CREDIT AGREEMENT Dated as of December 3, 2008 among

Exhibit 10.3

Published Deal CUSIP Number:                     

CREDIT AGREEMENT

Dated as of December 3, 2008

among

PIEDMONT NATURAL GAS COMPANY, INC.
as the Borrower,

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
as Administrative Agent,

and

The Other Lenders Party Hereto

BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC,
as
Sole Lead Arranger and Sole Book Manager

Table of Contents

SCHEDULES

EXHIBITS

CREDIT AGREEMENT

     This CREDIT AGREEMENT (“ Agreement ”) is entered into as of December 3, 2008, among PIEDMONT NATURAL GAS COMPANY, INC. , a North Carolina corporation (the “ Borrower ”), each lender from time to time party hereto (collectively, the “ Lenders ” and individually, a “ Lender ”), and BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as Administrative Agent.

     The Borrower has requested that the Lenders provide a revolving credit facility, and the Lenders are willing to do so on the terms and conditions set forth herein.

     In consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements herein contained, the parties hereto covenant and agree as follows:

ARTICLE I.
DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS

    1.01 Defined Terms . As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:

     “ Administrative Agent ” means Bank of America in its capacity as administrative agent under any of the Loan Documents, or any successor administrative agent.

     “ Administrative Agent’s Office ” means the Administrative Agent’s address and, as appropriate, account as set forth on Schedule 10.02 , or such other address or account as the Administrative Agent may from time to time notify to the Borrower and the Lenders.

     “ Administrative Questionnaire ” means an Administrative Questionnaire in a form supplied by the Administrative Agent.

     “ Affiliate ” means, with respect to any Person, another Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, Controls or is Controlled by or is under common Control with the Person specified.

     “ Aggregate Commitments ” means the Commitments of all the Lenders, which, as of the Closing Date, are $150,000,000.

     “ Agreement ” means this Credit Agreement.

     “ Alternative Base Rate ” means, for all Loans, on any day any such Loan is outstanding, the fluctuating rate of interest (rounded upwards, as necessary, to the nearest 1/100 of 1%) equal to the British Bankers Association LIBOR Rate (“ BBA LIBOR ”), as published by Reuters (or other commercially available source providing quotations of BBA LIBOR as designated by the Administrative Agent from time to time) at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, on each day any such Loan is outstanding, for Dollar deposits with a term of one month, as adjusted from time to time in the Administrative Agent’s sole discretion for changes in deposit insurance requirements and other regulatory costs. If such rate is not available at such time for any reason, then the “Alternative Base Rate” shall be the rate per annum determined by the Administrative

Agent to be the rate at which deposits in Dollars for delivery in immediately available funds in the approximate amount of the Dollar denominated Loans outstanding with a term equivalent to one month would be offered by the Administrative Agent’s London Branch to major banks in the London interbank eurodollar market at their request at approximately 11:00 a.m. (London time), on each day any such Loan is outstanding.

     “ Applicable Percentage ” means with respect to any Lender at any time, the percentage (carried out to the ninth decimal place) of the Aggregate Commitments represented by such Lender’s Commitment at such time. If the commitment of each Lender to make Loans has been terminated pursuant to Section 8.02 or if the Aggregate Commitments have expired, then the Applicable Percentage of each Lender shall be determined based on the Applicable Percentage of such Lender most recently in effect, giving effect to any subsequent assignments. The initial Applicable Percentage of each Lender is set forth opposite the name of such Lender on Schedule 2.01 or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender becomes a party hereto, as applicable.

     “ Applicable Rate ” means, from time to time, the following percentages per annum, based upon the Debt Rating as set forth below:

     “ Debt Rating ” means, as of any date of determination, the rating as determined by either S&P or Moody’s (collectively, the “ Debt Ratings ”) of the Borrower’s non-credit-enhanced, senior unsecured long-term debt; provided that (a) if the respective Debt Ratings issued by the foregoing rating agencies differ by one level, then the Pricing Level for the higher of such Debt Ratings shall apply (with the Debt Rating for Pricing Level 1 being the highest and the Debt Rating for Pricing Level 5 being the lowest); (b) if there is a split in Debt Ratings of more than one level, then the Pricing Level that is one level lower than the Pricing Level of the higher Debt Rating shall apply; (c) if the Borrower has only one Debt Rating, the Pricing Level of such Debt Rating shall apply; and (d) if the Borrower does not have any Debt Rating, Pricing Level 5 shall apply.

Initially, the Applicable Rate shall be determined based upon the Debt Rating specified in the certificate delivered pursuant to Section 4.01(a)(vii) . Thereafter, each change in the Applicable Rate resulting from a publicly announced change in the Debt Rating shall be effective during the period commencing on the date of the public announcement thereof and ending on the date immediately preceding the effective date of the next such change.

     “ Approved Fund ” means any Fund that is administered or managed by (a) a Lender, (b) an Affiliate of a Lender or (c) an entity or an Affiliate of an entity that administers or manages a Lender.

     “ Arranger ” means Banc of America Securities LLC, in its capacity as sole lead arranger and sole book manager.

     “ Assignee Group ” means two or more Eligible Assignees that are Affiliates of one another or two or more Approved Funds managed by the same investment advisor.

     “ Assignment and Assumption ” means an assignment and assumption entered into by a Lender and an Eligible Assignee (with the consent of any party whose consent is required by Section 10.06(b) ), and accepted by the Administrative Agent, in substantially the form of Exhibit D or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.

     “ Attributable Indebtedness ” means, on any date, (a) in respect of any capital lease of any Person, the capitalized amount thereof that would appear on a balance sheet of such Person prepared as of such date in accordance with GAAP, and (b) in respect of any Synthetic Lease Obligation of any Person, the capitalized amount of the remaining lease payments under the relevant lease that would appear on a balance sheet of such Person prepared as of such date in accordance with GAAP if such lease were accounted for as a capital lease.

     “ Audited Financial Statements ” means the audited consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2007, and the related consolidated statements of income from operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for such fiscal year, including the notes thereto.

     “ Availability Period ” means the period from and including the Closing Date to the earliest of (a) the Maturity Date, (b) the date of termination of the Aggregate Commitments pursuant to Section 2.06 , and (c) the date of termination of the commitment of each Lender to make Loans pursuant to Section 8.02 .

     “ Bank of America ” means Bank of America, N.A. and its successors.

     “ Base Rate ” means for any day a fluctuating rate per annum equal to the highest of (a) the Federal Funds Rate plus 1/2 of 1%, (b) the Alternative Base Rate plus 1.00%, and (c) the rate of interest in effect for such day as publicly announced from time to time by Bank of America as its “prime rate.” The “prime rate” is a rate set by Bank of America based upon various factors including Bank of America’s costs and desired return, general economic conditions and other factors, and is used as a reference point for pricing some loans, which may be priced at, above, or below such announced rate. Any change in such rate announced by Bank of America shall take effect at the opening of business on the day specified in the public announcement of such change.

     “ Base Rate Loan ” means a Loan that bears interest based on the Base Rate.

