section 4.8, (v) with respect to any
series of Limited Partner Interests, the provisions of any
statement of designations or amendment to this Agreement
establishing such series, (vi) any contractual provisions binding
on any Limited Partner and (vii) provisions of applicable law
including the Securities Act, Limited Partnership Interests shall
be freely transferable.
4.6 Transfer
of General Partner Interest.
(a) Subject to
Section 4.6(c) below, prior to June 30, 2015, the General Partner
shall not transfer all or any part of its General Partner Interest
to a Person unless such transfer (i) has been approved by the prior
written consent or vote of the holders of at least a majority of
the Outstanding Units (excluding any Units held by the General
Partner and its Affiliates) or (ii) is of all, but not less than
all, of its General Partner Interest to (A) an Affiliate (other
than an individual) of the General Partner or (B) another Person
(other than an individual) in connection with the merger or
consolidation of the General Partner with or into another Person or
the transfer by the General Partner of all or substantially all of
its assets to another Person (other than an individual).
(b) Subject to Section
4.6(c) below, on or after June 30, 2015, the General Partner may
transfer all or any of its General Partner Interest without
Unitholder approval.
(c) Notwithstanding
anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, no transfer
by the General Partner of all or any part of its General Partner
Interest to another Person or replacement of the General Partner
pursuant to Section 10.2 shall be permitted unless (i) the
transferee or successor (as applicable) agrees to assume the rights
and duties of the General Partner under this Agreement and to be
bound by the provisions of this Agreement, (ii) the Partnership
receives an Opinion of Counsel that such transfer or replacement
would not result in the loss of limited liability of any Limited
Partner or cause the Partnership, the MLP General Partner, the MLP
or the Operating Partnership to be treated as an association
taxable as a corporation or otherwise to be taxed as an entity for
federal income tax purposes (to the extent not already so treated
or taxed), and (iii) for so long as any Affiliate of Duncan
controls the General Partner, the organizational documents of the
owner(s) of all the General Partner Interest, together, provide for
the establishment of an “Audit and Conflicts Committee”
to approve certain matters with respect to the General Partner and
the Partnership, the selection of “Independent
Directors” as members of such Audit and Conflicts Committee,
and the submission of certain matters to the vote of such Audit and
Conflicts Committee or to the requirement of Special Approval upon
similar terms and conditions as set forth herein or in the limited
liability company agreement of the General Partner, as the same
exists as of the date of this Agreement so as to provide the
Limited Partners and the General Partner with the same rights and
obligations as are herein contained. In the case of a transfer or
replacement pursuant to and in compliance with this Section 4.6,
the transferee or successor (as applicable) shall, subject to
compliance with the terms of Section 10.2, be admitted to the
Partnership as a General Partner immediately prior to the transfer
of the General Partner Interest, and the business of the
Partnership shall continue without dissolution.
4.7 Restrictions
on Transfers.
(a) Except as
provided in Section 4.7(c) below, but notwithstanding the other
provisions of this Article IV, no transfer of any Partnership
Interests shall be made if such transfer would (i) violate the then
applicable federal or state securities laws or rules and
regulations of the Commission, any state securities commission or
any other governmental authority with jurisdiction over such
transfer, (ii) terminate the existence or qualification of the
Partnership under the laws of the jurisdiction of its formation, or
(iii) cause the Partnership, the MLP General Partner, the MLP or
the Operating Partnership to be treated as an association taxable
as a corporation or otherwise to be taxed as an entity for federal
income tax purposes (to the extent not already so treated or
taxed).
(b) The General Partner
may impose restrictions on the transfer of Partnership Interests if
it reviews an Opinion of Counsel that determines that such
restrictions are necessary to avoid a significant risk of the
Partnership, the MLP General Partner, the MLP or the Operating
Partnership becoming taxable as a corporation
8
or otherwise becoming taxable as an
entity for federal income tax purposes. The General Partner may
impose such restrictions by amending this Agreement; provided,
however , that any amendment that would result in the delisting
or suspension of trading of any class of Limited Partner Interests
on the principal National Securities Exchange on which such class
of Limited Partner Interests is then listed or admitted for trading
must be approved, prior to such amendment being effected, by the
holders of at least a majority of the Outstanding Limited Partner
Interests of such class.
(c) Nothing
contained in this Article IV, or elsewhere in this Agreement, shall
preclude the settlement of any transactions involving Partnership
Interests entered into through the facilities of any National
Securities Exchange on which such Partnership Interests are listed
for trading.
4.8 Citizenship
Certificates; Non-citizen Assignees.
(a) If the
Partnership or any of its subsidiaries is or becomes subject to any
federal, state or local law or regulation that, the General Partner
determines would create a substantial risk of cancellation or
forfeiture of any property in which the Partnership or any of its
subsidiaries has an interest based on the nationality, citizenship
or other related status of a Limited Partner, the General Partner
may request any Limited Partner to furnish to the General Partner,
within 30 days after receipt of such request, an executed
Citizenship Certification or such other information concerning his
nationality, citizenship or other related status (or, if the
Limited Partner is a nominee holding for the account of another
Person, the nationality, citizenship or other related status of
such Person) as the General Partner may request. If a Limited
Partner fails to furnish to the General Partner within the
aforementioned 30-day period such Citizenship Certification or
other requested information or if upon receipt of such Citizenship
Certification or other requested information the General Partner
determines that a Limited Partner is not an Eligible Citizen, the
Partnership Interests owned by such Limited Partner shall be
subject to redemption in accordance with the provisions of Section
4.9. In addition, the General Partner may require that the status
of any such Limited Partner be changed to that of a Non-citizen
Assignee and, thereupon, the General Partner shall be substituted
for such Non-citizen Assignee as the Limited Partner in respect of
his Limited Partner Interests.
(b) The General Partner
shall, in exercising voting rights in respect of Limited Partner
Interests held by it on behalf of Non-citizen Assignees, distribute
the votes in the same ratios as the votes of Partners (including
the General Partner) in respect of Limited Partner Interests other
than those of Non-citizen Assignees are cast, either for, against
or abstaining as to the matter.
(c) Upon
dissolution of the Partnership, a Non-citizen Assignee shall have
no right to receive a distribution in kind pursuant to Section 12.4
but shall be entitled to the cash equivalent thereof, and the
Partnership shall provide cash in exchange for an assignment of the
Non-citizen Assignee’s share of any distribution in kind.
Such payment and assignment shall be treated for Partnership
purposes as a purchase by the Partnership from the Non-citizen
Assignee of his Limited Partner Interest (representing his right to
receive his share of such distribution in kind).
(d) At any time after he
can and does certify that he has become an Eligible Citizen, a
Non-citizen Assignee may, upon application to the General Partner,
request that with respect to any Limited Partner Interests of such
Non-citizen Assignee not redeemed pursuant to Section 4.9, such
Non-citizen Assignee be admitted as a Limited Partner, and upon
approval of the General Partner, such Non-citizen Assignee shall be
admitted as a Limited Partner and shall no longer constitute a
Non-citizen Assignee, and the General Partner shall cease to be
deemed to be the Limited Partner in respect of the Non-citizen
Assignee’s Limited Partner Interests.
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4.9
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Redemption of Partnership
Interests of Non-citizen Assignees.
