AGREEMENT OF LIMITED
PARTNERSHIP
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ARTICLE I
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DEFINITIONS
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Definitions
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1
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Construction
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21
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ARTICLE II
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ORGANIZATION
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Formation
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21
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Name
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21
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Registered
Office; Registered Agent; Principal Office; Other
Offices
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21
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Purpose and
Business
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22
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Powers
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22
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Power of
Attorney
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22
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Term
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23
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Title to
Partnership Assets
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24
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ARTICLE III
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RIGHTS OF LIMITED
PARTNERS
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Limitation of
Liability
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24
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Management of
Business
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24
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Outside
Activities of the Limited Partners
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25
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Rights of
Limited Partners
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25
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ARTICLE IV
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CERTIFICATES; RECORD HOLDERS;
TRANSFER OF
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PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS; REDEMPTION OF
PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS
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Certificates
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26
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Mutilated,
Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Certificates
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26
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Record
Holders
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27
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Transfer
Generally
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27
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Registration
and Transfer of Limited Partner Interests
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28
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Transfer of the
General Partner’s General Partner Interest
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28
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Transfer of
Incentive Distribution Rights
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29
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Restrictions on
Transfers
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29
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Citizenship
Certificates; Non-citizen Assignees
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31
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Redemption of
Partnership Interests of Non-citizen Assignees
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31
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WILLIAMS PARTNERS L.P.
AMENDED AND RESTATED AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
i
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ARTICLE V
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CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS AND
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ISSUANCE OF PARTNERSHIP
INTERESTS
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Organizational
Contributions
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33
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Contributions
by the General Partner and its Affiliates
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33
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Contributions
by Initial Limited Partners and Distributions to the General
Partner and its Affiliates
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34
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Interest and
Withdrawal
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34
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Capital
Accounts
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34
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Issuances of
Additional Partnership Securities
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37
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Conversion of
Subordinated Units
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38
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Limited
Preemptive Right
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39
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Splits and
Combinations
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39
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Fully Paid and
Non-Assessable Nature of Limited Partner Interests
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40
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ARTICLE VI
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ALLOCATIONS AND
DISTRIBUTIONS
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Allocations for
Capital Account Purposes
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40
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Allocations for
Tax Purposes
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48
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Requirement and
Characterization of Distributions; Distributions to Record
Holders
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50
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Distributions
of Available Cash from Operating Surplus
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51
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Distributions
of Available Cash from Capital Surplus
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53
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Adjustment of
Minimum Quarterly Distribution and Target Distribution
Levels
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53
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Special
Provisions Relating to the Holders of Subordinated Units
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54
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Special
Provisions Relating to the Holders of Incentive Distribution
Rights
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55
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Entity-Level
Taxation
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55
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ARTICLE VII
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MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION OF
BUSINESS
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Management
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55
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Certificate of
Limited Partnership
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58
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Restrictions on
the General Partner’s Authority
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58
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Reimbursement
of the General Partner
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59
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Outside
Activities
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60
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Loans from the
General Partner; Loans or Contributions from the Partnership or
Group Members
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61
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Indemnification
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61
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WILLIAMS PARTNERS L.P.
AMENDED AND RESTATED AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
ii
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Liability of
Indemnitees
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63
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Resolution of
Conflicts of Interest; Standards of Conduct and Modification of
Duties
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64
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Other Matters
Concerning the General Partner
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65
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Purchase or
Sale of Partnership Securities
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66
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Registration
Rights of the General Partner and its Affiliates
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66
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Reliance by
Third Parties
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69
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ARTICLE VIII
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BOOKS, RECORDS, ACCOUNTING AND
REPORTS
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Records and
Accounting
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70
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Fiscal
Year
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70
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Reports
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70
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ARTICLE IX
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TAX MATTERS
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Tax Returns and
Information
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71
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Tax
Elections
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71
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Tax
Controversies
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71
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Withholding
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71
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ARTICLE X
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ADMISSION OF PARTNERS
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Admission of
Initial Limited Partners
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72
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Admission of
Limited Partners
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72
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Admission of
Successor General Partner
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73
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Amendment of
Agreement and Certificate of Limited Partnership
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73
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ARTICLE XI
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WITHDRAWAL OR REMOVAL OF
PARTNERS
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Withdrawal of
the General Partner
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73
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Removal of the
General Partner
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75
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Interest of
Departing Partner and Successor General Partner
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75
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Termination of
Subordination Period, Conversion of Subordinated Units and
Extinguishment of Cumulative Common Unit Arrearages
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77
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Withdrawal of
Limited Partners
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77
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WILLIAMS PARTNERS L.P.
AMENDED AND RESTATED AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
iii
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ARTICLE XII
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DISSOLUTION AND
LIQUIDATION
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Dissolution
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77
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Continuation of
the Business of the Partnership After Dissolution
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78
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Liquidator
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79
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Liquidation
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79
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Cancellation of
Certificate of Limited Partnership
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80
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Return of
Contributions
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80
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Waiver of
Partition
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80
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Capital Account
Restoration
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80
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ARTICLE XIII
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AMENDMENT OF PARTNERSHIP
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AGREEMENT; MEETINGS; RECORD
DATE
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Amendments to
be Adopted Solely by the General Partner
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81
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Amendment
Procedures
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82
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Amendment
Requirements
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82
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Special
Meetings
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83
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Notice of a
Meeting
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84
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Record
Date
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84
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Adjournment
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84
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Waiver of
Notice; Approval of Meeting; Approval of Minutes
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84
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Quorum and
Voting
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85
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Conduct of a
Meeting
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85
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Action Without
a Meeting
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85
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Right to Vote
and Related Matters
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86
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ARTICLE XIV
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MERGER
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Authority
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87
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Procedure for
Merger or Consolidation
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87
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Approval by
Limited Partners of Merger or Consolidation
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88
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Certificate of
Merger
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89
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Amendment of
Partnership Agreement
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89
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Effect of
Merger
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89
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WILLIAMS PARTNERS L.P.
AMENDED AND RESTATED AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
iv
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ARTICLE XV
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RIGHT TO ACQUIRE LIMITED PARTNER
INTERESTS
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Right to
Acquire Limited Partner Interests
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90
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ARTICLE XVI
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GENERAL PROVISIONS
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Addresses and
Notices
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91
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Further
Action
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92
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Binding
Effect
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92
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Integration
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92
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Creditors
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92
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Waiver
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93
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Third-Party
Beneficiaries
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93
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Counterparts
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93
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Applicable
Law
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93
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Invalidity of
Provisions
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93
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Consent of
Partners
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93
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Facsimile
Signatures
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93
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WILLIAMS PARTNERS L.P.
AMENDED AND RESTATED AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
v
AMENDED AND RESTATED AGREEMENT
OF
LIMITED PARTNERSHIP OF WILLIAMS
PARTNERS L.P.
THIS AMENDED AND
RESTATED AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP OF WILLIAMS PARTNERS L.P.
dated as of August 23, 2005, is entered into by and between
Williams Partners GP LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, as
the General Partner, and each of Williams Energy Services, LLC, a
Delaware limited liability company, Williams Energy, L.L.C., a
Delaware limited liability company, Williams Discovery Pipeline,
LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, and Williams Partners
Holdings, a Delaware limited liability company, as limited
partners, 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:
Section 1.1 Definitions .
The following
definitions shall be for all purposes, unless otherwise clearly
indicated to the contrary, applied to the terms used in this
Agreement.
“
Acquisition ” means any transaction in which any Group
Member acquires (through an asset acquisition, merger, stock
acquisition or other form of investment) control over all or a
portion of the assets, properties or business of another Person for
the purpose of increasing the operating capacity or revenues of the
Partnership Group from the operating capacity or revenues of the
Partnership Group existing immediately prior to such
transaction.
“
Additional Book Basis ” means the portion of any
remaining Carrying Value of an Adjusted Property that is
attributable to positive adjustments made to such Carrying Value as
a result of Book-Up Events. For purposes of determining the extent
that Carrying Value constitutes Additional Book Basis:
(i) Any negative
adjustment made to the Carrying Value of an Adjusted Property as a
result of either a Book-Down Event or a Book-Up Event shall first
be deemed to offset or decrease that portion of the Carrying Value
of such Adjusted Property that is attributable to any prior
positive adjustments made thereto pursuant to a Book-Up Event or
Book-Down Event.
(ii) If Carrying
Value that constitutes Additional Book Basis is reduced as a result
of a Book-Down Event and the Carrying Value of other property is
increased as a result of such Book-Down Event, an allocable portion
of any such increase in Carrying Value shall be treated as
Additional Book Basis; provided , that the amount treated as
Additional Book Basis pursuant hereto as a result of such Book-Down
Event shall not exceed the amount by which the Aggregate Remaining
Net Positive Adjustments after such Book-Down Event exceeds the
remaining Additional Book Basis attributable to all of the
Partnership’s Adjusted Property after such Book-Down Event
(determined without regard to the application of this clause
(ii) to such Book-Down Event).
“
Additional Book Basis Derivative Items ” means any
Book Basis Derivative Items that are computed with reference to
Additional Book Basis. To the extent that the Additional Book Basis
attributable to all of the Partnership’s Adjusted Property as
of the beginning of any taxable period exceeds the Aggregate
Remaining Net Positive Adjustments as of the beginning of such
period (the “ Excess Additional Book Basis ”),
the Additional Book Basis Derivative Items for such period shall be
reduced by the amount that bears the same ratio to the amount of
Additional Book Basis Derivative Items determined without regard to
this sentence as the Excess Additional Book Basis bears to the
Additional Book Basis as of the beginning of such
period.
“
Adjusted Capital Account ” means the Capital Account
maintained for each Partner as of the end of each fiscal year of
the Partnership, (a) increased by any amounts that such
Partner is obligated to restore under the standards set by Treasury
Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(c) (or is deemed
obligated to restore under Treasury
Regulation Sections 1.704-2(g) and 1.704-2(i)(5)) and
(b) decreased by (i) the amount of all losses and
deductions that, as of the end of such fiscal year, are reasonably
expected to be allocated to such Partner in subsequent years under
Sections 704(e)(2) and 706(d) of the Code and Treasury
Regulation Section 1.751-1(b)(2)(ii), and (ii) the
amount of all distributions that, as of the end of such fiscal
year, are reasonably expected to be made to such Partner in
subsequent years in accordance with the terms of this Agreement or
otherwise to the extent they exceed offsetting increases to such
Partner’s Capital Account that are reasonably expected to
occur during (or prior to) the year in which such distributions are
reasonably expected to be made (other than increases as a result of
a minimum gain chargeback pursuant to Section 6.1(d)(i) or
Section 6.1(d)(ii)). The foregoing definition of Adjusted
Capital Account is intended to comply with the provisions of
Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d) and shall be
interpreted consistently therewith. The “Adjusted Capital
Account” of a Partner in respect of a General Partner Unit, a
Common Unit, a Subordinated Unit or an Incentive Distribution Right
or any other Partnership Interest shall be the amount that such
Adjusted Capital Account would be if such General Partner Unit,
Common Unit, Subordinated Unit, Incentive Distribution Right or
other Partnership Interest were the only interest in the
Partnership held by such Partner from and after the date on which
such General Partner Unit, Common Unit, Subordinated Unit,
Incentive Distribution Right or other Partnership Interest was
first issued.