     “ BBA LIBOR ” means the British Bankers Association LIBOR Rate.

     “ Borrower ” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph hereto.

     “ Borrower Materials ” has the meaning specified in Section 6.02 .

     “ Borrowing ” means a borrowing consisting of simultaneous Loans of the same Type made by each of the Lenders pursuant to Section 2.01 .

     “ Business Day ” means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks are authorized to close under the Laws of, or are in fact closed in, the state where the Administrative Agent’s Office is located.

     “ Change in Law ” means the occurrence, after the date of this Agreement, of any of the following: (a) the adoption or taking effect of any law, rule, regulation or treaty, (b) any change in any law, rule, regulation or treaty or in the administration, interpretation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority or (c) the making or issuance of any request, guideline or directive (whether or not having the force of law) by any Governmental Authority.

     “ Change of Control ” means an event or series of events by which:

     (a) any “person” or “group” (as such terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, but excluding any employee benefit plan of such person or its subsidiaries, and any person or entity acting in its capacity as trustee, agent or other fiduciary or administrator of any such plan) becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, except that a person or group shall be deemed to have “beneficial ownership” of all securities that such person or group has the right to acquire whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time (such right, an “ option right ”)), directly or indirectly, of 35% or more of the equity securities of the Borrower entitled to vote for members of the board of directors or equivalent governing body of the Borrower on a fully-diluted basis (and taking into account all such securities that such person or group has the right to acquire pursuant to any option right); or

     (b) during any period of 24 consecutive months, a majority of the members of the board of directors or other equivalent governing body of the Borrower cease to be composed of individuals (i) who were members of that board or equivalent governing body on the first day of such period, (ii) whose election or nomination to that board or equivalent governing body was approved by individuals referred to in clause (i) above constituting at the time of such election or nomination at least a majority of that board or equivalent governing body or (iii) whose election or nomination to that board or other equivalent governing body was approved by individuals referred to in clauses (i) and (ii) above constituting at the time of such election or nomination at least a majority of that board or equivalent governing body (excluding, in the case of both clause (ii) and clause (iii), any individual whose initial nomination for, or assumption of office as, a member of that board or equivalent governing body occurs as a result of an actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents for the election or removal of one or more directors by any person or group other than a solicitation for the election of one or more directors by or on behalf of the board of directors).

     “ Closing Date ” means the first date all the conditions precedent in Section 4.01 are satisfied or waived in accordance with Section 10.01 .

     “ Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

     “ Commitment ” means, as to each Lender, its obligation to make Loans to the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.01 , in an aggregate principal amount at any one time outstanding not to exceed the amount set forth opposite such Lender’s name on Schedule 2.01 or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender becomes a party hereto, as applicable, as such amount may be adjusted from time to time in accordance with this Agreement.

     “ Compliance Certificate ” means a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit C .

     “ Consolidated Funded Indebtedness ” means, as of any date of determination, for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, the sum of (a) the outstanding principal amount of all obligations, whether current or long-term, for borrowed money (including Obligations hereunder) and all obligations evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes, loan agreements or other similar instruments, (b) all purchase money Indebtedness, (c) all direct obligations arising under standby letters of credit, bankers’ acceptances, bank guaranties, surety bonds and similar instruments, (d) all obligations in respect of the deferred purchase price of property or services (other than trade accounts payable in the ordinary course of business), (e) Attributable Indebtedness in respect of capital leases and Synthetic Lease Obligations, (f) without duplication, all Guarantees with respect to outstanding Indebtedness of the types specified in clauses (a) through (e) above of Persons other than the Borrower or any Subsidiary, and (g) all Indebtedness of the types referred to in clauses (a) through (f) above of any partnership or joint venture (other than a joint venture that is itself a corporation or limited liability company) in which the Borrower or a Subsidiary is a general partner or joint venturer, except to the extent such Indebtedness is expressly made non-recourse to the Borrower or such Subsidiary.

     “ Consolidated Total Assets ” means, as of any date of determination, for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, the total assets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as set forth or reflected on the most recent consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, prepared in accordance with GAAP.

     “ Contractual Obligation ” means, as to any Person, any provision of any security issued by such Person or of any agreement, instrument or other undertaking to which such Person is a party or by which it or any of its property is bound.

     “ Control ” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of a Person, whether through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract or otherwise. “ Controlling ” and “ Controlled ” have meanings correlative thereto.

     “ COSO ” means the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission.

     “ Credit Extension ” means each Borrowing.

     “ Debt Rating ” has the meaning specified in the definition of “Applicable Rate.”

     “ Debtor Relief Laws ” means the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, and all other liquidation, conservatorship, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of creditors, moratorium, rearrangement, receivership, insolvency, reorganization, or similar debtor relief Laws of the United States or other applicable jurisdictions from time to time in effect and affecting the rights of creditors generally.

     “ Default ” means any event or condition that constitutes an Event of Default or that, with the giving of any notice, the passage of time, or both, would be an Event of Default.

     “ Default Rate ” means an interest rate equal to (i) the Base Rate plus (ii) 2% per annum.

     “ Defaulting Lender ” means any Lender that (a) has failed to fund any portion of the Loans required to be funded by it hereunder within one Business Day of the date required to be funded by it hereunder unless such failure has been cured, (b) has otherwise failed to pay over to the Administrative Agent or any other Lender any other amount required to be paid by it hereunder within one Business Day of the date when due, unless the subject of a good faith dispute or unless such failure has been cured, or (c) has been deemed insolvent or become the subject of a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding.

     “ Disposition ” or “ Dispose ” means the sale, transfer, license, lease or other disposition (including any sale and leaseback transaction) of any property by any Person, including any sale, assignment, transfer or other disposal, with or without recourse, of any notes or accounts receivable or any rights and claims associated therewith.

     “ Dollar ” and “ $ ” mean lawful money of the United States.

     “ Domestic Subsidiary ” means any Subsidiary that is organized under the laws of any political subdivision of the United States.

     “ Eligible Assignee ” means any Person that meets the requirements to be an assignee under Section 10.06(b)(iii) , (v) and (vi) (subject to such consents, if any, as may be required under Section 10.06(b)(iii) ).

     “ Environmental Laws ” means any and all Federal, state, local, and foreign statutes, laws, regulations, ordinances, rules, judgments, orders, decrees, permits, concessions, grants, franchises, licenses, agreements or governmental restrictions relating to pollution and the protection of the environment or the release of any materials into the environment, including those related to hazardous substances or wastes, air emissions and discharges to waste or public systems.

     “ Environmental Liability ” means any liability, contingent or otherwise (including any liability for damages, costs of environmental remediation, fines, penalties or indemnities), of the Borrower, any other Loan Party or any of their respective Subsidiaries directly or indirectly resulting from or based upon (a) violation of any Environmental Law, (b) the generation, use, handling, transportation, storage, treatment or disposal of any Hazardous Materials, (c) exposure to any Hazardous Materials, (d) the release or threatened release of any Hazardous Materials into

the environment or (e) any contract, agreement or other consensual arrangement pursuant to which liability is assumed or imposed with respect to any of the foregoing.