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(a) If at any time
a Limited Partner fails to furnish a Citizenship Certification or
other information requested within the 30-day period specified in
Section 4.8(a), or if upon receipt of such Citizenship
Certification or other information the General Partner determines,
with the advice of counsel, that a Limited Partner is not an
Eligible Citizen, the Partnership may, unless the Limited Partner
establishes to the satisfaction
9
of the General Partner that such
Limited Partner is an Eligible Citizen or has transferred his
Partnership Interests to a Person who is an Eligible Citizen and
who furnishes a Citizenship Certification to the General Partner
prior to the date fixed for redemption as provided below, redeem
the Limited Partner Interest of such Limited Partner as
follows:
(i) The
General Partner shall, not later than the 30th day before the date
fixed for redemption, give notice of redemption to the Limited
Partner, at his last address designated on the records of the
Partnership or the Transfer Agent, by registered or certified mail,
postage prepaid. The notice shall be deemed to have been given when
so mailed. The notice shall specify the Redeemable Interests, the
date fixed for redemption, the place of payment, that payment of
the redemption price will be made upon surrender of the Certificate
evidencing the Redeemable Interests and that on and after the date
fixed for redemption no further allocations or distributions to
which the Limited Partner would otherwise be entitled in respect of
the Redeemable Interests will accrue or be made.
(ii) The
aggregate redemption price for Redeemable Interests shall be an
amount equal to the Current Market Price (the date of determination
of which shall be the date fixed for redemption) of Partnership
Interests of the class to be so redeemed multiplied by the number
of Partnership Interests of each such class included among the
Redeemable Interests. The redemption price shall be paid as
determined by the General Partner, in cash or by delivery of a
promissory note of the Partnership in the principal amount of the
redemption price, bearing interest at the rate of 10% annually and
payable in three equal annual installments of principal together
with accrued interest, commencing one year after the redemption
date.
(iii) Upon
surrender by or on behalf of the Limited Partner, at the place
specified in the notice of redemption, of the Certificate
evidencing the Redeemable Interests, duly endorsed in blank or
accompanied by an assignment duly executed in blank, the Limited
Partner or his duly authorized representative shall be entitled to
receive the payment therefor.
(iv) After
the redemption date, Redeemable Interests shall no longer
constitute issued and Outstanding Partnership Interests.
(b) The provisions of
this Section 4.9 shall also be applicable to Partnership Interests
held by a Limited Partner as nominee of a Person determined to be
other than an Eligible Citizen.
(c) Nothing in this
Section 4.9 shall prevent the recipient of a notice of redemption
from transferring his Partnership Interest before the redemption
date if such transfer is otherwise permitted under this Agreement.
Upon receipt of notice of such a transfer, the General Partner
shall withdraw the notice of redemption, provided the transferee of
such Partnership Interest certifies to the satisfaction of the
General Partner in a Citizenship Certification that he is an
Eligible Citizen. If the transferee fails to make such
certification, such redemption shall be effected from the
transferee on the original redemption date.
ARTICLE V
CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS AND ISSUANCE OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS
5.1
Prior Contributions.
(a) In connection
with formation of the Partnership, the General Partner made certain
Capital Contributions to the Partnership in exchange for a 0.01%
General Partner interest in the Partnership and was admitted as the
General Partner of the Partnership, and each of DFI and Dan Duncan
LLC made certain Capital Contributions to the Partnership in
exchange for a 95.0% Limited Partner Interest and a 4.99% Limited
Partner Interest, respectively, in the Partnership and were each
admitted as a Limited Partner of the Partnership.
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(b) On the date of this
Agreement, DFI, Dan Duncan LLC and their Affiliates made additional
Capital Contributions to the Partnership consisting of a 100%
equity interest in the MLP General Partner and 13,454,498 common
units of the MLP, subject to certain indebtedness associated with
those assets.
5.2
Continuation of General Partner and Limited Partner Interests;
Initial Offering; Contributions by
the General Partner.
(a) The Interest of
the General Partner in the Partnership shall be continued as a
0.01% General Partner Interest, subject to all of the rights,
privileges and duties of the General Partner under this
Agreement.
(b) On the Closing Date,
the Limited Partner Interest of DFI in the Partnership shall be
unitized and converted into 70,941,059 Units, and the Limited
Partner Interest of Dan Duncan LLC in the Partnership shall be
unitized and converted into 3,726,273 Units, and such Limited
Partner Interests shall be continued.
(c) Upon the
issuance of any additional Limited Partner Interests by the
Partnership, the General Partner shall maintain its Percentage
Interest without any requirement to make additional Capital
Contributions. Except as set forth in Sections 11.3(c) and
12.2(ii), the General Partner shall not be obligated to make any
additional Capital Contributions to the Partnership.
5.3
Contributions by the Underwriters and the Employee
Partnership.
(a) On the Closing
Date and pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, each Underwriter
shall contribute to the Partnership cash in an amount equal to the
Issue Price per Initial Unit, multiplied by the number of Units
specified in the Underwriting Agreement to be purchased by such
Underwriter at the Issue Price per Initial Unit at the Closing
Date. In exchange for such Capital Contributions by the
Underwriters, the Partnership shall issue Units to each Underwriter
on whose behalf such Capital Contribution is made in an amount
equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (i) such cash
contribution to the Partnership by or on behalf of such Underwriter
by (ii) the Issue Price per Initial Unit.
(b) On the Closing Date
and pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, each Underwriter that
purchases Affiliate Units shall contribute to the Partnership cash
in the amount equal to the Offering Price per Initial Unit,
multiplied by the number of Affiliate Units specified in the
Underwriting Agreement to be purchased by such Underwriter at the
Closing Date. In exchange for such Capital Contribution by each
such Underwriter, the Partnership shall issue Units to each such
Underwriter in an amount equal to the quotient obtained by dividing
(i) the cash contribution to the Partnership by or on behalf of
such Underwriter with respect to Affiliate Units by (ii) the
Offering Price per Initial Unit.
(c) Upon the
exercise of the Over-Allotment Option, each Underwriter shall
contribute to the Partnership cash in an amount equal to the Issue
Price per Initial Unit, multiplied by the number of Units to be
purchased by such Underwriter at the Option Closing Date. In
exchange for such Capital Contributions by the Underwriters, the
Partnership shall issue Units to each Underwriter on whose behalf
such Capital Contribution was made in an amount equal to the
quotient obtained by dividing (i) the cash contributions to the
Partnership by or on behalf of such Underwriter by (ii) the Issue
Price per Initial Unit.
(d) On the Closing Date
and pursuant to the Unit Purchase Agreement, the Employee
Partnership shall contribute to the Partnership cash in the amount
of $50,999,984. In exchange for such Capital Contribution by the
Employee Partnership, the Partnership shall issue 1,821,428 Units
to the Employee Partnership.
(e) No Units shall
be issued or issuable as of or at the Closing Date other than (i)
the Units issuable pursuant to subparagraph (a) hereof in aggregate
number equal to 10,778,572, (ii) the “Option Units” as
such term is used in the Underwriting Agreementin aggregate number
up to of the following units representing limited partner interests
in the Partnership (“Units”) 1,616,784 issuable upon
exercise of the Over-Allotment Option pursuant to subparagraph (c)
hereof, (iii) the 1,821,428 Units issuable to the Employee
Partnership
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pursuant to subparagraph (d) hereof,
(iv) the 70,941,059 Units issuable to DFI and (v) the 3,726,273
Units issuable to Dan Duncan LLC.