“
Adjusted Operating Surplus ” means, with respect to
any period, Operating Surplus generated with respect to such period
(a) less (i) any net increase in Working Capital
Borrowings with respect to such period and (ii) any net
reduction in cash reserves for Operating Expenditures with respect
to such period to the extent such reduction does not relate to an
Operating Expenditure made with respect to such period, and
(b) plus (i) any net decrease in Working Capital
Borrowings with respect to such period, and (ii) any net
increase in cash reserves for Operating Expenditures with respect
to such period to the extent such reserve is required by any debt
instrument for the repayment of principal, interest or premium.
Adjusted Operating Surplus does not include that portion of
Operating Surplus included in clauses (a)(i) and (a)(ii) of the
definition of Operating Surplus.
“
Adjusted Property ” means any property the Carrying
Value of which has been adjusted pursuant to Section 5.5(d)(i)
or Section 5.5(d)(ii).
2
“
Affiliate ” means, with respect to any Person, any
other Person that directly or indirectly through one or more
intermediaries controls, is controlled by or is under common
control with, the Person in question. As used herein, the term
“control” means the possession, direct or indirect, of
the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and
policies of a Person, whether through ownership of voting
securities, by contract or otherwise.
“
Aggregate Remaining Net Positive Adjustments ” means,
as of the end of any taxable period, the sum of the Remaining Net
Positive Adjustments of all the Partners.
“ Agreed
Allocation ” means any allocation, other than a Required
Allocation, of an item of income, gain, loss or deduction pursuant
to the provisions of Section 6.1, including, without
limitation, a Curative Allocation (if appropriate to the context in
which the term “Agreed Allocation” is used).
“ Agreed
Value ” of any Contributed Property means the fair market
value of such property or other consideration at the time of
contribution as determined by the General Partner. The General
Partner shall use such method as it determines to be appropriate to
allocate the aggregate Agreed Value of Contributed Properties
contributed to the Partnership in a single or integrated
transaction among each separate property on a basis proportional to
the fair market value of each Contributed Property.
“
Agreement ” means this Amended and Restated Agreement
of Limited Partnership of Williams Partners L.P., as it may be
amended, supplemented or restated from time to time.
“
Associate ” means, when used to indicate a
relationship with any Person, (a) any corporation or
organization of which such Person is a director, officer or partner
or is, directly or indirectly, the owner of 20% or more of any
class of voting stock or other voting interest; (b) any trust
or other estate in which such Person has at least a 20% beneficial
interest or as to which such Person serves as trustee or in a
similar fiduciary capacity; and (c) any relative or spouse of
such Person, or any relative of such spouse, who has the same
principal residence as such Person.
“
Available Cash ” means, with respect to any Quarter
ending prior to the Liquidation Date:
(a) the
sum of (i) all cash and cash equivalents of the Partnership
Group on hand at the end of such Quarter, and (ii) all
additional cash and cash equivalents of the Partnership Group on
hand on the date of determination of Available Cash with respect to
such Quarter resulting from Working Capital Borrowings made
subsequent to the end of such Quarter, less
(b) the
amount of any cash reserves established by the General Partner to
(i) provide for the proper conduct of the business of the
Partnership Group (including reserves for future capital
expenditures and for anticipated future credit needs of the
Partnership Group) subsequent to such Quarter, (ii) comply
with applicable law or any loan agreement, security agreement,
mortgage, debt instrument or other agreement or obligation to which
any Group Member is a party or by which it is bound or its assets
are subject or (iii) provide funds for distributions under
Section 6.4 or Section 6.5 in respect of any one or more
of the next four
3
Quarters;
provided , however , that the General Partner may not
establish cash reserves pursuant to (iii) above if the effect
of such reserves would be that the Partnership is unable to
distribute the Minimum Quarterly Distribution on all Common Units,
plus any Cumulative Common Unit Arrearage on all Common Units, with
respect to such Quarter; and, provided further, that disbursements
made by a Group Member or cash reserves established, increased or
reduced after the end of such Quarter but on or before the date of
determination of Available Cash with respect to such Quarter shall
be deemed to have been made, established, increased or reduced, for
purposes of determining Available Cash, within such Quarter if the
General Partner so determines.
Notwithstanding
the foregoing, “ Available Cash ” with respect
to the Quarter in which the Liquidation Date occurs and any
subsequent Quarter shall equal zero.
“ Board
of Directors ” means the board of directors or managers
of a corporation or limited liability company, as applicable, or if
a limited partnership, the board of directors or board of managers
of the general partner of such limited partnership, as
applicable.
“ Book
Basis Derivative Items ” means any item of income,
deduction, gain or loss included in the determination of Net Income
or Net Loss that is computed with reference to the Carrying Value
of an Adjusted Property (e.g., depreciation, depletion, or gain or
loss with respect to an Adjusted Property).
“
Book-Down Event ” means an event that triggers a
negative adjustment to the Capital Accounts of the Partners
pursuant to Section 5.5(d).
“
Book-Tax Disparity ” means with respect to any item of
Contributed Property or Adjusted Property, as of the date of any
determination, the difference between the Carrying Value of such
Contributed Property or Adjusted Property and the adjusted basis
thereof for federal income tax purposes as of such date. A
Partner’s share of the Partnership’s Book-Tax
Disparities in all of its Contributed Property and Adjusted
Property will be reflected by the difference between such
Partner’s Capital Account balance as maintained pursuant to
Section 5.5 and the hypothetical balance of such
Partner’s Capital Account computed as if it had been
maintained strictly in accordance with federal income tax
accounting principles.
“ Book-Up
Event ” means an event that triggers a positive
adjustment to the Capital Accounts of the Partners pursuant to
Section 5.5(d).
“
Business Day ” means Monday through Friday of each
week, except that a legal holiday recognized as such by the
government of the United States of America or the State of New York
shall not be regarded as a Business Day.
“ Capital
Account ” means the capital account maintained for a
Partner pursuant to Section 5.5. The “Capital
Account” of a Partner in respect of a General Partner Unit, a
Common Unit, a Subordinated Unit, an Incentive Distribution Right
or any other Partnership Interest shall be the amount that such
Capital Account would be if such General Partner Unit, Common Unit,
Subordinated Unit, Incentive Distribution Right or other
Partnership Interest were the only interest in the Partnership held
by such Partner from and after the date on which such
General
4
Partner Unit,
Common Unit, Subordinated Unit, Incentive Distribution Right or
other Partnership Interest was first issued.
“ Capital
Contribution ” means any cash, cash equivalents or the
Net Agreed Value of Contributed Property that a Partner contributes
to the Partnership.
“ Capital
Improvement ” means any (a) addition or improvement
to the capital assets owned by any Group Member,
(b) acquisition of existing, or the construction of new,
capital assets (including, without limitation, any hydrocarbon
gathering systems or pipelines, any natural gas processing or
natural gas liquids fractionation facilities, any storage or
terminal facilities and any related or similar midstream assets),
or (c) capital contribution by a Group Member to a Person in
which a Group Member has an equity interest, to fund the Group
Member’s pro rata share of the cost of the acquisition of
existing, or the construction of new, capital assets (including,
without limitation, any hydrocarbon gathering systems or pipelines,
any natural gas processing or natural gas liquids fractionation
facilities, any storage or terminal facilities and any related or
similar midstream assets) by such Person, in each case if such
addition, improvement, acquisition or construction is made to
increase the operating capacity or revenues of the Partnership
Group, in the case of clauses (a) and (b), or such Person, in
the case of clause (c), from the operating capacity or revenues of
the Partnership Group or such Person, as the case may be, existing
immediately prior to such addition, improvement, acquisition or
construction.
“ Capital
Surplus ” has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 6.3(a).
“
Carrying Value ” means (a) with respect to a
Contributed Property, the Agreed Value of such property reduced
(but not below zero) by all depreciation, amortization and cost
recovery deductions charged to the Partners’ Capital Accounts
in respect of such Contributed Property, and (b) with respect
to any other Partnership property, the adjusted basis of such
property for federal income tax purposes, all as of the time of
determination. The Carrying Value of any property shall be adjusted
from time to time in accordance with Section 5.5(d)(i) and
Section 5.5(d)(ii) and to reflect changes, additions or other
adjustments to the Carrying Value for dispositions and acquisitions
of Partnership properties, as deemed appropriate by the General
Partner.
“
Cause ” means a court of competent jurisdiction has
entered a final, non-appealable judgment finding the General
Partner liable for actual fraud, gross negligence or willful or
wanton misconduct in its capacity as a general partner of the
Partnership.
“
Certificate ” means a certificate
(i) substantially in the form of Exhibit A to this
Agreement, (ii) issued in global form in accordance with the
rules and regulations of the Depositary or (iii) in such other
form as may be adopted by the General Partner, issued by the
Partnership evidencing ownership of one or more Common Units or a
certificate, in such form as may be adopted by the General Partner,
issued by the Partnership evidencing ownership of one or more other
Partnership Securities.
“
Certificate of Limited Partnership ” means the
Certificate of Limited Partnership of the Partnership filed with
the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware as referenced
in
5
Section 7.2, as such Certificate of Limited
Partnership may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to
time.
“
Citizenship Certification ” means a properly completed
certificate in such form as may be specified by the General Partner
by which a Limited Partner certifies that he (and if he is a
nominee holding for the account of another Person, that to the best
of his knowledge such other Person) is an Eligible
Citizen.
“
Claim ” (as used in Section 7.12(d)) has the
meaning assigned to such term in Section 7.12(d).
“ Closing
Date ” means the first date on which Common Units are
sold by the Partnership to the Underwriters pursuant to the
provisions of the Underwriting Agreement.
“ Closing
Price ” has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 15.1(a).
“
Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended and in effect from time to time. Any reference herein to a
specific section or sections of the Code shall be deemed to include
a reference to any corresponding provision of any successor
law.
“
Combined Interest ” has the meaning assigned to such
term in Section 11.3(a).
“
Commission ” means the United States Securities and
Exchange Commission.
“ Common
Unit ” means a Partnership Security representing a
fractional part of the Partnership Interests of all Limited
Partners, and having the rights and obligations specified with
respect to Common Units in this Agreement. The term “Common
Unit” does not include a Subordinated Unit prior to its
conversion into a Common Unit pursuant to the terms
hereof.
“ Common
Unit Arrearage ” means, with respect to any Common Unit,
whenever issued, as to any Quarter within the Subordination Period,
the excess, if any, of (a) the Minimum Quarterly Distribution
with respect to a Common Unit in respect of such Quarter over
(b) the sum of all Available Cash distributed with respect to
a Common Unit in respect of such Quarter pursuant to
Section 6.4(a)(i).
“
Conflicts Committee ” means a committee of the Board
of Directors of the General Partner composed entirely of two or
more directors who are not (a) security holders, officers or
employees of the General Partner, (b) officers, directors or
employees of any Affiliate of the General Partner or
(c) holders of any ownership interest in the Partnership Group
other than Common Units and who also meet the independence
standards required of directors who serve on an audit committee of
a board of directors established by the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission
thereunder and by the National Securities Exchange on which the
Common Units are listed or admitted to trading.
“
Contributed Property ” means each property or other
asset, in such form as may be permitted by the Delaware Act, but
excluding cash, contributed to the Partnership. Once the Carrying
Value of a Contributed Property is adjusted pursuant to
Section 5.5(d), such property shall no longer constitute a
Contributed Property, but shall be deemed an Adjusted
Property.
6
“
Contribution Agreement ” means that certain
Contribution, Conveyance and Assumption Agreement, dated as of the
Closing Date, among the General Partner, the Partnership, the
Operating Company, WES, Williams Energy, L.L.C., Williams Discovery
Pipeline LLC, Williams Partners Holdings LLC and Williams Natural
Gas Liquids, Inc. and the other parties named therein, together
with the additional conveyance documents and instruments
contemplated or referenced thereunder, as such may be amended,
supplemented or restated from time to time.