     “ Equity Interests ” means, with respect to any Person, all of the shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person, all of the warrants, options or other rights for the purchase or acquisition from such Person of shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person, all of the securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person or warrants, rights or options for the purchase or acquisition from such Person of such shares (or such other interests), and all of the other ownership or profit interests in such Person (including partnership, member or trust interests therein), whether voting or nonvoting, and whether or not such shares, warrants, options, rights or other interests are outstanding on any date of determination.

     “ ERISA ” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.

     “ ERISA Affiliate ” means any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) under common control with the Borrower within the meaning of Section 414(b) or (c) of the Code (and Sections 414(m) and (o) of the Code for purposes of provisions relating to Section 412 of the Code).

     “ ERISA Event ” means (a) a Reportable Event with respect to a Pension Plan; (b) a withdrawal by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from a Pension Plan subject to Section 4063 of ERISA during a plan year in which it was a substantial employer (as defined in Section 4001(a)(2) of ERISA) or a cessation of operations that is treated as such a withdrawal under Section 4062(e) of ERISA; (c) a complete or partial withdrawal by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from a Multiemployer Plan or notification that a Multiemployer Plan is in reorganization; (d) the filing of a notice of intent to terminate, the treatment of a Plan amendment as a termination under Section 4041 or 4041A of ERISA, or the commencement of proceedings by the PBGC to terminate a Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan; (e) an event or condition which constitutes grounds under Section 4042 of ERISA for the termination of, or the appointment of a trustee to administer, any Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan; or (f) the imposition of any liability under Title IV of ERISA, other than for PBGC premiums due but not delinquent under Section 4007 of ERISA, upon the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate.

     “ Eurodollar Reserve Percentage ” means, for any day, the reserve percentage (expressed as a decimal, carried out to five decimal places) in effect on such day, whether or not applicable to any Lender, under regulations issued from time to time by the FRB for determining the maximum reserve requirement (including any emergency, supplemental or other marginal reserve requirement) with respect to Eurocurrency funding (currently referred to as “Eurocurrency liabilities”). The LIBOR Daily Floating Rate for each outstanding LIBOR Floating Rate Loan shall be adjusted automatically as of the effective date of any change in the Eurodollar Reserve Percentage.

     “ Event of Default ” has the meaning specified in Section 8.01 .

     “ Excluded Taxes ” means, with respect to the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any other recipient of any payment to be made by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower

hereunder, (a) taxes imposed on or measured by its overall net income (however denominated), and franchise taxes imposed on it (in lieu of net income taxes), by the jurisdiction (or any political subdivision thereof) under the laws of which such recipient is organized or in which its principal office is located or, in the case of any Lender, in which its applicable Lending Office is located, (b) any branch profits taxes imposed by the United States or any similar tax imposed by any other jurisdiction in which the Borrower is located and (c) in the case of a Foreign Lender (other than an assignee pursuant to a request by the Borrower under Section 10.13 ), any withholding tax that is imposed on amounts payable to such Foreign Lender at the time such Foreign Lender becomes a party hereto (or designates a new Lending Office) or is attributable to such Foreign Lender’s failure or inability (other than as a result of a Change in Law) to comply with Section 3.01(e) , except to the extent that such Foreign Lender (or its assignor, if any) was entitled, at the time of designation of a new Lending Office (or assignment), to receive additional amounts from the Borrower with respect to such withholding tax pursuant to Section 3.01(a) .

     “ Existing Credit Agreement ” means that certain Credit Agreement dated as of April 25, 2006, among the Borrower, Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent, swing line lender and L/C issuer, and the lenders party thereto.

     “ Federal Funds Rate ” means, for any day, the rate per annum equal to the weighted average of the rates on overnight Federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System arranged by Federal funds brokers on such day, as published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on the Business Day next succeeding such day; provided that (a) if such day is not a Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be such rate on such transactions on the next preceding Business Day as so published on the next succeeding Business Day, and (b) if no such rate is so published on such next succeeding Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be the average rate (rounded upward, if necessary, to a whole multiple of 1/100 of 1%) charged to Bank of America on such day on such transactions as determined by the Administrative Agent.

     “ Fee Letter ” means the letter agreement, dated October 9, 2008, among the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Arranger.

     “ Foreign Lender ” means any Lender that is organized under the laws of a jurisdiction other than that in which the Borrower is resident for tax purposes. For purposes of this definition, the United States, each State thereof and the District of Columbia shall be deemed to constitute a single jurisdiction.

     “ FRB ” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States.

     “ Fund ” means any Person (other than a natural person) that is (or will be) engaged in making, purchasing, holding or otherwise investing in commercial loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its business.

     “ GAAP ” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting

Standards Board or such other principles as may be approved by a significant segment of the accounting profession in the United States, that are applicable to the circumstances as of the date of determination, consistently applied.

     “ Governmental Authority ” means the government of the United States or any other nation, or of any political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government (including any supra-national bodies such as the European Union or the European Central Bank).

     “ Guarantee ” means, as to any Person, (a) any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of such Person guaranteeing or having the economic effect of guaranteeing any Indebtedness or other obligation payable or performable by another Person (the “primary obligor”) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, and including any obligation of such Person, direct or indirect, (i) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness or other obligation, (ii) to purchase or lease property, securities or services for the purpose of assuring the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment or performance of such Indebtedness or other obligation, (iii) to maintain working capital, equity capital or any other financial statement condition or liquidity or level of income or cash flow of the primary obligor so as to enable the primary obligor to pay such Indebtedness or other obligation, or (iv) entered into for the purpose of assuring in any other manner the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment or performance thereof or to protect such obligee against loss in respect thereof (in whole or in part), or (b) any Lien on any assets of such Person securing any Indebtedness or other obligation of any other Person, whether or not such Indebtedness or other obligation is assumed by such Person (or any right, contingent or otherwise, of any holder of such Indebtedness to obtain any such Lien); provided that, the term “Guarantee” shall not include endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business. The amount of any Guarantee shall be deemed to be an amount equal to the stated or determinable amount of the related primary obligation, or portion thereof, in respect of which such Guarantee is made or, if not stated or determinable, the maximum reasonably anticipated liability in respect thereof as determined by the guaranteeing Person in good faith. The term “Guarantee” as a verb has a corresponding meaning.

     “ Guarantors ” means, collectively, each Subsidiary of the Borrower that is a Regulated Entity.

     “ Guaranty ” means that certain Guaranty Agreement executed by a Guarantor in favor of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, substantially in the form of Exhibit E , as supplemented from time to time by execution and delivery of Guaranty Joinder Agreements pursuant to Section 6.12 or otherwise.

     “ Guaranty Joinder Agreement ” means each Guaranty Joinder Agreement, substantially in the form thereof attached to the Guaranty, executed and delivered by a Regulated Entity to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 6.12 .