5.4 Interest
and Withdrawal. No
interest shall be paid by the Partnership on Capital Contributions.
No Partner shall be entitled to the withdrawal or return of its
Capital Contribution, except to the extent, if any, that
distributions made pursuant to this Agreement or upon termination
of the Partnership may be considered as such by law and then only
to the extent provided for in this Agreement. Except to the extent
expressly provided in this Agreement, no Partner shall have
priority over any other Partner either as to the return of Capital
Contributions or as to profits, losses or distributions. Any such
return shall be a compromise to which all Partners agree within the
meaning of Section 17-502(b) of the Delaware Act.
5.5 Capital
Accounts.
(a) The Partnership
shall maintain for each Partner (or a beneficial owner of
Partnership Interests held by a nominee in any case in which the
nominee has furnished the identity of such owner to the Partnership
in accordance with Section 6031(c) of the Code or any other method
acceptable to the General Partner) owning a Partnership Interest a
separate Capital Account with respect to such Partnership Interest
in accordance with the rules of Treasury Regulation Section
1.704-1(b)(2)(iv). Such Capital Account shall be increased by (i)
the amount of all Capital Contributions made to the Partnership
with respect to such Partnership Interest pursuant to this
Agreement and (ii) all items of Partnership income and gain
(including income and gain exempt from tax) computed in accordance
with Section 5.5(b) and allocated with respect to such Partnership
Interest pursuant to Section 6.1, and decreased by (A) the amount
of cash or Net Agreed Value of all actual and deemed distributions
of cash or property made with respect to such Partnership Interest
pursuant to this Agreement and (B) all items of Partnership
deduction and loss computed in accordance with Section 5.5(b) and
allocated with respect to such Partnership Interest pursuant to
Section 6.1.
(b) For purposes of
computing the amount of any item of income, gain, loss or deduction
which is to be allocated pursuant to Article VI and is to be
reflected in the Partners’ Capital Accounts, the
determination, recognition and classification of any such item
shall be the same as its determination, recognition and
classification for federal income tax purposes (including any
method of depreciation, cost recovery or amortization used for that
purpose), provided, that:
(i) Solely
for purposes of this Section 5.5, the Partnership shall be treated
as owning directly its proportionate share (as determined by the
General Partner based upon the provisions of the MLP Partnership
Agreement) of all property owned by the MLP, the Operating
Partnership and any other Subsidiary classified as a partnership
for federal income tax purposes.
(ii) All
fees and other expenses incurred by the Partnership to promote the
sale of (or to sell) a Partnership Interest that can neither be
deducted nor amortized under Section 709 of the Code, if any,
shall, for purposes of Capital Account maintenance, be treated as
an item of deduction at the time such fees and other expenses are
incurred and shall be allocated among the Partners pursuant to
Section 6.1.
(iii) Except
as otherwise provided in Treasury Regulation Section
1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(m), the computation of all items of income, gain,
loss and deduction shall be made without regard to any election
under Section 754 of the Code which may be made by the Partnership
and, as to those items described in Section 705(a)(1)(B) or
705(a)(2)(B) of the Code, without regard to the fact that such
items are not includable in gross income or are neither currently
deductible nor capitalized for federal income tax purposes. To the
extent an adjustment to the adjusted tax basis of any Partnership
asset pursuant to Section 734(b) or 743(b) of the Code is required,
pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(m),
to be taken into account in determining Capital Accounts, the
amount of such adjustment in the Capital Accounts shall be treated
as an item of gain or loss.
12
(iv) Any
income, gain or loss attributable to the taxable disposition of any
Partnership property shall be determined as if the adjusted basis
of such property as of such date of disposition were equal in
amount to the Partnership’s Carrying Value with respect to
such property as of such date.
(v) In
accordance with the requirements of Section 704(b) of the Code, any
deductions for depreciation, cost recovery or amortization
attributable to any Contributed Property shall be determined as if
the adjusted basis of such property on the date it was acquired by
the Partnership were equal to the Agreed Value of such property.
Upon an adjustment pursuant to Section 5.5(d) to the Carrying Value
of any Partnership property subject to depreciation, cost recovery
or amortization, any further deductions for such depreciation, cost
recovery or amortization attributable to such property shall be
determined (A) as if the adjusted basis of such property were equal
to the Carrying Value of such property immediately following such
adjustment and (B) using a rate of depreciation, cost recovery or
amortization derived from the same method and useful life (or, if
applicable, the remaining useful life) as is applied for federal
income tax purposes; provided, however , that, if the asset
has a zero adjusted basis for federal income tax purposes,
depreciation, cost recovery or amortization deductions shall be
determined using any method that the General Partner may
adopt.
(vi) If the
Partnership’s adjusted basis in a depreciable or cost
recovery property is reduced for federal income tax purposes
pursuant to Section 48(q)(1) or 48(q)(3) of the Code, the amount of
such reduction shall, solely for purposes hereof, be deemed to be
an additional depreciation or cost recovery deduction in the year
such property is placed in service and shall be allocated among the
Partners pursuant to Section 6.1. Any restoration of such basis
pursuant to Section 48(q)(2) of the Code shall, to the extent
possible, be allocated in the same manner to the Partners to whom
such deemed deduction was allocated.
(c) A transferee of
a Partnership Interest shall succeed to a pro rata portion of the
Capital Account of the transferor relating to the Partnership
Interest so transferred.
(d) (i) In accordance
with Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(f), on an
issuance of additional Partnership Interests for cash or
Contributed Property, the issuance of Partnership Interests as
consideration for the provision of services or the conversion of
the General Partner’s Purchased Interest to Units pursuant to
Section 11.3(c), the Capital Account of all Partners and the
Carrying Value of each Partnership property immediately prior to
such issuance shall be adjusted upward or downward to reflect any
Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss attributable to such Partnership
property, as if such Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss had been
recognized on an actual sale of each such property immediately
prior to such issuance and had been allocated to the Partners at
such time pursuant to Section 6.1 in the same manner as any item of
gain or loss actually recognized during such period would have been
allocated. In determining such Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss,
the aggregate cash amount and fair market value of all Partnership
assets (including cash or cash equivalents) immediately prior to
the issuance of additional Partnership Interests shall be
determined by the General Partner using such method of valuation as
it may adopt; provided, however , that the General Partner,
in arriving at such valuation, must take fully into account the
fair market value of the Partnership Interests of all Partners at
such time. The General Partner shall allocate such aggregate value
among the assets of the Partnership (in such manner as it
determines) to arrive at a fair market value for individual
properties.