“
Cumulative Common Unit Arrearage ” means, with respect
to any Common Unit, whenever issued, and as of the end of any
Quarter, the excess, if any, of (a) the sum resulting from
adding together the Common Unit Arrearage as to an Initial Common
Unit for each of the Quarters within the Subordination Period
ending on or before the last day of such Quarter over (b) the
sum of any distributions theretofore made pursuant to
Section 6.4(a)(ii) and the second sentence of Section 6.5 with
respect to an Initial Common Unit (including any distributions to
be made in respect of the last of such Quarters).
“
Curative Allocation ” means any allocation of an item
of income, gain, deduction, loss or credit pursuant to the
provisions of Section 6.1(d)(xi).
“ Current
Market Price ” has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 15.1(a).
“
Delaware Act ” means the Delaware Revised Uniform
Limited Partnership Act, 6 Del C. Section 17-101, et seq., as
amended, supplemented or restated from time to time, and any
successor to such statute.
“
Departing Partner ” means a former General Partner
from and after the effective date of any withdrawal or removal of
such former General Partner pursuant to Section 11.1 or
Section 11.2.
“
Depositary ” means, with respect to any Units issued
in global form, The Depository Trust Company and its successors and
permitted assigns.
“
Economic Risk of Loss ” has the meaning set forth in
Treasury Regulation Section 1.752-2(a).
“
Eligible Citizen ” means a Person qualified to own
interests in real property in jurisdictions in which any Group
Member does business or proposes to do business from time to time,
and whose status as a Limited Partner the General Partner
determines does not or would not subject such Group Member to a
significant risk of cancellation or forfeiture of any of its
properties or any interest therein.
“
Environmental Indemnity Obligation ” means the
obligation of the General Partner or an Affiliate to indemnify the
Partnership Group for certain environmental obligations and repair
and compliance costs pursuant to the Omnibus Agreement.
“
Estimated Incremental Quarterly Tax Amount ” has the
meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.9.
7
“ Event
of Withdrawal ” has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 11.1(a).
“ Excess
G&A Expenses ” means the excess of (i) the
amount of any general and administrative expenses required to be
reimbursed to the General Partner pursuant to Section 7.4,
over (ii) the amount of such expenses permitted to be
reimbursed by the Partnership Group pursuant to Article IV of
the Omnibus Agreement.
“ Final
Subordinated Units ” has the meaning assigned to such
term in Section 6.1(d)(x).
“ First
Liquidation Target Amount ” has the meaning assigned to
such term in Section 6.1(c)(i)(D).
“ First
Target Distribution ” means $0.4025 per Unit per Quarter
(or, with respect to the period commencing on the Closing Date and
ending on September 30, 2005, it means the product of $0.4025
multiplied by a fraction of which the numerator is the number of
days in such period, and of which the denominator is 92), subject
to adjustment in accordance with Section 6.6 and
Section 6.9.
“ Fully
Diluted Basis ” means, when calculating the number of
Outstanding Units for any period, a basis that includes, in
addition to the Outstanding Units, all Partnership Securities and
options, rights, warrants and appreciation rights relating to an
equity interest in the Partnership (a) that are convertible
into or exercisable or exchangeable for Units that are senior to or
pari passu with the Subordinated Units, (b) whose conversion,
exercise or exchange price is less than the Current Market Price on
the date of such calculation, (c) that may be converted into
or exercised or exchanged for such Units prior to or during the
Quarter immediately following the end of the period for which the
calculation is being made without the satisfaction of any
contingency beyond the control of the holder other than the payment
of consideration and the compliance with administrative mechanics
applicable to such conversion, exercise or exchange and
(d) that were not converted into or exercised or exchanged for
such Units during the period for which the calculation is being
made; provided , that for purposes of determining the number
of Outstanding Units on a Fully Diluted Basis when calculating
whether the Subordination Period has ended or the Subordinated
Units are entitled to convert into Common Units pursuant to
Section 5.7, such Partnership Securities, options, rights,
warrants and appreciation rights shall be deemed to have been
Outstanding Units only for the four Quarters that comprise the last
four Quarters of the measurement period; provided , further,
that if consideration will be paid to any Group Member in
connection with such conversion, exercise or exchange, the number
of Units to be included in such calculation shall be that number
equal to the difference between (i) the number of Units
issuable upon such conversion, exercise or exchange and
(ii) the number of Units that such consideration would
purchase at the Current Market Price.
“ General
Partner ” means Williams Partners GP LLC, a Delaware
limited liability company, and its successors and permitted assigns
that are admitted to the Partnership as general partner of the
Partnership, in its capacity as general partner of the Partnership
(except as the context otherwise requires).
“ General
Partner Interest ” means the ownership interest of the
General Partner in the Partnership (in its capacity as a general
partner without reference to any Limited Partner
Interest
8
held by it),
which is evidenced by General Partner Units and includes any and
all benefits to which the General Partner is entitled as provided
in this Agreement, together with all obligations of the General
Partner to comply with the terms and provisions of this
Agreement.
“ General
Partner Unit ” means a fractional part of the General
Partner Interest having the rights and obligations specified with
respect to the General Partner Interest. A General Partner Unit is
not a Unit.
“
Group ” means a Person that with or through any of its
Affiliates or Associates has any agreement, arrangement or
understanding for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except
voting pursuant to a revocable proxy or consent given to such
Person in response to a proxy or consent solicitation made to 10 or
more Persons), exercising investment power or disposing of any
Partnership Interests with any other Person that beneficially owns,
or whose Affiliates or Associates beneficially own, directly or
indirectly, Partnership Interests.
“ Group
Member ” means a member of the Partnership
Group.
“ Group
Member Agreement ” means the partnership agreement of any
Group Member, other than the Partnership, that is a limited or
general partnership, the limited liability company agreement of any
Group Member that is a limited liability company, the certificate
of incorporation and bylaws or similar organizational documents of
any Group Member that is a corporation, the joint venture agreement
or similar governing document of any Group Member that is a joint
venture and the governing or organizational or similar documents of
any other Group Member that is a Person other than a limited or
general partnership, limited liability company, corporation or
joint venture, as such may be amended, supplemented or restated
from time to time.
“
Holder ” as used in Section 7.12, has the meaning
assigned to such term in Section 7.12(a).
“
Incentive Distribution Right ” means a non-voting
Limited Partner Interest issued to the General Partner, which
Partnership Interest will confer upon the holder thereof only the
rights and obligations specifically provided in this Agreement with
respect to Incentive Distribution Rights (and no other rights
otherwise available to or other obligations of a holder of a
Partnership Interest). Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement
to the contrary, the holder of an Incentive Distribution Right
shall not be entitled to vote such Incentive Distribution Right on
any Partnership matter except as may otherwise be required by
law.
“
Incentive Distributions ” means any amount of cash
distributed to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights
pursuant to Section 6.4(a)(v), (vi) and (vii) and
Section 6.4(b)(iii), (iv) and (v).
“
Indemnified Persons ” has the meaning assigned to such
term in Section 7.12(d).
“
Indemnitee ” means (a) the General Partner,
(b) any Departing Partner, (c) any Person who is or was
an Affiliate of the General Partner (including Williams and its
Subsidiaries) or any Departing Partner, (d) any Person who is
or was a member, partner, director, officer, fiduciary or trustee
of any Person that any of the preceding clauses of this definition
describes, (e) any Person
9
who is or was
serving at the request of the General Partner or any Departing
Partner or any Affiliate of the General Partner or any Departing
Partner as an officer, director, member, partner, fiduciary or
trustee of another Person, provided that that Person shall not be
an Indemnitee by reason of providing, on a fee-for-services basis,
trustee, fiduciary or custodial services, and (f) any Person
the General Partner designates as an “Indemnitee” for
purposes of this Agreement.
“ Initial
Common Units ” means the Common Units sold in the Initial
Offering.
“ Initial
Limited Partners ” means WES, Williams Energy, L.L.C.,
Williams Discovery Pipeline LLC and Williams Partners Holdings LLC
and the General Partner (with respect to the Incentive Distribution
Rights received by it pursuant to Section 5.2), and the
Underwriters, in each case upon being admitted to the Partnership
in accordance with Section 10.1.
“ Initial
Offering ” means the initial offering and sale of Common
Units to the public, as described in the Registration
Statement.
“ Initial
Unit Price ” means (a) with respect to the Common
Units and the Subordinated Units, the initial public offering price
per Common Unit at which the Underwriters offered the Common Units
to the public for sale as set forth on the cover page of the
prospectus included as part of the Registration Statement and first
issued at or after the time the Registration Statement first became
effective or (b) with respect to any other class or series of
Units, the price per Unit at which such class or series of Units is
initially sold by the Partnership, as determined by the General
Partner, in each case adjusted as the General Partner determines to
be appropriate to give effect to any distribution, subdivision or
combination of Units.
“ Interim
Capital Transactions ” means the following transactions
if they occur prior to the Liquidation Date: (a) borrowings,
refinancings or refundings of indebtedness (other than Working
Capital Borrowings and other than for items purchased on open
account in the ordinary course of business) by any Group Member and
sales of debt securities of any Group Member; (b) sales of
equity interests of any Group Member (including the Common Units
sold to the Underwriters pursuant to the exercise of the
Over-Allotment Option); and (c) sales or other voluntary or
involuntary dispositions of any assets of any Group Member other
than (i) sales or other dispositions of inventory, accounts
receivable and other assets in the ordinary course of business, and
(ii) sales or other dispositions of assets as part of normal
retirements or replacements.
“ Issue
Price ” means the price at which a Unit is purchased from
the Partnership, excluding any sales commission or underwriting
discount charged to the Partnership.
“ Limited
Partner ” means, unless the context otherwise requires,
(a) the Organizational Limited Partner prior to its withdrawal
from the Partnership, each Initial Limited Partner, each additional
person that becomes a Limited Partner pursuant to the terms of this
Agreement and any Departing Partner upon the change of its status
from General Partner to Limited Partner pursuant to Section 11.3,
in each case, in such Person’s capacity as a limited partner
of the Partnership; provided , however , that when
the term “Limited Partner” is used herein in the
context of any vote or other approval, including Article XIII
and Article XIV, such term shall not, solely for such purpose,
include any holder of an Incentive Distribution Right (solely
with
10
respect to its
Incentive Distribution Rights and not with respect to any other
Limited Partner Interest held by such Person) except as may
otherwise be required by law.
“ Limited
Partner Interest ” means the ownership interest of a
Limited Partner in the Partnership, which may be evidenced by
Common Units, Subordinated Units, Incentive Distribution Rights or
other Partnership Securities or a combination thereof or interest
therein, and includes any and all benefits to which such Limited
Partner is entitled as provided in this Agreement, together with
all obligations of such Limited Partner to comply with the terms
and provisions of this Agreement; provided , however
, that when the term “Limited Partner Interest” is used
herein in the context of any vote or other approval, including
Article XIII and Article XIV, such term shall not, solely
for such purpose, include any Incentive Distribution Right except
as may otherwise be required by law.
“
Liquidation Date ” means (a) in the case of an
event giving rise to the dissolution of the Partnership of the type
described in clauses (a) and (b) of the first sentence of
Section 12.2, the date on which the applicable time period
during which the holders of Outstanding Units have the right to
elect to continue the business of the Partnership has expired
without such an election being made, and (b) in the case of
any other event giving rise to the dissolution of the Partnership,
the date on which such event occurs.