     “ Hazardous Materials ” means all explosive or radioactive substances or wastes and all hazardous or toxic substances, wastes or other pollutants, including petroleum or petroleum distillates, asbestos or asbestos-containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls, radon gas, infectious or medical wastes and all other substances or wastes of any nature regulated pursuant to any Environmental Law.

     “ Indebtedness ” means, as to any Person at a particular time, without duplication, all of the following, whether or not included as indebtedness or liabilities in accordance with GAAP:

     (a) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money and all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes, loan agreements or other similar instruments;

     (b) all direct or contingent obligations of such Person arising under letters of credit (including standby and commercial), bankers’ acceptances, bank guaranties, surety bonds and similar instruments;

     (c) net obligations of such Person under any Swap Contract;

     (d) all obligations of such Person to pay the deferred purchase price of property or services (other than trade accounts payable in the ordinary course of business);

     (e) indebtedness (excluding prepaid interest thereon) secured by a Lien on property owned or being purchased by such Person (including indebtedness arising under conditional sales or other title retention agreements), whether or not such indebtedness shall have been assumed by such Person or is limited in recourse;

     (f) capital leases and Synthetic Lease Obligations;

     (g) all obligations of such Person to purchase, redeem, retire, defease or otherwise make any payment in respect of any Equity Interest in such Person or any other Person, valued, in the case of a redeemable preferred interest, at the greater of its voluntary or involuntary liquidation preference plus accrued and unpaid dividends; and

     (h) all Guarantees of such Person in respect of any of the foregoing.

     For all purposes hereof, the Indebtedness of any Person shall include the Indebtedness of any partnership or joint venture (other than a joint venture that is itself a corporation or limited liability company) in which such Person is a general partner or a joint venturer, except to the extent such Indebtedness is expressly made non-recourse to such Person. The amount of any net obligation under any Swap Contract on any date shall be deemed to be the Swap Termination Value thereof as of such date. The amount of any capital lease or Synthetic Lease Obligation as of any date shall be deemed to be the amount of Attributable Indebtedness in respect thereof as of such date.

     “ Indemnified Taxes ” means Taxes other than Excluded Taxes.

     “ Indemnitees ” has the meaning specified in Section 10.04(b) .

     “ Information ” has the meaning specified in Section 10.07 .

     “ Interest Payment Date ” means, as to any Loan, the first Business Day following the end of each month and the Maturity Date.

     “ Internal Control Event ” means a material weakness in, or fraud that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in, the Borrower’s internal controls over financial reporting, in each case as described in the Securities Laws.

     “ IRS ” means the United States Internal Revenue Service.

     “ Laws ” means, collectively, all international, foreign, Federal, state and local statutes, treaties, rules, guidelines, regulations, ordinances, codes and administrative or judicial precedents or authorities, including the interpretation or administration thereof by any Governmental Authority charged with the enforcement, interpretation or administration thereof, and all applicable administrative orders, directed duties, requests, licenses, authorizations and permits of, and agreements with, any Governmental Authority, in each case having the force of law.

     “ Lender ” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph hereto.

     “ Lending Office ” means, as to any Lender, the office or offices of such Lender described as such in such Lender’s Administrative Questionnaire, or such other office or offices as a Lender may from time to time notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.

     “ LIBOR Daily Floating Rate ” means a rate per annum determined by the Administrative Agent pursuant to the following formula:

     Where,

     “ LIBOR Daily Floating Base Rate ” means, for all LIBOR Floating Rate Loans, on each day any such Loan is outstanding, the fluctuating rate of interest (rounded upwards, as necessary, to the nearest 1/100 of 1%) equal to the BBA LIBOR, as published by Reuters (or other commercially available source providing quotations of BBA LIBOR as designated by the Administrative Agent from time to time) at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, on each day any such Loan is outstanding, for Dollar deposits with a term equivalent to a one month interest period. If such rate is not available at such time for any reason, then the “LIBOR Daily Floating Base Rate” shall be the rate per annum determined by the Administrative Agent to be the rate at which deposits in Dollars for delivery in same day funds in the approximate amount of the LIBOR Floating Rate Loan being made or converted and with a term equivalent to a one-month interest period would be offered by Bank of America’s London Branch to major

banks in the London interbank eurodollar market at their request at approximately 11:00 a.m. (London time), on each day any such Loan is outstanding.

     “ LIBOR Floating Rate Loan ” means a Loan that bears interest at a rate based on the LIBOR Daily Floating Rate.

     “ Lien ” means any mortgage, pledge, hypothecation, assignment, deposit arrangement, encumbrance, lien (statutory or other), charge, or preference, priority or other security interest or preferential arrangement in the nature of a security interest of any kind or nature whatsoever (including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, any easement, right of way or other encumbrance on title to real property, and any financing lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing).

     “ Loan ” has the meaning specified in Section 2.01 .

     “ Loan Documents ” means this Agreement, each Note, the Fee Letter and the Guaranty.

     “ Loan Notice ” means a notice of (a) a Borrowing or (b) a conversion of Loans from one Type to the other, pursuant to Section 2.02(a) , which, if in writing, shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit A .

     “ Loan Parties ” means, collectively, the Borrower and each Guarantor.

     “ Margin Stock ” means “margin stock” as such term is defined in Regulation T, U or X of the FRB.

     “ Material Adverse Effect ” means (a) a material adverse change in, or a material adverse effect upon, the operations, business, properties, condition (financial or otherwise) of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole; (b) a material impairment of the ability of any Loan Party to perform its obligations under any Loan Document to which it is a party; or (c) a material adverse effect upon the legality, validity, binding effect or enforceability against any Loan Party of any Loan Document to which it is a party.

     “ Maturity Date ” means March 31, 2009, or such earlier date on which the Commitment may terminate in accordance with the terms hereof.

     “ Medium Term Note Indebtedness ” means all indebtedness outstanding under the Medium Term Notes Indenture.

     “ Medium Term Notes Indenture ” means that certain Indenture dated as of April 1, 1993 between the Borrower and Citibank, N.A., as Trustee.

     “ Moody’s ” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. and any successor thereto.

     “ Multiemployer Plan ” means any employee benefit plan of the type described in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA, to which the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate makes or is obligated to make contributions, or during the preceding five plan years, has made or been obligated to make contributions.

     “ Note ” means a promissory note made by the Borrower in favor of a Lender evidencing Loans made by such Lender, substantially in the form of Exhibit B .

     “ Obligations ” means all advances to, and debts, liabilities, obligations, covenants and duties of, any Loan Party arising under any Loan Document or otherwise with respect to any Loan or Related Credit Arrangement, whether direct or indirect (including those acquired by assumption), absolute or contingent, due or to become due, now existing or hereafter arising and including interest and fees that accrue after the commencement by or against any Loan Party or any Affiliate thereof of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Laws naming such Person as the debtor in such proceeding, regardless of whether such interest and fees are allowed claims in such proceeding.