(ii) In
accordance with Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(f),
immediately prior to any actual or deemed distribution to a Partner
of any Partnership property (other than a distribution of cash that
is not in redemption or retirement of a Partnership Interest), the
Capital Accounts of all Partners and the Carrying Value of all
Partnership property shall be adjusted upward or downward to
reflect any Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss attributable to such
Partnership property, as if such Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss
had been recognized in a sale of such property immediately prior to
such distribution for an amount equal to its fair market value, and
had been allocated to the Partners, at such time, pursuant to
Section 6.1 in the same manner as any item of gain or loss actually
recognized during such period would have been allocated. In
determining such Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss the aggregate
cash amount and fair market value of all Partnership
13
assets (including cash or cash
equivalents) immediately prior to a distribution shall (A) in the
case of an actual distribution that is not made pursuant to Section
12.4 or in the case of a deemed contribution and/or distribution
occurring as a result of a termination of the Partnership pursuant
to Section 708 of the Code, be determined and allocated in the same
manner as that provided in Section 5.5(d)(i) or (B) in the case of
a liquidating distribution pursuant to Section 12.4, be determined
and allocated by the Liquidator using such method of valuation as
it may adopt.
5.6 Issuances
of Additional Partnership Securities.
(a) The Partnership
may issue additional Partnership Securities and options, rights,
warrants and appreciation rights relating to the Partnership
Securities for any Partnership purpose at any time and from time to
time to such Persons for such consideration and on such terms and
conditions as the General Partner shall determine, all without the
approval of any Limited Partners.
(b) Each additional
Partnership Security authorized to be issued by the Partnership
pursuant to Section 5.6(a) may be issued in one or more
classes, or one or more series of any such classes, with such
designations, preferences, rights, powers and duties (which may be
senior to existing classes and series of Partnership Securities),
as shall be fixed by the General Partner, including (i) the right
to share in Partnership profits and losses or items thereof; (ii)
the right to share in Partnership distributions; (iii) the rights
upon dissolution and liquidation of the Partnership; (iv) whether,
and the terms and conditions upon which, the Partnership may or
shall be required to redeem the Partnership Security (including
sinking fund provisions); (v) whether such Partnership Security is
issued with the privilege of conversion or exchange and, if so, the
terms and conditions of such conversion or exchange; (vi) the terms
and conditions upon which each Partnership Security will be issued,
evidenced by certificates and assigned or transferred; (vii) the
method for determining the Percentage Interest as to such
Partnership Security; and (viii) the right, if any, of each such
Partnership Security to vote on Partnership matters, including
matters relating to the relative rights, preferences and privileges
of such Partnership Security.
(c) The General
Partner is hereby authorized and directed to take all actions that
it determines to be necessary or appropriate in connection with (i)
each issuance of Partnership Securities and options, rights,
warrants and appreciation rights relating to Partnership Securities
pursuant to this Section 5.6, (ii) the conversion of the General
Partner Interest into Partnership Units pursuant to the terms of
this Agreement, (iii) the admission of additional Limited Partners
and (iv) all additional issuances of Partnership Securities. The
General Partner shall determine the relative rights, powers and
duties of the holders of the Partnership Units or other Partnership
Securities being so issued. The General Partner shall do all things
necessary to comply with the Delaware Act and is authorized and
directed to do all things that it determines to be necessary or
appropriate in connection with any future issuance of Partnership
Securities or in connection with the conversion of the General
Partner Interest into Partnership Units pursuant to the terms of
this Agreement, including compliance with any statute, rule,
regulation or guideline of any federal, state or other governmental
agency or any National Securities Exchange on which the Partnership
Units or other Partnership Securities are listed or admitted for
trading.
(d) No fractional
Partnership Units shall be issued by the Partnership.
5.7
[Reserved] .
5.8
[Reserved] .
5.9 Limited
Preemptive Right. Except
as provided in this Section 5.9 and in Section 5.2, no Person
shall have any preemptive, preferential or other similar right with
respect to the issuance of any Partnership Security, whether
unissued, held in the treasury or hereafter created. The General
Partner shall have the right, which it may from time to time assign
in whole or in part to any of its Affiliates, to purchase
Partnership Securities from the Partnership whenever, and on the
same terms that, the Partnership issues Partnership Securities to
Persons other than the General Partner and its Affiliates, to the
extent necessary to maintain the Percentage Interests (other than
the General Partner Interest) of the
14
General Partner and its Affiliates
equal to that which existed immediately prior to the issuance of
such Partnership Securities.
5.10 Splits
and Combinations.
(a) Subject to
Section 5.10(d), the Partnership may make a Pro Rata distribution
of Partnership Securities to all Record Holders or may effect a
subdivision or combination of Partnership Securities so long as,
after any such event, each Partner shall have the same Percentage
Interest in the Partnership as before such event, and any amounts
calculated on a per Partnership Unit basis or stated as a number of
Partnership Units are proportionately adjusted retroactive to the
beginning of the Partnership.
(b) Whenever such a
distribution, subdivision or combination of Partnership Securities
is declared, the General Partner shall select a Record Date as of
which the distribution, subdivision or combination shall be
effective and shall send notice thereof at least 20 days prior to
such Record Date to each Record Holder as of a date not less than
10 days prior to the date of such notice. The General Partner also
may cause a firm of independent public accountants selected by it
to calculate the number of Partnership Securities to be held by
each Record Holder after giving effect to such distribution,
subdivision or combination. The General Partner shall be entitled
to rely on any certificate provided by such firm as conclusive
evidence of the accuracy of such calculation.
(c) Promptly
following any such distribution, subdivision or combination, the
Partnership may issue Certificates to the Record Holders of
Partnership Securities as of the applicable Record Date
representing the new number of Partnership Securities held by such
Record Holders, or the General Partner may adopt such other
procedures that it determines to be necessary or appropriate to
reflect such changes. If any such combination results in a smaller
total number of Partnership Securities Outstanding, the Partnership
shall require, as a condition to the delivery to a Record Holder of
such new Certificate, the surrender of any Certificate held by such
Record Holder immediately prior to such Record Date.
(d) The Partnership shall
not issue fractional Partnership Units upon any distribution,
subdivision or combination of Partnership Units. If a distribution,
subdivision or combination of Partnership Units would result in the
issuance of fractional Partnership Units but for the provisions of
Section 5.6(d) and this Section 5.10(d), each fractional
Partnership Unit shall be rounded to the nearest whole Partnership
Unit (and a 0.5 Partnership Unit shall be rounded to the next
higher Partnership Unit).
5.11 Fully
Paid and Non-Assessable Nature of Limited Partner
Interests. All Limited
Partner Interests issued pursuant to, and in accordance with the
requirements of, this Article V shall be fully paid and
non-assessable Limited Partner Interests in the Partnership, except
as such non-assessability may be affected by Section 17-607 of the
Delaware Act.
5.12 Non-Voting
Units. Pursuant to
Section 5.6, the General Partner hereby designates and creates
a special class of Partnership Units to be designated as
“Non-Voting Units” and fixes the designations,
preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special
rights, powers and duties of holders of the Non-Voting Units as
follows:
(a) Except as
otherwise provided in this Agreement, each Non-Voting Unit shall be
identical to a Unit, and each holder of a Non-Voting Unit shall
have all the rights of a holder of a Unit with respect to
Partnership distributions and allocations of income, gain, loss or
deductions.
(b) Holders of the
Non-Voting Units shall not have voting rights, and the Partnership
may take any action, including the amendment of this Agreement,
without the vote or approval of any holder of Non-Voting Units,
including an action to create under the provisions of this
Agreement a class or group of Partnership Securities that was not
previously outstanding. The Non-Voting Units shall not be deemed to
be Outstanding for purposes of determining whether a quorum is
present or whether the approval of the holders of the requisite
number of Partnership Units has been obtained.