“
Liquidator ” means one or more Persons selected by the
General Partner to perform the functions described in
Section 12.4 as liquidating trustee of the Partnership within
the meaning of the Delaware Act.
“ Merger
Agreement ” has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 14.1.
“ Minimum
Quarterly Distribution ” means $0.35 per Unit per Quarter
(or with respect to the period commencing on the Closing Date and
ending on September 30, 2005, it means the product of $0.35
multiplied by a fraction of which the numerator is the number of
days in such period and of which the denominator is 92), subject to
adjustment in accordance with Section 6.6 and
Section 6.9.
“
National Securities Exchange ” means an exchange
registered with the Commission under Section 6(a) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, supplemented or restated from
time to time, and any successor to such statute, or The Nasdaq
Stock Market or any successor thereto.
“ Net
Agreed Value ” means, (a) in the case of any
Contributed Property, the Agreed Value of such property reduced by
any liabilities either assumed by the Partnership upon such
contribution or to which such property is subject when contributed,
and (b) in the case of any property distributed to a Partner
by the Partnership, the Partnership’s Carrying Value of such
property (as adjusted pursuant to Section 5.5(d)(ii)) at the
time such property is distributed, reduced by any indebtedness
either assumed by such Partner upon such distribution or to which
such property is subject at the time of distribution, in either
case, as determined under Section 752 of the Code.
“ Net
Income ” means, for any taxable year, the excess, if any,
of the Partnership’s items of income and gain (other than
those items taken into account in the computation of Net
11
Termination
Gain or Net Termination Loss) for such taxable year over the
Partnership’s items of loss and deduction (other than those
items taken into account in the computation of Net Termination Gain
or Net Termination Loss) for such taxable year. The items included
in the calculation of Net Income shall be determined in accordance
with Section 5.5(b) and shall not include any items specially
allocated under Section 6.1(d); provided , that the
determination of the items that have been specially allocated under
Section 6.1(d) shall be made as if Section 6.1(d)(xii)
were not in this Agreement.
“ Net
Loss ” means, for any taxable year, the excess, if any,
of the Partnership’s items of loss and deduction (other than
those items taken into account in the computation of Net
Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss) for such taxable year
over the Partnership’s items of income and gain (other than
those items taken into account in the computation of Net
Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss) for such taxable year.
The items included in the calculation of Net Loss shall be
determined in accordance with Section 5.5(b) and shall not
include any items specially allocated under Section 6.1(d);
provided , that the determination of the items that have
been specially allocated under Section 6.1(d) shall be made as
if Section 6.1(d)(xii) were not in this Agreement.
“ Net
Positive Adjustments ” means, with respect to any
Partner, the excess, if any, of the total positive adjustments over
the total negative adjustments made to the Capital Account of such
Partner pursuant to Book-Up Events and Book-Down Events.
“ Net
Termination Gain ” means, for any taxable year, the sum,
if positive, of all items of income, gain, loss or deduction
recognized by the Partnership after the Liquidation Date. The items
included in the determination of Net Termination Gain shall be
determined in accordance with Section 5.5(b) and shall not
include any items of income, gain or loss specially allocated under
Section 6.1(d).
“ Net
Termination Loss ” means, for any taxable year, the sum,
if negative, of all items of income, gain, loss or deduction
recognized by the Partnership after the Liquidation Date. The items
included in the determination of Net Termination Loss shall be
determined in accordance with Section 5.5(b) and shall not
include any items of income, gain or loss specially allocated under
Section 6.1(d).
“
Non-citizen Assignee ” means a Person whom the General
Partner has determined does not constitute an Eligible Citizen and
as to whose Partnership Interest the General Partner has become the
Limited Partner, pursuant to Section 4.9.
“
Nonrecourse Built-in Gain ” means with respect to any
Contributed Properties or Adjusted Properties that are subject to a
mortgage or pledge securing a Nonrecourse Liability, the amount of
any taxable gain that would be allocated to the Partners pursuant
to Section 6.2(b)(i)(A), Section 6.2(b)(ii)(A) and
Section 6.2(b)(iii) if such properties were disposed of in a
taxable transaction in full satisfaction of such liabilities and
for no other consideration.
“
Nonrecourse Deductions ” means any and all items of
loss, deduction or expenditure (including, without limitation, any
expenditure described in Section 705(a)(2)(B) of the
Code)
12
that, in
accordance with the principles of Treasury
Regulation Section 1.704-2(b), are attributable to a
Nonrecourse Liability.
“
Nonrecourse Liability ” has the meaning set forth in
Treasury Regulation Section 1.752-1(a)(2).
“ Notice
of Election to Purchase ” has the meaning assigned to
such term in Section 15.1(b).
“ Omnibus
Agreement ” means that Omnibus Agreement, dated as of the
Closing Date, among the General Partner, the Partnership, the
Operating Company, WES, Williams Energy, L.L.C., Williams Discovery
Pipeline LLC, Williams Partners Holdings LLC and (for purposes of
Articles V and VI thereof only) Williams.
“
Operating Company ” means Williams Partners Operating
LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, and any successors
thereto.
“
Operating Company Agreement ” means the Limited
Liability Company Agreement of the Operating Company, as it may be
amended, supplemented or restated from time to time.
“
Operating Expenditures ” means all Partnership Group
expenditures, including, but not limited to, taxes, reimbursements
of the General Partner, repayment of Working Capital Borrowings,
debt service payments and capital expenditures, subject to the
following:
(a) Payments
(including prepayments) of principal of and premium on indebtedness
other than Working Capital Borrowings shall not constitute
Operating Expenditures; and
(b) Operating
Expenditures shall not include (i) capital expenditures made
for Acquisitions or Capital Improvements, (ii) payment of
transaction expenses relating to Interim Capital Transactions or
(iii) distributions to Partners.
Where
capital expenditures are made in part for Acquisitions or for
Capital Improvements and in part for other purposes, the General
Partner, with the concurrence of the Conflicts Committee, shall
determine the allocation between the amounts paid for each and,
with respect to the part of such capital expenditures made for
other purposes, the period over which the capital expenditures made
for other purposes will be deducted as an Operating Expenditure in
calculating Operating Surplus.
“
Operating Surplus ” means, with respect to any period
ending prior to the Liquidation Date, on a cumulative basis and
without duplication,
(a) the
sum of (i) $10.0 million, (ii) all cash and cash
equivalents of the Partnership Group on hand as of the close of
business on the Closing Date (other than amounts retained from the
proceeds of the Initial Offering to make a capital contribution to
Discovery Producer Services LLC to fund an escrow account required
in connection with the Tahiti pipeline lateral expansion project),
(iii) all cash receipts of the Partnership Group for the
period beginning on the Closing Date and ending on the last day of
such period, other than cash receipts from
13
Interim Capital
Transactions (except to the extent specified in Section 6.5)
and (iv) all cash receipts of the Partnership Group after the
end of such period but on or before the date of determination of
Operating Surplus with respect to such period resulting from
Working Capital Borrowings, less
(b) the
sum of (i) Operating Expenditures for the period beginning on
the Closing Date and ending on the last day of such period (other
than Operating Expenditures funded with cash reserves established
pursuant to clause (ii) of this paragraph (b)) and
(ii) the amount of cash reserves established by the General
Partner to provide funds for future Operating Expenditures;
provided , however , that disbursements made
(including contributions to a Group Member or disbursements on
behalf of a Group Member) or cash reserves established, increased
or reduced after the end of such period but on or before the date
of determination of Available Cash with respect to such period
shall be deemed to have been made, established, increased or
reduced, for purposes of determining Operating Surplus, within such
period if the General Partner so determines.
Notwithstanding
the foregoing, “ Operating Surplus ” with
respect to the Quarter in which the Liquidation Date occurs and any
subsequent Quarter shall equal zero.
“ Opinion
of Counsel ” means a written opinion of counsel (who may
be regular counsel to the Partnership or the General Partner or any
of its Affiliates) acceptable to the General Partner.
“ Option
Closing Date ” means the date or dates on which any
Common Units are sold by the Partnership to the Underwriters upon
exercise of the Over-Allotment Option.
“
Organizational Limited Partner ” means WES in its
capacity as the organizational limited partner of the Partnership
pursuant to this Agreement.
“
Outstanding ” means, with respect to Partnership
Securities, all Partnership Securities that are issued by the
Partnership and reflected as outstanding on the Partnership’s
books and records as of the date of determination; provided
, however , that if at any time any Person or Group (other
than the General Partner or its Affiliates) beneficially owns 20%
or more of any Outstanding Partnership Securities of any class then
Outstanding, all Partnership Securities owned by such Person or
Group shall not be voted on any matter and shall not be considered
to be Outstanding when sending notices of a meeting of Limited
Partners to vote on any matter (unless otherwise required by law),
calculating required votes, determining the presence of a quorum or
for other similar purposes under this Agreement, except that Common
Units so owned shall be considered to be Outstanding for purposes
of Section 11.1(b)(iv) (such Common Units shall not, however,
be treated as a separate class of Partnership Securities for
purposes of this Agreement); provided , further, that the
foregoing limitation shall not apply (i) to any Person or
Group who acquired 20% or more of any Outstanding Partnership
Securities of any class then Outstanding directly from the General
Partner or its Affiliates, (ii) to any Person or Group who
acquired 20% or more of any Outstanding Partnership Securities of
any class then Outstanding directly or indirectly from a Person or
Group described in clause (i) provided that the General
Partner shall have notified such Person or Group in writing that
such limitation shall not apply, or (iii) to any Person or
Group who acquired 20% or more of any Partnership Securities issued
by the Partnership with the prior approval of the board of
directors of the General Partner.
14
“
Over-Allotment Option ” means the over-allotment
option granted to the Underwriters by the Selling Unitholders
pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement.
“ Parity
Units ” means Common Units and all other Units of any
other class or series that have the right (i) to receive
distributions of Available Cash from Operating Surplus pursuant to
each of subclauses (a)(i) and (a)(ii) of Section 6.4 in the
same order of priority with respect to the participation of Common
Units in such distributions or (ii) to participate in
allocations of Net Termination Gain pursuant to
Section 6.1(c)(i)(B) in the same order of priority with the
Common Units, in each case regardless of whether the amounts or
value so distributed or allocated on each Parity Unit equals the
amount or value so distributed or allocated on each Common Unit.
Units whose participation in such (i) distributions of
Available Cash from Operating Surplus and (ii) allocations of Net
Termination Gain are subordinate in order of priority to such
distributions and allocations on Common Units shall not constitute
Parity Units even if such Units are convertible under certain
circumstances into Common Units or Parity Units.
“ Partner
Nonrecourse Debt ” has the meaning set forth in Treasury
Regulation Section 1.704-2(b)(4).
“ Partner
Nonrecourse Debt Minimum Gain ” has the meaning set forth
in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(i)(2).
“ Partner
Nonrecourse Deductions ” means any and all items of loss,
deduction or expenditure (including, without limitation, any
expenditure described in Section 705(a)(2)(B) of the Code)
that, in accordance with the principles of Treasury
Regulation Section 1.704-2(i), are attributable to a
Partner Nonrecourse Debt.
“
Partners ” means the General Partner and the Limited
Partners.
“
Partnership ” means Williams Partners L.P., a Delaware
limited partnership, and any successors thereto.
“
Partnership Group ” means the Partnership and its
Subsidiaries treated as a single consolidated entity.
“
Partnership Interest ” means an interest in the
Partnership, which shall include the General Partner Interest and
Limited Partner Interests.