     “ Organization Documents ” means, (a) with respect to any corporation, the certificate or articles of incorporation and the bylaws (or equivalent or comparable constitutive documents with respect to any non-U.S. jurisdiction); (b) with respect to any limited liability company, the certificate or articles of formation or organization and operating agreement; and (c) with respect to any partnership, joint venture, trust or other form of business entity, the partnership, joint venture or other applicable agreement of formation or organization and any agreement, instrument, filing or notice with respect thereto filed in connection with its formation or organization with the applicable Governmental Authority in the jurisdiction of its formation or organization and, if applicable, any certificate or articles of formation or organization of such entity.

     “ Other Taxes ” means all present or future stamp or documentary taxes or any other excise or property taxes, charges or similar levies arising from any payment made hereunder or under any other Loan Document or from the execution, delivery or enforcement of, or otherwise with respect to, this Agreement or any other Loan Document.

     “ Outstanding Amount ” means with respect to Loans on any date, the aggregate outstanding principal amount thereof after giving effect to any borrowings and prepayments or repayments of Loans, as the case may be, occurring on such date.

     “ Participant ” has the meaning specified in Section 10.06(d) .

     “ PBGC ” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.

     “ PCAOB ” means the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.

     “ Pension Plan ” means any “employee pension benefit plan” (as such term is defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA), other than a Multiemployer Plan, that is subject to Title IV of ERISA and is sponsored or maintained by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate or to which the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate contributes or has an obligation to contribute, or in the case of a multiple employer or other plan described in Section 4064(a) of ERISA, has made contributions at any time during the immediately preceding five plan years.

     “ Person ” means any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership, Governmental Authority or other entity.

     “ Plan ” means any “employee benefit plan” (as such term is defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA) established by the Borrower or, with respect to any such plan that is subject to Section 412 of the Code or Title IV of ERISA, any ERISA Affiliate.

     “ Platform ” has the meaning specified in Section 6.02 .

     “ Register ” has the meaning specified in Section 10.06(c) .

     “ Registered Public Accounting Firm ” has the meaning specified in the Securities Laws and shall be independent of the Borrower as prescribed in the Securities Laws.

     “ Regulated Entity ” means any direct or indirect, wholly-owned Subsidiary of the Borrower that is regulated by any state public utility commission.

     “ Related Credit Arrangements ” means, collectively, Related Swap Contracts and Related Treasury Management Arrangements.

     “ Related Parties ” means, with respect to any Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the partners, directors, officers, employees, agents and advisors of such Person and of such Person’s Affiliates.

     “ Related Swap Contract ” means a Swap Contract which is entered into or maintained by any Loan Party with a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender.

     “ Related Treasury Management Arrangement ” means an arrangement for the delivery of treasury management services to or for the benefit of any Loan Party which is entered into or maintained with a Lender or Affiliate of a Lender and which is not prohibited by the express terms of the Loan Documents.

     “ Reportable Event ” means any of the events set forth in Section 4043(c) of ERISA, other than events for which the 30 day notice period has been waived.

     “ Request for Credit Extension ” means with respect to a Borrowing or conversion of Loans, a Loan Notice.

     “ Required Lenders ” means, as of any date of determination, Lenders having more than 50% of the Aggregate Commitments or, if the commitment of each Lender to make Loans has been terminated pursuant to Section 8.02 , Lenders holding in the aggregate more than 50% of the Total Outstandings; provided that the Commitment of, and the portion of the Total Outstandings held or deemed held by, any Defaulting Lender shall be excluded for purposes of making a determination of Required Lenders.

     “ Responsible Officer ” means the president, senior vice president, chief financial officer, treasurer, or vice president-chief risk officer of a Loan Party and, solely for purposes of notices given pursuant to Article II , any other officer or employee of the applicable Loan Party so designated by any of the foregoing officers in a notice to the Administrative Agent. Any document delivered hereunder that is signed by a Responsible Officer of a Loan Party shall be conclusively presumed to have been authorized by all necessary corporate, partnership and/or

other action on the part of such Loan Party and such Responsible Officer shall be conclusively presumed to have acted on behalf of such Loan Party.

     “ Restricted Payment ” means, with respect to any Person, any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property) with respect to any Equity Interest of such Person, or any payment (whether in cash, securities or other property), including any sinking fund or similar deposit, on account of the purchase, redemption, retirement, acquisition, cancellation or termination of any such Equity Interest, or on account of any return of capital to such Person’s stockholders, partners or members (or the equivalent Person thereof).

     “ S&P ” means Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. and any successor thereto.

     “ Sarbanes-Oxley ” means the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

     “ SEC ” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, or any Governmental Authority succeeding to any of its principal functions.

     “ Securities Laws ” means the Securities Act of 1933, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Sarbanes-Oxley and the applicable accounting and auditing principles, rules, standards and practices promulgated, approved or incorporated by the SEC or the PCAOB.

     “ Senior Note Agreements ” means, collectively, (i) the Note Agreement dated as of July 30, 1991, and (ii) the Note Agreement dated as of September 21, 1992, for the issuance of $35,000,000 8.51% Senior Notes due September 30, 2017.

     “ Senior Note Indebtedness ” means all indebtedness outstanding under the Senior Note Agreements.

     “ Shareholders’ Equity ” means, as of any date of determination, consolidated shareholders’ equity of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of that date determined in accordance with GAAP.

     “ Subsidiary ” of a Person means a corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other business entity of which a majority of the shares of securities or other interests having ordinary voting power for the election of directors or other governing body (other than securities or interests having such power only by reason of the happening of a contingency) are at the time beneficially owned, or the management of which is otherwise controlled, directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, or both, by such Person. Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to a “Subsidiary” or to “Subsidiaries” shall refer to a Subsidiary or Subsidiaries of the Borrower.

     “ Swap Contract ” means (a) any and all rate swap transactions, basis swaps, credit derivative transactions, forward rate transactions, commodity swaps, commodity options, forward commodity contracts, equity or equity index swaps or options, bond or bond price or bond index swaps or options or forward bond or forward bond price or forward bond index transactions, interest rate options, forward foreign exchange transactions, cap transactions, floor transactions, collar transactions, currency swap transactions, cross-currency rate swap

transactions, currency options, spot contracts, or any other similar transactions or any combination of any of the foregoing (including any options to enter into any of the foregoing), whether or not any such transaction is governed by or subject to any master agreement, and (b) any and all transactions of any kind, and the related confirmations, which are subject to the terms and conditions of, or governed by, any form of master agreement published by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc., any International Foreign Exchange Master Agreement, or any other master agreement (any such master agreement, together with any related schedules, a “ Master Agreement ”), including any such obligations or liabilities under any Master Agreement.

     “ Swap Termination Value ” means, in respect of any one or more Swap Contracts, after taking into account the effect of any legally enforceable netting agreement relating to such Swap Contracts, (a) for any date on or after the date such Swap Contracts have been closed out and termination value(s) determined in accordance therewith, such termination value(s), and (b) for any date prior to the date referenced in clause (a), the amount(s) determined as the mark-to-market value(s) for such Swap Contracts, as determined based upon one or more mid-market or other readily available quotations provided by any recognized dealer in such Swap Contracts (which may include a Lender or any Affiliate of a Lender).