15
(c) Each Non-Voting
Unit shall be convertible from time to time, in whole, but not in
part, at the option of the holder thereof, into one Unit from and
after the date on which the issuance of Units upon conversion of
the Non-Voting Units has been approved either (i) by holders of not
less than a majority of the Partnership Units (not including for
this purpose the Non-Voting Units) present and entitled to vote at
a meeting of Unitholders called to consider and vote thereon, or
(ii) by the holders of a majority of the outstanding Partnership
Units (not including for this purpose the Non-Voting Units)
pursuant to written consents solicited by the Partnership without a
meeting, in either case in accordance with all applicable rules and
regulations promulgated by the Commission and the National
Securities Exchange on which the Partnership Units or other
Partnership Securities are listed or admitted to trading. The
Non-Voting Units are not otherwise convertible except as provided
in this Section 5.12(c).
(d) Before any holder of
Non-Voting Units shall be entitled to convert such holder’s
Non-Voting Units into Units, such holder shall surrender the
Certificates evidencing the Non-Voting Units, duly endorsed, at the
office of the General Partner or of any transfer agent for the
Non-Voting Units, whereupon the Partnership shall, as soon as
practicable thereafter, issue and deliver at such office to such
holder of Non-Voting Units one or more Certificates evidencing
Units, registered in the name of such holder, for the number of
Units to which the holder shall be entitled. Such conversion shall
be deemed to have been made as of the date of the surrender of the
Non-Voting Units to be converted.
(e) The
Certificates evidencing Non-Voting Units shall be separately
identified and shall not bear the same CUSIP number, if any, as the
Certificates evidencing Units.
ARTICLE VI
ALLOCATIONS AND DISTRIBUTIONS
6.1 Allocations
for Capital Account Purposes. For purposes of maintaining the Capital Accounts
and in determining the rights of the Partners among themselves, the
Partnership’s items of income, gain, loss and deduction
(computed in accordance with Section 5.5(b)) shall be allocated
among the Partners in each taxable year (or portion thereof) as
provided herein below.
(a) Net Income and Net
Loss.
(i)
Net Income . After giving effect to the special allocations
set forth in Section 6.1(b) and any allocations to other
Partnership Securities, Net Income for each taxable year and all
items of income, gain, loss and deduction taken into account in
computing Net Income for such taxable year shall be allocated to
the Partners in accordance with their respective Percentage
Interests.
(ii)
Net Losses . After giving effect to the special allocations
set forth in Section 6.1(b) and any allocations to other
Partnership Securities, Net Losses for each taxable period and all
items of income, gain, loss and deduction taken into account in
computing Net Losses for such taxable period shall be allocated to
the Partners in accordance with their respective Percentage
Interests; provided that Net Losses shall not be allocated pursuant
to this Section 6.1(b) to the extent that such allocation would
cause any Partner to have a deficit balance in its Adjusted Capital
Account at the end of such taxable year (or increase any existing
deficit balance in its Adjusted Capital Account), instead any such
Net Losses shall be allocated to Partners with positive Adjusted
Capital Accounts in accordance with their Percentage Interests
until such positive Adjusted Capital Accounts are reduced to zero,
and thereafter to the General Partner.
(b) Special
Allocations . Notwithstanding any other provision of this
Section 6.1, the following special allocations shall be made for
such taxable period:
(i)
Partnership Minimum Gain Chargeback . Notwithstanding any
other provision of this Section 6.1, if there is a net decrease in
Partnership Minimum Gain during any Partnership taxable period,
each Partner shall be allocated items of Partnership income and
gain for such period (and, if
16
necessary, subsequent periods) in
the manner and amounts provided in Treasury Regulation
Sections 1.704-2(f)(6), 1.704-2(g)(2) and 1.704-2(j)(2)(i), or
any successor provision. For purposes of this Section 6.1(b), each
Partner’s Adjusted Capital Account balance shall be
determined, and the allocation of income or gain required hereunder
shall be effected, prior to the application of any other
allocations pursuant to this Section 6.1(b) with respect to such
taxable period (other than an allocation pursuant to Sections
6.1(b)(v) and 6.1(b)(vi)). This Section 6.1(b)(i) is intended to
comply with the Partnership Minimum Gain chargeback requirement in
Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(f) and shall be interpreted
consistently therewith.
(ii)
Chargeback of Partner Nonrecourse Debt Minimum Gain .
Notwithstanding the other provisions of this Section 6.1 (other
than Section 6.1(b)(i)), except as provided in Treasury Regulation
Section 1.704-2(i)(4), if there is a net decrease in Partner
Nonrecourse Debt Minimum Gain during any Partnership taxable
period, any Partner with a share of Partner Nonrecourse Debt
Minimum Gain at the beginning of such taxable period shall be
allocated items of Partnership income and gain for such period
(and, if necessary, subsequent periods) in the manner and amounts
provided in Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-2 (i)(4) and
1.704-2(j)(2)(ii), or any successor provisions. For purposes of
this Section 6.1(b), each Partner’s Adjusted Capital Account
balance shall be determined, and the allocation of income or gain
required hereunder shall be effected, prior to the application of
any other allocations pursuant to this Section 6.1(b), other than
Section 6.1(b)(i) and other than an allocation pursuant to
Sections 6.1(b)(v) and 6.1(b)(vi), with respect to such
taxable period. This Section 6.1(b)(ii) is intended to comply
with the chargeback of items of income and gain requirement in
Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(i)(4) and shall be interpreted
consistently therewith.
(iii)
Qualified Income Offset . In the event any Partner
unexpectedly receives any adjustments, allocations or distributions
described in Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(4),
1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(5), or 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(6), items of
Partnership income and gain shall be specially allocated to such
Partner in an amount and manner sufficient to eliminate, to the
extent required by the Treasury Regulations promulgated under
Section 704(b) of the Code, the deficit balance, if any, in
its Adjusted Capital Account created by such adjustments,
allocations or distributions as quickly as possible unless such
deficit balance is otherwise eliminated pursuant to Section
6.1(b)(i) or (ii).
(iv)
Gross Income Allocations . In the event any Partner has a
deficit balance in its Capital Account at the end of any
Partnership taxable period in excess of the sum of (A) the amount
such Partner is required to restore pursuant to the provisions of
this Agreement and (B) the amount such Partner is deemed obligated
to restore pursuant to Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-2(g) and
1.704-2(i)(5), such Partner shall be specially allocated items of
Partnership gross income and gain in the amount of such excess as
quickly as possible; provided, that an allocation pursuant to this
Section 6.1(b)(iv) shall be made only if and to the extent
that such Partner would have a deficit balance in its Capital
Account as adjusted after all other allocations provided for in
this Section 6.1 have been tentatively made as if this Section
6.1(b)(iv) were not in this Agreement.
(v)
Nonrecourse Deductions . Nonrecourse Deductions for any
taxable period shall be allocated to the Partners in accordance
with their respective Percentage Interests. If the General Partner
determines that the Partnership’s Nonrecourse Deductions
should be allocated in a different ratio to satisfy the safe harbor
requirements of the Treasury Regulations promulgated under
Section 704(b) of the Code, the General Partner is authorized,
upon notice to the other Partners, to revise the prescribed ratio
to the numerically closest ratio that does satisfy such
requirements.