“
Partnership Minimum Gain ” means that amount
determined in accordance with the principles of Treasury
Regulation Section 1.704-2(d).
“
Partnership Security ” means any class or series of
equity interest in the Partnership (but excluding any options,
rights, warrants and appreciation rights relating to an equity
interest in the Partnership), including without limitation, Common
Units, Subordinated Units and Incentive Distribution
Rights.
“
Percentage Interest ” means as of any date of
determination (a) as to the General Partner with respect to
General Partner Units and as to any Unitholder with respect to
Units, the product obtained by multiplying (i) 100% less the
percentage applicable to clause (b) below by
(ii) the
15
quotient
obtained by dividing (A) the number of General Partner Units
held by the General Partner or the number of Units held by such
Unitholder, as the case may be, by (B) the total number of all
Outstanding Units and all General Partner Units, and (b) as to
the holders of other Partnership Securities issued by the
Partnership in accordance with Section 5.6, the percentage
established as a part of such issuance. The Percentage Interest
with respect to an Incentive Distribution Right shall at all times
be zero.
“
Person ” means an individual or a corporation, firm,
limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust,
unincorporated organization, association, governmental agency or
political subdivision thereof or other entity.
“ Per
Unit Capital Amount ” means, as of any date of
determination, the Capital Account, stated on a per Unit basis,
underlying any Unit held by a Person other than the General Partner
or any Affiliate of the General Partner who holds Units.
“ Pro
Rata ” means (a) when modifying Units or any class
thereof, apportioned equally among all designated Units in
accordance with their relative Percentage Interests, (b) when
modifying Partners or Record Holders, apportioned among all
Partners or Record Holders, as the case may be, in accordance with
their relative Percentage Interests and (c) when modifying
holders of Incentive Distribution Rights, apportioned equally among
all holders of Incentive Distribution Rights in accordance with the
relative number or percentage of Incentive Distribution Rights held
by each such holder.
“
Purchase Date ” means the date determined by the
General Partner as the date for purchase of all Outstanding Limited
Partner Interests of a certain class (other than Limited Partner
Interests owned by the General Partner and its Affiliates) pursuant
to Article XV.
“
Quarter ” means, unless the context requires
otherwise, a fiscal quarter of the Partnership, or, with respect to
the first fiscal quarter of the Partnership after the Closing Date,
the portion of such fiscal quarter after the Closing
Date.
“
Recapture Income ” means any gain recognized by the
Partnership (computed without regard to any adjustment required by
Section 734 or Section 743 of the Code) upon the
disposition of any property or asset of the Partnership, which gain
is characterized as ordinary income because it represents the
recapture of deductions previously taken with respect to such
property or asset.
“ Record
Date ” means the date established by the General Partner
or otherwise in accordance with this Agreement for determining
(a) the identity of the Record Holders entitled to notice of,
or to vote at, any meeting of Limited Partners or entitled to vote
by ballot or give approval of Partnership action in writing without
a meeting or entitled to exercise rights in respect of any lawful
action of Limited Partners or (b) the identity of Record
Holders entitled to receive any report or distribution or to
participate in any offer.
“ Record
Holder ” means the Person in whose name a Common Unit is
registered on the books of the Transfer Agent as of the opening of
business on a particular Business Day, or with respect to other
Partnership Interests, the Person in whose name any such other
Partnership
16
Interest is
registered on the books that the General Partner has caused to be
kept as of the opening of business on such Business Day.
“
Redeemable Interests ” means any Partnership Interests
for which a redemption notice has been given, and has not been
withdrawn, pursuant to Section 4.10.
“
Registration Statement ” means the Registration
Statement on Form S-1 (Registration No. 333-124517) as it has been
or as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time, filed by
the Partnership with the Commission under the Securities Act to
register the offering and sale of the Common Units in the Initial
Offering.
“
Remaining Net Positive Adjustments ” means as of the
end of any taxable period, (i) with respect to the Unitholders
holding Common Units or Subordinated Units, the excess of
(a) the Net Positive Adjustments of the Unitholders holding
Common Units or Subordinated Units as of the end of such period
over (b) the sum of those Partners’ Share of Additional
Book Basis Derivative Items for each prior taxable period,
(ii) with respect to the General Partner (as holder of the
General Partner Units), the excess of (a) the Net Positive
Adjustments of the General Partner as of the end of such period
over (b) the sum of the General Partner’s Share of
Additional Book Basis Derivative Items with respect to the General
Partner Units for each prior taxable period, and (iii) with
respect to the holders of Incentive Distribution Rights, the excess
of (a) the Net Positive Adjustments of the holders of
Incentive Distribution Rights as of the end of such period over (b)
the sum of the Share of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items of
the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights for each prior
taxable period.
“
Required Allocations ” means (a) any limitation
imposed on any allocation of Net Losses or Net Termination Losses
under Section 6.1(b) or Section 6.1(c)(ii) and
(b) any allocation of an item of income, gain, loss or
deduction pursuant to Section 6.1(d)(i),
Section 6.1(d)(ii), Section 6.1(d)(iv),
Section 6.1(d)(vii) or Section 6.1(d)(ix).
“
Residual Gain ” or “ Residual Loss
” means any item of gain or loss, as the case may be, of the
Partnership recognized for federal income tax purposes resulting
from a sale, exchange or other disposition of a Contributed
Property or Adjusted Property, to the extent such item of gain or
loss is not allocated pursuant to Section 6.2(b)(i)(A) or
Section 6.2(b)(ii)(A), respectively, to eliminate Book-Tax
Disparities.
“ Second
Liquidation Target Amount ” has the meaning assigned to
such term in Section 6.1(c)(i)(E).
“ Second
Target Distribution ” means $0.4375 per Unit per Quarter
(or, with respect to the period commencing on the Closing Date and
ending on September 30, 2005, it means the product of $0.4375
multiplied by a fraction of which the numerator is equal to the
number of days in such period and of which the denominator is 92),
subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 6.6 and
Section 6.9.
“
Securities Act ” means the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, supplemented or restated from time to time and any
successor to such statute.
17
“ Selling
Unitholders ” has the meaning assigned to such term in
the Underwriting Agreement.
“ Share
of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items ” means in
connection with any allocation of Additional Book Basis Derivative
Items for any taxable period, (i) with respect to the
Unitholders holding Common Units or Subordinated Units, the amount
that bears the same ratio to such Additional Book Basis Derivative
Items as the Unitholders’ Remaining Net Positive Adjustments
as of the end of such period bears to the Aggregate Remaining Net
Positive Adjustments as of that time, (ii) with respect to the
General Partner (as holder of the General Partner Units), the
amount that bears the same ratio to such Additional Book Basis
Derivative Items as the General Partner’s Remaining Net
Positive Adjustments as of the end of such period bears to the
Aggregate Remaining Net Positive Adjustment as of that time, and
(iii) with respect to the Partners holding Incentive
Distribution Rights, the amount that bears the same ratio to such
Additional Book Basis Derivative Items as the Remaining Net
Positive Adjustments of the Partners holding the Incentive
Distribution Rights as of the end of such period bears to the
Aggregate Remaining Net Positive Adjustments as of that
time.
“ Special
Approval ” means approval by a majority of the members of
the Conflicts Committee.
“
Subordinated Unit ” means a Unit representing a
fractional part of the Partnership Interests of all Limited
Partners, and having the rights and obligations specified with
respect to Subordinated Units in this Agreement. The term
“Subordinated Unit” as used herein does not include a
Common Unit or Parity Unit. A Subordinated Unit that is convertible
into a Common Unit or a Parity Unit shall not constitute a Common
Unit or Parity Unit until such conversion occurs.
“
Subordination Period ” means the period commencing on
the Closing Date and ending on the first to occur of the following
dates:
(a) the
first day of any Quarter beginning after June 30, 2010 in
respect of which (i) (A) distributions of Available Cash from
Operating Surplus on each of the Outstanding Common Units and
Subordinated Units and any other Outstanding Units that are senior
or equal in right of distribution to the Subordinated Units with
respect to each of the three consecutive, non-overlapping
four-Quarter periods immediately preceding such date equaled or
exceeded the sum of the Minimum Quarterly Distribution on all
Outstanding Common Units and Subordinated Units and any other
Outstanding Units that are senior or equal in right of distribution
to the Subordinated Units during such periods and (B) the
Adjusted Operating Surplus generated during each of the three
consecutive, non-overlapping four-Quarter periods immediately
preceding such date equaled or exceeded the sum of the Minimum
Quarterly Distribution on all of the Common Units and Subordinated
Units and any other Units that are senior or equal in right of
distribution to the Subordinated Units that were Outstanding during
such periods on a Fully Diluted Basis, plus the related
distribution on the General Partner Units, during such periods and
(ii) there are no Cumulative Common Unit Arrearages;
and
(b) the
date on which the General Partner is removed as general partner of
the Partnership upon the requisite vote by holders of Outstanding
Units under circumstances where
18
Cause does not
exist and Units held by the General Partner and its Affiliates are
not voted in favor of such removal.
“
Subsidiary ” means, with respect to any Person,
(a) a corporation of which more than 50% of the voting power
of shares entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any
contingency) to vote in the election of directors or other
governing body of such corporation is owned, directly or
indirectly, at the date of determination, by such Person, by one or
more Subsidiaries of such Person or a combination thereof,
(b) a partnership (whether general or limited) in which such
Person or a Subsidiary of such Person is, at the date of
determination, a general or limited partner of such partnership,
but only if more than 50% of the partnership interests of such
partnership (considering all of the partnership interests of the
partnership as a single class) is owned, directly or indirectly, at
the date of determination, by such Person, by one or more
Subsidiaries of such Person, or a combination thereof, or
(c) any other Person (other than a corporation or a
partnership) in which such Person, one or more Subsidiaries of such
Person, or a combination thereof, directly or indirectly, at the
date of determination, has (i) at least a majority ownership
interest or (ii) the power to elect or direct the election of
a majority of the directors or other governing body of such
Person.
“
Surviving Business Entity ” has the meaning assigned
to such term in Section 14.2(b).
“ Third
Liquidation Target Amount ” has the meaning assigned to
such term in Section 6.1(c)(i)(F).
“ Third
Target Distribution ” means $0.5250 per Unit per Quarter
(or, with respect to the period commencing on the Closing Date and
ending on September 30, 2005, it means the product of $0.5250
multiplied by a fraction of which the numerator is equal to the
number of days in such period and of which the denominator is 92),
subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 6.6 and
Section 6.9.
“ Trading
Day ” has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 15.1(a).
“
Transfer ” has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 4.4(a).
“
Transfer Agent ” means such bank, trust company or
other Person (including the General Partner or one of its
Affiliates) as shall be appointed from time to time by the General
Partner to act as registrar and transfer agent for the Common
Units; provided , that if no Transfer Agent is specifically
designated for any other Partnership Securities, the General
Partner shall act in such capacity.
“
Underwriter ” means each Person named as an
underwriter in Schedule I to the Underwriting Agreement
who purchases Common Units pursuant thereto.
“
Underwriting Agreement ” means the Underwriting
Agreement dated August 17, 2005 among the Underwriters, the
Partnership, the General Partner, the Operating Company, WES,
Williams Energy, L.L.C., Williams Discovery Pipeline LLC, Williams
Partners Holdings LLC, Williams Midstream Natural Gas Liquids, Inc.
and Williams Natural Gas Liquids, Inc. providing for the purchase
of Common Units by such Underwriters.