     “ Synthetic Lease Obligation ” means, with respect to any Person, the monetary obligation of a Person under (a) a so-called synthetic, off-balance sheet or tax retention lease, or (b) an agreement for the use or possession of property creating obligations that do not appear on the balance sheet of such Person but which, upon the insolvency or bankruptcy of such Person, would be characterized as the indebtedness of such Person (without regard to accounting treatment).

     “ Taxes ” means all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, duties, deductions, withholdings, assessments, fees or other charges imposed by any Governmental Authority, including any interest, additions to tax or penalties applicable thereto.

     “ Threshold Amount ” means $35,000,000.

     “ Total Capitalization ” means, as of any date of determination, the sum of (i) Shareholders’ Equity on such date plus (ii) Consolidated Funded Indebtedness on such date.

     “ Total Outstandings ” means the aggregate Outstanding Amount of all Loans.

     “ Type ” means, with respect to a Loan, its character as a Base Rate Loan or a LIBOR Floating Rate Loan.

     “ Unfunded Pension Liability ” means the excess of a Pension Plan’s benefit liabilities under Section 4001(a)(16) of ERISA, over the current value of that Pension Plan’s assets, determined in accordance with the assumptions used for funding the Pension Plan pursuant to Section 412 of the Code for the applicable plan year.

     “ United States ” and “ U.S. ” mean the United States of America.

    1.02 Other Interpretive Provisions . With reference to this Agreement and each other Loan Document, unless otherwise specified herein or in such other Loan Document:

     (a) The definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined. Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms. The words “ include ,” “ includes ” and “ including ” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation.” The word “ will ” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “ shall .” Unless the context requires otherwise, (i) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other document (including any Organization Document) shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended, supplemented or otherwise modified (subject to any restrictions on such amendments, supplements or modifications set forth herein or in any other Loan Document), (ii) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns, (iii) the words “ herein ,” “ hereof ” and “ hereunder ,” and words of similar import when used in any Loan Document, shall be construed to refer to such Loan Document in its entirety and not to any particular provision thereof, (iv) all references in a Loan Document to Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles and Sections of, and Exhibits and Schedules to, the Loan Document in which such references appear, (v) any reference to any law shall include all statutory and regulatory provisions consolidating, amending, replacing or interpreting such law and any reference to any law or regulation shall, unless otherwise specified, refer to such law or regulation as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time, and (vi) the words “ asset ” and “ property ” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all tangible and intangible assets and properties, including cash, securities, accounts and contract rights.

     (b) In the computation of periods of time from a specified date to a later specified date, the word “ from ” means “ from and including ;” the words “ to ” and “ until ” each mean “ to but excluding ;” and the word “ through ” means “ to and including .”

     (c) Section headings herein and in the other Loan Documents are included for convenience of reference only and shall not affect the interpretation of this Agreement or any other Loan Document.

    1.03 Accounting Terms . (a) Generally . All accounting terms not specifically or completely defined herein shall be construed in conformity with, and all financial data (including financial ratios and other financial calculations) required to be submitted pursuant to this Agreement shall be prepared in conformity with, GAAP applied on a consistent basis, as in effect from time to time, applied in a manner consistent with that used in preparing the Audited Financial Statements (except for changes concurred in by the Borrower’s independent public accountants or otherwise required by a change in GAAP).

     (b)  Changes in GAAP . If at any time any change in GAAP would affect the computation of any financial ratio or requirement set forth in any Loan Document then such computation shall be made in accordance with GAAP as so changed unless (i) the Borrower shall have objected to determining compliance on such basis at or prior to the time of delivery of such financial statements, or (ii) the Required Lenders shall so object in writing within 30

days after delivery of such financial statements, in either of which events such calculations shall be made on a basis consistent with those used in the preparation of the latest financial statements as to which no such objection shall have been made.

    1.04 Rounding . Any financial ratios required to be maintained by the Borrower pursuant to this Agreement shall be calculated by dividing the appropriate component by the other component, carrying the result to one place more than the number of places by which such ratio is expressed herein and rounding the result up or down to the nearest number (with a rounding-up if there is no nearest number).

    1.05 Times of Day . Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to times of day shall be references to Eastern time (daylight or standard, as applicable).

ARTICLE II.
THE COMMITMENTS AND CREDIT EXTENSIONS

    2.01 Loans . Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender severally agrees to make loans (each such loan, a “ Loan ”) to the Borrower from time to time, on any Business Day during the Availability Period, in an aggregate amount not to exceed at any time outstanding the amount of such Lender’s Commitment; provided , however , that after giving effect to any Borrowing, (i) the Total Outstandings shall not exceed the Aggregate Commitments, and (ii) the aggregate Outstanding Amount of the Loans of any Lender shall not exceed such Lender’s Commitment. Within the limits of each Lender’s Commitment, and subject to the other terms and conditions hereof, the Borrower may borrow under this Section 2.01 , prepay under Section 2.05 , and reborrow under this Section 2.01 . Loans may be Base Rate Loans or LIBOR Floating Rate Loans, as further provided herein.

    2.02 Borrowings and Conversions of Loans .

     (a) Each Borrowing and each conversion of Loans from one Type to the other shall be made upon the Borrower’s irrevocable notice to the Administrative Agent, which may be given by telephone. Each such notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m., (i) on the requested date of any Borrowing of LIBOR Floating Rate Loans or Base Rate Loans or (ii) on the requested date of any conversion of (A) LIBOR Floating Rate Loans to Base Rate Loans or (B) Base Rate Loans to LIBOR Floating Rate Loans. Each telephonic notice by the Borrower pursuant to this Section 2.02(a) must be confirmed promptly by delivery to the Administrative Agent of a written Loan Notice, appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower. Each Borrowing of or conversion to LIBOR Floating Rate Loans or Base Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $500,000 or a whole multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof. Each Loan Notice (whether telephonic or written) shall specify (i) whether the Borrower is requesting a Borrowing or a conversion of Loans from one Type to the other, (ii) the requested date of the Borrowing or conversion, as the case may be (which shall be a Business Day), (iii) the principal amount of Loans to be borrowed or converted, and (iv) the Type of Loans to be borrowed or to which existing Loans are to be converted. If the Borrower fails to specify a Type of Loan in a Loan Notice, then the applicable Loans shall be made as LIBOR Floating Rate Loans; provided that, if the LIBOR Daily

Floating Rate is unavailable, then the applicable Loans shall be made as, or converted to, Base Rate Loans.

     (b) Following receipt of a Loan Notice, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender of the amount of its Applicable Percentage of the applicable Loans. In the case of a Borrowing, each Lender shall make the amount of its Loan available to the Administrative Agent in immediately available funds at the Administrative Agent’s Office not later than 1:00 p.m. on the Business Day specified in the applicable Loan Notice. Upon satisfaction of the applicable conditions set forth in Section 4.02 (and, if such Borrowing is the initial Credit Extension, Section 4.01 ), the Administrative Agent shall make all funds so received available to the Borrower in like funds as received by the Administrative Agent either by (i) crediting the account of the Borrower on the books of Bank of America with the amount of such funds or (ii) wire transfer of such funds, in each case in accordance with instructions provided to (and reasonably acceptable to) the Administrative Agent by the Borrower.