(vi)
Partner Nonrecourse Deductions .
Partner Nonrecourse Deductions for any taxable period shall be
allocated 100% to the Partner that bears the Economic Risk of Loss
with respect to the Partner Nonrecourse Debt to which such Partner
Nonrecourse Deductions are attributable in accordance with Treasury
Regulation Section 1.704-2(i). If more than one Partner bears
the Economic Risk of Loss with respect to a Partner Nonrecourse
Debt, such Partner Nonrecourse Deductions
17
attributable thereto shall be
allocated between or among such Partners in accordance with the
ratios in which they share such Economic Risk of Loss.
(vii)
Nonrecourse Liabilities . For purposes of Treasury
Regulation Section 1.752-3(a)(3), the Partners agree that
Nonrecourse Liabilities of the Partnership in excess of the sum of
(A) the amount of Partnership Minimum Gain and (B) the total amount
of Nonrecourse Built-in Gain shall be allocated among the Partners
in accordance with their respective Percentage
Interests.
(viii)
Code Section 754 Adjustments . To the extent an adjustment
to the adjusted tax basis of any Partnership asset pursuant to
Section 734(b) or 743(b) of the Code is required, pursuant to
Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(m), to be taken into
account in determining Capital Accounts, the amount of such
adjustment to the Capital Accounts shall be treated as an item of
gain (if the adjustment increases the basis of the asset) or loss
(if the adjustment decreases such basis), and such item of gain or
loss shall be specially allocated to the Partners in a manner
consistent with the manner in which their Capital Accounts are
required to be adjusted pursuant to such Section of the Treasury
Regulations.
(ix)
Curative Allocation.
A. Notwithstanding
any other provision of this Section 6.1, other than the Required
Allocations, the Required Allocations shall be taken into account
in making the Agreed Allocations so that, to the extent possible,
the net amount of items of income, gain, loss and deduction
allocated to each Partner pursuant to the Required Allocations and
the Agreed Allocations, together, shall be equal to the net amount
of such items that would have been allocated to each such Partner
under the Agreed Allocations had the Required Allocations and the
related Curative Allocation not otherwise been provided in this
Section 6.1. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, Required
Allocations relating to (1) Nonrecourse Deductions shall not be
taken into account except to the extent that there has been a
decrease in Partnership Minimum Gain and (2) Partner Nonrecourse
Deductions shall not be taken into account except to the extent
that there has been a decrease in Partner Nonrecourse Debt Minimum
Gain. Allocations pursuant to this Section 6.1(b)(ix)(A) shall only
be made with respect to Required Allocations to the extent the
General Partner determines that such allocations will otherwise be
inconsistent with the economic agreement among the Partners.
Further, allocations pursuant to this Section 6.1(b)(ix)(A) shall
be deferred with respect to allocations pursuant to clauses (1) and
(2) hereof to the extent the General Partner determines that such
allocations are likely to be offset by subsequent Required
Allocations.
B. The General
Partner shall, with respect to each taxable period, (1) apply the
provisions of Section 6.1(b)(ix)(A) in whatever order is most
likely to minimize the economic distortions that might otherwise
result from the Required Allocations, and (2) divide all
allocations pursuant to Section 6.1(b)(ix)(A) among the
Partners in a manner that is likely to minimize such economic
distortions.
6.2 Allocations
for Tax Purposes.
(a) Except as
otherwise provided herein, for federal income tax purposes, each
item of income, gain, loss and deduction shall be allocated among
the Partners in the same manner as its correlative item of
“book” income, gain, loss or deduction is allocated
pursuant to Section 6.1.
(b) In an attempt to
eliminate Book-Tax Disparities attributable to a Contributed
Property or Adjusted Property, items of income, gain, loss,
depreciation, amortization and cost recovery deductions shall be
allocated for federal income tax purposes among the Partners as
follows:
18
(i) (A)
In the case of a Contributed Property, such items attributable
thereto shall be allocated among the Partners in the manner
provided under Section 704(c) of the Code that takes into account
the variation between the Agreed Value of such property and its
adjusted basis at the time of contribution; and (B) any item of
Residual Gain or Residual Loss attributable to a Contributed
Property shall be allocated among the Partners in the same manner
as its correlative item of “book” gain or loss is
allocated pursuant to Section 6.1.
(ii) (A) In
the case of an Adjusted Property, such items shall (1) first, be
allocated among the Partners in a manner consistent with the
principles of Section 704(c) of the Code to take into account the
Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss attributable to such property
and the allocations thereof pursuant to Section 5.5(d)(i) or
5.5(d)(ii), and (2) second, in the event such property was
originally a Contributed Property, be allocated among the Partners
in a manner consistent with Section 6.2(b)(i)(A); and (B) any
item of Residual Gain or Residual Loss attributable to an Adjusted
Property shall be allocated among the Partners in the same manner
as its correlative item of “book” gain or loss is
allocated pursuant to Section 6.1.
(iii) The
General Partner shall apply the principles of Treasury Regulation
Section 1.704-3(d) to eliminate Book-Tax
Disparities.
(c) For the proper
administration of the Partnership and for the preservation of
uniformity of the Limited Partner Interests (or any class or
classes thereof), the General Partner shall (i) adopt such
conventions as it deems appropriate in determining the amount of
depreciation, amortization and cost recovery deductions; (ii) make
special allocations for federal income tax purposes of income
(including gross income) or deductions; and (iii) amend the
provisions of this Agreement as appropriate (A) to reflect the
proposal or promulgation of Treasury Regulations under Section
704(b) or Section 704(c) of the Code or (B) otherwise to preserve
or achieve uniformity of the Limited Partner Interests (or any
class or classes thereof). The General Partner may adopt such
conventions, make such allocations and make such amendments to this
Agreement as provided in this Section 6.2(c) only if such
conventions, allocations or amendments would not have a material
adverse effect on the Partners, the holders of any class or classes
of Limited Partner Interests issued and Outstanding or the
Partnership, and if such allocations are consistent with the
principles of Section 704 of the Code.
(d) The General Partner
may determine to depreciate or amortize the portion of an
adjustment under Section 743(b) of the Code attributable to
unrealized appreciation in any Adjusted Property (to the extent of
the unamortized Book-Tax Disparity) using a predetermined rate
derived from the depreciation or amortization method and useful
life applied to the Partnership’s common basis of such
property, despite any inconsistency of such approach with Treasury
Regulation Section 1.167(c)-l(a)(6). If the General Partner
determines that such reporting position cannot reasonably be taken,
the General Partner may adopt depreciation and amortization
conventions under which all purchasers acquiring Limited Partner
Interests in the same month would receive depreciation and
amortization deductions, based upon the same applicable rate as if
they had purchased a direct interest in the Partnership’s
property. If the General Partner chooses not to utilize such
aggregate method, the General Partner may use any other
depreciation and amortization conventions to preserve the
uniformity of the intrinsic tax characteristics of any Limited
Partner Interests so long as such conventions would not have a
material adverse effect on the Limited Partners or the Record
Holders of any class or classes of Limited Partner
Interests.