19
“
Unit ” means a Partnership Security that is designated
as a “Unit” and shall include Common Units and
Subordinated Units but shall not include (i) General Partner
Units (or the General Partner Interest represented thereby) or
(ii) Incentive Distribution Rights.
“
Unitholders ” means the holders of Units.
“ Unit
Majority ” means, during the Subordination Period, at
least a majority of the Outstanding Common Units (excluding Common
Units owned by the General Partner and its Affiliates) voting as a
class and at least a majority of the Outstanding Subordinated Units
voting as a single class, and after the end of the Subordination
Period, at least a majority of the Outstanding Units.
“ Unpaid
MQD ” has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 6.1(c)(i)(B).
“
Unrealized Gain ” attributable to any item of
Partnership property means, as of any date of determination, the
excess, if any, of (a) the fair market value of such property
as of such date (as determined under Section 5.5(d)) over
(b) the Carrying Value of such property as of such date (prior
to any adjustment to be made pursuant to Section 5.5(d) as of
such date).
“
Unrealized Loss ” attributable to any item of
Partnership property means, as of any date of determination, the
excess, if any, of (a) the Carrying Value of such property as
of such date (prior to any adjustment to be made pursuant to
Section 5.5(d) as of such date) over (b) the fair market
value of such property as of such date (as determined under
Section 5.5(d)).
“
Unrecovered Capital ” means at any time, with respect
to a Unit, the Initial Unit Price less the sum of all distributions
constituting Capital Surplus theretofore made in respect of an
Initial Common Unit and any distributions of cash (or the Net
Agreed Value of any distributions in kind) in connection with the
dissolution and liquidation of the Partnership theretofore made in
respect of an Initial Common Unit, adjusted as the General Partner
determines to be appropriate to give effect to any distribution,
subdivision or combination of such Units.
“ U.S.
GAAP ” means United States generally accepted accounting
principles consistently applied.
“ WES
” means Williams Energy Services, LLC, a Delaware limited
liability company, and any successors thereto.
“
Williams ” means The Williams Companies, Inc., a
Delaware corporation, and any successors thereto.
“
Withdrawal Opinion of Counsel ” has the meaning
assigned to such term in Section 11.1(b).
“ Working
Capital Borrowings ” means borrowings used solely for
working capital purposes or to pay distributions to Partners made
pursuant to a credit facility or other arrangement to the extent
such borrowings are required to be reduced to a relatively small
amount each year (or for the year in which the Initial Offering is
consummated, the 12-month period beginning on the Closing Date) for
an economically meaningful period of time.
20
Section 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; and
(c) the term “include” or “includes”
means includes, without limitation, and “including”
means including, without limitation.
The General
Partner and the Organizational Limited Partner have previously
formed the Partnership as a limited partnership pursuant to the
provisions of the Delaware Act and hereby amend and restate the
original Agreement of Limited Partnership of Williams Partners L.P.
in its entirety. 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 and a Partner has no interest in specific
Partnership property.
The name of the
Partnership shall be “Williams Partners 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.
Section 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, Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware 19801, and
the registered agent for service of process on the Partnership in
the State of Delaware at such registered office shall be
Corporation Trust Center. The principal office of the Partnership
shall be located at One Williams Center, Suite 4100, Tulsa,
Oklahoma 74172-0172 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
determines to be necessary or appropriate. The address of the
General Partner shall be One Williams Center, Suite 4100,
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74172-0172 or such other place as the General
Partner may from time to time designate by notice to the Limited
Partners.
21
Section 2.4 Purpose and Business
.
The purpose and
nature of the business to be conducted by the Partnership shall be
to (a) engage directly in, or enter into or form, hold or dispose
of any corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability
company or other arrangement to engage indirectly 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, and (b) do
anything necessary or appropriate to the foregoing, including the
making of capital contributions or loans to a Group Member;
provided , however , 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 to be treated as an association taxable as a
corporation or otherwise taxable as an entity for federal income
tax purposes. 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 Group
Member Agreement, any other agreement contemplated hereby or under
the Delaware Act or any other law, rule or regulation or at
equity.
The Partnership
shall be empowered to do any and all acts and things necessary and
appropriate for the furtherance and accomplishment of the purposes
and business described in Section 2.4 and for the protection
and benefit of the Partnership.
Section 2.6 Power of Attorney
.
(a) Each
Limited Partner hereby constitutes and appoints the General Partner
and, if a Liquidator shall have been selected pursuant to
Section 12.3, the Liquidator (and any successor to the
Liquidator 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
22
(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, Article X,
Article XI or Article 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 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
Limited Partner 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.
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
23
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.
Section 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, one or more of its Affiliates or one or more
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 of its Affiliates or one or more nominees shall be held by the
General Partner or such Affiliate or 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
of record title to the Partnership 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.
RIGHTS OF LIMITED
PARTNERS
Section 3.1 Limitation of Liability
.
The Limited
Partners and assignees shall have no liability under this Agreement
except as expressly provided in this Agreement or the Delaware
Act.
Section 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, manager, member, general partner, agent or trustee of the
General Partner or any of its Affiliates, or any officer, director,
employee, manager, member, general partner, agent or trustee of a
Group Member, 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 or assignees under this Agreement.
24
Section 3.3 Outside Activities of the
Limited Partners .
Subject to the
provisions of Section 7.5, 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 Group. 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.
Section 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) promptly after
becoming available, to obtain a copy of the Partnership’s
federal, state and local income tax returns for each
year;
(ii) to obtain a
current list of the name and last known business, residence or
mailing address of each Partner;
(iii) 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 which each Partner has
agreed to contribute in the future, and the date on which each
became a 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 status of the business and
financial condition of the Partnership Group; and
(vi) to obtain
such other information regarding the affairs of the Partnership as
is just and reasonable.
(b) 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 disclosure of which the General Partner in good
faith believes (A) is not in the best interests of the
Partnership Group, (B) could damage the Partnership Group or
its business or (C) that any Group Member 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).
25
CERTIFICATES; RECORD HOLDERS;
TRANSFER OF
PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS; REDEMPTION
OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS
Section 4.1 Certificates
.
Upon the
Partnership’s issuance of Common Units or Subordinated 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 General Partner Units and
(b) upon the request of any Person owning Incentive
Distribution Rights or any other Partnership Securities other than
Common Units or Subordinated Units, the Partnership shall issue to
such Person one or more certificates evidencing such Incentive
Distribution Rights or other Partnership Securities other than
Common Units or Subordinated Units. 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
Chief Financial Officer or the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary
of the General Partner. No Common 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 Common Units in global form, the Common
Unit Certificates shall be valid upon receipt of a certificate from
the Transfer Agent certifying that the Common Units have been duly
registered in accordance with the directions of the Partnership.
Subject to the requirements of Section 6.7(c), the Partners
holding Certificates evidencing Subordinated Units may exchange
such Certificates for Certificates evidencing Common Units on or
after the date on which such Subordinated Units are converted into
Common Units pursuant to the terms of Section 5.7.
Section 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
26
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.
(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.
Section 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 to 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.
Section 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
Units to another Person or by which a holder of Incentive
Distribution Rights assigns its Incentive Distribution Rights 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 (other than an Incentive Distribution
Right) 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.
27
(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 shares of stock,
membership interests, partnership interests or other ownership
interests in the General Partner.
Section 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 Common Units and transfers of such
Common 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 Common 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 Certificates 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.
(c) Subject
to (i) the foregoing provisions of this Section 4.5,
(ii) Section 4.3, (iii) Section 4.8, (iv) with
respect to any class or series of Limited Partner Interests, the
provisions of any statement of designations or amendment to this
Agreement establishing such class or series, (v) any
contractual provisions binding on any Limited Partner and
(vi) provisions of applicable law including the Securities
Act, Limited Partner Interests (other than the Incentive
Distribution Rights) shall be freely transferable.
(d) The
General Partner and its Affiliates shall have the right at any time
to transfer their Subordinated Units and Common Units (whether
issued upon conversion of the Subordinated Units or otherwise) to
one or more Persons.
Section 4.6 Transfer of the General
Partner’s 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 (represented by General Partner Units) 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 Common Units (excluding Common Units held by the
General Partner and its Affiliates) or (ii) is of all, but not
less than all, of its General
28
Partner
Interest to (A) an Affiliate of the General Partner (other
than an individual) or (B) another Person (other than an
individual) in connection with the merger or consolidation of the
General Partner with or into such other Person or the transfer by
the General Partner of all or substantially all of its assets to
such other Person.
(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 herein to the contrary, no transfer by the General Partner
of all or any part of its General Partner Interest to another
Person shall be permitted unless (i) the transferee 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 would not result in the loss of limited liability of any
Limited Partner or of any limited partner or cause the 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) such
transferee also agrees to purchase all (or the appropriate portion
thereof, if applicable) of the partnership or membership interest
of the General Partner as the general partner or managing member,
if any, of each other Group Member. In the case of a transfer
pursuant to and in compliance with this Section 4.6, the
transferee or successor (as the case may be) shall, subject to
compliance with the terms of Section 10.3, be admitted to the
Partnership as the General Partner immediately prior to the
transfer of the General Partner Interest, and the business of the
Partnership shall continue without dissolution.
Section 4.7 Transfer of Incentive
Distribution Rights .
Prior to
June 30, 2015, a holder of Incentive Distribution Rights may
transfer any or all of the Incentive Distribution Rights held by
such holder without any consent of the Unitholders to (a) an
Affiliate of such holder (other than an individual) or
(b) another Person (other than an individual) in connection
with (i) the merger or consolidation of such holder of
Incentive Distribution Rights with or into such other Person,
(ii) the transfer by such holder of all or substantially all
of its assets to such other Person or (iii) the sale of all of
the ownership interests in such holder. Any other transfer of the
Incentive Distribution Rights prior to June 30, 2015 shall require
the prior approval of holders of at least a majority of the
Outstanding Common Units (excluding Common Units held by the
General Partner and its Affiliates). On or after June 30,
2015, the General Partner or any other holder of Incentive
Distribution Rights may transfer any or all of its Incentive
Distribution Rights without Unitholder approval. Notwithstanding
anything herein to the contrary, no transfer of Incentive
Distribution Rights to another Person shall be permitted unless the
transferee agrees to be bound by the provisions of this
Agreement.
Section 4.8 Restrictions on
Transfers .
(a) Except as
provided in Section 4.8(d) 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
29
under the laws
of the jurisdiction of its formation or (iii) cause the
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 receives an Opinion of Counsel that
such restrictions are necessary to avoid a significant risk of the
Partnership becoming taxable as a corporation 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 to 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) The
transfer of a Subordinated Unit that has converted into a Common
Unit shall be subject to the restrictions imposed by
Section 6.7(c).
(d) 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 or admitted to trading.