     (c) At any time that Base Rate Loans are outstanding, the Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders of any change in Bank of America’s “prime rate” used in determining the Base Rate promptly following the public announcement of such change. The Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders of any change in the LIBOR Daily Floating Rate on the date such change occurs.

    2.03 [Reserved] .

    2.04 [Reserved] .

    2.05 Prepayments .

     (a) The Borrower may, upon notice to the Administrative Agent, at any time or from time to time voluntarily prepay Loans in whole or in part without premium or penalty; provided that (i) such notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. on the date of prepayment of any Loan; and (ii) any prepayment of Loans shall be in a principal amount of $500,000 or a whole multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof or, if less, the entire principal amount thereof then outstanding. Each such notice shall specify the date and amount of such prepayment and the Type(s) of Loans to be prepaid. The Administrative Agent will promptly notify each Lender of its receipt of each such notice, and of the amount of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of such prepayment. If such notice is given by the Borrower, the Borrower shall make such prepayment and the payment amount specified in such notice shall be due and payable on the date specified therein. Each such prepayment shall be applied to the Loans of the Lenders in accordance with their respective Applicable Percentages.

     (b) If for any reason the Total Outstandings at any time exceed the Aggregate Commitments then in effect, the Borrower shall immediately prepay Loans in an aggregate amount equal to such excess.

    2.06 Termination or Reduction of Commitments . The Borrower may, upon notice to the Administrative Agent, terminate the Aggregate Commitments, or from time to time permanently reduce the Aggregate Commitments; provided that (i) any such notice shall be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. five Business Days prior to the

date of termination or reduction, (ii) any such partial reduction shall be in an aggregate amount of $10,000,000 or any whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof, and (iii) the Borrower shall not terminate or reduce the Aggregate Commitments if, after giving effect thereto and to any concurrent prepayments hereunder, the Total Outstandings would exceed the Aggregate Commitments. The Administrative Agent will promptly notify the Lenders of any such notice of termination or reduction of the Aggregate Commitments. Any reduction of the Aggregate Commitments shall be applied to the Commitment of each Lender according to its Applicable Percentage. All fees accrued until the effective date of any termination of the Aggregate Commitments shall be paid on the effective date of such termination.

    2.07 Repayment of Loans . The Borrower shall repay to the Lenders on the Maturity Date the aggregate principal amount of Loans outstanding on such date.

    2.08 Interest .

     (a) Subject to the provisions of subsection (b) below, (i) each LIBOR Floating Rate Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof from the applicable borrowing date at a rate per annum equal to the LIBOR Daily Floating Rate plus the Applicable Rate; and (ii) each Base Rate Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof from the applicable borrowing date at a rate per annum equal to the Base Rate plus the Applicable Rate.

(b) (i) If any amount of principal of any Loan is not paid when due (after giving effect to any applicable grace periods), whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, such amount shall thereafter bear interest at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.

     (ii) If any amount (other than principal of any Loan) payable by the Borrower under any Loan Document is not paid when due (after giving effect to any applicable grace periods), whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, then upon the request of the Required Lenders, such amount shall thereafter bear interest at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.

     (iii) Accrued and unpaid interest on past due amounts (including interest on past due interest) shall be due and payable upon demand.

     (c) Interest on each Loan shall be due and payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date applicable thereto and at such other times as may be specified herein. Interest hereunder shall be due and payable in accordance with the terms hereof before and after judgment, and before and after the commencement of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law.

    2.09 Fees .

     (a)  Commitment Fee . The Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender in accordance with its Applicable Percentage, a commitment fee equal

to the Applicable Rate times the actual daily amount by which the Aggregate Commitments exceed the sum of the Outstanding Amount of Loans. The commitment fee shall accrue at all times during the Availability Period, including at any time during which one or more of the conditions in Article IV is not met, and shall be due and payable on the last Business Day of each month, commencing with the first such date to occur after the Closing Date, and on the last day of the Availability Period. The commitment fee shall be calculated monthly in arrears, and if there is any change in the Applicable Rate during any month, the actual daily amount shall be computed and multiplied by the Applicable Rate separately for each period during such month that such Applicable Rate was in effect.

(b) Other Fees . (i) The Borrower shall pay to the Arranger and the Administrative Agent for their own respective accounts fees in the amounts and at the times specified in the Fee Letter. Such fees shall be fully earned when paid and shall not be refundable for any reason whatsoever.

     (ii) The Borrower shall pay to the Lenders such fees as shall have been separately agreed upon in writing in the amounts and at the times so specified. Such fees shall be fully earned when paid and shall not be refundable for any reason whatsoever.

    2.10 Computation of Interest and Fees . All computations of interest for Base Rate Loans when the Base Rate is determined by Bank of America’s “prime rate” shall be made on the basis of a year of 365 or 366 days, as the case may be, and actual days elapsed. All other computations of fees and interest shall be made on the basis of a 360-day year and actual days elapsed (which results in more fees or interest, as applicable, being paid than if computed on the basis of a 365-day year). Interest shall accrue on each Loan for the day on which the Loan is made, and shall not accrue on a Loan, or any portion thereof, for the day on which the Loan or such portion is paid, provided that any Loan that is repaid on the same day on which it is made shall, subject to Section 2.12(a) , bear interest for one day. Each determination by the Administrative Agent of an interest rate or fee hereunder shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.

    2.11 Evidence of Debt . The Credit Extensions made by each Lender shall be evidenced by one or more accounts or records maintained by such Lender and by the Administrative Agent in the ordinary course of business. The accounts or records maintained by the Administrative Agent and each Lender shall be conclusive absent manifest error of the amount of the Credit Extensions made by the Lenders to the Borrower and the interest and payments thereon. Any failure to so record or any error in doing so shall not, however, limit or otherwise affect the obligation of the Borrower hereunder to pay any amount owing with respect to the Obligations. In the event of any conflict between the accounts and records maintained by any Lender and the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent in respect of such matters, the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent shall control in the absence of manifest error. Upon the request of any Lender made through the Administrative Agent, the Borrower shall execute and deliver to such Lender (through the Administrative Agent) a Note, which shall evidence such Lender’s Loans in addition to such accounts or records. Each Lender may attach schedules to its Note and endorse thereon the date, Type (if applicable), amount and maturity of its Loans and payments with respect thereto.

    2.12 Payments Generally; Administrative Agent’s Clawback .

     (a)  General . All payments to be made by the Borrower shall be made without condition or deduction for any counterclaim, defense, recoupment or setoff. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all payments by the Borrower hereunder shall be made to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the respective Lenders to which such payment is owed, at the Administrative Agent’s Office in Dollars and in immediately available funds not later than 2:00 p.m. on the date specified herein. The Administrative Agent will promptly distribute to each Lender its Applicable Percentage (or other applicable share as provided herein) of such payment in like funds as received by wire transfer to such Lender’s Lending Office. All payments received by the Administrative Agent after 2:00 p.m. shall be deemed received on the next succeeding Business Day and any applicable interest or fee shall continue to accrue. If any payment to be made by the Borrower shall come due on a day other than a Business Day, payment shall be made on the next following Business Day, and such extension of time shall be reflected in computing interest or fees, as the case may be.