(e) Any gain
allocated to the Partners upon the sale or other taxable
disposition of any Partnership asset shall, to the extent possible,
after taking into account other required allocations of gain
pursuant to this Section 6.2, be characterized as Recapture Income
in the same proportions and to the same extent as such Partners (or
their predecessors in interest) have been allocated any deductions
directly or indirectly giving rise to the treatment of such gains
as Recapture Income.
(f) All items of
income, gain, loss, deduction and credit recognized by the
Partnership for federal income tax purposes and allocated to the
Partners in accordance with the provisions hereof shall be
determined without regard to any election under Section 754 of the
Code which may be made by the Partnership;
provided,
19
however, that such allocations, once
made, shall be adjusted (in the manner determined by the General
Partner) to take into account those adjustments permitted or
required by Sections 734 and 743 of the Code.
(g) Each item of
Partnership income, gain, loss and deduction attributable to a
transferred Partnership Interest, shall for federal income tax
purposes, be determined on an annual basis and prorated on a
monthly basis and shall be allocated to the Partners as of the
opening of the principal National Securities Exchange on which the
Units are then traded on the first Business Day of each month;
provided, however , that such items for the period beginning
on the Closing Date and ending on the last day of the month in
which the Option Closing Date or the expiration of the
Over-Allotment Option occurs shall be allocated to the Partners as
of the opening of the National Securities Exchange on which the
Units are then traded on the first Business Day of the next
succeeding month; and provided, further , that gain or loss
on a sale or other disposition of any assets of the Partnership
other than in the ordinary course of business shall be allocated to
the Partners as of the opening of the National Securities Exchange
on which the Units are then traded on the first Business Day of the
month in which such gain or loss is recognized for federal income
tax purposes. The General Partner may revise, alter or otherwise
modify such methods of allocation to the extent permitted or
required by Section 706 of the Code and the regulations or rulings
promulgated thereunder.
(h) Allocations that
would otherwise be made to a Limited Partner under the provisions
of this Article VI shall instead be made to the beneficial owner of
Limited Partner Interests held by a nominee in any case in which
the nominee has furnished the identity of such owner to the
Partnership in accordance with Section 6031(c) of the Code or any
other method determined by the General Partner.
6.3 Requirement
and Characterization of Distributions; Distributions to Record
Holders.
(a) Within 50 days
following the end of each Quarter commencing with the Quarter
ending on September 30, 2005, an amount equal to 100% of Available
Cash with respect to such Quarter shall, subject to Section 17-607
of the Delaware Act, be distributed in accordance with this Article
VI by the Partnership to the Partners in accordance with their
respective Percentage Interests as of the Record Date selected by
the General Partner. All distributions required to be made under
this Agreement shall be made subject to Section 17-607 of the
Delaware Act.
(b) Notwithstanding
Section 6.3(a), in the event of the dissolution and liquidation of
the Partnership, all receipts received during or after the Quarter
in which the Liquidation Date occurs shall be applied and
distributed solely in accordance with, and subject to the terms and
conditions of, Section 12.4.
(c) The General
Partner may treat taxes paid by the Partnership on behalf of, or
amounts withheld with respect to, all or less than all of the
Partners, as a distribution of Available Cash to such
Partners.
(d) Each distribution in
respect of a Partnership Interest shall be paid by the Partnership,
directly or through the Transfer Agent or through any other Person
or agent, only to the Record Holder of such Partnership Interest as
of the Record Date set for such distribution. Such payment shall
constitute full payment and satisfaction of the Partnership’s
liability in respect of such payment, regardless of any claim of
any Person who may have an interest in such payment by reason of an
assignment or otherwise.
ARTICLE VII
MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION OF BUSINESS
7.1 Management.
(a) The General
Partner shall conduct, direct and manage all activities of the
Partnership. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this
Agreement, all management powers over the business and affairs of
the Partnership shall be exclusively vested in the General Partner,
and no Limited Partner shall have any management power over the
business and affairs of the Partnership. In addition to the powers
now or hereafter granted a general partner of a limited partnership
under applicable law or that are granted to the General
Partner
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under any other provision of this
Agreement, the General Partner, subject to Sections 2.9, 7.3 and
12.9, shall have full power and authority to do all things and on
such terms as it determines to be necessary or appropriate to
conduct the business of the Partnership, to exercise all powers set
forth in Section 2.5 and to effectuate the purposes set forth in
Section 2.4, including the following:
(i) the
making of any expenditures, the lending or borrowing of money, the
assumption or guarantee of, or other contracting for, indebtedness
and other liabilities, the issuance of evidences of indebtedness,
including indebtedness that is convertible into Partnership
Securities, and the incurring of any other obligations;
(ii) the
making of tax, regulatory and other filings, or rendering of
periodic or other reports to governmental or other agencies having
jurisdiction over the business or assets of the
Partnership;
(iii) the
acquisition, disposition, mortgage, pledge, encumbrance,
hypothecation or exchange of any or all of the assets of the
Partnership or the merger or other combination of the Partnership
with or into another Person (the matters described in this clause
(iii) being subject, however, to any prior approval that may be
required by Section 7.3 and Article XIV);
(iv) the use
of the assets of the Partnership (including cash on hand) for any
purpose consistent with the terms of this Agreement, including the
financing of the conduct of the operations of the Partnership;
subject to Section 7.6(a), the lending of funds to other Persons;
and the repayment or guarantee of obligations of the Partnership or
the General Partner;
(v) the
negotiation, execution and performance of any contracts,
conveyances or other instruments (including instruments that limit
the liability of the Partnership under contractual arrangements to
all or particular assets of the Partnership, with the other party
to the contract to have no recourse against the General Partner or
its assets other than its interest in the Partnership, even if same
results in the terms of the transaction being less favorable to the
Partnership than would otherwise be the case);
(vi) the
distribution of Partnership cash;
(vii) the selection
and dismissal of employees (including employees having titles such
as “president,” “vice president,”
“secretary” and “treasurer”) and agents,
outside attorneys, accountants, consultants and contractors and the
determination of their compensation and other terms of employment
or hiring;
(viii) the
maintenance of such insurance for the benefit of the Partnership,
the Partners and the Indemnitees as it deems necessary or
appropriate (if such insurance is not maintained pursuant to the
Administrative Services Agreement);
(ix) the
formation of, or acquisition of an interest in, and the
contribution of cash or property and the making of loans to, any
further limited or general partnerships, joint ventures, limited
liability companies, corporations or other relationships (including
the acquisition of interests in the MLP and the contributions of
cash or property to the MLP General Partner from time to time)
subject to the restrictions set forth in Sections 2.4 and
2.9;
(x) the
control of any matters affecting the rights and obligations of the
Partnership, including the bringing and defending of actions at law
or in equity and otherwise engaging in the conduct of litigation,
arbitration or mediation and the incurring of legal expense and the
settlement of claims and litigation;
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(xi) the
indemnification of any Person against liabilities and contingencies
to the extent permitted by law;
(xii) the entering
into of listing agreements with any National Securities Exchange
and the delisting of some or all of the Limited Partner Interests
from, or requesting that trading be suspended on, any such exchange
(subject to any prior approval that may be required under Section
4.8);
(xiii) the
purchase, sale or other acquisition or disposition of Partnership
Securities, or the issuance of options, rights, warrants and
appreciation rights relating to Partnership Securities;
(xiv) the
undertaking of any action in connection with the
Partnership’s participation in themanagement of the MLP
through its ownership of the MLP General Partner and certain common
units representing limited partner interestsin the MLP;
and
(xv) cause to
be registered for resale under the Securities Act and applicable
state securities laws, the Partnership Securities held by the
General Partner or any Affiliate of the General Partner;
provided, however that such registration for resale of any
Partnership Securities shall be subject to certain restrictions and
limitations.