(e) In the
event that any Partnership Interest is evidenced in certificated
form, each such certificate shall bear a conspicuous legend in
substantially the following form:
THE HOLDER OF
THIS SECURITY ACKNOWLEDGES FOR THE BENEFIT OF WILLIAMS PARTNERS
L.P. THAT THIS SECURITY MAY NOT BE SOLD, OFFERED, RESOLD, PLEDGED
OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED IF SUCH TRANSFER WOULD (A) VIOLATE
THE THEN APPLICABLE FEDERAL OR STATE SECURITIES LAWS OR RULES AND
REGULATIONS OF THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION, ANY STATE
SECURITIES COMMISSION OR ANY OTHER GOVERNMENTAL AUTHORITY WITH
JURISDICTION OVER SUCH TRANSFER, (B) TERMINATE THE EXISTENCE
OR QUALIFICATION OF WILLIAMS PARTNERS L.P. UNDER THE LAWS OF THE
STATE OF DELAWARE, OR (C) CAUSE WILLIAMS PARTNERS L.P. 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). WILLIAMS PARTNERS GP LLC,
THE GENERAL PARTNER OF WILLIAMS PARTNERS L.P., MAY IMPOSE
ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS ON THE TRANSFER OF THIS SECURITY IF IT
RECEIVES AN OPINION OF COUNSEL THAT SUCH RESTRICTIONS ARE NECESSARY
TO AVOID A SIGNIFICANT RISK OF WILLIAMS PARTNERS L.P. BECOMING
TAXABLE AS A CORPORATION OR OTHERWISE BECOMING TAXABLE AS AN ENTITY
FOR FEDERAL INCOME TAX PURPOSES. THE RESTRICTIONS SET FORTH ABOVE
SHALL NOT PRECLUDE THE SETTLEMENT OF ANY TRANSACTIONS INVOLVING
THIS SECURITY ENTERED INTO THROUGH THE FACILITIES OF ANY NATIONAL
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ON WHICH THIS SECURITY IS LISTED OR ADMITTED TO
TRADING.
30
Section 4.9 Citizenship Certificates;
Non-citizen Assignees .
(a) If any
Group Member 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 Group Member 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
Limited Partner Interests owned by such Limited Partner shall be
subject to redemption in accordance with the provisions of Section
4.10. 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
the Non-citizen Assignee’s 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 4.10, 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.
Section 4.10 Redemption of Partnership
Interests of Non-citizen Assignees .
(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 4.9(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 of the General Partner that such
Limited
31
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 Limited Partner
Interests of the class to be so redeemed multiplied by the number
of Limited Partner 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 Limited Partner Interests.
(b) The
provisions of this Section 4.10 shall also be applicable to
Limited Partner Interests held by a Limited Partner as nominee of a
Person determined to be other than an Eligible Citizen.
(c) Nothing
in this Section 4.10 shall prevent the recipient of a notice
of redemption from transferring his Limited Partner 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 Limited Partner Interest certifies to the
satisfaction of the General Partner 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.
32
CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS
AND
ISSUANCE OF PARTNERSHIP
INTERESTS
Section 5.1 Organizational
Contributions .
In connection with
the formation of the Partnership under the Delaware Act, the
General Partner made an initial Capital Contribution to the
Partnership in the amount of $20.00, for a 2% General Partner
Interest in the Partnership and has been admitted as the General
Partner of the Partnership, and the Organizational Limited Partner
made an initial Capital Contribution to the Partnership in the
amount of $980 for a 98% Limited Partner Interest in the
Partnership and has been admitted as a Limited Partner of the
Partnership. As of the Closing Date, the interest of the
Organizational Limited Partner shall be redeemed; and the initial
Capital Contribution of the Organizational Limited Partner shall
thereupon be refunded. Ninety-eight percent of any interest or
other profit that may have resulted from the investment or other
use of such initial Capital Contributions shall be allocated and
distributed to the Organizational Limited Partner, and the balance
thereof shall be allocated and distributed to the General
Partner.
Section 5.2 Contributions by the General
Partner and its Affiliates .
(a) On the
Closing Date and pursuant to the Contribution Agreement:
(i) the General Partner shall agree to contribute all of its
ownership interest in Carbonate Trend Pipeline LLC to the
Partnership, as a Capital Contribution, in exchange for
(A) 285,714 General Partner Units representing the 2% General
Partner Interest, subject to all of the rights, privileges and
duties of the General Partner under this Agreement and (B) the
Incentive Distribution Rights; (ii) WES shall agree to
contribute all of its ownership interest in Carbonate Trend
Pipeline LLC to the Partnership, as a Capital Contribution, in
exchange for (A) 253,557 Common Units and (B) 887,450
Subordinated Units; (iii) Williams Energy, L.L.C. shall agree
to contribute a 23.3% member interest in Discovery Producer
Services LLC to the Partnership, as a Capital Contribution, in
exchange for (A) 715,693 Common Units and (B) 2,504,925
Subordinated Units; (iv) Williams Discovery Pipeline LLC shall
agree to contribute a 16.7% member interest in Discovery Producer
Services LLC to the Partnership, as a Capital Contribution, in
exchange for (A) 345,567 Common Units and (B) 1,209,486
Subordinated Units; and (v) Williams Partners Holdings LLC
shall agree to contribute all of its member interests in
Mid-Continent Fractionation and Storage, LLC to the Partnership, as
a Capital Contribution, in exchange for (A) 685,183 Common
Units and (B) 2,398,139 Subordinated Units.
(b) Upon the
issuance of any additional Limited Partner Interests by the
Partnership, the General Partner may, in exchange for a
proportionate number of General Partner Units, make additional
Capital Contributions in an amount equal to the product obtained by
multiplying (i) the quotient determined by dividing (A) the
General Partner’s Percentage Interest by (B) 100 less
the General Partner’s Percentage Interest times (ii) the
amount contributed to the Partnership by the Limited Partners in
exchange for such additional Limited Partner Interests. Except as
set forth in Section 5.2(c) and Article XII, the General
Partner shall not be obligated to make any additional Capital
Contributions to the Partnership.
33
(c) On each
date provided for reimbursement of expenses to the General Partner
pursuant to Section 7.4(b), the General Partner shall
contribute an amount to the Partnership, as a Capital Contribution,
equal to the amount of any Excess G&A Expenses outstanding on
such date.
(d) Each
payment by the General Partner or an Affiliate (other than a Group
Member) in satisfaction of all or any portion of the Environmental
Indemnity Obligation shall be treated as a Capital Contribution to
the Partnership by the General Partner in the amount of such
payment.
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Section 5.3
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Contributions by Initial Limited
Partners and Distributions to the General Partner and its
Affiliates .
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(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 Common Unit, multiplied by the
number of Common Units specified in the Underwriting Agreement to
be purchased by such Underwriter at the Closing Date. In exchange
for such Capital Contributions by the Underwriters, the Partnership
shall issue Common Units to each Underwriter on whose behalf such
Capital Contribution is made in an amount equal to the quotient
obtained by dividing (i) the cash contribution to the
Partnership by or on behalf of such Underwriter by (ii) the
Issue Price per Initial Common Unit.
(b) No
Limited Partner Interests will be issued or issuable as of or at
the Closing Date other than (i) the Common Units issuable
pursuant to subparagraph (a) hereof in aggregate number equal
to 5,000,000, (ii) the 2,000,000 Common Units and 7,000,000
Subordinated Units issuable pursuant to Section 5.2 hereof,
(iii) the Incentive Distribution Rights and (iv) any
Common Units issuable under, or to satisfy the obligations of the
Partnership or any of its Affiliates under the Williams Partners GP
LLC Long-Term Incentive Plan. No additional Limited Partner
Interests will be issued in connection with any exercise of the
Over-Allotment Option.
Section 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.
Section 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
34
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 and (ii) all items of Partnership income
and gain (including, without limitation, 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 (x) 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 and (y) 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 applicable Group
Member Agreement or governing, organizational or similar documents)
of all property owned by (x) any other Group Member classified
as a partnership for federal income tax purposes and (y) any
other partnership, limited liability company, unincorporated
business or other entity classified as a partnership for federal
income tax purposes of which a Group Member is, directly or
indirectly, a partner.
(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.
(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.
35
(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) (i) 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.
(ii) Immediately
prior to the transfer of a Subordinated Unit or of a Subordinated
Unit that has converted into a Common Unit pursuant to
Section 5.7 by a holder thereof (other than a transfer to an
Affiliate unless the General Partner elects to have this Section
5.5(c)(ii) apply), the Capital Account maintained for such Person
with respect to its Subordinated Units or converted Subordinated
Units will (A) first, be allocated to the Subordinated Units
or converted Subordinated Units to be transferred in an amount
equal to the product of (x) the number of such Subordinated
Units or converted Subordinated Units to be transferred and
(y) the Per Unit Capital Amount for a Common Unit, and
(B) second, any remaining balance in such Capital Account will
be retained by the transferor, regardless of whether it has
retained any Subordinated Units or converted Subordinated Units.
Following any such allocation, the transferor’s Capital
Account, if any, maintained with respect to the retained
Subordinated Units or converted Subordinated Units, if any, will
have a balance equal to the amount allocated under clause (B)
hereinabove, and the transferee’s Capital Account established
with respect to the transferred Subordinated Units or converted
Subordinated Units will have a balance equal to the amount
allocated under clause (A) hereinabove.
(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
36
General
Partner’s Combined Interest to Common Units pursuant to
Section 11.3(b), 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, without limitation, 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
assets (including, without limitation, 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 distribution, 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.
Section 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,
37
including
(i) the right to share 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 redeem the Partnership Security;
(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 shall 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 (represented by General Partner Units) or any
Incentive Distribution Rights into 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 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 or any Incentive Distribution Rights into
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 Units or other Partnership Securities are
listed or admitted to trading.
(d) No
fractional Units shall be issued by the Partnership.
Section 5.7 Conversion of Subordinated
Units .
(a) All of
the Subordinated Units shall convert into Common Units on a
one-for-one basis on the second Business Day following the
distribution of Available Cash to Partners pursuant to
Section 6.3(a) in respect of the final Quarter of the
Subordination Period.
(b) Notwithstanding
Section 5.7(a) above, the Subordination Period shall terminate
and all Outstanding Subordinated Units shall convert into Common
Units on a one-for-one basis on the second Business Day following
the distribution of Available Cash to Partners pursuant to
Section 6.3(a) in respect of any Quarter in respect of
which:
(i)
distributions under Section 6.4 in respect of all Outstanding
Common Units and Subordinated Units and any other Outstanding Units
that are senior or equal in right of distribution to the
Subordinated Units with respect to the four-Quarter period
immediately preceding the date of such distribution equaled or
exceeded the sum of the Third Target Distribution on all of the
Outstanding Common Units and Subordinated Units and any other
Outstanding Units that are senior or equal in right of distribution
to the Subordinated Units during such period;
38
(ii)
the Adjusted Operating Surplus generated during the four-Quarter
period immediately preceding the date of such distribution equaled
or exceeded the sum of the Third Target Distribution on all of the
Common Units, Subordinated Units and any other Units that are
senior or equal in right of distribution to the Subordinated Units
that were Outstanding during such period on a Fully Diluted Basis,
plus the related distribution on the General Partner Units during
such period; and
(iii)
the Cumulative Common Unit Arrearage on all of the Common Units is
zero.
(c) Notwithstanding
any other provision of this Agreement, all the Subordinated Units
will automatically convert into Common Units on a one-for-one basis
as set forth in, and pursuant to the terms of,
Section 11.4.
(d) A
Subordinated Unit that has converted into a Common Unit shall be
subject to the provisions of Section 6.7(b).
Section 5.8 Limited Preemptive Right
.
Except as provided
in this Section 5.8 and in Section 5.2(b), 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 of the
General Partner and its Affiliates equal to that which existed
immediately prior to the issuance of such Partnership
Securities.
Section 5.9 Splits and Combinations
.
(a) Subject
to Section 5.9(d), Section 6.6 and Section 6.9
(dealing with adjustments of distribution levels), 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 Unit
basis (including any Common Unit Arrearage or Cumulative Common
Unit Arrearage) or stated as a number of Units (including the
number of Subordinated Units that may convert prior to the end of
the Subordination Period) are proportionately adjusted.