(b) (i) Funding by Lenders; Presumption by Administrative Agent . Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from a Lender prior to 12:00 noon on the date of any Borrowing that such Lender will not make available to the Administrative Agent such Lender’s share of such Borrowing, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender has made such share available on such date in accordance with and at the time required by Section 2.02 and may, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the Borrower a corresponding amount. In such event, if a Lender has not in fact made its share of the applicable Borrowing available to the Administrative Agent, then the applicable Lender and the Borrower severally agree to pay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand such corresponding amount in immediately available funds with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is made available to the Borrower to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at (A) in the case of a payment to be made by such Lender, the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation, plus any administrative

processing or similar fees customarily charged by the Administrative Agent in connection with the foregoing, and (B) in the case of a payment to be made by the Borrower, the interest rate applicable to Base Rate Loans. If the Borrower and such Lender shall pay such interest to the Administrative Agent for the same or an overlapping period, the Administrative Agent shall promptly remit to the Borrower the amount of such interest paid by the Borrower for such period. If such Lender pays its share of the applicable Borrowing to the Administrative Agent, then the amount so paid shall constitute such Lender’s Loan included in such Borrowing. Any payment by the Borrower shall be without prejudice to any claim the Borrower may have against a Lender that shall have failed to make such payment to the Administrative Agent.

     (ii)  Payments by Borrower; Presumptions by Administrative Agent . Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from the Borrower prior to the date on which any payment is due to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Lenders hereunder that the Borrower will not make such payment, the Administrative Agent may assume that the Borrower has made such payment on such date in accordance herewith and may, in reliance upon such assumption, distribute to the Lenders the amount due. In such event, if the Borrower has not in fact made such payment, then each of the Lenders severally agrees to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand the amount so distributed to such Lender, in immediately available funds with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is distributed to it to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation.

     A notice of the Administrative Agent to any Lender or the Borrower with respect to any amount owing under this subsection (b) shall be conclusive, absent manifest error.

     (c)  Failure to Satisfy Conditions Precedent . If any Lender makes available to the Administrative Agent funds for any Loan to be made by such Lender as provided in the foregoing provisions of this Article II , and such funds are not made available to the Borrower by the Administrative Agent because the conditions to the applicable Credit Extension set forth in Article IV are not satisfied or waived in accordance with the terms hereof, the Administrative Agent shall return such funds (in like funds as received from such Lender) to such Lender, without interest.

     (d)  Obligations of Lenders Several . The obligations of the Lenders hereunder to make Loans and to make payments pursuant to Section 10.04(c) are several and not joint. The failure of any Lender to make any Loan or to make any payment under Section 10.04(c) on any date required hereunder shall not relieve any other Lender of its corresponding obligation to do so on such date, and no Lender shall be responsible for the failure of any other Lender to so make its Loan or to make its payment under Section 10.04(c) .

     (e)  Funding Source . Nothing herein shall be deemed to obligate any Lender to obtain the funds for any Loan in any particular place or manner or to constitute a representation by any Lender that it has obtained or will obtain the funds for any Loan in any particular place or manner.

    2.13 Sharing of Payments by Lenders . If any Lender shall, by exercising any right of setoff or counterclaim or otherwise, obtain payment in respect of any principal of or interest on any of the Loans made by it resulting in such Lender’s receiving payment of a proportion of the aggregate amount of such Loans and accrued interest thereon greater than its pro rata share thereof as provided herein, then the Lender receiving such greater proportion shall (a) notify the Administrative Agent of such fact, and (b) purchase (for cash at face value) participations in the Loans of the other Lenders, or make such other adjustments as shall be equitable, so that the benefit of all such payments shall be shared by the Lenders ratably in accordance with the aggregate amount of principal of and accrued interest on their respective Loans and other amounts owing them, provided that:

     (i) if any such participations are purchased and all or any portion of the payment giving rise thereto is recovered, such participations shall be rescinded and the purchase price restored to the extent of such recovery, without interest; and

     (ii) the provisions of this Section shall not be construed to apply to (x) any payment made by the Borrower pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of this Agreement or (y) any payment obtained by a Lender as consideration for the assignment of or sale of a participation in any of its Loans to any assignee or participant, other than to the Borrower or any Subsidiary thereof (as to which the provisions of this Section shall apply).

     The Borrower consents to the foregoing and agrees, to the extent it may effectively do so under applicable law, that any Lender acquiring a participation pursuant to the foregoing arrangements may exercise against the Borrower rights of setoff and counterclaim with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were a direct creditor of the Borrower in the amount of such participation.

ARTICLE III.
TAXES, YIELD PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY

    3.01 Taxes .

     (a)  Payments Free of Taxes . Any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall be made free and clear of and without reduction or withholding for any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes, provided that if the Borrower shall be required by applicable law to deduct any Indemnified Taxes (including any Other Taxes) from such payments, then (i) the sum payable shall be increased as necessary so that after making all required deductions (including deductions applicable to additional sums payable under this Section) the Administrative Agent or Lender, as the case may be, receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such deductions been made, (ii) the Borrower shall make such deductions and (iii) the Borrower shall timely pay the full amount deducted to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law.

     (b)  Payment of Other Taxes by the Borrower . Without limiting the provisions of subsection (a) above, the Borrower shall timely pay any Other Taxes to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law.

     (c)  Indemnification by the Borrower . The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent and each Lender, within 10 days after demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes (including Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this Section) paid by the Administrative Agent or such Lender, as the case may be, and any penalties, interest and reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to the Borrower by a Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), or by the Administrative Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of a Lender, shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

     (d)  Evidence of Payments . As soon as practicable after any payment of Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes by the Borrower to a Governmental Authority, the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent the original or a certified copy of a receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy of the return reporting such payment or other evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

     (e)  Status of Lenders . Any Foreign Lender that is entitled to an exemption from or reduction of withholding tax under the law of the jurisdiction in which the Borrower is resident for tax purposes, or any treaty to which such jurisdiction is a party, with respect to payments hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall deliver to the Borrower (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), at the time or times prescribed by applicable law or reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, such properly completed and executed documentation prescribed by applicable law as will permit such payments to be made without withholding or at a reduced rate of withholding. In addition, any Lender, if requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, shall deliver such other documentation prescribed by applicable law or reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will enable the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine whether or not such Lender is subject to backup withholding or information reporting requirements.

     Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, in the event that the Borrower is resident for tax purposes in the United States, any Foreign Lender shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, but only if such Foreign Lender is legally entitled to do so), whichever of the following is applicable:

     (i) duly completed copies of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN claiming eligibility for benefits of an income tax treaty to which the United States is a party,

     (ii) duly completed copies of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8ECI,

     (iii) in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of the exemption for portfolio interest under se