(b) Notwithstanding any
other provision of this Agreement, the Delaware Act or any
applicable law, rule or regulation, each of the Partners and each
other Person who may acquire an interest in Partnership Securities
hereby (i) approves, ratifies and confirms the execution, delivery
and performance by the parties thereto of the Underwriting
Agreement, the Administrative Services Agreement, and the other
agreements described in or filed as a part of the Registration
Statement that are related to the transactions contemplated by the
Registration Statement; (ii) agrees that the General Partner (on
its own or through any officer of the Partnership) is authorized to
execute, deliver and perform the agreements referred to in clause
(i) of this sentence and the other agreements, acts, transactions
and matters described in or contemplated by the Registration
Statement on behalf of the Partnership without any further act,
approval or vote of the Partners or the other Persons who may
acquire an interest in Partnership Securities; and (iii) agrees
that the execution, delivery or performance by the General Partner,
the Partnership or any Affiliate of either of them, of this
Agreement or any agreement authorized or permitted under this
Agreement (including the exercise by the General Partner or
Partnership of the rights accorded pursuant to Article XV), shall
not constitute a breach by the General Partner of any duty that the
General Partner may owe the Partnership or the Limited Partners or
any other Persons under this Agreement (or any other agreements) or
of any duty stated or implied by law or equity.
7.2 Certificate
of Limited Partnership. ?
The General Partner has caused the Certificate of Limited
Partnership to be filed with the Secretary of State of the State of
Delaware as required by the Delaware Act and shall use all
reasonable efforts to cause to be filed such other certificates or
documents that the General Partner determines to be necessary or
appropriate for the formation, continuation, qualification and
operation of a limited partnership (or a partnership in which the
limited partners have limited liability) in the State of Delaware
or any other state in which the Partnership may elect to do
business or own property. To the extent that the General Partner
determines such action to be necessary or appropriate, the General
Partner shall file amendments to and restatements of the
Certificate of Limited Partnership and do all things to maintain
the Partnership as a limited partnership (or a partnership or other
entity in which the limited partners have limited liability) under
the laws of the State of Delaware or of any other state in which
the Partnership may elect to do business or own property. Subject
to the terms of Section 3.4(a), the General Partner shall not be
required, before or after filing, to deliver or mail a copy of the
Certificate of Limited Partnership, any qualification document or
any amendment thereto to any Limited Partner.
7.3 Restrictions
on General Partner’s Authority. Except as provided in Articles XII and XIV, the
General Partner may not sell, exchange or otherwise dispose of all
or substantially all of the Partnership’s assets in a single
transaction or a series of related transactions (including by way
of merger, consolidation or other combination or sale of ownership
interests) or approve on behalf of the Partnership the sale,
exchange or other disposition of all or substantially all of the
assets of the Partnership, without the approval of holders of a
majority of Outstanding Partnership Units and Special Approval;
provided however, that this provision shall not preclude or
limit the General Partner’s ability to
22
mortgage, pledge, hypothecate or
grant a security interest in all or substantially all of the assets
of the Partnership and shall not apply to any forced sale of any or
all of the assets of the Partnership pursuant to the foreclosure
of, or other realization upon, any such encumbrance. Without the
approval of holders of a majority of Outstanding Partnership Units,
the General Partner shall not, on behalf of the Partnership except
as permitted under Sections 4.6, 11.1 and 11.2, elect or cause
the Partnership to elect a successor general partner of the
Partnership.
7.4
Reimbursement of the General Partner.
(a) Except as
provided in this Section 7.4 and elsewhere in this Agreement, the
General Partner shall not be compensated for its services as
general partner of the Partnership.
(b) Subject to any
applicable limitations contained in the Administrative Services
Agreement, the General Partner shall be reimbursed on a monthly
basis, or such other basis as the General Partner may determine,
for (i) all direct and indirect expenses it incurs or payments it
makes on behalf of the Partnership (including amounts paid by the
General Partner to EPCO under the Administrative Services Agreement
and including salary, bonus, incentive compensation and other
amounts paid to any Person, including Affiliates of the General
Partner, to perform services for the Partnership or the General
Partner in the discharge of its duties to the Partnership), and
(ii) all other expenses allocable to the Partnership or otherwise
incurred by the General Partner in connection with operating the
Partnership’s business (including expenses allocated to the
General Partner by its Affiliates). The General Partner shall
determine the expenses that are allocable to the Partnership.
Reimbursements pursuant to this Section 7.4 shall be in addition to
any reimbursement to the General Partner as a result of
indemnification pursuant to Section 7.7.
(c) The General
Partner, without the approval of the Limited Partners (who shall
have no right to vote in respect thereof), may propose and adopt on
behalf of the Partnership employee benefit plans, employee programs
and employee practices (including plans, programs and practices
involving the issuance of Partnership Securities or options to
purchase or rights, warrants or appreciation rights relating to
Partnership Securities), or cause the Partnership to issue
Partnership Securities in connection with, or pursuant to, any
employee benefit plan, employee program or employee practice
maintained or sponsored by the General Partner or any of its
Affiliates, in each case for the benefit of employees of the
General Partner, the MLP General Partner or any Affiliate, or any
of them, in respect of services performed, directly or indirectly,
for the benefit of the Partnership or the MLP General Partner. The
Partnership agrees to issue and sell to the General Partner or any
of its Affiliates, or directly to the applicable employees, any
Partnership Securities that the General Partner or such Affiliate
is obligated to provide to any employees pursuant to any such
employee benefit plans, employee programs or employee practices.
Expenses incurred by the General Partner in connection with any
such plans, programs and practices (including the net cost to the
General Partner or such Affiliate of Partnership Securities
purchased by the General Partner or such Affiliate (on behalf of
the applicable employees) from the Partnership to fulfill options
or awards under such plans, programs and practices) shall be
reimbursed in accordance with Section 7.4(b). Any and all
obligations of the General Partner under any employee benefit
plans, employee programs or employee practices adopted by the
General Partner as permitted by this Section 7.4(c) shall
constitute obligations of the General Partner hereunder and shall
be assumed by any successor General Partner approved pursuant to
Section 11.1 or 11.2 or the transferee of or successor to all of
the General Partner’s Partnership Interest as the General
Partner in the Partnership pursuant to Section 4.6.
7.5
Outside Activities.
(a) After the
Closing Date, the General Partner, for so long as it is the general
partner of the Partnership (i) agrees that its sole business will
be to act as the general partner of the Partnership and to
undertake activities that are ancillary or related thereto
(including being a limited partner in the Partnership), and (ii)
shall not engage in any business or activity or incur any debts or
liabilities except in connection with or incidental to (A) its
performance as general partner of the Partnership or (B) the
acquiring, owning or disposing of debt or equity securities in the
Partnership.
(b) [
Reserved ].
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(c) Ex