(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
39
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 Units upon any distribution,
subdivision or combination of Units. If a distribution, subdivision
or combination of Units would result in the issuance of fractional
Units but for the provisions of this Section 5.9(d), each
fractional Unit shall be rounded to the nearest whole Unit (and a
0.5 Unit shall be rounded to the next higher Unit).
Section 5.10 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.
ALLOCATIONS AND
DISTRIBUTIONS
Section 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 . After giving effect to the special allocations set
forth in Section 6.1(d), 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 as
follows:
(i)
First, 100% to the General Partner, in an amount equal to the
aggregate Net Losses allocated to the General Partner pursuant to
Section 6.1(b)(iii) for all previous taxable years until the
aggregate Net Income allocated to the General Partner pursuant to
this Section 6.1(a)(i) for the current taxable year and all
previous taxable years is equal to the aggregate Net Losses
allocated to the General Partner pursuant to
Section 6.1(b)(iii) for all previous taxable years;
40
(ii)
Second, 100% to the General Partner and the Unitholders, in
accordance with their respective Percentage Interests, until the
aggregate Net Income allocated to such Partners pursuant to this
Section 6.1(a)(ii) for the current taxable year and all
previous taxable years is equal to the aggregate Net Losses
allocated to such Partners pursuant to Section 6.1(b)(ii) for all
previous taxable years; and
(iii)
Third, the balance, if any, 100% to the General Partner and the
Unitholders, in accordance with their respective Percentage
Interests.
(b) Net
Losses . After giving effect to the special allocations set
forth in Section 6.1(d), 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 as follows:
(i)
First, 100% to the General Partner and the Unitholders, in
accordance with their respective Percentage Interests, until the
aggregate Net Losses allocated pursuant to this
Section 6.1(b)(i) for the current taxable year and all
previous taxable years is equal to the aggregate Net Income
allocated to such Partners pursuant to Section 6.1(a)(iii) for
all previous taxable years; provided , that the Net Losses
shall not be allocated pursuant to this Section 6.1(b)(i) to
the extent that such allocation would cause any Unitholder 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);
(ii)
Second, 100% to the General Partner and the Unitholders, in
accordance with their respective Percentage Interests;
provided , that Net Losses shall not be allocated pursuant
to this Section 6.1(b)(ii) to the extent that such allocation
would cause any Unitholder 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); and
(iii)
Third, the balance, if any, 100% to the General Partner.
(c) Net
Termination Gains and Losses . After giving effect to the
special allocations set forth in Section 6.1(d), all items of
income, gain, loss and deduction taken into account in computing
Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss for such taxable
period shall be allocated in the same manner as such Net
Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss is allocated hereunder.
All allocations under this Section 6.1(c) shall be made after
Capital Account balances have been adjusted by all other
allocations provided under this Section 6.1 and after all
distributions of Available Cash provided under Section 6.4 and
Section 6.5 have been made; provided , however ,
that solely for purposes of this Section 6.1(c), Capital
Accounts shall not be adjusted for distributions made pursuant to
Section 12.4.
(i)
If a Net Termination Gain is recognized (or deemed recognized
pursuant to Section 5.5(d)), such Net Termination Gain shall be
allocated among the Partners in the following manner (and the
Capital Accounts of the Partners shall be increased by the amount
so allocated in each of the following subclauses, in the order
listed, before an allocation is made pursuant to the next
succeeding subclause):
41
(A)
First, to each Partner having a deficit balance in its Capital
Account, in the proportion that such deficit balance bears to the
total deficit balances in the Capital Accounts of all Partners,
until each such Partner has been allocated Net Termination Gain
equal to any such deficit balance in its Capital
Account;
(B)
Second, (x) to the General Partner in accordance with its
Percentage Interest and (y) to all Unitholders holding Common
Units, Pro Rata, a percentage equal to 100% less the percentage
applicable to subclause (x) of this clause (B), until the
Capital Account in respect of each Common Unit then Outstanding is
equal to the sum of (1) its Unrecovered Capital plus
(2) the Minimum Quarterly Distribution for the Quarter during
which the Liquidation Date occurs, reduced by any distribution
pursuant to Section 6.4(a)(i) or Section 6.4(b)(i) with
respect to such Common Unit for such Quarter (the amount determined
pursuant to this clause (2) is hereinafter defined as the “
Unpaid MQD ”) and (3) any then existing
Cumulative Common Unit Arrearage;
(C)
Third, if such Net Termination Gain is recognized (or is deemed to
be recognized) prior to the conversion of the last Outstanding
Subordinated Unit, (x) to the General Partner in accordance with
its Percentage Interest and (y) all Unitholders holding
Subordinated Units, Pro Rata, a percentage equal to 100% less the
percentage applicable to subclause (x) of this clause (c),
until the Capital Account in respect of each Subordinated Unit then
Outstanding equals the sum of (1) its Unrecovered Capital,
determined for the taxable year (or portion thereof) to which this
allocation of gain relates, and (2) the Minimum Quarterly
Distribution for the Quarter during which the Liquidation Date
occurs, reduced by any distribution pursuant to
Section 6.4(a)(iii) with respect to such Subordinated Unit for
such Quarter;
(D)
Fourth, 100% to the General Partner and all Unitholders, in
accordance with their respective Percentage Interests, until the
Capital Account in respect of each Common Unit then Outstanding is
equal to the sum of (1) its Unrecovered Capital, (2) the
Unpaid MQD, (3) any then existing Cumulative Common Unit
Arrearage, and (4) the excess of (aa) the First Target
Distribution less the Minimum Quarterly Distribution for each
Quarter of the Partnership’s existence over (bb) the
cumulative per Unit amount of any distributions of Available Cash
that is deemed to be Operating Surplus made pursuant to
Section 6.4(a)(iv) and Section 6.4(b)(ii) (the sum of
(1), (2), (3) and (4) is hereinafter defined as the “
First Liquidation Target Amount ”);
(E)
Fifth, (x) to the General Partner in accordance with its
Percentage Interest and (y) 13% to the holders of the
Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata, and (z) to all
Unitholders, Pro Rata, a percentage equal to 100% less the sum of
the percentages applicable to subclause (x) and (y) of
this clause (E), until the Capital Account in respect of each
Common Unit then Outstanding is equal to the sum of (1) the
First Liquidation Target Amount, and (2) the excess of
(aa) the Second Target Distribution less the First Target
Distribution for each Quarter of
42
the
Partnership’s existence over (bb) the cumulative per
Unit amount of any distributions of Available Cash that is deemed
to be Operating Surplus made pursuant to Section 6.4(a)(v) and
Section 6.4(b)(iii) (the sum of (1) and (2) is
hereinafter defined as the “ Second Liquidation Target
Amount ”);
(F)
Sixth, (x) to the General Partner in accordance with its
Percentage Interest, (y) 23% to the holders of the Incentive
Distribution Rights, Pro Rata, and (z) to all Unitholders, Pro
Rata, a percentage equal to 100% less the sum of the percentages
applicable to subclause (x) and (y) of this clause (F),
until the Capital Account in respect of each Common Unit then
Outstanding is equal to the sum of (1) the Second Liquidation
Target Amount, and (2) the excess of (aa) the Third
Target Distribution less the Second Target Distribution for each
Quarter of the Partnership’s existence over (bb) the
cumulative per Unit amount of any distributions of Available Cash
that is deemed to be Operating Surplus made pursuant to
Section 6.4(a)(vi) and Section 6.4(b)(iv) (the sum of
(1) and (2) is hereinafter defined as the “
Third Liquidation Target Amount ”); and
(G)
Finally, (x) to the General Partner in accordance with its
Percentage Interest and (y) 48% to the holders of the
Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata, and (z) to all
Unitholders, Pro Rata, a percentage equal to 100% less the sum of
the percentages applicable to subclause (x) and (y) of
this clause (G).
(ii)
If a Net Termination Loss is recognized (or deemed recognized
pursuant to Section 5.5(d)), such Net Termination Loss shall be
allocated among the Partners in the following manner:
(A)
First, if such Net Termination Loss is recognized (or is deemed to
be recognized) prior to the conversion of the last Outstanding
Subordinated Unit, (x) to the General Partner in accordance with
its Percentage Interest and (y) to all Unitholders holding
Subordinated Units, Pro Rata, a percentage equal to 100% less the
percentage applicable to subclause (x) of this clause (A),
until the Capital Account in respect of each Subordinated Unit then
Outstanding has been reduced to zero;
(B)
Second, (x) to the General Partner in accordance with its
Percentage Interest and (y) to all Unitholders holding Common
Units, Pro Rata, a percentage equal to 100% less the percentage
applicable to subclause (x) of this clause (B), until the
Capital Account in respect of each Common Unit then Outstanding has
been reduced to zero; and
(C)
Third, the balance, if any, 100% to the General Partner.
(d)
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
43
during any
Partnership taxable period, each Partner 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(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(d), 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(d) with
respect to such taxable period (other than an allocation pursuant
to Section 6.1(d)(vi) and Section 6.1(d)(vii)). This
Section 6.1(d)(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(d)(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(d), 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(d), other
than Section 6.1(d)(i) and other than an allocation pursuant
to Section 6.1(d)(vi) and Section 6.1(d)(vii), with
respect to such taxable period. This Section 6.1(d)(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)
Priority Allocations .
(A)
If the amount of cash or the Net Agreed Value of any property
distributed (except cash or property distributed pursuant to
Section 12.4) to any Unitholder with respect to its Units for
a taxable year is greater (on a per Unit basis) than the amount of
cash or the Net Agreed Value of property distributed to the other
Unitholders with respect to their Units (on a per Unit basis), then
(1) each Unitholder receiving such greater cash or property
distribution shall be allocated gross income in an amount equal to
the product of (aa) the amount by which the distribution (on a
per Unit basis) to such Unitholder exceeds the distribution (on a
per Unit basis) to the Unitholders receiving the smallest
distribution and (bb) the number of Units owned by the
Unitholder receiving the greater distribution; and (2) the General
Partner shall be allocated gross income in an aggregate amount
equal to the product obtained by multiplying (aa) the quotient
determined by dividing (x) the General Partner’s
Percentage Interest at the time in which the greater cash or
property distribution occurs by (y) the sum of 100 less the
General Partner’s Percentage Interest at the time in which
the
44
greater cash or
property distribution occurs times (bb) the sum of the amounts
allocated in clause (1) above.
(B)
After the application of Section 6.1(d)(iii)(A), all or any
portion of the remaining items of Partnership gross income or gain
for the taxable period, if any, shall be allocated (1) to the
holders of Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata, until the
aggregate amount of such items allocated to the holders of
Incentive Distribution Rights pursuant to this
Section 6.1(d)(iii)(B) for the current taxable year and all
previous taxable years is equal to the cumulative amount of all
Incentive Distributions made to the holders of Incentive
Distribution Rights from the Closing Date to a date 45 days
after the end of the current taxable year and (2) to the General
Partner an amount equal to the product of (aa) an amount equal
to the quotient determined by dividing (x) the General
Partner’s Percentage Interest by (y) the sum of 100 less the
General Partner’s Percentage Interest times (bb) the sum
of the amounts allocated in clause (1) above.
(iv)
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(d)(i) or
Section 6.1(d)(ii).
(v)
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(d)(v) 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(d)(v) were not in this
Agreement.
(vi)
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.
45
(vii)
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 attributable
thereto shall be allocated between or among such Partners in
accordance with the ratios in which they share such Economic Risk
of Loss.
(viii)
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.
(ix)
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.
(x)
Economic Uniformity . At the election of the General Partner
with respect to any taxable period endi
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